Caleb Sings for Natalie and Charlie at Their Reception

Natalie, or Dianna asked Caleb to sin for the reception.  This is the song Caleb came up with.  He says it was written by his older brother Mark.  This was November 14.

Manteca Stake Broadway Review: Something to Believe In: Afternoon

I hate to compare, but this is still the song I most enjoy listening to from the Broadway Review.  I snuck in the back and made this movie, and it is pretty shaky, but the vocal is great.  Also, unbeknown to me at the time, the rail on Annie's side did not have someone holding it so Annie and/or Caleb had to hold it through out, even through the hug at the end.

Manteca Stake Broadway Review: When Your Feet Don't Touch the Ground, Ev...

This is the evening performance.  I was a bit off rhythmically, but the energy was better performing for an all adult audience, especially at the duet part.

Something to Believe In: Manteca Stake Broadway Review

Annie and Caleb bring down the house.  This is my favorite from the review, and during the p.m. performance they provided some extra spark.

Elder Caleb Wardle: End of Mission statement from Iowa Des MoinesMission Newsletter

Elder Caleb James Wardle: Elders and Sisters!  It has been great to serve with you in the beautiful ID double M.  The greatest and most vin valuable thing that I have learned as I have been a full-time set apart missionary is that we truly are children of our Father in Heaven.  This truth has been confirmed to me time and again.  It seems so simple.  But knowing that Father loves us and we are His children gives identity to everyone in the world.  It doesn't matter who you are.  You are just as loved as the brother or sister crossing the street in front of you.  With that in mind, there is no reason to think that you are better than others.  You are just as much a lost soul, the only difference is that you have found the escape.  In this sense you are obligated to helping free your friends.  I know that this is true and there is honestly no greater happiness is all the world than workin to help free a brother or sister from the incredible amounts of pain that they feel.  The mission isn't the end.  You will have greater opportunities to serve His children.  I'm grateful that I could be part of our service together.  It truly has been the best place in the world to serve a mission.  I love you all.

Fairfield, Iowa Ward

One of the highlights of our trip was Sunday services and pot lock with the Fairfield Ward.  This is the area Caleb had served next to last, and he had been there over six months.  There were many people he had helped to share the gospel, and many who had accepted.  On couple had a new baby, less than a week old, and I got a turn holding the baby.  any people came up to us and whispered how much they liked Caleb., that he was their favorite, and a good missionary.
During sacrament meeting they called on Sheri to bear her testimony.
After sacrament meeting they had a missionary pot luck.  Man those people in Iowa know how to put on a pot luck.  The had pork of several different kinds, and corn on the cob.  I thought it was running out; turned my head and the bowl of corn was refilled.  They also had desserts of many different types, including one made with lade fingers.  Bitter sweet goodbyes, but we had a long way to travel that day and night.
SO we owe them a very big thank you!

Nauvoo Day One

The word to summarize the first day in Nauvoo was “hot.”  However this didn’t keep us from enjoying ourselves.  We left Des Moines pretty early, and made a quick stop in Iowa City along our way.  We checked out the Handcart Park there.  We were ready for lunch when we arrived in Burlington, and Caleb took us to one of his favorite places, Wendy’s. 

Burlington Bridge

The cool barn

soy

The bridge in Burlington is really cool, and is featured on the Iowa map.  We stopped on our way South to Nauvoo for a barn picture.  Then to Nauvoo, where we started with the Visitor Center, and a movie about Joseph and what happened in Nauvoo.  From there we visited the Joseph Smith Home, the Nauvoo House (never finished but the materials used to make a comfortable home.) and Emma Smith’s home.  This included the Smith family plot with the bodies of Hyrum, Emma and Joseph.

Nauvoo House

as intended

Mansion House

Nauvoo store, upstairs where first relief society held

We also caught the blacksmith shop and the Wheelwright.  Being in the Blacksmith shop on a hot day would be murder.  It was interesting to see how the wheels were made, and how they put on the out tire.  We all came away with a diamond ring.  Then a trip to the Nauvoo gravesite, which was 2 miles outside of town.  I have since figured it would have been in town, as Nauvoo once had 14,000 residents and competed with Chicago for the most populated city in Illinois.

The highlight of our first day was going through the temple.  It was quite the experience.  This temple interior is dominated by the large assembly room on the first floor.  We attended the session with the Burlington Ward and met many friends of Caleb as this was where he was last serving.

Caleb's Homecoming Talk

Caleb delivered his homecoming speech in sacrament meeting this week.  It was very good.  He mostly told stories about the miracles people had with regards to the Book of Mormon and receiving testimony through it of the truthfulness of the church.  One story involved a man from Liberia, who could speak, but not read English.  The Book of Mormon has not been translated to his language, but he did say if he received a witness of the veracity of the book he would be baptized.  This testimony was born to him in a dream, when an angel came to him and told him the book was true.  He also talked of a couple he taught, where accepting the gospel made incredible changes in their lives, from being homeless with no car to having a car, three jobs, and a healthy baby.  He also talked of a young man who had received a testimony through the Book of Mormon, and wrote his family to tell them of his desire to attend BYU Idaho and go on a mission.  Caleb was there when his parents called back, and accused him of not loving them.  They were able to provide support in a sensitive situation.  This brother is at BYU Idaho, but has not yet been able to raise money for a mission. 

Iowa Trip Day 3: Des Moines

We started early from Terry's house after an interesting conversation about kids.  We stopped briefly for pictures in Elk Horn where they have a Danish windmill.  The also have an old viking house, circa 900 a.d. replica.

Danish Windmill

Viking House

Adair Iowa

We then hit the road, and were in Adair for breakfast where Jesse James and his gang carried out a train robbery.  The park was very nice, with a small playground and picnic tables.  We were off to Des Moines for our next stop.  

In Des Moines it was the first day of the State Fair, and we thought long about attending.  However, the crowds, my need for a haircut, and the need to pick up Ty at the airport put us short on time so we did not get there.  We drove through down town, no one wanted to get out, but have a couple pictures from the car.

801 Grand, tallest building in Des Moines

church through the bugged windshield

Des Moines Arboretum part of botanical garden

Cow and calf outside dairy

We picked up Ty, and then headed for something to eat.  We chose Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, which was a good choice.  They had breakfast as well as dinner.  I had the chicken fried steak with banana cream pie.  Very good.  

We then checked in to the hotel, and I was able to get in a swim.  Not the largest of pools, but I could get a bit of a swim in swimming diagonally.  The highlight of the day was picking up our Caleb.   This was Thursday August 13.

Picking up Caleb at the Mission Home in Des Moines August 13.

We arrived just at 9 p.m. as Caleb had told us.  We were invited into the family room as the missionaries were still meeting; I think having a testimony meeting.  We first met Sister Jensen, and then also President Jensen.  They had a short film of photographs put to music which showed the experiences of the group of missionaries going home (about 12).  There was one other family picking up their missionary.  One of the adult missionaries prepared Caleb a batch of cookies.  They also had cake and brownies and ice cream after the short film.

We were then on our way to the hotel room where we were staying for the night.  No doubt we stayed up late and talked considerably.

Pictures inside the mission home

Mark and Lizzy's in Murray

In our journeys we visited Mark and Lizzy twice.  IN doing this we saw the boys a couple times.  Going back from Iowa Caleb was with us.  Gus moves so fast it was hard to get a picture of him without a blur.  Elliott was smart enough to pick up my I-pad and find programs on it I had never found.  He had it playing National Public radio.  Who figured it was on there?

Elliott took this picture