25 December 2012

Merry Christmas world!

Oh my goodness, what a week filled with many different experiences. I will try and focus on the positive this week because it's Christmas and we are meant to be happy!

Well, I have been really grateful for my leaders and fellow sisters in my mission. I have really felt the love of the Lord and his strengthening arm holding me up when I've felt a little down.

On Friday my companion had to go to physio so I went on exchange with another sister who is from the Dominican Republic and we had to take a group of Spanish people on a tour of Welfare Square.  When we arrived at Welfare Square the sisters that were already there said that they had just received a phone call to say the tour was cancelled.   That was sad.  Anyway, there were soooooo many people in the Bishop's Storehouse waiting to get food and as missionaries that is something we get to help them with.  The lady who was in charge was feeling a little stressed because there were so many people to attend to so Sister Silverio and I jumped in and helped out.  It was such a humbling experience for me.  What we would be doing is called, "Hosting" and it is where you have a clip board with a list of items people can choose from to take home and its all for free.  We take a person with us and we walk down each aisle with them and tell them how many cans of stew etc. they can put in their cart/trolley.  It was incredible to see how many people receive help and how it's for free.  I helped this one person and the second time I helped two boys - the older boy was probably about 14 and the younger one was probably 5.  I was so humbled by these two boys and wanted to start crying because the oldest boy looked like Buddy and they had come without their parents to get food to take home. They got soooooooooo much food and I was just wondering if they were going to be okay. They were really humble boys and I just wanted to hug them as they left but honestly it was the best service I could have done as a build up to Christmas.  I needed to have that experience to remind me of my purpose as a missionary and to be grateful for everything the Lord has blessed me with throughout my life.

Sure, I have had a few trials, but I am learning some new skills or what I like to call them, "Christlike attributes" that are helping me to become a better person. This season has been really crazy and physically demanding as we are required to be on the Square until 10:00 p.m. each night this week and some mornings we wake at 5:50 a.m. for basketball/volleyball but its great!

On Friday night we had our dinner appointment at the Glade Family's home and it was so good!  They are the sweetest couple and Sister Glade is a vocal teacher and she had invited one of her students to come and perform for us and it was so nice. It was the best, first experience I've had of having dinner at a members home as a missionary.

Tonight we have a mission Christmas party at 4:00 p.m. and we don't know what we are going to do and tomorrow night we will attend another party.  It will be a week from today for transfers and more changes as a result of that. The time on a mission is so short and I know I have to make the most of every minute.

I love you family and I'm very excited to talk to you soon.  I know some people have been trying to find me this week and for those who didn't find me, I appreciate your efforts and determination.  Thank you!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!  Be grateful for what you have been blessed with.

Sister Chadderton

18 December 2012

Hi Family,

Surprise!  I've moved on to my third companion for this transfer and we are just over half way.  I don't think I'm cut out for these kind of surprises.  My new companion was having some issues with her last companionship so an emergency transfer was the solution.  President Gillette called my trio in on Thursday morning to tell us the news.  I was so sad to be leaving my trio because I loved them so much. The first few days with my new companion was fine - the usual awkward adjusting period - but today we have had a few trials creep in so I am trying to remain positive in overcoming them.

Thank you family for your prayers and the love that I have received from you through other people.  Not to be rude or anything, but I am looking forward for this transfer to be out of the way and I'm looking forward to the New Year so I can make some New Year resolutions.  Thanks for the words of wisdom that you all gave to me, I really needed them.

I'm learning that Mission life has it's ups and downs and it's because the Lord is shaping me to be the person he knows I can become.  I just need to endure to the end and everything will be okay.  I'm looking forward to those Vitamin D tablets because I feel like I'm definitely lacking in that department.  I am really mourning the summertime and despite the cold, the snow is beautiful but I just miss the sun. Sometimes its hard when  you have problems with a companion because I feel like there is no one I can talk to and if I do talk to someone else then I feel like I'm gossiping.  I will work it out.  Keep me in your prayers please.

Oh, I loved the photos of the family.  Thanks heaps.  The babies are growing up way too fast, especially baby Rawiri.  He's going to be running around before you know it. 

