26 October 2012

Oh my giddy aunt guess what?  "It SNOWED today!" First time for the season!

Hey Fambam, how are you all?  Thanks for another week of great emails, pictures and letters.  I really do appreciate them.  But c'mon Rawiri!  I really think he wants a grand entrance and is going to be a showstopper like his big sister.  Hopefully, next week I'll hear the good news!

Firstly, I have scheduled an appointment with the Optometrist for next Tuesday, so dad, he will give me an updated American prescription for my contact lenses.  I don't know if you want to just hold off ordering me some until then because I heard its cheaper through this optometrist, so I will let you know.  My friend said she got a semesters worth of contacts for $60.00 so if it saves you money then wait.

Before I forget, Mum I met a Fleur Williams/ Munroe during Conference weekend and she knows you and just kept hugging me because she said we are rellies and she went to College with you and dad.  She said her dad is brothers with Nanny Bella Christy.  So cool!  Her son is going on a mission to Melbourne in December so I told him to look out for Elder Stebbings.

This week has been so good and the zoo was so much fun.  It was really weird in some ways, because at the zoo every person kept saying, "Hi Sisters!" or, "Is that sister Sisters?" or "It is the Sisters, what are you doing here at the zoo?" One person was like, "What are you doing here?"  "Are you assigned here to proselyte?"  We would calmly inform them that we are at the zoo because it is our P-Day!  It was almost as though we were treated like celebrities because of all the attention we were given.  Quite the contrast to when we are on the Square where people avoid eye-contact - haha - good times.   After the zoo we headed back to our friends apartment because I'd organized a little birthday party for my companion and some of our friends made a cake and soup and we played the chocolate game thanks to my twin Sister Vaivai.  The sisters went nuts over the cookies and cream chocolate and many of them had never played the game before in their life.  So fun!

Oh, I forgot to tell you about the Sacrament meeting we had a couple of Sunday's ago.  It was so good and my talk was entitled,  "When we are baptized we make a covenant to preach the gospel to all the world."  Pretty scary topic because I don't remember making that covenant when I was baptized, but nonetheless I did so it was a good missionary themed sacrament meeting and we sang, "Have I Done any Good in the World Today!".   We found a beautiful rendition of the song and sang it and we were also asked to sing it again in our own Sacrament meeting this past Sunday.  Mum, remember we don't have Wards or Stakes as part of our mission.  We are just a whole mission = one ward.  The senior couples pass the sacrament.  Quite different but fun.

This week in companionship inventory, my companion and I decided to work on the attributes, "Patience and Communication."  It has made such a huge difference to how we approach our tours and we feel they are sooooooo much better.  I love companionship inventory.

Well, this past Sunday we made changes for our announcing assignments and instead of having the Sister's on the podium we brought them down around the circle (compass) thats on the floor and had a microphone for them to use as they moved around.  We felt the need to change how we announced because people would signal to the person announcing that they wanted to talk to them in their native language but the Sister had to stay on the podium until the end of her presentation before she could come down and talk to whomever. This week we had a miracle largely because of the change.  One sister said that she had taken a French family on a tour the day before and they didn't want to be referred to the local missionaries  but the Sister said they had such an amazing tour that they should've referred the family.  The Sister missionary invited them to music and the spoken word and when she was announcing (in Italian) she saw the family and the spirit said to her, "Go and talk to them!"  She wasn't sure what to do because every other time she had been told not to leave the podium while announcing but because we had changed the rules, she remembered and she could leave, so she followed the spirit and left the podium and talked the family and then she organized for the French announcer to go and talk to them.  The family went on another tour around Temple Square and at the end of the tour the whole family referred for local missionaries.  What a miracle!  Just think what could've happened if she had been on the podium and chose not to go down.  I'm so grateful for the spirit and how it works, sometimes without us even realizing it.  We have had the most tours this week due to the change, then we have in the previous two weeks after music and the spoken word events.  So, something's working. YAY!

