Three Week Transfer

Alright, its once again been a while since I have written. Its been a great past couple of weeks and I have come to learn a lot and learn a lot from the other missionaries. I guess I haven't written since the beginning of this transfer, and a lot has happened since then. First of all, I am still with my trainee, Sister Clinch, except she is now out of training! She is killing it with the Turkish and now has a new assignment of being the Zone P-days Coordinator! We have been able to have a couple fun activities the past couple of weeks for P-days where we have played sports and had a picnic and one of these days we are going to see a roman castle, which will be super fun. For this new transfer, I also got the assignment to be STL, which I have loved. I honestly really love doing call-ins and exchanges and just being there for the sisters.

We are in a bit of a weird limbo for this transfer. It is only three weeks and then after this we are getting a new Turkish Sister! What's even cooler is that Sister Grose will be training her and she just got out of training. She is an incredible missionary and is going to be an awesome trainer. I don't think I have written about Sister Grose before, so here's a little background. She went to BYU provo at the same time I did and lived at Helaman Halls, where she actually was in my brother's friend group. I have met her a couple of times before the mission, but we never really knew each other. She has been to my Grandparents house in Provo and she even was there when I opened my mission call! Anyway, that's kind of crazy because there are only 17 missionaries serving over Turkey right now and she is one of them! Out of all the missionaries getting their calls we got called to the same mission, so that is super cool. Anyway, I am really excited for her!

This transfer, the Turkey Zone lost two missionaries, which was a little sad. What's a little weird about my mission is that everyone is so close because we are such a tight-knit group of people. There were only 19 of us over an entire country, working in the same office, which we go to every single day. So, when a missionary finishes their mission and goes home its just a bit of shock and a little sad. The missionaries that left were Elder Kunz, who at the time was serving over Ankara with me,Sister Clinch, and Elder Cheney (his trainee at the time). He gave an awesome homecoming talk a while ago that the Zone watched. The other missionary was actually my trainer (and Sister Grose's), Sister Henderson. They both served incredible missions and have been such a great example for me. It was sad to say goodbye to Sister Henderson, she has honestly been such an example to me on my mission and I am so glad that I got to have her as my trainer!

Its been interesting to look over this last transfer and just see how everything has changed. Right now, Sister Woodford and I (Sister Woodford and I were companions in the MTC and got into the mission at the same time and now we are actually STLs together) are the oldest sisters in our mission. On February 18th, I officially entered into my 8th month as a missionary, which is crazy. Its is also crazy just how crazy the MTC was because I still feel like I just got here sometimes. Another weird fact, on February 14th last year I got my mission call! At the time, I was called to the Bulgaria Central Eurasian mission, Turkish speaking. Wow, a lot has changed since then. Anyway, it's just been a lot of reflection and a lot of learning and growing this transfer. I am super grateful for my companion, who is just one of the most service-minded, loving, and just one of happiest people I have ever met in my life. I have learned a lot just from her example and I am glad that I got to have another transfer with her after she ended her training. I would not be surprised if she trained when two (or three...I can't remember) more Turkish Sisters arrive on the mission in the summer.

Anyway, here is a little update about what is actually happening in my life. I love you all and I am so thankful for you! I wanted to end with a spiritual thought and then I will have pictures at the bottom for those that dont want to read the entire email or who want more context to this email. I have been studying a lot about Christ-like characteristics this week and stumbled on a talk entitled "Becoming like Him" by Scott D. Whiting. He talks about how we are commanded to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ, and how we are supposed to do that. He ends his talk by saying, "The commandment to be like Him is not intended to make you feel guilty, unworthy, or unloved. Our entire mortal experience is about progression, trying, failing, and succeeding. As much as my wife and I may have wished that we could close our eyes and magically transport ourselves to the summit, that is not what life is about. You are good enough, you are loved, but that does not mean that you are yet complete. There is work to be done in this life and the next. Only with His divine help can we all progress toward becoming like Him. In these times, when 'all things [appear to] be in commotion; and … fear [is seemingly] upon all people,'¹⁷ the only antidote, the only remedy, is to strive to be like the Savior,¹⁸ the Redeemer¹⁹ of all mankind, the Light of the World,²⁰ and to seek after Him who declared, 'I am the way.'" I have learned more and more about my Savior as I have served a mission and I have testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He did suffer all of our afflictions and for our sins, and that He is always there walking with us during all the hard times in this life. I am so thankful for Him! As we try to emulate His example and continue to endure to the end, I know that our efforts will be magnified.

Kızkardeş Calder