Week 55 (4/21/14)

To be honest- this week has been really overwhelming. I've seen even

more how bipolar the mission is....errrr I guess maybe how bipolar I

am...

Being in an area that I'm not opening is really the hard part. I'm in

my fourth area and my 3 other areas I opened. So I had to make the

work with my companion and get things started. As hard as that is,

it's easier than this!! Yeah it's nice coming into work but it's just

different hard I guess.

My companions are AMAZING! Sister Bennett is from Salt Lake and one of

the sweetest people I've ever met. Sister Orfilla is from Brazil!

She's a temple square missionary and will be going back 2 weeks before

the transfer is over :( I've gotten A LOT of the myths of temple

square missionaries cleared up:) so that's why we're in a trio! I'm

serving in the New Tampa ward. 15 minutes from President. Our building

is that building where transfers are, and the AP's and office Elders

are in our district... I really don't know how I feel about that!

That's a lie, I do. I don't really like it all that much! Honestly, I

NEVER wanted to serve in Tampa. That was my biggest fear I guess. Look

where I am. I guess being in Naples gives you a bad view of Tampa, but

apparently it's the opposite here too. Everyone thinks that Naples is

the land of misfit toys or something. Which is kinda true. Then

everyone in Naples thinks that Tampa is like this crazy nautzi place.

Annnnnnddddd it is. I really am having a hard time right now! Sunday

was completely overwhelming and I barely met anyone! It's different

when you aren't a completely new companionship... I'm in a trio Ina

ward that people get switched a lot and there are trios all the

time... So it's was hard to get out there. But we did have a baptism

of an awesome youth! That was fun! I just am having a hard time

accepting being here and not in Sarasota I guess... I still feel like

I'm supposed to be there with everyone I love so much!

I haven't cried since Christmas and I cried hard core on Saturday.

It wasn't because of being here, although it might have built up a

little... President gave me permission on Monday to go to Sister

Tadles baptism. Then I texted him on Friday and he said I couldn't go!

I was SO angry. He clearly said that I could go. I can't even tell you

how upset I was :( so I kept trying to convince him and tell him that

he had already told me I could go- but he said it was a waste of time.

Then I asked him if I could skype and he told me that I could.

So Saturday was the best! Our cute roommates had a bunch of balloons

with candy and made a big 21 on the door :) they made my day :) the

mini MTC was really fun! I felt like an MTC teacher and I loved it!

The kids had a ton of fun too... So we think haha. But it really was

like the MTC. Lots of classes and studying and we were basically in

charge of the whole thing!

Anyways, so we didn't know this, but president said we had to leave

the mini MTC by 4:00. No one actually told us that until after 4:00 10

minutes after I'd been skyping into Terri's baptism. The STL's come up

and tell me that we had to be out of the church building cuz pres said

so. I explained to them that he gave me permission and I told him he'd

be at the mini MTC and he knew what time the baptism was at. Guess

what? They still made us leave! I wanted to throw my shoe at them and

scream! I had worked really hard to come to this baptism ever since I'd

found out I was getting transferred and now it was all getting ruined

because people didn't understand I had permission right from

president! So, I started crying and just walked to the car. Our house

was over 40 minutes away so we'd barely be able to get back to see the

end of the baptism. Oh my goodness I was crying so hard. I've only had

a couple other times on my mission where I've been that upset. The

sisters wanted to stop at subway for dinner which made me more mad cuz

they were the ones to suggest getting home to catch the end of it.

Blessing in disguise.

Sister Bennett was being lead by the spirit! There is free wi-fi in

subway! I hurried and connected! All I had missed was half of the

first talk and the baptism which I couldn't watch anyways!!!!!!

Ah!!!!! I can't tell you how happy I was! I just cried more! I'm like

in subway balling and wiping my tears with those napkins. It looked

real pathetic. But I didn't even care! :D

Oh yeah- and it was so cool cuz they introduced my face at the

baptism! Everyone was so happy that I was "there."

I love technology.

Another gator who was from Naples that I taught got baptized in Utah

on Saturday as well! Good birthday presents right there :)

But yeah. I'm doing pretty good.

I don't actually want to be on my mission for the rest of my life

anymore. So I guess that's a good thing that's come from this! I

finally came down to reality! I miss my family WAY too much. I'm happy

that I still have a while left, but I can't wait to see them :)

Here's my new address...

3525 Palm Crossing Drive #202

Tampa, FL 33613

I love you all!

Don't forget- The church is true. It always has been.

Love- Sister Calder :)

Week 54 (4/14/14)

Missions are such roller coasters! I feel like that is one word... But

I guess it's not.... Eh.

