6/1/15

que tal mis amigos. 

I miss you guys, hope all is well in the big blue sky state of AZ, and other parts of the world. this week we finished up the open house of the beautiful temple here, and the miracles keep flowing. we are recieving stacks of references to go contact from it, and the people we took and the people who went on their own are just ahead of the game. they all know what the feeling of the spirit is now, a huge advantage. love the spirit.

a blessing my companion got, was this week he was kissed on the cheek by an 80 year old woman named beatrice who we contacted on a busy street. hahaha sorry elder lloyd. 

we were able to have an investigator we've been helping out, Ruth, have her baptismal interview. She passed! and will be baptized this saturday, fingers crossed. We have a good long week to help her prepare. she's 13 and apart of a recently reactivated family, shes adopted. she's had a hard life, and still continues to have hard times adjusting to everything new that's going on in her life. being more determined to follow Christ through baptism is going to help her out big time, especially as she has some good strong parents and grows in the gospel. the gospel straightens out all the kinks.

our ward here is pretty great. We all headed to the temple as a ward, and some brought their friends who aren't members. the temple was pacccckkked, over all 80 thousand people came, which is a bunch! didnt dream of that number. thats 80 thousand people exposed to the spirit of the Lord. woof.

Well, we are winding down here with the transfer. big changes are going to happen I feel, so we'll see what happens. for now we're just going to bear down and do out best and finish strong. the dedication and the mission split is coming up! 

Also I'm sad about Elder Perry. but I bet he's pretty happy in heaven. so its all good

keep the week good, and keep God in your life!

love, 

Elder Caldwell

5-25

"No tenemos que clamar a El con muchas palabras; no tenemos que incomodarlo con largas oraciones. Lo que si necesitamos, y debemos hacer como Santos de los Ultimos Dias, para nuestro propio bien, es ir ante El a menudo, testificarle que nos acordamos de El y de que estamos dispuestos a tomar Su nombre sobre nosotros, guardar Sus mandamientos, actuar con rectitud, y que deseamos tener Su Espiritu para que nos ayude." - Jospeh F. Smith. Translate it!

Hello!

This week I have a lot to write about, which means a lot of good stuff happened. It was a marvel to have another week of the temple, taking 4 other sets of people to the open doors and to enjoy the abundance of the Spirit in full.

The weather was nice as well, which was a nice compliment to the vibe of the week. Overcast all week. We were able to wear sweaters too, the temperature has dropped a bunch since I arrived here in the city. Miss that Otuzco sweater weather siempre. 

So many updates on the people we teach, due to the temple. I've mentioned before Andrea, the single mother investigator who once randomly hid away from us and declined to answer our calls after. I was thinking about the Savior and his ministry, especially in Luke 15 when we was eating and spending time with sinners, people who we feel maybe didn't really deserve His attention. I felt the impression to back to Andrea, go back to a person who we felt kind of negatively about after the incident. We arrived at her house and found her, and invited her to come to the temple with us. She accepted, and we went 2 days later. Out of all the people we took this week, she got the most out of it. Every room she entered with her daughter (usually rambunctious) she was gaping and you could tell she was feeling the Spirit. We talked to her outside and told us over and over, how incredible it was. It was a joy to see an impression of the Spirit be fulfilled right before our eyes. We are back to visiting with her, and she has renewed desires to do everything to return back to the House of the Lord.

Esther has a calling now, helping primary children as well, something that will help her as she faces opposition every day in contrast to her recent decision to be a member of the Church. Segundo, the man we re-activated bore his testimony to us in the dirt floor hut of his brother, Rafael, who just was released from prison and is looking to change his ways and be closer to God. We are happy to teach right beside his now melchizidek Priesthood holding brother who holds the gospel dear to his heart. 

We are seeing many of the fruits, and it feels like the time of ours lives right now, we have a dozen references due to the temple, opening doors and hearts that were closed before. We have just 3 weeks left of this transfer, and we are doing everything we can. I'll be super sad if I leave next transfer with all this goodness coming our way, but also happy for my comp and the other elder who would reap all this. Miracles!

5-18

things to do to avoid food poisoning in Peru: 

1.dont eat ramen noodles, and then drink cold milk.

2.dont eat greasy chicken with mayonaise.

