Well, first things first, right? Welcome to our world, River! (as of 3 hours ago, he hadn't been born yet, but y'all can relay the message to him) And congratulations Dan and Em, and Rowen, on the new baby!! (and thank you Em for the package of love- you're the best!)
Sounds like Stake Conference went well- I'm glad it's finally over, I know how Satan likes to come knocking at the door that week or two beforehand. He's so sly.
This week has been... long? I don't know, I don't really remember very much haha
We've spoken with A LOT of atheists... at least it feels like a lot. I usually feel pretty drained afterwards.
BUT we have these AMAZING investigators that we teach over the phone (they also meet with their local missionaries) Let me just give you an example of how prime they are. So the night before she knew she was going to be committed to keeping the Word of Wisdom, she poured herself a huge glass of wine (she told us she's a "rule breaker" and that's why she did this) and before she got to drink any of it, her dog knocked it over, something her dog has NEVER done before. So finding this interesting, she calls up her fiance, and tells him about it, and he asks her, "so did you pour yourself another glass?" and she said, "No! I didn't want to get struck by lightening!" she's so funny, but is taking this so seriously. She and her fiance are HUGE basketball fans, and always host big parties for their sunday games, but she told us that, because they are to keep the Sabbath day holy, they were willing to record the games and have the parties the next day. how amazing is that?? We weren't about to tell her how many active members still have those kinds of parties on Sundays :/ I just love their dedication. It's so inspiring.
We were talking to a recent convert earlier this week, and he just had so many beautiful and profound things to say. This guy is something else. He gets so much out of the scriptures. He was relating our lives to a blank canvas, and told us to consider who we are allowing to paint it- God or man? And he told us to let God create a masterpiece... it was just precious.
Last thing about our humans. We're teaching a young man. This kid is SO PREPARED. Anyways, we read Alma 32 with him over the phone, and he now refers to the Book of Mormon and Bible as his "fertilizer." Thank you "faith is like a seed" analogy. It's sweet though. We're excited about him.
My trainer is still awesome (surprised? just kidding) and we have so much fun together. We are SO different in a lot of ways, things I didn't recognize at first, but it's been good. We are learning from each other (obviously I'm doing most of the learning).
I love spending time contacting on the Square. Contrary to popular belief, it's mostly nonmembers who come to the Square, with the exception of Christmas time, and General Conference. We've met so many interesting people, from all over the world. I got to talk to two boys from Germany earlier this week, and teach them the Restoration. I may or may not have had them both download the Book of Mormon in German... so actually Das Buch Mormon... on their phones to read during their say in the US. I don't know if they'll read it, but at least now in the Spirit World they won't be able to tell me I didn't try. Oh oh AND I met a man and his son from Vienna!!!! And I used my very limited German (which they complimented, thank you very much) and they live in the 1st district! Not so interested in the Gospel, but they said when I go back to Vienna that I can email them, and come teach them about the Mormons haha.
There are so many Mandarin tours every day, it's really fun. These huge groups of people, mostly from China, who have no concept of God, walking around Temple Square and learning the basic doctrine of Christ. It's prime. Ben would LOVE it here haha. And they always want pictures with the American blonde girls hahah it's seriously so funny, they just get in our faces and take pictures (which we're not supposed to allow them to do, they're supposed to also be in the pictures) anyways. turning our faces away has become a fun game.
It's summer time now, so we get organized youth groups of antis on the square. they always have a backpack and a water bottle. sweet kids...
We went to Walmart today for our grocery shopping. I saw cute little things for the new movie Inside Out. It still looks so cute. Sarah and Scott, I'm expecting you to see it and let me know if it's one I'll need to see next year. Also, this RIDICULOUSLY KIND man paid for our groceries at the check out. He was the nicest, we felt so blessed.
Read Mosiah 4, especially verses 6,9, and 12. It's so good. King Benji. Such a good man.
Thanks for the pictures of the little humans. I love them, they're adorable. I'm so excited to see River!
Keep making good, family, and choosing happiness.
Love always, Sister Chamberlin
P.S. I've shared with my companion Brother Perry's "If you've got the ball, you're gonna get tackled" analogy that he taught us in seminary years ago. She loved it. And now, when we get rejected, we just look at each other, say "tackled," brush it off and start the next down. We even tell God in our prayers before we head out onto the Square that we're ready to play football. Sometimes I worry that we're inviting Satan to come beat us up haha. But it's good. We're good at football, because we've got the star quarterback. "The Big Man, Little J, and the Spook" as Sister Lytle's dad calls them :)
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