On a more positive note, we were lucky enough to be surprised by our Mission President to attend the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert and it was AMAZING!  So inspirational and I was so grateful for our President's thoughtfulness in allowing us to attend.  Yesterday, at church we found out that Sister Gillette and one of the full time missionaries serving here - Sister Creer - have organized a dinner appointment at one of the members homes for all of the Temple Square missionaries!  Woohoo!  This means that we get to go and experience what it's like to have dinner in a member's home and it was touching to find out that there were so many families that had volunteered to have the missionaries over.  So, we are blessed to go to the Glade families home on Friday night for dinner and each missionary is to share a family tradition.  So, I received Hina's postcard in the mail this week with the Maori version of, "Silent Night" so I am hoping to learn it on the Ukulele this week so I can play and sing it for them.  It might turn out tragic but we'll see.  If all else fails then acapella it is.  But tonight is the last night that our Temple Square Choir will perform and its been so good singing in the Choir for everyone that comes to the Square on Monday nights.

Oh, bytheway, I saw Brother Carter the other day and it was so good to see him and he told me that his family were coming the following night to the Square and to wait for them at 7:00 p.m. Unfortunately, that was the night I was going to the Tabernacle Choir Concert and my trio and I tried stalling but by 7:10 p.m. my companions wanted to go so I missed them by 10 minutes. Tell them I love them!

It was especially sad to hear about the cyclone in Samoa and also the shooting in the USA.  I hope that all the people are able to feel solace and comfort from God at this time of year. I know I have really appreciated learning about the true meaning of Christmas this year instead of all the hustle and bustle of shopping. 

I'm sorry family if this email isn't my usual upbeat email, but I am really looking forward to calling home in 7 days and talking to you all.  I have felt the tender mercies of the Lord this week and although he gives us trials that we sometimes feel are too hard to overcome I know he helps us.  I'm grateful for the Saviour Jesus Christ and knowing that if I am true and faithful I can be together with my family again.  I cannot believe I'm almost at my 6 month mark - but who's counting? Haha....

Love to you all and thanks for being the bestest family in the whole wide world. Wish everyone you see a Merry Christmas and set some New Year resolutions. 

Sister Chadderton xoxox Merry Christmas!!!!

12 December 2012

Familyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy,

Well, Winter is here and I wish I was more excited, but I don't like the cold so I'm coping good enough and am just going to tough it out. Thank you for the emails, I love the pictures but mum and dad you still have to send some pictures of the both of you! 

So much to tell you about this week. It has been a great week, no worries, and I keep seeing miracles happen.  I am so grateful for my companions and being in a trio is fun.  It's nice to have both of them as a support network for me.  Christmastime is great and I love thinking about the Saviour but I just keep seeing families around and missing my own.  It was so good to talk to you mum, dad, Hina and Rawiri and I wasn't sad at the time.  I'm just looking forward to calling you in less than two weeks.  I was also thinking that the next time I get to call home will be Mother's Day so I might ask President if I can call a few weeks later so I can talk to Buddy as well because he will be home in May.

Thank you for the sacrifices you make mum and dad to help us kids on our missions. I know it musn't be easy and I hope that because of our service you continue to be blessed.

Well, I talked with President this week about Sister J Chadderton coming to Temple Square and this is what he said:  "We can eat and visit together for an hour and the rest of the time we will be proselyting until she is to leave." He said he wants to meet her and that we can enjoy being missionaries together. So, I'm excited to be able to show my sister around my mission and enjoy being with her before she goes home to you all. I will send the Christmas presents home with her to save money. I also saw Aunty Niva and Ashevonne this week and Aunty Niva asked if she could bring me some food on Christmas day or pick me up and take me to her house.  I told her I couldn't call her and let her know what I can or can't do but I did ask President what he thought and he said if we meet at the Square and she wants to bring me food then thats fine with him.  So, Hina can you call Aunty Niva (your mother-inlaw) and see if she can meet me at the Flag pole at 12:00 noon on Christmas day and if that's a good time for her? If its not, that's okay.  I got excited when she offered to bring me some of her amazing cooking.

Amidst my, "pity party" as Sister J likes to call it, where I was feeling a little sad and didn't feel very loved (whichI know is Satan trying to discourage me from focusing on my mission), yesterday we had a mission tour with Elder Evans of the Seventy and he gave a great talk and the spirit was so strong.  I really felt like his talk confirmed that I am exactly where I'm meant to be and that the Lord is  helping me along the way.  Then, last night after contacting a family, a lady and her children stopped me and said that they were friends with you mum. The Kilts family, I'm not sure where they travelled from but Sister Kilts said that her son was serving a mission in Guatemala and she couldn't take him anything so she wanted to bring me something. Boy did I feel humbled to feel the love of the Lord from the members.  She didn't know that I was experiencing those feelings but it really made my day and helped lift my spirits.  Thank you so much Sister Kilts!!! & family.  Her other son is leaving for his mission soon to the Philippines and its just exciting to see how many more children of God are going out into the field. The other day there was a huge gathering of girls who received a Facebook invitation to meet at the front of the Reflection pool on Temple Square to have a photo. The girls were all those who had recently received there mission calls and they were to come holding the flag of the country they were going to serve in.  There were over 300 girls that turned up for the photo and it was so touching to see so many girls soooooooo excited to be serving a mission. I talked to two of the girls who were called to Australia - Melbourne and Perth Mission's - and I helped them get even more excited. So, so, cool.

