Week 1 - Ngwane Park A - Rule #1 of Swaziland, Cardio

What’s up ya beach bums?? It sounds like everyone had a great time down in Newport and now gearing up for more summer adventures!

As for my first week in a new country... it was pretty dope. I walked the first couple of days with Elder Baker for him to show me the area a little bit. But... Wednesday was the day that the new missionaries came in. They got dropped off here in Mazini about 3:00 PM and they met with all the missionaries here. Like I mentioned in my last email, I will be training Elder Souza and the kid is toooo legit haha. He is from Beahea which is in the North East of Brazil. I think I hit the jack pot cause the homie already speaks some English! So after getting him settled in and some groceries on Wednesday night we woke up early Thursday morning to help out Brother Mbosu and Thombi with their laundry. Mbosu and Thombi are converts of the one and only Elder Macanige so it is cool to work with them. They just got back from going through the temple for the first time a month ago and Thombi will be having their first child here soon. So after washing some clothes and reading the Book of Mormon in Zulu with her we went to work. I feel like Elder Ramirez hiking hills and mountains all day. As for our area it is pretty huge and I am still getting used to how to work it compared to a relatively small area of Munhava. We have about 1 strong investigator right now who will be baptized soon and a solid family. But, we putting 50 in the clip and trying to find the elect ones. House contacting is the most effective way of contacting here but it’s also super hard cause probably 40% of the houses you will knock the people don’t speak English, only Siswati and get mad at us for not speaking Siswati haha. But, we will get the hang of everything and Elder Souza and I will get this area poppin.

Just to hit you guys up with some of the biggest differences here; 1) its coooold!! I think I got too used to the heat of Beira cause I die at nights and in the mornings here. 2) The food is baller. 3) People here actually can say and remember our names. 4) English. 5) Hills.

The thing I am learning most about all of these changes is that the gospel and the message of the Restoration is universal. It doesn’t matter where you go or who you are, God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us enough to send His Only Begotten, Jesus Christ to die for us. And I know that love because He has given all of us families, scriptures and prophets to guide us in these days where life is "much too hard" as Swazis say. I love this gospel and I love the spirit that comes for serving others. I hope everyone is doing well and that everyone has a great week! I love you all and miss you all!

Much love,

Elder Chipman

Elder Souza and I

Teaching the Harrison's how to make Sloppy Joes.
Oh and you know I made em extra sloppy. 

FHE at the Matsenguas

Preaching for my people of the Zulu Nation

Fish n' Chips and Matthew 4:19

Shoutout to my dude Phank15

Chappas are a little bit nicer here

King Kong ain't got nuffin, PS I did use the outhouse as well hahaha

If I had a VSCO I would post this lolz

Yep

                                     

Saudades de lonboarding

View of the Chapel

Family Night with Mbosu and Thombi

Week 17 - Munhava B - "When in Swazi"

Alright so I will just get to the big news... I am currently emailing from a different country than Mozambique haha. I have been transferred to Swaziland to work in the city of Mazini, within the Ngwane Park Branch in Ngwane Park A. I will be training a brand spanking new Brazilian, Elder Souza (raris and rovers hahah). Elder Souza will be getting here on Wednesday and I cannot wait to meet him and get to work.

So we got the news about transfers on Wednesday night. They will be closing one of the areas in Munhava so there will be only be one dupla in the ward now. Which means that the Munhava Gang is now dead. Elder Smith and I left Beira on Friday morning after saying goodbye to all of our investigators and the members which was actually super sad. We stayed in Maputo all of Friday and I was able to walk with my dude Elder Price (who came down to Swazi with me) and Elder Donker and went out for Elder Donker's birthday dinner it was a hoot. Saturday morning came and all 8 of us were off to Swazi. Driving down it was Elder Price and I in a car with our dude Nathi. The drive to from Maputo to Swaziland is b-e-autiful. It feels like you are driving through Southern Utah on your way to Cali but just more green and African haha.

Being in Swaziland I feel like I am in America in some parts but in other parts I am still reminded that we are still in Africa. It is so beautiful here though. My area is giant with a lots of rolling hills in a valley. I forgot how amazing sunsets are when they drop behind mountains. Swazi is straight up a different mission. The language, the work, the members all of it is completely different. I am so awkward when I have to speak in lessons just cause I have to translate what I would have been saying in Portuguese. But we have lots of great elders here plus Elder and Sister Martins so I think it’s going to be a good time. It is going to be a challenge but hey there is no growth in the comfort zone.

I hope that everyone is loving it down in Cali right now. Happy Birthday Teagan and Corey!! I hope you guys have a great week!

Sorry for not much of an update on things I am still kind of getting used to everything here so I will have a better update next week! Love and miss you all so much!

Stay Sweet,

Elder Chipman

RIP Munhava Gang

Sunlight Cafe for all of our last lunch in Beira.

Yeeeeeeeee

Elder Fuchs and I

Airport Selfie

Bday Dinner with Diddy Dirty Donker

Elder Price super confused about his meal

Views from the 7-6

New Village Kings

The new crib

Week 16 - Munhava B - Leite Quente

Alright ya Darrells! It sounds like everyone is having a great time Vacationing while I am down freezing my tush off in 70-degree weather hahaha. I have started topping every night off with some "leite quente" as they say down here in MZ but I just dump a ton of chocolate powder in there and make some hot chocolate with some PB&J's (it’s pretty dank).

