21Sep2015 "Wow! What a week"

      Why do weeks have to go so fast? I am ending the first week of the transfer and starting the 2nd week. That means soon the next 8 weeks will be gone, and I will be sad at home. Missing the Mission Field. I am scared, sad, and excited. I know that the Lord loves me and has a plan for me, even after My Mission. 

            I hope that I can continue this work throughout my whole life. Today, I discovered that some of my pants are a little see-through.  Good thing that you still cant see my garments through them, haha. Joys of finishing strong and doing 50 Miles on a bike down dirt roads!  I want everyone to experience these funny truths hahaha. 

           I have a great companion from Burlington, Wyoming. He really is just one cool, relaxed, country boy. I love it.  He is ready to work and loves to work. I got the best greenie in the world...he cracks me up! We are pretty much alike.  Same kind of humor mostly and we both love to work. 

        We went to 4 different places trying to get cash back just so we could wash Laundry today. Well noone would give my companion cash back and not much mattered.  We figured it out and now we have laundry hanging up in our apartment to dry!  In the process, though, some real nice lady bought us an electrical cord because my companions card was not working and I did not have enough to cover. What amazing people there are here in this town!

                                       Love, 

                                                Elder Caldwell

14 Sep 2015 "Hey, how are ya'll?"

This week has been crazy from chasing pigs to broken windows to log splitting.  We have had one crazy fun week. Elder H has been out 4 days now in the field. He is one great and motivated  "Greenie". 

       We did a service project splitting wood for 3 hours on Saturday. We got back and called the cops because our window was broken the night before on our truck. Next thing you know, we get a call from JR asking us if we could help him catch some baby pigs that had gotten free. We jumped fences, fought the bushes, and worked our way back on both sides of the pigs until we were able to set out a fish net to snatch them up.  It worked really well, After catching the pigs, we banded a goat, then drove home, got changed and off to dinner. 

        Elder O had a hard time packing through the week.  So we got up at 4 am on Thursday to finish up his packing. 

       This is going to be a great transfer.  Well, I got to go.  Time is up 

                               Love, 

                                    Elder Caldwell 

07 Sept 2015 "Hey Y'all"

  Another crazy week!! We got transfer calls on Saturday and Elder O is going to serve in Oklahoma with Elder J! Elder S is a Zone Leader.   I feel like they are taking the young ones in the mission age and making them Zone Leaders this Transfer.   I think it is an incredible idea!   Wow the Lord is Smart!

    Everyone in My Zone here in West Plains are trainers except one companionship!  It is super cool.  Today our laundry was interestin'!! It did not dry very well, so we have it hanging all over our apartment.  We used some Para-chord.   I will send pics of it next week!

      Crazy, Odd, Terrific news!!! I am getting a 3rd trainee which means that I very possibly will end My Mission in Ava, Missouri...pretty crazy eh!! I am also still District Leader so I get the opportunity to do both! Seems like a great way to finish my Mission.  

                            

                                Love ya'll,

                                      It is time to rock the world,

                                                                  Elder Caldwell  

31 Aug 2015 "Hey ya'll not much time but here it is...briefly"

- We moved

- We played volleyball and got a private theater for the zone activity today with "all you can eat" popcorn and "all you can drink" drinks

- I found out that some valentines that I left in Ash Flat 9 months ago are still there. 

- We did lots of service and even ripped off a roof and did some work on the farm. 

- We met some more less actives and we had lots of bike rides.

Thank you!

               Love,

                     Elder Caldwell

 

17 Aug 2015 "This week has been great"

 One day, in a land far far away the missionaries rode 10 miles into town to save a few miles and rode and walked seven more while in town and then rode 10 miles back.  It was a pleasant journey and I kinda wanna do it again. It's a really pretty bike ride. 

       While these two Missionaries were walking around in-town, we discovered a rookie mistake that is quite hilarious.  The picture will be attached of a bucket that has been concreted into the sidewalk. That has to be expensive to fix properly. 

        Weird fact of the day in Ava, Missouri...I think it's against some kinda rule to walk anywhere. People are strange and some members seem to get a little huffy when we don't accept a ride from them (learned, as I do most things... the hard way). I don't quite understand this weird alternate universe, but I am not here to offend anyone. 

       I truly enjoy the people in this area especially the family that we ate with last night!! They built a house out of mud that looks better than stucco in my opinion and its bulletproof (yes that has been tested and is a fact). It only cost them $1,800.00 and the walls are 18" thick, meaning the heating and cooling cost near nothing. It is fully wired and hooked up to solar panels, which really makes the heating and cooling cost nothing. Mortgage free and livin' the dream. 

       True, this place is a little backwards, but maybe its not and the rest of the world is backwards. Well who knows these days!! All I know is it has opened my eyes to new things that I might implement in my life. 

         As for teaching...we got a new potential investigator but the only way we will be able to get in contact with him is if he is walking down the road towards the town of Ava! He has no cell phone and would not give us an address but we will keep working and praying to get in contact with him and many others!!

                    Love, 

                             Elder Caldwell

10 Aug 2015 "..the love my Heavenly Father has for me is constant and forever."

Hey,how are ya'll doing today?   I really had to laugh about this sign we found on a building. 

I hope ya'll have a great week. 

    This week has been fantastic.  I got to teach my companion about car engines and how they work for a little bit. I hope we can find some new investigators.  Please pray for us and please pray for our obedience. God loves us and he loves you!!  Satan just wants to bring us down. 

      I am so grateful for all the many blessings that I have seen on my mission!!! I hope it continues.   Trials come and they go, but the Love my Heavenly Father has for me is constant and forever. Have a great day. I will get ya'll more pictures.

Love

Elder Caldwell   

03 Aug 2015 "...work hard and love those you serve."

 I am now in Ava Missouri and I am working alongside Elder O! Super exciting!  our district has 2 Riverton Folk in it..Me and Sister D.  Pretty cool...ehh?!?!

 I am working hard to get things rolling.  I am trying to gain some Member trust back here.  It's pretty easy, you just have to work and love those you serve.  Not too hard. 

     Well other than the crazy cleaning experience that we had in the last two days, not much has happened.  Just trying to get bearings and get going.   I love my life so much out here as a Missionary!!

                  Wish ya'll the best. I will write more next week. 

      Love, 

     Elder Caldwell