I also met a lady last night who came to the Square with her family and turns out her sister was mission companion's with Aunty Tiff.  Her name is Melanie Anderson and her sister said to say hi. Small world right?

Well, its been a great week and health wise and physically I've felt better this week. The Kilt family were so sweet and brought me a big bag with hot chocolate, marshmallows, chocolate, vegetable thins, mandarins and peanut butter. So good and so sweet of them! Thanks for joining the blog mum because I have felt the love.  One of the Sisters here - Sister Walsh - said she wants the link to send her mum to join so when you get a chance could you do that.  I know her dad reads my blog to so, "Hi Brother Walsh!"

Oh, can you ask Julia Colling's for her home address please because she sent me an email and I want to reply to her but I need her home address. 

Hope you are all well and healthy and are enjoying the warmer weather for me!

Favourite scripture of the day:

Alma 26:11-12:

 11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

Love you all, keep the faith and this week smile and say hello to everyone.  Oh and I heard Channie put her mission papers in (via my friend Amanda Raybould). Tell her congrats from me and tell her I'm so happy for her!!!! YAY for missionary work. I can't wait to be a mission prep teacher when I get back.

Picture 1:  I went to Music and the Spoken Word.

Picture 2:  I saw my friend Amanda afterwards.

Picture 3:  Opening my present from the Kilts Family

Picture 4:  My MTC District - we are all grown up.

Hi Brother & Sister Walsh,

Here is the link to join the ldsmissionarymom's group.  The dad's can join to if they wish.

http://www.ldsmissionarymoms.com/

Kind regards,

Ra Chadderton

6 December 2012

Hi Family!!!

Well, what a week I have to share with you. I apologize if this email is a little choppy because there is so much that has happened since my last email and I only have 30 minutes left to get it down.

My companion Sister Fialho is incredible and we have had so much fun and have really worked hard. When we have our companionship inventory we have no problems or issues to discuss and it is so lovely.  The day after inventory we received a phone call and it was from our Mission President asking if we can go and see him… like now!   So, as we walk over to his office, I'm starting to freak out a little because usually you meet with President if something tragic has happened at home and yup anyway.  So, he tells us to both come into his office and sit down and tells us that a Sister that had just gone outbound a week and a half ago wasn't doing so well dealing with her phobias so she is coming back to Temple Square.  President was wondering how my companion and I felt about becoming a trio.  "Whew!  That's it?"  I was genuinely excited because I know my twin Sister Vaivai was in a trio so I would be following in her footsteps being in a trio.  I was really excited and the sister was coming back the next day.  That night we rushed home to move things around in our room to fit another bed some where and to get it ready for our new companion.

The next day (Saturday) we meet up with our new companion - Sister Chen - and it was really good to talk to her. I hadn't really talked to her much before and she is in her 5th transfer.  She is from Taiwan and went outbound to Salt Lake City and had a really hard time.  I think it wasn't what she expected and felt she was wasting her time because she said some days they would only teach one person the whole day and the rest of the time they were either biking or knocking on doors. Okay, so it was then that I realized how much we really are spoilt here on Temple Square.  We teach almost all day and we don't have to knock on doors or ride a bike with our laundry hanging off it. We are definitely blessed. Don't get me wrong we have our unique challenges here but after her experiences, I appreciated my mission more.  It did not deter my enthusiasm for going outbound because I want those struggles. They will be hard but thats life and if every other missionary can do it then I know with the Lord's help, I can do it too. 

Sunday morning we had a really nice Fast and testimony meeting and President Gillette announced that we will now be having Relief Society classes on a Thursday morning. I was so, so, so, excited because I have really missed it. We aren't able to have Sunday School or Relief Society on Sunday's due to Music and the Spoken Word finishing at 10:00 a.m. and other assignments that we have to cover.  But, the mission department really wants us to have it so we are trialling Relief Society on Thursdays.  President also announced that we had been invited to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional and that a Student Ward was coming to Temple Square from Provo to cover us while we attended the Devotional. Again more excitement!!!  We were a little bit too excited after that announcement and President had to remind us that we were still in Sacrament! "Whoops!"   Such great blessings of serving on Temple Square. The day passed quickly in anticipation for the Devotional and it was just amazing.  I hope you all get a chance to watch it because the personal experiences that were shared about Christmas are truly inspiring. 

