First Emails Home

We received our first emails from Elder Aldrich on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

Dad,
My companions name is Elder Jackson Adams from Alpine, Utah. He’s a crazy hard worker. It’s like having Tyler here with me haha. But for real, I love him to death. We taught an investigator on day one and he killed it. Yesterday we taught him the entire first lesson and I spoke almost fluent Spanish for about 25 minutes. I could feel the spirit so strongly and Elder Adams and I went nuts after we left our investigator. He’s just our teacher, Hermano Morales, of course, but he agreed to be baptized the 26th of July. Our district is just the seven going to San Pedro Sula East. They are the coolest guys, but we only have seven because one boy left Friday morning. The food is amazing, and they alternate between Guatemalan and American foods. Sunday was church, then a video from Elder Bednar, then we kinda talked until we got a devotional from Presidente Cox. I write in fluent Spanglish in my journal now because Jesus Christ just comes out as Jesucristo, and companion comes out as companero. It rained on Saturday so hard we couldn’t see out the window, but there was no flooding. I couldn’t believe it. haha. I love you, Dad.
I wish I had more time to write, but I don’t cuz I still need to write mom. haha.

Mom,
I have a great story for you. When we got here, we took a three hour nap and I got up and took a shower. When I got back in from the shower, I got dressed and realized I had no socks AT ALL. I thought, "well crap. I’m gonna have to where the same pair of socks for two years." I went four days on socks my awesome companion let me borrow before I opened a pocket I had not noticed and found them! FOUR DAYS! only I could go four days without realizing that they were in my suitcase. My companion is awesome. His name is Elder Jackson Adams from Alpine Utah. He’s a few months older than me, but we get along great. I’m doing really well as far as the language goes. I’m praying hard and my testimony has already tripled. I’m speaking and writing fluent Spanglish, and I am having full on conversations with the Latinos in our room. The older kids are helping us out, accompanied by the occasional prank. Its really fun. Our district is made up of 7 kids going to my mission. All of them are great men, and even better misioneros. One boy did go home already on Friday morning. It was really a bummer, but it was great motivation to work even that much harder. The food is great, and they feed as half American, half Guatemalan meals. It rained on Saturday for several hours so hard that I was sure we were reliving the story of Noah. It definitely doesn’t rain like this in Vegas. There is a sports bar/club across the street we call the "Great and Spacious Building" and they were super loud during the World Cup Final. I love it here, but I miss you all so much. Tell my brothers that I love them in case I don’t have time to respond to all of them. I love you,
Mom....Caleb

Tradition of the Traveling Tie

Four score and seven years ago, give or take a few scores, John served a mission in the Italy Milan mission. While serving, John bought a tie at an Itallian market. It was one of his favorite ties.

As Caleb prepared to leave on his mission, he and his brothers decided that they wanted to take a tie that would travel with each one of them while they served their missions.  We pulled down a box that held a few of John's ties from his mission, and they chose one and annointed it the "Traveling Tie."

On July 8, 2014, Elder Caleb Aldrich boarded a plane headed to Guatemala City wearing the Traveling Tie.

Called to Serve

Elder Aldrich,
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the Honduras San Pedro Sula East Mission...You should report to the Guatemala Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 9, 2014.