1 May 2013

Hi Family and friends!

This email is entitled, "What a rollercoaster week" for a reason so hang tight!

So, my poor companion Sister Whaley has spent a good two weeks at home give or take a few hours here and there.  When she was able to she would make phone calls in the Teaching Center.  Well, Thursday morning we had our Relief Society meeting in the Assembly Hall because we were having a dress rehearsal after class and my companion was feeling up to attending so she did.  Relief Society was awesome and so was the rehearsal and then we had lunch and I practiced my Australian song, "We are Australian" and then we went to the teaching center.  While we were at the teaching centre President Gillette called asking to meet with my companion.  So we toodle over there and I waited outside and when she finished she came out looking like she'd just been slapped in the face.  Well, I ask what happened and President says, "She will tell you!"  I learnt that President has asked her to reconsider going home the following morning.  She was trying to wait until the 4th of May to go home because her parents can't meet her because they are currently cruising in the Panama and don't get home until May 4th. So she has been asked to call her Aunty who lives in California to see if she can stay with her for a few  days.  She called her Aunty and then we went and ate something because she was in shock and then later we went home and finished packing her things.  The next morning we went to Blue Lemon Restaurant for breakfast and at 9:30 a.m. we met with President Gillette who said, "There has been a flurry of activity this morning, Sister Whaley here is your itinerary and I will be releasing you in a few minutes!"  Sister Whaley then says, "No!"  Well, President gave her his departing blessing and released her effective of when giving her Aunty a hug in California.  So, at 2:30 p.m. my Zone leaders drive us to the airport and we drop my companion off and say goodbye.  This all happened in less than 24 hours!  President decided that my new companion would be Sister Doraiswamy from India for four days until transfers.  Sister Doraiswamy had been put in a trio because her companion Sister Imai had also gone home sick. So, we meet up, have a early dinner and then go home to move her things.

Well, it's been  great to be back on the Square and for our first day of planning Sister Doraiswamy and I spent three hours on the Square finding new people to teach by either contacting them or taking tours and it was a great feeling.  When we got home we had sore feet and I actually fell asleep on the floor because I was so exhausted.  After 20 minutes I woke up and dragged myself to actually change and do the essentials before I got into my bed. Good feeling!

Sunday came and Sacrament meeting was crazy because my mission mom, Sister Calderwood gave a talk which means her class is the next group to depart.  Following Sacrament we met in our Zones to read the announcements for the day and we read, "Transfer Conference will be happening at 8:30 p.m. tonight!!!"   I was hyperventilating a little, after having a mini heart attack first when I read that news, because I realized that we didn't have to stay awake all night nervously wondering about transfers.   That night we all received our new assignments and guess what family???? My companion is, ".....COMING FROM THE MTC!!!!"  I will have my very own newbie companion/child to train and I am so excited!  I have been feeling like I would be training this transfer so I'm happy because that means I have two transfers with my new companion on the Square and then I'm positive I will be sent outbound after.  So, we won't find out until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow the names of our new companions but I'm hoping for an Asian sister!!!  Sister Vaivai is also training and Sister Magaoay too, so its nice having some of my friends that will be doing the same thing together. Training is definitely not going to be easy but I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a better consecrated missionary to set a good example for my new companion.  Monday morning we didn't have transfer conference because we had a meeting with Brother Harvey Wright who was the project manager for the conference center construction and he had cool photos of when it was being built and told us a lot about the details. Then afterwards we had donuts and took some fun photos on the roof. Lucky it was 7:30 a.m. because no one else was on the roof!

I feel so much better this week and I know the Lord knows my potential because I sometimes feel as if he is pushing me to my limits and then lifts me up out of the depths of despair just at the right time.  "Refiners fire" is all I can say but very grateful to look back and see what it is he wants me to learn.

We have our second performance tonight and my new P-Day is now Monday so I will let you know how the performance goes and the name of my new companion next week!

Love you family and I got an Australian package of goodies from my mate Stacie Laulu and it was so nice!  I was sharing my Tim Tams when President and Sister Gillette came by so they can say they've eaten a real Tim Tam now!  Haha!

Have a great week. 

Sister Chadderton xoxox  

24 April 2013

Hi Family!!!

So, so,  glad to hear the parentals made it home safely.  I was praying for you mum and dad and was so happy to learn you are home safe. Sounds like everybody is alot happier now you're home except me.  But I had such a fun time seeing you more than once and it was great and I'm grateful we were able to spend that time together!!!!