Speaking of my twin - Sister Vaivai - seriously everyone thinks we are twins!  I am going to have to write down every single time someone has mistaken me for her and vice versa. So, on Sunday I'm just standing around waiting while the sisters are announcing after music and the spoken word and this old man comes up to me and says, "Hello" and acts like we're best friends.  He's not shifty or anything but I'm like, "Hi, good to see you ....smile…. then this lady comes up to me and says, " Hi!" like we're best friends and said, "We're trying to find your Mongolian companion.   In my mind I'm thinking, "My mongolian companion? Do I know you?"  Then light bulb moment, she thinks I'm Sister Vaivai.  Sister Vaivai is in a trio with Sister Sukhbaatar and Sister Rakotovao from Madagascar and they think I'm her.   So, I'm like, "Ahhhh yeah, she should be around here somewhere."  Now to fill you in,  the previous night when we were about to head home we see this group with tear stained faces and they had just witnessed a miracle.  Sister Sukhbaatar felt a strong prompting to share a scripture and had singled out one of the ladies from the group of 4 people.  She said to the one lady, "I don't know about these people here, but this scripture is for you!" The lady read the scripture and the spirit was so strong she started to cry, which triggered the missionaries, the other ladies and her husband to start crying too.   Pretty much they were all crying.  It was amazing because Sister Sukhbaatar had no idea why she should share that scripture to that lady.   Fast forward again to me, the lady who was looking for my, "Mongolian companion" said she wanted to let her know that she was so inspired to share that scripture and that they wanted to thank her.  Apparently, of the four ladies in the group, this particular lady was the only non-member.  Her husband is a member but she is not.  They had just watched the movie, "Prophet Joseph Smith the Restoration" and she felt the spirit and then Sister Sukhbaatar approaches her and shares a scripture with her which was a second witness of the spirit.  I was shocked that this had happened and that neither sister Vaivai or Sister Sukhbaatar were anywhere to be found.  The group said they would wait a little longer but ended up leaving before she came.  I saw that they were about to leave so ran up to them and the non-member lady gave me the biggest hug (because I'm still playing along that I'm Sister Vaivai) and she said, "Thank you so much.  I wish I could've told your companion thank you" and then they left.  Eventually the others turned up and I told them what had happened and they couldn't believe it.  Honestly, people, if you receive a prompting follow the Spirit because you never know why or who needs you.  So incredible!  Sister Vaivai was grateful that I just played along or else they probably wouldn't have shared with me what they did.  The old man in the beginning was the husband to the non-member lady and had so much gratitude in his eyes - so grateful!!!!

We have had an incredible week, one filled with challenges, blessings and everything but I wouldn't have it any other way.  We have been invited to a baptism this Sunday for Sandra and Mackenzie - mother and daughter and they were one of the investigator lesson's that we took around Temple Square and they have asked me to speak on, "The Holy Ghost."   I can't wait and it's going to be so good.  

We got to go to the Temple this morning with most of our Zone and it was so special.   I love the Temple and I'm so grateful for the opportunity and privilege we have to be worthy to go to it.  It snowed this morning and it was so weird.  New experience for me for sure but I'm going to hide indoors because its flippin freezing but the snow is fun.  My Alaskan companion couldn't be happier and she still wears her jandals and t-shirt around outside (crazy) but I love her.

Well, family we have a zone activity that we are helping to set up for today.  It's a halloween party where we will be carving pumpkins, eating food and having fun!  Can't wait! 

Thanks for all you do, love you so much.  Sorry I don't have time to email you all but I will next week when we have more time.  Hina, good luck with the delivery and I pray for you every night and I put everyone's name on the prayer roll.  Keep the faith, study the scriptures and have joy!

Be safe.  Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  askaquestion12@mtc.byu.edu

Love Sister Chadderton the second.  

Picture 1:  Sitting on a seal at the Zoo

Picture 2:  Happy birthday companion, with my twin, Sister Vaivai

Picture 3:  On the way home in the snow

Picture 4:  My Narnia picture in the snow

Pictures 5-9:  Announcing photo's

19 October 2012

Yay for P-Days!!!

But what is this! No baby yet??? My nerves are shot and I had a little anxiety attack before opening my emails. This little boy is taking his time alright. Wants to make a grand entrance because the other two were impatient and early. Oh well I am glad that all is well and that your midwife is back in town Hina. So happy and excited for you and your family.

