Hasta la vista America!

Wow, President, this is my last email to you!! Sad, but exciting, but also sad! I'm really really grateful to have been a part of this zone. Seriously, SO blessed. I've felt like I could learn and grow so much here - and I definitely have! Thank you for your encouragement and counsel. It has really helped me.

I feel like this past week Hna Kroska and I had a breakthrough in teaching. It was awesome! We learned how to better focus on the need of the investigator and then apply that need to the doctrine we were teaching. Our investigators made a lot of progress! I've also seen the power that bearing simple, sincere testimonies can have. In the past I've felt like testimonies were more like my "opinion" and didn't carry a whole lot of weight, but I've been reminded over and over this past week that I am not the one doing the converting. I don't have to PROVE anything to our investigators. I just need to teach pure, simple doctrine, invite the Spirit, and help them feel loved. The Spirit is the real teacher and He will do the convincing by His power.

In relation to my role, I thought of a great analogy in class last night. Sometimes we are the ones planting the seeds. Maybe the seeds are planted with a smile, a kind word or deed, or a simple lesson. Sometimes we are the ones helping them grow. God prepares His children to receive the fullness of His Gospel in many ways and we may help with that. Then sometimes we are the ones harvesting. We get there when they are prepared to receive the fullness and we help them take those steps. ALL those roles are equally important in helping someone come unto Christ. No effort is ever a waste, because each effort is either planting, preparing, or harvesting. We should take advantage of every opportunity to interact with others because we will be doing one of those three things. This is the Lord's work, and He will get it done. While here I've learned so much about the importance of trusting Him and I've come to trust Him even more. I know this is His work. It would not be possible to do what we do if it wasn't His work. I LOVE being a part of it.

Gracias Presidente! Nos vemos esta noche!

Well hey there mi querida familia!

President said we could email for just a few minutes Saturday night since we'll be traveling on our prep day this week and we won't have another prep day until next Monday. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M LEAVING IN T-MINUS 34 HOURS.... Really, it does not feel like I'm leaving yet. The MTC has just flown by, but it has been SO great. I have learned so so so much, and I feel so much closer to my Savior. I am so incredibly PUMPED for missionary work!! I could not be doing anything better with my life right now and it is so comforting knowing that this is exactly where Heavenly Father wants me. I know I can do this, because I know He is behind me, in front of me, and all around me.

We had this fun little in-field orientation day yesterday. We focused a ton on getting the members involved in missionary work, and I've learned how CRUCIAL it is to have members involved. This work is so much more successful with their help. If you pray about it and think about who you could share the Gospel with, I promise a name will come to mind. Find the missionaries, get to know them, share that name with them, and then HELP THEM!! Go with them to lessons. Invite your friends to church. Bear your testimony about how this Gospel fills your life with so much LIGHT and JOY!! Because I know it does!! I can't even tell you how much I love being a missionary. :D I calculated the other day that the sisters only get 13 transfers (6-week periods) in their missions. One of those is now over. I only have 12 left!! I'm definitely going to make the most of the time I have, because it will be over before I know it.

I hope you all had a fun Halloween!! We all dressed up as missionaries. Weird. There must be something in the water that makes us all have the same idea or something. :P Thank you SO SO much for all your love and prayers and support. You mean the world to me!!!

OS AMO MUCHO!!! Talk to you from Argentina next!!! :D

Con amor,

Hna Chipman

I'm a "Missionary in Training" for Halloween :)

Foto con Hermano Brown!

Foto con Hermano Hammond! ADIOS MAESTROS!!!! Y gracias por todo!