My dear loved ones,

aso macho this week was a delight my friends. I wish you could come join in in the temple celebration. We went ham this week for the 2nd week of the open house, and took many of our beloved investigators, and less actives. 

The first trip we went with a girl named Estefany who is less active because her family won't let her go to church anymore, because they oppose it. She is waiting til she can move it and get a job or other study opportunities to be able to return to church completely. she felt a reinforcement of that desire as went on Tuesday. She told us that she wanted to feel that same feeling she felt in the celestial room forever, a feeling she couldnt truly describe. We told her she could, that that was the goal, and that she wouldn't have to worry but soon things would change for her. It is a place of hope.

The next trip, we went with a man who we have reactived recently. His name is Segundo, and the rest of his family are still kind of less active. To see him share this joy with them, and for them to feel something as well, was amazing. They now have more desires to read the book of mormon together and all came to church yesterday, just in time for their dad to recieve the melchizidek priesthood. After all this time, I realize this is what real mission work is, based around the temple, and that every family can one day achieve this dream and promise of an eternal family. It is a place of promise. 

some funny points of this week. as we were walking to the little house of our man, Miguel, we discovered him sitting in his taxi cab. As we came closer, we recognized the voice of Michael Jackson. Miguel was jamming out to Billy Jean. hay esta. also another investigator gave us an avocado the size of my head. we ate it.

love you guys, keep the week good and read your scrips and stuff why dont ya.

Elder Caldwell 

5-11

"And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? 

And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son." - 2 ne. 31:10-11

I was just reading this verse this morning and just truly enjoying the simplicity of the scriptures. They're so logical, and I'm going to be sharing this with some investigators here, that we just need to be active in our faith, keep the commandments, be baptized and stay firm to truly follow Christ. Just some thoughts of mine!

This week was truly gold however, it was definitely an up on the rollercoaster of the mission in contra to being on the down slope for awhile with the work going. We found a new additional cast member of the show The Jersey Shore (with reference to his hair), hahaha, and he is one of the best investigators. I wish I had a picture, but you'll have to imagine him. He's 20, named Miguel, and is a taxista who is saving up to go learn english and work for a cruiseship and travel the world. He has high interests in getting baptized, and reading the book of mormon, it's just hard for him to find time. We're going to be taking him to the temple open house right here after internet and indulge in the spirit with him for a time, and it is an experience we've been waiting for for awhile. I'll let you guys know how that goes!

Speaking of the temple, wow, as a missionary, it's just like an automatic spirit factory that we just take whoever in and they will definitely, no definitely feel the spirit. We've gone twice now, with some of our converts and their friends, and they are now taking the lessons from us with high interest and having felt the spirit in abundance. Having a temple in the mission is just sublime. It feels like cheating haha. 

I hope the week is great, take some time to maybe go to the temple and just sit there and contemplate. It's a wonderful thing our Father has given us, and a great place to make goals to become a better person and covenant keeper. Much love from your boy down here in Peru!
Elder Caldwell.

4-4-15

howdy hey family and friends,

"If you look forward with hope and desire to do that which the Lord would have you do - that is all that is expected." - Boyd K. Packer.

this week was swell. we did much work with recent converts and less actives here in the good area of Intendencia, like a lot a lot. It was nice to be able to visit them and see how they're doing, try to keep them strong in the gospel, especially the less actives. We are teaching a youngster named Luigi, he's a kid we are trying to reactive recently. We met him just the other day, and to break the ice before we started teaching I just casually said, "so how's your girlfriend??" he got super embarassed and just got super awkward and my companion couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't figure out why, until when we were done with the lesson, and my companion said to me, "didn't you see the massive hickey on his neck?" ohh.... well, guess that will be something good to teach about in the future.

Well, changes came and went and I'll be staying here in this ward with good old Elder Lloyd, we'll end up having 4 months together haha, that is bastante tiempo. but it's all good though because we are good friends and we do good work here, so I'm excited for the next month and a half! 

We also were able to have interviews with president, which are always nice, and to enjoy the mission home for a second. Sister Marler gave each of us a Book of Mormon in English and a challenge, to mark each time anything is mentioned about God, or Christ, or the Spirit and the Book of Mormon. It has been a testimony builder, and just really refreshing to see how often it talks about them in almost every verse. I've been able to reflect on how I teach out here, and I have been able to say more and more about Christ, and the Spirit, and God and testify of them every chance I can. I love it.