I have had such a good week this past week and seen many miracles. Thank you so much to Aunty Mona and family for driving in to SLC and hunting me down to drop off my coats.  They have definitely saved my life this past week as its been really cold. Thank you, thank you!

Well, as I told you last week our companionship assignment is the announcing co-ordinators and so far its been really good. Sunday was our first time organizing everyone and really getting a feel for it and observing how we can improve on things.  So exciting!  This Sunday we are making small changes to see if it works more effectively or not. Our zone leaders also asked for our help to make a art display to help get our zone focused and excited to contact all the referrals from General Conference and to really focus on baptisms through quality contacting (via the phone).  It is a little tricky over the phone but miracles always happen and we get lots of people that call in and have great questions and want to learn more so we refer them to the local missionaries. We get to, "plant ALOT of seeds" in this mission and the other missionaries can harvest but we are all working together and its great.

We also had our first investigator lesson as a companionship (this is when I saw Aunty Mona and family.  The missionaries that serve in Salt Lake can bring their investigators to the Square for a lesson and a Temple Square missionary companionship gets to accompany them and pretty much teach them the whole lesson.  The other SLC missionaries help out too. They are seriously the best experiences ever and I love it when investigator's come to the Square. We have had 2 this past week and one was a mother with her two children and they are getting baptized on the 27th of October and the other is a man in his 50's who is also getting baptized on the same day. We are not sure what time the baptism's are so its going to be hard if they are both around the same time because then we have to choose which one to attend, but I'm just excited to be going to a real baptism after getting to know these people.  It's hard not to love them instantly. The man who is getting baptized lives in Utah  and he told us that he had this amazing experience where someone appeared to him and told him that he knows what he needs to do. He went to his neighbour who happens to be the High Priest Group Leader who then told the man what it meant and that he needed to meet with missionaries. The missionaries went over to his place and committed him to baptism and he said yes. That was about a week and a half ago and he was so golden throughout the lesson we had with him and he really recognized that he will be the pioneer of his family because the rest of his family are all non members.  I'm so happy for him.

This week we were able to help with Garden service. They asked for 13 companionships to volunteer to help with the gardening so on Saturday we gathered in front of the Church Office Building (COB) with about 1000 youth from the local Stakes and we took out all the summer plants.  It was from 8:00 a.m. -12:00 noon and it was heaps of fun to help with the gardening.  After we finished, President Seppi who is in our Mission Presidency, shouted all of us Sisters to a breakfast/lunch at, "Kneaders" where they have, "All you can eat french toast and pancakes for $6:00!"  It is a missionaries dream breakfast (if you're not gluten intolerant) so I had something else but it was so nice of President Seppi (he is the one who designed the high tech roof at the new City Creek Mall and the roof of the Tabernacle - seriously the MAN!)

Monday my companion had Temple service for 3 hours because she is in her 7th transfer so is one of the longest serving sisters.  I got to go on exchanges with Sister Vaivai and her companion Sister Rakotovao for a few hours.  They are in a trio and their other companion - Sister Suhkbataar - was helping with Temple Service too. It was so much fun because we were all in the same MTC class and now we felt like the big girls because our trainers were in theTemple - haha.  And, I got to send Sister Chadderton's package, so hopefully you get it soon sister.

Tuesday was a great day and again we were lucky enough to volunteer to help with gardening service on Temple Square, but this time we helped plant Winter/Fall flowers instead of ripping the other ones out.  It was so much fun and it started raining and it was great to get muddy in pants and not in a skirt!  One of my friends, Sister Anderson from Indiana, Indiannopolis is trying her hardest to convince me to move to Indiana to be her roommate after the mission.  We were in the same MTC district together and this transfer we are in the same district again and I love her. Not to sure about moving to Indiana yet but she still has 16 months to convince me otherwise.  But after garden service we went home, cleaned up and I made homemade meat patties and my companion made a salad and it was the bomb then we had hot milo and Tim Tams.  Perfect way to end the day.  So delicious!