Oh, before I forget I got my Christmas package YAY!!!  So funny though, yesterday Sister Smith got her Christmas package from home too and we decided to swap packages and open each others to check to see if the presents were individually wrapped or not.  We did it back to back so all I heard while my companion was looking through my package was, "WOW! WOW! Ohhhh, your family really loves you!"  The box is deceiving because it makes it look like its got a lot less then what was inside. I did see that there was a stocking and Sister Smith stuffed some unwrapped stuff in there so I am excited for Christmas.  Thank you family for sharing your love with me. For many sisters here on Temple Square this will be their first Christmas in a different country as some of them know that in their home countries they do not celebrate it.  It's so cool helping them to have such a great first experience.

We also found out like Elder Chadderton that our ending transfer dates will be changing but mine will be coming forward one week so its about a year exactly after Sister Chadderton the first gets home that you will be seeing me. Strange how fast time goes.

Today for P-Day we went shopping and I printed off some Christmas cards and they will be in the post tomorrow. My sad attempt at being cheesy but know that I love you and gave up my nap so that I could send you photos.  Mum I might see if Sister J can bring the Christmas presents home if they cost too much to post when I go to the Post Office. 

Michel and Gem congratulations!  Michel, you looked so beautiful and congratulations to Steven John and Jas on baby number 2.  How exciting and lucky Uncle Jared as he will be home soon and won't know what's hit him with all the babies every where...so cool.

Choir last night was fun, I sang a few times throughout the night with different groups. The Polynesian sisters (13 of us I think) we sing, "Little Drummer Boy" and I stand next to my twin in almost every song.  Funny story - We were contacting these 2 bus drivers the other night and they weren't really interested in learning about the gospel, but then last night one of them walks up to Sister Vaivai and said, "Hey its good to see you again."  Well, she's like umm....yeah its good to see you again...uh sorry when did we meet? Lol Glad to know its not just happening to me.

On Saturday we were assigned to take a group of Young Women around Temple Square and amongst them were non members and less actives. It was the most powerful teaching experience I've ever had. It was the first time our trio taught together. The Lord helped us to teach with unity and it was so good. The spirit was so strong and I know those young women were able to feel the spirit.  We shared our individual stories about how we each came to serve a mission and how we prepared and I loved looking back on my life and seeing how the Lord has led me to this point in my life so that I could really be a missionary for him today. So great. 

This week I saw one of my friends - Dave Young - and he's almost on his way home to Sydney after he stops off at Disneyland for me and my MTC teacher Sister Lim.  She is so great and I loved seeing her.

Well, some of our sisters are getting hit with lots of illnesses this week - the flu has been taking out a lot of them - and because we don't get a chance to sleep it off, it stays around longer and I currently have a sore throat.  I went to the pharmacy to get some medicine to help fight it off before it gets worse and I bought some E-mergen C that Sister Chadderton recommended I get for Winter.

This morning we went to the Temple because I kept having promptings that I needed to go to the Temple today and it was wonderful. I have carried that peace that comes from being in the Temple throughout the whole day. I love the Temple and was able to receive some answers to questions I had.  It's hard sometimes to be in a trio because we have to respect 3 opinions instead of 2 and when we teach, we teach shorter but powerful statements and the spirit helps.

Please tell Hillary I said hi mum and I'm so happy she is home and I know she will adjust fine. I miss her though and look forward to seeing her when I return one day.

Crazy how fast Sister Chadderton finishes but I can't wait to spend time with her and I am meeting with my Mission President to talk about what we can or can't do during her layover.

Oh and guess what?  I get to call home for 5 minutes tomorrow to set up a time to call around Christmas.   Unfortunately, family I'm sorry in advance because we don't have Skype so it's just a phone call from me but President has allowed us to call for 1 hour instead of 45 minutes, so blessings!

Love you all heaps,

Please keep doing your missionary work because you are withholding blessings from the Lord when you don't.

Love Sister N Chadderton

Picture 1 - At Christmas Devotional

Picture 2 - Our trio

28 November 2012

Hi family!!!

