Here is his full letter:
Hey there Everybody!
Well, I can't believe I am sitting here at a computer again. This last week has seemed long, and short, at the same time. It was transfers and as you know I was able to stay in Eden with Elder Schwarz: a great blessing.
We are happy to let y'all know that some good miracles happened this last week, three stand out to me the most, I will start with my favorite:
We were able to teach Robert yesterday with Brother Cooley. (We were supposed to teach him 3 other times last week but each time crazy things in his family would come up-he feels an even greater call to our message seeing that he had crazy 'distractions' come up three times in a row) The lesson went well. We taught him the Restoration, and it went great. Like I said, we had wanted to teach it a week prior, so the plan was a week in waiting, and we had plenty of time to refine it and change it according to the spirit. We taught him the Restoration and he loved it, but that's not where my favorite part came in, it was in the testimony of Brother Cooley, the member we brought. We didn't know Brother Cooley as well, not having much opportunity to get to know him but there was definitely some guidance in being able to bring him to the lesson. He has gone through many similar experiences, like Robert. Therefore his testimony made sense to Robert. What stood out to me? One thing he said: "The Gospel Works. It simply Works." He talked about how many times in life we can try other fixes, we are all trying to find that truth that will shape and guide our lives, and the Gospel will do it. Because it simply works. What a beautiful way to state it. Through hardship, through deep trials we look to one thing: The Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it works!!! It works at healing hearts. It works at lifting the down trodden. It works at bringing people to Christ. It works at getting people to the Celestial Kingdom. It simply Works.
Another great experience we had was with a lady that we actually taught two weeks ago, named Tracy. She was a great lady, we contacted her on her porch, taught a first lesson, but she wouldn't commit to a time for a second lesson. So we decided to put her on 'simmer'. We invited her to go onto Mormon.org to learn more on her own time. Well, this last week we received a 'referral text' from Mormon.org saying that she wanted us to come back and to bring a copy of the Book of Mormon. We were stoked! When people do as we invite, the success is there. It's like an infallible experiment, it will always work. When we go to church we are lifted. When we read the scriptures we are enlightened. When we pray we receive answers. It simply works.
On Wednesday we had an awesome experience while we were knocking. I had been feeling for the longest time that we would find a couple, and so every night, when we set goals for the next day, we included a goal of 2 new investigators. Well Wednesday we went to this apartment complex to check up on a potential investigator. When we got there we started knocking and.... it just didn't feel right. So we picked up and moved to a different place: an apartment complex just down the road. Elder Schwarz felt like that'd be much better. We began in one hall. Knocked one side, no one interested. Knocked the other side, no one interested... until.... the very last door. We knocked and a girl named Erica answered the door. Turns out that her best friends are the Smith's, members in our ward, and that she had once taken the discussions in Converse but had recently moved in with her boyfriend. Both her and her boyfriend (and both families) are catholic. Die hard catholic. But in her own words: "I love my heritage, it's awesome. But.... I love the Mormon church. Just as much, or even more than my Catholic heritage, but I don't want to hurt my family.... I read from the Book of Mormon, and the Bible..... I just feel torn, like one part of me wants to be a Mormon because it's so wonderful, and the other part wants to remain Catholic because my family is there, which makes it wonderful as well." BOMBING!!! We went in, taught a 'sort-of' first lesson. We have dinner with them at 5:30 tonight and will be teaching them the restoration. We know Erica is interested (especially in a Temple Marriage for an eternal marriage) we just have to see what Kyle, the fiancee says. But, it's the Gospel, so..... It will work out. It simply works!
This last week I had an interesting experience. I think it will stick with me, for the lesson that has been burned onto my soul. We knocked on this door and a nice man came out. We began talking to him about biking (we had seen a nice road bike in the garage). He seemed like a great guy, real nice, open, and best of all: interested in what we had to say. Then came the invite: "Would you like to learn more about our church?" The Response, "Sure, just one thing- What is your church's stance on homosexuality." Ouch, that stung. The conversation had been going so well, but I knew I couldn't ignore it. I looked him in the eye and said, "Our church believes that marriage between man and a woman is ordained of God" of course taken from the Family Proclamation to the World. He shut the door with a "That's all I needed to know." I felt somewhat sad that it had come down to that, but then a thought graced me. We do not stand down to our beliefs. We do not lessen our morals. We know what is right, and we stick to it, because it works. It simply Works.
As you can see, I ended every paragraph with the phrase: "It simply Works." What a simple, but profound statement. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, with all of it's trial, joy, and progression, simply works. It is what will give us peace and joy, not only know, but forever. I do not know where I would be without the Gospel. Without the Scriptures. Without Modern Prophets. Without the Church. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints not because that's how I grew up, not because that's what my parents believe, not because I am entertained at church or because I love going "against the curve". I am a member because I know that it's real, it's not just words on paper, it's a way of life. And this way of life simply works.
Elder Calder
Thank you Elder Calder for such wonderful words of wisdom and for your encouraging testimony.
WE LOVE YOU!!!
