Monday, February 23, 2015 9:41 AM

Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 9:41 AM
Subject: fomentar la gente

"On yet another occasion we visited a home where two little girls were sent to meet us at the door by their alcoholic parents. The little girls said through the screen door that their mother and father were asleep. The bishop kept talking to them, smiling and praising their goodness and thier bravery, for what seemed to me 10 minutes or more. As I walked away at his side, he said quietly, "that was a good visit. those little girls will never forget that we came."" - henry b eyring. I love how he describes his stories... this one shows that even small acts of kindness could impact a person, and it encourages me to look for opportunities to show kindess.

we had some cool experiences this week, I had a good time. We found a new investigator who is a dream, this 60 year old short peruvian with thick glasses, who teaches guitar! His name is carlos carranza, and hes excited for his upcoming baptism, and to sit next to us in church. we really focused on inviting people to a baptismal date this week,as we had found a ton of new investigators last week, and this week. in one case we came to a house of a new investigator, and their whole family was there. We taught a whopping 12 people the restoration in that house, it was great, and we invited them all to baptism! They said, claro, which means clearly in english but that usually means probably not in peruano. so we still have a lot to work on! thats life. 

our pensionista, mama lily is a great woman who enjoys cooking french toast and macaroni and cheese. I just want to give her a giant bear hug when she makes us that kind of stuff but I am not allowed hahah. also this week, our bishop, who is japanese, speaks english, spanish, and english fluently had his whole family come over from all over the world, japan and utah ahaha, I got to talk to some of his family in english and it was very trippy to see a normal utah dad here talking straight gringo. 

Also some very good news, one of the investigator women we are focusing on, esther, came to church yesterday for all 3 hours! if she keeps it up, shell be baptized at the end of march. her boy felix is going to be baptized this3rd of march si or si! Im super stoked to see all these progress, they are all so prepared and its a big blessing. 

I love you all, all is well, and if you can, please keep my mom in your prayers as she is going to have surgery soon. spanks 

love,

elder caldwell

1.motorcycle, a dream

2.dream meal

3.a family from otuzco

Monday, February 16, 2015 9:41 AM

Sent: Monday, February 16, 2015 9:41 AM
Subject: hello intendencia

howdy dowdy,

this week was a killer! in a very good sense. The day before I was supposed to take a huge trip down to Huarmey, I got a call from an assistant to the President, where he told me that Pres. Marler felt differently about my change and told me that instead I was going to Trujillo! I'm in the straight heart of this giant city right now, in the smallest area in the mission called Intendencia. I love it so much already, all the members here in the ward are stellar and love to come out with us to lessons and contribute to the work of salvation. 

My new comp is a gringo! Hallelujah to keep sane, annnd amen to my spanish skills. Haha jokes jokes, We keep a rule to speak spanish in the streets. His name is Elder Lloyd from none other than great old Salt Lake City, Utah hahahaha. He's one of the hardest working missionaries I've seen and he's teaching me a ton everyday. It's a weird transition from going to mountain dwelling with a small branch to the heart of a city with a very strong ward. We tear it up everyday, I've never worked or sweated harder in my life which is a huge blessing. I'm loving life! 

Ademas, we got some great investigators. Hermana Esther and her son Felix are the best, and a huge focus for our last week. We have felix commited to be baptized this 3rd of march where without a doubt he'll be baptized, he reads the good word everyday and is super smart. Esther we're still working on, she has to leave after the first hour of church to tend to her mom but with our great ward we're trying to organized something out. I'm excited to keep working with them and a bunch of other new investigators we found this week yo.

When I first moved into the area we had the worst room in the mission, our roof was literally falling down but we moved just this week! and scored the sickest room ive seen here! an apartment with 4 rooms and its spick and span. it is good in the hood.

Something funny that happened this week was this morning, we woke up at 5 to go play soccer and as we were getting ready to go play, we heard a honk outside. I looked out the window to see a huge moving van that had plastered on it windshield "SUD" which means Santo de los Ultimos Dias, or in english LDS. We go outside and the guy driving was like, "get in the back!" we opened it up to see a bunch of peruvian dudes all ready to go play soccer. I felt like a hispanic crossing the border whenI got in hahaha. we got in an were driven to a soccer field and played with our zone and a bunch of these peruvian dudes. It was great.

Welllll I love you all and ill talk to you next week! peaceee. 

love, elder caldwell.

some pictures!

