Hey everyone,
This past week has been really great. So many great things have happened this week. Great teaching lessons, great language learning, etc...but my favorite thing this week was on Tuesday. Tuesday night for our devotional Elder David A. Bednar form the quorum of the 12 apostles came to speak to us. His talk was amazing, and I would like to just share a couple things from that. this was his overal question that was the theme of his talk: "how do i know if it is the holy ghost or me". his answer was really bold and straight forward.."dont worry about it" was his exact response. let me explain by telling you the promise that he left with us before he left. (exact words) "if we will be good boys and girls, keep our covenants, keep our covenants; and as we press forward with faith [in christ], our steps will be guided, our utterances will be inspired, and we cannot go astray". "we will always be in the right place at the right time". he also summed it up by simply stating, "if we are good boys and girls ( he said that a lot it was kind of funny) all of our thoughts will be from the holy ghost". if we strive to follow the gospel and the savior and do everything that we can to follow the commandments and the work our hardest and best with the most diligence, it will be impossible to do anything against the lords will. he shared a lot of personal and powerful experiences about following a simple task that he thought was his mind, and fuond out later that it was from the holy ghost. the spirit of the lord will not come to us when we are idoling our time or sitting there analyzing our thoughts wondering if they are of the lord or just us...and the simple answer, from an apostle of the lord is "quit worrying about it".
i went to the rc again on saturdat, and we got initiated on the caht system. this was really cool because instead of calling people who dont want to talk to you, you are responding to people trying to contact you. what you do is you respond to questions that people have about the church and life in general, and just share the gospel with them. it was awesome. i had the opportunity to talk to this guy, and for some reason i had a hard guy..he started talking about prophets, which wasnt hard, then he started asking harder questions that i didnt want to mess up my answers to...like "what are some 'spicific' revelations given since joseph smith, and if they do how come they didnt specifically predict 9?11 and katrina and stuff"..this was hard but a great experience to learn to work with my companion and most importantly learn to work but listening to the spirit on what to say. it was awesome. when it got hard i just said a silent prayer and i got ideas of what to say, and i was able to tell him what he needed to hear.i have been able to truely develop and gain a testimony of prayer here and that he really does hear us. for example. i was in a lesson with an investigator yesterday, and it was right after gym so we ran there and were 2 min late and didnt have time to plan. it was rough at the beginning. then while i had tyhe investagator read a scripture, i just bowed my head and said a silent quick prayer. the remainder of the lesson was amazing. the spirit was there, my mind was enlightened on what to say, and it was a lot better. i am so grateful for the blessings of the lord in my life, for without him i would not bwe the missionary he wants me to be; but through him i can do whatever he desires. its awesome.
oh dad i didnt get that long letter you sent, so if you still have it send it again. thanks. and also tell people i love it when you send things to my email, but i can only check it on p-day, so dear elder is better. but it you have to, you can send it to my email and ill print it off on thursday mornings.
well i have less time this week becasue i had to do someother stuff.so sorry for the short letter, and so mom and dad i am going to send you a letter today or tomorrow. and i will send some pics and write some more additional stuff.
thanks everybody for you prayers. i hope you all are doing well and god bless. talk to ya next week.
elder chapman
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June 4th, 2009 Ryan;s 2nd Letter
Hey Friends and Family,
So yea life is still good, all is well. In case you havent seen the recent church news, ever since I have gotten here the MTC has had a huge swine flu/influenza watch to th point were we cant shake hands, hug, or do anything with contact pretty much. We have quite a few individuals here who have swine flu and other things, and are in quorantine (spelling?). But I havent gotten it yet, and i dont plan to. It has got to the point that the elders who were leaving like this week and the next got postponed a week. oh well, i dont leave for 7 weeks.
I have had the opportunity since I got here to sing in the MTC choir for the devotionals. The music and the spirit are so strong with the choir, that having the choir and a devotional speaker are like two devotionals in one night!! At times it sounds like there are angels singing with us, and I would not doubt that their are. Also either this sunday or next, I am singing in sacrament meeting. Me and 2 other guys are singing "i need thee every hour" as a trio". I am excited.
