AUGUST 27

I am doing great mom. I have the members and my converts helping me.

I only have one more week with Elder F.

In the morning I caught him watching the new X-Men and other movies.

He doesn't know that because he was in the bathroom when I checked the DVD player.

It is funny because the members are now all on my side.

We are going to baptize three people this next weekend.

They are all very prepared.

I am sorry I don't really have any stories.

We moved dirt on Saturday. It was a great workout.

I am working out every morNing now for one hour.

I also try to eat only two tortillas everyday.

It is working....I think.

I am trying to get more flexible.

One of my goal is to the splits by the end of my mission.

Here is a little story.

So there is a little creek that we have to cross to get to some of our appointments.

They are doing construction on part of the creek, so they took out the bridge.

So we found another way to cross. My compain went first then I did.

He made it up the little hill on the other side easily. So I thought I could.

Well, let just say i stepped in the wrong place and down I went.

I sunk into the mud, past my knees. It took a half an hour to get out.

Half way through I looked up and there was a tube sticking out of the hill....

It was their bathroom tube....so much for plumbing, right?

Yesterday I gave a talk. The bishop called us Friday night, free topic.

We got to choose. So I was laying on my bed Saturday night pondering about what I should do.

I didn't know what to write or talk about. So my talk was, "What to do when we don't know what to do?" It turned out great. I took three talks I had read and reread them and then mixed them together for a super talk. I was thinking about how I could grab the attention of the members because it was obvious they were not really listening to the first speaker. So when I got up to talk I said, "This last mothers day my parents wen to Hawaii. In Hawaii before someone gives a talk they say "Aloha""

Then I said, " ALOHA". They caught on the second time I said it. It was great. Then with everyone attention I asked them the title of my talk. They were interested what would happen next that some shouted out the answer. haha. It was great.

Next my compain talked about his experience in a Judo tournament, how he lost.

Well, all the young women were around him after Sacrament meeting.(I just scratched my head)

The older guys, elders and High Priests were going around saying ALOHA to everyone.

It was a great experience.

My scripture covers are not done yet. I am sad. They wont be done until Sunday.

Ok, right now before I forget. Please call Elder Johansen and tell him that we baptized Daniel on Saturday. He turned 18 and was baptized right away. He was one of the first people that I taught with Elder Johansen. If he doesn't remember tell him that his girlfriends dad name is Julio and takes pictures for a living and kind of speak English.

The next month we have a goal of 5 baptisms. I haven't put a goal like that in a while. I know we can complete it because we have three people getting baptized the first week.

And there are also other people that are ready to go in the following weeks.

I am surprised we are having baptisms when we (my companion) are not exactly obedient.

Once again he is not in his church clothes so I look kind of weird walking in Centro.

We are going to play basketball today. It is going to be fun. I have been waited to play for 4 months.

When I get home I really want to join a team and play ball. It will help me get back in shape.

I am happy to go back to the singles ward. I am ready to be in Utah again.

Please tell Jodie and Stacie sorry that I could not write them because I was writing you and my companion cut my time short.

Love ya.

Elder Chadwick

AUGUST 20TH

Hey mom,

I am hanging in there. I will try to have this be a good letter. HAHA!!!

I really want to have a good mission too but remember,"It takes two to tango."

 

I really don't want to talk bad about my companion, but he is making me stronger by being my biggest problem.

The whole zone hates him. I am not kidding. Elder Crook, my old district leader, asked me how my companion is...

I told him.

My companion lied straight to the Zone Leaders faces. So every week we play soccer. The problem was that too many members were coming to play and we were sitting for a long time. So the zone leaders tried a couple different things. We went to the zoo one week and one week they played basketball. They even changed the times.

But the members knew when and where because my companion would tell them. So they all knew we were playing at 1 instead of at 11.

 

It is just a show for this guy. I feel horrible because everything he teaches is hypocrisy. He turns around and says or does something else. I am sick of this. I have never felt so bad for my fellow companion and brother. I continue praying for him everyday.

