11-10 Mom's message: Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

This was a very long week, and from the time that the Typhoon hit, and I knew he was safe, it was still a long wait to hear from him 3 days later. I am so happy and grateful that he is safe. He has already been in many Typhoons, and a Category 3 flooded their apartment, and another one pretty much destroyed the city he was in, he said. So when you have a Category 5 and the biggest in recorded history in the Philippines, and one of the top worst Typhoons ever, this mom was worried!
He always says all is well, even though I know of the trials, almost getting hit by lightning, flooding, no electricity for days, death, destruction to name a few!

After I knew he was safe, my heart was still heavy for those families that hadn't heard about their son's and daughter's. It is a true miracle that out of 21 missions with an average of 200 missionaries each, they were all accounted for and safe. So many stories are coming out of what some had to go through. They are amazing young men and women. I have Beau's first email after and articles and pictures during this time.

Beau's mom :)

November 10th I'm all good!

Nov 10 at 6:26 PM
 

As I've told you in those e-mails, I am all good! In fact, if you saw the radar of the Philippines you would notice that the ENTIRE country was covered as in every city EXCEPT Olongapo!!! We were the only city to get virtually nothing from the storm. Just some winds and sprinkles! I'm super blessed here!

A cool experience is we promised a family that lives 15 feet of the beach that if they promised to go to church, the waves (which were already entering and ruining their house) would not be able to touch their house again. As soon as we left the wind stopped and the sound of the waves decreased. We followed up on them and apparently their house didn't get affected by any waves again. But they still didn't go to church. I prayed that Olongapo won't go under water. That last storm was a "Y" which means that was the 25th typhoon here in the Philippines. People really need to repent here. If you watched the news the catholic churches and saints were all destroyed. Our temple and churches were all standing strong and still are as I type. 

The work has been hastened and its fun riding on this giant wave of adrenaline and haste for the Lords work to speed up. My zone is expecting 30 baptisms which will be a record for this zone. The Lords work is rolling and speeding up like a snow ball rolling down a snowy hill. Never forget that, "Every member is a missionary."

Let us all remember that we promised to God after we were baptized that we would take upon ourselves the name of Christ, that we would always remember him, that we would keep his commandments, and that we would endure to the end. If we don't keep our promise we're as ungrateful and stubborn as our investigators that STILL didn't go to church after them seeing the helping hand of the Lord in their lives. The investigators little 2 and 3 yr olds were on their knees praying while the mom was complaining to us that she couldn't go to church because of the waves going in her house. After she promised to go to church, our promise we made in the Lords name was sealed and they were saved from any disaster that whole night. If we keep our promise to the Lord, we will also be saved at the last day. Let us do all the things that the Lord commands and requires of us till the end, " 7 For if you will that I give unto you a place in the ^acelestial world, you must ^bprepare yourselves by ^cdoing the things which I have commanded you and required of you."

Love you all so much!

Elder Kapeliela

The miracle in the Tacloban Mission

All 204 Philippines Tacloban Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints together with Elder & Sister Nielson, Elder & Sister Ardern, and President Jose Andaya & Sister Yolanda Andaya at the MTC Manila, Philippines.

Seven of the 21 Church missions in the Philippines were impacted by the storm, but all missionaries are safe. Missionaries in the hardest-hit areas have been evacuated to safer locations, including missionaries assigned to the Tacloban area. Those missionaries are now safely in Manila, staying in Church housing near the Manila Temple and missionary training center. Mission and area leaders will meet with missionaries in the coming days to evaluate their needs and determine future assignments. It is possible that some missionaries who are approaching the conclusion of their service may choose to return home. Missionaries in areas less severely affected by the storm will soon begin organizing to assist with relief efforts

Nov 12th First set of missionaries arriving in Manila

First set of missionaries from Philippines Tacloban Mission arrived in Manila.
Nov 12th

 

Pictures from LDS Newsroom

RELIEF EFFORT CONTINUES
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to assist with relief efforts in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. Church Welfare Department personnel are working with Philippines Area leaders to establish a relief operations center and distribute supplies. Many areas affected by the storm are still without power or running water, and communication systems are not fully operational.

We encourage those desiring to donate to give generously to the Humanitarian Fund of the Church. You can help by increasing fast-offering donations and/or donating to the Church humanitarian fund (see http://bit.ly/1aF27Lf)

Donations to the Humanitarian Fund will bless God’s children around the world as calamities arise. Funds will be used under the direction of priesthood authority, and directed where they can provide the greatest benefit.

