Elder Dylan Chatwin: We're coming home to play for our Gma's!!

April 26 AND May 3...last letter home!!!

May 3....Wow. The LAST letter from Argentina can you guys believe it??? Today we took a tour through Capital. WOW.Amazing city. It is truly the Paris of Argentina. It is endless. Endless people, endless shops, endless restaurants. WOWWWeeee . Mom you would go nuts in this place. I was hit with a surge of realization. That we are in the ¨butt¨ of the country as missionaries haha. Because Capital is so nice. Its totally American-ized as well. Lots of peeps speak english. We ate at California Burrito, a place IDENTICAL to Costa Vida, and they were playing snowboarding and surfing videos with American music blasting in the background. Sweet little gig. So yeah that was definitely way chill. Wow theres a neighborhood called The Boca and every building is painting in super bright colors just awesome culture. And much dancing in the streets to The Tango. Wow thats a spicy dance haha. You my parents would LOVE it here in Capital. It makes me kinda wish you guys were coming down to see it all but its all good, we will come back later. SOOO mom, for the Homecoming, our musical number can just be called Hymn Medley because honestly, we have no idea what we´re playing yet haha. We´re gonna each do a solo bit, then finish with Our Heavenly Father Loves Me. So yeah its gonna be a mix of songs no matter what, so just call it that. AAAND make Darik´s talk first, not mine. It will be much better that way and thats how we both planned it. He´s speaking on the Aaronic Priesthood and I´m speaking on the Melchezidek so its only correct if he goes first. SOO, could you let them pumpkins in the church know? Thanks peach. aww that was so sweet what my comp said. I had no idea. He is a stud, i like him alot. Im gonna work this last week to serve him and make this last week the best of his mission. Yeah those barBQ reunions will be the cake. There are a ton of studlies that I cant wait to chill with after the mish.

So yeah mom its pretty nuts in my area, soooo many people are going on this huge protest over this bit of land that the government owns. Many families snuck out trying to burn the field down in the middle of the night to build houses for those that dont have houses, and yeah of course the police found out and brought like a huge SWAT team to vigilate the field haha. They just walk around with shotguns and armor..But yeah these people wont give up, they started building houses all around the field, and I mean A TON of people, and it hasa quickly turned into chaos. Entire families living in shacks of metal scraps and other unwanted waste, depriving themselves of nearly all comfort or necessity just to protest to the government that they want this land. Thats the culture here, if you want something, you try and steal it with cunning tactics, and if you dont get it, you protest and whine until you get it. haha, its slightly sad, but mostly a joke, or in better words that only my other half will understand, simplemente una porquería. So yeah what this means for us, is that this new villa neighborhood has quickly turned into a pretty dangerous place, because all the drunk crazy folks are gathered everywhere and we have become quite infamous there. What sucks, is that we have to pass by this place every time we go to our area and many of the guys just try to get us to come over to their groups but it will only cause trouble so we continue walking and they get really mad. Some yelled the other day that we were false prophets because we wouldnt aid in their cause to build more shacks to protest and eventually overthrow the government or something like that, so yeah we just try to ignore them, because they´re all plastered and reasoning with them would just simply be unreasonable. :)

So yeah sorry this letter is pretty short, I dont have much time,and my keyboard is unforgiving. The space key requires an average of 3 or 4 smacks in order to give me that so-desired space. likethis. SOOOO, let me just get to the goods..

The mission has been a treasure for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay here as a servant of the Lord Almighty. There have been some difficult times where in the moment, I didnt know how I was going to continue. But I have come to realize that it was these moments when I learned the most, when I was compelled to humble myself and come to my senses that in this work, I am nothing. Pertaining to my own strengths and qualities and abilities, I am nothing. But when I, through submissiveness and obedience, allow the Lord to be my strength and my voice, I can do anything. I have seen miracles. I have been part of them. My love for my Father and for his son Jesus Christ has grown immensely. I realize now many things I didnt realize before. I realize that if we dont make an honest effort to do whats right and obey the Lord´s will, we will so easily, and I mean SO easily become blinded by the world and fall into the endless multitude of traps that The Angel of Hell has so cunningly constructed as to make all men miserable, even as he is. When one repents of their sins, and truly leaves them behind, with a firm determination to make changes in their life, he/she will found that the promise that was given to ALL of us members of the church is so true. The promise being that we will always have the spirit to be us. When that spirit retires from our presence, we are in danger of eternal misery. There is no happiness on this Earth that can supersede that which we recieve when we live our lives the way the Lord would have us live and not to just satisfy our own devilish and carnal desires. That isnt the Lord´s way and therefore it the devil´s. Those who constantly reject these teachings and just seek to satisfy the flesh will have joy in their works ¨for a season¨ as it states in the scriptures, Then their works are in darkness for they will be lost forever in That Great and Terrible day of the coming our Savior. I know this church is true and that we are children of a loving God who rejoices when we are happy, and weeps when we are sad. A God who is so pained when we serve that Prince of Darkness. I love you family and friends, that you may all strive to live a little better and truly seek that eternal happiness, because he who seeks shall find. With all the tender, sincere love from your brother, son, and friend, Elder Dylan Hunter Chatwin
April 26.....

So I was quite perturbed that Donny Face is gonna miss out on the The Coming. haha i really need to stop using that term less I be stricken down. But seriously man, can you just wait two weeks??!!! Darik has reason, por que would you do that? haha. Alright bro, it better be for such fantastic reasons, because you are gonna miss out on an action packed high-octane sacrament homecoming meeting that JUST might make the news. We even had to cancel the showgirls, because Corporate complained that we went way over budget. Dude. whatever.

i still love you. Another week bites the dust people. Are you just pooping your pants right now? One more of these digital salutations and thats it folks. It is crazy how time flies. Mom, i wasnt able to read your letter, i printed it off i´ll read it later, it was too long. haha I love you mom. Its ok, just to hear a paragraph from my dear creator and carrier just puts a cheesy face on my head. I love you. Thanks for the bit on Torihor hahaha OH MY i hope you understood that. Like it? haha. I love my cousin SO much, i will not let him bring down my desires, and i will not stop until he is thrown into purifying waters. DAAADDY i am jealous you got to hit up that playoff game, wow some good times were had as we yelled like little immature boys at our tv screen when we had our Jazz game guys nights. haha. And thanks for the pic mom, haha those are some mariposón RMs haha. Dont worry Toddy I will happily join you in shirtless escapades to sporting events. Just give me a few months for an extreme makeover at Golds. Man Tyler is such a good looking gomer. Thanks for the pics momma, I love my buddies. Grrrrrrr, i still cant believe Johnny is ditching us. Johnny, your dumping me for a vacuum cleaner?!!! haha I just did an RM quote, it will be the first and last time that happens. So yeah me and Elder Steinkuhler are just rocking pants off in Triangle. We took out 4 new baptismal dates last week and had 7 investites in church. Todd will attest thats a neat number. haha Brady would always say that word in his letters it would crack me up. Neat. Sean, we are the same height, THAT is neat! haha. Anywho, yeah 2 of those fechas will be for my last saturday here and get this..... They are twin girls!! They are 10 years old and sooo cute. Their names are Agostina and Denise. I watch them interact together and it just lets me know how special twins are and that I am so thankful that I have a best friend who is just like me in everyway. I love these girls and Im stoked to baptize them. they will be my last baptisms of the mission. Good way to end people. Oh and Karina wasnt able to make it to church on sunday so we postponed her baptism yet again, she will be getting baptized the same days as the twins. 3 sinners cleansed in one evening. Oh my. Actually, these twins are so pure i cant call them sinners, they are getting baptized because of obedience more than necessity haha. Just like our dear Lord Jesus the Christ. So yeah let me just relay to ya´ll the love of my life. Soo yeah her name is Tinker Bell. One of our members cats had kittens and she couldnt keep them all so she said just take one and yeah i held it and fell in love so we took it home haha. We were just planning on keeping it a few days so it didnt die of neglect (the Argies like to neglect any and ALL pets) but yeah like I said I fell in love with her so we bought her a collar and a litter box, trained her and she´s a house kitty! SOOO adorable, she sleeps with one of us each night and is the most playful adorable little spastic creature. I kneel down to pray at night and she jumps up on my back and falls asleep as im kneeling haha. And its so cute we will just be standing there and she will scale her way all the way up our entire bodies like spiderman and perch herself on our shoulder and purr and nibble our earlobes. Too cute for words. I love her so much that I have looked into shipping pets to the United States to take her with me haha. BUT it requires shots and all this mojive and stuff i dont have the time or money to do. Plus, Im sure that Elmo would eat it alive. awwwww im gonna miss her so much. My comp will take good care of her he also is in love with her.

So yeah I guess Mothers day is the DAY BEFORE we leave. what a bummer. I honestly dont want it to be haha. I will let you know next week if im gonna call or not. SO next week we go to Capital, the big city for Pday. All the missionaries that are going home get to do a tour there right before they leave.- they have amazing museums and monuments and all kinds of stuff, its kinda like the Paris of South America so i will shoot some pics your way come next week. Ok well i gotta bounce. Everyone at home, love you SOO much and thank you all for your support and love these 2 years. I have loved my mission, every bit of it. i have learned so much and am so thankful to my Father in Heaven for giving me this opportunity to represent his Son this short time. His plan is amazing, and family, YOU are amazing. The Semi-Final Salutation has come to a close. Elder Chatwin signing out. The Final Countdown has begun.