Yes, yes, I know, it's been a week and a half and no emails!  But I did warn you that I wouldn't have a P-Day last week if my Zone was changed and yup, it was changed.

But, first we had Transfer Conference on Monday (last week) and I was a wreck leading up to it because of nerves. I had been with my trainer for 3 months and now a new companion, what?  We met as a zone and found out about lots of changes.  My companion Sister Calderwood was sent outbound to Louisiana for 3 transfers so I won't see her again until the end of March.  Crazy!!!  And my new companion is Sister Fialho from BRAZIL! Cool hey! "Bom Dia" is good morning and to say hello its, "Oi" lol not too different to what I say anyway but its fun learning Portuguese. We have taken a few Portuguese tours and the people are really lovely like my companion. But you might notice I look like a whale next to her in the photo because she is very tiny.  She is a vegetarian and this contributes to that fact. Poor thing I don't know how she does it but I love her so much and we have had a great first week together. She is super patient and always involves me when we take the language tours and translates my English for the the Portuguese people. 

Well, after we found out everything that was happening, we had Transfer conference in the Assembly Hall which was fun, and it was a musical program and the sisters who were performing in the Visitors Centre choirs got up and performed. So I got to sing a few times which was fun. Sister Kealamakia is no longer AP and for her last transfer is a zone leader and Sister Schiaffi from Newcastle Stake is the new AP with Sister Lane from Canada.  Oh and my new zone is North 1 so I'm still on the Square quite a lot which is great! Especially since the Christmas lights turned on last Friday.

But wait yes I do live with Sister Smith and she is so sweet! She was companions with my last District leader and its cool to have another Aussie living with me because Sister Schiaffi was living with us but moved out after transfers. Sister Smith is a Zone leader and is so nice.  I love her. 

So, Thanksgiving was so much fun, honestly, I don't mean to brag, but my mission is the bestest mission. We were on the Square until 1:00 p.m. then we met up at West Gate and caught a bus not knowing where we were all going to or what we were going to do (our leaders like to keep us in suspense).  But we arrived at this place called, "Noah's Ark" which is a huge Recreational Centre and we had a massive party.  We did a Thanksgiving play to start the celebrations and then there were all these activities for us to choose from. There was Karaoke, Walleyball (so much fun I'm a huge fan) it's volleyball but in a room like a squash court, you could play pool, ping pong, watch Monsters Inc. or Brave or do Christmas crafts. I did Karaoke with my fellow friends Sister Vaivai and Olden and heaps of other sisters and it was crack up.  There was cowboy gear provided so if you wanted to you could dress up while you sang. Then we all had a huge Thanksgiving dinner and guess who came to dinner? The General Primary President - Sister Wixom and her husband.  Their son is married to the daughter of a missionary couple in my mission - Elder & Sister Creer - and they were asked to put together the Thanksgiving dinner for us all and when her son told his family that his inlaws were planning and organizing the dinner, Sister Wixom asked if she could come to meet all the sisters. So, she did and she had a line of missionaries wanting to talk to her and take millions of photos and she was so sweet.  I didn't want to make her just take a photo with me so I didn't but it was so cool having her come.  Well, after eating a true American feast we did, "Line Dancing!"  Yep!  If you can imagine all the sister missionaries going crazy to the country music and dancing it was so much fun.  I pretty much danced the rest of the night away as well as played a bit of pool and walleyball. I didn't feel like watching movies again because the last time I watched Brave I was with Button, so stink I didn't wanna watch it without her.  But it was so much fun and our Mission Presidency got up and did some line dancing too which was crack up!

Well, the day after Thanksgiving is huge because it is when Temple Square lights up and believe me, "It LIGHTS up!"  I can't take pictures at night because there are too many people but the lights are beautiful and there are people EVERYWHERE!  It was very overwhelming the first day but I'm getting used to it more and more and I love meeting soooooo many people. The Lord really guides us to who we should talk to so I trust in him. 

On Sunday we went to a baptism for Kumbay who my new companion took on an investigator lesson with her old compaion Sister Puttapong from Thailand.  Kumbay is in a Thai/Laos Ward and there were 6 Temple Square missionaries who attended the baptism because my companion and her old companion (with her new companion) don't drive (only American and Canadian sisters are allowed to drive).  But it was the best baptism and it seemed like the whole Ward had attended and everything was in Thai - I thought Joe would love that.  We had to have translators and this one sister translated the whole thing.  It was pretty high tech.  Afterwards they invited us to eat and there were tables of food lined up of Thai/Laos/Cambodian and American food. It was like missionary heaven. They were so sweet to us and made sure we went first because we had to quickly eat and then get back to the Christmas madness at Temple Square. I think I'm gonna ask President Gillette if I can do my outbound to just that Ward. LOL

But last night and every Monday night the Temple Square missionaries perform in the North Visitors Centre. I sing a few times throughout the night so I go on exchanges with Sister Magaoay - my MTC companion - on Monday's because then our companions can still do the assignments we have.  It is so much fun performing and our Mission President and his wife and President Seppi were sitting in the front row and supported us the whole time. It was special and I really do love my mission.

