Week 63 (6/16/14)

We had a major church movie moment this week.

You know, those missionary moments you see on all the church movies

that everyone wants and are expecting on their missions?! We have

"District" moments where we will have an amazing lesson where we were

just able to teach because the spirit was so strong and everything

went perfectly. Just like a lot of the lessons on the district.

District-ed is what we usually say. Holy cows I need to stop talking!

I just sound even crazier as I go on....

So on Monday after our awesome Elder Clark conference we get a call

saying we have a referral. He was found online by a senior missionary

couple in PORTLAND (yes Emi this is for you! His name was Elder

Chatman). He had a lot of questions and was looking for some answers.

So we gave him a call and he mentioned while we were setting up an

appointment that he was "VERY interested."

You don't hear that too often! He wanted to meet the next day!

We ended up meeting him on Wednesday.

We met him at the church with an awesome member and taught him the

first lesson. The spirit was SO strong! The second we walked into the

building you could feel it. He understood everything we taught him and

accepted it all! Our mission has been working on mentioning baptism

from the first time we meet people, so mentioned baptism while talking

about the Saviors Earthly ministry, and then I was prompted to ask him

if he'd be baptized at the end and HE SAID YES! Ah! Seriously! Best.

Day. EVER! I could not stop smiling!

But wait.

It gets better!

I never thought I could be happier than when someone accepted to be

baptized but I was soooooo wrong!

Sunday he came to church and we gave him a church tour before

sacrament. Then afterwords we were talking about church and everything

before the meeting started and he looked at us and said-

"I did what you said to do and prayed about it. I know it's true. I

know this is where God wants me to be right now. It just feels right.

None of this feels new, it just feels like I'm coming home."

I have never had such a wave of the spirit! You knew that he knew!

Sister Gufstason and I were both speechless! We could not stop

smiling! I'm shocked I didn't start crying! I had to hold it back

that's for sure! It was probably one of the top most amazing moments

I've had on my mission so far. And I really don't think it gets better

than that!! It was SO simple. All he did was pray. And guess what,

that's all Joseph Smith did! Simple boy. Simple question. Simple

answer.

It's all so simple! Yet so many people just won't do it. One prayer

can change your whole entire life around.

The only problem is that people have their agency and choose not to

use it in the way we hope sometimes. :( I've realized how important

that step of praying about it is. We can work out all the kinks

afterwords, but most of the time you have to know it in your heart

before your head.

Seriously though. That line that he said should be in one of those

movies. It might be actually... Who knows!? Man.

I KNOW this gospel is true and that through following Jesus Christ our

lives will be changed forever! This is TRUE happiness and nothing can

ever replace this feeling :) this is what we work our whole missions

for, looking for these people and praying to find them. Then every

once in a while Heavenly Father blesses us more than we can even

imagine. :)

This is all too good, it HAS to be true :)

Hey! Remember how Elder Ballard said we should tell the missionaries

what we are learning in Preach my Gospel! Well I'm ready to hear what

you all are learning! I have a lot to work on!

Lately I've been reading about how I can improve my teaching skills in

chapter 10. I've been working on asking inspires questions, and

listening really close to other people and the spirit! It's made me

really focus outward and not as much inward :)

I love you all!

Love, Sister Calder :D

A huge box of Frosted Flakes on Father's Day. Perfect Timing! ;)

Hot chocolate in a way too air conditioned apartment with tile. 

Week 62 (6/10/14)

First off if like to apologize! My emails lately have really not been

missionary/spiritual centered...that's super horrible. I've realized

why though! As missionaries we have spiritual experiences and miracles

every single day. Since I've been on my mission a while I've realized

that since they are a part of every day normal life sometimes I forget

how special they are even if I do write a miracle in my journal every

night. I think when it comes time to email all you I just think of the

crazy things that happen so that you don't feel like you're reading

church and someone is chastising you to repent. That's never fun.

Miracle of this week- we had an investigator pray who has not prayed

in 11 years! It was the first time his wife has head him pray and it

was one of the most spiritual, sincere, prayers I've ever heard! I

love it when investigators pray :) obviously that's the most important

part of all the work we do, without them praying about all if this.

Nothing happens. But once you pray and know, it's hard to go back :)

Yesterday we had Elder Clark from the 70 come and did a big conference

with us! It was seriously amazing. These old men are hilarious! He

reminded me of my friend Amanda Maxwell (errrr Christensen) in old man

form. Seriously hilarious. He had so much energy and enthusiasm! It

was great :) but something that he said to us was that when we are

giving talks or teaching members we should not chastise them, but

MOTIVATE them!

I like it.

You know you all love those missionaries who go all repentant like on

you, but return home to be one of those that needs repenting... I was

once one of those! At least a day ago... But now I forever just want

to motivate people! Chastising does absolutely nothing... Plus people

don't like to talk to you much...

So what's the motivation behind my work?

It's the love I have for my favorite people in the whole entire world.

My family :)

Today it has been exactly 6 years since my dad has returned home to

Heavenly Father. It's bitter sweet that's for sure. A year ago this

was the hardest day of my whole mission. But today I just feel

motivated and ready to change peoples lives. I'll probably still have

a crying session or two, but I am SO lucky! Like I've said before, I

get two dads in Heaven :). One of my favorite scriptures is:

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before

your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my

Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to

bear you up. (D&C 84:88)

I've grown to love this scripture because it is true. I have felt

those angels bearing me up, and I KNOW that one of them is my dad :)

That's what gets me through some of these long, hard days. My dad is

the greatest example to me, and the best dad anyone could ever ask for

:)

I can honestly say 100% that I know this gospel is true. I for sure do

not know everything. But I do know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. He

saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He was a simple boy, with a

simple prayer, and got a simple answer. He restored the same church

that Jesus Christ organized with all of the same doctrine and truth.

