27 August 2013

Hi family and friends,

What a week it has been!  Guess what? "I GOT MY PACKAGE!" " THANK YOU SO MUCH!"  Y'all are amazing and seriously, I loved it and have celebrated my birthday early.  Haha!

This week we had our Fireside followed by interviews with our Mission President.  The Fireside was neat despite not having any of our investigators attend - they were on their honeymoon so yup, they weren't coming.  My interview was great and I really love President and Sister Holm. 

Just a little update on my stomach issues, things are improving.  I did get to a point where it was so bad that my companion convinced me to call the mission nurse who advised me to stay away from any harsh foods for a week or two.  She suggested I eat jello, puddings, soup, soft boiled eggs and apple sauce every 2-3 hours.  By doing this the acid in my stomach will diminish as she thinks that the acid may be what's causing the pain.   So, on Friday we went out and bought the aforementioned foods but I also bought some broccoli and carrots and boiled them, then blended them into a paste and ate it.  Different!  Well the next day my companion was having a few health problems to so we made an executive decision to just rest and get ourselves better.  I know that stomach upsets can be caused through stress and I would exercise all the time on the Square to reduce my stress levels.  It's not so easy for me to do that here but I am feeling a lot better.

It is our last week together as a companionship because during my interview with President Holm he basically asked me to trust him with the decision he has made regarding transfers. I think that means I'm staying here in Pelion and my companion will be leaving but we will find out everything on Saturday.  I can't believe we are almost at the end of another transfer.   We have a lot of fun things happening on Temple Square but I'm grateful for this time in the field to grow.

We have dinner at our Bishop's home tonight.  I'm grateful for my outbound experience and so much happens out here that I never get enough time to write about it.  If you don't remember anything from my emails, please know of the great love that I have for my Saviour and how much He has helped me through my whole mission experience.  Yesterday, we taught Sunday School and the lesson was about Service and it really helped me to appreciate everyone that is serving and supporting me as a missionary.

I love you all and God be with you 'til we meet again.

Sister Chadderton xoxo
Picture of my District.

20 August 2013

Hi Family!!!!

Thank you for all your prayers and emails.  This week has definitely been a better week for sure.  I don't have a lot of time to email everyone individually so I apologize in advance. Just know that I love you all heaps.

It's been raining most days this past week which puts a damper on things and makes the work a little harder.  However, on a more positive note this week was our, "Big Lift" challenge.  I went on exchanges with the Sister missionaries in the Newberry area - Sister Van Ry and Sister Wheelock.  We had a great time visiting less actives and then we went out tracting and found two new investigators and had a great lesson with them.  At the end of the lesson we invited them to be baptized.   Newberry is more city then country so the next morning we got up and went for a run on paved sidewalks!  Oh the small pleasures of life running on level, paved sidewalks.  Haha!  It felt so good to run again mainly because my companion hurt her ankle before her mission and running is a, "no-can do" for her.   But, when you're on exchanges its all good!   It felt really good to run without the altitude problems I encounter in Utah due to the hills that we run up.

Well, the biggest miracle happened where we were about ready to finish up tracting and leave to go home.  But, I felt inspired to knock on one more door and a lady answered the door and I'm not quite sure what I said but she was surprised at my accent and quickly asked where I was from.  I told her I was from  New Zealand.  She invited us to sit on her porch with her and she told me how obsessed she was with my country.  She has even planned her honeymoon in NZ and still wants to go.  She explained that we couldn't go inside her home because she has a medically sick child.  We said a prayer with her and continued to visit and learnt that she had a 6th grade Math Teacher who was LDS and is currently the Relief Society President in the Newberry Ward.  That night the Relief Society were having an activity so we invited this lady to come along.  After our visit she wanted us to now meet her medically sick child so we went inside.  He is so adorable!  Sadly, half of his face never formed properly but he is so beautiful and he's only ten months old.  I was so grateful for this experience to meet this amazing mum and her precious child.  Who knew (besides the Lord) that I would meet someone who was obssessed with NZ with a beautiful little boy!  I love miracles!

"Diligence" has definitely been the focus of the week and every night we recite our promises to the Lord and one of them is, "I pray with all the energy of my heart for charity, I love the people, I love tough things, I'm the first to do tough things, I do tough things first, I am a finisher."  It's a South Carolina Columbia Mission thingy that they do here and while its different I'm doing what I'm asked to do and I'm trying to do my best.

Did I tell you I have been having some stomach issues?  They haven't gone away yet and when we are out tracting I'd get these sharp shooting pains.  I'm not completely sure what it is but the pain comes and goes.  For now, I'm focusing on the work and ignoring the pain as it's not a lot of pain, but it seems similar to what Jenna had on her mission. I know I've been eating too much gluten products so I'm going to have a gluten free week to see if that helps.

The members here are great and they spoil us like no others!  We went to a less actives home for dinner and their neighbours are less active too so we visited with them after dinner and they invited us to eat more food.  Because of my stomach problems I couldn't do it.