 

So every zone conference there is a video of the baptism for the last two months. I was not on it. (Because we didn't sent in the two or three fotos)

But Elder Oswald, my mtc companion, is doing fantastic with Elder Abernathy as zone leaders. They are baptizing alot. I am going to give him a great big hug when I see him.

It is great to know that I still have brothers and sisters that are strong in the gospel.

When I say sister I mean, Jessica Brady, she wrote me in July and I just received her letter last week.

It was great and funny. She already turned down two guys for marriage. She is doing great. She said to me, "I am glad that I have a brother strong in the gospel"

 

Those kind of thing really motivate me. Also, there was a stake primary activity on Saturday. It was great. Alot of Mexican music and dancing and acting scenes from the book of Mormon.

Victor and Mirta were there with their family. I had a great talk with Vitctor. They both received their Patriartical Blessings!!!!!! More brothers and sisters in the tribe of Ephriam.

He told me that he received his first Liahona, magazine, this month. A member gave him 15 issues of the Liahona. He has alot to read. He was quoting alot of prophets and things and it was amazing.

They are bringing their extended family into the gospel. It is great.

 

So their is a lady that does scriptures protection covers with leather. She is really good and can do almost anything someone can imagine. I am getting some done right now.

I am going to have to be diligent with my money after this. I will take a picture after and then you can decide if you want some for Christmas presents or gifts.

I am going to put the Victor Family on the inside of the book of Mormon. It is going to be great. I am so excited.

 

We had 9 people come to church this Sunday. And we reactivated two families. One of the people is named Jorge. He is a returned missionary and has not been to church for a long time until yesterday. We are pals. We are going to baptize his brother in law next week. We are also going to baptize a family of three that we are teaching. The Hermanas Missionaries prepared them for us.

With the bishop of barrio (ward) Angeles we found 12 families and got to know them. We are have alot to do. The hard thing is that the Elders quorum pres. is inactive and we don't have a ward mission leader.

 

So it is kind of sad to get to church on time and not start on time and have not many people there.

The Stake President was in our Zone Conference this last week. I asked him in front of everyone (it was a question and answer period) what we could do and why the crazy schedule.

He told me it came from the Area Presidency of Mexico. So there is an hour in between meeting so we can feel the spirit more.

President Kusch gave a great example of faith. First the Pioneers. Second, when President Hinckly announced in a conference at BYU Idaho that there would not be anymore college sports there.

Pres. said that many students complained. But it needed to happen. (Pres. Kush was happy to not drive to a game in a snow storm in August)

He also gave this example: While a stake president at BYU Idaho he want to have a general priesthood meeting. He made the decision to have the 2nd of Feb. at 6 pm. Many people told him that he was out of his mind to have the meeting at this hour, this day. Why? THE SUPER BOWL. (I personally was stunned) Then he told us that he got to the meeting twenty minutes early. No one was there, only his councilors. Five minutes before the meeting.....the whole place filled up. They had one of the most spiritual experiences ever.

 

Where is our faith?? How can we build the faith of others?

We all know the drill. Lets just do it right???

 

I am still happy to be a missionary serving the Lord and trying to do my best.

Please pray for me companion and me.

I feel bad that I cant be 100% obedient because of my companion. I feel bad because we cant teach with the spirit because we are disobedient.

But life goes on and one day I will not have a companion to drag me down, one day I will be able to control all that I do. No strings attached.

 

Today I was reading and I found something I liked...In Alma 1:25 it says "and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them."

I love that, it is just what I needed. I love how the scriptures will never fail us. They are my best friends right now.

If you have persecution that is heaped upon you, fear not, have patience. Love it.

 

Some time I can't express in words the love I have for my Savior, His Father, and Holy Ghost.

Little by little I know I will become like them some day.

 

Oh, so I did receive the dearelders!!!!!

 

I am excited to work this week and learn new things. I love writing the things I learn in my journal.

I thought is was boring at first, writing in my journal. But it is indeed a blessing.

 

Well I have to write my father.

Thanks for being a great mom. I love all the things you send to me. They are always on time.....you not only have a third eye but an antenna hooked to your head.

