10-18-15

my dear family! 

I want to share a great quote with you all that I heard in Conference.  “I have learned that where there is a prayerful heart, a hungering after righteousness, a forsaking of sins, and obedience to the commandments of God, the Lord pours out more and more light until there is finally power to pierce the heavenly veil. ... A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord’s face and know that he is.”

it gives me hope that as long as we are always striving to do out best, to do whats right, we will be rewarded, in that in fact we are indeed righteous. we dont have to be perfect. 

I needed that quote this week, and it was interesting how the Lord gave me the boost I needed in especial. This week as we did our responsibilities here trying to keep the mission running, I tried to do my duties as quickly as I could so that I could get out into the field faster. It is amazing that the Lord truly guides our paths sometimes.

 A great experience happened as we entered into a pretty ghetto, unpaved road neighborhood and walked around. Every where we had planned had failed as sometimes it does, and so with not much else I just kinda paused on a corner and waited and prayed until I recieved even just a small prompting to go so somewhere. it soon came as I looked at a small, neat, blue house that stood out from the rest. the number on the house said 258 faded out. I didnt expect much, but I knew someone was there because the light was on. A man with curly hair immediately answered, confused and gazing at us with a saxophone in hand. "Ah sweet! are you part of a band?" I asked him. he said yeah, actually. Then the usual, what are you doing here? I would be pretty weirded out too if someone tried to cut my music jamming sesh. We said something not too impresionante it seemed at the time, but he seemed impressed so he let us in. He inquired us of our weird church name, about saints and the last days. We started a prayer and got into what was an extremely natural, inspired lesson. My companion and I, elder Talbot bore out testimony, something that we cherish now as our time gets cut some days. He smiled at us. That clicked inside of me. It had felt like that was the first time in my entire year when I had seen someone smile at us here in a lesson. It was a great genuine smile, and I knew he had felt the spirit that night. Unfortunately for our friend Francisco and us, he told us that he plays in a travelling band and was going to go play in a grand fiesta in the mountains. We are still are going to try to stay in touch with him, and we hope we prays about the Restoration. 

sometimes we have a little more than free time in the office and I try to get done as quickly with what I have to do, and start studying or take someone out with me to go into the field. This week I got a little permission to look at my family history, and I read a story that impacted me. It was also an experience with the spirit. It is about one of my ancestors, Lars Wilhelm Hendrikson (sweet name.) this is what he said in his journal: I was born at Wingaker, Sweden Duly 19, 1861 to Hendrik Person and Dohanna Larson. My father died when I was 6. My mother auctioned off most of her belongings to get some money but the auctioneer failed in his business and she lost it all. She milked cows and cared for chickens and sheep end I helped her at these and other Jobs. At 13 I hired out to the druggist from whom we rented the farm. My mother was ill and bedfast and he turned her and my brother over to the poor farm when they couldn't pay the rent - however my uncle took them home to live with him. It entered my mind that I should emigrate to America, it must have been the Spirit of the Lord because I couldn't shake off the desire. My mother felt badly but said "Where can you get the money to go?" My uncle borrowed it and in April of 1881 I went by ship and then overland to Missouri, on to Iowa where I worked on a gravel train to pay back the money I had borrowed to come.

Because he had felt that desire, that impression to go to America, he later met some Mormon pals and joined with the church, and served 3 missions. The smallest naggings sometimes, the smallest whatevers, or impressions, can mean a whole lot to someone else, or to us. In the case of Lars, it was both. That story really hit home with me and Im sorry if I bored any of you with my letter today.

We also travelled to a place called Chimbote this week about 2 hours away from Trujillo to give a small training. Along the way we found a great sunset.

love you all very much. do good stuff.

elder caldwell.

10-10-15

hello!

This week was one of reflection for me. My new responsibilites are mainly just to help other missionaries, and we had a crazy week moving other missionaries around and tending to their needs as they changed areas and such. So, some of my time proselyting normally was cut short as we were so busy. I realized I needed to be a missionary in every moment.

