Holy Week! 4-14-14

It's holy week (something I never noticed in America) and everyone's getting their saints and engraven images ready for this Friday. Also in a couple of days I'll get to see some people try and do as the Savior did and whip themselves for 3 hours walking from church to church bowing to their abominable gods in despicable ignorance thinking that if they do what they do they and their families will be clean from sin, hanging and nailing themselves on crosses blaspheming and mocking their Savior for their own vain recognition and benefit not realizing that they are in open rebellion against God. You can probably tell I disagree with what they are doing. Anyways, not looking forward to that.

We went back to Mt. Samat today, it was awesome, I love the fresh air up there. The spirit is so strong up there where you can learn of the heroes from the "Battle for Bataan." I sent you all letters last week, you should get them pretty soon. I love the couple missionaries so much! Elder and Sister Levin. they took us out to eat a Pizza hut! That was one of the best meals I've had here in the Phils.

This is now my second to last transfer and its already going by super fast! Its already Monday?! Does it go by fast for you guys too? I have my travel plans now. Don't be late Wednesday morning of June 18th.

If you ever want to know where I am in the Philippines just go to lds.org and search for my ward (Cupang ward, Balnga stake) and you can see me and my housemates/companion. https://www.lds.org/directory/#x

We are still expecting to get 14 baptisms as a zone this month and our companionship will have 6. we are baptizing a family after we get them married (their marriage and baptism is the same day). We're finishing up there papers tonight. I'm super excited to see them all in white. (Capasite family)

Conference was great. It was hard to watch here though because the satellite wasn't picking up the signal very well at all. It was choppy and there are some key words I didn't hear from some talks. It was the Sunday morning session that was super choppy. At first I was frustrated and complaining a lot. But as I started understanding what the talk was about that changed. I noticed the the talk was about gratitude, President Uchdorf was talking. I realized that I shouldn't complain but be grateful that I was even there. To be grateful that I was in the best mission in the world with the best missionaries and President. To be grateful that my families safe and that I am safe. I had nothing to complain about after that talk and was able to still enjoy it despite the technical difficulties. 

I enjoyed what Elder Oaks said during the priesthood session that there is no such thing as getting stepped-up or stepped-down. There is only going forward or backward. The call of a Bishop is no more important for the person called than a hymn book collector. It's how they magnify their calling. I also want to remind you to read your scriptures daily. It's a requirement to be exalted. If you don't believe me I can prove it. Also do your home and visiting teaching. Elder Packer in an other conference said there is not a more sacred calling than that. If your families that you home teach aren't at church do you call them and ask how they're doing? If they're sick, do you go visit them? This is just a reminder, I know your doing it, I just know I would want a reminder after my mission. 

It was a good conference. Make sure that you each actively order the Liahona's so I have something to read when I get home! and also so you can read all the talks again. I know that it's sometimes hard to focus the full 10 hours. Oh ya, and if there are sessions you missed, than watch them. Watch ALL of them. It is also a requirement to be exalted to watch all sessions. Don't believe me? I can prove that too haha. 

I love you all! Keep up the good work but make it faster! the Lord is hastening His work and I'm in the middle of it seeing it's effects so DON'T slow down! The fruits are good.

Nagmamahal,

Elder Kapeliela

April 7 April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

That statement above is NOT true, it's super super hot and hasn't rained since I can remember, pray for rain!! The flowers that come out in May will burn instantly its so hot. The past month I have gained all the weight I had lost, I'm getting fed like a cat fish at Wild Waves over here.

This morning I went to a place called mt. Samat in Pilar, Philippines. You should look it up and look up the history, it's got a great history. The Americans and Filipinos held the Japanese there for 4 months with way less men and even more less provisions. Good experience to be there, we got to go up the cross, check out a picture of the place on Google, it was a very reverent place to be and I learned a lot. There was a really nice museum there too.

We had a busy busy week and it flew by. Monday: mission activity, Tuesday: P-day, Wednesday: Mission leaders conference, Thursday: Weekly planning, Friday: Zone meeting, Saturday: All work :) Sunday:church and presidents conference/stake goal setting. It flew by! Lots of learning experiences happened this week. The biggest batch is all going home so the missions getting smaller! 

Transfers are this Wednesday and I think this is my last area so I'm gonna rock it out here in Cupang. It's time for me to give it my all and show what I can do with all my experience. I'm lucky to have the most diligent missionary in the mission (Elder Marfori) as a companion to help me endure to the end of my mission. We're gonna make sure this mission achieves the standard of excellence again and get even more baptisms than last time!. I am for sure sending a letter this week with pictures. It was closed earlier... Sorry. 