1.elder lloyd and I in our new apartment.

all the others, left over pictures of otuzco

2-9-2015

Buenas my good friends and family!

Changes are in... and... I'm leaving this beloved area of Otuzco! This
was a great last week here in the mountains, and I wouldn't trade the
time I had here for anything! I'm headed to desert city, called land
of the eternal sun hahaha, kinda like arizona. My zone is called Casma
and I'm going to a city called Huarmey! It's like 5 hours away so I'm
in for a long trip. I'm going from one boondock to another, My zone
right now, sierra, is the farthest north and now I'm going the
farthest south, crazy times! I hear we live right next to the beach
and I'm going to room with 2 other elders along with my new companion
from Mexico, Elder Pacheco! I'm excited to get a new comp and learn
new things with him. Overall I'm super pumped about these cambios, but
I'm going to cry like a baby to say goodbye to the members here, this
area is precious to me and so are the people, they're so genuine and
have treated us so good here. Elder Copa and I planted a lot of seeds
here, and are progressing a lot of people, ill be excited to hear what
happens to them. Elder Copa is staying and I have all the confidence
in him that he will do great things and help Josefina and our other
investigators even more.

For an overview of our week real quick, the mission office needed some
documents from a far off little village 2 hours away, so we rode there
to the middle of nowhere, mountains everywhere so beautiful! farmland
dotted the mountains and we were in a town of about 80 people, called
Usquil. I went on full on tourist mode, and took a bunch of pictures,
ill send them when I have faster internet! We also visited Josefina,
and she finally accepted our date of the 28th of febuary for baptism.
I'm trying to send a picture of her! We also visited a lot of bible
nuts who worship on saturdays and were in intense lessons! if you ever
want to know how to defend sunday as the sabbath use acts 20.7. there
you go. it all ended up good and I feel satisfied leaving the area
having done all I tried.

Well other than that load of news, I dont have much else to say... I
have a talk I like to read a lot, its called Sunday Will Come by
Joseph B. Wirthlin, if you find time to read it, do it! Be good love
you all so much!

Elder Caldwell

Monday, February 2, 2015 8:47 AM

Sent: 

Monday, February 2, 2015 8:47 AM
Subject: nifty.

Hello hello!

"We all have the need to know that things will get better... I declare that this precisely is what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, particularly in moments of need. There is help. There is happiness... You keep walking. You keep trying... Some blessings come fast, other come with more time, and others dont come until heaven, but for those that accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, they always come." Jeffrey R. Holland. One of my favorite quotes! 

What in the mundo this week went by crazy fast. I feel like I say that every week, but no joke. Elder Copa and I really worked hard and got some great results. We gained a whopping 8 new investigators here in our little area, something that has completely slapped us in the face, and they are all super great and we are spening a lot more time in homes and less time in the streets, the way it should be!

Our great investigator, Josefina, the one I told you all about last week is still going strong, the best Ive seen out here. Shes 70 years old and reads the book of mormon like a champ. out of 1 week shes already at 1 nephi 18. We have a baptismal date for her this 28th and she is trying very hard to be as prepared as possible! so admirable. 2 days ago we had an appointment with her and as we walked up to her house, her door was open and she was in there reading the book of mormon. one of the happiest moments I felt out here seeing her read, huge blessing to able to teach someone so receptive! 

It was an entertaining week, one of our investigators Bertha invited us to help her with some service one morning and so of course we accepted! We walked out with her to one of her farms way out there at the base of a mountain. We entered a small forest and she put us to work cutting some firewood. It was a dream! We worked for 3 hours alongside her husband, a rugged chacra man who wore a poncho and sombrero. His name was Ramon. We hope and pray that service like that can touch their hearts and that they can progress more!

Next week I found out if Im leaving the beloved area of Otuzco and if I get a new companion. Ive spent 4 months with my homeboy Elder Copa now and Im kind of ready for a change haha. Ive learned a lot from him though. 

Im gonna throw in a lot of pictures because I got good internet today! Love you all muchisimo! Jaime you dont have to forward this email I sent it to everyone! thanks!

Love,

Elder Caldwell

1. "fuerzitas" with my dog Ubaldi. He is ripped.

2.Elder price and I climbed a mountain for last pday again. we discovered perfect camping ground and a donkey.

3.after cleaning the chapel with a bunch of lovely members!