Monday, September 2, 2019

9.2.19 "I Wanna Do What God Does."

Our week began with teaching a member family's daughter who will be baptized on the 5th. She is literally the sweetest girl ever!! We had 2 lessons with her this week and the first one we had to have on the porch. It was dark and we sat on these wooden chairs outside and the dad and 3 of the kids were out there. Little 4 or 5yr old Jacob H. was to my right. He was rocking back and forth on this little rocking chair. And we were asking about the biggest event in the Book of Mormon.. some of the kids said the atonement, he talked about Peter (which is in the bible). Then we started to talk a little bit more about how Jesus Christ came to the Americas. Randomly in a quite moment in the conversation he said, "I wanna do what God does!" The dad, sitting there near him said "so do I Jacob, so do I!" My mind was blown. I sat there a little shocked. This 4-5 yr old just gave me the answer to so many questions. Without even knowing. It was this nice summer night, talking about the Gospel and the beauty of it and he just randomly says that!! Love that kid sooo much! Then, later that week I read Alma 32:23... "And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned."
Kids can teach us sooo soo very much. 

My next story is about a guy who sprayed us with water... Hahaha we were talking to this guy, he was atheist so we were talking and trying to help him understand where we are coming from. We asked if he had ever heard of the Book of Mormon, and he said "No." We explained to him that it has the answers to his questions. He had lots of questions like "why would God allow this much suffering happen in the world?", and things like that and we said, "we have the answer.." while he was talking (he was finishing up washing his car) he picked up the hose and accidentally pressed the sprayer and sprayed the both of us on the spot, in the middle of a parking lot... haha he just nonchalantly said sorry in the sentence he was in and kept talking.. haha sister Cunningham's book of Mormon got all wet and glasses, and I just stood there soaked. He didn't mean to do it, but it was funny. He ended up taking a Book of Mormon though!  And, he's gonna call us and let us know what he thinks!

Right before that conversation we had parked and i parked, sandwiched between 2 cars that were right on the line and I had about 4 inches to open my door to get out. There was this other guy standing on the corner that we needed to talk to! We both got out of the car, very carefully and went and talked to this guy. We gave him a card because he was heading somewhere and waiting for his ride. He seemed like a well-mannered person, then the car of his ride comes screeching in with really loud music and picked him up. They sounded like they were about to go party hard... and many other things that I won't go into detail. I prayed so hard that that card with a picture of Jesus card would go really far and affect some more people!🤞 
That night we got home and found a millipede on our bedroom ceiling and about 4 other spiders! (What a time that was, trying to kill that thing and suck it up!... flying millipedes!!) "Welcome to Fort Belvoir Sister Chaffin where the bugs like to linger!"-Sister Cunningham
What a day! We went to bed early that night. So early that my alarm to write in my journal went off and woke us up from almost falling asleep! 

Missionary life is a bit crazy. Sister Cunningham and I were talking about this, it truly is the strangest thing! People think we are absolutely insane. We talked to some T-mobile guys that were pretty cool. They thought we were crazy. They said they have to knock a certain amount of door and be out a certain amount of hours. Glad we don't have to do that!  They still thought we were crazy for leaving our families and doing this not to get paid for it.  It is for serving and loving others and serving God! Alex, one of the T-Mobile guys said he has a friend in Utah and has heard a little bit about our faith. It truly was a miracle that we ran into them and talked to them! They were about our age and so we were really enthusiastic about what we were saying and talked so highly about how cool The Restoration is! Alex got a Book of Mormon and we got both of their numbers. We talked for about most of our dinner  and got a 15 minute dinner but that's okay. All that matters is that he got a Book of Mormon and they got to hear more about the restored Gospel!! :)

I have been studying a lot about Faith and what it is. My faith has grown so much because it.

Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

I know that Jesus Christ lives. He cares. He wants us to trust him. By that trust and confidence in him we can yield to his will and transform our life and our nature to be more Christ-like and charitable. 
It really does give us hope. Who wouldn't want to live with hope?

I wanna do what God does too, little Jacob.
One day. One day, little one.

Always love,
Sister Chaffin 💙



Sister Caplin(mission pres. Wife) matched with everyone at interviews



Elephante

Drew this one night and gave it to pres. And sister Caplin

Lunch at the Army base

Besides not rising before putting it in the oven, it might have a bit too much flour...



Monday, August 26, 2019

8.26.2019 Change. Restart. Renew.

My third area!! What a blessing it is to have these 3 areas and Congregations I've served in! Fort Belvoir is great! We cover the Army base and the places surrounding it! What a blessing it is to be in this area!

Our church building in Mt.Vernon is right on the Potomac River and it was owned by George Washington, It is the most expensive church building property that the church owns! 3 mins of a drive from George Washington's house! What a beautiful site it has been to be able to attend The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, in the very place where our freedom of religion started and the house of a great man is right down the street!!

This week was a restart and a renewal, for me and thus area! Everyone surely should read Alma 37! So amazing!
Alma 37:36 "Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."
I know that God is there. We are in his hands. His is our light in this treacherous, path we are on! Truly the light in the tunnel next to you! I love the Gospel. I continue to find more and more change and growth on this path!  Nothing good is going to be easy!!

Our Friend Donald is so close to baptism but he will be out of town for a few weeks!

Keep smiling • like Donald! 😁
Always love,
Sister Chaffin

Sister Murray

The Urel Family
Sister Minaker came back for a visit

Last morning in the Vint Hill apartment

New companion, sister Cunningham

The Potomac river, the view next to the Church building!