I love you all so much! Thanks for the support! Write you next week, much earlier too.

Good morning!

Elder Kapeliela

April 1, 2014

Hey family, I had a great week. We worked really, really hard. We had a service project last Friday where we moved someone out of there house to a new house across the street and helped paint their huge dog kennel and some other things. It was nice to do some genuine hard work again. It feels good serving.

But wow, what a month it has been!!! Our mission made history this month!!! Yesterday we had a mission wide activity at the mission home where we got to play sports, eat roasted pig, have a North vs. South capture the flag game (My South side won!) and watch 17 miracles! All 188 of us in the whole mission! Why? Because we achieved the standard of excellence as a mission for baptisms and less active returns!!! The standard of excellence is 2 baptisms per companionship, and 2 less active returns per companionship. Therefore the standard of excellence was 188 baptisms and 188 Less active returns. We got as a mission 188 baptisms on the dot, and 225 Less active returns. WE DID IT!!! We made history.

Our zone got 14 baptisms and 21 less active returns. There are 14 of us so we got standard of excellence as a zone for baptisms and over achieved for Less active returns! 2 baptisms fell through on Saturday from a couple areas but from smart following up and resolving concerns we got them back!

For me and my companions area we got 3 baptisms and 4 less active returns. One fell through on Saturday but that night we went to their house, solved their concern, and baptized them the Sunday morning right before sacrament meeting!

This was the most stressful, hard, challenging, and trying month of my entire life. We couldn't sleep, couldn't even eat some times we were so stressed and nervous. But all those hours walking in the sun in this summer season, ears on the phone, and sickle to the harvest payed off. I know that this work is true. The Lord gave us those souls. I know the field is white, already to harvest, and that He is hastening his work. This work is true. This is the only true church and I can't hold myself back from telling every person I see. I know my time is winding down but I am tenacious, and only speed up. I know we were called and reserved for these last days because we are the best. Let us show the Lord our best in His work and glory and bring His sons and daughters back to him. I pray every night that you will stay true and faithful till the end. I love you all so much. I love this work so much. I will never forget the true meaning of March Madness.

Elder Kapeliela

March 31st, 2014 MARCH MADNESS!!!

Hey family, I had a great week. We worked really really hard. We had a service project last Friday where we moved someone out of there house to a new house across the street and helped paint their huge dog kennel and some other things. It was nice to do some genuine hard work again. It feels good serving.

But wow, what a month it has been!!! Our mission made history this month!!! Yesterday we had a mission wide activity at the mission home where we got to play sports, eat roasted pig, have a North vs. South capture the flag game (My South side won!) and watch 17 miracles! All 188 of us in the whole mission! Why? Because we achieved the standard of excellence as a mission for baptisms and less active returns!!! The standard of excellence is 2 baptisms per companionship, and 2 less active returns per companionship. Therefore the standard of excellence was 188 baptisms and 188 Less active returns. We got as a mission 188 baptisms on the dot, and 225 Less active returns. WE DID IT!!! We made history.

Our zone got 14 baptisms and 21 less active returns. There are 14 of us so we got standard of excellence as a zone for baptisms and over achieved for Less active returns! 2 baptisms fell through on Saturday from a couple areas but from smart following up and resolving concerns we got them back!

For my and my companions area we got 3 baptisms and 4 less active returns. One fell through on Saturday but that night we went to their house, solved their concern, and baptized them the Sunday morning right before sacrament meeting!

This was the most stressful, hard, challenging, and trying month of my entire life. We couldn't sleep, couldn't even eat some times we were so stressed and nervous. But all those hours walking in the sun in this summer season, ears on the phone, and sickle to the harvest payed off. I know that this work is true. The Lord gave us those souls. I know the field is white, already to harvest, and that He is hastening his work. This work is true. This is the only true church and I can't hold myself back from telling every person I see. I know my time is winding down but I am tenacious, and only speed up. I know we were called and reserved for these last days because we are the best. Let us show the Lord our best in His work and glory and bring His sons and daughters back to him. I pray every night that you will stay true and faithful till the end. I love you all so much. I love this work so much. I will never forget the true meaning of March Madness.

Elder Kapeliela

March 31, 2014 Another....

