22 June 2015 "Another Crazy Week"

Helloooooo....

I have so many crazy things going on this transfer.  I found that time goes way too fast.   Elder S (who I served with in Ash Flat, AR) Is one of my Zone Leaders.  It's super cool!  

The day before I came to Jenks, OK, I got a call from President Shumway telling me that I will be in a Trio and that I will be covering 2 areas again.   When I got here there was only Elder Shore.   No Tripanionship...and we shot gunned into Jenks. So many last minute changes.

I am so happy!  We are in such a nice place.  It's super cool and I know a whole lot of people who have served here.   I am still a district leader.   I need to email President and I have run out of time, so I got to go 

Love,

Elder Caldwell

                            

16 June 2015 "What a crazy week"

     I am going to Jenks, Oklahoma this next transfer on Thursday!  We went Caving in Willard for a combined zone outing.  It was super sweet!  We got super muddy!  It had rained for the last two days before we went. When I got there I was greeted by a friendly face that I had not seen in awhile.  Her name is G.  It took me a long time to spit out the reason I remembered her!  Her mom passed away while I was in Nixa and I didn't want to bring up that's how I remember her.  She told me that Elder Marriott and I were her favorite Missionaries.  It sure was good to see some good that I have done.
 

      As we were going through this cave there is one part where you are waist deep in water.  Then you hop up out and you have to army crawl to get through the crevasse into the next cavern.  It was such an incredible experience.  Especially because your light does you no good when you are army crawling with it, so I just turned mine off and put it in my pocket. We sang the Spirit of God, The power of a hymn in complete darkness is amazing.
 

      I feel like there is a lot more to Missionary work than the Mortal mind could even comprehend.  I love being able to help people even if I don't realize that I have done anything.  The people around me remember me, sometimes better than I remember them. You never know who is watching so we must live our best at all times and become the best that we can be. 

     A Member's non-Member girlfriend made me brownies as a going away present.  I hope we all can make a positive difference in the lives of many. I am going to miss this Area.  I do know that God has a plan for me and that I am needed in Jenks. Well thats about it, I will send ya'll some pictures! Also, I have to say Marshfield is on fire....3-4 new investigators every week!

                                 Love, 

                                      Elder Caldwell

Oklahoma Tulsa Mission to Arkansas Bentonville Mission!

8 June 2015 "I Love Service Projects"

 This week I hit my 18 month mark.  Weird to think that if I were a Sister Missionary I would be going home right now.  I am so glad I am not serving a Sister Missionary Term. Missions go way too fast and buck ya off at the end!!!

    Last Preparation day we played knee hockey in our apartment.  My knees still have carpet burns and scabs on them.  It was well worth it, though. We had so much fun!! 

    We have done a lot of service this week.  We lifted a wooden swing set over a fence onto a trailer and then took it off at Scott's new house.  We helped Scott move.  He is a non-member and threatened to shoot us until we got an "in" by helping him move.  Now we have us a Porter Rockwell.  He defends us all the time.  It's great.

     We also helped a less-active man named Bob build a garage linking steel beams together and grinding through them.  It was a lot of fun.  I love service projects.  Today I get to replace a bearing on a Member's Truck.  It's a '78 F-150.  Beautiful truck and I get the opportunity to work on it.   I love preparation days :) 

                    

Love,

     Elder Caldwell

01 June 2015 "Hey Ya'll"

 This week has been so fast.  I look back and Monday was Yesterday, I swear!!!  I think I must have blinked and missed it.  I am so happy that I am able to work here in Marshfield and Fordland.  The Ward is really loving us and I might get a little fat because of it.

    We made an Atlas to Baptism usually we call them Maps but this one was a little long. We had fun decorating it with stickers and all.  It's beautiful.  Hopefully the picture sends.  If not ya'll can see the picture in 6 months.

     I know I have been placed here for a purpose. I still have almost two weeks til transfer calls, so I will let ya'll know if I go or stay. The Lord is my Director as Nephi says so nicely in 1 Nephi 17:47!!! I love The Scriptures.

     Well, nothing is really new other than I learned a little more this week about various groups like Baca and Hells Angels. We have a lot of Bikers we are teaching right now.  It is sure fun!

     We have had some communication with the Amish Community. They are pretty straight forward about the Bible being the only book and it is only to be read in German.  It's pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.

       We had a wicked storm with Flash Flood warnings and all. We were driving home from Fordland which is about a half hour drive. We got half way down the road and came to a flooded bridge, Elder Gehring was convinced that we could make it across if he were to move this one branch off of the bridge! To say the least, I am now sitting in the Mission Home without a companion. Just Kidding....I would not let him do it, There was more than 9 inches of fast moving water flowing accross that bridge! So we turned around and drove down a different Highway back to Marshfield.  The journey took us almost an hour and a lot of miles!! But all of us are safe and good to go!

Atlas to Baptism Calendar

                Love,

                   Elder Caldwell