Awkward sidewalk

Smile

Hagel circle in all its craziness, they need the Book of Mormon



Pink Sky



Hagel Circle! Which sidewalk??

Craziness of Hagel circle again

Hagel circle

Mt.Vernon Building by the Potomac

The Potomac






Monday, August 19, 2019

8.19.19 Hello Mt. Vernon

So, Yep! You guessed it! I leave out of the celestial land of Vint Hill tomorrow!

Brother Gant is reading the Book of Mormon more and more!!

This transfer will include finishing training my new companion, Sister Cunningham in Mt Vernon-my new area.  And Sister Topham my current companion will be getting a new sister from the Missionary Training Center!

The Urel's came home from Turkey and got to experience Ephesus and St. John's baptistry. Before they went to Turkey, they came to a baptism of one of their friends! After visiting, they saw the connections!!

We taught an awesome Sunday school lesson on Sunday. It was all about the Saviors love for us and discussed the question, "Who can separate us from the Love of Christ?" from Romans 8! We also related it to the quote "Love is made Sacred through Sacrifice"

I am so excited for some new amazing things in Mt. Vernon Area!!

Sorry for the short email, gotta go pack and visit some of my favorite people! <3

Always love,
Sister Chaffin









Bird on car

Rain downpour


Monday, August 12, 2019

8.12.2019 "Rejoicing That They Were Counted Worthy to Suffer Shame For His Name." Acts 5:41

 "And there began to be (Wo)men inspired from heaven and sent forth (to northern Virginia), standing among the people in all the (neighborhood) land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people (amongst Mitch and his friends), and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings." -3 Nephi 6:20

Yesterday was too cool! We went and visited a part member that is interested for us to come back! We asked if any one in the area could use a message of Jesus Christ. So he sent us to the next door neighbor that had a near death experience recently, then he noticed the barbecue going on down the street, he knew those people! So we went to the next door neighbor who had a near death experience and no one was home. Then we kept walking down the road to and I asked sister Topham, are we going to talk to all of them? is there anyone that stands out? and she was like okay lets talk to them all. The people on the sidewalk were passing around a football and we mentioned to throw the ball to us and then he did and we caught the attention of all the others on the lawn on their lawn chairs! They asked us where we were from and they thought Utah, but they were wrong... haha. Sister Topham guess that one person was from Arizona and got it right. Then the said they would listen to us since we guessed where she lived. We shared 3 Nephi 11:10,11 and they all went pretty quiet and listened! there were about 13 adults there listening to us. They all, at the end, said thank you for all that you do! It was so awesome! 

What a week it has been! Brother Gant is moving slowly but surely to baptism! What a funny guy! He finally remembered the chapter we gave to him to read and he recalled what it said in our lesson and told us what he liked, it was awesome!! He came to church and talked to everyone what he has been learning that week with us! hahah what a guy.

We met a lady named Jan! what a sweetheart she is! She talked about how when people  just believe in Jesus Christ in their heart they are saved. I very kindly yet lovingly and boldly basically said no that's not really how it works. you must be baptized by someone who holds the authority of God! She asked a question about how she was baptized as a baby and asked, "Does that not work?" and I said did you get to choose to follow God when you were a baby? she said "No" and I said well we do need to consciously make that decision to God to tell him we are willing to be his! She took it very well! after that lesson sister Topham goes "WAY TO GO SISTER!!" you told her how it was! IN that lesson I also continued to say, This is the Church of Jesus Christ, restored to it's natural frame! haha I had read the "Why 1820" from a Ricks College devotional that morning.. it talked about why God would have His church restored the year 1820! Check it out, it is great!! :)

From the BBQ and the continuing of lessons with Brother Gant and the lesson we had with Jan, you can truly see the gospel of Jesus Christ and His spirit soften the the people! With the BBQ we just got to know the people and they got to know us and then once they understood what we were doing they started to nail us with questions and doubting's! How cool it was to see this from our perspective! As they had these people mocked/dis-regarded our beliefs, but as we started to stand and testify of the divinity of the Savior visiting those in America and the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, they started to back down and stop! We testified to 13 adult strangers asking us questions and staring at us, what a remarkable experience that was! With brother Gant, his sister and her family are pretty against the church! Yet he continues to come to our church and stay faithful and read the Book of Mormon! Jan sees that when every we come and she is home, it is inspired of God and she is still grieving of the death of her mother! 

I love these people so much! Love is truly the only way to help one another and to lay aside contention! How grateful I am to be here in Northern Virginia, I couldn't imagine it any different! :) The Gospel of Jesus Christ is real, Jesus Christ lives today, He loves us all so much that our eyes can not comprehend the amount! As you search to find His voice in every step. Learn of his love for you and those around you. It will come to blow your mind and be amazed! Never step down in your testimony of the Savior or any testimony witnessing of Him. He will truly give light and discernment to ones path. No matter what you think. He is the way, and there is no other way in heaven! Keep your head held high, your a son or daughter of Him who is the greatest of all. Never back down. You are loved. 
If that's not enough to fill my heart, I don't know what is. May the Light of Christ shine continually in your lives, and in the lives of those you know! 
3 Nephi 11:11 "I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning."  
Keep spreading the light and never let it fade! Its 10000% worth it!

Love Always,
Sister Chaffin <3