Lemonjello the Turtle: 5/30/2011

Waddup family.

So, hi! This week has been exhausting. I am so dang tired. On Friday it was leadership training, and that went from 8am-5pm. It was so awesome, but wayyy long hahaha. We learned how we could help the missionaries in our zone, and also our teaching skills. It is always intimidating bcuz we role played for a good 2 hours, and President Hutchings was with me and my role playing partner the whole 2 hours. I got lots of advice and feedback haha. So that was good.  

Oh, so we went to district meeting in Linden (2 hours away) and on the way (I was driving) we almost ran over a turtle!  So I flipped a uee and went and kidnapped that bad boy!   He rode with us to the district meeting and I used him as an object lesson.  We then took him back home to Franklin. I named him Lemonjello (but you say it like a lay mon gel o) haha. cool huh!?  

But other then that nothing really has changed here. That is sad that Elder Shumway is leaving; sounds like you guys liked him a lot, and that he liked our familia a lot. I have those same feelings towards the families in this ward. Gunna be a sad day when I get transferred :( they are in 2 weeks. did that fly by or what?! haha). But we don't talk about that stuff, its still really far away.  

Sorry this email is really short, we have a skype call with President Hutchings soon. I love yall!  Tell Lina she is doing good in volleyball, but I can still beat her, and tell Bert to find a boy. bahahaha. But seriously, tell all the extended family and friends I love em!!

Peace out girl scouts

Elder Cawley

a new investigator!: 5/23/2011

Another week down! (thats gewd and bad)

So, here in Franklin, it is very hard to get new people to teach. Everyone is always "set in their ways" and don't want to talk to us. We have been struggling on finding people to teach. Yesterday we taught our first real sit down lesson in someone's home since like 2 weeks ago. So here is the story... 

So about 3 weeks ago, we were walking down this road and we hear, "Hey guys wait up!" and we look back and John Doe (like 35 asian male dude) is walking towards us. We contacted him about 5 weeks ago, and he comes up to us and starts to say how he has to go to rehab because he is always drinking and smoking. So we tell him about the addiction recovery class which are on thursdays. 

So that was 3 weeks ago, and he hasn't come to one class. Saturday night he texts us at midnight, "Hey guys. It's John. Are yall awake?" Of course we weren't... I was in a coma or something haha. So after church we go over to his apartment and see how he is doing. He invites us in, and we meet his sister and mother. He gives us a coke and some banana nut bread (super tasty haha) and we take a seat on the floor. 

Somehow we just started talking about the Book of Mormon, and he jsut opened up on how he was locked up in jail for like 3 years if you put all the time together. He said while in jail he had nothing to do, so he read the Bible, and his eyes were opened. He said that he was in there for drunk driving, so he had a misdemeanor, but they put him in with the people who had felonies. So he said he was really scared. He said that God protected him in there, because I guess he said he could have gotten killed or beaten up pretty bad, but he was always protected. Then once he got out, he went right back to his old ways and lost that path he was on. 

I told him after he said that, that there was no coincidence that he called to us that one day, and there is no coincidence that we are sitting on his floor talking to him. That this is what God wants him to hear, and this is how he can get back on that path he felt he was on in jail while reading the Bible. We soft committed him to baptism, basically he said if he finds out its true he will get baptized. So we were wayyy happy about that lesson. He told us that we are always welcome at his home, and that he will always be there for us. 

Then like 2 hours after that lesson he texts us saying that he knows we are missionaries but we are still people too, and if we ever need to talk to someone that we can talk to him because we are friends. haha. He is just an AWESOME person. Man, I have never seen someone pick up what we say so fast. We told him to read some verses, and he was like, "Oh I get it... its saying... " and I was like holy crap that is better then I could say it. It was nuts. Best lesson I've had on my mission. OH and the BEST  part was after the lesson John was like "So what do I do next?? Like what do you guys want me to do?" I was like well... get baptized, get married,  go to the temple, no just kidding I didnt say that. :)

He set up the appt for tomorrow at 8pm and we have a member going with us. So he is prolly going to get baptized! hahaha. So its been a good week. I hope yall have had a good week, and hopefully this upcoming week will be good! I love yall! Stay safe! And smile bcuz we are mormon :D <----- big smile! haha

peace out girl scouts

Elder Cawley

P.S. So I forgot to mention that on May 20th, we had Jason Deeres band... they are called "The Nashville Tribuite Band" come to our stake center, he is the one that did the Trek cd and the Joseph Smith cd. And he is coming out with a new cd called The Work. Its based on missionaries. The lady who plays Emma in the Prophet of the Restoration movie was there in the band. Due west ( famous country band) was there. And they are all members. So our whole mission was invited. They performed 2 days in a row Friday and Saturday. It was soo good. OH and on June 13th, its Mormon Night at the Sounds Stadium! President is throwing the first pitch, and 50 missionaries are singing the national anthem. The whole mission is invited! And its the day before transfers... so Prez will pick up the new missionaries and go straight to a ball game! hahahahaha. So funny!

following the spirit: 5/16/2011

Man so yesterday was... insane! So some background, about 3 weeks ago we are walking in this neighborhood, and this  14 year old boy is like "Hey Elders" and we were just like "umm do we know you?" haha. 