Mum, you know I won't be upset if you all end up moving to Utah as I always felt like it was the next destination for us to experience together.  And, it'll be closer to where I will be going to school so really, Joe just needs to find a job here and I know we'll all be set.  Haha!

Oh, I wanted to thank a few special people who wrote me or sent me things these past few weeks.  I received the most international mail ever in one week.  Thanks to Mel, the Horrick's, the Kuhn's, Jessica and the Stebbings family. Thank you for brightening up my week!!!!

Well, as you learnt in my previous email,  my companion is going home at the end of this transfer so I've had a lot of time at home with her or on exchanges with different sisters.  It's been a little challenging because we haven't been able to work together much. I was praying for peace one morning because my companion was sick again and I was really stressing (this has been happening quite a bit of late) but my prayers have been answered.  One particular incident was when I was trying to find an exchange companion so I could go and sing with our small Group Choir for the Mission President's and their wives in Utah.  It just so happened that Sister Vaivai's companion - Sister Bee - was sick and needed to stay home so it was an answer to prayer and we left our two companion's together while we went off to sing in the choir.  We sang two songs and it was the best we have EVER sung and the ladies were crying and they got up and applauded at the end.  Then our Mission President stands up and says, "The sister missionaries will now be joining us for brunch" and so we got to mix and mingle with everyone and we ate at the Lion House Restaurant and had their, "MASSIVE" cinnamon rolls. Yummmm!  We had so much fun.   Sister Vaivai and I spent the rest of the day together and we took an investigator lesson with a lady who had cancelled twice in the past but came this time and we learnt that she was from New Zealand - go figure!  The Lord needed the only two kiwis to be on exchange for this lesson.  It was a lot of fun and we invited her to come for another tour and to bring her daughter who wasn't a member.  Hopefully, that will happen soon.  At 5:00 p.m. we called our companions to check and see how they were doing only to find out that they hadn't eaten anything all day.  Oh my goodness, we rushed home and I learnt that my companion wanted pasta and Sister Vaivai's companion didn't want to eat anything but my chocolates.  So, I made Sister Bee some mashed potatoes and told her she had to eat them before she could have chocolate.  Needless to say she ate it and then had the chocolate.  NZ chocolate heals everything.  Haha. I 'm so grateful to have Sister Vaivai here with me because she keeps me sane when at times I feel like exploding.  I know the Lord answers my prayers!

Oh, before I forget, we have the Sound of Music performance on April 30 2013 at 7:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall.  It is being broadcast as a, "Missionary Fireside" but it's the same performance we did last time. Our practices have been a lot better than when we performed the first time so I know the second time we are going to go all out.  I've got to find me a green top because last time I just borrowed somebody elses and with a few sisters having returned home we will have more room on the stage and not as many clashes with our poi.  Mum, I've run out of invitations so can you please FB the Savaiinaea's and Buntings to let them know and to bring investigators because that's why we're doing it.  They should come early because its going to be packed!

Well, today for P-DAY I'm going on exchanges with Sister Magaoay because both our companions aren't up for shopping so for us its like reliving our MTC days because we were companion's in the MTC.  But now we are mobile.

Moral of the story for the week:  "Pray hard, work hard, give thanks more and everything will be okay."

Have a great week, stay safe.

Sister Chadderton

P.s.  I love you

17 April 2013

Hi Family!!!!

What a great week it has been.  FYI, I'm unable to email for two hours today because I have just taken a VIP tour and used up an hour of my P-Day doing so.  It was so worth it!  I would take the two hours if we didn't have our zone activity but know that I love you and will write back individually later.

It was so choice seeing the parental's this past week and I think I've seen them more then anyone else that has come to Temple Square to find me.  I was asked to help with co-ordinating the sisters who announce on the Square after, "Music and the Spoken Word" as that was my assignment for one of my transfers.  When the Spoken Word finished, people were filing out of the Tabernacle Building and that is when I got to see mum and dad again.  It was so cool and they got to see my Mission President and his wife too.  So neat.

On April 8th I hit my 9 month mark and my friend and I took some photos.  One of my room mates - Sister Cash was in the same MTC class as me so we both took our glamorous photos. So funny. Hina, yes you can put the pictures in my book because thats coming to me. Hope you have a good laugh!