Yay for Sister Chadderton's layover! I am so, so, so, happy! I emailed my Mission President today about the layover, so I will find out details of what we can do while shes here.

Thank you for all your letters.  I hadn't received any mail in over a week because of the Thanksgiving holiday.  The mail room was shut down from Thursday-Sunday and yesterday I received an in-flux of mail and it really did bless my day.

Well, family its 4 weeks until Christmas and know that I love you all. Thanks for all the support you give me because I really do feel the love from you.  Enjoy the hot weather because it's flippin' freezing here. I don't know if I could live in Utah after my mission because I really dislike the cold.

Be safe and keep praying everyday.

Oh, and challenge for the week, "Share the message of Jesus Christ somehow, somewhere, whether it be through a phone call, Facebook, email, at McDonalds etc..  It doesn't have to be long but do it and the Lord will bless you."

Merry Christmas

Love Sister N Chadderton xoxoxoxo

16 November 2012

Hey family!!!!

How are you all doing? Thanks for another week of emails. I really do love hearing how you all are and the things you get up to.

Before I forget, this is the last week before transfers on Monday so I may not have a P-day next week.  Just incase you don't hear from me until the week after, know that I love you.

Well, last P-day was fun.  We went with a couple of other companionships from our Zone who we are really good friends with.  Sisters Kim and Lee went to the baptism with us the other time and Sisters Hee and Silverio are our roommates.  We first went to D.I at Welfare Square and I got a new shirt for $3.00 and a beautiful green jumper for $3.00 and a photo album for $2.00 for all the photos my loved ones send me, so I am getting organized. Then we went to Walmart to pick up a few things and print some photos off to send home to you all and then we went to Taco Bell for dinner. I was so excited and happy when we got to have Taco Bell's and reminisced good ole' BYU-Hawaii days or more like nights when you'd be bored and want to find something to do. Good times. Then my companion and Sister Kim wanted to get their nails done so we found a Nail Salon for them and the rest of us wrote letters while they did that. Then we got home, did some cooking & laundry and then went to bed. Next week we do P-days differently because of the Christmas season and Temple Square being so busy at night.  We go back to having P-days from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. as opposed to 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Something I really enjoyed this week was basketball in the mornings. The sisters incharge of the exercise facilities asked our Mission President if we were allowed to play full court basketball because its winter and the sisters are getting fat and need to run.  Hahaha!  They are their words not mine and President said yes!  So, we go down at 6:05 a.m. (sleep walk pretty much) and run, run, run, while playing basketball and its so fun. Because of the early morning wake-ups I wasn't feeling too good on Tuesday night so I took some nurofen and felt a lot better.  The weather has been cold but it's not snowing anymore.   W e had desk assignment for a few hours and 2 people referred to have a Book of Mormon, so even though I was sick I was blessed. 

Its so crazy to think that my training is almost over and I will indeed be getting a new companion.  Twelve weeks is a long time to be with someone but its been a lot of fun.  Our nickname that the sisters call us is Chadderwood or Calderton because our names are so similar and we both react to it haha. Its going to be interesting to see if I have someone from America or from a different continent in the world.  So far I've had a Hawaiian and an Alaskan companion so I'm guessing probably someone from Asia next time. 

