May 28th, 2012

What’s up family?

This week was a busy one for us and it just felt like we were running around doing errands and stuff all week but it was all worth it because we had some great success as a zone.  As a zone we  ended up bringing 37 souls unto Christ. We were really blessed this month- well, mostly this last weekend.  We had 33 baptisms this last weekend as a zone.  So during the week we were running all over the place picking things up and dropping things off so that all these people could be baptized.  We weren't able to work in our own area for 2 days so that didn't help us out too much.  On Friday I was with the missionaries in Paraiso to do all their baptismal interviews and we had a few weddings too.  We first had the wedding for our area for the Ponce family.  The wedding went good.  We had a scary experience on the way there in the bus.  There was a drunk guy and he started arguing with the bus driver over something stupid and the guy pulled out a gun, but then he ended up getting off the bus and everything was good. (Mom, don’t worry - nothing bad happened to us).  Then I went to 2 more weddings in Paraiso and that night I had to do all of their interviews.  They baptized 2 families that are really awesome.  I also did an interview with another older lady this week that had been sexually abused earlier in her life.  We talked a lot about the atonement of Christ and what Christ did for us.  It was cool; I could see how she started to feel better when she read the scriptures about the atonement and as we talked about it.  It was just a cool experience about how the gospel brings that change and joy in people lives.  This week in our area we had 2 baptisms.  The day of the baptism, hermano Ponce opted out.  We went to pick them up and he wasn't ready and just said that he wasn’t going to get baptized that day and wait until the next week and he wouldn't tell us why.  It was really weird because his wife had been the one that was more negative and he was always excited about getting baptized.  So this week were going to be working with him a lot.  Changes are this week.  My companion, Elder Guzman has a change so I’ll be here for a change more with a new comp.  Most of the areas in the zone have changes and they’re closing an area too so we'll see what happens.  Changes are always exciting - haha.

Thanks for everything.  You guys are the best.

I Miss and Love You All!!!!!!!!

Elder Kapple

May 21st, 2012

Hola,

How is everyone doing? Things have been just fine and dandy here in Villanueva but it has been pretty rainy too. The rainy days are kind of fun sometimes. Everyone thinks that we’re crazy because we’re out walking in the rain. This week was good though. We had the baptism of Elian.  He's an awesome little guy and he really loves going to church and understands what we have shared with him very well. The baptism was kind of crazy because we forgot clothes for him but we finally got some.  The water pressure was really bad so the font didn't fill up to quickly so there was only about 2 feet of water but we still managed to get him all the way under - haha. This week we did a lot of traveling.  On Tuesday I was in divisions in Rio Lindo and we had to get get a partida from San Antonio so we were traveling until about 4 and then we were able to work for a little bit. Then on Thursday we had to go to Concepcion de Sur in Santa Barbara and it was a long day.  We left at 6 in the morning and didn't get back to our area until about 4 in the afternoon.  We went all the way around the lake Lago de Yojoa but it has some beautiful sights to see and then the next day we had to go back to pick up the partida because the first day we only paid for it to be prepared.  But we mastered the route so it only took us like 4 hours the second day haha.  We also did the Baleadas activity this week to raise money for the Ponce Family. We sold about 75 Baleadas (tortillas) and we were able to make about 750 Lempira.  It's enough for a wedding and for a cake for after the wedding.  That’s what we need to focus on most this week; getting the fecha set with the Ponce family and helping them get their testimony stronger. The zone is doing great right now. We have 19 fechas for this week already set and we have great possibilities of baptizing about 32 people this next week. I know we can do it; everyone just needs to work hard this week and help these people feel the spirit.  The hard part about all of these baptisms is all the interviews that we are going to have to do - haha. So no one has responded about the reference challenge that I gave you in last week’s e-mail.  Has anyone done it?  If not, you have to do it this week.  Well I hope all is well back home.  I hope you’re not to sore from the half marathon Dad, and congrats on the new calling. You'll do a great job.  Mom you’re the best ever!!!!

I Love and Miss you All!!!!

Elder Kapple

Villanueva Zone Conference

May 2012

May 14th, 2012

Hello Everyone,

First off, Mom - happy Mother’s Day, you’re the best and I LOVE YOU and you’re THE BEST MOM EVER!!!!!!!!!! and grandma Georgia -  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was great to talk to you all for Mother’s Day yesterday.  It was awesome to see you all on Skype too.  I think that it was the first time that I have seen Mom and Dad for a year and a half since I don’t get any pictures from them - haha. But you all looked great and happy.  This last week was a good one for us. We were finally able to get some fechas set for some baptisms.  This week we have one with a little kid that has come to church for 2 or 3 months.  We were trying to work with his parents but they live up in the mountian so the mom doesn't want to come to church because it's a little far and the dad just left a few weeks ago to the states so hopefully he'll find the gospel there.  The Ponce family also accepted a baptisiml date for the 26th of this month.  We had challenged them early but she wanted to wait until June but this last week we challenged them again and they accepted for this month.  The guy is awesome and has been really receptive through all of the lessons.  She was a little harder but as she went to church she began to change. Usually it's the opposite - haha. They are a really cool family.  This week I went on divisions with an Elder named Elder Polendo.  He's from Mexico and is the DL here.  He only has 6 or 7 months in the mission so is still learning a lot on how to be a leader and all that good stuff.  We had a lot of fun together and had some good appointments.  His district has been doing alright but he has had some problems with a few a little things and wasn't really doing anything about it because he didn't want to be hard on anyone.  What I really like about him is how he takes counsel. We read together in D&C 121:43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;  46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.  We focused on the reproving part but doing it with love.  He said he did it the next day and that the missionaries were going to change.  I'm glad he did it so then I didn't have to - haha.

