Monday, July 28, 2014

Chipman, meet Parkland

Week 21 July 28, 2014  3:28 pm EDT   Chipman, meet Parkland

Ahhh transfers. This transfer meeting was a big shock to the WaTac system. There were SO MANY missionaries going home. (remember that huge wave of sisters after the age change? yep. that wave is now crashing on the shores of returned-missionary-life)

Transfers = new companions = new friends

So without further ado, Welcome to the Land of Miracles, Sister Chipman!


We are a happy bunch and setting out to baptize all of Parkland! (...jokes. kind of.)


Fun Facts about Sister Chipman:
Hometown - Alpine, UT
Favorite movie - The Sandlot    ("The kid is an L7 weenie.)
Favorite food - potatoes. any and all kinds.    ("Po-ta-toes! boil em', mash em', stick em' in a stew")
Obsessions - mints, softball, her family, smiling    ("I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite.")

We have seen so many miracles this week with people left and right knowing that baptism is what they need to prepare for in their life to draw closer to the Savior. People we have been working with for months, weeks and minutes are all coming to know for themselves the truths we are teaching.

#5-7Miracle
We knocked into Catherine and she immediately recognized us and welcomed us in (note: this is not usual. whatsoever.). She thought we were here for her daughter who had run into missionaries a few days prior (not us, sadly) but told us she was planning on being baptized while she was living in Florida a while back. She was living with her boyfriend and their kids at the time and couldn't make the marriage/living situation work. She has since graduated law school, moved here to Washington (without the lame boyfriend) and told us she wants a priesthood blessing and to be baptized.
Sweet. We pray to know where to knock, and it's awesome to see some immediate blessings from it.

#EpiphanyMiracle
John's son Matt was baptized in North Dakota after a long battle with drugs/bad friends - kind of an Alma the Younger experience. (Fun fact: Matt was taught for a long time by a missionary in my district Elder Rasmussen until Matt moved and lost contact. A missionary in ND emailed Elder Rasmussen and told him Matt had been baptized and completely turned his life around. Small world eh?) John has met with us on and off for months, but has been coming to church because he knows it's the right place to be and he can feel the Spirit there. We met with him to have a bit of a DTR and figure out if we can really help him. He knows that he wants the light that we have and wants a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He wants to feel the Spirit all the time. He want his son Matt to baptize him. He knows this is what God wants for him. 

#LivinTheLOCmiracle
​Jake and his girlfriend are having a baby in the coming week. BUT Jake knows that he wants to be baptized and has set a goal for August 29th. He knows that goals + faith = opportunities (aka miracles.) and that things will work out, despite not having any support from his friends or family to get baptized. He is reading about Nephi in the Book of Mormon and really starting to understand faith and trust in the Lord.

#WhatTheWhatMiracle
David and Carissa just moved into our ward from the WaFed (lame.) and just showed up at church. We didn't know that David isn't actually a member of the church, until yesterday. Apparently he is on date for baptism on August 29th and wants us to help. We said yes (:

At transfer meeting, my trainer Sister Davis quoted spoke about our service making this place sacred ground. Sacred because of the love we give and feel, just as the Savior would.
President Eyring said: "As we continue to serve Him, we will come to love Him. To be called to serve is a call to come to love the Master we serve. It is a call to have our natures changed."
As with all things, it really comes down to love. Why we choose to do what we do. What we are willing to experience because of it. Who we are willing to become through it. Love is the motive, the means, the way and the reward. 

Signing off,

Elizabeth

P.S. we have a new mission blog - check it out here:

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