Hello! This week E’Copa and I are trying out big things for the big
year! We have this “eternal investigator” named Nilda who is super
active in the church and is really great, but only hasn’t been
baptized because she isn’t married. We teach her almost everyday
literally, and this week we decided to bite the bullet and arrange a
massive wedding. We invited her and her husband to get married on the
17th and also our gold family, Mirla and Wilder! They both said they
would talk about it and didn’t really commit, so we’re going to just
put all our effort into making that happen and exercise our faith.
We’re hoping for some Milagros here! If any of you can remember, we
would really appreciate prayers in their behalf or just for the work
in general.
Annnnd some huge news about our mission, last week at our Christmas
devotional President Marler announced that our mission is getting
divided! There’s going to be a Trujillo North and Trujillo South
mission in 6 months time. Super crazy, I don’t have any idea where Ill
be put for the last year of my mission, but I’m excited! Reddog and
kevin, if you’re reading this, the Trujillo soth mission is taking
some of lima wests mission, so theres a possible chance I could see
you boys! Also the dedication of our temple here will be a little
before that change, but we don’t know the exact date. Some mind
boggling stuff going on here!
Our zone is getting a lot of changes this week as well. All of the
other americans in my zone got changed to other areas so I’m the only
one here for a little! Haha. But after 2 days we’re getting a fresh
batch of them, and so Elder Jackson my good friend is taking off to
Chimbote! We had some good times and Ill see him back in the 480!!
Other than that, I hope new years is great, we aren’t allowed to buy
fireworks here so I’m just going to admire our Peruvian neighbors
fuegos aritficiales. One of my resolutions is to lose weight. Haha
sike!
Love you all so much!!
Elder Caldwell
ps jaime could you please forward this message to everyone, the
internet right now is no good. muchas gracias!
Elder Caldwell serving in Trujillo, Peru Write to Elder Caldwell at caldwell.james@myldsmail.net
Monday, December 29, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2014 9:01 AM
Subject: MURRY CHRISTMAS
“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” I can just imagine all the good Christmas times going on right now! Love you all, this last week has been really sweet. I got to proselyte with E’Swaney all week in his area of Esperanza, where we just worked hard and had a lot of laughs. We recently started teaching this guy my age named Jorge, who is honestly one of the best investigators I've seen! He has already read 20 chapters of the Book of Mormon, and has a testimony of it - all of that taking place over the week! He was a huge blessing and testimony builder to teach everyday, and he's going to get baptized this week! For that reason it was bittersweet to return to my own area, because I want to see him get baptized so bad!
We also held a christmas concert in downtown trujillo, the plaza of armas! if you look it up on google, you'll see how big it is! we sang a variation of christmas songs as a mission and so many people saw, it was so nice to and the spirit of unity and christmas and happiness was all ova the place. You could probably find a ton about that on the mission blog kurtandkathymarler.blogspot.
I hope you all have the christmas of your dreams and enjoy that hot chocolate from QT! As for me I feel right at home with no snow, haha. Also the lady who lets us live in our apartment has a giant turkey in her attic named junior, when I'm trying to sleep at night I hear him gobble. but I think we're going to eat him.
This picture is with one of my favorite families in the world in area Esperanza, they are the bomb diggity.
PS mom, can you tell bro. schroeder I found Elder and Sister Smith? theyre doing great, and I got a picture with them. I''ll try to send it next week. gracias.
con bastante amor esta navidad,
Elder Caldwell
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
December 15, 2014 4:00 PM
Subject: We skip town
Alooooha,
All is well in good old Trujillo! This week, in Otuzco started the grand fiesta, and we were super freaked out! I looked out of my window the day we left and noticed people crawling on their knees, on all fours, and on their backs! they do this every year to pay their respects the virgin of the door! super crazy. So all four of us elders packed up for the week, and now me and my comp are with the Zone Leaders in an area called Primavera! it's where elder passey is and I see him all the time! Their stake is so great, we had a christmas devotional/concert thing yesterday where I got to relive my taylor junior high choir days once more and sing in a choir. Soooo many people showed up, I felt like I was in America once more in a giant chapel with all these people.
Mainly this week we're just going to be chilling (working really hard) with the zone leaders and I'm excited to learn from their examples. one of them is an elder swaney from California, who went to byu hawaii before his mish and we just talk about surfing and camping! and missionary stuff. While we were running around the city delivering some stuff I saw the beach for the first time in almost 4 months and I wanted to cry haha but I didn't, and got a sweet pic with e' swaney.
I also went to zone conf. in Huamachuco earlier this week which is always great to travel to the land of Lord of the Rings, and learned a lot about the importancy of unity in the work and in the companionship. I am so happy with how my training and companionship has been going with elder Copa, it's been going by way too fast.
Well I love you all so much, and I'm going to throw in a lot of pictures because the internet here is the best thing
ALSO: I accept all christmas gifts. haha kidding, but here is the address to send all things to in my mission because some people were wondering:
MISION PERU TRUJILLO
Av. Larco 849 - 3er piso
Urb. La Merced - Casilla 10
Trujillo
love,
elder caldwell
Monday, December 8, 2014
Date: Mon, Dec 8, 2014 at 8:49 AM Subject: Calm before the fiesta
“wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the
foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that
which is great.” Dc 64.33. this week started off with a multi zone
which helped me a ton with reference to teaching skills, and I got to
hang out with Elder Passey for awhile! I also had the opportunity to
go proselyting with a different Elder for a night in Trujillo. E’
Dority and I contacted the whole night, something I didn’t have too
much experience in over in my area, and boy did he throw me under the
bus haha! But I am thankful he did, it was a huge growing experience
for my courage and confidence, and I was so happy that I could just
communicate with the people and talk to them about the church and this
special time of year. It was super cool, we would just pause in the
street and e’dority would say, “just feel the spirit for a little.