I had the opportunity this week to start going to the RC (referral center). This is where missionaries in the Mtc have the opportunity to do real missionary work, with REAL people. Its cool. If you go on mormon.org or a site like that, and you see a spot to chat with a church representative, or talk to one on the phone, or request a free book/dvd or somwething that the church gives out, this is where all that stuff is directed to, Us missionaries!! So the last time I went I called a bunch of people confirming that they got the dvd or book or whatever, and then inviting to send over church representatives (missionaries!!!) to share more info about the item! I got a lot of answering machines and talked to one person, and they agreed to have the missionaries come over, it was so cool! Saturday we are going to be instructed on the chatting service, so we can start chatting to people online who have gospel questions about life, and the church. Its cool because I can go back as much as I want on my freee time. Its exciting stuff.
Our branch president is trying to get us over the fear of asking people to be baptized, because a lot of missionaries are scared to even after teaching them a while, so he is making us go around just talking to missionaries and asking them to be baptized to get over the fear of asking people; Becasue Fear is the opposite of Faith. Our goal for last week was 100 committments. And by the end of the week I only had 29(i wasnt the only one), so when we had our district meeting he made us go out and get our goal....so i went out and had to ask 71 people in like 20 min, it was fun. our goal for this week is 120.
Church is cool here becasue every week EVERYONE has to write a talk on the same topic, then the Branch President picks two random people to speak. and it is kind of scary cuz there are only like 30 of us.
Spanish is fun. It was weird I went to pray in english the other day at dinner cuz i was in a hurry, and i could not say my prayer in english, i was speaking spanglish. not matter what i did spanigh came out with some english, even though i was thinking english. It was weird. COol but weird.
Yes Dear Elder.com, works really well. I love it. real letter are cool , but dear elder is faster. Just make sure to give me your adress if you want me to write back, cuz i only have 30 min on email. But yea i get your letters from Dear elder on the same day. Also mom and dad, I am excited to get the packege I am waiting for it, so yea I like packages and letters...hint hint....so give people my address if you would like..hint hint. Also you can add the youth to my email thing if theyd like...lauren, joe, whitley, ashley, etc.....
Ok I have 2 min....One thing I learned from the devotional this week from Bro. Gonzales of the 70, was this:
"thing of your investigators not as they are now, but as they can be, as temple going active members of the church" this really hit me, because the best way to teacc someone the gospel is to show them that you truely love themand care about them.!!1
Ok love ya all!! talk to you next week......30 sec left...have people write me!!!
Adios
Elder Chapman
So yea life is still good, all is well. In case you havent seen the recent church news, ever since I have gotten here the MTC has had a huge swine flu/influenza watch to th point were we cant shake hands, hug, or do anything with contact pretty much. We have quite a few individuals here who have swine flu and other things, and are in quorantine (spelling?). But I havent gotten it yet, and i dont plan to. It has got to the point that the elders who were leaving like this week and the next got postponed a week. oh well, i dont leave for 7 weeks.
I have had the opportunity since I got here to sing in the MTC choir for the devotionals. The music and the spirit are so strong with the choir, that having the choir and a devotional speaker are like two devotionals in one night!! At times it sounds like there are angels singing with us, and I would not doubt that their are. Also either this sunday or next, I am singing in sacrament meeting. Me and 2 other guys are singing "i need thee every hour" as a trio". I am excited.
I had the opportunity this week to start going to the RC (referral center). This is where missionaries in the Mtc have the opportunity to do real missionary work, with REAL people. Its cool. If you go on mormon.org or a site like that, and you see a spot to chat with a church representative, or talk to one on the phone, or request a free book/dvd or somwething that the church gives out, this is where all that stuff is directed to, Us missionaries!! So the last time I went I called a bunch of people confirming that they got the dvd or book or whatever, and then inviting to send over church representatives (missionaries!!!) to share more info about the item! I got a lot of answering machines and talked to one person, and they agreed to have the missionaries come over, it was so cool! Saturday we are going to be instructed on the chatting service, so we can start chatting to people online who have gospel questions about life, and the church. Its cool because I can go back as much as I want on my freee time. Its exciting stuff.
