The week where things just got real...

Hola Presidente!

¡Otra semana ya se fue! I can't believe how fast the time is flying now. And I'm sure it only gets faster. This week has been really great!! I feel like I'm learning and progressing and applying what I've learned, definitely not perfectly, but I can recognize that it is happening. I look forward to teaching lessons and practicing what we have learned. I especially look forward to practicing how to follow the Spirit in the lessons. I feel like I am being much more conscious of His direction. I try to listen more and not be afraid to say what comes into my mind. He is the real teacher after all, and He definitely knows best. I also feel like Hna Kroska and I are teaching very well together. We're both trusting each other to be sincere in what we're teaching and to follow the Spirit. It's AWESOME!

Something that Brother Glazier said in our leadership training on Sunday really stuck out to me. He talked about how scripture study is one of the best ways to learn how the Spirit speaks to me. This is something I REALLY want to understand better so I can better follow my Savior and do what He would have me do. I really look forward to study every day so I can be practicing and learning that!

I love being able to feel the Spirit so much here. I truly do know that this is the work of our Savior. I know this is exactly where He wants me to be and that He is SO happy I am here! And that gives me so much peace, no matter what happens during the day. I know I am doing what is right, and because of that He will be there to help me the whole way.

MISSIONARY WORK IS THE BEST!!

I sure do appreciate all you and your wife, and your counselors and their wives, do for us. We are SO SO blessed!!!

¡Muchísimas gracias! ¡Nos vemos muy pronto!

Birthday pic!!

Alright errybody,

Presents!!

First of all, thank you all SO MUCH for the love this week!! I loved all the notes and the sweet little packages. I just felt so loved. It was great. :) Now I've officially started my golden year - WAHOO! And I get to spend all of it on my mission!! It really will be the best year of my life. :D

More presents!! Muchas gracias a todos!!

So, the MTC decided to celebrate my birthday by having us move up to main campus. Happy birthday to me! Actually it was really nice. We had basically the whole morning to move and get organized. At west campus we were living in apartments and Hna Kroska and I had a whole apartment to ourselves. Now we're living in dorms.

Sad to be leaving our west campus paradise

There are supposed to be six girls to a room but we got lucky and there are only four of us. We're with two other Hermanas that came to the MTC the same day as we did. Living in dorms is definitely... interesting, haha. I miss having my own shower, but it's cool. We can all belt out Disney songs together in our little cubicles! :) It's fun living with the Hermanas that we do. And it's only for ten days - I think I'll survive. ;) Plus I should be really grateful because I don't know what the housing will be like in Argentina. We really are SO blessed here!!! Count your blessings!

Zona before they all left. :( But now we have new lil missionaries. :)

I guess our new class is pretty cool too.

Another new thing this past week - we got surprised with TWO new districts! We thought we weren't getting any new missionaries until this week, but we got a total of 17 new missionaries in our zone on Wednesday. AHHH, SO FUN!! There are nine new Hermanas and eight Elders. They are precious. And so legit. This zone seems to just get all the super strong, prepared missionaries. Baptizing the world, that's what we'll do. ;) And most of them are going to Argentina, with a couple going to Ecuador and one to Bolivia.

Now besides all that big news, the real big news of the week...  TRAVEL PLANS!!! 

PLANES DE VIAJE!!!

Holy, moly this is really happening. We report to the travel office at 6am this coming Monday (LESS THAN A WEEK :O!!). Our flight leaves Salt Lake at like 11:15 and we fly to Georgia. Then our flight from Georgia leaves at 7pm or something for Buenos Aires and we get in Tuesday morning at 8am or so. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am. I really will miss the MTC. I love my district and my zone. These people are amazing, BUT so are the people in Argentina and I can't wait to go help change some lives with this incredible, wonderful, amazing Gospel!!!

On top of all that, this past week was really good for Hna Kroska and I. I feel like we had a teaching breakthrough. We've been really focusing on making the lessons we teach apply to the needs of our investigators and it's been SO helpful. We had some of our best lessons with Miguel and Jared. Miguel is still praying and Jared is coming to church!! They are feeling more peace and happiness as they change their lives to do what their Heavenly Father wants them to do. Amazing!!! The Gospel really does bring deep, lasting happiness. It heals broken hearts. It heals broken homes. It heals broken lives. And if life is good, it makes it even better. I testify that these things are TRUE!! I've experienced it in my own life and watched it happen in the lives of others, and I get to experience that over and over for the next 17 months! :D (I can't believe one month is already gone!!!)

I love you all, so dearly. I hope you are all happy and healthy! I am here, so don't worry too much about me. ;) The flu shot and On-Guard are keeping the colds away!

Con mucho, mucho amor,

Hna Chipman

Jamba!!! Yum. We were allowed to walk
down to Brigham's Landing for some real

world food on our prep days. :)

Our lovely new view at Main Campus

My momma MADE this!! I LOVE it!! So talented. :)
(mom's note: I have to laugh because yes, I made the scarf, but technically, I made her, too!) haha