Week Jan 18th to 25th - 2009

HOLY COW CONGRATS SISTER AND MY NEICE BABY KOLBIE!!! WAHOOOO I am so excited it still doesnt seem real to me at all because i wasnt there to experience it or to experience any of the pregnancy. But i am so happy things worked out YAY!!!!!'

I dont have a lot of time so i will go off whats important.

We had district meeting and it was really good! Change secrets were flying around man i love change secrets! Everyone calls me for change stuff i dont know for some reason i am the know it all guy!!! So i heard i was going up to a city called Kiajaani holy cow i was crapping my pants!!!

So we get on the bus i recieve a phone call from a ward member about my clothes. And i get off the phone and start talking to this girl behind me!! For an hour and a half first about me speaking some what good finnish than about me being in finland. Than about my family her family. She spoke to me in english and i wouldnt give in i spoke to her straight the whole time in finnish. Than i brought up the gospel with her and gave her a book of mormon. Holy cow it was the most amazing thing ever. While i was doing all this my companion was sleeping the whole time. I was so proud of myself and how much the lord truly blessed me to speak such good finnish man it was so exciting! So i got her number, and gave it to the Turku elders because she lives in turku. At home i would of thought man i am the best i cant believe i just did that! But when i got home i said a long prayer just thanking my heavenly father for giving me the ability to speak it was fantastic! I am noticing the lords hand in all things!!!

So we went to the China mans house and he was packing, so we said we would help him and we did and he was really happy! We got him to come to church and he has been praying and reading the book of mormon! he loved church he said it was the first church he has ever been too!! He asked WOW do all these people believe in the book of mormon!! Yes they sure do bed! So we have another meeting with him this saturday!!!

So after the bus ride we come and and just contact and work and come home and wait for the change call phone calls!!! at 10:36 the phone rang. Kelley answered and they said that he would be leaving Rauma and going to Pori. I was like yes and no at the same time. This mission doesnt have a lot of people to choose from and yes because i love rauma. They said Caffaro you will be getting ELder Little!!! I freakin jumped in the Air and shouted for joy!! Holy Cow He is Exactly like me played football loud haha it will be the best change ever i am so pumped!! He is 3 changes ahead of me! From oregon but lives in Poccatello idaho now. Way sweet guy.

Other things in the week at a run down-. Sorry we had no time this week to email cause of travling it sucked i will write a hand letter soon!!!

Wright (DL) and young came for spilts got hair cuts and Remolded the house again! ANd we did deap sea beauty masks!!!

I've been sick all week but i am good now!!!

Football practice. i told everyone to stop swearing! It was way cool and they all respected what i had to say!!! They stopped!! I was really impessed

Friday the mayors secretary took us out to eat which was way sick!!!

WE did more remolding with The Pori elders! Man i love elder Heelis!! Had English night and ate kebab

District meeting; I gave the spiritual thought it was when i opened my mission call on my life video and also a poem called : hes been there before!

I am so happy you got my package! i hoped everyone liked it! The tape man í didnt know i could talk for that long haha i guess i am a good talker!!!! Man we are finally back in Rauma i have been in pori the last 2 days waiting for Elder Little and the Library is about to close! I am sorry its so short and not full of great detail but i promise everything is good! i am still waiting for my doctors appointment i will let you know what happens!!

Congrats NADER and Kevin

Love you Elder CAffaro

Email Received on January 19th

What an interesting week for the both of you mom and dad. It seems these days that those are the only emails I receive. Hahaha but they are the most important. Dad man that sucks big time you have gout again. I know your in terrible mine, And that Indomethosin Makes you sicker than a dog. I have never really understood that phrase. How sick are dogs really. There mouths are a lot cleaner than ours hahah. Mom that makes me so happy that you are growing in the gospel. So quickly and gaining such an amazing experience from teaching. Come on mom you cant be so hard on yourself you are a fantastic teacher. Try teaching the lessons in finnish than come speak to me bout nervousness. I am not nervous anymore but with time it will grow and you will be confident that's for sure.

