Hi Family and friends!
"What a week!" I think I use that phrase a lot because its true.
Well, our performance last week wasn't as well attended as the first time, but performance wise it was awesome! Our Island songs and dances were a hit and I even managed to get the four poi up with plenty of time to spare and the audience went wild. It was pretty cool and our Australian song, "We are Australia" was really nice too. I had some of the people attend that I'd invited. I had met this one family during General Conference and am trying to help reactivate their two sons. Another family that came are a part-member family that live in Salt Lake City. It was awesome to have them attend. However, the night was coupled with sadness because many of our missionary friends were spending their last night with us because they would be flying home in the morning. I am grateful that I don't have to say any more, "goodbyes" for another six weeks because I find goodbye's really hard.
Well, Wednesday came and I, along with the other thirteen trainers were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new trainees. We were to meet our Mission President and the Assistant's at 11:00 a.m. but they didn't arrive until a little later so we ate the pizza that was sitting on the table because it was getting cold. They finally arrived and Sister Vaivai's new companion is Sister Cummings from Hawaii. Such a hilarious story because Sister Cummings really wanted Sister Vaivai to be her trainer so when she was assigned to Sister Vaivai she was sooooooo excited that she jumped on Sister Vaivai and wrapped her legs around her. Sister Vaivai had to balance herself from falling over from the force that she was hit with. I kept looking at President and Sister Gillette when that happened because they seemed a little surprised by Sister Cummings reaction but were laughing too. I thought it was flippin' hilarious. Best reaction ever! Well, my new companion is Sister Pipe and she is six feet tall and from North Dakota, a Native American. I call her my Pocahontas! Haha! I think she likes that. She is super chilled but a little shy so hopefully me being overly confident will help balance the companionship. We are working on her shyness because sometimes when I stop talking to people on the Square and I look at her as a queue to say something, she shrugs because she doesn't know what to say. It'll come and she is getting heaps better at learning to trust in Heavenly Father's promise that if you open your mouth it will be filled! Despite that we have had a lot of fun because that's important! She is an awesome athletic so we've been running the "tracks" and today we ran the "Canyon!" It is an up hill run from where we live and it was a great workout. A lot of the sisters are runners so we had a great turn out for the run. I of course, am not a "seasoned" runner like my companion but I really enjoyed being outdoors and ran for the most part of the 45 minute run. We have basketball three times a week so running the Canyon will be on the other two days of the week because on Thursday's we have our Relief Society class and we have to arrive early for that meeting so no exercising that day.
I've just realized that there might be times when I don't always share a lot of the miracles that happen to me here on Temple Square so I wanted to share one that happened this week. My companion and I had to return something to the Beehive House and because she hadn't been on a tour of the Beehive, I gave her a tour and after, as we were walking back to the Square there was a lady who was about to cross the road. She was waiting for the lights to change and she looked back at us and smiled and then looked away, then looked back again as if she wanted to ask us something but she didn't and then turned and faced the lights again, and then turned back and ran towards us. She then said, "Hey Sisters, can I ask you something?" We said sure and she told us how she wanted to follow Elder Nelson's counsel from Conference to, "Ask the missionaries" and then she started tearing up. She apologized for being emotional and asked us if we knew a scripture of hope and peace? She didn't tell us about her personal life or what she might be going through but I opened my scriptures and shared Moroni 7:33 which talks about having faith in Christ. Although it said nothing specifically about hope and peace, I felt like she needed to hear that. She thanked us before leaving so we hugged and then I asked her if I could call her and talk again so she gave me her phone number and left. It was a neat experience, especially for my little companion (who is actually taller than me) to see because it shows that sometimes people need us for a reason and we can be an answer to their prayers. Pretty neat aye!
Well, there are a lot of miracles that happen every day and it's great to be a part of them. On Sunday we attended, "Music and the Spoken Word" with all the new Sisters and if you get a chance, go online and listen to the MOTAB sing, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" because they sang it with so much power and it was truly powerful, motivating and inspiring!
The Square is getting busier and busier and by next transfer we have been told that thirty new missionary sisters will be coming to join us and two are from NZ. So exciting! I have no idea who the NZ Sisters are but very happy to have more kiwis representing on the Square, especially when Sister Vaivai and I go outbound.
Well, family the moral of the week is, "Trust! Trust in the Lord!" "Why?" Because his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts and even though we may think we know best He knows better. I know that Sister Pipe was meant to be my companion because I am learning so much from her. She is really sweet and I'm grateful to have someone who is so teachable. She is a rock and I really mean that in all sincerity because I learnt that her father passed away in March and through all of that she still decided to come on her mission and serve the Lord after going through such a challenge. What an example!
Oh and tender mercies, yesterday guess who came to find me? "Bishop Leota!!!" Ashton is coming here to go to school so they stopped by and it was so good to see my Bishop. I love him so much! So awesome!
Love you heaps! Oh and, "Happy Mother's Day" for next Sunday everyone!!!! Sorry bout it but my mums the best! Keep praying and reading those scriptures because God wants to hear from you all and he will answer your prayers through the scriptures.
Sister Chadderton
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