Well, I have had a lot of fun with mum and dad and then I've been looking after my poor companion who has decided to get her health sorted out and sadly, will be leaving at the end of this transfer. It is a wise decision and she has been fighting with it for a long time.  She is a great missionary and has more work to do back in Reno. Who knows, maybe one day I might get sent outbound to Reno where she is from. During the time she has been sick I have been staying home with her and I have been reading the Book of Mormon, in Alma Chapter's 43-48 about Captain Moroni.  There is a part where it talks about defending your rights, liberties and families and I remember Jasmyn McCann - when we were in Young Women's in Sydney growing up - saying how she always wanted to marry him.  Anyway, it was cool because we had not long talked to one of our investigators who is less active and he was able to relate Captain Moroni to Captain America from the Avengers and he loved it.  He's an 18 year old boy and couldn't wait to read the chapters about Captain Moroni. He said, "I love it when you can talk old school things and apply them to the Avengers."  We were like, "Ok!"

Hey Elder Chadderton (Buddy) Hari huri-tau kia koe! Happy Birthday To You!!!! I cannot believe my little brother has finally hit 21!  The world must be coming to an end if he's that old! 

Temple this morning was wonderful with the parentals and I've been saying to my friends how much I like the fact that I'm seeing them in the middle of my mission because I can still be a missionary and usually when parents come to see their children on a mission its because its over and they are taking them home.  But, this isn't the case for me, I still get to have fun and be spiritual and see my family.  Blessings!!!!

But today I had the privilege of taking a VIP tour with the Consul-General of New Zealand with one of my zone leaders - Sister Wong - who went to BYU-Hawaii with me.  I only got his first name which is Leon and he was accompanied by the Salt Lake City Consulate - Iain McKay - from Wellington.  It was so neat to have this privilege and just for your information, with VIP tours we don't preach, testify and invite which is what we do with most of our tours.  So, I just shared the history of Temple Square and the Pioneers with them.  It was such a cool experience to show him around and Iain McKay is a member of the church and has been a Stake President and everything so we found that the two hosts who came on the tour with Leon shared more about the gospel then we did which was great. Leon works with the Church in allowing missionaries from America to enter NZ and it was a huge privilege to take him around.  He is so nice and gave me a kiss on the cheek when he left - much to my surprise.  Haha!  And Iain gave me a hug.  Kiwi culture - I love it!  Haha!

I have had a great week despite going on exchanges with other missionaries because my companion's body isn't allowing her to work like she would like it to.  One of those days while on exchange,  I was also with Sister Wong and we hadn't bought any food to the Square for dinner.  Sister Wong is in a wheelchair because she fell in a pothole crossing the road and stretched her achilles tendon.  Anyway, we decided we wanted Mexican food from Gateway and to get to Gateway you have to catch the Trax which is like the inner railway system for the city.  We were like, "Yeah we can do it! No worries!"  So, we go outside and it's raining, so she opens up her umbrella and is holding her arm straight up in the air to cover me while I push her. It was the funniest thing to see because it looked like we were going to fly away like Mary Poppins. We get to Gateway to Costa Vida (yum) and got ice-cream as a treat after because it was one of those days and then we go to get back on the Trax and Sister Wong has the umbrella lying horizontally across her lap and I'm trying to push her up the ramp to get onto the train but we couldn't get in.  Twice before, a man behind me offered to push her in and my Maori pride was like , "Nah, I'll try one more time and backed up a little and pushed harder and faster and the umbrella scrapes through the door making a loud snapping noise which scares Sister Wong and makes her scream, which scared the man behind me, who jumps back."  Needless to say, horizontal umbrella's don't help when pushing someone in a wheelchair through a vertical door.  I hurried onto the Traxx and cracked up laughing!  Hilarious!

Okay, well, my hour is up and we are getting kicked out so I will send photos quickly if I can!!!  Love you all!

Sister Chadderton xoxo

10 April 2013

Hi Everyone!

Sorry for the long email again!  Last week with the change in emailing time, I tended to get a little carried away.  I think it might happen again, but thanks to everyone for emailing me back.

