November 24th, 2013 Hello

Nov 24 

 

How's everyone doing?! I miss you all! Tell me how everything is! Happy Thanksgiving by the way! Eat a ton! Next week we have a dinner appointment to a steak house, ya I'm loving it here in mini America haha.

This is the story how I heard it.

There's a girl in our mission that came from Tacloban mission that had a crazy story! She was in her house with 9 other sisters when the storm hit and the rains came downs and the floods really came up. They went to the 2nd floor when the rain started to get really bad but they realized that their is no way out of the house but the bottom and by the time they realized that the water was in the 2nd hip neck high. There was no way for them to get out from the top because all windows in the Philippines have grills (those cage things like the ones on the hales at byu-h). So she swam down the stairs a couple times and finally into the laundry room and punched a window in and went back up stairs to tell them what she found. Half of those girls couldn't swim so they had someone that could take them. She lead each of them through the flooded 2 story house (the flood was close to reaching the top) and out the laundry room outside and they went and sat on their roof, ya, it was that high of a flood. But apparently the worst part was holding on top of the roof while world record winds and rain slammed on them for 3 hours till they were saved. She saved all 9 of them, isn't that crazy?! Well, shes companions now with her cousin here in this mission (Sister Lowe) apparently she got super traumatized so the area 70 sent her to her cousin. I feel bad because its a complete different language here. Anyways, that's the cool story I have for you.

I'm glad your all caught up on the news! I'm so excited to hear about that event you are having, mom! If it's indoors maybe dad could sell shave ice! Who's gonna participate? Update me when you can about it!

Well our work got so much better! I knew It would! Our investigators went to church! We will now baptize a father of 4 this Saturday to complete their family, the Cenon family! We baptized his wife last month, I sent you that picture. So we will have baptized his entire family! At first when I got here he had a bad smoking problem and was really shy around us but we really focused on him. His wife was awesome and always supported and helped him out! We bought him a ton of mentos so he wouldn't smoke and he miraculously in time quit smoking with-in a week and is now interviewed and ready to get baptized! Another potential priesthood holder will get baptized this Saturday. His name is Marvin! He's a boyfriend of an active member. He comes to church with a white button up and tie! He already looks like a member so all the members didn't know he was only an investigator!

The other day we ate some tim tam slams. they are too good to be described. We have a house mate from Australia named Elder Lockley who got some from his mom. When I get home we will eat them too!

Other than that I've been having fun with my companion and zone. We will again achieve the standard of excellence as a zone and this will be my 5th time in a row as a zone leader! All my zones are on fire and they are all training except for one companionship haha. We will have 18 baptisms as a zone and 26 less actives return. I'm just happy the work is back to its strength again. It really is good to struggle sometimes though, it helps you grow and be even more obedient.

I love you guys a lot, keep living the gospel!

Elder Kapeliela

11-24 Tacloban Missionaries in Olongapo Now

 

These are part of the missionaries displaced from the Typhoon and they are in the Olongapo Mission now. The girl with the blond hair is the girl who saved the 9 girls in the flooded apartment.

11-24 Sister Querido hugging Sister Schaap

Here's a better picture of the sister who saved the other sisters!

 

Is it any wonder that Sister Querido's face has the expression that it does in this photo?

November 17th

I was just sitting here in the computer shop here in Olongapo and all the new missionaries from Tacloban walked in so they could e-mail their family and friends. There is something different about them, you can tell they went through a lot and all had a bond together. It's funny because they don't seem to be used to speaking Tagalog.

This is a letter I saw about Tacloban, "On Saturday morning the church issued a statement saying that all the missionaries in 21 of the 22 Philippine Missions had been accounted for.  Teresa quickly found out what mission you were in and told us that your mission was one of the 21...whew!!  But we were sick for the Tacloban Mission where 86 missionaries were not accounted for.  We watched the news and couldn't believe the complete destruction.  Almost everything was gone on this beautiful island.  There were pictures of mass destruction and people weeping in the streets.  There was no clean water, food, or shelter for the people and the Filipino people were in a terrible situation.  The church was amazing!  They offered up their Stake Centers as places of refuge for anyone who needed.  Of course, one of the biggest concerns was the missing missionaries.  All manner of communication had been wiped out and because there was so much debris on all the roads, no one could get anywhere to check out where the missionaries were.  The church sent in a helicopter that had motor bikes on it and sent people looking for the missing missionaries.  The motor bikes made it so they could lift the bikes over any debris in the streets.  By Saturday night, all but 40 of the missionaries had been located."

Well my work has always been so good and strong but this week we struggled with our investigators. We had to drop a lot of investigators because they started hiding from us, we also had a TON of investigators promise to come to church that didn't. Its been such a hard week but I know next week will be better and that as long as I am doing my best the Lord will be pleased. I've been working my hardest and smartest and obedient and the work is getting only harder. It's confusing how the harder you work and the smarter you feel as a missionary doesn't necessarily make the numbers go up, you must always be humble, willing to heed to the will of the Lord, and be obedient. I'm just going to forget last week and work even harder the next. I just remember sitting on my bench and sacrament was now being passed and I've never prayed so hard that at least ONE investigator would come. We had planned on over 15 but I prayed for at least one since church had already started and none have showed up yet. After sacrament one investigator walked in, he's a 17 yr old male that was all dressed up in a tie and white shirt. Even though it was one I was so thankful that my prayer was answered. In life we always have problems, fights with others, arguments. Even though at that time it all looks bad for you, even though you feel like you don't deserve it you need to look at the "atonements" that the Lord sends into your lives for every problem you have. One time people were swearing and yelling at us and about a minute later a little boy comes up and gives us high fives. Or maybe when your having a bad day and a little dog comes up to you licking you, or the sun comes out. Just look for little things that our father in heaven sends you to make you happy and don't ignore it or reject it. Don't shew that dog off or tell the little boy that gives you a high five to go away, always accept little things the He sends you and just smile because Jesus atoned for the people that un-rightly persecute you.

I also really liked the scripture that mom showed me in Alma, 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.

 

There is no doubt the Lords hand is in this work. No doubt, my testimony is pure, no one can take this testimony from any missionaries serving here in the Philippines. There's nothing to do now but work.

I love you guys! Keep living the gospel!

Elder Kapeliela

11-17 picuture Sister Pilkington

Sister Chelsea Pilkington. They know each other from BYU-Hawaii and have mutual friends. I love getting pictures of my son with other missionaries! Got this picture from her mom! :)

11-13 Pictures

 

These are the first pictures I've seen of my Elder since the Typhoon. So wonderful to see him so happy.

11-12 group picture

If you look closely you will see Beau in the back row with part of the curtain in from of him! Yeah, that's my son! Lol