April 12, AND April 5, 2010

April 12, 2010
Wow what a crazy week. It was so good to hear from all my buddies! All the little studlies wrote me. (hmm, quite funny how everyone starts to write at the END of my mission) haha naw its all good. Rascals.So yeahhhhhhh first things first.... momma, I played my song (If You Could Hie To Kolob) in zone conference this last week and it went great, its a sweet arrangement. Ummm. I honestly dont know what is considered sacrament worthy...because at parts in the song it gets really loud. But it ends softly, its pretty. I would say its like our duet that we played at the farewell. I would say its ok. But yeah, thanks for the topic, i will be studying up on it a bit. but, they dont wanna gove us different topics? I would like that MUCH better. You have to realize that me and darik are twins therefore we think alike and im almost certain our talks will be the same haha.. So yeah ask them if they can give us different topics. And 15 minutes??! haha yikes... that seems very very short for a homecoming talk. But yeah I guess we can make it work. As for school... ugh.. haha mom i have no idea. The LAST thing on my mind is school. I have no clue what to study or if I should continue studying Biology. The Lord hasnt really laid out an obvious answer for me like i was hoping haha. I just know that if I KNEW for certain what my major is, I would go full throttle and study like crazy but mom I cant lie, I have no idea what to do. I could continue praying about it but i guess you need an answer now.. so yeah I guess you can just put us in those boilogy classes that we need, and we can change it if we feel when we get home. One thing for certain... i dont EVER plan on teaching biology haha, so scratch the bio education route. I just kinda hope to graduate with a degree in BIO just cause it looks good on a resume, then just go find a killer job. Wéll see what the future holds. So you lucky ducks got more snow nice nice. Wow i would be SO ecstatic if I was able to go skiing or snowboarding a few times before the season ends so keep praying for snow! So yeah I hear Brady is engaged haha who didnt see that coming? 5 weeks after... thats good?? haha wow. If shés the one, then shés the one. But no mom, do not worry, i have absolutely no desire in rushing into marriage, i have a whole life ahead of me, i will be patient for little Miss Perfect. y perfecto será. So yeah here in The Triangle we had a baptism! The sweetest most humble man ever. His name is Oscar and hés about 57. He is the perfect example of Christ, just so humble and submissive. We are teaching his family now with hopes to get them the same blessing, but they are a tad bit more difficult. We are also preparing for a baptism this next saturday, Karina will be getting baptized. She is about 32 and she also is so bomb. I never told you how we found her its a good story. (Once again, music leads to a baptism) So we are walking down the street and this Bob Marley clone is jamming on his guitar sitting on the cement. Dread locks and errrrythin. So we stop to listen to him and greet him and compliment his music. So yeah he asked if i played and i said yeah a little so he handed me the beaut and I played some Under the Bridge by the Chili Peppers and he said that he loved my American style haha. in turn, we shared with him our message and set up a return date, and when we came back his mom was there and we taught the both of them and then we werent able to find them again for about a month. So we pass again just randomly, she answers, and explains all these dreams and signs shés recieved showing her that the book is true and now she is getting baptized! She came to conference and loved it. And yeah, Gustavo (Bob Marley) likes the ciga-weed so we cant baptize him yet. And another story which is a bummer... There is this other couple we are teaching who also came to conference and then to church yesterday and they have a baptism date for the 8th of May right before I bounce, and we went to talk about marriage and the only way that they would reach their date is if we took out the date to get married this morning. BTW marriages here are a kilombo. haha dont look that word up. So we talked to them last night and said pray about it and that we would pass by at 7 in the morning (today) to see if they agree and are willing to go to the place with us to get the date and papers worked out. SOOO we had so much confidence that they would agree and we wanted to show our faith in God by taking that first step, so we woke up at 4:30am and my comp and one of the other missionaries that live with us went to the place to wait in the HUGE line because this place is only open Mondays. And i went with the other missionary to this couples house...Turns out that he had all these doubts and as we sat down to talk about it, they just started blaming eachother for all these things saying marriage wouldnt work out and all this jazz we just tried to calm them down. He doesnt know how to read so we are teaching him but he gets frustrated about it and yeah overall, they arent ready for marriage they said. They have been together for 30 years! It just baffles my mind... But yeah.,. que bajón. (bummer) So we woke up and did all that in vain.... oh well... It just makes me sad because they were progressing so well and now Julio the guy said he doesnt want to continue anymore..So odd how things change so fast. Its amazing how quick and powerful Satan works when one is about to make a very important decision to change their lives. Wéll see what happens..Alright im spent.. I love you all and this church is true! All your pretty little faces i will behold..soon.MOM quick note: ONLY FAMILY at the airport ok?? Cousins, aunts and uncles and gmas and gpas are all ok but no friends i will see those wippersnappers later that day haha. ok? thanks thanks. Love you!! Love Elder Dylan Chatwin
April 5 , 2010
My family whom i dearly love WOW what a week! First off, conference was so amazing. Just listening to the Lords elite and chosen men brings so much peace to me. The music was amazing, i cant wait to witness it in person the next time, truly a choir worthy of Heaven. The talks were all focused on the family as you mentioned mom, and sitting there watching it we joked as if they messed up and everyone gave the same talk haha. But no, they touched down on different aspects and it was heavily needed. It just shows how satan is managing to gain so much power and it is going directly at the heart, which would be the family. he knows that if he can sway one once loyal father to indulge just a little bit in pornography, he can destroy not just an entire family, but many subsequent generations as well as the butterfly effect of the tragedy causes both parents to go inactive, therefore affecting their children and so on. I was so saddened at how people get offended at such miniscule things, such as the human error of misspelling a name, caused a once loyal saint ready to serve a mission, morph into one of the mob leaders destined to destroy the chosen prophet Josephs life as well as the church. Every time i listen to conference with an intent to act on what these leaders say, as to please my God and qualify for salvation and happiness, I receive light and guidance and i get so much out of it. My testimony of the truthfulness of this church is through the roof. I KNOW it is true. I would yell it from the mountain tops. I dont know how anyone can listen to our prophets voice and not feel that he is a true prophet of God. I feel even worse for those who know that he is but refuse to obey his counsel as well as that of the twelve Apostles. I know i have changed from the person I was before the mission, because I hear Thomas S. Monson speak and the spirit testifies to me that he is the Lords mouthpiece and it fills my eyes with tears. Why didnt I feel this before? I always knew it was true. And its because i have finally put my life in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ. For any male with a testimony of this church, who does not serve a mission, i feel so much sorrow for such, because they have cheated themselves from a lifetime of blessings and happiness. I love life. Compared to all the other missionaries here im still the rambunctious one haha. But i know that i have come much closer to God and wow,,,, it has made me happy. i love life!! Ok haha, sooo yeah moooooom, are you TRYING to give me....... (and then finishes with unappropriate line from a Johnny Depp movie that only Reeko will understand hahaha) But anyways MOM, what im trying to say is that the school girl in me just peed her pants a little. haha when you told me about that Palmyra trip then to NY and niagra falls and then to HARRY POTTER LAND!!! haha. oh my me and darik are sooo dressing up. If its anything how i imagine it to be, it will have a Hogwarts castle, a Diagon Alley for shopping, a Gringotts bank, a Hogsmeade for other delectables including real butter beer! haha im such a freaking nerd but i dont care. So yeah mom a definite yes on that endeavor. So yeah we had 5 investites (investigators ha) in conference yesterday and one of them gets baptized this weekend! His name is Oscar and we found him about 3 weeks ago and yeah he is just so humble and meek. he stayed both sessions on sunday and liked it alot. And also, another girl named Karina, whose son we found as well named Gustavo, is a total Bob Marley clone. haha he has dreads and he plays reggae and he is amazing at the keyboard wow. But, Bob Marley isnt ready for baptism, because in order to get that white clothing wet, all doobies must be eliminated from the diet haha. so we will see with him. But his Momma, and angel. She was praying to know which church was true and she found a BoM in a garbage out front of her house, it was in perfect condition and yeah that was one of the many signs she revieved. She stayed both sessions saturday and wanted to come to both sessions Sunday but got sick and couldnt. She gets baptized in a few weeks. haha ok real quick, let me tell you about our in between session lunch experience on Saturday. So im with 4 other missionaries, all Americans, and we want something quick and easy so we head to the grocery store and buy the stuff to make sloppy joes. So we take it back to the kitchens there, and there were a bunch of members that were just sitting there drinking mate for lunch. Just in case you dont know mate is just water filtered through a bunch of herbs and they put sugar in the water and yeah its just WATER. yet they drink it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacktime 10x a day. really, if you wanna hear all my rants about mate, just wait to may 10 because me and darik can rant all day on how many babies we have been tempted to punch concerning it. haha ANYWAYS. they were all lunching on mate, AKA WATER and crackers dont forget the crackers, haha Darik... And we wanted a good filling lunch, so us Americans just get to work. Chopping the onions, and peppers, and cooking the meat and whatnot. And i guess the Argentines thought we were giving them a show or something cause they all just watched us intently and commented on our EVERY move. haha. gosh you just have to understand Argentine culture and you would understand this, but they would comment on everything and when we threw in salt and sugar at the same time, it was as if someone let off a bomb, they argies freaked out haha. They think that sugar and salt mixed is like an abomination and it will surely kill you or give you a liver attack. or simply, le hara mal. hahaha darik understands. And i was getting the biggest kick out of it, and then when we dumped two big packages of ketchup in the meat i think a sister almost fainted. They HATE ketchup. haha i was laughing so hard, because this food was for US yet they commented on it and even got angry when they saw what we were putting in it. Ok, they all (reluctantly) tried a sandwich after and all LOVED it. They were asking for the recipe and everything. Gosh, Argie culture shock 101. I love it. Es asi no Reeko? es asi. haha. what fun. ok the majority of my letter was just plain sillyness. I love you guys! I love my life and my God and this church and all of you guys. Love, Elder Boss

March 22 and March 15, 2010 letters

ahhhh just chillin in a nice air conditioned gas station...
Family from afar hi! Another week has flown by can you believe it? in one week from today we will start our last transfer here in Argentina. That transfer will go by so fast. Im finding that with each passing day, I dont want my mission to end. I get this sudden realization.. I look at my surroundings, the people, the environment, the culture, I am going to really miss this place and really miss being a full time missionary for my Father in Heaven. But i got a little time to just milk the mission for all its worth. SOOOOOO i just read the letter Pyder pig sent to you guys, and wow i am so amazed at that kid. He has grown up so much in these 12 days. Its amazing what being a missionary does to you....It literally shows you how to be happy and successful in life. Its impossible to serve a mission and not come back a changed person that is ready to take on the world and its fiery darts. Like you said Ty, the mission has showed you your weakness, your faults, and it helps us to all be humble, it has humbled me a ton, even to the depths at times. My fav scrip is Ether 12:27 buddy, and i know you will like it too. It teaches us that with humility, the Lord has power to make weak things become strong. Let me just say that you are on the way to the most amazing experience yoúll have in your entire life. I can see how the Lord is molding you into what he needs you to be. I love you so much bro and am so proud of you! Never get discouraged, it all gets so much easier after experience, and trust me, I would cry myself to sleep some nights in the MTC because I didnt think i was cut out for this work. I was wrong. The Lord has made me an instrument in his hands, to bring many souls unto repentence. Its such a satisfying work. I was thinking the other day... I havent seen my family in almost 2 years... none of my friends.. I dont have the luxuries i had before. I dont have an xbox, a tv, a radio, i cant go the gym like i always did. I am missing out on tons of parties and get togethers, i have put my schooling on hold, i live in a humble little apartment in the most humble of circumstances, and i catch some new ailment every week (haha seriously...) Basically I have nothing that I had before, in the eyes of the world I have nothing.. But you wanna know whats funny? I am the most happy I have ever been in my life. Íve lost all these things, but what have i gained? Only one thing, Im much much closer to God. And that is where happiness comes from. It comes from obeying the commandments just as King Benjamin spoke of so movingly in Mosiah 2:41. I will see all my family again and so will you bro... but give it your all to God these next 2 years and you will be the happiest yoúve ever been. I promise. OKKK sorry fam i went off on a Pyder tangent. I just love that kid. So dadda played ball with Toddly and Brady haha thats awesome, i cant wait to accompany you on the courts big daddy in a short time. So it sounds like everything is going good with your Penni Lane pops, Gma Pat keeps me updated. BTW Gma, I felt soo terrible to read about your sewer backup flood.. I hope everything is ok now and cleaned up. I cant wait to come home and just love the death out of you two and serve you and grandpa in ANYTHING you need from us. You grandma, have managed to uplift me and bring a smile to my face each week with your diligent, warm and loving letters. You too Caren, you are number 2 on writing diligence, and have shown your love as well in many ways. I promise you that these things dont go unnoticed and I will do my best to be nothing but a help and a blessing to your lives and your beautiful families come May. So this week was pretty good. last saturday we traveled outside of our area to a different zone to play the musical number that me and my comp made up, we sing 'I like to Look for Rainbows', and mix it with 'I Need Thee Every Hour' while i strum it on the guitar. The baptism was very well prepared and many people showed up, like 45. And yeah, everyone loved the number it brought the spirit so strongly. Music is my greatest joy in life, and I know that my talents come from God with the intent to edify and bless his children. I will teach Darik the parts my comp sings and wéll sing that one for you when i get back. In fact, just prepare because shortly, that silent little house of ours will be silent no more haha. prepare for LOOOOOTS of piano and guitar. I think it will bring much life to your......lives. haha. We are preparing two people for baptism, one of them, Silvana was supposed to get baptized this weekend, but she wont make it. CIGARETTES! I hate them.... she cant give them up. And neither can Raul, the other guy we are preparing. There are two things that a missionary loves to hear than absolutely anything else and Darik will attest: When a couple says that they are married, or that they dont smoke. It eliminates SOOOOO much hassle and trial from the conversion process. But hey, in a perfect world right? But yeah, its just like Heather Mella spoke about in her homecoming talk, its that major decision between the quick fix, or the bread and nourishment for all eternity. If people only knew what awaited after this life to those that love God and obeyed his commandments, every decision would be so simple. We would do anything to go their.... we even would want to take our own life to go there as Joseph Smith stated. So yeah, thats we what missionaries in Triangulo are trying to do, help these people see the importance of our actions while here on Earth and how to prepare for His glorious coming. Ok well my time is up, I love you mom and dad so much and all my family and friends. The church is true. Elder Dylan H. Chatwin