I'm so grateful for the letters from the Young Women in our Ward and also the letter from Sister Magaoay!  Thank you so much to those who write me.  We have our big Fireside tomorrow followed by interviews with President Holme so I'm hoping I get my package then!

I love you all and thanks again for your prayers.  I know the Lord is blessing me!  Funny story, one of the families gave me a stick which they sanded down so that when we go out  tracting it will protect us from the dogs.  I know the Lord is already protecting us from the dogs but it eliminates some of my fears.  I will leave it in the apartment for the sisters who may come after me.  I love my companion and I love the people, have a great week and try and find someone for your missionaries to visit because they need their daily schedules filled so help them out please!

Love Sister Chadderton xoxo

13 August 2013

Hi everyone,

Just so you know, I have really appreciated the prayers offered this week for and in behalf of me and all other missionaries.  Thank you all so much.

Our district is focusing on one Christlike attribute each week and this week is, "Diligence!"  I have come to learn that each time you try and become more Christlike, trials come to help you to learn that very lesson.  I definitely know that I have had to exercise diligence this week.

Well, we went on exchanges with the Sisters from Orange-burg District and I was with a Sister Landon.  We went and gave service to some of the pregnant Mums in the Ward and it was really awesome because not only did we help them in the house but we even got to feed some of their horses - something I know you would've loved mum.  My goal is to come back here after my mission and ride some of these beasts because these horses are huge and so beautiful.  The sister who owns the horses is so nice and her husband is our new Ward Mission Leader.  They had bought us lots of food, a lunchbox and a drink bottle.  It was so sweet!  I love the generosity of the members!!!   After giving service we went searching for some less active members in our area and bumped into a few of them, had a brief visit and set up a time to return.   We also ran into a really scary looking dog who was looking at us as if we were his next meal but we managed to get away from it.  I really, really, dislike big dogs with a passion.  If ever I own a dog I don't want one that is aggressive, I want a quiet natured, little one.  That would be my type of dog.  Anyway, later that evening we went to the Buntings house for dinner and as usual it was a delicious meal.  Sister Bunting made beef stroganoff - one of my favourites! Yum!  We then went searching for more of our less active members and upon finding them we were surprised by some of their response as one of the less actives homes that we visited asked for their names to be taken off the records of the Church.  Clearly, that visit didn't go so well.  Anyway, as we were walking back to the car we saw a lady (lets call her Janine) and said hi to her as we walked up to her house.  She invited us into her home where we sat down and visited.   Before we knew it, we were teaching her the first lesson and it was so powerful.  Sadly,  this lady has had a tragic pass.  She shared with us how she became pregnant at the tender age of fourteen by her priest.  What?  Needless to say going to church is not something she ever wants to do again.  She has a lot of healing to do and we know that through the atonement she can be healed.  I am amazed at how we continue to meet these incredibly God-fearing woman irregardless of their trials.

Later that evening exchanges were over and Sister Hopper and I went home.   The next day - to save on miles - we walked to the library which is about a 30-45 minute walk from our house.  It was about 2:00 p.m. when we left, which is also around the hottest part of the day and we about died from the heat.  The nats (bugs) are the worst things ever but we finally arrived at the library where we planned to put a workshop together to present in Relief Society to increase the missionary efforts amongst the members.  But, when we got to the library, I realised that I had left the website information and our cell phone at home!  Aargh!   It was so not funny and very frustrating!  I felt so dumb and I knew we had already wasted so much time so, we turned around and walked home. If anything good came out of this whole walk, on the way to the library we did meet one man who said we could come and visit him so that was really what made it all worth it!  We arrived home and pretty much collapsed over the air-conditioning vents which are in the floor of our trailer home and tried to recover in time for our Ward activity.  We were having a, "Cook-out" aka Ward BBQ.   The activity was awesome and some of our less actives picked us up and everyone was really excited to see them.

The day after the Ward activity I woke up with a bad case of food poisoning or something and I just felt gross.  I tried studying but fell asleep on the floor and my companion told me to go to bed.  I woke up at 12:00 noon freezing because I hadn't eaten anything.   I made me some toast and managed to keep it down then slept for another two hours. When I woke up I told my companion that we needed to get out of the house so we got ready and left.  I'm still not sure what the bug was because it hasn't completely gone yet but I feel alot better.  Maybe I was dehydrated from the day before coupled with food poisoning.

We are trying to work our hardest and our investigator Kaitlyn and her fiancee were married on the weekend!!!  We were planning on attending the wedding but our ride fell through at the last minute.  We are visiting them tonight so that will be something to look forward to.

This week we are having our "Big Lift" and my companion and I will be separated again while we go to uplift the sisters.  We are striving to encourage everyone we meet to come follow the Savior and to leave everything on the field and demonstrate a perfect day with perfect intent.  I fasted yesterday so we could see miracles and I'm nervous but excited to do the lift.

