21 May 2013

Hi Family,

First of all, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD" for May 22nd!  "I can't believe your turning 21 tomorrow!"  It's so exciting and be sure you eat plenty of delicious cake for me and have a fun party.  I love you heaps Dad!

It was awesome to hear from everyone and to learn that you continue to be blessed for your obedience.  Hina, awesome news about your new car and what a miracle!  Okay, I know Buddy is arriving home on Thursday so be prepared for this week to feel extra long as you count down to that day.  Mum, it was so awesome to see the photo's of our family in your email to Buddy when we were all at the airport terminal over two years ago saying goodbye to him before he left for MTC.  I'm just thinking that soon two out of the three of us missionaries will have returned home and it's strange to think that so much time has passed already.  I'm so grateful that I still have more time in the mission field because I know my time is going way too fast.  Each time we have a Sacrament meeting where sisters give their farewell talks I think, "They will have to remove their badges soon!"  I personally am thinking of being an, "Undercover badge wearer" after the mission and just continue wearing my badge underneath my clothing for fun because they say by the time you remove your missionary badge, the Savior's name should be engraved upon your heart.

This week has been wonderful and filled with lots of learning and growing experiences.  It was great to have an apostle of the Lord - Elder M. Russell Ballard - speak to us. He gave us some good instruction and then opened the time up for questions.  One of the sister missionaries asked how she could discern whether the spirit was telling her to do something or whether it was her own thoughts because she didn't really know how to discern.  Elder Ballard paused for a moment and then said, "Just relax!"  I was a little surprised at his response because it was so simple, but true, and it was quite humorous.  I know that as sister missionaries we can become quite stressed over small things so the apostles counsel to, "just relax" was awesome - great word's of wisdom!  Since then, his counsel has become my mission motto and I apply it to myself and to stressful situations that may arise.  I even find myself saying to my companion, "just relax" because she gets stressed out when we take people around the Square and she doesn't know what to say.  She is starting to relax now.  We took a motor coach (bus group of people) for a tour and showed them around a few places and shared the basic beliefs and history of the church with them.  It's really a lot of fun because we carry a microphone and a colored flag so they can follow us. We had 27 people in our group and most of them were Filipino and I was so happy.  Of course I love the Filipino people because they are so sweet and kind and it was the best tour group to help my companion relax, loosen up and make friends.  Let's be honest, Filipino's are some of the friendliest people in the world!  I love them!

Well as part of our, "passing off" achievements, we got to eat at the Lion House Restaurant and it was Sister Pipes first time their so Sister's Magaoay and Ogato joined us.  The meal was delicious.  Oh and we had a big blessing happen to us yesterday.  We had exchanges with the Zone Leaders for a few hours and because summer time is such a busy time on the Square, we've started doing large group tours where we meet at the flag pole.  Sister Williams and I were at the flagpole and we met two people from England and showed them around.  They were really sweet and had a lot of sincere questions.  We answered their questions and they asked where they could get a copy of the Book of Mormon from so we gave them one.  They are in the States for three months so we have arranged to call and teach them and then hopefully, when they return home we can keep in touch.  Blessings!  Miracles on Temple Square are so great. 

We have a really great investigator that we are currently teaching whose name is Mandi.  Sister Pipe found her while she was still in the MTC and yesterday when we were talking to her we learnt that has attended church for the third time and she wants to get baptized but is worried that the members might judge her if they get to know her more.  I am so grateful for the members of her Ward who are doing a great job in helping her feel welcome.  She is praying about a date to get baptized and we will call her later on this week.  So excited for Mandi!

Well, we went to the Temple this morning and as usual it made my day.  It was another first for Sister Pipe as she has never been to the Salt Lake Temple before so that was a neat experience.  We went to Nauvoo Cafe after the Temple with a few other sisters and one of the workers at the Cafe approached us and told us that there was a man in the Cafe who wanted to give each of us a gift card for the Nauvoo Cafe.  He had bought 10 of them worth $15.00 each.  Wow!  Honestly, the members here in Utah are amazing and I am so humbled each time we are blessed at the hand of others.  So, a big, "Thank you" to all those wonderful people who are contributing to my mission and the missionary fund in general and for feeding the missionaries who might be serving in your Ward. We pray that each time that you serve the missionaries, the Lord will never let you go hungry. Thank you!

Well, family, have fun seeing my little brother because I love him lots so make sure you give him a big squeeze from me too!  Someone should video his arrival and send it to me because I wish I could be there but at the same time, not really.

Have a great week!!!!

Love Sister Chadderton