On Monday we had a Mission Meeting (we have them often) and we had no idea what it was going to be about. Well, they had the Director for the Musical Production, "Savior of the World" attend.  Just so you know, the musical production is performed every year at the Conference Centre. We were told that this year it was going to be a little different.  The leaders felt like the production wouldn't be complete without the missionaries being involved. So, this year they are giving us tickets to the play to give out to investigators that will benefit from watching it and would like to learn more about our beliefs. They are having the missionaries give the opening & closing prayers at each performance and there will be three companionships available for people to ask for referrals after they watch the play.  The actors and actresses in the play are now called missionaries because each of them have prepared to testify throughout the production of the Savior Jesus Christ and his life. To top all of this excitement off they allowed each of us missionaries to attend the play so that we can know what it's all about and then we can share this knowledge with the guests who come to Temple Square and give them tickets and invite them to go and watch it.   The cast had dress rehearsals this week so the Zones were split up to go on different days to watch the performances.  My zone went last night and it was so amazing! It is based on the life of the Savior but this production has apostles that were assigned to oversee it. They helped to write the script and tweak things so it is exactly what the Lord would want to have portrayed.  On the opening night the curtains came up and seated were 14 men in the audience (the First Presidency and the apostles, excluding one who was sick).  They watched the performance and then the next day they all met in the Temple and revised the script and the performance and gave instructions on which parts of the play to change and whether to include more people in a certain scene etc.  These little changes made a huge difference.  Watching it last night with that in mind I was like, "Wow, that is interesting!  I wonder if it was the Apostle that added that?" or, "Hmm, I wonder if the Apostles added that line to the script?"  It was fabulous and I hope to be apart of that play one day.

This week just flew by and I am looking forward to next week because Thursday is Thanksgiving (free food, yay!) and on Friday the Christmas lights on Temple Square will be turned on and they will definitely light up the place!  They usually expect between 15-20,000 people on the first day of the lights being turned on. This next month will be extremely busy but it'll be heaps of fun at the same time.  I mean, when have I ever said that we're not busy? Thanks for all you do family and for your prayers they keep me going! 

The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the reason why I'm here and the reason I get up everyday.  I love him so much and I owe him my life.  Congratulations to Brookey and Lehi and wishing them all the happiness that married life brings.  I met two people the other day who served in Fiji that knew them so that was pretty cool. I'm going to see if I can help take the International missionaries around Temple Square next transfer so I can see Sister Fuimaono, Elder Leota and Elder Tong. That will be pretty awesome. I'm also going to be in my third transfer.  Woohoo!  

Love you all, be safe,

Things I am thankful for:

1.   Loving family

2.   Healthy body

3.   Wonderful mission

4.   Atonement of Jesus Christ

5.   Home made NZ food

6.   Whittaker's & Cadbury chocolates

7.   Beaches

8.   The sun

9.   The Book of Mormon

10. Beautiful niece and nephews

What are you all thankful for?

Love Sister Chadderton

9 November 2012

Family!!!

How are you all doing? 

Well, where to begin?  I was thinking last night about what to write and I got kinda stumped.  We do so many different things every day so it's hard to know what to share exactly.

So, I thought I'd give you a run down of a typical day in the life of a Temple Square missionary.  As you know, we are a white handbook mission so its very similar to what the fellow missionary siblings are doing but with a few vast differences.  We wake up around 6:30 a.m. say our prayers and then exercise for 30 minutes.  At 8:00 a.m. we have personal study time and at 9:00 a.m. is companionship studies.  Following companionship studies we pack up and head to the Square.  Depending on our schedule, we might have Square time or Teaching Centre time. We get an hour for lunch and dinner (now that things at the Square have slowed down after General Conference), but during Christmas our lunch and dinner times will probably drop back to 30 minutes again and we will stay on the Square until 9:45 p.m. before returning home. But, during Square time have a variety of duties which include contacting or calling the guests who have recently visited, we take tours and we teach, teach, teach the whole time.  In the Teaching Centre we call our investigators - some we have met on the Square and have referred for local missionaries or some who want a copy of the Book of Mormon or people that we teach after they have called in via the Church's website mormon.org.  We have such amazing resources available and our challenge is to try not to overload people with too much information at once because there is so much to share.  Teaching Centre time has it's challenges because you can be in front of a computer screen for up to five hours.  We have received a lot of training on contacting referrals, especially those from Conference time.  One day my companion and I called and left 22 messages because no one was answering their phones. It can be quite nerve racking calling referrals because a). You have never met the person before b).  You don't know what they're thinking and c). You really are reliant upon the spirit as to what to share from Preach My Gospel and d). You pray fervently that something you have nervously shared touches their heart and they want to learn more.  I know it happens because miracles happen all the time. 

Yesterday our Zone had Teaching Centre time for 2 hours and we wanted to pump up our efforts so we had a goal to contact two people and refer them to local missionaries to teach.  Well, I left twelve messages because no one answered their phone, but in my Zone18 people accepted the invitation to have local missionaries go and teach them.  Miracles!