This past week was a great one. Monday we had a big ol dinner at Jorge and Romina's for Elder Couch's last family night so we baked a cake for that. Then we got up early on Tuesday to bake a cake for Angelo's birthday and it was probably a mistake to tell Marta that we were bringing cake because pretty much the entire neighborhood showed up trying to bum some. But it was good! Angelo will be receiving the priesthood next week and is so excited.

On Thursday night, the Dobex and Sons Moving Co. was called up again. Afonso and Jacinta moved houses (2 minutes away from the old one) so we decided to help out because we knew Afonso was going to be at work. It was super funny though, I kept telling Jacinta not to pick up anything heavy and she would always say, "How am I supposed to get strong then?” So we successfully help get everything into their new house and will be making a cake for Jacinta this week for her birthday as well.

We sat with Alferida and her niece Luisa this week for the first in a while. Admiro and Alferida have had a lot of problems this past couple months so he left her which is super sad but she is finding the strength to look for a job and always coming to church. We are planning on baptizing her and Luisa on the 9th of July. Also, through a vast search of the depths of our areas we found some pretty nice new families that we will start teaching here this week.

Yesterday I gave my first talk in church since my farewell. Jorge suckered me into giving it during the bishopric meeting last week. I spoke on Jesus Christ and how He is our only way to hope and joy. I am pretty sure it went well but it is not like back home when you give a talk and every one after sacrament comes up to talk to you about the talk. Also yesterday I talked to Rute for the first time since I left Maputo. She is doing super well and just got called to be a primary teacher.

We are heading to the last week of the transfer so Elder Nelson and are going to be working hard to end these past 6 weeks off right. I have a slight hunch that I will be staying my 4th here in Munhava B with Elder Nelson but we will see! I hope all of you have a great week! To the fam... live it up and eat some brown toppers, frozen lemonade and churros for me down in Newport! Love and miss you all so much!

Love,

Elder Chipman

Week 15 - Munhava B "White Iverson by Post Malone"

Big Gulps huh?

Shoutouts: Big Ol s/o to Grady aka the Pasty Gangsta for getting baptized this past week!! So proud of you buddy!! I am so sad that I wasn’t there but just know I am sending so many spiritual high-fives and hugs your way right now. Also, it looks like every one that is travelling is having a great time! I am so glad to hear that Mom, Dad, Brody and Annie are keeping Austin weird. It has been dope to see all the pictures. And it’s good to hear that the Millers (Devily) are still loving their road trip.

 

Alrighty so this past week has probably been the fastest week in my mission. It was super busy with Zone Conference and all the fun times that come with it.

First, on Wednesday we helped one of Elder Smith and Elder Beacham's investigators move houses. When they called us and told us we were super down just cause we didn’t think that it was going to be anything but... let’s just say I haven’t taken C4 in over 9 months so it turned out being a little bit harder than we expected. On the first trip, I struggled with their TV but after a couple breaks and getting lost in their new neighborhood we made it. By the second trip we were thinking we were super swole and thought it would save time if we just got everything moved with that trip. So we found a plastic bin and just threw whatever was left in it and me basically being Mozambican threw it on top of my head and we were off. Two minutes into the trip I realized that I had made a mistake haha. About half way to the house I gave up and the bucket fell off and smashed to the ground. After catching my breath and shaking off the insults and laughter of every one that was around, we powered through and got it all done. It didn’t help that right before this new area they were moving to there was a giant rap concert just in the middle of the street, but hey I wasn’t complaining. I felt like I was at Kilby Court for a BTB concert.

Secondly, with Zone Conference, we had all of the outside areas fly in. Elder Nelson and I were teamed up with the dupla of Chimoio which is Elder Stephens, who is a big ol lineman from Missouri, and Elder Fernando, who is from Nampula, Mozambique. So walking and doing divisions was not too bad cause Elder Stephens and I just talked football the entire time. Speaking of #sportz, we woke up early the day after conference and played basketball and it was probably the funniest recreational activity I have played in a while.  Zone Conference was dope. It was fun seeing President and Sister Koch and a lot of missionaries I haven’t seen for a while.

Lastly, yesterday, the Munhava Ward was popping. It was a really cool fast and testimony meeting and it was so cool to see Manuel and Rosita, a family that Elder Griffeth and I helped reactivate, bless their new baby girl Emma. It was the first baby blessing in the ward of Munhava. We also had a mini-primary program because on the 1st of June it was "Dia Das Criancas" which is a huge holiday here. So the stake had a little party for all the primaries in the stake. It helped our frequency that has been growing these past couple of weeks. When I first got to Munhava the average frequency was sub 50's and yesterday we hit 144, which is insane! We have been trying to apply all the counsel we have been receiving from President and our Leaders while working more strongly with our members and it is paying off but we still got more "work work work work work" (Rihanna) to do. Haha I hear that song played at least 10 times a day.

But I hope everyone has a great week! Love and miss all of you so much!

Love,           

Elder Chipman

With Manuel and Rosita after the baby blessing.

Uh Oh...the boys are back together!

Found a big Bronco Mendenhall fan. 

Joe Flaco spending his off season in Beira.

It is "Winter" here so why not sled???

Scraping in a Chappella with du, Casto!

"I'm going to touch the sky" - Kanye West

Gator Ball at the University