30 June 2014 "I have a bit of a safety shield around me."

Hello Everyone!

   This week has been fantastic!  Some crazy, long, odd days tracting and stuff but that is not abnormal.  I know that God is with me and protects me, even from crazy guys who jump in the back seat of the car.

 

    We were driving to a less-actives home when some man flagged us down. I brought the car to a stop and Elder McReynolds rolled down the window. This man quickly jumped into our backseat and told us that we had saved his life and he wanted to talk about the Bible.   He proceeded to tell us he was high.   Thank goodness for the White Handbook that states we can't give rides to non-members.  We politely asked if we could talk about the Gospel on the side of the road.  He agreed so we taught this high guy, who we think was running from someone (cops maybe). Experience of a lifetime haha.

 

     Don't worry.  This is not a normal everyday experience just the one time, haha.  It was pretty sketch, but I look back at it and its a really cool journal entry!  God has protected me yet another week.  I am so blessed to be on a Mission.  I have a bit of a safety shield around me.  That is what the Gospel can do for you.

 

     We contacted a lot of less actives this week.  We are trying to clean up lists.  We got really excited to show our results to the Ward Council. Then we found out that they cancelled church-due to the fumes that are in the chapel.  They are making me a little loopy, haha!!   Varnish is great....jk.

                Love ya'll

                    Elder Caldwell

23 June 2014 "It is a miracle."

Hola Everyone!

 Sorry this one will be really short this week. It has been a crazy one and a rewarding one. It is a miracle...the lady with Leukemia from Nixa is now attending church. This is a miracle because it is something her doctor said she would never be able to do when we baptized her. I love these things and I am excited. She is preparing to go to the temple some day soon.

 I am amazed at how much of an influence we have on people. People we do not realize we have reached out and touched at all.

I love my family, they are my stronghold here and at home.   I am so glad I have been given all the things that I have been.

 I am amazed at how well me and my companion get along and just do work the way it should be...RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

 Love

 Elder Caldwell

Me and Elder McReynolds...I love this companion!!

16 June 2014 "...no one wears shirts in these parts."

Hello peoples of planet E-Arth

 

     This has been one crazy fun week.   Elder McReynalds and I have been going crazy doing a ton of tracting. We have found many good potentials. I love just talking to people and seeing what they think about certain situations. I have been told many really cool stories out here about Truckers, crazy things you can do with fire, and other crazy things.

 

     On Friday, we got a ride to Springfield for a meeting.  The people who drove us did not get back from work until 4:30.  Our meeting ended at 1:00, so we were stranded in Springfield, Mo for a little while.

 

      We have had lots of fun experiences... By the way no one wears shirts in these parts. Men with beer bellies are amazing and funny to look at haha.... Ewwww...gross. I love the people here though some are misguided. We all get a little crazy and lost at times but our Heavenly Father is always there watching us. We must follow him in all we say and do.  We can't hide from our Creator.

      Love,

      Elder Caldwell

09 June 2014 "I love storms in Missouri!!"

  Hola Everybody!

 Well, how is this for adventure?  Trees in the roads everywhere, all due to just wind blowing them over and power outages.  Tracting not through rain....but through walls of water!  No windshield wiper made can keep up with this kind of water storm, I dont care what the movie, "Twister" says!  It is wild!!

I got a new companion and in the same day, we're out picking up trees.  We had a whole ton of missionaries looking a little like drowned rats at transfer point this last week. It's kind of funny really..the transfer bus shows up and everyone getting off is dry and the rain stopped,  but those of us who waited at the transfer point...soaked, all the way through!!  I love storms in Missouri!!! They are way cool!  

On top of all that adventure, I was also kidnapped by a member from a different area.  We ended up on the freeway in an overheating truck and never got to our destination.  Truly interesting!!  It has been a pretty fun week if you ask me. 

My new companion is fantastic!  His name is Elder Mcreynolds and he is one hard working man. He seems to be on my same level of work ethic!  Well, thats about it for this week.  Hope you have a great week. Oh ya, he is from Eugene Oregon.  He part of a family of 7.

I love this Mission.  You learn so much and you just keep pumping forward. I absolutely don't even mind one bit the humidity, this place is super bomb. The weather is my favorite.  The people here in Aurora start drinking from sun up to sun down, makes for a very interesting area. I love it all the crazy things that happen on a Mission. You could never explain to anyone the insanity that mission work can be.  I love it all!

Love

Elder Caldwell

Trees toppled in Aurora.

02 June 2014 "A Missionary with a full belly is a hardworking happy Missionary."

     This week has been pretty good. I have learned so much and I have started to realize how very blessed I am. Brother T is an amazing member in the Aurora ward. He feeds us all the time.  He is taking us out to eat. His theory is that a Missionary with a full belly is a hardworking happy Missionary. He is such an awesome Samoan guy. He bought us breakfast and lunch last P-day.

      I am amazed at how awesome some people are.  Good News..I found out recently that Brandi and James got baptized. They are from the Nixa area.  I am so glad I got to have the opportunity to teach and serve them.

      I have a picture of my companion that is going home this week.  Elder Palmer is his name. It is really weird sending a missionary home after 2 years.  Emotions are high and crazy things happen haha. I am excited to get my new companion and to continue here in Aurora.

     Missionary life is hard and fun.  No sane man would serve a Mission unless he knows the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday-Saints is the true and living church. I have a video of an investigator playing guitar and singing about this church but sadly I can't send it. Missions teach you more then you could ever imagine.  I am a firm belieiver that if you let the Mission change your life...it will.

                                     Love

                                         Elder Caldwell

Brother T...amazing!!

Me and Elder Palmer

Elder Palmer's Birthday Cake..chocolate, of course!!