Last night we took a tour with this lady from Tennessee.  She was here for a work conference and decided to come down. Her husband took her to see the Book of Mormon Play and she said it was rubbish and that the language was foul and it was really offensive. I was amazed at this lady the whole time she was here because I feel she is the epitome of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  She is of a different faith but has really dedicated her life to following Christ.  We asked her what she thought about God calling another prophet today (after sharing Joseph Smith's First Vision) and she was like, "Yeah it would be what the world needs, another leader is something that I think many people are searching for!"  We then testified of President Monson as a living prophet today and to top it off, we have this neat little resource movie collection all about the prophet.  She chose a movie called, "Teaching with Love" and watched it and she loved it and agreed with everything he said.  We were going to take her to the Christus and as we were walking past the display, "Special Witnesses of Christ"  Elder Christofferson's video was playing and he was talking about the Sacred Grove, the Restoration, the Priesthood, the Prophets and the Book of Mormon.  She stopped and watched it and my companion and I were like, "DON"T MOVE!"  She watched the whole thing and then we went to the table with all the Books of Mormon and the globe and I invited her to have a copy of the Book of Mormon and told her that it was a lot better than the, "Play" and it has no foul language.  She said she'd love to have a copy. WOOHOO! Then we went upstairs and showed her the Christus. Honestly, so powerful she stopped in front of the Christus and the Spirit filled up the whole room.  She is incredible and really loves the Lord. We asked if she would mind if missionaries delivered the Book of Mormon to her and she said that was fine!  I am so excited to call her in a few days to find out how she's doing and if she received the Book of Mormon. Honestly, miracles never cease, especially as you pray, have faith and are obedient.

When any Sister missionary goes home or goes on their outbound assignment they have to transfer their contacts to the ones staying behind.  We were given a contact that has been taught for over a year now.  My companion emailed him last night to see how he was doing and we got a response today from him and he said, "Oh, I don't know if you know but I got baptized on Saturday." Cool huh? Our mouths dropped because it seriously is a miracle.  He lives in Nigeria and the missionaries live hours from where he is but he still kept the commitments the Sisters here set with him over the phone and through emails and because of their teachings he got baptized. So awesome!  So, technically that was OUR first baptism as a companionship because he is OUR contact now.  YAY!

Such a good week right??? Well, today is my companion's birthday and she turns 22!!!  We woke up early and went and played basketball with over 20 other sisters and it was so much fun! Then we went to this place called, "Blue Lemon" for breakfast.  Seriously mum, when we come for Conference after my mission we are definitely going to have to save up to just eat there everyday!  It was so delicious!  After we are done with emailing we are going to the zoo.  She decided that that is what she wanted to do for her birthday so we are doing that and I have organized my friends in my District to go and buy a cake and get pizza and they are going to be at our apartment with the food when we get home from zoo!  So exciting!

I love you all and hope you are all doing great missionary work. If there is someone that you know that needs the gospel, I can help you with that.  Just send me their phone numbers with a little background information and what you would like me to share with them.  I am more then willing and happy to call them.  Honestly, people's these are the last days and if you haven't realized it, then I encourage you to read the Book of Mormon, watch the news and you will see the signs, let alone listen to conference and pay attention to the reason the missionary age has been lowered. Don't freak out though its exciting. I know the Saviour lives and he will come again, sooner then we think and the earth will be cleansed and renewed.  Whose on the Lord's side, who?

Be safe, be happy, live long and be prosperous.

Love Seester Chadderton no.2

Picture 1:  Beautiful Sister missionaries announcing.  Check out the languages. YAY!

Picture 2:  Sister Calderwood and I pictured with our Zone Leaders and the art display board that we made.  Our zone leaders are Sister Ito from Japan and Sister Brickley from Indiana.  Just to explain the display board a little, you will see a man dressed in white (representing a missionary) standing in what is suppose to represent a baptismal font.  He has his hands raised like he's confused while standing in the font because the font has no water and he's saying, "Got Water?"  In order for the font to be filled with water, the sisters have to be found doing several of the items surrounding the font (shown in picture on both sides of the font) in order to earn a drop or drops of water to fill the font.  Once it's full the missionary can baptize his investigator.   We will then put a picture representing the investigator into the font for baptism when the font is full!  Some of the items that we want to encourage the sisters to do when they are talking to investigator's on the phone are:  Pray, testify, use sriptures, teach from Preach My Gospel, invite the investigator  to do something, refer the investigator to local missionaries, build a relationship of trust, plan what they are going to say but most importantly, to "Bee" themselves on the phone.   Our focus is that if they do all these things whenever they make a phone call then we will have baptisms.  Key: Quality Contacts = Baptisms.  My companion is really arty crafty and its great.  We came up with the idea with our zone leaders and then we put it all together. So cool!