Well, family I'm grateful for the emails and your love and I was so happy to learn that two of my friends have put their mission papers in.  I know that the Mission goes by so quickly so I am making the most of my time!

Love you all heaps,

Sister Chadderton

P.s.  You can write me at:

110 Oak Park Dr. Ste B,

Irmo, South Carolina 29063

USA

6 August 2013

Hi Y'all!

Seriously, I love the way the people speak here and I think I'm going to leave this mission saying phrases like, "Yes Ma'am" and "Yes Sir" and "I'm fixin to go!"  Haha!  I love their accent.

We have had a great, but very busy week.  We had Mission Leadership Training last Tuesday and as part of that training we went to the Temple because our Mission President wanted to baptize us.  It was the coolest experience and there were about 40 missionaries doing baptisms and I think he baptized each of us five times.  I'm positive his arm must've been sore at the end of it all, but the Spirit was so strong and it was cool.  For all those who don't know what temple baptisms are, we believe that in the Temples of the Church we can help those who were unable to receive the gospel and be baptized in this life, have the opportunity to make that choice in the next life.  Therefore,  by being baptized for and in behalf of them in this life, we act as a proxy for the name/s of the deceased person/s whose names have been submitted to the temple by their living family members.  It really is special.  

On Thursday we had our Zone Meeting and that was fun but it did seemed quite long - more then two hours.  My companion and I were asked to do some training at this zone meeting and it was about,  "Setting appointments by offering investigator's options!"  We've found that people like options and will usually choose one or the other.  We had put our training scenario to the test the day before and we managed to secure five new appointments.  We know that giving people options definitely works!  Our zone is cool and it was nice getting to know some of the other missionaries. We rarely see each other so it's nice when we do come together.

During the week we went out tracting and it was so hot and humid and rain was threatening, so there wasn't a lot of  people interested in hearing about our message.  I was a little frustrated because I kept getting burnt by these bugs - fire ants - and I was feeling sweaty and gross.  Around that time our Zone leaders had called to ask us a question and at that very moment when they called we were walking past a house and three dogs came bolting towards us and one of them had squeezed through a gate causing my companion to scream because it seemed like we were about to be attacked.  Fortunately, we had received some, "Dog training advice" from a less active just last Saturday where they taught us how to talk to the dogs if we felt we were going to be attacked.  So, remembering what the less active had said, I used some of the advice on the dog that was coming at us and while it kept barking it didn't jump at us and went back through the gate.  I hyperventilated a little after that experience because despite my small ounce of bravery, I was really freaking out.  Through it all our Zone leaders are still on the phone and have been listening to us and they're chuckling away to themselves.   I think they especially liked the part when my companion yelled out, "Hit him with the umbrella!"  because I was holding an umbrella at the time!   Well,  just minutes after this fiasco with the dogs, we found a bouquet of red roses that had been tossed outside of someones window and they still looked pretty fresh.  I said to my companion, "Lets pick 'em up and take them home!"  So I did!   We headed home for dinner and I put the flowers in a vase and looked at them and realized that the Lord had sent us some flowers because He knew we were having a bit of a tough day!   Well, I liked to think that they were from Him.  On Sunday I bore my testimony in Sacrament about how much the Lord knows and loves us and, hopefully during my outbound experience I will grow to love tracting.

We went on exchanges for our leadership training this week.   I went with a Sister Walker who is 19 years of age and she is an incredible missionary and I was so impressed with her.  She is a very powerful missionary and it really is amazing for me to see these younger sisters rise to the occasion when given the opportunity to serve a mission at a younger age. So awesome!

We have an investigator who is progressing towards baptism and she is looking at getting married in two weeks so hopefully her fiancee who is a less active member will be ready within himself to baptize her.  They are so wonderful and we have a lesson with them tonight and another sweet couple from our Ward are coming with us.

My companion is AMAZING.  I don't know what the Lord was thinking putting two nutty Sisters like us together but we have soooooo much fun and we get a long with each other so well.  Sometimes we sing really loud and out of tune but its good fun and very therapeutic.

The people here continue to amaze me at how religious they are!  I'll have to write about an experience I had because I have run out of time.

I love you all family.  Time is going by swiftly.  Thank you for your prayers and emails of love.  Don't forget to write me because we are lonely sisters in the country.  We love getting letters so I thought I'd just put a gentle reminder in there of how much I would love more mail.  Here's my postal address:  Sister N Chadderton, South Carolina Colombia Mission, 1345 Garner Lane Suite 307, Columbia, SC 29210-8362.

Take care,

Love Sister Chadderton

Pictures - 1 & 2 - Sister Hopper & I in front of the Temple and then out the front of our trailer/mobile home.

Picture 3 - The bunch of roses that I rescued.

Picture 4 - Our trailer/mobile home

Picture 5 - Our mission car

Picture 6 - Me with my Mission President and his wife in front 

of the Temple.