Week 1 Munhava B "Crankin up the Toto"‏

OK so it sounds like everyone is holding down the hood back in SLC! Jensen, good luck with getting your tonsils out buddy!! I am super jealous that you will be able to eat popsicles all day every day! I  hope everything else is going well for everyone as well!

So with a butt ton of changes this week I will start by answering some questions that I have gotten. I am living with 6 elders in our new apartment. We have a SUPER young house with the Elder Griffeth, Elder Baker, and Elder Nimmo in their 5th transfers. Then it is Elder Smith and I in our 4th and then Elder Ortiz in his 1st. Living with this young of a house is toooo chill cause we are all pretty motivated and all looking to learn. We also live really close with a lot of the other missionaries in the Beira and Manga zone. We live above an apartment of 6 missionaries, behind an apartment of 6 missionaries and two doors down the street from another apartment of 6 missionaries. So we are all jam packed in but it is way fun. We are assigned to the Munhava ward and we have us and Elder Baker and Elder Smith working in the other side of our area in the same ward.

The area of Munhava B is completely different from Magoanine and Mahotas!! Walking through the area on Wednesday, I had to stop for a sec.. I looked at Elder Griffeth and just said, "I am straight up in Africa now!" Our area has two main neighborhoods in it. One feels like you are in a rundown part of Vegas mixed with Detroit, which is the same neighborhood we live in. It has a lot of "prédios" which are old apartment buildings, big roads and palm trees. The other hood we have in our area is what you all picture to be Africa. Houses all bunched together, made out of sticks, rocks and mud. The people are incredible here though! I have had in one week already so many confirmations from the Spirit that the Lord truly prepares people to hear and accept this Gospel. We have a family that will be getting married soon, Alfonso and Jasinta (they are still working to earn the money for all of their documents and the wedding process) who this week we went over the interview questions. After we had finished up with all of the questions, Jasinta asked, "What about the 10 commandments?" I replied and told her that wasn't on the interview questions but I asked what the 10 commandments were and then she rambled off all 10 commandments with ease!! I am so excited to be working with this family, the rest of our investigators, and finding the people that the Lord has truly prepared to hear this message. I have never seen poverty like I am seeing right now but it is a blessing to see how little these people can have but how truly happy they can be because they have the Gospel in their life’s and a testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Other news on the week.... it is super-hot up here!! The humidity is ridiculous but this week we have been blessed with the rains down here in Africa! It started raining early in the morning on Sunday and just did not stop. By the time we had to go to church all of the roads were flooded and yep... the rain still didn’t stop. During church the church started flooding and it still didn’t stop. So all of last night, Elder Griffeth and I were walking out in area with our rain boots straight walking through rivers! It also rained really hard during the night and we woke up today with two rooms and the living room flooded... so that was super chill! We got everything cleaned up so it is all good. I apologize for the long email haha but I love and miss all of you so much! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Chipman

 Alfonso and Jasinta

Biker gangs are too hard here

 Just out here working

Pictures from part of our area.

Week 12 Mahotas B

Ok yall, to sum up week shortly.... I cant!! Sooo much and too much went down!

First, Meeting with Elder Andersen and having the oppurtunity to be present in 3 meetings with him was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life! He talked with all of the members of the Maputo Stake, then with all of the Priesthood Leadership, and then with all of the missionaries. The spirit that he carries with him wherever he goes truly testifies that he is a chosen servant of the Lord and that the Priesthood was restored through Joseph Smith and that God calls and speaks to the prophets, apostles, and leaders of the church! 

Second, transfers were happening a little bit early this week so that any missionaries that would be flying through Maputo would have the oppurtunity to meet with Elder Andersen. I got the news that my boy, Elder Price, (star bball player at Corner Canyon) would be coming to take my spot in Mahotas B to be with Elder Ribeiro. So Elder Price and the other missionaries from Beira flew down Saturday morning and were here by mid-afternoon. So Elder Price walked with Elder Ribeiro and I in a tripla for acouple of days. Saturday, we went the whole night and next morning without power and boooooy was it hot. We all slept on our patio so wouldnt die of heat. Sleeping on the couch cussions wasnt too bad! I felt like I was back in Newport sleeping out on the balcony with Parker and Brody haha. But with Elder Price coming that meant I was going...

Third, I got the news right after the meeting with Elder Andersen on Sunday that I would be making the trip up to Beira on Monday morning! So I will be now working with Elder Griffeth in the area of Munhava A! Elder Griffeth is from Idaho Falls, so he will be my first american comp and is only a transfer older than I am so we will be running and gunning like a more white, less athletic version of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. This is Elder Griffeth's only area on the mission so far so I am super pumped to learn the area from him. But I am so excited for this change and it is a change indeed. Beira and Maputo honestly feel like two complete different missions and its will be hard to adjust at first but it will be could because we all know there is no growth in the comfort zone! To describe the weather here... it feels like I am in Las Vegas, but just with 100% humidity.... so sweat is what I will be doing for I have a feeling for a long time!

As for everything back home.. Cait!!! Holy cow!! I hope you are doing alright!!! I am so sorry that happened| Little kiddies, keep loving school, skiing and playing those sports! Love and miss all of you guys! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Chipman

The Golden State Dupla

Saying bye to Elder Price

Week 11 Mahotas

Another week is in the books and it is honestly so crazy to think that I have been working in one area for 11 weeks.. it does not seem like I have been here that long at all! But this week was one with some ups and some downs. First, we had to reschedule Alzira's baptismal date because she didnt make it to an extra interview that she needed to have. So she will now be baptized on the 27 of Feb and she was a little frustrated at first but last night she bore her testimony about how she knows everything happens for a reason and that she knows the Lord will bless with patience. Armando and Atalia have all of their documents ready to open the wedding process and so their wedding and baptism should be close as well. Other than that the work is going really well. Elder Ribeiro and I have been working really effectively trying to find those who are truly prepared to hear the message of the restoration. 

