Let the Adventure Begin!

Quick note to Shannon:

My companion asked me our first night why I could understand everything she said and all the other americans she has met cant when they first leave the ctm. It really is a miracle and the Lord is helping me a lot. I understand a lot and trying to learn new words every day so that I can speak and understand the language better. My first area is Flores and we are right by the stadium they are building to the 2014 world cup. :) Our house is a 5 minute walk from the Church. I love it here and the members are super nice!




Regular email to family:


I love President Kline. He is very blunt and honest and very direct with his words. As well Sister Kline is so sweet. When we first arrived, we did not have enough seats in the van, so I waited with her and another sister at the airport to wait for the other group that was arriving that day. It was fun to talk with them, they also love the picture I gave them of me with their daughter in Temple Square. :)

First off, Thanks for writing on my sheets mom! I love finding all the scriptures on them and it was a sweet surprise to wake up to because I didnt see them when I went to sleep. Also, I was super excited to see that Sarah wrote on them! Definitly made my day :) I dont want to wash them because I know with time the sharpie will wear off. :(  And the bug net mom hid in my bag. lol, I actually used it already. 




The other day we had a small gecko on the wall of our room. My companion Sister Freitas was trying to squish it and stab it with her scissors. I used the net to catch it and let it go out side. Sis. Freitas thought it was funny and had to take a picture with me holding the cage. :) Thank you too all the people who have sent me letters and wished me a happy birthday! I loved getting them when I arrived here! :) My first area is Flores. It is right by the stadium they are building for the 2014 world cup.  

Our house is a five minute walk from the Chapel. You cross the street, take the first right, turn right, turn left, turn right and there is our house. We are on the second level and you can see the stadium from our only window. The living is very basic here, but I dont mind at all. I love it here, I love the people, I love the culture, I love the way the houses look.

When you have a transfer in the area of Manaus you always get to go to the temple the day after transfers. The Manaus Temple is beautiful. Absolutely stunning. I wish I had more time to look around. The paintings are beautiful, and instead of the trees we have in America, the paintings are of Amazonian Rain forest trees. Absolutely beautiful. 

For the sake of Remmington and Remmington only, I saw a dead person. They were having a funeral in the Church my second or third day here. They fill the coffins with beautiful flowers. In my notes I have written down to show you guys Alma 17:5 and the footnote that leads to Alma 8:10. I dont remember what they are about, but I remember I like them!

I SAW WILD PARROTS. I heard them while I was getting ready one morning and I thought to my self. Hmm either someones parrots got loose or those are actual parrots. I looked out the window and in the distance I saw two beautiful red birds flying. I WAS SO EXCITED. :)

So Laurel might live with you? And I am not there. Bummer. If she does, make sure she emails me every week! :) The scripture dad wrote on my sheets was Mosiah 5:13 it made me think of Matthew 24: 44-51 and the law of consecration. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 Matt 21:12, 13... Our bodies are temples. 1 Peter 2:9, 20, 15-20 I love the last part of verse 20, because in the following verses we see that Christ is the perfect example of this. :)




My interesting story for the week. Carlos

Sister Freitas and I were walking one night to try and find the house of Sydney, but he want home. (Thats another thing we struggle with. Its hard to meet people at their houses when they are home. Here we clap our hands instead of knocking on doors, because most people dont have doors.)

Anyways we kept walking and passed this group of older men. One of them said Oi Sisters. We kept walking and he asked us to stop. He turned out to be a less active member.

Sister Frietas says that he was drunk, but I dont know. Anywayswas telling us about his problems and  how God was blessing him in his life... anyways at one point in this he look at me and said that I looked like Mary Magdalen.

He asked me to take my glasses off. I did. He looked me staight in the eye and again said I looked like Mary.  I honestly didnt know what to do. I didnt understand a lot of what he was saying either. I put my glasses back on and he continues to talk. I nod my head in agreement to what he says and the next thing you know he is on the ground and kisses my feet and my companions feet.

I really didnt understand what was going on then! Sister Freitas freaked out and asked him to stop. She told him that we were representaives of Christ and that he should worship and thank God. Which he did. 

Oh and I forgot this, but the first think he did, was take us away from the other men and asked if he could say a prayer. We obliged and he took our hands and began to pray. At the end of the prayer he joined mine and sister Freitas hands and kissed them.

He then started to walk away and I started to tell him that I knew God was loving and would help him. He then asked me to speak in English, which I did, but I was very confused. I told him we were representatives of Christ and that if he went back to church I knew that he would find the answers he needed in his life.

I told him that we were here to help him solve his problems. I gave him a pamphlet about the restoration I had in my hands. We then said goodbye as he walked away. My companion and I felt the spirit very strongly during this, and when I began to tell her what I had said in english she told me that she had understood every word I had said. She is trying to learn english, but doesn’t know that much. Anyways, that was my first experience with talking with someone. It definitely was a different experience too. 

Anyways, know that I love each and everyone of you. I think of you every day! :) I love talking to you and reading your emails! I love being here in Brazil, and the culture and the lack of some necessities does not bother me at all. I have my happy face on all the time and don’t let the adversary get me down! :)

We work hard, and I am always sore from walking everywhere, and sweaty every day, but I sleep well at night and enjoy my days. They go quickly and every day gets betters as I learn more. I love being a missionary and I always love thinking that I get to bring that special feeling into other peoples house. That special feeling you get when the missionaries come over. :)

I love you all to the moon and back!

-Sister Chatwin

Regarding the picture:

This Irma was always super fun and would always come into our class to visit us and talk with us.