MARCH 15

Hello my wonderful famiazzle, We went ice skating today! haha it was so fun i love it. We did it as a zone activity and man there are just so many studs in our zone. Im bummed though because they are all still so new on the mish and wont be home for so long. But yeah we had a blasty blast, i cant wait to take a girl ice skating in a few months...hsshhhh. So by the waaaaay, this is my new email, dylan.chatwin@myldsmail.net. so add me, ím cool, and will definitely be an asset to your friends list. Heck, put me on your top 8! ha wow i hate myspace. People! How are you?! I cant believe another week has flown by. So mother dear, I have felt fine in the stomach region lately ever since i took those pills the mission gave me, and thats why i held off on the Colonix, and then yeah, on saturday i have no clue why, i woke up with the worst stomach pains and the entire day i was wasted. And yeah to top it off it was the day when we were asked (and we miraculously got permission from President) by some missionaries in a zone far away to go with my comp and play a musical number for the baptism. So on the train ride there, i was just so weak that i felt i was gonna faint, so i just layed down and slept on the train. So yeah we get to our destination and call the missionaries to meet them at their station for the baptism and yeah i almost pooped my pants... (figure of speech people) when the missionaries said ̈No Elders.... the baptism is NEXT week! haha so yeah I was very upset for having traveled so long for nothing but hey what can ya do? So i found a hill and just took a nap i couldnt even stand up. So i bought a Sprite for my stomach and we headed back to the pensh and i just crashed for like 10 hours like a rock. And the next day I started Colonix and hey i felt so good yesterday and today! I dont know if its the colonix but i feel alot better. Dont worry mom im following your instructions on it and i will take it everyday for a month. So yay. But yeah the musical number was the one we played on the guitar in our zone conference, some of the missionaries loved it so much they wanted it played at their baptism. We sort of have our own mission band thing going on. We go on tour soon as well. be there. Things are going dandy here in the ARG, we are working with a young girl like 22 named Silvana who has a very weird character but progresses so well. She has already been to church twice and she reads everything we leave her and prays really well. She has a baptism date in a few weeks, she just has a bad problemo with...drum roll please....SMOKING! I will punch every cigarette in the face! haha Now flying horses... flying around kicking people in the face thats scary ish... but Bees?!!! haha and Darik knows the rest. gotta love Daney Poo. So yeah we are just trying to get her off cigs and to help her believe that with Gods help she can do anything. I have seen MIRACLES on the mission of people giving up cigarettes, Im a believer. And with Raul, our other studly investy, he just needs to come to church, he is fantastic. Im hoping i can baptize these awesome people before i come home. We are working hard everyday and trying to make the most of our missions, my comp and I. I have had to endure so many little trials these last months and i believe its just a big test to endure to the end. I know i am 100 percent accurate when i say that a mission is like a mini life. If a missionary cant endure to the end of his mission, with the spirit and being a good missionary then he will never last out in the real world and most likely wont endure to the end in this rocky world we live in. Ok peeeps, my time is up we gotta head out and round up those sinners haha. I LOVE YOU!!!! I know this church is true, stay safe, happy and full of LOVE. LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED. Love Elder Dylan Hunter Chatwin

March 8, 2010

Greetings my lovely fam fam...That is quite awesome that you guys got to go see Ambie and take Tarah up to Montana. That place sounds so pretty i will definitely have to go visit Ambie after the mish up there. The missionary that i trained is from Montana and he is a total granola too and the pictures he showed me were amazing. Im glad you guys had fun and wow that condo sounds dope. haha I can picture dad listening to Im A Child o God on the slopes cuz he had nothing else haha. dad start the new trend! pretty soon all the steezes will be bustin their steezy 3´s while rocking I Believe In Christ on their ill Skull Candys. (steezy headphones haha) Oh gosh, someone please pass me a sawed off shotgun. I love you dad, you're so cute. So yeah were just chillin at Boulevard, an extremely nice mall. But yeah we're doing a district activity, we were gonna go bowling, we´ll go after this letter, but today me, my comp and the 2 assistants to the president (who BTW are other missionaries) are singing an acapella quartet for this transfer meeting coming up where my comp and one of the assistants will be going home, and we were practicing it today. Its the song Beautiful Savior and WOOOOW. You guys would be blown away. It is so pretty. Its like a barbershop style piece and it has lots of dynamics and the harmony is so good. Elder Jones is the high part i told you about him his voice is amazing. I'm singing the base part because i can go alot lower than any of them but i wish i could sing it for my homecoming with them 3 you guys would be impressed, im pretty sure my voice has improved over these 2 years yay! So thats that. This week was pretty good, we got fodged soooo much though (that means stood up, or ditched) with our appointments. We worked really hard though so we cant feel bad. haha oh man, so there is a family we are teaching who are Evangelists (BTW I cant stand Evangelists grrrrrrrrrr they are so confused about everything. i guess all churches are tho right?) Anyways, they invited us to their church and they said that after they would go to ours. So of course, we´re down. So we head to their church Tuesday night, its just some cement building with a bunch of plastic chairs set up. And of course if you know anything about Evangelists, they rock out in church with their drums and electric guitars. So I felt like a was going to a concert. But before the music we had to listen to the most mindless and blasphemous screaming as they took turns passing the mic and bellowing all strings of nonsense, abusing the name of the Lord like you wouldn’t think possible just yelling and screaming his name. meanwhile people around us are falling out of their chairs and just mumbling incantations and shaking all over. I dont know if you´ve ever heard 50 people pray at once completely yelling to God and saying all manner of nonsense? Ok well lets just say FREAKSHOW. I wanted to stand up with my arm outstretched in a square and with my divine Priesthood authority and just boldly declare ¨Get thee hence satan!¨ haha but then the music started and it made the trip worth it! The Pastor was rocking hardcore! I loved it, wanna know why?! Because it was sweet rock music! It was NOT church, it was NOT worshipping God, in fact everything that happened in that church was meant to worship God and I know without a doubt that it was all in vain and a complete abomination before his eyes. The people love church because they feel good, they feel energy. How does anyone feel when they go to a concert? Awesome! they wanna dance they feel energy! It is not how we worship God. To them that feeling is supposedly the Holy Ghost, which is so ridiculous, the Holy ghost is peace, love, comfort and meekness. And that is what one feels in our church, but they aren’t looking for those feelings, they crave that energy and adrenaline rush that doesn’t come from The Spirit, so they will sadly never recognize it and live an entire life deceived and ultimately, a waste. haha the dad at his house said to me that my entire body was blood red inside the church when he looked at me after doing their ritual chanting crap ahaha i just laughed. Freak. So that was our fun experience. One of our investigators Raul, is such a stud, he takes notes every time he reads and is extremely interested in the doctrine. He will definitely be baptized in the future, he is just very cautious and afraid to progress too fast but we´re working with him. Brady gets home this week! What a stud i cant wait to kick it with him. And Pyder is in the MTC, my my i am so proud of my boy! Pyder pig i will write you once i know your address so mom could you send me it? his email address as well. thanks. I love you! I gots to go but i have been thinking alot about you guys, we will see eachother soon.. in fact...9 weeks! Crazy huh? time just soars. Parents, i love you sooo much. Thanks for being so supportive and good to us these 2 years and for our whole lives. LOVE YOU FAMILY!!! Love Elder Dylan H Chatwin

March 1, 2010

Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...... No not really.. I havent used a comb in about 15 years. HI! So I can't believe Pyder already has his farewell talk! AWW, I love that kid so much. He goes to the MTC on Wednesday how nuts is that? I was hoping he was going to learn spanish in the MTC because that way we would be able to see him in the MTC right before he left. haha that would be so awesome, searching for Pyder. It would be so easy too, all we'd have to do is slap on our plaques and just walk around in our missionary clothes haha it would be so fun. Gosh Ty, let I really am so proud of you, and you can bet that I will send you letters throughout the whole mission (unlike you!! haha its ok) The mission will be the greatest blessing you will ever have, you will come home with so much more love and appreciation for everything, and it will prepare you to be the person you want to be. We will reunite in everlasting glory when you get back. Wait.... you get back in 2012! Dude, the world wont even exist when you get home! haha. I love you so much bro, I already ordered the cats, now we just need to rob like 50 Wendys and get those headsets. Mom and Daaaaaaaaaaaaddy hi. So, yeah dont worry about me I’m alright. The back problem already subsided and i went and gargled baking powder the other day and it seemed to take care of the cankers so thank you thank you for your love im ok. No I didnt feel a thing from the earthquake in Chile, but we as zone leaders were told by the assistants to call all the chileans in our zone and give them permission to call home and see if everything was ok with their families. There was one Elder in the zone who was really down this week because of it. His family was ok but his hometown is destroyed, he lives right where the earthquake was.... I felt so bad, I would be devastated if my beautiful hometown was destroyed while i was so far away.. Hopefully he starts to feel better next week. So yeah we got talking about earthquakes and wereńt we supposed to have a huge one in Utah like 100 years ago? I think the Lord may be protecting his covenant people or something... We think that maybe hés just waiting until the second coming... interesting. Mom, i think I probably would want to take that advanced spanish class... let me think about it this week and i will let you know next week.. About a different class im not entirely sure... if we did take one, i would kinda like to take one that could go towards our bio degree. Thats IF we decide to stick with it....geez this subject just stresses me out and gives me a headache.. talking about school haha. I have no clue what I want to go into! I love music and I love traveling and seeing different parts of the world. I was hoping that the mission would show me what I could be but time is winding down haha and i still have no clue. Human Sexuality would be an interesting one right after the mission, haha. But im down. I dunno mom, i will have to pray about it or something and hope i can get some direction, cuz yah i gotta let you know soon so you can sign us up. I have been thinking about maybe going into journalism haha but thats not for sure. I just would love to review movies or video games and write articles about them, and visit the huge conventions they have for them... i have been thinking about that lately. And I have a huge desire to start a band and get really good at piano and guitar. Sorry Im just rambling ha, but yeah i will let you know soon mama. So yeah you guys remember Ernesto? So we go to his house and we were about 2 days before his baptism and yet again, he says he needs more time... then he leans over and inside of his book of Mormon he shows us the little yellow book that i would love to just piss on.. Its called ̈Que enseZa REALMENTE La Biblia? Which means What does the Bible REALLY teach? haha Darik knows exactly what im talking about. Its the book from the J-Dubs, or the Jehovahs Witnesses. And yeah apparently Satan sent them to make things alot more difficult for Ernesto, hés old and very confused, but hés smart. But this will cause a delay because he thinks he needs to investigate more churches to decide which ones for him, basically what the J-Dubs were telling him, when in all reality he just needs to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true, he has so much pride though and wont ask now... so that could just lead to his utter downfall if he doesn’t change it. Its just sad, because he was so close, he passed the baptismal interview and was ready... but we will continue working with him.This last Thursday was Zone Conference, the monthly reunion we have with several zones. It is usually very spiritual and uplifting. And anyways, there is always a musical number, and I called my president the night before and asked permission for me and my comp to do the musical number on the guitar and he said we could but very reluctantly, haha. I told him and promised him that it would be very spiritual and yeah we did it, just sang together as i played and they all loved it! Our president and his wife both said they loved it after. haha i think im the first missionary to play the guitar in a zone conference in the chapel, but it was awesome, the spirit was definitely present.The work is going well, we found some awesome investigators this last week and are excited to continue with them and see them progress. So Brady gets home in 2 weeks eh? so crazy. I cant wait to see my boys again. Brady has grown so much i cant even believe it. Such a Gato haha.So we ate at a Pizza Buffet today and believe it or not, chocolate pizza is WAY good! Like cheese and white chocolate with dark chocolate lacings and very hot... its sounds gross but is quite delicious. Dont believe me? Ask the dishes! haha íve been listening to too much Beauty and the Beast.I love all your faces. The church is true and I love being a servant of God.Happiness comes from forgetting yourself and serving others, farewell my lovely dovelies.Elder Dylan Chatwin.p.s. mom i need new contacts!! A pack with the 6 pairs would be all... and could you send me one pair of bright blue ones? Please??!! just to test, take some money out of my account if you need to. I love you soooo much!x0x0x0x0x0x

