Sister Ariel Dearden: Ni Bula Kece!

January 6, 2014

Ni Bula Kece! (That means Hello)

Happy New Year!

Can you believe that it is already 2014? I honestly can’t. Where did 2012 go? So this last week has been fantastic! Monday was a pretty big day. We went shopping and got to hang out with Kelsey all day long and it was awesome! That morning we went out to breakfast with a recent convert, Sister KD. She is pretty much one of my favorite people ever. She cracks us up and is so excited about the gospel. She knows how to make life fun. We went to this little famous restaurant, Smitty's, and they are famous for their pancakes. So of course we got pancakes and they basically kicked IHOP out of the boat. It was AWESOME! anywho that night after spending all day with Kelsey we went out to dinner with the Js! Yup more J time! It was really fun. Then we ended up having to go home so sister Halbison could pack some more.

Tuesday was kind of scattered. We had a morning of cleaning and packing and packing some more. But we got to go out to lunch with Sister R for some tacos. If you don’t know I am really missing the good tacos. So she took us to this one place that was a little sketchy but they had the best tacos i have had since we have been here. Then after lunch we had to rush over to an appointment and it went really well. We are working with a couple that have been inactive for a long time and are now preparing to go to the temple. They are loving it and I don’t know if I have ever seen anyone work so hard to catch up for the years they have lost. They are on fire. That night we had a lock down party. We had to go to the church and watch some movies because of New Years. It was really fun though. We watched Brave which was just adorable and then The Croods. I didn’t care to much for the Croods but it was cute. Then that night we wanted our companionship to go out with a BANG so we went over to the Bs and watched them send off some fireworks. :) It was pretty fun.

Wednesday was a start of a new year and a start of a new transfer. I got my new companion and Sister Halbison fed me to the wolves. My new companion is fantastic. She is from Fiji and speaks great English. She isn't afraid of anything and just wants to get some work done. At the transfer site this sister just came up and hugged me and I had no idea who she was. It was Sister Meredith's old companion and she knew who I was. It was really funny. Her name is Sister Tipton and her great uncle or something like that is Kent Tipton in Sonora. Isn’t that funny? Well Wednesday was all P-day so we went shopping and got Sister Vere all unpacked and stuff so that was really fun. Sister Halbison left almost immediately. It was sad but exciting at the same time to get a new companion. That night we had set it up to go over to dinner at the A's and we had Wendy’s. It is going to be a new tradition now that every new missionary that comes to this area will have Wendy’s over at the A’s for their first meal. It’s just kind of a super funny inside joke.

Thursday was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! We set 2 dates and got 2 new investigators. We made sure that Sister Vere would have a great first day so we worked super hard and got 2 dates set and 2 brand new investigators. We were super excited. It also helped that we got a car too. But we have the car for a few weeks. So we showed them that we get stuff done when we have a car. So yeah Thursday was great.

Friday was slow. That morning we had a Train the Trainers meeting and that was really fun because we got to see President and Sister Brinkerhoff. It is always great to see them. Nobody was home on Friday so we only got 2 lessons but it was fun because we got to visit with KD that night. She got to meet Sister Vere. KD is preparing to go to the temple so it was been really fun working with her and answering all of her questions.

Saturday was pretty slow to. It seemed like everybody has been making last minute trips for Christmas break. But we got to go to Reeds Dairy and have some real ice cream. I will try not to mention how good that place is. But while we were there we saw a less active family we have been working with. The kids were so excited to meet the new sister. We also got a mini lesson in so it was really good.

Sunday was great. We had a 6:30 am meeting so that was not fun at all but it was a good meeting. The times of the wards were all switched up so we were super confused all day. We then had meetings straight from 2:30 - 4:30 so that was really fun! We had an investigator at church too and that is AWESOME! We also got to bear our Testimonies twice on Sunday so that was really great.

So this week has been really interesting. As Sister Halbison and I separated we were talking about all the good times we had as a companionship. That caused me to reflect on my entire mission so far. It has been great to look back and see how much we have accomplished and to see how much I have personally grown. I took it a step farther and reflected back on the last year and I realized how oblivious I am to the preparation i have had in my life to serve a mission. He has prepared me in tons of ways to come here and serve. I have been completely oblivious to those trials and tests that he has given me to grow and to become the person he needs me to be. I am so grateful for those trials that he has given me because without them i wouldn't be here i know that for a fact. I am so grateful for this gospel in my life and for the opportunity that I have to share it with the wonderful people here in Idaho. It has truly been the best 3 months of my life but also the fastest 3 months of my life. This next year is going to go by really fast but it is also going to be the best year. I can just feel it. :)

Alright well au lomani iko ( that means i love you!)

I miss you to and make this next year the best year yet!

Sister Dearden