So, you probably may have heard about all the people that I ran into this weekend and who they were! It was so cool seeing all their familiar faces. SO COOL! But, funny thing, the only people I wasn't running into was my parents!  It was funny getting a text from my district leader on Thursday night telling me that she had met my parents and I was like, "What?" "They aren't meant to be here until Friday!" Then Friday came and I heard from some other sisters that they had met my parents that morning and I still hadn't seen them.  On my way to look for them I ran into Rochelle and Tim and they were trying to help me find them too but we just kept missing each other. I've gotta say, I love Sister Vaivai because she called me and let me know that she had seen them.  Because my companion weren't on the Square at the time, we ran out to find them and it wasn't long after, that we finallly ran into each other and had big hugs!   The visit wasn't long enough, but it was great to see the folks and comforting to know that I could now say to the other sisters that I had finally caught up with my parents.  We plan to get together again after Conference to take a tour, do a temple session and then have lunch or dinner. Yay!

Then the craziness of General Conference began on Friday too, so it was extremely busy on the Square and the Quorums of the Seventy were using our conference room in the basement of the SVC (South Visitors Centre) for meetings and my companion and I were downstairs in the study lounge when their meeting had finished and then you see all the members of the seventy start filing out of the room and past our kitchen and study room lead by Elder L. Tom Perry!  I jumped off the couch and stood there for a good 10 minutes shaking everyone's hands and it was such a neat experience and honor.  There were only about 12 of us sister missionaries who were in the right place at the right time. 

Friday night all the sisters were going crazy as usual due to our early mornings and long days but I felt a lot more prepared for this General Conference then I did for the last one, knowing what to expect.  The next day I got ready and was on the Square by 7:20 a.m. for a quick breakfast then out to meet the multitudes!  My companion did really well considering how busy it was,  but we did have to go on exchanges for a little while with the zone leaders because she was tiring and not doing to good and one of the zone leaders had pulled her Achilles the day before conference and was on crutches so I went on exchanges with Sister Mitchell (Lyle Wert's girlfriend from Texas). It was awesome and fun and it was really cool to see dad after the priesthood session too.  The session that we got to go to was on Saturday afternoon and it was amazing!!!  I was sitting on the far left of the conference center, third row from the front and it was really neat. The lady I sat next to said I had met her during the Christmas season - small world. I only wish I remembered what we had spoken about but it was still cool. One talk I really liked was about, "Catching the Wave!" Have you all caught the wave of missionary work that is flooding the world right now? It is so exciting and I'm glad I am a part of it. We left the Square at 9:30 p.m. totally exhausted and went to bed in preparation for the next day of conference mayhem. 

I woke up earlier then usual because we had a meeting at 7:00 a.m. (I know cruel) but it was to pump us up for day two of conference. My feet were still swollen from standing for so long the day before, but I'd put bandaids on my blisters and drew a smile (thank goodness for make up) and went back out to face the thousands of people and cameras.  My companion's health went downhill really fast that day so I went on exchanges again because she felt like she was going to pass out twice while sitting down. So, Sister Mitchell and I were together for the rest of the day. It was great fun and we had so many miracles happen. Once you are out talking to people you literally forget yourself in the work and the pain of sore feet or swollen feet or blisters or even tiredness leaves you and you focus on uplifting the members and asking them for referrals or people to teach. Missionary work is hard work, especially when everyone's trying to listen to the session being piped through onto the grounds.  We met a lot of nice people and we even met this one man who wasn't a member  that was taking photos and had little shorts on (clearly wasn't here for conference) but he was travelling the states with his friends and they were waiting for music and the spoken word to start so he was taking pictures before it started. We had a great conversation and I asked if I could call him and share with him more about the church and why we have prophets and he said sure! So I found a new investigator during the craze - tender mercies!  He is French Canadian so I'm brushing up on my francais!

Well,  the day passed quickly and I felt like I had not only talked to a lot of people but also to a lot of RM's that seemed a little lost after being home.  It was cool to remind them of what's important and to bear my testimony to them. I also met alot of pre missionaries too which was cool and I shared with them of how I felt that I could've better prepared ie. studied PMG more before coming out.  At 7:30 p.m. the Square was almost empty and we gathered in the Tabernacle for our, " High 5" meeting. The total number of referrals received this weekend was 3363 and our goal for baptisms before the next conference is 486. I don't remember if I told you how many baptisms we had this past 6 months but it was 437!  Such a miracle. The sisters here work so hard and are very obedient and we see so many miracles. The church is true!