Tell everyone I say hello dad at byu, tell them to hit me up if they ever have a free moment, it would be fun to hear from them. I always use to love it when the athletes came over. haha. Dad mom I sent you a package with a USB jump drive dad it has all my pictures and Video's of the mission if you could burn them and save them somewhere and send back the Jump Drive. I sent more chocolate and I sent a tape home, It's a lot for EJ but for you and mom too, The tape I mean. And I put a map of Rauma of the city and circled things of importance. You should get it Tuesday or Wednesday.

So my week was a great week. Wednesday we went down to Turku for district meeting. We had a DA before the bus ride. I wasn't feeling so good on the bus so YEP I used the busses bathroom it was nasty but wow my stomach was in the pits big time. Haha than I tried to sleep it off but nope had to make another visit to the bathroom. I felt bad for the people on the bus hahahahahahahah…... So I hang out with Heelis, Gandola and Cook. Cook is one of our Zone leaders. He is a stud I have talked about him before. He has 4 months left, he is pretty stoked. He always thanks me for the comments I make in the meetings when he teaches. I can always count on you caffaro and thanks for the comments man they were great. I can always count on you to do something cause I trust that you can do it. Well at this Zone Conference he asked me to lead the Music the WHOLE day I wasn't nervous cause I thought I knew how!!! WRONG not even the slightest clue. Everyone was laughing with my cause I was laughing while I was leading. A few sisters in the front row were doing it and telling me to follow them. It was really funny, I sat down and Cook and Olsen were laughing at me on the stand, haha I said I am going to kill you under my breath they laughed ever harder. Man great times always come from Zone Conference. We ate and after that President talked for 3 hours. But during the lunch break I got taught how to lead so I was confident this next time. I get up and the Elder playing the piano said the music changes to a ¾ to a 4/4 I was like what the heck it was funny. I took it like a champ. I got approval nods from the missionaries that I did a better job haha.

That morning me and Elder Gandola made pancakes for the whole north zone we got up at six and just slaved away in the kitchen it was a blast we made enough pancakes to feed Uruguay hahahahah I am a funny one EJ. We ran out of milk so we had to run about a mile to get more milk and it was like a blizzard it was fun. I love ZC's they are fun times that we will always remember.

After president spoke, Elders Cook, Olsen, Stewart, Heelis, Gandola, and Young all went shopping. They gave us that time to go eat, we are the elders that like to shop haha. But Cook, Young, Ghandi and I went to the Food store and bought us a feast. We came back to the church and cooked it in the kitchen. Man it was great.

So on Friday after everything was over. we said our good-byes. I feel bad for Elder Robby my old companion he is just dying with his fellow AP haha it was good for him to be all around us. But a cool experience that even shocked me. The Pori elders and Us were walking to the bust station it is a far walk from the church. We want to ride the same bust back home together. Pori is just 50 mins North of rauma. But the next bus they went through Rauma to get to Pori left at 8:20 and it was 4:20. Everyone was down to do it and stay in Turku and shop some more and everything. I was even down at first. But all of a sudden I got a strong feeling that it wasn't a good idea. I was being torn inside because I didn't want to be the strict one or the one that looks good. And Heelis was there. I had to choose to go along with it or say what needed to be said. It took a lot, but I said I don't think this is a good idea. Everyone stopped and looked at me like pretty mad, I was like lets pray about it, you cant say no to prayer hahahaha I am a quick one. So I said the prayer and I for sure got a feeling that we should take the 5:00 busses. I said it again and they were like whatever. Than Elder Heelis said your right there are things that we have to sacrifice on a mission, I was mad at first and thought we does Caffaro think he is trying to be Mr. Perfect or the Good guy but than I realized the same thing. It probably took you a lot to say it. YOUR DANG RIGHT IT DID. It felt like a war was inside me dying to come out. It was a really awesome experience. One that I will always remember. How I stood up for what we needed to do not what Johnny Caffaro wanted to do. I think it's a small step in changing, What do you guys think? hahah

So on Saturday we went into the Center where all the old sailors meet to drink there coffee. An old man chewed us out big time it was really funny. I think that was my first time getting Yelled at and sworn at. We come home and change into our service clothes. Than the doctor from Germany calls, we talk about me hip and the stuff I have been taking to help it. He is concerned so they are setting up an appointment with an Orthopaedic Surgeon to check my hip out to see if there is anything really wrong with it. I hope everything is ok. He will be calling me back on Wednesday to tell me what will be happening. Don't be scared, my hip hurts and all but I know the lord will bless me, everything is in his hands. I don't lack faith and whatever does happen is according to his will. So we shall see.