February 22, 2010

Hello my lovely fam fam wee. So it is POURING outside and has been raining for 4 days straight. Tarah asked if we were caught up in the flooding and the answer is yes but it doesnt affect us where we live luckily... but where we work the streets are all flooded haha its crazy. I LOVEEEEE the rain so much. I think i love it so much because of how much the Argentines hate it. I think they could make an entire comedy out of how Argentines react when it rains. Darik can attest, its quite amusing. They must think that you will melt if it touches you., ahhhhh i bask in it and get even more soaked than if i had just jumped in a pool. I dont know why, but i feel the most happy when im wet haha. I love being soaked. You can tell im from Utah, haha when it rains we all run outside because if not we gotta wait a month or two. And plus i love the rain cuz its sooo hot and humid. Gah.. But its awesome. I love being super uncomfortable, isnt that weird? On the mission it helps me feel like a missionary. Let me tell you about what was probably the most painful week of my mission. haha and I laugh. Listen up. So I'm cutting my comps hair, and I'm bent over a little to get his ear and yeah something that i like to call ̈Dylans jodido (spanish word go figure) little nerve problem in his lower back decides to ruin my life...haha it hit me so fast and so hard, i felt like i was electricuted with 10,000 watts. I just fell to the earth as if I was struck dumb like Korihor, and yeah i couldnt move. I had my shirt off cuz my comp just barely cut my hair... haha and i was laying face down in the pile of hair that we had just cut on our terribly dirty floor, and i couldnt move, you know how nerves are. And yeah i just slept there in that position COVERED in the itchiest hair and all sweaty. haha i woke up and it was gone. haha i just laughed. And THEN, i just randomly wake up with 5 of the worst canker sores on the bottom of my tongue that literally make eating and talking the most painful chore. haha and not to mention the little stomach problem... I have come to decide that its all a test, im trying to figure it out, but until then i will persevere with a smile on my face! But yeah mom, luckily, those pills helped my stomach, its gotten alot better and thank you so much for the package! i am taking the Acidophilus every day but im gonna hold off on the Colonix until i start noticing symptoms like before.. BUT i will only hold off a month or so cuz i plan on taking it my last month just to clean out all this foreign-ish before I come back home. Wow, that phrase is crazy ̈before I get homë. 3 months!! Gotta finish strong. haha so you guys got a kick out of McConkadonk huh? and NO my comp isnt big, he's a tad taller than me and probably the skinniest missionary on the mission ha, he's a beanpole. He is such a stud, like I said, just the happiest person I have ever met. He is so optimistic and it is impossible to have contention with him. We get along very nice. He is also AMAZING at the piano, way better than me. He studied piano for years in college, he went to the U, and yeah he had one of those teachers David Hatch style, where you have to try out to be their students and practice 3 hours a day or they will drop you. Not my cup of tea. Hés a concert pianist and plays all the classical mojive that i dont really care for. Im definitely more New Age style. Anyways, we are gonna look for a duet to perform for the mission together next transfer meeting when he goes home. SICK. haha MOOOOMMMM can I just say that the greatest thing you ever did in your life other than give birth to me was to send me a Rubix cube. hhaaa im sooooo addicted. I like get so excited walking back to the pensh so i can solve it haha. I am a pro now, i can almost solve it with my eyes closed. So yes, thank you. Love your face and your swagger. haha a new Elder came into the pensh and he says that everyone says that now ̈swagger̈. Oh gosh... i guess i need to come home and learn all the new words that the cool kids are saying now days. haha man I hate the world we live in. So yeah, we passed by Ernesto this week and I was a with a new missionary that got here 3 days ago, we did an exchange so my comp could go to a diff area and do a baptismal interview. But yeah we had planned to go over and read a chapter from the BoM and we planned to read 3 Nephi 14. and as I sat there after the prayer ready to start, i got a slight prompting that i should read 3 nephi 13 instead. So we did, and it was perfect for him. It talks about how Jesus taught that we shouldnt worry about what we are going to eat or drink or what to wear, basically it says that God is already well aware of our neccessities. Jesus taught to search first the Kingdom of God and ̈all of these things will be added unto yoü. What a wonderful promise!! Any faithful Latter Day Saint will be able to attest for this promise. When we obey the commandments, God provides for our needs. It makes so much sense. People think they cant go to church because they got to work to make money to feed the family.. When really what they need to do is GO to church so that our all powerful father can bless the father with a better job and opportunities to feed his family better than ever before while still qualifying for the blessings of living the gospel. Ernesto had doubts that by paying his tithing it would leave him with very little money for food and other things.. but he felt the spirit when we read this part, and put his trust in God, and he wants to be baptized this Saturday! It has been raining so hard so of course he didnt come to church last week (yes, hés Argentine) so we might postpone it for a week, but maybe not, we will see. But yeah im thankful for the simple and powerful teachings of our savior that are eternal and will make any soul happy. Alrighty, well im gonna look for that duet now but you guys have an awesome week i love you all so much! Gma Bishop you are so sweet to have dinner ready for my parents i cant wait to serenade you on the piano and woo you on the guitar haha. I’m serious gma, once i play some jack johnson and sing for you, you will feel young again, like a young lover awwwwwwwww. Gma you will see your hunny soon, and i promise to make this last epic of your life worthwhile when i get home. I love you so much gma. I love all my fam and wish you all the best. Love Elder Dylan. P.S. Yeah i have heard so much about Avatar and i am soooo stoked to see it, gosh i cant wait to see all the movies haha, i see them everyday on the streets, as little street vendors sell all the latest blockbusters for 1 dollar each, but i will wait. I like to compare it to temple marriage. Go and just abuse the powers of procreation before marriage, and yeah its cool for the moment, but fleeting is the only word i can use to describe it. Its not special, its not the way its meant to be used. We are meant to have patience until one day when one is sealed in the temple, the most beautiful place on earth to that eternal person. Then its right and it is SOOOOO much better, haha i liken that to these cheap pirated dvds that are bad quality. I just have to be patient and i will see it in High def glory on a blu-ray with 5.1 surround sound. The way its MEANT to be. ahhhhh. haha sorry for that long p.s. LOVE YOU!!

February 8, 2010

Momma and Dadda and peoples...This letter will be really short pardon me. We have no time this week... Mom I actually have alot of pictures that i have wanted to send for so long but i never have time to do it, Im a zone leader now and we have to be obedient and we only get an hour in internet each week so it leaves me with no time... But yeah this will be short because we have 2 important appointments starting in 30 min. They are for 2 investigators that are getting baptized this saturday!! yayyy! They arent family either. one is named ernesto he is the older guy like 70 that i told you about who is such a freakin stud. Just so prepared. He is almost finished reading the Book of Mormon and we found him 4 weeks ago. He will be a true conversion and will hold faithful until the end im sure. The other is Joel, a 14 year old who is also a stud. His parents are members but way inactive. He comes to church by himself and reads and prays by himself too. So yay we will be baptizing them both this coming saturday. So yeah we are pretty stoked because our zone might just finish either in second place or even in first place in the zone rankings for the mission. So yeah we are just climbing. Yeah yeah numbers arent everything in the work but it definitely feels good to see our work pay off on the charts. sick. Yeah the Roc said it right... DANGER everywhere. snakesssssssssssss. haha.- Its insane. And yeah with Latin Fever it doesnt help things out. Gosh i've been here way too long. But i will finish these 3 next months strizzong dont fret. So yeah my companion Elder McConkie whois Bruce R.McConkies like grandson or something, has a girl that waited for him and he is always talking about marriage with me haha. Gosh I think its the number one thing we talk about haha. But yeah im just trying not to get trunked out, this is his last transfer coming up sunday, and i kill him and get one more comp before I pack my bags.  So yeah i've been trying to survive. I dont think i told you guys but ever since about 10 months ago i have had really bad stomach pains that come and go and sometimes they are so strong i cant work. And lately in this last area im in, which has probably the most contaminated water in all the mission my stomach has been acting up like crazy, I have a parasite im sure. My mission prez and his wife already know, im taking these long series of pills that is supposed to kill everything living inside me haha but no luck so far... I named him Jim (the parasite) haha, but please pray that it passes, for many months it has bothered me so badly. I am eating as much as i can and trying to work out so i dont lose too much weight, but everything I eat, it seems that Jim the little bugger consumes all the nutrients and leaves nothing for me haha. Its maddening, and humbling, but its not what i need to finish my mission strong, so yeah im on strong pills, just pray that it passes soon and I come out victorious..ok we're already late for the appointment i gotta fly, I love you all so much and pray for you everyday! I love this church, it is true. Elder Dylan