As for a story of the week: Thursday, we did a division with the Zone Leaders and so I was working with Elder Openshaw in our area and we had left right after studies to teach a single woman named Sinah. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and it all went really well until while she was saying the closing prayer she straight became possessed...... hahaha it was honestly top 5 scariest moments of my life! She had started her prayer in English (She is South African so its hard for her to pray in Portuguese) but half way through she switched to Zulu which is her dialect and then after that she started making the same noise over and over and over until she finally yelled at us to pray for her. Not knowing what was happening, Elder Openshaw and I both said a quick prayer in our hearts and then tried to call her name and shaking her a little bit to snap her out of it. She was still making the same noise and rubbing a cross into her forehead. She was sweating and crying and then Elder Openshaw took her hand away from her head and she snapped out of it and acted like everything was fine. She told us that when she prayers that a spirit comes over her and that she can see what happens to people... sooooo ya thats my story for this week haha. Besides all of that everything is super chill. I was able to buy a new camera last week and an exercise band so I can do by high reputation reps and be toned like a young a Brad Pitt. Just joking I am fat hahah.

But it sounds like all is well back home! Glad that everyone had a great time in St. Geezy while supporting Lane at her soccer tournament. I hope that everyone has a great week and try and find oppurtunities to serve others! Stay sweet, stay fresh!

Love and miss you all,

Elder Chipman

 Juicy's Farewell

Chiquelene Market

Week 10 Mahotas

Oh sheesh yall, another week down in good ol Mozambique! Nothing too exciting this week just a lot of the same old same old. 

This week we will be preparing for Alzira's baptism which is super exciting but it will be tight getting these last lessons in before her interview on Thursday. Armando and Atalia had another week of troubles getting all of Atalia's documents ready. The power was out for an entire day in Xai-Xai so the register there wasn't able to send all of them to the register in Maputo. SO, we will be probably marking a new date for them here soon, which is sad, but they are still progressing which is good to see. Armando fasted yesterday and we stopped by last night to talk with him to see how it was and he was super funny about how he got home and ate everything he could see haha.

As for last night I probably had one of the funniest encounters ever! On our way home, passing the bar that is super close to our house, I hear a voice yell in English, "Hey are any of you guys from Utah?!" And being caught off guard I stopped, looked over to all the drunk dudes and just pointed at myself. Then I hear, "Oh ya!! My fellow American!!" And from the sea of drunken people a huge dude with dreads pops out, runs over to me and gives me a big ol hug haha. He told me that his name was Helder (pronounced Elder) and that he was Mozambican but he had lived in Washington D.C. for 14 years and that he knew all about our church. I don't believe him at first until he said, "You wont believe it but I supported, donated and voted for... MITT ROMNEY!!" and I just started dying and then he told me that his only goal was to bring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Mozambique to do a concert haha. After that he told us to come over for a visit to watch the Super Bowl and eat Buffalo Wings hahaha so that is my cool experience for the week. 

It sounds like everything back home is chilling. Lane good luck in your soccer tournament! Safe travels to everyone this weekend! Teags I hope you start feeling better! Have a great week! I miss and love all of you darrells!

Love,

Elder Chipman

 Found a dude with a BRXTON shirt, represent

A good evening for some street soccer

Week 9 Mahotas: "Its not like chiiiillling-chiiiiiiling, but buddy its chilling." -Stoney, Encino Man

Some quick ol S/O's to start off the email! Shoutout to Breannedon for getting all moved in to the new house! I cant wait to come home and have an "Aaron's Party" there while you guys are gone haha. Shoutout to Dev and Emily!! Congrats on the exciting news! First addition to the family since I have left! I wish all the best for the next couple months for you guys! I bet the girls are so excited to have another baby in the fam!

As for my week, it is was how the subject of the email says, chill haha. Nother too cool or just out of the ordinary. Just daily things of working, sweating, dealing with drunk dudes, sharing the Gospel and sharing Mike and Ikes with kids haha. This week Elder Ribeiro and I did work super hard with a couple of long days to make up for the Fridaywe lost cause he had to renew is visa and travel to Swazi for the day. It was just a one day trip and so when he returned late in the afternoon we went to the Mission House so he could have an interview with President Koch. So while they were in the interview, I spent time talking with Sister Koch and ate ice cream hahah. I am always kind of nervous with my Portuguse with President and Sister Koch but I was able to chat and communicate with them and spend some time with them which was good.

Other than that we are really focusing and preparing Alzira for her baptism on the 13th and Armando, Atalia and Elizbeth on the 20th. Hopefully Armando and Atalia will be able to get all of the documents in order this week to open the process so they dont just keep putting it off. But as for Alzira, I dont know if I have talked about her much but she is incredible! She is a mother of a part-member family. She has one daughter serving a mission and another daughter who is a strong member. She was orginally dropped by the missionaries because she didnt have too much of a desire to adjust her work schedule to come to church. But we met with her at the beginning of January and she wanted to change and be baptized. Ever since then she has came to church ever week and been awesome! She is the smartest person that I have met on my mission and it is crazy to be able to see this change in her life and how it has blessed her! The Gospel is true and the Atonement is real. Because of the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we can change and be better everyday! I love this Gospel and I hope everyone has a great week! Challenge for the week; study John 15 and find one way we can apply what we are taught in our lives. I would love to hear what you guys come up with!

Much Love,

Elder Chipman

Weekly selfie with the homies

Nightly Ice Cream Runs #NoFilter