I had a great week. Tuesday night we got to teach the Cooper's and set # baptismal dates with the husband wife and son in the family. So that was sweet. And then transfers were awesome. I got my first boy Elder Macdonald. I will send pictures. We like the same things which is sweet. We listen to the same kind of music and we both love soccer. And we both play the drums. He grew up in Vegas which is sweet and He is almost 20. SO that's a little weird since I'm older than him. But it's going to be fun. I feel bad because opening a new area is really really tough and so we are starting off absolutely fresh. So we don't have anywhere to draw from. So training him might be a little different than what we expect. So I'm in Manchester IA. Same stake as Serving in Cedar Rapids. In fact my area touches my last area boundary wise so that's pretty sweet. Manchester has a small branch of about 60 active people. Including children. Our building is tiny. It's insane. Practically everyone in the branch is a convert to the church as well. So it should be a lot different. There is a Wal-Mart though which is good. We get the west half of the area and the other Elders (Elder Wood and Elder Davis) will be on the East side. Our area includes Independence which has about 14 less active families. So we plan on doing a bunch of work out there. The only problem we have run into is that we don't have a car... So that's going to be rough. We have to share with the other Elders. And they are out in Dyersville about twice a week. Which is about 25 miles from Manchester and Independence is the same distance away but in a completely opposite direction. So we really have to coordinate our lessons and our plans with each other which is going to be hard. Anyways, we are looking forward to finding some investigators and teaching those who are less active out Independence. It's been kind of a rough start though. But things will get better.
We are living with an older couple named the Christensen's. They are so sweet. The cleaned out there basement for us and we have a pretty sweet set up. A pretty tiny room with a washer and dryer in it. And then we have a pretty nasty fridge that we had to clean out but it runs. The best part is the view though. There is a sweet pond that's frozen over outside the house and there is like 2,000 geese. they get pretty loud at times though. One morning we woke up to 3 deer just roaming around down there. It's awesome. I have been to feel the spirit well as I study. I'll take a break and just look out at the beautiful scenery. I still hate being in the snow and cold... but I do like to look at it. Brother Christensen is so great. His conversion story is amazing. He went from being drunk all the time and smoking five packs a day to being sober for 33 years and basically a grandpa to me. I love him to death. He has great stories. We study scriptures together every night for about a half hour too which is great. So I am now in the Cedar Falls Zone. Elder Aiasau from the Sycamore ward back home is my Zone Leader. He is so sick. I love him to death. Every time he sees me he says "Elder Wardle, my Manteca Brotha!!" He's great. We spent the night at there place last night because Elder Wood has to get his leg checked out and the zone leaders wanted to meet Elder Macdonald. So we drove down last night which was sweet. We woke to a bunch of snow this morning. Like a ton.
Anyways, I hope you are all doing wonderful. I have been thinking a lot lately about Christlike attributes and how we develop them. Then in Gospel Principles class we had a lesson on talents. And it really hit the spot. I learned that the Lord wants us more so to develop our attributes that make us more heavenly rather than the skills that in the World's eyes are more important. I hope to continue to strengthen myself in all of the christlike attributes of Heaven. I love the Book of Mormon. President Johnson (The Branch president) asked me to bare a five minute testimony on the Book of Mormon. And it was probably a little bit longer than that. But I was glad the branch was able to see our faces and get to recognize that Elder Macdonald and I are truly servants of the Lord. I love the Book of Mormon so much. I don't think I had a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ until I read the Book of Mormon. It's helped me so much. What a blessing it is to have another witness of him. I love it. I'm so grateful that we have it. It has strengthened my family so much. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you all. Keep praying for Elder Macdonald and I. We need it. Keep your head up. And just think about how cold it is here in Iowa. And maybe you will feel better :)
Love Always,
Elder Caleb James Wardle