Well, Monday morning we slept in (we were granted permission to do so) and later we took the senior couple missionaries from the MTC around the Square because they are going to be serving in various Visitors centers around the world.  I felt so sorry for them because I was feeling like a zombie with my sore feet and because of that I didn't want to smile anymore but it was good that my little companion was in good spirits and had rested so much during conference because she could be her bubbly self for the both of us. Then at 6:00 p.m. we had a big celebratory dinner which was taco bar and it was so delicious. We watched a short video where our mission president was playing different instruments and in the video it said that we had a special guest coming to perform. I don't know if you have ever heard of this piano guy before but the pianist, Jon Schimdt was our guest!!!!!!! President Gillette knows everyone so we ran to the NVC (North Visitors Centre) where he came and played some songs for us and answered any questions that we had.  It was a blast. It was so cool and he is sooooooo talented. Many of us listen to his music everyday so it was special seeing him in person.

Well, family I tried to keep it short but I don't think I did.  I am half way through my mission and it's insane. Never take the mission for granted because it just passes you by without you realizing it. I wonder what my next transfer will bring?  Have a great week! Read your scriptures and listen to the talks from General Conference.

3 April 2013

Hi everyone,

Wow! What a week it has been! I hope you've enjoyed your Easter weekend because it was so good to be here for it. The trip to Goshen really helped jump start the Easter spirit for me and we also had Zone Conference where we went over the contacting model that we will use as missionaries.  We were split into our districts and then we went to four different places on Temple Square to be trained on the different areas of the contacting model which are:

1. Initial contact/Build a relationship of trust

2. Create an environment to teach

3. Teach and testify

4. Invite/Re-invite

There is a lot more material that we covered within these four groups and it was so cool.  This is all in preparation for our Summer season on Temple Square.  During this time we also have to eat lunch on the Square in the kitchen and cannot go across the road to the Mall (foodcourt) because we are needed to take people around the Square.  Summer season is the busiest season on Temple Square and already we have over 250 bus tours booked to do, "Motor coach tours."   This is where you are like a tour guide with a microphone and flag and can have over 50 people in the bus and take them around the Square.  We just need to be sure there are enough Sister Missionaries to go around.  Well, depending on whether I go outbound or not during the Summer season, I will be sad if I  miss out on the fun during that time.  Anywho, whatever the Lord wants!

We also went to a baptism on Saturday morning.  The baptism was for an investigator that we had the opportunity to teach a lesson to a few weeks ago.  Shaun and his family came to the Square for a lesson with the Elders who are in the Salt Lake City mission and we helped teach as a team and committed him to be baptized.  It was so neat to attend his baptism and his wife and two children are already members.  He has attended church every week for quite some time now and has read the Book of Mormon with his children but just hadn't been baptized.  So, he finally decided that it was the right time. Such a miracle because he has taken the lessons several times.  I love going to baptisms - they are the best and it makes up for those times when our investigators who live half-way around the world get baptized but we aren't able to attend.

Haha!  Okay, I just remembered something that happened this week that I wanted to share. So, we were meant to share a lesson with another set of Elder's investigators.  While we are waiting for the investigators to arrive we are planning out the lesson with the Elders.  I learn that one of the Elders is from Hawaii and the other from Texas.  Anyway, the Hawaiian Elder has been out on his mission for one month and the Texan Elder has been out for seven months.  The Hawaiian Elder says to me, "So, we sing for our investigators at the beginning of a lesson and at the end - its how we bring the spirit."  I then said,  "Thats cool Elder, yep it definitely invites the Spirit."  We continue to talk some more and we find out that during this companionship, the Texan Elder had heard the Hawaiian Elder humming one time and said to him, "Elder, do you sing?" Ever since then the Texan Elder makes the Hawaiian Elder sing all the time because the story goes that the Texan Elder (apparently) almost had an opportunity with his, "Boy band" to go big before his mission, but he came out before they could meet with the producer.   By this time 30 minutes has past and their investigators still haven't shown up so they decide that maybe it's time to leave and as they are about to leave, the Hawaiian Elder says, "Would you like us to sing for you?"  In my mind I'm thinking, "Um, is this guy serious?" (We are sitting in a public area next to the Map of Jerusalem in the North Visitors Center).  So I said,"Sure! Why not, but just make sure you don't sing too loud or else security might come!"  Anyway, the Texan Elder wasn't listening and says, "What's happening?"  I said, "Your companion want's to sing to us!"  He says, "Oh, okay!"  They pull our their mini hymnals from their coat pockets and turn to the hymn, "Did You Think to Pray" (apparently its one of their favourites) and they break out into this beautiful, harmonized singing for just my companion and I.  My companion couldn't look at them because she's about to bust out laughing not because they sound bad but it just seemed a little awkward, and I didn't know what to do so I'm smiling and trying to stay focused.  It was so beautiful and the song was great and I loved it.  Never in my life have I been serenaded by Elders in public (or in private) as a missionary.  Haha!  Classic moment and a memory I'll never forget! 