I began to open my mouth more, especially to those who drive taxis. Even if I can't successfully sit down with them and have a prayer, I explained and "proclaimed" as much of the Restoration I could. It was a joy, and I met many friends in the process. I especially remember a taxi man named Carlos. He was bald and had a sweet goatee. He was a quiet man but I got him to open up a little to me. He explained to me some of his beliefs, and I shared my ever deepening testimony of the everlasting love our Savior, and our Heavenly Father has for us. He agreed and I explained to him a little about how even loves us so much, that he gave us another book of scripture. He told me he knew of the Book of Mormon. I was so excited. After a year in the mission, you learn to be direct and bold if you want results. I asked him straight up, "so now that you know so much about this book, will you promise me to really read about it and pray about it?" He said yes. I pray he does. I know it will change Carlos' life. I love this gospel, and the ability to share it so simply. I don't want my time to end.

"O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him." - Mormon 9.27

If you all watched conference real well, you might remember the talk about Ponderizing. I love it, this scripture is the one I'm pondering over. I love the fact that we are in charge of our own salvation at the end of it all, no one else. Not satan, not any bad people who have done us wrong, just us. We decide to repent and change our ways. We have that power. I'm learning to come unto Him ever more in my prayers as I try to ponder before I pray and really do it with all of my power. It is hard work. But boy its cool.

I wish I had more experiences to share with you all. This week sums up to be busy but at the same time peaceful. With this gospel that is possible. In times of just complete disaster or comodity, we can still find the peace we ever so need with a simple prayer. Keep going on you guys. Just be a good person. 

Elder Caldwell.

10-3-15

hello family. merry christmas

the boys and us from the office couldn{t sleep last night we were so giddy about conference. its honestly like christmas for us. I look back on 2 years back and think of myself asleep on the couch while conference was going. what was I doing!

new apostles! I love this church.

This has been the weirdest week of my mission. We are constantly busy here in the office, always trying to figure out how to run the mission and do everything as fast as possible so that we can leave and go proselyting. I love time out in the field, it is so refreshing and I feel newly reinvigorated every time I go out. I try to do everything as simply as I can and I love it so much, simple is the best. DIeter F. Uchtdorf emphasized that in his talk as well which I loved.

time is a gift. we went out one night and we visited a man named Joel. We had no plans for the night so we honestly had no idea what we were going to do as we entered the field after leaving the office. We got out there and walked the street not 3 minutes when an active member from out ward approached us. He gave us a reference right then and there and we went and the man was there. We taught him and his son and it was one of the most spiritual lessons of my life. It was super ordinary, but everything felt so right. It was just pure gospel. We shared a scripture from first nephi 2 verses 2 though 4 about having faith and doing the un ordinary like reading, praying everyday and going to church every sunday. the man used to be a less active before and he responded so positivley. the Lord provides. 

We're just doing our best out here. Before we started watching Christmas today we had district meeting and I got our district together, which is comprised of also the assistants to the president (super powerful guys) and we got into a circle, and no one in specific was teaching, we just shot out our spiritual thoughts and impressions based about one theme, about the Holy Ghost. I love teaching like that and in the Lords way. it is so beautiful. 

Im so thankful for every minute, and thankful for the chamba. I hope you are all doing great. keep paying your tithing. I see the benefits of it how here in the office now. we are so blessed and so organized. so great. 

paz a todos ustedes. 

Elder Caldwell

9-26-15

mis queridos,

welp my life got flipped upside down here in the mission.

let me get started, from the beginning.

like I told you guys last week, I was closing down the work here in beloved Yungay, sadly, and we had a bunch of big plans to go tell everyone in the pueblo about the church in Yungay and make invitations and everything. we told all the members, and of course they were super depressed, as were we. a few tears were shed but I know that this is the will of God for right now and its in His hands, what else can we do.

each friday in Yungay we had a little activity night like family home evening in which we invite everyone to come down to a house and hear a little message from us, play some games and drink some inka kola with the fam. we were planning out with my companion, and we felt impressed to use a video called "the will of God" its a mormon message from my man D. Todd Christofferson, one of my favorites. I had watched it before the mission but I could never really relate to it like I can now. 

