Caleb's Report to Stake High Council

Caleb did an admirable job reporting his mission.  Caleb presented to the Stake High Council the Tuesday after he returned from his mission.  He would have been his second day on the job.  We entered the meeting room at 8:30.  Also presenting with us was Emma Hunter who returned from her mission a week before Caleb.  She had been present for both the open house of a new temple in Florida, Fort Lauderdale and passing out Book of Mormon cards after the Musical “The Book of Mormon.”  She compared the reaction of the people at both events.  The people at the temple were very impressed with the influence of the church.

Caleb talked about how he felt the Lord put people where they needed to be to fulfill His plans.  He talked about proselytizing at the Nauvoo Pageant.  

Caleb focused his presentation on several stories of times when for whatever reason people where in the right place to get to the missionaries. Of course this also involved the missionaries being in tune to the spirit to take advantage.  The first was of a man who had been to Carthage jail.  While there he had a vivid vision and re-experienced the events that took place there.  After this he was seeking someone to teach himself about the church, or considered himself part of the church.
The second story was about a young man who embraced the gospel.  However his family was less than enthusiastic.  He wanted to go to BYUIdaho and serve a mission.  His family wanted to cut him off from funds for school.  He had a very difficult time with his parents, and it happened the missionaries had felt impressed to visit him.  They were able to support him through a hard time just by being there.
The last story was about an area in Caleb's last area.  Oquawka is about 30 miles from Burlington, on the other side of the Mississippi and to the north.  Caleb and his companion felt inspired to work there.  There were a few members there, but most were inactive.  They were trying to visit those inactive, but were having difficulty because the addresses were not clear.  As they were feeling so frustrated they prayed as to what to do.  Shortly after a local member, active, observed them.  He was able to help them find many of the people they were looking for.  In that way they were able to meet many families and teach new people.
I feel grateful for Caleb's service, and the Lord's help, and the members' help in providing him with a positive experience.   

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.

Caleb's Temple Trip, Nauvoo

Sister Jensen posts a couple pictures of the missionaries at the temple trip before the missionaries return home.  Here is Caleb with the group of returning missionaries.  Sister Jensen said, "These pictures are from our August temple trip for those missionaries who departed August 14. They are all wonderful missionaries! We miss them. Thank you parents!!! We love them."  I really know Caleb was loved in Iowa, not only by his mission President and wife, but also by many in the church community in Iowa.  Caleb also formed many loving relationships with companions and other missionaries.  So we as parents want to thank all those who touched Caleb in any way during these two years.

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. 

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

Caleb's Homecoming and Final Leg of our Trip

We planned this very well.  We planned on being home at 6 p.m. and arrived at 6:02.  We left Utah from the home of Vern and Karen Wardle at 7:40 a.m.; and with gaining an hour made the trip in a bit more than eleven hours.  We stopped for lunch in Winnemucca.  There were also gas and potty breaks along the way.  This included tasting the salt of the Salt Flats.  It tasted like salt.

We made it home August 19.  We had a big crowd at the house for Caleb's arrival.  This included Natalia, down from Seattle (who traveled with us, Charity Anthony and Camberly, who put most of it together, the Petersons, the Normans, Kayla and Jeremy with Bronson and Skylar.  The party was short as Caleb was due at the Chester Building at 8 p.m. to meet with the stake president for his release.

niece and nephews