12 October 2012

Hi Family!!!

Boy where to begin.....

Thank you for all your emails and I can't believe my little nephew is still cooking in the oven.  I told his mum he wants to see, "Taken 2" as well.  Glad to hear you are all doing well and are safe.

Let me tell you about my Conference weekend!

So, Friday morning we had what is called, "A General Conference pump up meeting" and it was so good. Lots of people shared their General Conference miracles and it was very uplifting and inspiring. It made me feel a lot more comfortable about the onslaught of Conference because of all the training.  So, that night we all go home and prepare for conference.  Of course we trash our room completely, because being girls we still hadn't decided what to wear.  I wasn't bothered too much. 

Anyway, Saturday morning - 1st day of Conference - we had to be on Temple Square at 7:00 a.m. for a meeting and then we had breakfast (all our meals for Conference weekend were kindly provided by our Mission Presidency and neighboring Stakes in Salt Lake City).  After breakfast we hit the Square and there were huge lines of people at 8:00 a.m. waiting to see if they could get into the Conference Centre.  We were scheduled to contact people from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and then have lunch.  It was so much better than I thought it would be, because we really were meeting people and getting to know them, (something I realized I enjoy doing) and then sharing a scripture and asking if they knew anyone that we could share the gospel with.  Our contacting lasted about 5-7 minutes and then we would move along to the next person that we felt inspired to talk to. There are so many people everywhere and cameras too.  But, it was a really good and positive experience and then it was lunch time.  We had a quick lunch before going to watch the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference.  We only get to watch one session, so that was the one I got to go to - pretty amazing.   Oh, during the first session when President Monson dropped the bombshell about the optional missionary ages, my companion and I were standing outside of the Tabernacle building listening to it because it is played on the loud speakers and it was so funny to see everyone's reactions after the session.   We had so many 18 and 19 year old girls coming up to us and asking us why we served a mission, what we had to give up to serve a mission etc.    We basically encouraged them to pray about what they should do and then to go on a mission.  Honestly, so many tears because many of them were trying to sort out their future so that they could serve a mission at 21 but now they can leave straight away if they want to.  It was a little scary for some of them but they all felt like this was the sign they needed. I am so excited to have more sister missionaries coming out on their missions and it is highly possible that I'm going to have the opportunity to train a young 19 year old in the not too distant future.  Weird though because when I get home everyone might be on a mission.  But thats awesome because I so want to work at the MTC when I get home if it's at all possible.  So that'll be fun, fun, fun!

Anyway, so that was pretty much Saturday.  After the conference session we had Beehive House and stayed there until we went home at 9:45 p.m.   I pretty much had to pry my boots off my legs because they had become one and then I collapsed into bed.

Sunday morning was rather the same, Square at 7:00 a.m. and contacting people at 8:00 a.m. but at 10:00 a.m. we had Beehive House until 2:00 p.m. and then we had lunch.  We were on the Square for the rest of the night until 7:00 p.m.  It was so cool seeing people I knew and it made me so happy when they helped my missionary work by referring friends.  I even saw both of my MTC teachers and my 1st Counsellor from my Relief Society Presidency at BYU Hawaii 20th Ward - HIllary!!!  So cool and Emily Cunha and the Laulu's - like everyone! So amazing - Tim AhChong, Dave Young,  the Howard's, the Linehan's and the Bovee's from Sister J's Mission in Idaho.  It was a fun day. 