One of our investigators (I won't mention his name for privacy reasons) but let's call him Peter.  Well, he was an inbound call we received and he had some really serious problems with morality.  He was a Pastor for his church but stepped down because he felt guilty for contradicting what he was teaching.  We had been teaching him for a few months but this past week we hadn't been able to reach him.  He lives in a rural area and he said the folks where he lives gossip alot and he didn't want to meet with local missionaries incase his mother got upset about it.  Well, he called us to say that he had talked to one of the Senior missionaries serving in his area who taught him about the Priesthood.  Oh and ever since we have been teaching Peter he accepted to live the Law of Chastity!  But he called and said he had been reading the Book of Mormon for hours this morning and feels like he's addicted.  We asked him if he know's if it is true and he said yes and is willing to declare it from the rooftops.  He wants to receive the priesthood but is really scared about baptism. We shared a scripture with him found in 2 Nephi 31 where it talks about Jesus Christ and his baptism and asked him to pray.   And to think that we had come so close to dropping him from our list  because he was not progressing.  We fasted as a Zone this past Sunday for different ones and then we get a call from Peter to say the church is true. I know the Lord works miracles and the Book of Mormon is the convincing evidence that this is truly God's church.  I know that the Church has been restored once again through the Prophet Joseph Smith. 

Sister J sent me some amazing talks this week and the one that really stood out was a talk by Brad Wilcox on, "Grace."  If we really understood what grace is then we would understand that the Lord does not require us to be perfect but to be clean.  He needs us to keep his commandments and when we fall, we need to pick ourselves up and keep trying. The Lord said the spirit cannot dwell in unholy temples so if we can feel the spirit then our temples are holy.  How cool is that? I often feel like I am unworthy or inadequate to teach people about repentance when I am not perfect but I know that because of Grace I am made perfect in him.  I love that I have this opportunity to really study the Book of Mormon with my whole mission.  It is really strengthening us.  I know how important it is to use the tools the Lord has given us now or else we won't receive anything else. Why would he give us more to read when we are not even cherishing the words of God he has already given to us that were prepared over thousands of years ago. Yup, sorry for sounding a little preachy but it's so true, we don't appreciate what we already have and yet, the church is so true!

I really love Square time and you have to discern through the Spirit the people who you need to talk to and when they feel the spirit and refer to learn more its so worth it.  To give you an idea of numbers on how many people we contact, we did a survey recently on how many investigators we had taught in the past two weeks and just so you know, a teaching is counted as having taught 2 or more principles and inviting them to do something.  In my companionship we had taught over 70 lessons and about 50 members.  That's in two weeks!  So, if people think that Temple Square missionaries are just standing around looking, "Pretty" they are so wrong. I believe that at times, we work twice as hard and have to be so obedient in what we do because we are surrounded by people who see us as the Ambassadors of the Church for our countries.  What a privilege and a blessing it has been for me to have that trust given to me from the Lord.  He really trusts us with his work and it is so important that we give it our all.

The Square is getting prepared for Christmas now and I can't wait for the day after Thanksgiving because then, Temple Square will be alight and it's so exciting!!! The Nativity Scene is already on display and there are lights on almost every tree.  I wish you were all here to see it.  It's magnificent, but I will send you pictures. There is a big snow storm forecast for this weekend so it will turn Salt Lake into a Winter Wonderland and be more beautiful.  Yay!  Oh and I got to go to another baptism this past week because my companion was the driver and thats the only reason we went.  We took two other companionship's with us because they had taught the investigator so six Temple Square missionaries arrive at this baptism and there are four local sister missionaries and it looked a little comical because the person being baptized felt special that everyone had come. So good. Oh and I had my first Zone Conference and it was held at the Pioneer Heritage Museum.  It was so cool and there were lots of things to see! The training was so good and very inspired.   I love having Sister Kealamakia as our AP.  Love it and love her!

We have been practicing lots of Christmas songs because we have a Temple Square missionary choir that will sing in the Visitor's Centre and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in the upcoming weeks and I love singing the Christmas carols. 

My companion and I have two more weeks together before transfers and it's so sad knowing that the end is coming, but we bought matching T/shirts and we have a bucket list of things we want to do before this transfer is over.  Can you believe I am almost in my third transfer? Crazy!  And then when Sister J gets home,  I will have 12 months left!

So happy to know you are all well, healthy and safe family.  My prayers are being answered and make sure you are looking for the positives in everything. Write down two things each night that happened during that day that were evidence of God's love for you or that were answers to your prayers.  It's good to count your blessings!

I love you all and hope you are all getting excited for Christmas like I am.

Sister Chadderton xoxoxo