He did that through revelation and through our Heavenly Father. I know

that the Book of Mormon is true, and that every single thing that was

written in it is from our Heavenly Father, meant to help and

strengthen our testimonies. It was written for our day. I know it can

help us to conquer our temptations, trials, family problems,

depression, bad days, and even good days. It is the way we know how to

receive eternal life, because it contains the fullness of our Saviors

gospel.

I love you all with all of my heart!

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads and future dads out there! You

inspire me more than you might realize :)

My favorite Mormon message-

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?lang=eng

Love, The ginger Floridian Sister Nicole Calder :)

Oh also! Here's my new address!

Everyone just pray that this is my last address and that I don't get

moved again ;) (unless it's back to Lakeland ;))

409 Manor Circle

Sebring, FL 33872

*The cool thing Elder Clark said

when he came was- "You take care of theirs, and someone, someday, will

take care of yours" so while I'm taking care of people's moms and dads

and brothers and sisters and cousins out here, someone will take care

of mine while I'm away :)

Crazy Rainstorm so we hid in the laundry room. 

You know how I feel about lightning

Me and my dad

Found an awesome penny from my Dad's birth year(1963)

We had a thunder storm every single day this week. 

You know how I feel about those things

Week 61 (6/2/14)

I thought last week couldn't get any crazier... I was totally wrong!!!

But I'll tell you about my new comp first! Sister Gustafson! I love

her soooooooo much already! Surprise! I'm in a zebra companionship!

Which means we do Spanish and English work! She's an Hermana! Haha

that sounds so weird...,but I'm pretty excited! Hopefully she'll be my

last comp! She's my 12th! Crazyness...

I GOT TO SEE ERNIE ON TUESDAY! We drive right on his road when going

from Sebring to Tampa! I was freaking out cuz I wanted to see him

sooooooo bad. I dunno if you all even get how much I love this man....

But that's okay :) you'll probably get it when I get home :)

I jumped out of the car and I heard him yell "I gotta go bye!" (To

someone on the phone) and he yelled- "are you kidding me!?" He jumped

up and couldn't even get the locks open haha he was SO excited! He

said he thought he was hallucinating. Haha it was the best surprise. I

just gave him a bug hug and we talked for a while.

I love him and Ashley so much!

I'm so proud of Karl graduating! Gosh. The fam...I have the best

family in the whole entire world! I know it! I miss them so much! I

can't believe I'm in my 11th transfer! It's unreal. Especially seeing

my comp go home next week! There's no way this is real!

Here's the crazyness...

Basically, my comp got proposed to, by a girl. But, it's not what you

think. The family believes everything we've taught them! They were so

prepared! they know the bible like the back of their hand. They

mentioned polygamy, we didn't think Would be a problem once we

explained and everything. But last Monday the WIFE of one of our

investigators asked my comp if she'd marry her HUSBAND. What!? It was

at our huge BBQ on Monday so they were just talking and she asked her.

So we had no idea! Uh..... She told her she'd get back to her on

that...

2 days later we were at the church with them for mutual. We didn't

really see, but she pulls my comp aside and pulls out a RING asking

her again if she'd marry into their family! Oh, I did forget this

part. Since they really believe the bible they think we should still

be practicing polygamy since it was a commandment from god. They think

that our church caved when the government stepped in.

Anyways.... So they were dead serious. They love my comp so much that

they want her to marry into their family.

Never thought you'd hear that one right?

So my comp needed to explain to them, without them knowing that we everything.

 He said he'd be willing to wait till she was off her mission and

everything. The whole family was cool with it! They really believe the

bible. It's crazy.

So the plan was for me and my other comp to play outside with the kids

while my other comp talked to them. Of course, it's PORING rain after

45minutes of planning this all out.... Like hurricane bad. It was

actually kind of crazy. We walked maybe 15 feet and were SOAKED, we

needed towels.

Anyways. So we get in their and we don't even know what to do. Because

it needed to be brought up today, she needed to give them her answer.

We had a short lesson on tithing that they agreed to and everything.

Then heavenly Father just ended up working it all out. I helped in the

kitchen with dinner and I basically just stayed I their with my comp

while they were talking. So they STILL have no idea that we know.

Heavenly Father is the best :)

That was so scattered holy cow. I'm not sure if that even made sense!

The whole thing has been like a dream. Usually people have the

opposite problem I with polygamy... But this is just kinda crazy

actually.

When people ask what happened we just say- polygamy... And that

usually does it. But.... They don't even have any idea hahahahahahaha

We are still keeping in touch. We love them so much. They are going to

move out to Utah and join the f-LDS church or whatever one it is.

They believe EVERYTHING. Except for that. It's pretty sad :(

But hey! We move on!

We got 8 member referrals this week! In 2 days! The members here

actually get it! It's amazing! Ah! I love it so much! :D

Anyways. The work is true.

The church is true.

Sorry I can't really think of anything super crazy that happened this

week besides the big one. Everything here is just so normal! All the

miracles and everything it's awesome. :) normal meaning, being a

missionary is normal now :) and it has been for a while...haha

Love, Sister Calder :)

Proudly Serving Florida

The duck I caught…Yes. It's wild. 

Introducing Companion #12

I love her already! :)

Sister Gustafson