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