Week 56 (4/28/14)

Sorry about the SUPER downer letter last week. That was awful. I'm

really sorry. Sometimes I think things are the end of the world and

they really aren't. Good thing I'm pretty good at getting over things!

Everyone didn't need to know all that and hear my complaining. I guess

that just shows you that it's not real peachy here all the time, and

it gets emotional. Like I've said, you have some of your lowest lows

and some of you highest highs on the mission.

Good thing this week I've had some of the highest highs I've had on my

mission so far :)

We met this man named David. Apparently he'd been calling the sisters

and wanting to pray with them and things. He had a card from

missionaries from forever ago, but has kept it even from moving and

throwing away a lot of other things. We had a lesson on the

restoration with him and he just said that all if it makes sense. He

couldn't stop thanking us for meeting with him. Lately we have been

working on mentioning baptism in the first lesson. So with him, we

did. The next time we went over to his house a couple days later, the

first thing he said to us was- "last time you mentioned that baptism

thing, how can I do that?"

Haha you should have seen all our faces!!!! None of us have ever been

asked that before. We just smiled sooooo big and Sister Bennett

explained a little more.

He wanted to do it SO bad! He was SO excited! So the next meeting we

had (I was on exchanges, but the other sisters were there) we set a

date with him! Sister Orfila is leaving on May 14th back to temple

square, so we've been praying and seeking out someone who can get

baptized before she leaves. She wanted it so bad, and knew it could

happen! And the second David said that, we knew he was the one! :D

We asked him to pray about May 11th as his date (we only have 2

Sundays left until Sister Orfila leaves. You have to come to Sacrament

at least 2 times before getting baptized. And we have 3 Sundays left,

but the Fort Lauderdale temple open house is the upcoming Sunday so he

can't come to that one... But he'll just get baptized after church so

more of the ward can be there to support), he called us 20 minutes

later so excited telling us that May 11th felt so good and he was so

excited!

This is my first experience like this! I'd always heard stories about

people who were so prepared and got baptized so quickly, but I never

thought it'd happen to me!

Oh my goodness you have no idea. I. Am. SOOOO. HAPPY!!!!!!

I literally cannot even explain my joy! My cheeks hurt from smiling as

we gave him a church tour and he could feel the spirit and was in awe

by everything. I swear... He was ready to just jump right in the font!

He told us he'd be shaving his beard and getting a hair cut for his

baptism haha. I love him so much already :>

I can't believe how prepared he was. He's been being prepared by our

Heavenly Father for years. Now we get to be the ones to see it all

happen!!!! I feel like we've done absolutely NOTHING. That's when you

know it's all the spirit, and you rememberer that you actually never

do anything. We just get to be the instruments :D

This gospel truly does bring true happiness and joy in our lives! It's

the greatest thing in the world and changes peoples lives :>

Lately I've been worried that my mission hasn't been changing anyone

or even me. I've been wondering if I've done enough so far and if

Heavenly Father is pleased with my work. On Wednesday I asked out

bishop here for a blessing. The first thing he said in the blessing

was that my Heavenly Father was very pleased with the work that I have

done so far :) it was exactly what I needed to hear. I didn't even

tell bishop anything that I was struggling with, but Heavenly Father

knew :) it was just another testimony to me that my Heavenly Father

knows me so well and knows exactly what I am needing right now!

The blessing mainly was for me to love this area, the people, and to

know this is where I'm supposed to be (obviously from my break down

last week you can tell I've been struggling with this). I didn't

necessarily get my answer from the blessing directly, but a couple

days later we went on exchanges with our STL's. We thought it was

weird that they wanted my comps to stay in the area and me to leave.

But it was EXACTLY what I needed. Imagine that right? ;) as I was

there I was just wanting to go back to our area. I realized how much I

loved it and how much I loved everyone there! It was the most amazing

feeling to finally know that I'm supposed to be here!

I love it :) I know it was inspired and that even though it really

didn't make sense at first for me to get transferred here, I now know

I'm supposed to be here. :)

God hears and answers our prayers.

Always. No matter what. :)

I know it :)

I finished reading the Book of Mormon again this morning.

It's true :)

And I don't know it's true by simply asking and praying. I know it's

true because when I read it, I can feel it! Ah. I love it so much. It

just contains everything we need. I love the last 3 verses in Moroni

10. Basically it says everything that we need to do to come back and

become like our Heavenly Father :>

Reading the Book of Mormon will change your life :)

I love you all! Just be happy :) it's easy when we know who we are and

what our potential could be.

Loads of mushy love,

The Floridian Sister Calder ;)

(Let's be honest, that does not sound as cool as the other Sister

Calder's name….)

Terri's baptism that I got to Skype into :D

I'm finally gonna throw these shoes away they stink… And are falling apart. They had areally good run though!

My awesome sunburn… First one of the summer!

Sometimes we feed the ducks with fishy crackers

My Comps have my back

We teach an English class to Chinese people. We had them look at the picture and describe to it the one drawing. haha!

What we do when Sister Bennett gets gas

Cupcake!