Our branch president is trying to get us over the fear of asking people to be baptized, because a lot of missionaries are scared to even after teaching them a while, so he is making us go around just talking to missionaries and asking them to be baptized to get over the fear of asking people; Becasue Fear is the opposite of Faith. Our goal for last week was 100 committments. And by the end of the week I only had 29(i wasnt the only one), so when we had our district meeting he made us go out and get our goal....so i went out and had to ask 71 people in like 20 min, it was fun. our goal for this week is 120.
Church is cool here becasue every week EVERYONE has to write a talk on the same topic, then the Branch President picks two random people to speak. and it is kind of scary cuz there are only like 30 of us.
Spanish is fun. It was weird I went to pray in english the other day at dinner cuz i was in a hurry, and i could not say my prayer in english, i was speaking spanglish. not matter what i did spanigh came out with some english, even though i was thinking english. It was weird. COol but weird.
Yes Dear Elder.com, works really well. I love it. real letter are cool , but dear elder is faster. Just make sure to give me your adress if you want me to write back, cuz i only have 30 min on email. But yea i get your letters from Dear elder on the same day. Also mom and dad, I am excited to get the packege I am waiting for it, so yea I like packages and letters...hint hint....so give people my address if you would like..hint hint. Also you can add the youth to my email thing if theyd like...lauren, joe, whitley, ashley, etc.....
Ok I have 2 min....One thing I learned from the devotional this week from Bro. Gonzales of the 70, was this:
"thing of your investigators not as they are now, but as they can be, as temple going active members of the church" this really hit me, because the best way to teacc someone the gospel is to show them that you truely love themand care about them.!!1
Ok love ya all!! talk to you next week......30 sec left...have people write me!!!
Adios
Elder Chapman
First Week in MTC Completed
Hola Familia!
So I made it through the first week here in the MTC, and all I can say is Amazing and Wow! The environment here is perfect in the sense that the spirit is everywhere, and is always with you, it is quite unique. I can truely testify that the gifts of the spirit are truely readily available to a missionary. I have had learned so much this past week, both in spanish and in gospel knowledge,and we are so busy that the only way that I have been able to handle it all is through a personal journal, a study journal, and a language journal. I must say that Journals are a wonderful thing. The days here are so long, yet becasue you are doing the same thing everyday all of the days and knowledge blend together. If I didnt keep these journals I must say I would forget half of it. ALso, there is literally NO frewe time except my gym time. Its good that I get a break to just relax and take an hour off to move around. From 6:30 am til about 10:30pm I am sitting about 85 percent of the time, so it is nice to have recreational activity almost everyday. At least in Argentina I will be able to walk 85 percent of the time!!
I have a pretty sweet companion, his name is Elder Swank. He is from sacramento california. He is cool, very outgoing and chilled like me. We teach pretty well together, and I must say that we have taught a lot so far. The only way to learn to be a good missionary is to practice by teaching alot, so we take every opportunity to teach that we can. By going to the Teaching Resource Center, the Teaching Evaluation Center, teaching each other, and signing up with teachers to teach them. It is so fun, and every time I do it I learn something new. Ever since we got here my campanion has been pretty sick, and has head random headaches and headpains. He found out today that he has a sinus thing, not sure what it is exactly, but it has persisted longer than the normal. Anyways, a couple days ago it was so bad that we had to go back to our room an 2 hours early at night becasue it was just so bad. Once we got back and had the opportunity to get him ready for bed I had the opportunity to give him a blessing. This was neat. It was kind of scary at first , but I didnt even double think it, and I just did it. It was cool to know that my whole mission I will have a companion there for me if anything happens to me at any time of the day!!