this is the video: its about Hugh B. Brown, a general authority from back in the day who bought an old farm in Canada. as he was going around fixing some things, he found a large fruit bush thing that wasnt producing any fruit, so he decided to cut it down to a very small size. on the tips of the cut branches he saw what was sap, that looked like tears to him. the bush seemed to say, "how could you do this to me?" In response, he said, "Im the gardener here. I know what you are to become." the fruit bush eventually began to grow, and grow with fruit. It then says another experience of brother brown that reminded him that God is the gardener in our lives, that he is in charge and that he will cut us down sometimes so we can grow.

The Lord definitely decided to cut us down here in Yungay, the members the most. It was so that they can grow in their faith, to keep moving on even without the support of the missionaries. we showed the video to our small band of faithful members and investigators, and they were crying. It was hard not to, with the weight of what was about to happen over our heads. 

an hour before we had our little activity night I got a call from the mission President asking me to be a new secretary in the office here in the mission. I was super blindsided, and I thought of the video, right when Im just learning how to enjoy my calling as district leader and my time in Yungay, "how could you do this to me?" but I know that this is His will, that Im supposed to be here right now. Ill be cut down, and I will eventually grow. that is the process in life. we need to choose to grow. 

so im here back in trujillo in the office right now writing you guys. my new pday will be on saturday, as long as im here so keep that in mind!! life is crazy. im already learning so much. I love my time out here. Im so excited to work alongside President Rios and learn from him daily. im going to be humbled greatly.

love you all so much!! hope the week is a good one, I got a lot of pictures for you today!

9-22-15

wow what a heavenly day. another day in the temple, what a relief from the work we have been doing. its such a lift take awayer that temple.

as I sat in the temple today contemplating what I was learning, I learned that everything in the temple, has to do with change. (when those who are not endowed are endowed, you will understand better) and our lives are just full of change 24.7. speaking of change, wow so much happened this week it has been one of the craziest and busiest weeks of my short life.

we first recieved our president of the mission, pres. rios and his assistants and we recieved a training that we desperately needed out here in the mountains. we feel better equiped now to tackle these areas we have. we then had stake conference which blew everyone out of the water, then I got robbed (not by gunpoint, sadly.), then we went to the temple. boy! president told me in an interview, that a big change will be happening though.

I'm going to be closing the area of Yungay.

its filled me with a lot of sadness, Ive only been here but a short time and now I have to leave this place in 2 weeks. but it is also a great change for the members, as they are going to have a family group to have their meetings in Yungay itself, not an inconvenient 30 minutes away. its going to crush some members here who we have helped and shared a lot of time with, but thats how it is. change is progression. I learned that when we sin too, or make a mistake, that is to make us progress not get stuck in a rut. 

more than ever in my mission this is the time where I need to forget myself and go to work. I have a chamba to do before we close this area. it is a little daunting to think that are time here is numbered, like what is the point but that is not our objective. we are to do all we can. I pray me and my companion can do that. 

theres not much more to say this week. I bought a new hardcover of the book of mormon in spanish to read today and I cant wait to restart the book of mormon and participate in that spirit. 

Im enchanted by the people here. Ive never seen a people have a more harder life, more weird life to me, they are like aliens but it has enriched my life bastante. It is a journey everyday to be able to embark into their farms, speak quechua to them, have them laugh at me for a second and then bear my testimony to them about the book of mormon out there in the bloody middle of nowhere. we hear cows moo everymorning as we wake up. i will miss it.

but I love you all, this week should be a good one, pray like crazy.