Read more: http://bit.ly/1aF2a9
 

Philippines Tacloban Missionaries in action after the super-typhoon Yolanda devastation in Tacloban and the rest of Central Philippines.

Photo by: Elder Matt Edwards

 

Evacuees at the Carajay Meetinghouse in Lapulapu City (Mactan) take shelter as early as the 7th of November as they braced for the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Typhoon Maring and Habagat which started August12 and lasted for a week left so many communities flooded. Forty Mormon Helping Hands of Valenzuela Stake (diocese) packed 1,500 hygiene kits donated to affected families in Pampanga. Contents of the kits are bath soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoos and alcohol.

 

3,000 food kits were distributed to the same number of families in three of the hardest hit areas in Aurora province namely, Dipaculao, Dinalungan and Casiguran.

 

Missionaries from the Cebu East Mission together with members helped haul rice and goods from a C-130 cargo plane at Tagbilaran Domestic Airport.

Volunteers from all ages filled the dragon boats, happily looking forward to the day ahead.



In Sagbayan, volunteers cleared roads and sidewalks of dirt and debris while others cleaned the Sagbayan Elementary School in preparation for the November 4 resumption of classes.

Photo by: LDS Newsroom



From morning till afternoon, volunteers toiled unceasingly in order to clear the streets of dirt and debris.


The Mormon Helping Hands assigned in Sagbayan pose for a group photo after a hard day's work.



Metro Manila Mormon Helping Hands repack goods in Quirino and Comembo meetinghouse for Yolanda survivors. Alagang Kapatid Foundation will receive and distribute the goods in Tacloban



Tacloban missionaries spells service in action. A day after the worst typhoon to hit the Philippines this year made landfall, missionaries were at the DSWD warehouse repacking rice and goods, and helping distribute the goods.

Volunteers and Mormon Helping Hands missionaries repack rice inside the warehouse of the DSWD.
Tacloban missionaries spells service in action. A day after the worst typhoon to hit the Philippines this year made landfall, missionaries were at the DSWD warehouse repacking rice and goods, and helping distribute the goods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Swy2CJWCIrU


 The super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philipines) killed more than 10,000 people and left south part of the Philippines devastated. Up to this day, 12th of November, dead bodies can be found everywhere in ...Leyte, Samar and Tacloban. Claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints from the Philippines believe that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” And as a response to this belief many Filipino LDS gathered in different parts of the Philippines to prepare relief supplies for the said typhoon. One of which groups are from Manila, the capital of the Philippines.



 

 

 

 

 

11-10th Scripture

This so reminds me of what's going on in the Philippines right now.

Alma 26: 6, 7

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.
7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

11-14th Olongapo Mission Logo and Mission Statement

The Olongapo mission logo and Mission Statement

One of the missionary mom's asked the Mission President if they had a Logo and he was great enough to send this along with this Vision Statement.

Novemeber 3rd Pictures

 

Olongapo City at Night.

Hey!! November 3, 2013

I'm going to the mission home again for another activity! My zone has achieved the standard of excellence 5 months in a row now! Every month brings its challenges but challenges are so prominent in missionaries lives. Resolving them is the most important part. It's what helps missionaries grow so much.
 

I've been loving the city so much, but the hills and mountains haven't seemed to get easier yet. They are way high! But yea, things are getting way expensive here since its a more wealthy part of the Philippines. My area is on the Subic Base so there are American stores and every fast food ever! So it's hard not to spend all of my money haha. The base is really cleaned up now, I haven't seen ANY clubs or anything like that. It's a nicer place actually.

Well, for the first time in my whole mission I got a fever! But don't worry, a member in the branch is a pharmacist and bought me everything I needed and I was fully better after 2 days and now I'm great! I feel good as new! I thought I could get home without getting sick haha. Don't worry about me I'm being really taken care of here!

Last Friday was "All saints day" so everyone goes to their dead relatives and puts candles on them, eats, and just talks about them. We went to check it out since NO ONE was home (they were all at the cemetery). It's a super steep mountain where the graves are and they're out of the ground. It was very beautiful. Anyways, it was a great way to share the gospel. Their were thousands of people.
 

 I love you all! Keep on the right path! It's obvious why, so we can become an eternal family like we are sealed to be!

 

Enjoy the pictures!

 

Elder Kapeliela

October 27th Transferred!