January 25, 2010

My wonderful family.... I just want to start out by saying that I love you all so much. Mom, your letter made me cry. This is to you Caren, sorry i write all the letters together, it is just easier cuz i know you guys all read them. But Caren, you are one of the strongest and most amazing saints i have ever met, you really are. Thank you for your letters, i have learned so much from you and am completely amazed at your perseverance and long suffering. When it comes to raising your family in this gospel alone, i know the Lord bestows power from on High in order to play this sacred and important role. Caren when i picture your face i see such a loving Christ like countenance. You will be eternally blessed for your dedicated service to bring up your children the way that will give them peace and happiness in this life. DJ, Dani and Tia, I want you know that your mother is amazing and that you are so lucky to have a mother that loves you so much. Íve been through all of your stages in life. It gets hard, church isnt the ̈coolesẗ thing out there. But love your mom, listen to her every council because she is inspired of God. She is your Liahona in this life and will lead you to happiness. Trust me, as your Elder cousin, these things i write come from the spirit of God. Mom, thank you for trying so hard to try and influence Amber and Tarah and let them know who they are.. I remember how you would always say that to me and Darik too... I would always kinda shrug it off, ̈yep mom, I am Dylan Chatwin, not forgetting that anytime soon.̈ You know, in my sarcastic teenage tone. But it was your consistence that kept that phrase in my head. I always knew deep down who I was, I knew I lived with God before this life, I knew that my older brother made my salvation a possibility, I knew that this mortal state was all a great test, deep down. Now its at the surface and this knowledge influences my every thought and decision. Thank you mom for being so consistent.. I know we haven't always been consistent as a family in alot of things. In our family home evenings and scripture study as a family.. Compared to other missionaries, and their perfect families, i feel like i pale in comparison... But one thing that I can guarantee is that I feel more loved by my parents than anyone else I know. Its such a good feeling to feel that love and that it will last for an eternity. I promise to help us be diligent as a family in our family home evenings and family scripture study, i thought of it as kind of lame before the mission... but wow its so important, and we will see the difference it makes in our family. Alrighty... well things are going awesome here in the ARG. We have really helped our zone improve and encouraged them, we are now the 3rd best zone in the mission in our stats, which is so sweet to see because it was second to bottom before i got here, im not bragging haha im just saying the truth, so its awesome to see. We found such a golden investigator, his name is Ernesto. He is about 75 years old but acts way young. He served in the war and saw alot of death... and it has made him doubt that God exists and he always asks himself.. why the death? why the suffering? We shared with him many verses from The Book of Mormon and the spirit was so strong... this man promised us then and there that he would read the whole Book. He came to church yesterday and loved it. He will be baptized, we are gonna take out a date next visit. John and Delia our AWESOME American investigators moved to Ireland today. Delia cant get back in the states for 10 years because she was there illegally the first time... and Ireland is the only other good country where you dont need a visa.. but yeah John has spent almost every night with us before we go to bed this week. He told us that he received an answer from his prayers and he knows the Book Of Mormon is true, he wants to get baptized so bad, but he wants to do it in the states. But that probably isnt a possibility since his wife cant go there... so yeah they will be baptized by the missionaries in Ireland.. I dont know what the church is like there, But yeah John could be a bishop probably because i heard the missionary work down there is way hard. Isnt Brady Hafen in Ireland? or is he already back? but yeah pray for him, we hope the best. Arighty, i gotta go, but yeah when I heard that Tarah was reading the Book of Mormon, it made me so happy, i dont know if its just skimming or what, but Tar Bears, I promise that if you find a quiet meditative place, and read that book you will begin to witness just how God communicates to us through the words of his prophets and most of all, you will feel something, and you will feel peace. I promise. I love you all so much, stay strong, and prayerful. The church is true, Elder Dylan Chatwin

January 18, 2010

Hola you naughty little minxes....remember when Simon Cowell said that to Kelly Pickler? What a creeper haha. Whats goin dowwwwwn in the USA, it sounds like you guys are doing fabulous. haha Gma Bishop you are so cute, coming upstairs all ready for church on Saturday morning, I love you! So Tyler Robby is already back thats awesome, I remember when he first left, I ran into Tracy at the gym after his first few weeks and she was telling us to pray for him because he was having a hard time at the beginning. And I know I can relate, but it seems he has completely gotten the hang of things and I bet his homecoming was amazing. I've always loved that kid. and Tracy too, wow what a woman she is. So he's dating Jazmin? haha thats awesome, I remember when she gave me a guitar and it just sat in my room for like 4 months gathering dust cuz i didnt know how to play a single note. Thats not the case now! Never will pretty Delilah gather dust on her smooth physique. She even sports a nifty nametag now. So Daddyo, thank you for helping me out with the apartment stuff for John and Delia. But yeah it looks like there have been some issues that arised and they wont be coming back anytime soon. Visa problems and stuff like that. They are thinking of moving to Ireland until she can get the ok to come back into the states, cuz they dont want to live here in Argentina. But yeah John is doing awesome and progressing well. We played basketball this morning with him and another companionship in one of the outdoor plaza courts. It was really fun, we hit up lunch after. He likes us alot, we are way good friends. Delia isnt progressing as well just cuz she's pregnant and sick alot and just involved with family issues right now. But we will continue to work hard with them and get them dunked. So here in The triangle things are interesting to say the least.. I am 90 percent sure I am gonna end my mission here, but yeah it seems to me that these last few transfers are gonna be more focused on making sure the ward doesnt absolutely collapse and crash hard instead of finding all the waiting lost souls. First of all, our Elders quorum president just barely left his wife, and they will prob be getting divorced soon. She is probably one of the coolest people I've met on the mission. So sweet and down to earth I love her to death. Its been really hard for her so we've been helping comfort her alot. She is doing alot better now. And yeah whats more.... Our bishop is thinking about getting a divorce and he also said he is teetering on ¨leaving the church forever¨ even if it means him going to hell,,, is what he said....haha... yeah. Problem. If the bishop collapses the whole ward will collapse. We only have 1 person in elders quorum not counting us... its so sad. SOOOO many members are inactive here. I bet there are about 500 members in this ward and only about 70 are active. Sad huh? So yeah we listened to our bishop vent to us for like an hour... he is having such a hard time. He has a big family and alot of teenage boys and the mom is just like having a mid life crisis. She works with alot of young single girls who talk about dating and guys and just tons of worldy crap around her and i guess it intrigues her, she wants the single life again, only she's about 50 with 8 kids and married and sealed in the temple. COME ON PEOPLE. it drives me nuts. yeah, he has to work all the time because, they like most here, are just barely getting by and pretty poor, and the kids are taking after the mom and not doing what they should, he always wants to have scripture study and family prayers and she doesnt support him so the kids follow her, duh they're teenagers.. and its killing him. Freak, it was killing me listening to him. He is such a good hearted man, who loves his family so much and wants to do whats right and be an example, but he doesnt have the support of his wife anymore and its destroying his family. It just makes me reflect so much on the kind of girl I want to marry, someone who is one with me in absolutely everything I do, especially raising our kids in a loving environment where the fullness of the gospel is preached and practiced. I cant imagine doing that task alone. So yeah please pray for him, because he is on the verge of abandoning everything, he cant take it much longer he said. So thats pretty much the sich her in The Triangle haha, we as zone leaders have been encouraging our zone alot and we all did awesome this week as a zone. Its awesome to see the missionaries take our advice and put it into practice to only find good results and more success. Its awesome being a leader. So yeah we made a deal with our zone that if we can get up to at least number 6 out of the 12 zones in rankings this transfer and have at least 10 baptisms as a zone and 40 investigators in church in one week as a zone, then we promised them all California Burrito. A restaurant in Capital that is JUST like Bajio and Cafe Rio. Trust me, down here thats a BIG DEAL. haha. Everyone here goes crazy for mexican food especially the missionaries, wow I crave it like its my job. Because its nowhere to be found here. But yeah we can easily do it we just gotta continue working these boys. Freak its so hot! My shirt and face are soaked. This year the humidity is insane haha. Darik will attest, i will never live anywhere that has more than 0% humidity haha. It probably is my biggest pet peeve but its all good!!! Because It has made me so appreciative for the land i live in. Everything is going dandy here, just trying to make everyday count and enjoy this beautiful work and this time to serve my God. I have many weaknesses and my mission has definitely proved that to me. Like it says in Ether 12:27 which is my fav scripture BTW, that if men will come unto God he will show them their weaknesses, and he gives us weaknesses (ALL of us) so that we are humble, and if we are humble and have faith in him he will make our weaknesses become strong. That is my goal before I set foot on Salt Lake ground.. I want to conquer my weaknesses, I know that the person I am when I leave the mission will be the person I am in the real world. Just like how the spirit that posseses our mortal body will be the same spirit in the eternal world. I have a little less than 4 months to fully reach my potential. I love you guys so much and hope all is well at home, love, Elder Dylan Chatwin

January 11, 2010

Hey girl heyyyyyyyyyyyy!! This be yo boiiiiiii. Pickle pants. Wow so much is going on in the US of A, how grand! So I am very glad that Toddly's homecoming went well. He wrote me and just explained how hard it was to take off his plaque and I am sure it is going to be the same for me too. I went in this morning to the internet place to turn in the stats for my zone which we do first thing every monday as Zone Leaders, and I just printed off all my letters and read them back in my pension while my comp took a nap, and yeah i was very touched by all the letters. I am so proud of my jimes, he has changed alot and has such a strong testimony. I'm glad that we as friends can all relate to this very important part of our lives together. Toddly stick it out until we get home! But yeah mom thanks for your beautiful words and daddy you too. Today when I finished reading all my letters I just sat in our pension, very quiet and peaceful with birds singing and a slight breeze through the open windows and i just knelt and thanked my Lord for such good friends and such a loving family. I think of ALL of my very best friends.. we have all had our learning moments in life and a few rough times but we are all on the right track. We all have strong testimonies and have all made big changes in our lives. Tyler is preparing to serve a mission which I know he will come back a person reborn, Johnny is preparing to start his eternal companionship, Todd is thrown back into the world with a deeper and greater love for God and for life.. and me, Darik and Brady are well on our way. Its just such a blessing... Because there were times when I really didn't think we would all make it and I know we have all helped each other out in ways we might not have known, the lord worked miracles...we all have helped the other and we will reunite as ¨brothers in the lord¨ as did the sons of Mosiah after their very long missions, Its truly a blessing. So yeah being a Zone Leader is awesome i love it. I love the leadership. I'm back in the Fight Club pension, just on the bottom floor now and I love it- My companion is Elder McConkie, such a stud haha. He's just probably the happiest most optimistic kid I have ever met, it actually really helps me to always be optimistic as well. I love being optimistic, it feels so good. To just shrug off the crap and just always enjoy life. Look for the good in all things and just praise my God for the innumerable amounts of blessings he has bestowed upon me. I have learned alot throughout my mission, and I know I have changed alot. I know that I will be so much more respectful to everyone and just try to serve others as much as I can. So last Friday, which my first week in this area called Triangulo, we had a noche de hogar or Family home evening in the church and we were hosting it so we thought of what we could do, and usually everyone just pops in a church movie and calls it good but we wanted to do something fun so me and my comp put together a Book of Mormon Jeopardy game. haha it was so fun. We had 5 categories and you know, the higher the number the harder the question, but we spent a few sessions of comp study and came up with awesome questions. But yeah we divided the teams depending on if the people were for River or Boca (the two rival soccer teams that form basically a small civil war each time they play) and the people divided exactly evenly and yeah they are SO competitive its ridonkulous. But some of the questions were like--- ¨Who were the 2 survivors in the room when Joseph Smith was martyred? and like ¨starting from the fall of Adam, how old is the Earth?¨ haha just questions that would be awesome if we were in the US of friggin A where people actually KNEW their doctrine haha. The argies LOVED it but they didnt know hardly jack ha. Oh dear.. I was so sad when not ONE of the members could name 6 of the 12 living apostles and only last names even! THATS when you know that its time to get more serious with your beliefs haha.- This is our salvation on the line! It was good though, they learned alot. But yeah they were able to use their scriptures and get half points. It turned out so good. At the end, everyone had learned to search the scriptures and the study guide to find out the answers and they all had a lot of fun. So it was way good and im already a hit in the new ward. Score. OK, so let me relay to you probably the coolest investigator story in argentine history. His name is John. Not Juan, thats the spanish translation and no dear he isnt latin. We contacted a kiosko (little home owned convenient store) to get drinks, and lo and behold someone comes to the door who looks very American, and he was. He doesn't speak a lick of spanish either. He is staying at his wife's sisters house down here. Let me tell you the story real quick.. its kinda sad. So he lived in Virginia, and he met his girl at a gas station there, shes a Bolivian and speaks broken english only, they fall in love and get married. The wife's name is Delia, her sister lived here in Argentina and offered them both a house to stay in and their own business to operate for a living. So yeah they talk about things and not having alot of money, he had to sell everything he owned to get enough money to head to Argentina with his wife (who is 5 months pregnant btw) and start their new life. So yeah they get here.. and everything just goes wrong. It turns out that someone was already in the house promised for them and wont leave, and that the business crashed.. So here they are in Argentina, with nothing and just devastated. When I first met Delia, she was always crying and yeah they just had a hard time.. They've been living with the sister for a few months and yeah the sister does not like John at all i dont know why, so they get in fights over the whole situation, but John doesn't speak any spanish at all so his head is just like ready to explode haha. Anyways, long story short... we talk to him, leave him a Book of Mormon and the magic started to happen. He would show up at our pension at 10 o clock at night with his book and so many questions (he lives like 4 blocks away). We just let him in every time and answer all his many questions. To say the least, he was impacted by the book. He said it had the very words to comfort him in the very moment he needed them. he has never been religious before so its all real new.. But yeah he said to us... ¨Its just odd.. its like all this is happening for a reason.. I come here, get screwed over, lose everything, but then it led me to you guys.. and this book.. and its like i have more hope, it helps me.¨ Anyways, in just the week i've been here we've become real good friends- He shows up with his wife all the time at out house saying lets go get ice cream and talk about the book! haha. We went bowling with him today and yeah, him and his wife accepted to be baptized the 30th of January! Its like The Best Two Years haha... he had to go across the world to find his fellow english speaking missionaries to get baptized... Anyways i could write alot more but .....I just love this guy and he has nothing right now.. He doesn't even have a family, no parents, no siblings, nothing. My comp is talking to his parents, he thinks he could get something set up where he lives, in Bountiful- Anyways, they would be coming soon IF it were possible, maybe in a months time or less- She will be having her baby right when we get home-... I just figured.. we are here to help people and serve them, and when i thought of our recent converts ...i just got a very comforting feeling, i think it would help them so much to continue strong in the church with all the good influences around them in a neighborhood. Anyways, daddy-0 let me know the low down ok? Anyways, everything is going good here. WOOWWW it is so hot. I cant even believe it, and the peak is still yet to come. I LOOOONG for the cold. Bundled up in my big coat with a beanie and a hot chocolate mmmmmm. Like Reeko said, I can guarantee you guys would go 2 days here and want to go back to the dry, fresh mountain chill. mmmmmm its my sanctuary. But who cares, from the sweat of my brow I will serve my creator, I have been given so much! You my family are the reason I live. I love this heavenly mission I embarked on. I love the Lord and all his tender mercies, that I may be further molded into the steadfast rock of faith and strength is my humble prayer. LOVE YOUR GUTS. The Elder dylan

