6-15-15

Welllp, looks like I'm sticking to the south here for the winter. Mission Peru Trujillo South! Transfers came and went, and nothing really happened. I'm still with my companion Elder Lloyd, and by the end of this transfer we'll have been companions for 6 months! And then he'll end his mission there. How crazy time flies.

This week was just chalked full of some happy times we had here in our area. The temple still proves to be doing miracles for us. We discovered a really inactive lady, named Yolanda who was baptized about 10 years ago and decided to go to the temple a few weeks back. We found her in house, and her entire family! We talked to her about her desires, and she firmly declared to us that, "I feel it is time to come back to the church." Me and my companion left her house jumping for joy, so pumped for her righteous decision. And she kept her promise, she came to church yesterday with her entire family. Her daughters are talking to her about baptism now, so we are going to have some full chamba to do this last transfer here with Elder Lloyd. We are stoked. To see that miracle unwrap, when we really needed it the most, built my testimony that the Lord truly is preparing people for us, always, even in the smallest areas. 

Rafael is always progressing, and we are focused on the 4th of July to be his baptism. True American. Freedom!!!! Spiritual freedom that is. He told us a little about his life of crime that he lived before he went to prison, which was quite the shocker to us. I'm not gonna say much about that, just to not scare my mom, but his gang name used to be, "the horse." He is so sick and so prepared! 

Things are off the charts down here, so many elders are going home after their 2 years, the mission is splitting, new mission president. I'm going to miss all these friends I've made but I'm also really excited to keep going on. Just trying to take it all in before my time is done too! pucha. 

I love you all, thanks for all your encouragement and letters. they are the best. 

love,

Elder Caldwell

pics: me with my zone leader who's leaving the mish, elder winterton.

we held a cute little baptism for an 8 year this week too, she was super excited to have my comp baptize her. Her name is Genesis.

6-8-15

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust.

This week we held Ruth's Baptism! It was beautiful. We worked hard to have her prepared and it was gratifying to watch as her adopted father, Segundo baptize her. haha, she had to be baptized 5 times over, the water was a little low, but she didn't seem to care as she was just beaming and crying as everyone rushed over to hug and congratulate her after she changed her clothes. She has amazing support in the home and the ward. It was amazing to see the response of the ward, as some of the members spoke at her baptism, about how much baptism has changed their lives. That is exactly what she needed to hear, because that was one of the first things she told us when she was first meeting with us, "I just want to change how I live, and forget the past." 

This past week I had the privelige to see many spiritual giants as well. I went on a work change with Elder Going here in my district (found out he is related to Sid Going, a rugby legend), as we were walking and teaching around in his area, we decided to go visit a member to ask for a reference. We climbed up to a second story and entered kind of a poor scence, with the floors dirty and many animals in the room. But as I looked on I saw something that lit up the room. A middle aged woman was sitting at a desk, reading and marking the book of mormon. We talked with her, and she told us of how she had just sent one of her sons on a mission a month ago. She cried to us as she recounted to us the many blessings she has recieved from his service, and how grateful she was for the gospel. Just listening to her strengthened our testimonies.

We also worked with the man we are focusing a lot on, Rafael. He is the best, and also a spiritual giant in my eyes. We walked back on a dirt roady to his sort of shabby hut, to see another scene that made me happy. Him reading the book of mormon while he lied on his bed. Sometimes people in the poorer circumstances, spiritually and or physically are so much closer to God.

I love you all, gotta head now but hope the week is a good one. 

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

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