Elder Jordan Chatman: Week 8- June 19, 2012

Hey everybody,

A few days ago, I got my travel plans for next week. So that’s was exciting. We leave next Tuesday, June 26th. Funny because we fly to Portland first. Then we go on to Japan and then to Taiwan. I’ve learned tons since being here and it’s been good. But I can’t wait to get out and go to work. It’s going to be crazy when I get there and can only speak in mandarin. It is going to be a good experience.

On Sunday, one of my favorite speakers came and spoke, Sheri Dew. She gave a great talk about keeping the eternal perspective (the next life) in our minds. She said that one of the devil’s biggest weapons is for us to focus on this life and forget who we are and the possibility of living in God's presence in the next life. A good quote she stated is, "I’m much more interested in the long hereafter than the brief present."

This is another funny story. So the MTC president sat by us at dinner on Sunday. We never know who is going to speak to us on Sunday nights, so I asked him who was speaking. The MTC president said, “It is a woman and you guys will like her.” Well my favorite woman speaker is Sheri Dew. So I was like, “Is it Sheri Dew?” (hahaha) He thought I was like telepathic because that’s exactly who it was. He was like, “How do you know Sheri Dew?” I told him that my mom liked her from Women’s Conference and that I liked her talks. He was like, “Yeah that is who it is.”

Well, Sunday night, I lucked out and sat on the 2nd row for Sheri Dew’s talk. Then the MTC president, who was sitting next to her, was like, “Yeah that is Jeff Chatman’s son.” So after her talk, she talks to missionaries for a bit. She shook my hand and was like, “So you are Jeff Chatman’s son? I was just like, “Yeah, how do you know him?” She was like, “I was a big BYU fan back when he played.” Then she asked where I was going. She talked about keeping an eternal perspective and seeking spiritual gifts. She's awesome!

Anyways, have good week everyone.

Love - Jordan Chatman