Hello to my dearest family and friends,
Hope you are all enjoying the beautiful, sunny, days while I stare outside at the whiteness of the world!!!!
Firstly, thank you for the emails, especially the Nieuwenhuizen's and Uncle Rick. Tumeke! Thank's also to the Colling's family! I hadn't received mail in over two weeks so on Monday I received a beautiful envelope with my name on it and an awesome postcard from the grandparents. Way to make my day guys. Thanks heaps! I'll try and write you all real soon!!!
Well, sounds like everyone is doing well and enjoying the sun (I'm a little jealous but happy for you all).
This past week has been really eventful and I can't believe we are almost at the end of another transfer. How fast the time flies! Sister Stolp is awesome and I'm praying we're together for another transfer but we will have to wait and see!
Anywho, guess who got baptized? The whole Evan's family! We tried calling them on Sunday but there was no response and I was fretting a little and thinking the worse but when we finally got through to Abi on Monday it was so amazing to hear about their baptism and how each of them received a very special witness that the Church is true and Joseph Smith is indeed a Prophet. It was so, so, special and I'm so happy for them. They are writing their story for the Ensign so hopefully you'll read about it soon.
But, I'll just back you up a little to last week's P-Day where my companion and I tried to find this, "Kiwi bakery!" It is located in an area called Magna which is like 20 minutes away in a small township! Boohoo, sadly, when we got their it was, "CLOSED!" Talk about get one's hopes crushed! My companion is always looking on the bright side of things where I'm all doom and gloom and she suggested that we go to Cafe Rio. Cafe Rio is one of my other favorite places to eat so we went there. Unfortunately, the orders from the other Kiwi/NZ sisters for pies would not be filled today. Oh well, the next day was Thursday where we have Relief Society classes in the morning at 8:00 a.m. The weather was doing some weird stuff this particular morning and we experienced, "Freezing Rain!" I know that sounds silly but it was cold enough that it should have snowed but instead of snowing it rained and when the raindrops hit the ground they froze, turning everything into ice. There were so many accidents where people were slipping over due to the ice. Our Mission mum, Sister Gillette almost got into a few slips on her way to Relief Society. After classes, we were walking to the North Visitor's Centre and the ground was sooooooooooo slippery because we are literally walking on ice. One sister fully stacked it in front of me and her arm hit the ground and took the weight of her fall. She is so lucky it didn't break but the Square was so dangerous for anyone. Our Mission President and his wife both slipped over and other sisters kept slipping too. By 2:00 p.m. we received a text informing us to go home because they had to close the Square. Fair enough, because it was a danger hazard! So, we had designated, "Happy Snow Day #2" aka "Happy ICE DAY!" I was feeling really exhausted so I went home and slept until 5:45 p.m. I definitely took advantage of the time we were given to be at home and didn't feel like partying this time. A few sisters still came over and chilled at our room. My room mates are Sister Hee (Hawaiian) and Sister Lotoa (American Samoa) and when I woke up, they were both sitting at the table making Panipopo! Happy days! It was so good too. Yummy!
Anyway, the next day the rain had disappeared and everything was back to normal. We had a Relief Society activity that night all about the Word of Wisdom and the importance of eating healthy food and cooking on a budget. These kind of activities are always helpful for sister missionaries. On Saturday morning we were asked to drive Sister Fialho and her companion Sister Muli to a baptism. It was for a 16 year old girl named Cindy and while I was at the baptism I just kept imagining the Evan's family getting baptized because it was around the same time but in a different country. It was a lovely baptism and I was so grateful for the chance to witness someone get baptized. Sunday morning we were up early because our Choir was singing in Sacrament meeting and we had to be at a 7:00 a.m. practice. We sang, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me!" As you know I am the chorister and sometimes it's a little weird leading the music each week because I don't really enjoy being up on the stand in front of everyone - especially waving my hand around - but at the same time the sisters are all half asleep anyway, so I could be writing my name in the air with my hand for all they know. Haha! Good times! Don't worry I don't do that! Oh, on Sunday we were invited to the Midvale Ward in Sandy UT to speak in Sacrament. You might remember a while back where we did this in another Ward. Well, I was so happy for the opportunity to do it again. I seriously love speaking in Sacrament and my topic was, "Using the Scriptures." We sang, "Come Thou Font" after our talks and my companion played the piano while Sister George (North Carolina) and Sister Tukuvatu (my crazy-awesome Fijian) sang with me. It was an awesome Ward to be at and in my talk I basically encouraged them to read their scriptures more to find answers to any problems that they might be facing, rather then looking for answers to their questions from the media or there friends. The same invitation is to you all. Imagine what would've happened if Joseph Smith didn't open the Bible? Let's not let everyone's sacrifices in the scriptures go to waste by putting the word of God on the shelf to collect dust. They were preserved for our day so lets read them.
Our investigator Steve is doing well and he met with the local missionaries. If you know anyone serving from NZ in the England, London Mission please let me know!
Well, family it has been a great week, the weather zaps our energy more then we know, but we have had another blessing this week and I think it came about because of our Relief Society activity. We are now receiving an extra $30.00 towards our monthly allowance in order for us to afford fresh fruit and veggies to have in our meals. Our budgets are tight and I'm so grateful that we are able to have that little bit extra - especially for good healthy food, in this cold, snowy, weather.
How is your scripture study going?
Love you long time.
Keep your chins up! I hear there's a lot of terrible things happening around the world because our Assistants text us about the 264 youth who were killed in a fire at a Night Club in Brazil. Please keep their families in your prayers! If you don't want to be afraid in the last days then be obedient and keep his commandments so when HE comes again HE will receive you into HIS arms with joy!
Sister Chadderton xoxox
P.s My camera is being temperamental so will try to send photos next week.
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