4/7/14
"THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS"

So as i was sitting here reading emails. I realized that a year from today i will be either on a plane home or home already. Crazy thought i know i just wanted to point that out. I really hope that day never comes as much as i love you all i don't want this to end. 

So today i decided i would just kind of ramble because i dont really have anything super exciting to share. So first off to answer all your questions. I am living with a widow who is 86 and still roller blades. She is amazing! We have the whole down stairs for ourselves and it is awesome. The only thing that i don't like is she gets the mail. But with how busy we are thats alright. We do have a car and we named her Daphanie Scoyavich Barden. Long story with that name. 

My companion Sister Barnett is seriously amazing! We have so much fun together and we really do work well together. I think this companionship was planned for that. The work here is really slow and i don't want to point fingers but the missionaries in the past have completely lost member trust. So we are really starting to build that back up. So far it has been great. We are here to stay and i think they know and sense that. 

So now i want to share what i learned from conference. What didn't i learn actually? I thought this conference was amazing especially Sunday morning! I absolutely loved every single talk. I really loved the talk by Gary E. Stevenson about the Olympians. I think he totally put into perspective our time here on earth and the real purpose. I absolutely loved how he said that no 4 minutes are wasted and that the Atonement is there to help us. I loved also the story of the sister that won the silver and how she thought to wear her young womens medallion for the entire world to see. 

I loved Elder Bednars talk to. I thought it was awesome his story about his friend and how we need that spiritual traction to help us move forward in our lives. I loved it! 

Also so this talk was a little scary because i have been thinking this and then elder Ballard confirmed it for me. When he spoke about following up and how important it is. I have been thinking a lot about following up because as a missionary i forget invitations and commitments i extend a lot. But following up shows the person you are inviting that you have faith in the lord jesus christ. it also shows that you have faith in them and the gospel. If you invite someone to read the book of mormon and then dont ask them if they have read it they could very easily think oh they dont really care if i read it but if you ask then that shows that you know it is true and it shows that you know that it can change someones life. I love the idea of following up! 

Anyways okay so i just wanted to leave yo with my testimony. I know that this church is true. I know that i am on a mission because heavenly father answered my prayers. Heavenly father is literally our father. He loves us and wants nothing more than for us to be happy. He has revealed to us the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that we may return to him again. He has also given us a prophet to lead and guide his church. Something cool that sister Barnett taught me was that only Apostles and missionaries have the authority to invite someone to be baptized and i only have that authority for another year. I thought it was kind of a cool thing. So my new goal for myself is i am going to invite all i can to be baptized and hopefully someone will accept because i dont have that much more time to help them on their jourey. I love you all so much and i miss you greatly!

Love Sister Dearden

April 14, 2014
"BEAUTIFUL DAY"
Hello everybody! 

So glad you all had a wonderful week it sounds like you were all excited about general conference. This week literally flew by for us. We were so busy but that is alright. We didnt really have a ton of appointments but we were busy with really good meetings and lots of spiritual testimonies. 

Tuesday we got to give a training on the atonement and that was awesome. We talked about using the atonement in tough times and how we need it just as much as our investigators do. It was really powerful. It is so comforting to know that we dont have to go through anything alone and that the heavenly father and the savior are standing right beside us. The only reason we dont have to go through things alone is because Jesus Christ did have to. Anyways it was really good. We also got to learn about humility more and it was great. 

Wednesday we also got to give a training on Baptism. We talked about the importance of making a baptism organized inspiring and memorable. We need the programs to be scrapbook worthy. This was a perfect opportunity to learn more about a baptism because we are in the process of setting a baptism up for this next week. 

Thursday was great we had interviews with president that day. So this week has just been a crazy spiritual week.  President is a amazing man who is inspired. It is so great to have him. That evening we had some time to go visit a few people so that was nice. 

Friday was great. We had exchanges and guess who i was with. Sister Christenson. Don Christensons Daughter. It was super fun to have that connection. We had a amazing time together and she is such a wonderful missionary. We got to feed some cows to. lol It was awesome and we got to set up a steak dinner for all the work we did. We didnt just stop by and say hey can we feed your cows it was actually for a investigator and his wife who we haven't been able to meet with for a few months i guess. And they were the ones that wanted to set up the appointment so that was awesome. :)

Saturday was a great day to. We got to attend a baptism of someone sister Barnett used to teach so that was awesome. We got to go down to Blackfoot and see it. We also stopped by on the way home and got some amazing burgers. It was great. The member that we went with was hilarious to so we had a really good trip.

Sunday the lord provided for us. Our investigator never showed up for her sacrament meeting so we were freaking out because she cant get baptized if she didnt come to church. So we were bummed. So we went through another sacrament meeting and listened to 2 baby blessings and then 3 farewell talks it was AWESOME! Then we went to our last sacrament of the day and our investigator came to listen to us speak. it was seriously a miracle. After we went over to her house and had some dinner and it was delicious and the best thing happened her grandpa who we thought hated us gave a huge hug goodbye. it was another miracle. He is such a great who unfortunately was rubbed the wrong way with a few members. So hopefully we will be able to help him. 

So this week was crazy busy but crazy amazing. i cant believe we have already been here for almost 3 weeks. it feels like i just got here. I love you all! 

So no scripture of the week im going to share a poem i heard

My Three White Dresses

My mom bought me a white dress,

not red or pink or blue.

She said it was a special dress

Like very other few

There has been just one before,

A dress now put away,

That i wore some time ago

Upon my blessing day. 

As a little baby clothed

In my first white dress, 

My dad held me in his arms,

there to name and bless

So pure and clean was i just then 

With time to grow and learn,

About the father's plan for me, 

My glory i must earn.

Now I've reached the age to judge

The wrong road from the right,

And I am here to be baptized

in this dress of white.

So once again I'm free from sin,

The path is clear to me.

I'll grasp the rod and hold on tight,

I vow with certainty.

Just as mus would stain my dress,

Sin would stain my soul.

The key is to repent or bleach,

for whiteness is my goal.

And if I try my very best,

Then richly blessed I'll be,

Wearing inside God's holy house

White Dress number three.

So today I make this pledge:

I'll strive to choose the right.

Through this sacred baptism ordinance 

In my second dress of white.