SORRY NO PICTURES FORGOT MY CAMERA.

elder caldwell

9/14/15

friendskis and famski,

sad and happy to say that the intensity of my prayers have increased while ive been in this area. sad that they werent like they should of been, and happy that I have been able to truly express myself in prayers now, and see the results and answers.

so much stuff happened this week, ah. my head is spinning. time is just slipping through my fingers like sand. 

this week I took a little trip to the pueblo of Carhuaz, to have a work visit with an elder who is feeling a little more than discouraged about his area right now. My purpose was to help encourage him a little and work out some kinks. Midday working with him, we still hadnt found anyone to teach. I was trying everything I knew to find someone and help out this elder. That whole day we only found 2 people who would let us in, and at the end I was feeling a little discouraged myself. the scripture came to mind from somewhere in Moroni, "have miracles ceased?". I shared that with him, and told him that miracles can still happen here, keep working and doing everything you can. a day later I recieved the call that a couple they had been teaching for some time decided to get married and baptized this month, in 2 weeks. I know prayers are answered, miracles pass, and I pray that that elder can keep chugging along.

when I first got here to Yungay, I would try to say hello to everyone walking by, and haha no one would ever respond. but as I prayed and my companion prayed to have the peoples hearts softened, people have started saying hi back. and not only that, but they have let us into their homes. We have found a wonderful new family of four, just sitting on the street. We felt the impression to go talk to them, and wow I was blown away by their humbleness. they immediately accepted us, and they are now reading and praying as a family. the father of the home, Gilbert, we invited to kneel and pray with us on their dirt floor and he was near tears. they came to church yesterday, just after one lesson with them. that never happens!!! im sending a picture I took with them. they are beautiful and so prepared by the Lord!

what a great week! next week we are going to the temple again so I wont write until tuesday, but i am trying to embrace myself for another spiritual experience haha. thanks for everything, love you all too much! miss you!

CON MI AMOR,

Elder Caldwell.

9-7-15

This morning as we studied, some Jehova Witnesses knocked on our door. I opened up the door and started talking to them in english. they got real scared and took off. hahaha.

we are currently teaching the governor and mayor of our little town out here. its wild.

"and it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters. and it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land." ether 6.7 and 8

I know that challenges are here for a reason. that when we are covered with them, like the waters, we can cry unto the Lord. He will send to us tender mercies. In the end, the wind, our trials, are for our good and will send us to our promised land.

This has been a challenging weekof my mission. Ive learned much. A thought occured to me the other night as we walked around, searching for more people to teach under the very starry sky and the snow capped mountains(dream). In my last area, we strived to have great numbers and achieve many baptisms. That is a great thing to have, and we accomplished much. I feel the Lord has sent me to a very remote, different area to realize, that that is not all that matters. What matters is what happens after this life. How can we impact people for the eternity? We will see the people whom we have loved, in the mission or in life in general, whether they be members or nonmembers, people who we have taught, or people who have rejected and hated us. There is still so muuch hope for these people, other chances to accept, change, and live the gospel. I cant wait to see these people perhaps in the Spirit World. Id imagine theyd say something like "thanks for trying when you were a missionary, even if you didnt see me get baptized, you still helped in my conversion." or maybe, "im sorry I rejected you and your companion at first. but the testimony you bore at my door, I remember perfectly here in the spirit world. it helped me make the decision to accept the baptism one of my descendants did for me." and then i would say, "thank you for enriching and blessing my life, because of your mark on it, Im eternally happy and blessed." Ilove this thought, because it shows to me out here that we are working for eternity, not just the now. We will see these people again. How lovely.

the gospel is the best. we are seeing a little progress here and there, and I enjoy watching it. We recently had the opportunity to visit a 75 year old man. His name is Antogenes. He has only been a member for 3 years here, and has become very ill and is dying. we take the sacrament to him each week. He can hardly walk, but somehow he always makes it downstairs just to wait for us to come with his bread and water. You should see him partake of these ordinances. it is sacred to him, as it should be for all of us. He has impacted me forever. we talk a little bit of spanish and then I try my hand at speaking quechua with him. we laughed and laughed. He is a great man. 

I miss you all as always. keep sending me emails por favor they brighten up my week. con mucho amor a todos ustedes. kuidakoyanki. thats quechua for cya later. hahaha. 

elder Caldwell