Family!
Oh thank you for all your emails! I so appreciate them. I had an explosion of emails today so that was awesome! Well, I have a few things to update you on and this past week has been rewarding, coupled with challenges. Monday night after P-Day we went to Vale and had dinner with a less active family. It was good and we really got to know the family better and shared a Christmas message before leaving. We went to visit a recent convert by the name of Stephanie. She has had a few struggles and I could see how her faith enables her to pull through her trials. She is amazing.
Tuesday we did service and helped with quilt squares again. I kid you not, I will know all about quilting by the time I get home. The ladies here amaze me with their quilting knowledge and skills. After quilting, we headed back to Parma and visited with a few people. That night we visited with Shelby and Taylor. Taylor is Shelby's fellow-shipper and she had been to Salt Lake City and had run into Sister N and had pictures taken. It was so neat to hear about her conversation with Sister N. It was so hilarious that it made me miss my sisters but I am grateful I will get to see Sister N soon.
Wednesday we went up to Vale and helped in the bakery. Actually funny story, around 10:00 a.m. and we leave the house as we have about four people on our list to visit. We tried visiting them all and nobody was home - like no one! So, I get back in the car, check the phone and we have a text from Laurie that reads, "I could sure use your girls help today if you aren't busy!" Well, I quietly thought to myself, no wonder we couldn't find anyone at home because we need to be at the bakery. So, off we went to the bakery and it was great. We stopped in Nyssa and visited some people and then saw another less active family in Parma. The dad in Parma was so sad when he heard that I would soon be finishing my mission. He was a professor of criminal justice so whenever we visit he often talks politics and educates me a little more I guess and I would educate him about the gospel. He said no one else will be interested in listening to him talk about politics like I am. He told me that I had to go and see him before I leave, so I will definitely do that. That night we were supposed to see Lori and Kyle but we were running a bit late from dinner - thats another story! Well, we arrived at Lori's and Kyle's truck isn't out the front like usual. Alarm bells start sounding off in my head! I figured just because we are late, he must be late too! Lori opens the door and says, "Oh, yeah, Kyle won't be coming tonight, but come in!" We go in and she tells us she broke off the engagement because she found out he wasn't being very truthful with her. It was heartbreaking. She was our link to him but now he will probably continue the discussions in Caldwell where he lives if he even wants to continue them. Heart broken! There goes our White Christmas. But, I understood Lori completely and she had to look out for her and her family so it wasn't her fault. We tried to offer comfort where we could and then we left. Hard blow to not only lose a baptismal date but an entire investigator!
Thursday was good. We did weekly planning then we went out and taught, taught, taught! One of our investigators gave me some elk meat, so now I have elk meat in my freezer - I don't know when I will have time to cook and eat it, but it was so kind of her. That night we had dinner with Patsy and it was good to see her. She is doing great and is definitely finding her place in the church and you could feel the spirit in her home.
Friday we were off to Baker City for Zone Meeting. We had three Elder's in the back with us. Zone meeting was good, except their was this one part where they had told us things we needed to do before January so I asked a question about it and the Elder conducting said, "Why do you care you won't be here!" Anyway's, moving on, I thought dang thats a depressing thought. They gave us these calenders for the rest of the transfer and they put when my last P-Day was and when I go home and I thought, "Oh no, it's all happening too soon!" So, seems like the Elder's are trunky enough for me. They always tell me how many days I have left and it can be a bit ridiculous. That night we went to Vale and tried contacting a referral but she wasn't home, then we had dinner with a pre-missionaries mum and she made the best Salmon! So good. Then we went to the Roman's home where we stayed the night and the little girls painted our nails. It was so cute.
Saturday was our adventure day! And when I say adventure I mean adventure. The Bishop wanted us to visit this less active in the Ward but he lived two hours from Vale in a very remote and isolated area. The Young Women's President was the mother of this less active and so she drove us out to her son's home. We were in a truck and it's an hours on the highway and then another hour on windy, dirt roads! By the time we got there I was not in a hurry for the trip back. We visited with the family and it was really neat because they said they hadn't met missionaries before. They fed us lunch then the kids showed us their horses and cattle and then we headed home. Well, by this time it was snowing because we were so high up in the mountains and the son suggested to his mum that we take a different way home instead of the way we came. Oh, goodness we were all holding on for dear life on parts of the trip because it was cliff faced and snowy which meant the roads were slick and the truck wasn't even making it up some parts of the road. I was praying some much needed prayers and the Lord got us out of the dirt roads and back onto the highway. We still had an hours trip to make to get back to Vale but I was glad we were out of those dirt roads. I had never been so glad to see Vale! The ranch they lived on was BEAUTIFUL! But completely isolated and I can say I was literally out in the middle of no where!!!!! Then we drove to Nyssa and had dinner with a family then went to the community lights parade where people made floats and we got to see some of our less active and recent converts, then we tried to contact another referral but she wasn't home so we called it a night and drove home to write our talks as we were speaking in two sacrament meetings tomorrow.
Sunday was great! Our first speaking assignment was at Parma 2nd Ward and I was asked to speak about Temples. I shared three experiences that have taught me three important lessons about Temples. I will have to share my talk with you when I get home but everyone was either crying or laughing with me. It was quite emotional knowing that I won't be here for much longer. The second talk was in the Nyssa 1st Ward and we were asked to share some missionary experiences so we did and again they were either laughing or crying with me. Overall, it was an emotional day. We broke our fast and had lunch, then went and helped Amber and Michelle decorate their Christmas tree and put up Christmas decorations around the house and then we went and saw Art who is progressing nicely. That night we attended a Christmas Fireside and their was a lovely spirit at the fireside, then we went to see how Lori was doing before going home. What a week!
Today, I am grateful for P-Day. And I am grateful for my Christmas money. I will think about who I can help have a better Christmas, because while I've been emailing alot of different names are going through my head but I will pray about it and decide. So, thanks again parents and family for your emails. Have an awesome week. Less than a month to go now! Love you all. Sister Chadderton xoxo
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