Well, Saturday was the General Young Women's meeting and my companion's health was co-operating with us due to her getting a blessing and it was a miracle that we stayed out as long as we did on Saturday.  It was really neat to see all the 21,000 young women and their leaders file out of the Conference Center and while they were inside we talked to their Bishop's, Dad's and husband's.   I love the young women so much because they love talking to the missionaries.  Every time they see us they point and wave and say, "Hi! It's the missionaries!"  This is a huge contrast to last year during the Relief Society meeting where I felt a lot of the sisters would look at you and then pretend they hadn't seen you and walk faster. The young women are great and all of the ones I talked to said that President Uchtdorf's talk was their favorite.   So, be sure to watch it and let me know.  I'm waiting for it to be published so I can read it too.

Easter Sunday started extremely early for us because our Mission Choir was singing the opening hymn for Sacrament and our Choir Director, Sister Palmer (Senior missionary) wanted us to practice before church.  We arrived at church around 6:45 a.m. to warm up our voices and practice.  Sunday is probably the longest day of the week for us but now it was extra long.  But because it was Easter Sunday it didn't matter and the medley we sang included, "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus" and "Love one Another."   It was really beautiful and in honour of it being Easter we went to the Easter special of, "Music and the Spoken Word" and it was the best!  We even saw Sister Elaine Dalton of the General Young Women's Presidency.  After that we went and took an incredible tour with a lovely group -  a couple from Utah and their son, and a couple from South Africa.  I love the South African people because when you say, "I'm from NZ" they say, "Oh, you're the opposition!" (Rugby talk!).  They were the sweetest couples and we had the best tour with them.  The spirit was so strong and the love we felt for them was amazing.  At the end of the tour as we were saying goodbye the wife of the South African couple tried to give us this wad of cash to say thank you and we were like, "No, no, you don't have to pay us we're volunteers!"  She looked like she was hurt and said, "But I want to support you in what your doing!"   I gave her a big hug and said,  "You are already supporting us by coming here and taking the tour."  She put her money away and gave us a few more hugs, said thank you and then left.  It's actually incredible after an experience like that as to how much love you can feel for a complete stranger.  I often get hugs from people that I've only met for 30-45 minutes max.  The Church is so true and the love of God is exquisite as mentioned in the Tree of Life.  It is the most desirable thing ever and this is why we are missionaries because we want to share the love of God with everyone!

Yesterday, my companion wasn't feeling well and there was another Sister who was sick too, so I went on exchanges with one of the Zone Leaders because she had to go to a district meeting and it turns out it was with Sister Vaivai's district.  It was so cool to see her in action and also to hear the instruction she gave to her sisters.  She talked about a scripture found in  Jeremiah 16:16 and how she didn't want the sisters to be fishers because fisherman have to wait for the fish to come to them and if we wait as missionaries for the people to come to us then we might be waiting our whole missions.  She encouraged the sisters to be hunters instead because they go to their prey and find them in the mountains and valleys.  It was a really good motivational speech as a build up to General Conference this weekend.  Sometimes, I wish I could be like Moroni and Ether and hide in the cavity of a rock while all the thousands of people are moving around you,  but at the same time there are soooooo many people who need strengthening and need support in the form of a special message from the missionaries so thats what we'll be doing this weekend.  One week from now I'll be able to breath again even though I still might have sore feet, but my heart will be full for another six months.

Well, family this email is ginormous and I hope you are all getting prepared for General Conference. Remember to write those lists of questions down for things your seeking revelation for so the Lord can answer them through his servants.  I can't wait to attend our one session of conference this weekend.  Please write me next week of your favourite speaker and one thing you learnt so I can learn about who else spoke because we have to wait for the May Ensign to read them all.

Love you heaps and heaps!  God be with you 'til next week!

P.s Mum and Dad are coming. YAY!!!

Sister Chadderton xoxo

27 March 2013

Yay!  Finally, I get to write to you all about my week!  It's awesome that we have 2 hours to email because I need every minute of it.  Thanks to those who wrote to me - you know who you are!