dad that is pretty sweet that you are satarting the stake young men on preach my gospel. i must say that that book is amazing, it is truely over 180 years worth of missionary service and advice in one book. it is truely amazing.
well im runngin out of time so i will just say that this place is amazing and that the gift of tounges is real. already i can pray in spanish, meet people, tell them what i am doing and who i am, bear my testimony, and i also know other words phrases and other stuff. in 3 weeks i have to start teaching lessons in spanish...well im excited, take care. im in good hands...oh and incase you didnt figure it out my pdays are on thurdays. and i didnt go the temple today becasue i had a meeting with the argentina consel during my time so next week...adios
So I made it through the first week here in the MTC, and all I can say is Amazing and Wow! The environment here is perfect in the sense that the spirit is everywhere, and is always with you, it is quite unique. I can truely testify that the gifts of the spirit are truely readily available to a missionary. I have had learned so much this past week, both in spanish and in gospel knowledge,and we are so busy that the only way that I have been able to handle it all is through a personal journal, a study journal, and a language journal. I must say that Journals are a wonderful thing. The days here are so long, yet becasue you are doing the same thing everyday all of the days and knowledge blend together. If I didnt keep these journals I must say I would forget half of it. ALso, there is literally NO frewe time except my gym time. Its good that I get a break to just relax and take an hour off to move around. From 6:30 am til about 10:30pm I am sitting about 85 percent of the time, so it is nice to have recreational activity almost everyday. At least in Argentina I will be able to walk 85 percent of the time!!
I have a pretty sweet companion, his name is Elder Swank. He is from sacramento california. He is cool, very outgoing and chilled like me. We teach pretty well together, and I must say that we have taught a lot so far. The only way to learn to be a good missionary is to practice by teaching alot, so we take every opportunity to teach that we can. By going to the Teaching Resource Center, the Teaching Evaluation Center, teaching each other, and signing up with teachers to teach them. It is so fun, and every time I do it I learn something new. Ever since we got here my campanion has been pretty sick, and has head random headaches and headpains. He found out today that he has a sinus thing, not sure what it is exactly, but it has persisted longer than the normal. Anyways, a couple days ago it was so bad that we had to go back to our room an 2 hours early at night becasue it was just so bad. Once we got back and had the opportunity to get him ready for bed I had the opportunity to give him a blessing. This was neat. It was kind of scary at first , but I didnt even double think it, and I just did it. It was cool to know that my whole mission I will have a companion there for me if anything happens to me at any time of the day!!
dad that is pretty sweet that you are satarting the stake young men on preach my gospel. i must say that that book is amazing, it is truely over 180 years worth of missionary service and advice in one book. it is truely amazing.
well im runngin out of time so i will just say that this place is amazing and that the gift of tounges is real. already i can pray in spanish, meet people, tell them what i am doing and who i am, bear my testimony, and i also know other words phrases and other stuff. in 3 weeks i have to start teaching lessons in spanish...well im excited, take care. im in good hands...oh and incase you didnt figure it out my pdays are on thurdays. and i didnt go the temple today becasue i had a meeting with the argentina consel during my time so next week...adios
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Elder Chapman Goes into the MTC
Ryan trails his new MTC luggage in..See yah in 2 years Mom! Dad! Family!
Ryan is ready, I now turn you over to the Lord Ryan!
Ryan gives him Missionary Tag to be put on my Mom!
Ryan saw Elder Barwick in the MTC Hi Elder! Member of the Kirtland Stake
Ryan is ready, I now turn you over to the Lord Ryan!Ryan gives him Missionary Tag to be put on my Mom!
Ryan greets Elder Josh Klein, Ryan's EQ Pres. @ BYU
Josh is going to Berlin Germany
Ryan saw Elder Barwick in the MTC Hi Elder! Member of the Kirtland StakeRyan's LDS Mission Site Link
Ryan has a LDS Mission Site that also talks about the weather in Argentina and local time with other postings if you would like to visit as well Click here
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