Family!
So good to hear you're all alive and well and that you've had some cool MTC experiences this past weekend. I am so grateful its P-Day but they seem to go by so quickly. This week has been good filled with some interesting experiences.
So, P-Day we went to play volleyball and we were setting up the nets and one of the Elders said, "Hey I've just realized that we don't have a volleyball!" I just thought to myself, "Are you serious!" About an hour later we finally had a volleyball and managed to have a game. Later that evening at dinner the couple said they got married two weeks after the husband returned from his mission. It was so funny hearing their story and I thought, "No way do I think thats even possible!" After dinner, we went to the Sager's home and taught a lesson about prayer.
Tuesday, we had our morning booked with appointments and before 10:00 a.m. all our appointments cancelled and our next appointment wasn't until 3:00 p.m. It was also Craige's birthday so we got busy and made him a cake, did our studies, then while we were trying to decide what to do with our time the name Missy kept coming to mind, so we went to see her at her work but she wasn't there. There was an elderly lady named Tara working and I'd met her briefly before so we chatted a bit with her and then we asked her what her religious background was and she said she didn't have one, so we talked a bit more only to learn that she really wants someone to take the time to teach her about Jesus Christ. This blew my mind and I was so excited. We are definitely going back to teach her. At 3:00 p.m. we visited with Anthony and it was incredible. Last week we watched the DVD entitled, "On the Lord's Errand" and it's all about President Monson. Anthony borrowed it to finish watching the movie so when we got to his house he shared his testimony about how he knows President Monson is a prophet and how he was touched by the spirit as he watched the movie. It made me so happy and I was overcome with joy. Then we went and saw Craige and gave him his cake and he is doing so much better. He was on cloud nine and it was cool. Honestly, when you see how the Lord works in a converts life and how they don't really need you as missionaries anymore because they have the spirit, it's awesome. We finished the night by visiting Mallory.
Wednesday was fine. We did weekly planning and then we cleaned our car, had lunch and then went and taught some lessons. Their is this local artist and she sold me one of her paintings of idaho. She is a less active sister but I liked this particular painting so I bought it to remind me of Idaho. We had another few lessons to teach and did some service due to other appointments getting cancelled. We went to see Ashlee and finished teaching her everything she needed to know prior to her baptism. We were talking about the atonement and she hadn't heard that word before, so it was a cool experience when we used pictures to teach the atonement and to see her excitement. Crazy cool experience! You could really feel the spirit and it helped me realize that Ashlee is ready for baptism. We had 2 other ladies in attendance and once the lesson had ended they somehow got onto the topic of pregnancy and birth stories and my companion and I were just sitting there and I said, "Well, can we say a prayer because we should probably get going?" They all laughed because they realized we weren't just there to hang out and chit chat. It was a good time and I love those ladies. Another good night and when we got home we got ready for Zone Conference the next day.
Thursday was Zone Conference and we received the, "Cleanest Car" award. Funny story, so, on Wednesday we had wiped down the entire interior of our car and then took it to get the outside cleaned and vacuumed at the car wash. We pull up and the guy says, "For an extra $8.00 you can get the inside detailed and the car vacuumed!" We said, "Sure lets do it!". So they cleaned our car again and our 2010 Chevy was spotless! We get to Zone Conference and we get the award. After Zone Conference we one of the Senior Elder's takes our picture and he's like, "I noticed you even armor all'ed the tyres!" (which means like blackened the tyres). We just started laughing because we were like, "Yeah, well I guess you could say that!" Zone Conference was really good and emphasis was on knowing why we are on a mission, why we decided to come on a mission and why we are staying on a mission. It was interesting and very good food for thought. They also touched on the importance of personal and companionship study. During lunch we surprised President and Sister Cannon with a cake and sang Happy year mark because it was their 2 year mark in the mission field. That night we drove home then later went to dinner and then to a YSA sports nigh. The mission rule says no sport on days other then P-Day so we were going to observe what was happening. When we arrived everyone was playing sports outside on a field, so not alot of people were sitting down chit chatting. One girl called out to us so we went over to talk to her and we made small talk then another girl walks up and we get talking then within fifteen minutes there is a group of people around us only to realize that we had just met 2 non-members who knew nothing about missionaries. It was getting late and we had to leave and someone asked what we did and it was cool to meet someone who doesn't know what missionaries are, so it was the coolest thing to visit with a couple of the girls. One of the girls work at "Forever 21" so we are going to go shopping their today to see if we can see her again and maybe set an appointment or something. Shopping and missionary work all in one!!!!
Friday was District meeting and after that we couldn't really decide where we needed to be. One family kept coming to mind so I figured let's go and see them as it's not going to hurt us. So, we walked over their and met one of their YSA daughters who hasn't been to Church for some time now. No one else was home when we visited with her so we taught her a lesson, got her number so we can invite her to things. I was so happy that we followed the promptings of the spirit as that is what we needed to be doing. Then we had Ashlee's baptismal interview and she passed. After dinner we went and visited/ taught some other people and overall, it was a good night.
Saturday! What a day! Not sure where I begin with Saturday. So, first thing in the morning we were going to see Taryn. It was the day we were going to set her baptismal date because she had kept her commitment to read and pray every day for 3 weeks. She had nearly done a whole month of readings. We learnt that Taryn wanted to be baptized in Pocatello with her family, then we asked her when she was going to Pocatello as we wanted to make sure everything was organized for the baptism before they left. We went and picked up the District Leader so he could interview her and after the interview Taryn's mum was a little emotional. Ashlee's baptism was next and it was awesome. Such a neat experience. Then we went and had refreshments with the family and later did service and then I was so ready to just go home and relax. I got home and honestly, I could not get into bed fast enough. It was such a busy day. Sometimes being on a mission opens ones eyes to things and situations you only thought happened in a movie. I've learnt that I have a good life in comparison to what others have to deal with. But the knowledge that through the atonement things can be made right is so comforting.
Sunday was good and we went and saw Ashlee get confirmed. It was an awesome experience and in Relief Society I bore my testimony about miracles and about the amazing women the Lord has put in my life especially at this time. We went to the YSA Ward and we had a guy come up to us and say he had taken all the discussions in Texas but he hadn't been baptized. That is something we will organize. We then visited Ivy and later had a correlation meeting and then dinner with the Sager family followed by a visit to a less active sister before going home.
So, this morning for P-Day we played volleyball and now we are off to shop. I love you family. I miss you all and guess what? 11 months today!!!!! Crazy how fast this whole mission thing is going. And I am looking out for my package in the mail. Have a great week and enjoy July. OHHH just remembered, another funny story. Yesterday pretty sure we sung the national anthem 3 times, and America the Beautiful 3 times and Battle Hymn of the Republic, and then people would get up and share their testimonies about how great America is and then I got up just after 2 guys had given a patriotic testimony (this is all at the YSA Ward) and I proceeded to speak and started off by saying, "Well, I'm not an American…" then everyone laughed! It was so funny! People came up afterwards and were telling me I was hillarious. So I am still debating how appropriate that was to start a testimony but it was definitely a crowd pleaser. lol. My actual testimony was on the atonement. I love you all and have a great week and sad days because I will probably be in bed listening to all the fireworks because it doesn't get dark here until around 10:00 p.m. I think its going to be a great. "4th of July! Take care, Sister Chadderton xoxo
001- My companion and I
002 - My painting
003 - Ashlee's baptism
004 - Sister Missionaries at Ashlee's baptism
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