January 4, 2010

Hello dear family can you believe it is already 2010!!?? So New Years was actually way sweet for us. Wow! So yeah we worked until 6 and then we had to be inside because as always, the tradition is for the entire country to get super drunk and all go out in the streets half naked and dance until 7 in the morning...not the exact recipe for us keeping focus haha.. But thankfully the time passed super fast. My companion (well old comp now) just cleaned the whole time, he has to always do something productive or else he feels bad. haha. yeah he´s a greenie alright. Anyways, i threw on some jeans and played delilah on the deck for a while, then we made that corn bread mix you sent mommy. Delicious! And then come midnight we got on our roof which is one of the highest in the neighborhood, and yeah we watched the MANY fireworks as the war began. wow it was so insane, by far the coolest New Years i think I've had. (well its always better with a girl but I dont have that option right now!!) But HUGE fireworks were exploding right over our heads almost bathing us in sparks haha but it was intense. So loud and just in every direction for hours straight. It was so sweet this year cause we are in a really upscale neighborhood. And the moon was probably the brightest and fullest i've ever seen. So yeah the world has to drink and sin to have fun on new years but we had a complete blast, and i was still able to lay down worthy for the lords´ comforting spirit and guidance the next day. Too legit to quit. Ok drumroll...... I got transfered already! I was only in Longchamps one transfer and we had so much success lined up for the next transfer, i was totally stoked to rock the area but I a little jingle from President asking if I would lead the great zone of Adrogue as a Zone Leader! So yeah i will be returning to the infamous 6 man pensh where I was for 4 and a half months. haha we call it The Fight Club house, because its 2 floors and just huge open rooms with mirrors lining the walls all the way to the ceiling. Missionaries are just coming in and out and just scattered throughout tomando la leche (chillaxin). Its a sweet rig. Im with Elder McKonkie, a stud who is also way good at piano. For our huge christmas concert he was the one that played, if not I would have done it. So yeah Im almost entirely sure im gonna die in this area (that means end the mission for all you noobs). 4 months to go! They will fly by no doubt, gotta rock this area of Triangulo (Triangle haha) and leave my mighty footprints. Daddddy Im so glad your party went well, that was so nice of mom and the fam to set that up. You're so old! But still so young at heart and so cute. We will meet again soooon. Johnny Caffaro is engaged.. Allow me to take a moment of silence....
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There we go. Just saying that phrase something weird happened in my head, I think I cried and shouted for joy and shot myself in the face at the same time and it was weird.  haha But thats so nuts!! i actually am happy for the kid, im just a little bummed that we cant have our awesome guy nights like the old days... waIT who am i kidding?? JOhnny will need an escape and we'll be there for him haha..I love you DONNNYY!! Yeah you better wait home boy, we are your best men and we will be there looking spiffy on your special day.haha my companion Elder McKonkie is such a stud. he is super super skinny and just so funny. He's the happiest kid ever we will have a blasty blast. So yeah he goes home in 2 transfers right before me, so he asked me if I would help him commence ¨Operation Get Sexy¨ before he leaves to go home haha. So i will be helping him with his workouts and not eating so much argentine crap. I need to get it in gear myself! So much time working for the lord its like I forgot myself! (haha but thats the point of this sacred call no?) We will do awesome, Im excited to lead a zone and help other missionaries out and be looked at as a leader. Its funny... I have seen many things in my patriarchal blessing become a reality.. based on the things still to come and my faithfulness... wow im looking forward to a very bright and rewarding future. Patriarchs blow my mind. Its nuts the sacred gifts they recieve for that calling no? ok, well i will let you know all the happenings of Triangulo next week. I love you all and cant wait to embrace your faces. But until then, be good! I love this church and I love being a missionary. Oh yeah, I love you guys!!! Elder Dylan Chatwin

December 24, 2009

Chesssnuts roasting on an open beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Hey there lovers and friends. MERRY CHRISTMAS! So yeah my birthday was nice thank you sooooo much mommy for the package I lurrrrved it. Thank you so much for the music too you are just too peachy for your own good, go ahead and just give yourself a kiss. There we go.. now now.. So yeah my bday was just like Darik's, pretty normality. BUT yes I do believe its a rule that the comp has to make something for the birthday boy, and my comp used one of those packets you sent me momma and made absolutely fantastic blueberry pancakes and waffles, yummmm. haha and that birthday card drove me up the wall and then banana sandwiches. hoops and yoyo haha what tweekers! I remember the last card I got from them last year haha. CHAaaaaAAaaaaAA! I think he deserves another one ready? ya ya chhaaaaAAAAa!!!! haha i love it. And MOM, I totally dug the little storybook which i like to call, ¨My Birthday Adventure On Acid¨ ha, its so trippy and weird but i loved it, thanks you peaches. I blew up all the balloons and strung my animal letter ¨happy birthday¨ sign and dumped all those little glitter things ALL over our desk area and just made a huge colorful birthday mess yayyy! it was good. A family in the ward invited us over for lunch and they made a big cake for me so the day was good! Wow, 21.... loco. Anywho hii! So yeah let me tell you about Noche de Luz that Christmas concert our mission does... umm it was AMAZING. You guys would have loved it and would have been so impressed. Ok, so pretty much every member in my mission saw it since they traveled to every stake center to perform and I have to say that It was probably the best live choir any Argentine will see in their LIFE. Just pure bliss. We sat almost in the front row and my heart freaking rejoiced as i beheld the sweet sound of angels. Yeah I will have to see if I can get a DVD copy of the concert to bring home to show you guys. We have some American Idol worthy Elders out here, pretty amazing stuff. The baptism of Ester was awesome. We as always did a musical number, and yeah we sang a duet while I strummed it on the guitar and it was awesome.. You always know when the Lord approves of something when you feel that warm spiritual light in your chest and we all felt it. My comp sings pretty good, (I don't think i ever told you about my comp haha his name is Elder Day, from Roy Utah, where the crap is that? He has way too big of a family, like 11 brothers and sisters and yeah haha, we get along) so yeah he baptized her and while they were both changing after we were gonna all go back into the main room and just sing hymns until they got back. But all the members didn't want to they just wanted me to play the guitar haha. So I just played some hymns really softly and sang to them, it was like a little bar concert, haha but it was sweet there was a very peaceful spirit in the room. People think guitars are like irreverent and shouldn't be allowed in churches. Yeah, we don't bring in our amps and slam down power chords on our electric guitars. But the acoustic guitar played softly is very apt to inviting the spirit, I've proven it! haha. So yeah it was too legit to quit. What else? OH yeah haha so today is Christmas Eve. EEEVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE! haha thats from Wall-E, absolutely love that movie. Anyways, we were woken up at 6am to what I believe was the loudest thunder I´ve heard in my life. We both like jumped out of bed because we thought someone had shot a gun in our room. Just crashing thunder so powerful. It hurt my ears too, it was nuts. and yeah just downpoor of rain. and I was talking to my comp about it, that today Chritmas Eve is such a special day, because at midnight today our savior was born. But to the Argentines, its not a peaceful holiday to remember the humble birth of our redeemer. Nooooo in fact, it has turned into a ¨lets see how much sin we can commit before the crack of dawn¨ day. Seriously it makes me sick. 90 percent of the country will be wasted tonight and it makes me sad because alot of our investigators im sure will be too. But yeah I'm sure the Lord is just chastizing them for their desecration of this sacred day. We worked this morning haha and ill send you pics, i was walking through a water filled dirt road in a VERY poor part of our area and i just stepped in a gap and fell into the water up to my waste haha it sucked so bad but I just laughed it off. What sucks is that our cell phone was in my pocket. WASTED. Its broken haha. but yeah ill send a pic. anyways, i cant wait to spend a peaceful christmas with you lads in 2010 I love this time of year so much, and all the other missionaries still get a peace of that christmas spirit in the states haha but not me and Darik.. ohhh baby no. Its 101% void down here. So we will definitely be looking forward to how christmas should be next year. But I can wait! Tonight at midnight will commence WWIII with all the fireworks and screaming. I'm bummed that that CD got fried! I will try to send it over email mom like you said, i hope i can figure it out. We will see. But im glad you liked the tape Daddy! Psh.. no the playing on it sounded really crappy and i was sick it will sound alot better at home I promise. Ok soooo Mom... i have no idea how i am gonna call you guys. Because we have to be in our penshes at 6pm our time, its a rule. And our cell phone is broken i was gonna use a calling card and call you on that. Since you guys are going skiing i will be in the pensh by the time you get home. and Darik called me and said that he was gonna call first at 7 because i called first last year.. so yeah.. dilemma. haha. I dunno what to do. I guess I will just have to try and figure something out.. but if I am not able to call just know that I tried ok? ok well have a SPLENDID holiday season and a Very Merry Christmas. wow, so nuts that Todd will be home in about 2 weeks. my how the time flies. Love you! Elder Dylan