This week starts the open doors for the temple!! It's going to be really the bomb diggity to be able to go everyday this month! have a great week and I'll let you all know how it goes in the temple next week. Have a good one, and tell your mommas to have a good day on Sundayaiight.

Love, Elder Caldwell

4-27

I blink and it's pday again. It's been a fun week, we did lots and lots and talked about the temple til the cows came home.

I'm trying to soak up this great time that is just leaving my hands like sand! My companion, Elder Lloyd will probably leaving after this week, so who knows what kind of new things, adventures are coming my way here in Trujillo. It looks like I'm going to be staying in the Trujillo South Mission, but, we'll see!

As I said earlier, this week has been all about the Temple of Trujillo. We have been having tons of Family Nights with members in our ward with their friends, neighbors and relatives. All we do is talk about the temple and schedule a day to go with them together to the open doors. Next month is going to be a ride literally, we'll be riding in a bus to the temple every day!! A specific dude we taught one quiet night, was hermano Juan. He's an artist, and super sophisticated. I drew the little knowledge I remembered from taking my Art History class and talked about Picasso and stuff hahaha, it was funny. He is super active in his church, and when we started talking about eternal families and being sealed, he said, "doesnt the person who does that ordinance have to be authorized by like the prophet or an apostle or something??" I just looked at my companion, and we were both thinking... most sophisticated investigator in the world!! he's great, hope to see more of him soon.

We also went on one of the busiest streets here in our area, called Avenida Espana and just passed out invitations for the temple, experiencing like 100 rejections and maybe 10 people who really were looking forward to come and were receptive. I enjoyed it though, it was funny being rejected and finding those little diamonds in the rough as well, those people who our Father in Heaven had prepared.

Well, thats about it for this week, just templos templos templos no mas, pero, I miss you all. A drunk dude fake pick-pocketed me this week, just put his hand in my pocket as I was knocking on a door. I turned around to look at him and he just laughed and walked away. I love Peru.

con amor,

Elder caldwell

ps. some good pictures this week. found my trainer, Elder Copa on the streets last pday! Burned my way over due 6 month tie (some kinda tradition in this mission) and one of the members in our ward made a photoshop for us that says, EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY. its classic.

4-20

Love you mom! and dad, and everyone!

this week was maravilloso. some ups and downs, but we keep going. We realized quickly this week that some answers to prayers were right in front of our face the whole time. We are back to square 1 with all of our investigators, we got a clean slate, but we realized that a member had been bringing one of her friends to church for awhile now, and we were able to teach her all week! Her name is Rut, supposed to be like Ruth, haha, but its been great. Her mother had passed away recently and so we immediately taught her that she could see her mom again and all the good stuff shes doing right now would make her mom happy. We asked her to pray at the end, and she just let everything go. we were all crying at the end, it was a powerful prayer.

also, a little update on some of our converts, esther and felix! They are doing super well, Felix has the priesthood now as a teacher, passes the sacrament every week and yesterday we helped him work on HIS DUTY TO GOD. He is so solid already working on that!!! Esther is doing well as well, coming to church every sunday and paying her tithing. I love seeing how sweet the fruits of the gospel are. 

I learned to take everything from a different perspective this week, some weird things happened. One of our investigators, andrea, totally hid from us after we knocked on the door, seeing her in plain sight and wont answer our calls. All we can do is hope that one day the missionaries can go back one day and that seed that mightve been planted can grow. Also, we met this random man from Lima who had met with  the Elders over there. He is super stoked to see us and talk to us and is a major blessing. Perhaps the Elders over in Lima thought they had lost some investigator by moving to Trujillo, but little do we sometimes know that God really has planned everything out, to give chances to everyone again and again.

a funny story for this week was that we were in a meeting with our ward mission leader, and his dad came up to us and was like "hey guys! ive been thinking, can you print me up a map of the area, I'mma go get you guys some investigators and go knocking on some doors!!!!" hahaha, well sure why not. excited to see what he comes up with.

Well, I love you all! we took a sweet trip to the almost done Trujillo temple last pday! enjoy the pictures!

Elder Caldwell