Well, as you know we had transfer Conference last week Monday and received our new assignments.  The conference was held in the Tabernacle Building around 7:30 a.m. and my new companion is Sister Whaley from Nevada.  She returned home shortly after she arrived in the mission due to health problems but she is a trooper and a great example to me because she came back out.  It was sad to say goodbye to Sister Stolp but she is doing great and her new companion is Sister Lupashko who has just returned from her outbound experience.  Sister Lupashko said she served with one of Jenna's MTC companions. Small world aye?  Apparently, she heard the other sisters talking about a, "Sister Chadderton" and she was like, "Wait!  What? We have a Sister Chadderton in our mission who is also from NZ!"  When she saw a picture of Jenna she said, "They must be sisters because they look so much alike!"  Haha.  I love it - sorry sister I can't remember where she went outbound to.

Anyway, so this past week we have seen a lot of changes take place and while change can be a little unsettling at first, you soon get use to it.  We are all gearing up for General Conference which is fast approaching and Temple Square is getting busier and busier each day.  I'm not sure how my companion will cope during Conference due to her health but we are mentally preparing ourselves for it and we will do our best.  Mum and Dad, you can decide when we can meet for the tours.  I may or may not run into during Conference because there will be over 21,000 people on the Square during that time and it may be better that we meet up after Conference.  Exciting times!  I am praying that there is an announcement at General Conference for a new temple to be built in Auckland, New Zealand - so know that my fingers and toes are crossed.

Last Saturday we had a General Conference, "Pump-up" meeting and it has inspired everyone to get excited.  At this same meeting President Gillette talked about a special field trip that we as sister missionaries would be going on.  I don't know if you've heard of, or watched the new Bible Videos on lds.org.  The set that these video's are filmed at is located in a small place called Goshen in Utah.  Well, our Mission Presidency have been working for over a year to have us visit the set.  It's a little tricky to have visitor's at the site because the people at the set in Goshen are always filming so they don't allow tours during that time.  However, there is a short gap during the build up to General Conference where they are accepting tours.  So, guess what?  We got to go!  My zone and another zone went yesterday (they split us up so their were still sisters on the Square).  We were given a packed lunch (yippee) and rode in a bus for about an hour and thirty minutes before arriving at Goshen.  It is a very small town and it looks like a farm and as we drove into the tour area  we saw this HUGE film set.  I know I was expecting a tour of the grounds but I was overcome even more to feel the spirit so strong at this venue.  Honestly, it was amazing!  Our tour guide explained to us that Elder Bednar and Elder Scott oversee the Bible Video filming and Elder Bednar had dedicated the ground especially for filming.  So, it was any wonder that we could feel the spirit so strong.  It was such an incredible place to visit and to me, it looked like a replica of Jerusalem that has been built out of Styrofoam, carved and then had stucco cement applied and then painted.  It's pretty hard core.   We knew it wasn't Jerusalem but this place had a reverence about it as you reflected on what happened in Jerusalem during the Savior's time.  We went down to the area where they filmed the Garden of Gethsemane video and we saw how they had even made their own Olive trees.  We looked up the hill and saw three crosses which is where they shot the Crucifixion at Golgotha.  What a humbling experience it was for me and I felt the spirit of that very tragic but sacred event.  The church is true and I don't need to say anything else!

I hope you all enjoy reflecting on that story and if you get a chance, watch the Bible videos because I went to the very place that they were filmed at and it was powerful.

Here's one to enjoy entitled, "He is Risen!":  http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng

I'm excited for the chance we have to hear from our beloved Prophet and the apostles next weekend.  Make sure to spiritually prepare yourselves for Conference and listen and wait for the personal revelation you will receive for yourselves.  Write down that question list again and all your questions will be answered by the various speakers.

Oh and our assignment this transfer is, "Visitor Center Contacting Co-ordinators!"  This means that we have the opportunity to take Sisters from the MTC (that are going to serve in a Visitor's Center) around our mission and share with them what its like to serve at a Visitor's Center.  I am getting excited for when it's my turn to go outbound, but this week I have had fun being an airport Sister where I've picked up sisters who have returned from outbound, including my mission mum Sister Calderwood who just returned from serving 3 transfers in Louisiana.  She said she had so much fun and is really looking forward to meeting you Mum and Dad when you come for Conference.

Hope you all have a great week!  Oh and Sister Bunting was right, our Sound of Music performance went well and the spirit was powerful and there were a lot of miracles that were a result of the performance.  The performance was open to the public and there were a few people who wanted to learn more about the gospel because of it.  The sisters are so talented and the recording is, "Sound only" so when I get a copy I will definitely send you one.