Love ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Chadwick

 

AUGUST 13TH

Hey,
My week was great. The change in companions was alright. I feel like a loner here. 
My companion does not really communicate with me at all. He sleeps until 8 and then takes a quick shower and studies in his garments. 
I am loving being here in Chilpo. The testimonies of the people here are great. 
I am a little disturbed because some of my converts here have gone "loco".
Jose and his wife are now separated and he is not going to church. But I called him today and he came to play soccer with me.
He is going to start coming to one of my wards until things cool down with his situation. 
Julio, a man a taught and baptized in a week, KABOOM, fell hard. He robbed like 10,000 pesos from the Castico clan. 
But the good news is....Victor and his family are still active and he is the President of the Young Men's organization. 
 
Well, my week was great. We did alot of service....with smiles. We cut down a tree for a old lady and moved a couch or two.
It is a little difficult working in two wards but it is great. 6 hours of church every Sunday. Can you believe it???
We went to Angeles ward first the only people there at 8, when it was suppose to start, was the bishops wife, the bishop and one councilor. 
The meeting started at 8:30. There was maybe 36 people that were in church yesterday. So we talked to the bishop, he looks like Obama with more hair, he told us that we don't have a ward mission leader because he came home from his mission and became inactive. We also only have 5 elders and 4 high priest. That is alright, when the come. 
It is going to be fun re activating alot of people. 
The ward Suaces is better, we do have a mission leader and he is great. The organizations are almost all complete. 
We only have 50 in that ward. More priesthood. I like that. 
Both wards are working toward a Mexican Talent Night. 
We might participate, we might not. 
 
I am happy because I know I am were I am suppose to be and where I am going. 
I am excited to be in a singles ward to learn something new and meet new people in Nov. 
As for my homecoming dinner, I don't know what I a want yet. My first Sunday home is a Fast Sunday, so we will have some time to think.
I feel bad for the missionaries that live better (have a nicer house or apartment) while in the mission and then have to return to a hut or something. 
Well, I will try to write more. I am doing great. Don't worry about me please. 
Elder Miguel told me that you did see his sister. I didn't understand that. But he is going to call me tonight to talk. 
Well, if I don't write more. Love ya!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elder Chadwick

TRANSFERRED

So I have some news. I got changed, special changes. I am now back in Chilpancingo.

I am in the ward Sauces with Elder Fernandez. He is going home in September.

We are working in two areas. I guess there are two sisters that don't want to work so President told me we are covering two wards. The other one is Angeles.

Elder Espinoza was a great example for me and we worked hard and he will be baptizing this week.

I learned alot from him. He confessed what it was like to be addicted to girls and alcohol. It is a sad thing, addictions.

I am glad my only addiction right now is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So I left Cualta yesterday at 9:15 and got to Chilpo at 1:30. I waited for my companion for two hours.

I was fasting and when he got their we got the things in the taxi and I asked if we could stop by someones house to eat.

I didn't know that they had already eaten. He told me that we were going to church, sacrament meeting.

I thought the services were just backwards. But no, sacrament meeting started at four and then gospel principles then priesthood. We left church at 7:30 at night.

Kind of weird right. When we dropped the stuff off at the house before going to the church I found some tortillas and ate two.

Good thing I said a prayer at the bus station while waiting because the services went by really fast and I was able to make it home and eat ham and cheese sandwiches.

 

Today we went to the zoo. It was great. We had a good time. One of the elders asked the supervisor to let us go in a restricted zone and so we got a special tour of the Mexican Wolfs.

When we were there talking to the tour guide/zoo person I remembered my little sister Stacie and how she wants to do that type of thing when she grows up.

 

Elder Fernandez and I are going to baptized four people this month. It is going to be great. I am excited to work with him.

He is alive and working and I am going to learn alot from him.

 

In church yesterday Hermano Omar was there, a friend of mine from the ward Aeropuerto. His family is moving to West Jordan in a year.

 

I don't have much to say. I hope everything is going well.

Love you all

Elder Chadwick