At 7:00 p.m. we had a Hi-5 meeting in the Tabernacle to end our General Conference weekend because pretty much at the end of Conference everyone had gone from the Square and we now had to calculate all the referrals we received as a mission and it was almost 3000 names. Incredible!  My companion and I have about 20 members who referred friends but didn't have their phone numbers so we couldn't calculate them in this total as yet.  At the end of the calculations they had all the sisters that were leaving stand on the stage and they shared what they had learnt on their mission.  We found out who the new AP's were and Sister Syndi Mei Kealamakia is still the AP with Sister Lane and then we had transfer conference so we found out our new assignments/companions/zones etc.   Honestly, it is so nerve racking and I'm pleased to say that my companion and I are still together!!!! But, we are in a new zone so no more Beehive House.  So, yup its gonna be harder/easier to find me. But sad days for the companion's who didn't want to change but had to because there are some going outbound - exciting times.  We get to stay in the same room and Sister Vaivai is still in my zone - YAY!  And Sister Anderson who was in my MTC district is in my new district. Our District Leader is from Mongolia and her companion is Fijian so we are going to have a fun district again. Our assignment is announcing co-ordinators so we are brainstorming how to make it more effective instead of having 14 girls announce in their native languages and people just take pictures and leave. So, its going to be great!  After the meeting we had gelato and then went home. SOoooooo exhausted but happy.

Monday and Tuesday we were given permission to sleep in until 9:00 a.m. and then had Beehive House at 10:00 a.m.  But honestly, I was so out of it on Monday, but I felt sorry for my companion who was so tired too.  We were all worn out from the craze of conference weekend, but got through it somehow, and at 4:30 p.m. the Mission Presidency arranged a celebration dinner for us for our hardwork over the weekend.  In 2 days my companion and I contacted 206 members and taught them. So, we were grateful for the food. Tuesday we were allowed to sleep-in for as long as we wanted but had to be on the Square by 12:00 noon.  Our District wanted to have lunch together for the last time before it changed so they came over and we had bacon, eggs, muffins, pasta salad, bananas and caramel.  It was so good and fun to do this together before things change. 

Wednesday, a sad day with 27 amazing sisters going home, 17 going outbound but exciting with 26 new sister missionaries coming in.  My companion was asked to drive some to the airport and we dropped the 3 Australian Sisters off - Sister's Kaberry, Cool and Mata'utia - three fantastic missionaries! I'm going to miss them so much.  Sister Mata'utia was funny because she said she's going to pray that the plane she was to go home on would crash because she didn't want to go home.  I thought, "Wow only 16 more months and I might be feeling the same way."  I love you family, but I'm not ready yet, hopefully in 16 months, if not be patient with me.

Well, it has been a bag of mixed emotions seeing new companionships and new leaders around but I'll get used to it.  Glad to be with Sister Calderwood still (she might not be so happy) but I am.  Haha!  It's her birthday next Thursday so we might try and go to the Zoo.  Aunty Mona and Uncle Jason, thank you so much for the package! I got it today and you are amazing and thank you Uncle Steve & Aunty Kathy Stebbings for the card and donation!!!! Thanks Aunty Dale and Uncle Dan for the card. Talk about feeling the love.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone.  And thanks especially for the prayers on my behalf because there is no way I could've made it through this past week without them.  It's been more emotionally and mentally draining then physically.

I can't wait to hear about little baby Rawiri's arrival next week (October 18th is my guess!).  My new P-Day is Thursday so you might get this email a day late and that is why.

Love to you all,

Keep being amazing and make sure you write those questions down for Conference. Thank you for the real chocolates too mum and dad and the t/shirt is so cool.  I've been wearing it everynight.  Jenna, you might not get your chocolate - just saying...but I think that will benefit your no dairy problems aye?!?!  Pics of me and my companion and our District's last time together at the Beehive House!!!  Oh and with my new zone we have lots of Square time so we have investigator lessons this week and are going to a real Ward for Sacrament and we are speaking, the 4 of us and doing a musical item so thats exciting and fun for this week already! 

Thought I'd just put that in too. Love you.

Aloha, Sister Chadderton II

4 October 2012

Family!!!!

Oh how time flies when your keeping busy every single minute of every day!!!  I can't believe this is my last week before transfers next week.  My companion and I are anxious to find out what happens because there is a possibility that she could be going outbound and that means I may have a new trainer.  We will just have to wait and see.