Love you heaps,

Sister Chadderton

P.s  I've lost my camera cord that connects  to the computer but I will try and find another solution.  Dad, if you can, could you please bring that little device that I can put my memory card in to link it to the computer.  My camera is dead so I have been using my fellow missionaries camera's. Will send pictures as soon as I can.  Sorry!

14 March 2013

Hey everyone!!!! 

Wow what a week and it sounds like you are all having too much fun in the sun! We actually are experiencing 16 degree Celsius weather outside and its so nice and warm and later on we are going to the beach - no just kidding- there are no beaches here at Temple Square. But I'm glad it’s a lot warmer today then it has been!!!

Last Wednesday we went to Red Robin and Burger restaurant for our zone activity and it was great fun.  Our Zone leaders Sister Armstrong and Steenblik are the best and it was Sister Armstrong’s birthday celebration.  It was really good food and just fun spending time with everyone.  I can't believe we are at the end of another transfer okay maybe this one was only 5 weeks but still if you don't hear from me next week its because my P-day would've changed and I may or may not have one. It's scary not knowing what is going to happen because companions rarely stay together for 3 transfers in our mission but all goods the Lord knows best.

The square has been humming with so many people here to ski or to sight see.  Every Tuesday we meet lots of pre-MTC missionaries who go in on Wednesday so it’s really cool to see the huge influx of missionaries.  My companion and I did MTC contacting and then took 6 Elders around on a tour.  One was Elder Gemmell from Hastings and his brother went to BYU-H and worked in the MTC so that was pretty cool and if I remember from our genealogy chart we are distantly related to that family so small world.  The rest of the Elders were 4 from England and 1 from Finland and they were great Elders.  A few of them were the first 18yr olds going to the Alpine Germany mission. We took them to the conference centre and then on our way out one of the sisters called out to me and pointed to someone who was half way down the conference centre and who was waving at me.  It was my mate Tim Mahoney who I always forget works there and it caught me off guard so the Elders were asking me questions like “who is that?” and more probing questions. Nosey Elders aye? No they’re okay. 

We have been busy practicing our for our performance on Friday and its going to be so great the whole thing is I mean. We start at 7:30pm and the opening number is “Called to Serve” where we all march in with the flags of our country. We practiced the whole thing this morning and I am excited for Friday night. We have had a lot of early morning meetings and what not so it'll be nice to start the next transfer without a huge performance in the middle of it. Then after that it will be CROM. This is a nickname that some of the sisters refer to Conference as being the sister missionary’s form of Prom. Kind of ridiculous but they are starting to look for their 'CROM' outfits.  Oh the unique things our mission of all sisters brings!

Also this morning when we were practicing our island’s performance President & Sister Gillette were there watching us in the audience. I didn't know but President served his mission in Hawaii when he was 19 and the last number we close with is “Aloha Oe” and he had tears streaming down his face (both of them did) so it was special and I'm glad we end with that number for our performance.

Today is “East High School day” or so we are calling it. We are going to visit my beloved Zac Efron’s old filming ground – and in his honour we all wore red, white and black.  I'm sure we are going to get a lot of special looks today. It's great having friends on the mission that you can do fun things with.

Well the year is moving faster then I think it should, ridiculously fast oh and by the way we talked to Abigail today and she and her 18 year old daughter are getting their Patriarchal blessings woo hoo! Great family! Definitely going to visit them after the mission.

Hey Mum – so Sister Matautia (who is Jordy's mission preparation teacher) is a legend here on Temple Square! Seriously if only every missionary had the conversion story like she does and the power in her testimony. She trained Sister Vaivai and I love her so much. Jordy has no need to fear with her for a teacher I think she’s the next MTC President.  She was such a powerful missionary but can you believe that she was a devout Jehovah's Witness when she was 16 and her dad was a Bishop for our church and she would try and tell him why our church was wrong.

In the end he said to her "Why do you think you're special? 14.5 million people have read the Book of Mormon and have prayed and know that is true. Why do you think you are so special that you won't even read the Book of Mormon to know for yourself." So after reading and praying she knew it was true. Moral of the story - Read the Book of Mormon and Pray and you'll know its true.

Mum Sis Jardine says hello and is really excited to meet you next month and Jenna she said you need to email her!

Hope you have a great week, be happy and remember - God loves you! 

And I do too Sister Chadderton xoxo

P.S.  Summer is just around the river bend!!!!