We go and take down this house everything goes we smashed the kitchen the bathroom everything it was a blast. I took down the cuboards in the kitchen and one of them smacked me in the chin I have a cut on my chin haah its funny. I had my name tag off for a while and I noticed that I didn't have it on. I hurry and put it one cause I only have one chance to wear this name tag and its special to me. I want to always have it on, to show people we I represent!!!

This week is Change calls we receive them on Saturday. I hope something good happens. I always love change no matter what the situation is. I am not sure why I like change so much, sometimes its for the better and sometimes changes can be for the worst we never know but I always embrace it well at the beginning than see what I like and don't like about it later. I like to look at the BIG picture like you dad knowing why I am on the mission and not letting little things block that thought of what I want to get down or what people need to receive that gospel.

I had a fantatic week. Mom when you said your learning so much in the gospel, its hard for me cause I have to learn a little bit than re-learn it in a language. But I know the lord will bless us for it. Man those English speaking missionaries got it rough studying the doctrine of the book of mormon and deep doctrines in there English haha. I love you guys and thanks so much for taking time in your busy schedules to write me it seriously means I a lot. I know how life can get so busy back at home. So thank you!! I love you all so very much and keep me in your prayers.

Email Received on January 12th

Its so good to hear from you all each Monday. I was taking to someone yesterday and said I believe that was the fastest week of my life. You wanna know why? Cause I STRIVED my hardest to be obedient to everything I could of done. EVERYTHING. The talk with EJ hit me so hard on Monday with his email that I went into my room and just thought cried prayed and cried some more, about how obedient I need to be to have an amazing mission I have a lot of stories about it. EJ man Congrats big time on the New MRs. Shelby you've got a real winner on your hands take care of him. Dad your Email was amazing it brought the warmest smile to my face and the best feelings ever sometimes I need some of those emails from you haha. Mom I am glad you got the chocolate I will be sending another kind this week haha.

Ok you said you first wanted to hear about the baptism. IT went fantastic. We woke up in the morning and had to help jouni install some new doors in the house and the Pori Elders were there with us cause they slept over. Well we did that from 8 til 1. The Pori Elders left at 9 so I basically let elder Kelley and Jouni do that work cause honestly there wasn't much 3 people could do so I was just reading and working out trying to look some what descent for the baptism haha you know me haha. Than I get ready put on my sick Peddy Coat and I am ready to go. We get there and mika was just so dang nervous it was so funny. But he had a huge smile on his face and was just so dang excited it was awesome. A member of the ward that got baptized 6 years ago baptized him. It was so much better this way cause it shows that he has made friends in the ward and can trust people so we were way stoked about that. So Elder Kelley gave the opening prayer and than his Girlfriend gave a talk. It was really good, and very strong testimony. I honestly love this Finnish language even though its kicking me in the butt haha. It's crazy to see how much I really do understand and can speak. Than me and Elder Kelley are the Witnesses, The member forgot to say amen at the end so he had to do it again. I couldn't believe he was being baptized dressed all in white and man It was such an amazing feeling to know that the holy ghost works through 2 young men to bless one of god's children. His eyes were truly twinkling. While he was getting ready a little Video clip was on it was called by small and simple things. Fantastic clip. Than all the young children sang I like to look for rainbows but of course in finnish. I was in the very back just thinking about how much I love this ward and I don't want to leave cause I feel like its my family here in finland. The spirit was so dang strong. I couldn't believe we just had another baptism, Remarkable here in finland. So I had to give the closing prayer it was funny I was just going over what I wanted to say in my mind as I was walking up there and Jaadia said Don't forget to bless the food, so that threw off my whole train of thought haha haha Thanks Jaadia!!! I said a great prayer and than we ate!!!! It was amazing day for us. In finland you can take pictures all the way up until he puts his hand in the air so when people were giving talks or just sitting down there were so many flashes going off, I was shocked cause we were in the Sacrament room, All well when in Finland do as the fins do haha.