December 15, 2009

Its (almost) my Birthday yaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy! Yeah Mom don't worry about the Christmas package coming in January I've learned patience to a whole new degree out here on the mish, whats a month? So you guys got downpoured with fluffy goodness! That is neat. I luuuurrve the snow. como si fuera mi gatita. I cant wait to bask in the winter wonderland next year with my beautiful famizzle. I will send you guys pics of my bday but chances are it probably wont be anything too great, see im still new to this ward and members dont know me well enough to throw a party haha but its all good we'll see what happens. But wow 21! I think I might treat myself to a nice Quilmes haha. naw boludos no se hinchan las pelotas, yo bromo nada mas. (haha DRoc) I cant wait to rattle spanish all day long at home with darik, we will have a blasty blast. RoC, tenemos que aprender hablar muy bien en vos para representar The ARG cuando estemos ahi en casa. viste? So yeah we did the coolest christmas service project. Do let me elaborate. So each zone in our mission decided to do a service project for christmas, and the zone that had the best idea would win 2 huge suitcases full of vodka for the holidays. So we brainstormed as a zone and we came up with a sweet idea. haha durr no it was 2 suitcases full of childrens toys and dolls and stuff that the good ol`United States sent to our mission to give to the kids. Anyways, we decided to go to a school for the handicapped and just do alot of activities with them to brighten up their christmas. Anyways we won the suitcases full of toys! And we went their as a zone and it was AWESOME. There were about 3 kids in this special school. There were 3 groups of them, those that were blind, those that were deaf, those with mental problems, and those with motor problems (movement). It was an amazing and humbling experience. They all came outside to the playgrounds and we got to meet all of them and it was just pure smiles on each of their pure and innocent faces. They were so happy that we were there. We just all divided and based on our talents, just entertained them and got to know them. For instance, my comp is a really good drawer, so he sat in a chair and sat one of the kids in the chair in front of him and he drew each of their caricatures based on their interests and stuff. A group of missionaries played soccer with the majority of them and all the girls and alot of the rest gathered around me and another missionary and we both played the guitar and sang the childrens primary songs, haha they loved it! They were clapping along and laughing. We must have sang about 50 songs. And then after, we filed them into a single file line, and we dumped all the toys and dolls on a big table and they got to enter the room and choose any 2 gifts of their choice. But yeah, just such an awesome experience. One of those hard hitters to the heart. I have seen time and time again how blessed I am in this life, but experiences like these really fill those tear ducts. But yeah it was an awesome experience, and I am truly thankful that we were able to do it. haha after about 50 childrens primary songs, they wanted something a little more recognizable, so I played probably the most popular song here in Argentina that I learned. haha Darik will know, ¨Si supiera cuanto yo a ti te amoooo, y estar contigo es lo que me hace masss felizzzz...si supiera cuanto yo a ti te amo, te amo... te amo.... te amooooooo. haha 3 of the girls had a crush on me after we sang that. So yeah this will be a pretty eventful week. First it will be my birthday el yayyyyy! I peed in the pool yayyyyy!!! then we have this AMAZING Christmas program our mission puts on called Noche de Luz which is the spanish translation for Silent Night. Its a musical concert that our mission does. 10 Elders and 10 Sisters, I tried out for it but barely didnt make it haha but its ok im glad they practice way too much it would kill my area. But anyways, I was gonna sing the piano for it but they already had a missionary chosen for that a long time ago, anyways, they do it every year and its amazing. Some of the missionaries sing so well its mesmerizing. There is one named Elder Jones, he´s a big boy, but more power to him he sings like an angel! He could be on american idol. I say this because they sang one of the songs for our mission on transfer meeting, but they are coming to our stake this week, they go to every stake in the mission and the stake centers fill up to the brim, its so popular down here. Anyways, thats gonna be this Sat so I will inform you on the musical masterpeice that my ears behold that day. And also that same day just earlier we have a baptism el yayyyyy!! Ok her name is Ester. Was she a prepared soul? She was freaking fasting to find the true church of God (or if it even existed....) when we found her. Yeah, now answer the question. She is so gold. We are dunking her on saturday and her 2 kids exactly one month from her baptism. She has a few more apostate kids and one of them is gay. haha hes such a creeper but of course I'm nice to him. I call him `Symmetry` because he has piercings all over his face that are perfectly symmetric, on each of his eyes, on each corner of his mouth and a stud in the middle of his chin. haha gotta love it. The beso (kiss) is the common way to greet someone here, and when he saw us come to the door my comp stuck his hand out to shake it and he completely disregarded it and went in for the kill haha but my comp backed away quick and yelled la mano la mano! (the hand!) haha gosh I turned around and tried so hard not to laugh. anyways, all is well. So some extra tidbits.. I'm addicted to oatmeal. oh myyyy mom. Oatmeal with bananas and honey and brown sugar. What the effff david blaine!! its so good. and yeah i have NO clue what i want to be in life but whatever happens something that has to do with music will either be A. my occupation or B. a big ol part of my life. I just love it! I was in the offices just doodling on the piano, ya know, improvising and making up some of my own crap and I was just hit with a surge of realization. Music is what makes me happy. I get such a rush from it and such an unexplainable peace when its me and those gorgeous black and whites. Not to mention the reverberating Delilah and her soft acoustics haha. So yeah just thought i would share a little bit of what makes me happy!! I love my heavenly father so much for the talents he has give me, i will continue to use them the rest of my life for good and to bring people up in spirit and help them feel the peace it gives me. yay! I love you all so much!!! I cant wait to reunite in loving embrace and everlasting burnings haha (hint, its not a bad thing). Darik should know that doctrinal delight. Stay strong people. Stay prayerful. A little quote that I made up... When the going gets tough, the tough get going is a phrase many like to say... but when the going gets tough before I get going, I get on my knees and pray. I love you all! love, Elder Dylan H. Chatwin

December 7, 2009

HIIIIII little baby sweeties! SOOOOOO I am so jealous you guys got to go to David Lanz. He is another one of those amazing piano artists that just touches your soul when you listen to him, along with Jon Schmidt and Paul Cardall. Its so true, the piano is the most amazing instrument there is. You can just express yourself and tell so much through its intricate design and mechanics. Its truly a work of art. I cannot wait to caress my sleek and smooth black beauty when I get home. But following very close behind is the second most amazing instrument, the guitar haha, let me tell you how the universal love for music led us to a sweet family. So we were coming back to the pension one night, and while on the bus we noticed we were a bit early it was about 8:30 so we decided that we'd just do some contacts close by our pensh until 9. Now, you have to know that our penshes, while not AMAZING households, are actually considered upscale considered to the neighborhoods we work in. But anyway, we live in a nicer than normal neighborhood and the houses are just too nice to do contacts, its sad but experience has shown me that the more green in the wallet a family has, the less they will give us of their time and attention and courtesy as well... Its a sad fact about life, the rich think they don't need God.. We'll see just how much value their worldy currency has in the life to come. Listen to the eternal words of our savior, ¨He who has eternal life is rich¨. Anywho, we did a contact at this one house and the guy inside yells out just really suspiciously ¨Name and identification!¨ haha like who says that? So I just said in an overly joyous voice, ¨We are Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ!¨ Then we hear footsteps as he goes into a different room, then he comes to the door and before we open it I hear that all too familiar noise of a gun cocking. I have played way too many video games to not recognize it, and I was like.. hmmm fetch. And the tweeke r opens the door with both his hands concealed behind it and leans around and talking really fast asks what we want and when we told him our message he shoves the gun down his back pants and like leans out the door peaking around for anyone. haha just such a suspicious looking tweeker. And i glance inside and theres all these computers set up and he just told us he had an important work and to come by another time. haha the next night we saw an ambulance in front of his house, dunno what happened. But funny. Anyways, so we were heading back to the pench and we heard piano music coming from the house next door. And I walked up to listen to it and it was clearly Queen on the piano and there was a group of people inside. So I stand at their doorstep and along with the piano playing inside I just sang at the top of my lungs ¨Mommaaaaaaaa, oooh oh oh ohhhhhh I dont mean to make you cry, but if im not back before this time tomorrow..... carry on, carry onnnnn, it doesnt really matter.. haha and they all laughed from inside like who the crap is singing??! and they came to the door and we were just standing there haha. We told them we love Queen and would love to come in and sing with them and they happily let us in. It was 3 guys and a girl, all rockers. Some people were upstairs rocking on an electric guitar and yeah I just sat down on the piano and played some Coldplay and we sang to it and they loved it. Then I just played some other random stuff. And yeah they are all rockers so I told one to go get his guitar and we all just sat there passing the guitar around playing all kinds of random stuff and singing to it. I played some Red Hot Chili Peppers and Greenday and Beatles and they loved it- so anyway, the dad comes home as we are all sitting there chatting and playing and apparently he liked the idea of strangers in his house, with his kids, sharing music and talking and we talked to him for a bit as he worked on some woodwork in the kitchen and yeah he is a really open guy and we left him with a pamphlet and we are gonna go back and teach them another day. But the thing is, we NEVER would have been able to enter the house just talking about our message at the front door, we used the universal love of music to get in, then strategically offered our message haha. We are so sly.- But yeah, music is the cake. Stake Conference was last week, it was awesome, we took 4 investigators with us and they are all such good investigators, 2 of them are getting baptized a day before my burfday, and the other two have to get married first, but they are working on it and really want to get baptized. The GF of the guy is super blonde and actually looks natural with her blonde hair, most argentines cant pull it off but wow, the guy, Cristian is too studly for his own good. He knows the book is true, he has two kids and he so firmly said that they WILL be baptized when they are 8 years old and yeah he reads about 4 chapters of the BoM everday, just a stud. He always wants to do stuff for us, every time we go over he makes sure we eat something and always calls a Taxi to take us home so we dont have to walk. But yeah good stuff he's a chef so hes gonna make us a ballin dinner this Thursday.
And just surprise me! Well i hope you guys have an awesome week, I would write alot more but my comp is done writing and he likes to sit behind me and read what i type, it drives me banana sandwich, but no hes a baller we get along good. haha he's an artist, like WAY good drawer, and he drew Santa Jesus. I know it sounds so sacriligious but its not if you see it. He drew Jesus really good just in a santa suit with a candy cane shepherds stick. haha i love it, im keeping it. ok love you guys sooo much! I took a nap this morning after studying and i had the happiest daydream ever. I dreampt that you two came to visit me on my mission on christmas, and you brought lots of presents haha it was so happy i felt good waking up. love you!!! Elder Chatwin

