FAMILY!!!!!
Wow! It was so good to talk to you all on Christmas Eve (your Christmas) and to hear all your beautiful voices. I was trying to be strong so I saved my tears until after I hung up but thank goodness in our mission we have so many wonderful sisters and friends everywhere. Sister Tukuvatu (aka Tyra Banks from Fiji) came over and gave me a bigggg hug. We have decided to have a mission reunion in Fiji. Woohoo! lol.
But, let me fill you in on our Christmas celebrations and then I'll get to the transfer changes.
Christmas Eve was our P-day and we were asked to meet at Theatre 1 in the South Visitors Center at 4:00 p.m. As you may or may not know, a lot of countries celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve so we decided to do that too. Cafe Rio (yummo) catered our dinner which is my favourite Mexican restaurant (Nat Carter introduced me to it, then the Porters took me there when I arrived in SLC at the start of my mission). Anyway, after dinner Santa (Elder Creer) arrived and we learnt that a YSA Stake had made up a Christmas stocking for every Sister Missionary, filled with lots of personal hygiene goodies. It was so amazing. After receiving our stockings, we watched the movie, "Miracle on 34th Street" which I thought was funny and more romantic than Christmasy. After the movie, some of the sisters were asked to re-enact the nativity scene and guess which part I got to play? A SHEEP! Baaaaaaaa! Crack up! Crazy kiwi joke or something LOL. But it was so funny and Syndi Mei (aka Sister Kealamakia) was King Herod - so funny. But it was good fun, especially to be a part of what is one of our own family traditions. We had other activities where we played bingo, played songs with bells and during all of this, President & Sister Gillette gave each sister a plain, white apron so we went about getting everyone to sign our apron which was pretty awesome. Sister Gillette has a saying and it's, "Temple Square is Cookin!" So funny, but so cute and awesome. After the celebrations and before heading home we were asked to stand in front of the beautiful Reflection Pool and sing a song to our Savior. We sang, "Called to Serve" and the people that were on the Square at the time loved it and cheered after we finished singing. Then we all walked home. Oh, but as we were heading home from the SVC we learnt that another Stake and some other individuals had donated more gifts so we all received a book, a hand knitted scarf and hat, tights, gloves, a bracelet, a $10 Walmart gift card, some hand lotion and hand sanitizer. We were spoilt. I really felt the love from the people around us and I had such a great day.
Christmas Day! We got to stay home until 12:00 noon and then we resumed our regular schedule from 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m. However, at 10:00 a.m. some of my friends came over for Christmas breakfast and I cooked bacon and mushrooms with potatoes and they brought some food and we had a feast. Sister Vaivai, Enkhbaatar, Tukuvatu, Hee, Silverio, Smith and Wong came because everyone else was still sleeping. My companion needed to call her family at 11:00 a.m. so we did that. Then we had time on the Square. I hope Aunty Niva is okay. It wasn't a big deal that she didn't come to bring food and I'm glad that she stayed indoors and enjoyed time with the family rather then trying to get food to me. No stress Aunty! At 4:30 p.m.'ish I got a call saying that someone was looking for me and I thought it was Aunty Niva, but when I got up to the Square it was the Ramirez' cousins and they had my other Christmas package from the family. So sweet! They said their family who live in SLC had taken it home accidentally and so they went to pick it up to drop off to me and it really made my day. At 5:00 p.m. we were in our Pj's in the SVC where we had another Christmas feast with ham rolls, veggies, chips and dip and then we watched a movie, "Christmas Oranges!" A cute little movie, then we had dessert and received our own Christmas orange. We watched another movie, (I know so awesome) "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and even though it's not my favorite Christmas movie, hey, how many missions let you watch that for Christmas? or at all? After that we headed home and it was so fun to celebrate Christmas day together.
Well, as some of you may have sensed, I have been putting out some feelings of frustration with my current companion. President asked me what I thought he should do with her because she has had issues with every companion she has been with. She is on her last legs because she can't seem to work with anyone and there isn't any solo missionary in our mission. I have just been enduring and praying a lot and my friends are helping so much. I received some advice from one of her old companions who said they adopted the, "I don't care" attitude which doesn't sound very nice, but strangely enough it has been helping our companionship as far as just working more and working harder goes. I've chosen to focus on what the Lord wants us to do instead of focusing on her and thank goodness he is helping me through each day with her. He has been giving me soooo many blessings and the friends who came to visit me this week helped my week more than they will ever know. I am so, so, grateful for Megan Pitt, Maddie Pedersen, Brother and Sister Bunting, the Ramirez cousin's and especially Uncle Jase and Aunty Mona Porter and family. The Porter's found me amidst all the Christmas light madness and brought me the warmest, winter jacket in the whole universe and the best boots that are perfect. Thank you + thank you x infinity! I feel like I can actually make it through this Winter and the next. So grateful for friends and good people!!! I can't wait to see the Porter's again in a few more days with my best friend who I haven't seen in 18months! So flippin excited to see my big sister Jenna.
Well, before I forget, Aunty Mona and Uncle Jase could you please meet me at the SVC Eternal Family desk where you found me the other night. I will try and be there around 1:15 p.m. on Saturday. Thank you in advance.
Well, now to transfers! We had transfer conference this morning and I am feeling so relieved, so at peace and very excited for the new transfer and New Year. Yay! I have a new companion and her name is Sister Stolp from California - I think. She is so sweet and has a great sense of humour and likes to work hard so I know this will be a great transfer. I am moving apartments and am so happy. I'm in Beehive house again YAY! Good 'ole Brigham. I'm sure he's missed me! My new assignment is Chorister because my companion is the church organist. So funny. She will be in her 3rd transfer and I am in my 4th - so crazy to think that a year from now I will be saying goodbye to everyone. Sister Vaivai and I were talking this morning because we went to Kneaders for an, "All you can eat french toast" after transfer conference and said we are going to be balling (crying) our eyes out in a year from now.
But family and friends, thank you for all your prayers, cards and letters. I truly felt the love and am so grateful for you all. I promise I will try and write back soon but probably not this week because I am moving apartments.
Love to you all! We are celebrating the New Year tonight at 9:00 p.m. and are going to do a countdown before midnight with our Apple Cider, so we can sleep. Haha!
Oh, and my P-day is on Tuesday next week.
Love Sister Chadderton
Pic 1: Me and Santa with my top from Sister J Chadz. Woot, woot! - So many Boise comments. lol
Pic 2: My twin and I in our PJ's
Pic 3: My new companion and I as of Wednesday!!!
Pic 4: Some of us poly sisters - we stick together - Tu meke!!
Pic 5: Christmas oranges
Oh and Haere ra to Sister Kealamakia who is leaving. Only Maori left for now :(
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