Ok so when we go to jaadia's house I would usually get on the computer and check my stuff or if they were watching something I would just stare and watch. But after Monday night I was different. Tuesday we had to go over there so the District leader could interview Mika, so while he was getting interviewed me and Elder Gandola went into the other room so we could talk and not watch the T.V while my companion sat there and watched. We had a really amazing talk on obedience and how hard it is to just let go, it is but one of the ways of letting go is being obedient and man did I ever see the difference this week more than ever. It was good to be stronger than the temptation. Man I have gotten over a lot of stumbling blocks here on the mission and with out this mission I for sure couldn't have done any of them.

Elder Kelley was feeling sick so we had to go home. So I finished the book Chris Miles gave me The Day of Defence ( which by the way the whole mission is reading thanks Chirs) than when I finished it for the 5^th time I started reading Jesus the Christ. Wow there are some strong things in that book. It makes me wonder why I wouldn't pick up that book back when I was at home. haha What was wrong with me!! I am learing so much in that book about our savoir. Here is a cool part. Sorry if this is boring you can skip this part whoever is reading.

When mary and joesph left Jesus for a day and had to come back and they found him in the temple teaching the doctors and lawyers, all the big wigs asking him questions pretty crazy huh? Than mary said to jesus Your father and I has been looking for you everywhere. Jesus said Don't you know I am come to do the work of my father I am in the my fathers work right now. IT hit mary that joseph wasn't Jesus's father it was our father's in heaven child. It was really cool to read that and think about it.

Kelley was still sick man I think the lord wanted to see if I was going to be obedient because, Kelley didn't get up out of bed cause he was sick and it was pitch dark I said my prayers and got up went to the bathroom looked at my bed and than turned on my little lamp light and started working out. I came over that temptation and went right to work. After reading the BOM for a while I started to get really tired I turned off the light got into bed layed there for 5 seconds no joke and jumped out of bed turn back on the light and started reading Jesus the Christ I came over conquer. It felt so good and the rest of the day I had high spirits because I did everything I needed to during the day. I finished writing my talk for church on Sunday. Now I just needed to translate it. So we went over to jaadia's she made me translate it with her help and that was brain racking holy cow I wrote a page in finnish I hate spelling in finnish.

Man Thursday was the best, I got a package from Susie and she gave me the best thing. It was a Puzzle picture of me and THE BUUUUDDDIEEESSS It was the best. Thank you so much Susie it was awesome it made my day.

Friday like I said the Pori Elders came down for English night. It was Elder Heelis man I love that kid I am so glad we are friends now it's the best. We can talk about everything and anything, dad I am like you I hate holding grudges with people.

Ok one more story holy cow I write a lot. So church asked me and elder Kelley to speak for ten minutes each. Kelley got up and spoke for about 8 or 9 minutes. They bishop was really excited to hear me talk cause I learned over and said to him that I am really nervous. This is all in finnish remind your self this haha. So it was my turn and I started off with a joke like always I got a good laugh than went on to speak for 20 minutes!! HOLY crazy huh I was so dang shocked. There were a few words that were hard for me so I just said oooo uuuu ääää yyyy and everyone started laughing so hard it was really funny. Yep I was for sure sweating bullets by the time I sat down but man I spoke for 20 mins.

After church there was another baptism for an 8 year old girl. The father asked if we would stay so we could talk to his family that were none members. My companion knows finnish probably better than anybody and he never talks it kills me. I went and talked to every none members and introduced myself and just had a blast and made good friends. So the father asked in about 2 weeks if we wanted to go teach his family, because he saw how down to earth I was and how I wanted to talk to everybody it was awesome. I am so thankful that heavenly father has given me this talent and gift to talk to everyone.

The language comes and with talking I get corrected by the finns but I am not scared to speak, I am very persistent to keep the conversation going and by golly its going to keep going if elder Caffaro is talking to you!!! I am so happy I am serving and being here in finland. I love the people so very much and want to touch all there hearts. I love you guys. Hope this week is better for you dad don't be sick anymore. Dad mom go bowling more you might enjoy it before you cant pick up the ball when your 50 hahahahahaah

Love you guys,

Elder Caffaro