Friday 20 December 2013

News and Pictures from Virginia!



We had a great conversation with Sister Cahoon on the phone at the airport. Their flight was delayed 5 hours so a little tired and "ready to go". She said the Elder's were taking good care of them and she was excited for her first flight on an airplane.
We had a call late that night from a lovely senior sister at the mission office. She said Sister Cahoon had arrived safely. So nice to receive that call.
Yesterday we received this letter from Sister Cahoon's Mission President along with our first pictures!

Dear Brother and Sister Cahoon,


Sister Baker and I were delighted to welcome Sister Cahoon to the Virginia Chesapeake mission yesterday evening.  She arrived in good spirits and has now been assigned to her first proselyting area.  She is assigned to labor in the Kempsville Ward of the Virginia Beach Stake, and her trainer is Sister Jamie Szabo.  I have attached three photos of Sister Cahoon taken yesterday after her arrival and shortly after our transfer meeting today: one with her trainer, one with Sister Baker and me, and one with the arriving group of missionaries in the mission home.


Sister Cahoon's address is:


904 Timber Valley Way Apt #132

Virginia Beach, VA

23464


Thank you for sending us such a fine missionary.


President Baker

President and Sister Baker with group newly arrived from the MTC

President and Sister Baker with Sister Cahoon

Sister Szabo and Sister Cahoon

The days seem to blur together...



Area: MTC
Companion: Sister Boatright
December 13, 2013

Oh my goodness my days just blur together but it is so beyond amazing here and I'm so sad to be leaving in less than a week! I love my district and my zone and everyone!!!! it’s going to be so hard to say goodbye to all of them. So last p-day after I sent my email I walked out of the building and guess who I ran into............The one and only Elder Wilsher!! And since then I have seen him quiet a bit more and talked with him lots. Its super cool I have seen two of the elders that were on the district they work here at the MTC Elder Christensen is the announcer and I'm not sure what the other elder does! I busted my watch again while pulling on one of my modbods it only lasted till Saturday but I really appreciate that you tried to fix it!! Sister Despain is an angel she had an extra one and she gave it to me so now I wear a bright green watch! Our service time is Saturday night and we have to set up all the chairs for Sunday and we do it at the same time as all of the Polynesian missionaries and it’s so cool cuz they all talk to each other in their language and a couple elders started chanting the haka! (soo coool) I learned something super cool this week I had to use my position as STL (sister training leader) to help out the Sisters in the other District and of course I did what I always do and took it upon myself and tried to figure out how to fix it and one of our teachers pointed out to us that we don't have to fix it there is no way we can totally fix it and that is what the atonement is for I had never thought about it like that!I would really love it if you guys could send me Bethany’s email so that I can email her too and if you could let Chrissy know that I emailed her as well as the family that would be great!! I can’t even remember what all has happened this week! I'm trying to take more pictures but it’s really hard because you can’t take pictures in most of the areas we are cuz of copy right issues and taking pictures of people without their permission (silly America!) But I do have a few of our group and will get more on Sunday (we get to walk to the Temple) I’m so sad but not at the same time! The temple is closed until January so we don’t get to go while we are here but it means we don’t have to be ready to go before 6:30am. I’m so scared to wash and dry my clothes cuz everyone around here keeps saying that if you don’t want to have your stuff shrink don’t dry it! But I need clean clothes so we will see how that goes! I have my travel plans and Sister Boatright is the travel leader and so she tells me I will be second in command (we shall see how well that goes) I finally saw Elder Pronk this morning we went to breakfast later than we normally would because its p-day so we were cleaning our room this morning and while I was eating someone came over and was just standing right by the table not talking so I looked up and there he was!! It was so good to see him we talked about life for a bit and then he went his own way and said hopefully we will see each other again before you leave and be able to get a picture with him and me. I have yet to see Elder Jones the newbie just came in yesterday and neither Elder Wilsher or I have seen him! Last night I got a package slip so I had to go down to the mail room to pick it up and I could not for the life of me figure out who would have sent me a package and when I got there the lady handed me a Krispy Kreme box and that was when I got super confused and then I looked at who it was from...........Sister Jones!!!! So cool. Please tell her thank you very very much and that my district and teachers loved it very much!! Don’t worry I didn’t share them all I had like 4 not at the same time but ummm they were goood! I don't know what else to tell you all but I love you lots and lots and lots!!  Sister Cahoon

Wednesday 11 December 2013

First P-Day

Area: MTC
Companion: Sister Boatright
December 6, 2013



Oh my goodness I don’t even know where to start!! It feels way longer then almost two full days that you guys dropped me off! So for starters I haven’t taken any pictures yet......I know I know. But it’s kinda hard because you aren’t aloud to take your bag to most places except your classroom and the times you do have your bag you’re rather pressed for time but I promise I will get some for you. In my district there are four companionships, 2 elders and 2 sisters. My Companion is Sister Boatright She is from St George UT. Our roommates are Sister Despain and Sister Thurston from Illinois and Alanta. Me and my companion are both head to Virginia as well as another sister and three elders from our zone. And the rest of our zone is headed to salt lake west or south. Which mission is Elder Brooks Serving in? The Elders in my District are Elder Meaker (Washington) Elder Munton (muntin, Riverside Cali) Elder Gladhill (Illinois) And Elder Stevens (I can’t remember right now) I’m the only Canadian in my zones as of Tuesday ...one of our zone leaders Elder Anderson is from Barnwell, Alberta. The Canada jokes didn't start till last night/this morning cuz I said bag and so now Elder Munton and Meaker say it the I do. Also Elder Meaker decided that he was going to call me Sister Calhoon cuz it’s funny and reminds him of the best two years. And not even a day and a half in I have a nickname (aside from Canada and Calhoon) and its district mum! (I don’t tell people what to do I just know where to going and where they put stuff.) Random fun fact out of the 8 people in my district 4 of us are left handed 2 elders and 2 sisters. I've seen both Elder Wilsher and Pronk but I haven’t been close enough to talk to them and haven’t seen them since the first day. Super cool there’s a brother and sister here from England that reported the same day! How cool would that be!! I met an elder from Brisbane AU and his sister is serving in the Calgary mission I don’t remember the last name but I’ll let you know when I remember! It was funny cuz I was talking to the one elder the rest of his district where standing behind him and they are all from either Australia, Fiji (which is where they are headed) or UT and so when I mentioned that I was from Canada they brought out the usual "eh" joke. I just started laughing and then with as much a straight face I could you I said " No...not where I'm from." and then the missionary who said it kind a looked sorry and asked if it wasn’t funny and I replied laughing that no it was funny it’s just not something you say in Western Canada its more eastern that says that. I do have to say that people teasing you cuz your Canadian is so much better with an accent (I've had a few similar experiences to this one with different elders from all over the world.) Mum have you ordered my ring? How did the kids take me leaving? any ideas of how I can sleep better I’m having a bit of trouble with that! I got to see one of the elders from the District videos he works here on campus now. I feel like there is so much to tell you (which there is but it’s all stuff that is really hard to put in words for me) I love you all very much I hope you have had an amazing rest of the week. 
Stay sweet 
Sister Cahoon

p.s. I'm a STL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!