First of all,  thank you for your emails because it is so awesome to hear that everyone is healthy and well.  Mum, honestly all the sisters here are jealous of that blog and the friends you are making.   Your friend Sister Bunting and her hubby are sweethearts and the food they brought me was heaven sent because we had two more days until P-Day and our food was running low so thank goodness for your kindness to their daughter in NZ because they have been kind to me and I'm so grateful!!!

Well, last Wednesday after emailing, I went shopping at the DI and got some awesome bargains - a pair of new boots for $6!!! And yes, in my size and they are great and I'm wearing them today (even though it's probably a little warm for them). The weather has been amazing and I am mentally stressing because I know Winter is coming argh....My friend from YSA in Auckland, Elder Joshua Cocker came to Temple Square to go through the Temple before he heads off to Tonga and I didn't get to see him but he left me a note and I know he will be a great missionary!

Saturday was the Relief Society Broadcast!!!! And yes I did get to go. We had a really busy day in the Beehive House and at 5:00 p.m. we locked up and headed to the Conference Centre. Sadly, though you see opposition in all things because on our walk to the Conference Centre we saw these pretty, middle-aged ladies standing on the Square with a basket full of tissues covered in ribbons and they were handing them out to all the thousands of Sister's who had come to attend the broadcast.  These middle-aged ladies looked like thoughtful, Relief Society sisters but we soon learnt that inside those tissue packets were bundles of anti-Mormon literature.  I could not believe it and it was upsetting me heaps but the Sister missionaries who have been here longer then me advised me to not let it get to me because it's silly if I'm letting it affect my spirit.  Great advice.  I did warn as many sisters going to the meeting about them while I went to my seat. On the other hand how amazing was that meeting?  And it was cool knowing that I had just met Sister Reeves in person and then got to see her on the stand.  It's such an amazing experience to sit in the Conference Centre with 21,000 other sisters including ladies who are not of our faith.  Oh my goodness I could go on and on about the session, because I really loved it and the spirit was so strong.  It is so touching hearing about the pioneer stories because I get to serve here in Temple Square where we are surrounded by all the history they left behind. It really does make serving here special.  Well, on Sunday we met three ladies who were all sisters and they were road tripping around the States (they are all in their late 60's) and they take turns driving while the other two crochet hats for one of their sisters Sunday School. All three of them attended the Relief Society meeting and they absolutely loved it and wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon. One of the ladies lives across the road from one of our Church buildings and sometimes attends Relief Society activities but she's not a member. Honestly, the coolest ladies ever, so Hina and Jenna you two better learn how to crochet because we three are gonna do that one day!  Love it!

I really have a testimony of being led by the spirit and being at the right place at the right time.  My companion and I had some Square time (which is rare) and we went to the Tabernacle to contact some guests. There was one girl sitting by herself and I felt like we needed to talk to her.  It turns out that she had just moved here from California to be with her boyfriend and she is a member.  I then made eye contact with some other guest who recognized my flag so I went and talked to them while my companion stayed next to me with the girl. This family was from Orewa in NZ and they used to live at 3B Lancelot Place, Glenfield. Freaky or freaky!  For all those who don't know, our house address in NZ is, "5A Lancelot Place, Glenfield!  So, we're practically neighbors!  My companion helped the girl re-think her membership and how she came to know the church is true etc.   I continued to talk to my family and then we took them to see the Temple model and then they had to leave.  We gave them a guest card and invited them to meet with missionaries back home but we'll see what happens. It was such a cool experience.