On Monday I wanted to write about how emotional I am and how much I

miss my family crazy. It was a hard day emotionally for some odd

reason. But guess what- the next day I was fine. Then Sister Upshaw

was having a hard time missing home and stuff. 2 emotional days in a

row... That's rare for us. But that day was busy and hilarious at the

same time. One of our gators was sticking RAW ONION in his eye balls

like contacts.

This... Is not a joke.

Then he asked us if we wanted a bite...

We said uh no thanks...

He then stuck that onion in his pocket, stood up, and said- "excuse me

ladies, I'm going to go and hug a tree"

It took everything in me from busting a gut laughing!

This is all totally for reals!

We aren't really teaching him- we're teaching his

fiancé/girlfriend/caretaker who's pretty solid for what we've seen so

far...

This is the same one who ran out of the church telling us that the

internet is in his head and we're all in this hug bubble where we

control the weather and the smell in the churc is controlling us

all....

Let's just say we get some *really* good laughs with these ones :)

We laugh a lot :) it gets us through the hard times :)

The roller coaster...

We had an AMAZING busy day on Wednesday! We have everything planned

for Terri's baptism! Ah! I just LOVE HER!

Let me just take a second-

Terri is one of thee kindest, sweetest, deepest, most caring spiritual

and loving person I've ever met! She has influenced my life more than

I can ever explain. She just keeps fighting! Satan throws everything

at her and she just has the firmest testimony ever! Gosh... I love her

and her husband Ken!

She's getting baptized on my birthday! :D

Pause.

We just had transfer calls, everyone, including us thought we were staying.

I'm getting transferred!!!

Of course. Because I have my very first baptism this weekend, and it's

my birthday and Sister Upshaws birthday. All we wanted to do was stay

together! If I just had one holiday where I didn't get transferred

right before or had something change... That'd be nice! Ugggggghhhhh

birthdays out here are already super lame. My last one I had been out

days and no one knew who I was. We had it all planned out, run the

color race, go to the baptism, and then party. Best birthday.

Huuuuuhhhhh.

I'm so upset. I love everyone here and I love Sister Upshaw SO much!

We didn't even fight or argue one time. That's a good marriage right

there.

Why is this the hardest part? It's like leaving my family all over

again on a much small scale. I get attached easily and have a hard

time with this stuff. I'm gonna kill Sister Andersen... She said she

was praying I'd get transferred so that she'd see me...

Just to let you know- I have a lot of faith that I'm going where I

need to go. Change is just hard on us pathetic people.

It doesn't make sense, but I guess that just means I can know even

more that it's Heavenly Fathers will. :)

Butttttt.... We are going to fight and see if I can come down to

Terri's baptism. She's driving us up there, and she will email her as

well.

And we are celebrating our birthdays today :) we even sang all the

birthday songs in the children's songbook....

We had someone totally bible bash with us this week. FIRST TIME ON MY

MISSION. If you can believe that. But the reason she did was because

she's our neighbor, and she's always saying stuff about it, and this

one time we just had to stand up for ourselves. SOOO it's not that

I've never had the opportunity, we are just told to be Christ-like but

this lady just keeps going at it! There is only so many times I can

handle having someone tell me that I'm wrong and going to that really

bad place because I don't believe in the trinity. All we can do is

bear our testimonies, and tell her that we know because we have asked,

and we can't deny it. The same way she knows, we know, so you can't

question that. Remember that when you're bashing with someone, they

know what they know, just like you know what you know.

So... Actually... Don't bash. Just stand up for yourself in a Christ

like way :) it's really hard though. I just want to scream with all my

might that I know what I know and you can't tell me I don't. But...

That doesn't do anything.... Sadly.

I did notice the more I thought about it and the more we talked to

her, I knew even more that what I was saying was true. It didn't shake

my testimony one bit, it only made it stronger. Wanna know why? Cuz I

am building my rock! :D Helaman 5:12 of course :) the devils has NO

power over me because my rock is built :)

Build it up. But do it with the right stuff. :)

I'm soooo sad to be leaving Sarasota especially cuz the people here

are like family and this has been one of the greatest weeks of my

mission so far! Even the hard stuff! I guess good things are ahead :)

I hear everything gets better when you turn 21? I guess we'll see cuz

I didn't think it could get better than this :)

The church is super super extremely true.

I love you all so much :)

Love, Sister Calder

after the mail drought

creepy

sister Hill

floating name tags

watching conference in a hammock

we're good at jumping

fun pday at the beach with my favorite people :)