November 30, 2009

Hi hi family deeeeee!!!! haha so yeah we had a good hard working week. 60 lessons. Bam. We worked our butts off. So Longchamps is an area about 101 percent more poor than my last area. About 70 percent of it is dirt roads and just the most humble houses on Urf. (earth haha gosh i miss my hijo) oh my im serious, I miss my little hijo so bad, like Darik said, he's just the funniest little twat (its a good thing) ever. I've never laughed so hard, its pretty much the same sitch with darik, he was SO chill and we were so alike in everything so I acted like it was Tyler or Johnny. haha my new comp is a wee bit different. Just like Dariks new comp, not as chill, I gotta be careful, our humor is different, haha some things just make me laugh so hard and I KNOW he looks at me like.... ¨grow up¨ haha. I love it. No, but I'm pretty much set with my wife because of course I can get along with anyone. Yippee kay yay mother NATURE!! haha. No but we do work. Frickerdee, we did so many contacts last week. OHHHHH my. Gripe gripe- I have a gripe. So you know that Thanksgiving dinner with the Clawsons that was planned A YEAR IN ADVANCE?! haha i was soooo looking forward to it. FYI, thanksgiving doesnt exist here. This was the same family I ate with last year, and it was Amazing. So yeah we got transfered a week before the date and me and my hijo were so stoked to go, but I mentioned it to my comp i was like do we have anything planned sat. morning cuz yeah i got us the hookups!! haha and he insisted that I call Prez and ask. So I did, and he said NO! I was so bummed, but hey enough with griping I'm here to sacrifice. Plus, missing that Thanksgiving dinner gave me 15 HWPs. (Hot Wife Points)Wanna here what we did sat. morning instead? Ok. We did a White Storm. I think thats what it is in english, but in spanish Tormenta Blanca. Thats where an entire zone goes to one area, usually one that is suffering a little with investigators, and we all split up and spend an entire morning finding people for them to teach and getting them return dates. But yeah we split up companionships and I went to a part where you needed a bike. haha its the first time in 1 year and a half that i rode a bike it was weird. We rode through the muddiest ish but it was good, we found a few people for the poor area woop dee woop!! Church on sunday was good, but it rained SOOO much it was crazy and considering almost all of our investigators live on dirt roads the mud must have been insane, which just so happened to give us.....0 investigators in church! The first time my entire mission that we havent had a single lost soul in church. But only about 30percent of the ward showed up anyway. Wow, how Argentines think the world stops when it rains is a topic that reeeeeeeally gets on my nerves. Darik understands, it makes you wanna punch a baby. But they were SOO thankful that I played the piano, like all other wards, no one knows how to play. Yet again mother, thank you for keeping us in those lessons. I love you Margie!!! I'm giving you the biggest hug when I get home. haha i got a Dear Elder from her a while ago, it said something so typical of a cute old piano teacher, ¨Don't get carried away with that guitar of yours, stick to the piano!!¨ haha gosh i love that woman. So I hope you guys had an awesome Thanksgiving, I honestly dont even remember what day it was, was it Thursday? Yeah, thats kinda what happens when NO ONE celebrates it. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the day with the fam bam. Said fam bam, I love your guts and I cant wait to swoon all of you with my knowledge of the Doctrine of God and of course Delilah the precious. I am so thankful for all of my talents, for my amazing family and for this opportunity to serve my God and King. I love this gospel, I have been studying the Old Testament manual.. wow, its insane, the OT is of course the least understood of all the scripture we have but with the manual you really see how deep it is. Amazing stuff. Me and my comp have been having long discussions of the whereabouts of the 10 lost tribes of Israel and what will happen when they are all gathered among us. Heres a few ideas, more scripture, more prophets, and more doctrine to the further convincing of man that God is the Eternal Father, Jesus is our Savior and redeemer, and Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration in these latter days. I look forward to nice chats and discussions with you mommy and daddy of the deep doctrine, like Darik said, its so interesting. And people that aren't concerned with it right now will regret their lack of knowledge in the World to come, for it is the only thing we can take with us, our knowledge. Another little fun fact. God knows all. He created Worlds without end. How does he know all? Did he just become the omniscient being we know of at the snap of the fingers? No. He ACQUIRED all that knowledge personally. Now we see the importance when Joseph Smith stated that the more knowledge we acquire on Earth the more advantage we have in the world to come. But wait, it would require alot of time to learn EVERYTHING wouldn't it? Yep. Thats why those Celestial beings will have an eternity to progress and acquire all, until they are like God. Interesting stuff. Its true. I love doctrine. And I love all of you!!!! OH MY Tyler pyder if I could, I would fly to the states and kiss you. I love you so much man, I'm so proud of you, you are such a stud. Atlanta Georgia huh? That will be pretty ballinnnnnnnnnn haha. But I will send you a handwritten pretty soon when i can find the time. Alrighty fam bam, i will talk to you guys next week, I love you all so much. Love, Elder Dylan Hunter Chatwin

November 23, 2009

My wonderful fizzle ammmm. I dont have alot of time so this wont be too long, but yeah today was transfers!! and i got transferred out of Pineyro, I'm in an area called Longchamps now with Elder Day, who has only been out 1 month! But he seems like a stud we will do well together. I've been in Pineyro for the last 6 months. It was pretty hard to say goodbye to some of the members who are really good friends, and especially the recent converts. Last saturday was the baptism of Liss and Adler, and it was beautiful. They will be such good members. Me and my comp did another little musical number to 'Nearer My God To Thee' and they loved it. I spent soooo much of the day yesterday saying goodbye to all the members and our recent converts, I didnt get home until 10 to start packing it sucked I got NO sleep haha, like 3 hours. I have so much crap! But yeah it was a good 4 transfers there, we had 6 baptisms and it was awesome to see all 6 of them in sacrament yesterday, all active still and progressing so well. You'd be surpirised at how many members go inactive, and so quickly.. so it helped me to be very grateful for these true conversions. I gave a talk in church on Christlike attributes and it was so awesome... I prepared a talk and everything, but when I stood up I didnt even look at the notes, a steady flow of words, ideas, examples, experiences, etc just flowed through my head as I described each of the Christlike qualities that we need to strive for each day. I truly realized how the power of the holy ghost works, when we treasure up the doctrine and our spiritual experiences.. that in the moment when we need words that will bless and edify the spirit will bring these experiences and words to our heads. They just kept coming and i just followed whatever came into my head, but i knew it was of the spirit. I've never felt so calm and confident on the podium before. After the talk, I received several comments and some said it was the best talk they've heard in a very long time, but i just quickly told them that it wasnt me, dont give me any credit, it was the spirit! Ok now to the big day.. So thursday was AWESOME. wow, just all of it. BTW mother and family, I went early to meet Darik at the church to practice a few times before and yes, my comp recorded it on video, from where i walk into the church searching for him up until we see eachother for the first time. So I will be sending that home pretty soon as a little christmas gift, but i dont know how yet. Anyways, it was so good to see the other half. haha when we saw eachother and caught up a little he's like, Dude are you sick? And im like, dude, are YOU sick?!! haha because we sounded so different to eachother, it was so weird, but it didnt even sound like his voice. And yeah he looked taller to me than normal haha i think he grew a bit. But yeah it was awesome, we got to sit by eachother on the front row so we saw closer than anyone the apostle. There were SO many missionaries there. But yeah we played the piece flawless... well lets see.. the spirit played flawlessly... Let me share with you a cool little experience.. So my contacts have been bugging me lately, they get blurry sometimes maybe just cause they're dirty but yeah i was playing the piano and one got kinda weird, and on my solo part, i completely lost track of my spot on the music, and as i was searching for it, for about a whole line, my fingers just played, and i had no idea what i played, but it all sounded good and in key, until i found my spot again and continued. After the piece, i sat down and quickly offered a prayer to the lord thanking him for sending his spirit to help me in a moment of need. But wow, Bednar's talk was amazing. It wasnt a talk it was a question and answer thing. We missionaries were asked to prepare questions for him beforehand, but GOOD questions, not silly, deep doctrine questions to try and confuse him, like something that only he as an apostle would be able to answer. Some of the questions were so spiritual and the answers were just staggering. I was completely mesmerized at the way the Holy Ghost worked through this man. You can just feel it, he was asked such profound questions and he answered them thoroughly and with the power of God. The holy ghost testified to me that this man was a living apostle of God. One of 12, chosen even before this world existed and prepared from birth to guide us and teach us the ways of God for our happiness and salvation. Some of the questions were things like, ¨when you look into the prophets eyes, what do you feel, what do you see?¨ Wow, I learned so much from his answers. He's an apostle of God, he is apt to receive divine revelation from the Almighty and it is evident that he knows much more about the mysteries of God than we do. I would love to talk about the things that were learned and felt that day but he asked us not to. They are just too sacred to be sending over the internet. But we will definitely have some awesome discussions and I will share my notes with you when I get home. He explained how to raise a family, and how to give our children agency yet make sure they dont stray away from the correct path and just the examples he used were amazing. He didnt prepare anything, we asked him a range of all kinds of questions and he answered them on the fly with such vivid examples and he acted as if he was completely being driven by the spirit of God, which I know he was. The whole experience was just amazing and something I will never forget. At the end, we sang all 7 verses of 'How Firm a Foundation', which is one of my favorite hymns and it just echoed strong as hundreds of voices rejoiced in their Lord. The whole time we sang Darik had his arm around me, because he knew we would have to part again real soon after the hymn, I couldnt sing too well I kept choking up, and by the end of the closing prayer i had tears streaming down my face. We all reverently stood up as Elder Bednar exited the building with his wife, then me and the bro said our goodbyes. I dont have time to write more, but I would love to. I am so thankful for family, and for this amazing gospel. I am so thankful for the chosen leaders of God here to lead and guide us. This church is true, and I love you all so much! much love, Elder Dylan Chatwin

November 9, 2009

Hello my cute little family, so yeah, Its always hard to try and be animated and upbeat when i seem to get bad news almost every week.... It doesnt affect me during the week because we are so busy in the work, but right at the moment its kinda hard to write. I loved Tyler. We were best friends for so many years growing up and we have so many memories. We know where he is and that he isn't feeling any pain right now. I will be sure to pray for his family that they may feel our savior's comfort and know that their pain will only be for a short time. So we just got done playing soccer and basketball with 2 zones. It was way fun but it killed me, I haven't ran in a long time. It was a place with 3 big outdoor courts and a huge soccer field. We played 2 on 2, me and another American against 2 argentines that were way good. We won but just by one point. Argentines that are good at basketball are about 1 in a million and they worship Ginobili since he's Argentine. So the Jazz season started, hot dang, I loooove watching my Jazz. All guys up there in the theater room just screaming like little girls. I miss it. We had a really good week, we worked our butts off, and we found 29 new investigators this week. Yes, thats a good number I don't care where you are on the mish haha. Lots of new souls to thrash with the Holy Ghost so we should be keepin busy the next few weeks. Me and hijo still get along just dandy. WRITERS BLOCK::::::::::::::::::::::::I honestly have no idea what to write my head is spinning, I'm SO ADD haha. Mom that Paul Cardall concert will be so awesome, I will go to him when we get home, i already told you I'm going to his house and we are gonna chill and play together. And yeah its gonna be cool to see the other half, I hope we will be able to practice at least once, but i am so thankful for my abilities to play the piano, and now the guitar a little. I love music so much and it will be a big part of my life until i die. Liss and Adlers baptism is this saturday, they are so incredible I will be so sad leaving them. They are so chosen and have so much faith. I had a small vision... I was sitting in a bus and just thought of the scripture that talks about how much joy will we have in heaven if we bring even one soul back to christ, and then how much more when we bring many..¨ And I know that my joy will be so great to see Liss and Adler and all the rest that I've brought back to the arms of God, to be there in eternal bliss, clothed in glory and to talk with them and laugh with them like we do here whenever we go over there. I think its difficult to imagine sometimes just how surreal and marvelous the things that are written in the books of God and we will not comprehend the magnitude and glory of them until they are fulfilled before us. This letter was very short Im sorry, but I love you all so much, I love serving my heavenly father and I know I will be blessed every day for the rest of my life serving my God and King. I send all my prayers, blessings of comfort, peace and love to Tyler Ratliff's family. Love, Elder Dylan Chatwin