But, I really have felt the adversary working hard in making you feel inadequate and unqualified for being a Missionary, especially during Conference time.  Believe it or not, but Conference for us as missionaries is the most hectic time of the year.  We are on the Square contacting from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. and we only get a 20 minute lunch break and 20 minute dinner break and after dinner we are working, working, working.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed, especially after the Relief Society meeting where we are to contact members and talk with them and help them with their missionary efforts but I didn't realize not everyone likes missionaries.  Some people think we only want to talk to them to get their friends phone numbers and this was really weird for me.  Members of our church ignored us and kept walking by.  I'm not sure if they felt like they didn't want to be bothered because they were already members.  It truly is sad and it rocked me a bit.  My companion said she was exactly like those members before her mission and thats why she hesitates sometimes to talk to members. We really had to talk about how we could overcome this because we won't be very good missionaries during Conference time if this is how we are feeling.  Well, we had an amazing meeting this morning with the Mission Department from the Church Office Building and they really boosted our confidence.  They told us that inviting people to receive the gospel is what our purpose is and when we don't invite we are withholding a life saving instrument.   They likened it to someone having 2 glasses of water on the table and imagining that it's a really hot day. You keep the water to yourself and you keep drinking and don't offer it to your friend because you are afraid that the friend may not like water or that she will reject your offer and say no or because shes allergic to water. Thats what happens when you don't invite people to hear the gospel after telling them about the church.  That to me was pretty powerful aye...

It was soooooooooooooooooooooo good to see the Howard family on Monday!  Thank you, thank you, thank you, for spending so much time to find me and for bringing me Tim Tams!!! I loved seeing your happy, smiling, Australian faces! So special. It was a miracle too that they found me because I was on my way to the Beehive House when I usually wouldn't have been there so blessings!  Hina, your midwife has been looking for me too but I haven't found her. Honestly, everyone that is looking for me finds Sister Vaivai instead and shes crack up because she's like, "No, I am not Sister Chadderton!"   EVERYONE has found her first before me. Tatum and Shanae I think came looking for me but I didn't find them :( sometimes I have no time on the Square or in the Beehive House and we are not allowed to tell people where we are so whenever someone does succeed and finds me, it's a miracle. So, I am praying that Naomi Waka finds me or else she'll have to post the package to me because the Sister's aren't allowed to accept packages on behalf of someone else - mission rules sorry :(....

Last night I ran into Bishop Andrew Ormond and his wife Eleene from Mahia/Nuhaka.  It was so awesome to have Kiwis here and Bishop smelt like Uncle Rick (lol) (It's a good thing Uncle) but he was so sweet and wants to refer some of his friends from Nuhaka so we will call him next week to follow up on that.  But they were so lovely.  Well, they were on our tour and it took 45 minutes but it should have only been 20 minutes and my Zone leaders turned up when we got back from our tour and they were like, "Did you really just have a 45 minute tour?"  And I'm like, "YUP!"  My companion said they were her family (lol).   I was not purposely being disobedient but they don't understand how us Kiwis like to talk and whanau is whanau.  Cheehoo! (lol).

Thank you for all your prayers family and please keep praying for me and my companion so that we will survive this weekend. We have a General Conference pump up meeting and Beehive House training for General Conference tomorrow and Friday so, we are getting prepared. It'll be interesting being in the Beehive House while Conference is happening.  It's going to be awesome. 

Dad, good luck in Sydney with the training and thanks for the package mum and dad.  Happy 50th Grands - you two love birds.

Hina, I bought baby some mini crocs and they are the cutest so he will be fashionable like his siblings too!  Praying for you always.

Elder Chadz - Ang kulit mo! Nag ka malapit sa mga babe! Maliliit lang sila, pero maganda sila. Magpakabait ka, laging ASTIG! LOL

Sister J Chadz - Love you long time and far out tell those sisters to calm down aye.  But go hard and I'm so jealous, I wish I could go to the Temple more but only one per transfer :( I can't wait until you come in February!!!  I'm praying that we can do a session together before you go, so talk to President so that your lay over can be for ages (lol).

Kara K you little poo - Oi write me.  I can't wait, but thanks for the little note!!!

Love you all so much and enjoy General Conference and think of me!

P.s. Your challenge is to write down 5 questions you'd like answered by the talks given at General Conference and while you listen to the speakers, you will have those questions answered. It is amazing!!!

P.p.s  Thank you to everyone who tries to find me but may not get to see me,  I do feel loved everytime a Sister missionary tells me that someone was looking for me (lol). Love you all!!!!  Picture 1 - Sister Calderwood & I at the Conference Centre, Picture 2 - Sister Olden and I, Picture 3 - Me and my District, Picture 4 - Me and my mates, Picture 5 - Me, Picture 6 - Salt Lake City Temple.