Week 46 (2/17/14)

This week has been AMAZING!! Oh my goodness. It's weeks like these

that make it all worth it :) the good really does ALWAYS out-weigh the

bad!

Your probs thinking it was good because we got iPads.... Which we

totally did! But that's not even it at all! We just received SO many

blessings :D the iPads are just a HUGE plus... Which is what I'm

currently writing to you on right now :) pretty crazy to think we

could be trusted with these things eh? But already it's been such an

amazing tool for us! the very first day we got them after the

training, we has a lesson with a less active and we were able to whip

our iPads out and show her a video! She loved it! We've been wanting

to do this forever, and now it's all right at our fingertips and it's

so helpful!

It is the funniest thing ever though... Our President was like a

little boy on Christmas. He HATES paper, so he's pretty excited about

this. He even told us to burn our planners and that we should not be

carrying them around anymore... We haven't done it yet, but we for

sure going to be obedient and do EXACTLY what he says ;)

The weirdest thing was probably being a missionary and getting that

iPad put in my hand, and I've been using technology for a while now on

my mission... Imagine a whole room of missionaries getting an iPad put

in their hand.... It was actually pretty entertaining haha. The Elders

behind us pulled out their camera not 2 seconds after it was put in

front of them.... Haha don't worry- we waited until we were in the car

;)

We each have our own that we carry with us throughout our mission and

them we give it back at the end. It has EVERYTHING on it. Obviously

every internet site besides the ones that are approved are blocked,

and we can't download any apps, but I guess apple wouldn't let them

delete everything. So they trust us... A LOT. Some of our ward members

still think it's crazy to trust us all with this stuff... But we have

really stepped up our obedience to be able to do this. We for sure had

to prove that we could handle it before we were given this tool. Plus-

you already know how hard core our mission president is haha (still no

couches or music...although I think Sister Upshaw might kill me

because I always have to have some noise going... So we just sing and

hum all the time... Ha)

We are on of the 30 missions to get to us them right now. We really

think it's because of the area that we're serving in. Lot of rich

people... And other factors that play in. I'm just SO grateful I get

to us it, I can't even explain how much more effective it has been

already! We have literally EVERYTHING on here. Our planners, maps,

ward roster, area book, pamphlets, videos, Facebook, the whole gospel

library, and a bunch of other stuff. It is the only thing we carry

around with us. We are able to sync with the Elders in our ward so we

know who is teaching who, and we update them right after the lesson.

It calculates all our numbers, and maps it all out for us too. We use

it completely for our studies. I thought that I'd have a really hard

time switching over, but the second I realized how effective it really

is, and how amazing the marking system and study journal is, I'll

probably never go back!

Okay. Sorry... Enough about that. I just know a lot of people are

curious so I thought that I'd explain some :)

Here's the REAL reason why the week was SO amazing...

We have these SUPER AWESOME investigators! Basically.... we brought some members.... the members who are in the circus with us to an appointment. They rock. ANyways. And they had a lot in common because their daughter is in the program to be a professional ballerina! So cool. But yeah. We showed them the restoration video and  they just kept saying- "no 14 year old boy would ever make that up!" They know everything. They know it's all true. They say that they've never met a dumb mormon. I told them that I'm living proof haha. But they meant that no one that would join the true church is dumb.

True. Haha

It's true! 

2 hours later (which is a REALLY long lesson. They're supposed to be like 20-45 minutes) they are best friends with the circus members and we're running out the door to get home on time... and WE LEFT THE MEMBERS THERE. That's how you do it! Leave the members there. That's when you know you've done something right! 

They are just so amazing and SO prepared! I can totally see the difference in people who are prepared, and people who aren't. It's amazing! 

Obedience rocks. It's the key to everything. That's why we've had such a good week :) 

I said this in my letter to my mission president-

Also- I think I'm developing my music skills! My companion might kill

me eventually.... But we're both just singing ALL THE TIME! It's kind

of awesome... I always have to have some sort of noise going on, but

this has helped me think a lot more clearly... And be able to be okay

with silence! Crazy... I would never think that would come from no

music. And like I said, Sister Upsaw and I are both developing our

singing voices and humming our comp study hymn all throughout the day.

Anyways! I love you all so much! Today Sister Upshaw and I are going to Metro (downtown Tampa) we get to street contact all day every day for 3 days! Super cool! We're really excited! One of the things we're required to bring is paper spray... you know it's gonna be good! 

12 And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and

declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night.

And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men.

 (D&C 24:12)

I love you all! 

Love, Sister Calder :)

Week 45 (2/9/14)

THIS WEEK WAS SO GREAT! I got to talk to Danny on the phone because I get permission! That was the greatest thing EVER! Also, here's some exciting news! They are taking away our couch, we no longer get to take naps, and we can't listen to music at all, BUT we're getting our iPads on Thursday! We're pretty excited about it! 

I have been seeing more and more on my mission what I have learned here! I was thinking about all the stuff I have learned the other day and my mind was BLOWN! I can't even explain all the things things I've learned not only about the gospel, but life lessons as well! It's greatest :) 

We've seen so many miracles this week! We had an amazing lesson with a lady named Maybell! Her nephew asked if we could go and check on her. He's member, and a convert. We went over and she loved us coming over! We taught her about the Book of Mormon and set an appointment to come back. Then we learned that her nephew was so  amazing that we were able to talk to her about it all! He said that she never wanted to learn. But now all the sudden she does. Then we had a super great first lesson with her on Sunday with a member! One of the best first lessons that I've ever taught! :) we found 4 new investigators this week which is a lot for us! Even though it was a harder week with homesickness Heavenly Father blessed us and helped us focus for these people :) it was such an amazing week! :) 

We are going to explore Sarasota a little more today for p-day! It's like a super big art area so it will be fun to see everything down there that we haven't yet :) Also…. it's where the circus started… Ringling or something so I guess that's why there's so many fun people down here :) 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your contented support and prayers :) it means more than you even know :) 

Love, Sister Calder :D


Current address:
11120 Lost Creek Ter. #210
Bradenton, FL 
34211

Week 44 (2/3/14)

We have seen so many miracles this week! I've really learned how Heavenly Father puts us in the right place at the right time!! We were biking looking for a place for about 20minutes! I had been there like 5 times and we just kept missing the turn. It was raining and we were super frustrated. We called this member twice trying to look for it. She told us and we had passed it like 5 times. So we started biking down there. I saw this woman wearing a poncho so we went up and talked to her. Before we even got over she goes, "MISSIONARIES!" I was thinking she was this member or something that I hadn't met… but then she told us who she was… the Elders had literally told us about her 2 days earlier and said we should stop by. We needed to miss the turn that many times so we would catch her at that moment. SO COOL. Then the same thing happened again! But our GPS lead us astray this time…. and so we went down this dirt road thinking it was it for a second…. but then I knew that it wasn't but we went down anyways. There was a lady coming out of her house. We asked her if she knew where this trailer park we were looking for was, and she did!! So cool! Then we were able to teach he and pray with her. We're going back this week! Heavenly Father just knows exactly where we need to be, even when we don't :) I love it! I love that he is able to work through me no only because my call as a representative of Jesus Christ, but because we are being obedient and worthy to receive those promptings and have the spirit. I know that obedience brings so many blessings and so many miracles! We also have seen miracles through members bringing us groceries and picking us up when we bike too far and then it starts raining :) I love the ward here! The UP ward as someone called it yesterday! We only have one way to go! University Park ward!!!!! THe UP ward! I see it every single day! I love this work so much! 

I love you all! 

Love, Sister Calder :D

biking

biking in the dark

my companion trying out my hair, she pulls it off well