I had a great experience teaching the other day. We went to a referral that we got on Sunday and taught her (the referral) with such power and spirit. At the end of the lesson after I shared the 1st vision and how Christ told Joseph not to join any sects, the lady looked shocked. I then perceived to ask her what she was feeling, and she told us of a dream she had many many years ago. She portrayed her dream explaining that she was in heaven, and that there were scores of doves amongst the clouds. A man walked up to her who she exclaimed was Jesus Christ. He walked up and said to her, all of these doves are beautiful on the outside, but only one is true on the inside. I then testified to her that what Jesus told her in the dream was what Jesus told Joseph. I revealed to her what it truly meant. That there are many beautiful churches on the outside, but only one true one on the inside. I know how important it is to say all of the doctrine of the lessons. If there is even one little part of the doctrine left out, the people you teach might not have experiences they would have if you said them. If we didn't share the 1st vision in the right way, she might not have remembered her dream. It's so important to give the doctrine fully and to ask inspired questions. It's what the Lord did and what we must strive to perfect. I know there is one one true living church and that's the Church of Jesus Christ of Letter-day saints. She agreed to baptism for the second Saturday of May.

March 16th, 2014 Hi Family!!

Mar 16

I had a great week, in fact I have stuff that I can write about!

Today in basketball I hit 15 out of 18 3 pointers, 3 of them 5-10 ft out of the 3 point line in a game against some Filipinos. They thought we were NBA players after how me and Elder Yardley (an Elder from Idaho who is my house mate) were dropping shots from around the arc. I made a fade away shot in the corner (left side) like Kobe and the Filipinos went crazy. That really helped them want to listen to our message!

Our stake conference hit a record with 1,036 people! That's the most since Elder Holland came (1,079) came to that one. This stake is really progressing!

We've been teaching a family for a couple weeks now, the Capasite family and they are still progressing towards baptism! It's a family of 6 with 4 eligible for baptism. They are getting married and then baptized on the 29th of March! We gave the dad a nice white shirt and tie, and some slacks. The sister was also given a skirt from a member! They are super ready for baptism and have family prayer every night and read the Book of Mormon everyday! We are having a family home evening with them later! I'll have baptized two families within two months after this!

Also, we have an investigator named Jimmy Tallada who is 28 and searching the church diligently to find out if it is true and he has been going to a different ward because he has friends in it but with some help from some fit fellowshippers, he decided to give the ward he's supposed to go to a chance. Yesterday he went to our ward and then the other one as well, so he ended spending 6 hours at church! What an investigator! He has such great faith and has been having many trials. Last week while playing basketball he tripped and fractured his arm and just got out of surgery. We were concerned about his cast because he can't get baptized (he is super excited for his baptism on the 29th) with a cast on so we asked him when it will be taken off and he said, "on the 28th" so we are super excited for him. The Lord has been preparing him. He's an engineer and brilliant with a soft heart and humble purpose. 

The other day we were asked to give a blessing to a baby that had measles. That baby was covered in red spots and rashes, it was hard to look at, and the baby wouldn't stop crying. We preceded with the blessing and ended with the room quiet and the baby silent. The next day, after weeks off fighting the sickness, her skin was pure and she had the biggest smile on her face I've ever seen. Her less active mom since then has changed her ways and has been going to church and reading the Book of Mormon.

Our mission is pumping out records left and right  with baptisms and less active returns. This month the mission is expecting for 216 baptisms which will beat the record by 60. Our zone will be contributing 20 baptisms and my area, 6. 20 would be the record for my zone since their are on 17 of us here. We are doing well and working hard, enduring to the end of our missions.

I love you all and will send some pictures over the mail, the computers are too risky here, Elder Orndorffs memory card got deleted. So I'll just send hard copies. Thanks for your support!

Elder Kapeliela

Happy Birthday dad! Mar 9th, 2014

Mar 9

I love you dad! Thanks for being a great example to me always, especially for serving a mission yourself! An area seventy. Elder Ardern said that because of your mission, even MY kids will be blessed. I know for a fact I've been blessed my whole life.

We had a great week. We worked hard. Our zone is leading the mission with stats right now. We had 117 new investigators as a zone in just one week. and we're expecting 24 baptisms. We had stake conference yesterday and I saw my old Abucay members and investigators!! It was the happiest reunion ever in my life until this point! Its been over a year and a half since I've seen them and they've all gotten so much older!

We had a zone activity because our zone achieved the standard of excellence for baptisms last month. We will again this month!

I'll try and send pictures to you all later.

It's been so hard teaching people that are super hard hearted... We've been teaching masterfully answering every concern and debating/conniving questions with the book of Mormon and our testimonies but people just won't accept anything! Please pray that the Lord will soften the hearts of the people here, The power of prayer is real. 

I love you all and need your prayers. I thank you for everything and every letter/email!

Elder Kapeliela