He tells us that his family lived in Sinking Fork, Utah. So we got his address and we decided to stop by yesterday. We knock on the door, and this guy answers the door and is like "Hey Elders! Come on in!" I was like SWANK! haha. So we go in and sit down. Turns out they had there names removed from the church about 3 years ago... and they told us why. We were there for about almost 2 hours, and they were just throwing TONS of anti at us.

All three of us left and were so like confused and didnt know what was up or down so we decided to call President and we talked to him for about a good 45 mins. It helped alot. Then in the morning the Assistants called and we talked to them for a good 30 mins. So im doing alot better. 

But the cool thing was, that as we were there, the Spirt... kay get this... the Spirit told me that this family is one of the reasons why I am here in this mission. So I don't know how to approach it now. This family wants to have us over again, and feed us. They are very nice, very loving. I just dont know how to do this. If I dont go teach them, is that bad because the Spirit told me that I need to focus on this family... I just dont know what to do right now. I'm still waiting for my answer from Him. Very neat experience though. 

I love being on a mission. It's fun and rewarding but very tough at the same time. I hope yall are doing good. Stay safe. Stay happy. And just smile because we are mormon :D haha. love yall!

Elder Cawley

P.S. Pray for Brother Troy German, he is in our ward here and is going through alot. He has to have some surgey done in the near future on his liver. Just pray for strength for him and also his family. Thanks so much! 

My parents received the following email from a member in the ward where Elder Cawley is serving. It's awesome. Tender Mercies and inspiration certainly come when we obey the Spirit and live the gospel:

Hi! 

This is Jane Doe from Franklin Tn and I wanted to send you an email to let you know what a wonderful missionary your son is.  He is just full of love and personality and we love having him and his companions over for dinner.  We have also had the opportunity to be involved with some of their teaching and it is obvious he and his companions love the gospel and love to work.   

He asked me to share a little story with you which is also part of the reason for this email.  I was out on a walk with my son a few days ago and had a little thought I should have the missionaries over for dinner.  I almost didn't act on it since we had just had them over, but a little bit later I had the same thought.  So, I called them up and invited them over. Before they came I had an impression that I should say a prayer for them- that if they had a difficult day or needed some support and encouragement that my husband and I would be able to share the right words and they would feel the Spirit in our home.  Very quickly into our meal they related a troubling visit they had recently had and how it had negatively affected them, especially your son's companion.  We shared what we felt impressed to, laughed, had a wonderful time and after the meal your son was able to give a blessing to his companion.  It was a very tender experience for me.  

I just want you to know the Lord is watching over your son and we feel blessed to have him serving here in Franklin.  

Have a wonderful day!

Jane Doe

Well Hello There!: 5/2/2011

Waddup my familia. 

First thing first, that is crazy they killed Bin Laden! I feel so clueless (good movie btw) about the outside world haha. On saturday, we walked into taco bell, and this new Katy Perry song was on and I started dancing in the middle of the place. Some people were lookin at me funny, but its all good, that happens all day every day! haha. 

So I guess I'll start off the letter with a lil story. So, there we were, in Kroger (a grocery store).  We are walking around in our shirts and ties and what not, it was us and the Spaniards ( the spanish missionaries). This 14 year old girl comes up to me and is like... "Excuse me do you know where the marshmallows are??" She thought I worked there, but I kept my calm and said, "Oh, there are some right here!" pointing to some. She then told me "We already have those we need more," and thats when I told her that I didnt work there. It was pretty funny. If you're not laughing, then I guess you had to be there hahaha. 

Anywho... This last week went by super fast. I dont get it, I blink and the transfer is over. On saturday, we had interviews at the mission office. They were supposed to be on friday, but President ran out of time, so we pushed them to saturday. He showed us the whole transfer board, so we knew everything about transfers before the assistants knew. pretty crazy. So as for me and my companions, we are staying the same :) Which is good. I love it here! I wanna stay here for the rest of my mish! :)  

 Elder Cawley and Elder Wursten "translating the gold plates."

Also on saturday, Eric and Krystal got dunked :) (baptized) woohoo!! It was really awesome, Eric was glowing when he got out of the water, no joke. Definately a kodak moment. I'll post some pics on facebook later on today. 

 left to right: Elder Boyack, Eric Wilson, Krystal Marie Moore, Christopher Barnes, Elder Cawley, Elder Wursten

I burnt a tie on my 6 month mark haha. It went up in flames! (lighter fluid helped) Well I hope all is well back in Cali! Keep me posted on the Lakers, who do they play next? Are the Dodgers owning face?! I need to know! I love yall!

Elder Cawley