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

Mar 2nd, 2014 Good Evening!!

Mar 2 

 

I'm finally here in my 5th area, Cupang 1in Balanga zone of the Balanga stake. Yes, stake! It's the only stake in the mission! It's been a good start to the week. I have a very obedient, diligent companion named Elder Marfori from Laguna, Philippines. Our house mates are also zone leaders, Elders Yardley and Godinez (my trainie, it's so fun having him in the same house again!) and we are literally gonna set our ward (yes, there are 4 zone leaders in one ward, the stake is split into two zones) on fire! Our hard work has already paid off, the sacrament attendance hit 214 which is the highest it's ever been!!!!!!

It's been so nice to see people that I haven't seen for over a year, they get so shocked when I speak to them since I couldn't as well before. I love them so much! They already know me and trust me so that really helps with getting trust for the ward members, they are even working with us more! We live in an apartment (that has air con ;)) next to a very very active family. It's great!

The first family I baptized, The Sapinoros are still active and the dad just got baptized last month!! Great news huh? I still haven't seen them but I hope to on Sunday since it's stake conference!

I can't wait to see how this area explodes and reaches 250 in sacrament meeting! Keep praying for my ward and investigators! I haven't forgot you in my prayers, stay righteous that the blessings that you need will fall upon you in ways that you will even notice them! I love you all!

Elder Kapeliela

Baptizing Families!! Feb 23rd, 2014

This has got to have been one of the best weeks of my life!!!!! Let me just give you a quick summary before I type away, rats, demolished. Cornel family, baptized!! Elder Orndorffs little brother, State champion! Birthday money, new shoes and pants! Excited to hear about it?

So I'll start with the rats and end with the family we baptized.

On Monday I bought a rat trap. It's a cage about 20 in. long and 6 in. wide with a door that shuts when they eat the peanut butter bread we put there. About 5 minutes after we put it there set up we caught a big fat rat and killed it (theres no chance of me getting bit, don't worry). The next day we got 3!!!!!!! We got the HUGE one when we used spam with nutella on it (that was our breakfast that day, its soooo good!). We'll probably have another one when we get home too! I love it! It was totally worth 5 dollars for that trap!

Oh ya, Elder Orndorffs little brother won state for heavy weight yesterday. He pinned every kid at the state tournament and went 45-0 for the year and 40 of them were pins. This kids a monster! He's only a junior too, so next year he'll do even better!

Thanks for the money you gave me, All my shoes had holes in them so I am happy for the new shoes I bought! Also I bought some new pants that were much much needed, its hard to have things last long hear, especially since we walk and hike everywhere to be able to get to people haha. It's super dusty here because when grass grows Filipinos rip it out because they think its ugly. I still don't understand that, they should just let their grass grow hahaha. So thanks again!

So last night we baptized a family! The Cornel family! The baptism was packed! The whole mission presidency was there! President, 1st counselor and even 2nd counselor of the whole mission!! Also, pretty much every auxiliary from the branch was there to support! The couple missionaries, who are very critical when it comes to baptisms said, "It doesn't get better than that." It wasn't even us that set up the baptism (it usually is) it was the branch! The branch is sooo awesome! They got excited since it was a family and everyone participated in helping them learn this perfect Gospel. They bore such strong testimonies, they have a firm belief in this Gospel and I know will be great active leaders one day! I wanna go through the temple with them when the time comes next year! Two days before the baptism they had many many trials, the little brother of Brother Cornel died from cardiac arrest in Saudi arabia, 33 yrs old and it hurt him super bad. He never doubted the church though and knew he would be made stronger through those trials. Their conversion story is amazing. Their family was struggling the whole year of 2013. They went inactive from Born-agains, brother was very active back then and even became a missionary, he knows the bible very, very well. Well, sister Cornel prayed in November that the Lord would lead her to the right church where her family could be more stable and established and the next day after work she said, "Something was telling me to talk to a man, it was like a light push and whisper, talk to this man" so she talked to him and asked him, knowing that he was religious, if his church had a bible study. He quickly got her address and texted it to us 5 minutes after his conversation with her (He is an active member of a different branch) and me and my last companion Elder Kidd had been really unlucky that day with lessons and went to the referral right away since we were close. When we got there it was only brother Cornel and the kids. 10 minutes later sister Cornel comes in very confused. She then realized how much Heavenly Father loves them and how fast Heavenly Father answers our prayers. She prayed the night before and we got to her house with the everlasting Gospel before she even got home from work. As soon as she heard about the Word of wisdom she quit coffee, she had been drinking over 5 cups a day. Brother Cornel also received answers to his prayer through the spirit and answered questions that had been bothering him for his whole life. They are such a golden family and is the cutest family at the church every week haha. We sang "I need the every hour" and it sounded amazing. We had some great singers in that mini mens choir. Me and Elder Orndorff swear there were angels singing behind us. 

Well that was my week, and if I get transferred on Wednesday, I'm leaving having kicked some butt in Olongapo.

Love you all!

Elder Kapeliela