I got transferred to Olongapo like I told you before and it"s AMAZING. It's waaay different than all my other areas before. My old reas were all rice fields, so now I'll be talking and teaching city people. It's funny how HUGE the culture can change here by just driving 2 hours. The language changes, the sense of humor changes, and even their dress. It's mind blowing. But, I am so happy to be here. Olongapo is still a district because of ONE branch. And that's the branch I got sent to. They are lacking in the full tithe paying Mel priesthood, they need 25 and they have like under 20. I'm so humbled to be here, President put so much trust into me it makes me nervous! He really, really wants it to become a stake before he goes home in June so I have a huge miracle to do here, but I don't quite know what it will be yet... pray for my branch here please. They need the blessings of a stake and they deserve it!

 

I cannot believe that I left Botolan felt like home. I even picked up a lot of their dialect Zambale. I loved those humble people so much and can't wait to see them again. I couldn't have done it without some of my awesome companions that were sent to me, and the spirit which was my constant companion. When I first got sent into Botolan branch the average sacrament attendance was 48 with half of them attending all 3 hours. We also had a few kind of trained but humble leaders. I was excited when the branch president showed trust in me and gave me an assignment to talk on the first Sunday. I took full advantage of it to talk on missionary work. Immediately I saw a change in the branch as me and my companion, Elder Urcia diligently talked and taught to as many people as we could. Little by little, our little branch turned into a big group of families from every part of the city. When I left there were 98 members there staying for all 3 hours with a desire to help  the missionaries in as many ways as they could, many times meaning food haha. When I got there, there were 10 active Mel. priesthood holders (including the 2 Elders). When I left there were 20 that had returned or been baptized with close help from the couple missionaries and leaders. There was one member in the ward named Harvey. He had just become our Less Active Return and had started working with the missionaries for the first time when I asked him his office in the priesthood. Shockingly he said none. We soon made him a priest (being a 22 year old) and had him blessing the sacrament instead of the Elders which was a huge blessing since we could then fellowship instead of blessing sacrament. A few months later he got sustained for the Mel. priesthood and got ordained after a few weeks. Soon after that he became the Branch mission Leader! There hadn't been a branch mission leader in over a year so he was a huge blessing for us as missionaries. The day before I left my last area he submitted his mission papers. As in the day before! What a story! This kids amazing! I got there and he was a less active recently returned graduated certified nurse, and when I left, he was a BML with submitted mission papers! I love this kid! Another merit from our work in this branch is that we held the first Priesthood Executive meeting our branch president had ever seen, the first Missionary correlation meeting and Branch correlation meeting. Anyways, the accomplishments in this zone and branch for the month of Oct were 34 baptisms for a zone of 7 companionship and our area had a solid 8 baptisms. I had a total of 27 baptisms for that area who were still all there at church my last day to say bye and endure to the end as newly converted members. I love this work and will always strive to leave my areas better than I left them!

Keep striving to endure to the end and live the gospel to the word! I love you and be careful always! Oh yeah, and buy food storage. As in do it THIS WEEK. 

Elder Kapeliela

Oct 21st Pictures

I love the week I get pictures!!!

October 21st Hey!!

So it's transfers on Wednesday so I believe that I am getting transferred since I've been here 6 months. I will really miss this area I think. Me and my companions have had great experiences here... When I first got here and how it is now are so much different. I'll tell more when it's for sure that I'm getting transferred.

Well there were 4 nights without power and running water so it was a hard 4 days. But we finally got it back and we took advantage of it for sure. We had to shower outside on a pump haha. It was interesting... We also slept in the living room which I swear was about 90 degrees... I had to fan my self to sleep. My companion and roommates told me that I was fanning while sleeping. That's pretty cool! Anyways, thanks again for the box! It literally got there JUST on time. Tell Kathy thank you so so much for her box too! I could understand the Chinese food box's, but I ate it and it was good haha. The taffy was good but it's kinda melted. Oh well! 

Well, at our baptism, the only concern that we had was that there weren't enough baptismal clothes for all the candidates so we had to go to another chapel and borrow some! The branches here are NOT established at all. But we are helping them grow at a very fast pace. When I got here the sacrament attendance was about 50, and last Sunday there were about 100!!

We're seeing the hand of the Lord in our work, and I feel your prayers showering upon me everyday. Always take advantage of the temple since you are so close to it! I wish I were at the temple everyday! You are all so blessed in America, don't forget that. Thanks, and love you all!

Elder Kapeliela