Talk to whoever you feel the spirit directs.” We ended up contacting 6
people, all who wanted to learn more and were so nice. It was so easy
to talk to the people after awhile because the gospel is so natural to
talk about and as e’dority said, “talking about Jesus is fun!” haha,
its true.
I don’t know if I mentioned anything about a golden family we found
awhile back, but wow, they are the best. Wilder, mirla, and their
children eulacy and lionel have such good desires and actually are
reading the book of Mormon and pray as a family. When I hear them talk
about nephi or their prayers, I’ve never been more happy. To see their
progress as a family is a testimony builder for sure. They’re not
married yet, and we have plans to marry them in January and then
baptize them. A huge bummer is that I have a chance to get changed out
of the area after the new year, I never want to leave Otuzco!!
This next week is going to be crazy, we’re going up to huamachuco for
zone conference and then when we return the party starts for the
catholics! We might have to bunker down in our apartment for awhile!
Ill let you know how everything goes. I love you all bastante, and
make sure to watch “he is the gift”!! its powerful. You’ve proabably
all seen it though. Another sweet message is “mountains to climb”
Hasta luego, (internet is terrible again so I cant send pictures)
Elder Caldwell
(mom for whoever didnt get this email in the fam could you send it to
them, I can only enter in a certain amount of people)
foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that
which is great.” Dc 64.33. this week started off with a multi zone
which helped me a ton with reference to teaching skills, and I got to
hang out with Elder Passey for awhile! I also had the opportunity to
go proselyting with a different Elder for a night in Trujillo. E’
Dority and I contacted the whole night, something I didn’t have too
much experience in over in my area, and boy did he throw me under the
bus haha! But I am thankful he did, it was a huge growing experience
for my courage and confidence, and I was so happy that I could just
communicate with the people and talk to them about the church and this
special time of year. It was super cool, we would just pause in the
street and e’dority would say, “just feel the spirit for a little.
Talk to whoever you feel the spirit directs.” We ended up contacting 6
people, all who wanted to learn more and were so nice. It was so easy
to talk to the people after awhile because the gospel is so natural to
talk about and as e’dority said, “talking about Jesus is fun!” haha,
its true.
I don’t know if I mentioned anything about a golden family we found
awhile back, but wow, they are the best. Wilder, mirla, and their
children eulacy and lionel have such good desires and actually are
reading the book of Mormon and pray as a family. When I hear them talk
about nephi or their prayers, I’ve never been more happy. To see their
progress as a family is a testimony builder for sure. They’re not
married yet, and we have plans to marry them in January and then
baptize them. A huge bummer is that I have a chance to get changed out
of the area after the new year, I never want to leave Otuzco!!
This next week is going to be crazy, we’re going up to huamachuco for
zone conference and then when we return the party starts for the
catholics! We might have to bunker down in our apartment for awhile!
Ill let you know how everything goes. I love you all bastante, and
make sure to watch “he is the gift”!! its powerful. You’ve proabably
all seen it though. Another sweet message is “mountains to climb”
Hasta luego, (internet is terrible again so I cant send pictures)
Elder Caldwell
(mom for whoever didnt get this email in the fam could you send it to
them, I can only enter in a certain amount of people)
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2014 11:20 AM
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2014 11:20 AM
Subject: Space Jam
Como lo vaaaa familia y amigos! I´m reporting live this pday from trujillo, we decided to take a daytrip to see the temple and eat mcdonalds haha! It is a dream. It´s finally december which is the hardest month to do work in our Otuzco because all the catholics go bananas and its slightly peligroso! which is a bummer because this week we made a lot of progress with our investigators and less actives, namely a woman named teressa who wants to be baptized and our friend Tomas. soooo entonces we have a lot of dates set up for January! I buzzed my hair really short this week which was a huge mistake haha, everyone in my area thought I was a new elder or from the military hahah. they knew it was me right away though with my super really good spanish skills. sarcasm I hope everyone had a really good and fat thanksgiving though, elder Jackson and I were day dreaming about all the good vibes that goes down this time of year in az. but I am so thankful to be here, to be with my latino companion who loves inka cola to death, eat chicken and rice everyday of my life and to share the message of this gospel and our Savior this time of year. I love you all, wish I had more to talk about but I hope these pictures will be good! con lo mas amor yo puedo describir,
Elder Chase Caldwell
1. my dream van
2. on our way to an appointment
3. from our night making smores
Como lo vaaaa familia y amigos! I´m reporting live this pday from trujillo, we decided to take a daytrip to see the temple and eat mcdonalds haha! It is a dream. It´s finally december which is the hardest month to do work in our Otuzco because all the catholics go bananas and its slightly peligroso! which is a bummer because this week we made a lot of progress with our investigators and less actives, namely a woman named teressa who wants to be baptized and our friend Tomas. soooo entonces we have a lot of dates set up for January! I buzzed my hair really short this week which was a huge mistake haha, everyone in my area thought I was a new elder or from the military hahah. they knew it was me right away though with my super really good spanish skills. sarcasm I hope everyone had a really good and fat thanksgiving though, elder Jackson and I were day dreaming about all the good vibes that goes down this time of year in az. but I am so thankful to be here, to be with my latino companion who loves inka cola to death, eat chicken and rice everyday of my life and to share the message of this gospel and our Savior this time of year. I love you all, wish I had more to talk about but I hope these pictures will be good! con lo mas amor yo puedo describir,
Elder Chase Caldwell
1. my dream van
2. on our way to an appointment
3. from our night making smores
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)