Well this week should be a good one. We have a zone conference on Wednesday so I’m excited for that.

Thanks for all that you do. I Miss and Love you All!!!!!!!!

Elder Kapple 

May 7th, 2012

Que Pedo Familia? ( haha Honduran slang, don’t use it)

How is everything going? Things have been well here in Villanueva and it seems like we’re picking it up a little bit.  We don't have a lot of solid baptismal dates set but we have a lot of investigators progressing.  We had 17 investigators at church on Sunday.  Many of them were great families.  We have 3 families progressing but the parents all need to get married.  So this week we really have to focus on the people that we have progressing.  This week I really learned a lot.  On Tuesday I had the opportunity to work with Elder Jones, our A.P.  They came out and did divisions with us and I worked with him in our area.  I really learned so much and he made me just want to be better; I can't really explain it.  It's not that we had the best appointments with the best investigators but just the way he worked he taught me a lot.  He's a missionary that I really look up to.  He went to Alta High.  One thing that we have really started to focus on is working with the members and focusing on them to help us in the work.  They really are the key.  When Elder Martino came he gave us the statistic that 1 out of every 1000 people get baptized off of street contacting; it might be a little higher here in Central America, and that every 3 out of 4 people that are references and receive the mission lessons with the support of members and friends, are baptized.  So that is what we have been trying to focus on in the mission.  We need to get to know the members better here though.  We know all the super good active members but they always give us references when they have them but most of the time the less active members have great friends but the members are too afraid to share the gospel or don’t think about sharing it.  This week we received a reference of a cool guy about 20 years old from a family.  Last night we had our first appointment with him and he was talking about serving a mission already but we first better talk to him about baptism.  So I want to do a challenge for all of you this week.  Everyone think of a family that could use this gospel in their life. If you can't think of one, think of a family that just had something big happen in their life, like a new baby, a death in the family or if they just moved or have a family member a little wild haha.  Then invite the missionaries over and tell them about them and introduce them.  Next week you have to tell me who they are. (this applies to everyone).

Well, thanks for all of the love and support and for all that you do.  Sorry - no pictures this week.  I left the cable at home.

Thanks for everything. I Miss and Love You All!!!!!!!

Elder Kapple

Villanueva Celestial Zone

April 30, 2012

Hola Mi querida familia!!!!!!!!

I would like to start out by thanking you for all of your e-mails.  It is always great to hear from you.  Things are going well here in Villanueva and we are seeing some progress here in our area. We have had some good appointments this week and we have some good possibilities coming up.  Our first one is the Ponce Family.  They are a great family.  The husband is one of those guys that just loves the word of God and he has been to church 3 times now and his wife has been 2 times.  We talked to them about getting married last week but when we went by this week they were questioning a little more about doing it so we challenged them to pray to know if this is what they should do.  They said that they feel like it is what they need to do so this week we’re going to go and verify everything.  They really like the church and have been going to most of the activities as well and really love them.  Their little kid is best friends now with some of the members’ kids so that is really helping.  They still need to do more of their part.  They read but they need to do a little bit more so that they can gain a strong testimony of the restored gospel.  So keep them in your prayers so they can get married.  We also have this young man named Jonathan.  He is 17 years old and has been changing a lot.  He is passing through a humbling time in his life.  He has a super bad ear infection that he hasn't really been able to find anything to help heal it.  We gave him a blessing and now he is taking injections to help.  So we have been working with him a lot and he has had a big change so we’re going to keep on working with him.  We also found out that our other family can get married.  The husband got married in the states about 12 years ago but he said that the lady that he married called him a few years back and told him that they were divorced but he never signed anything so we have been waiting to verify it.  I was talking to Elder Jones (our A.P.) about it and he talked to President Veirs and they said that he can get married so that was some awesome news for us.  But she might have to have a surgery pretty soon so she is going to go and see when they’re going to do it today.  I've been praying that she won’t need the surgery for a while - haha.  We have a few more people and we’re going to keep working with them.  We had 16 at church on Sunday and it was really great.  So we were really happy.  We also had a zone leader meeting this week and it was way cool.  We had a video conference with Elder Martino.  He wanted to talk to us because when he came here to teach zone leaders we told him that all of us were going to baptize a family this month -  but only like 4 companionships got it so he wanted to know what happened.  Then he gave us the offer that he will take us for a steak dinner if every zone leader companionship baptizes a family in this next month.  He also gave us some encouraging words.  President Veirs said that Elder Martino will be the Area President starting in August.  He's a cool guy.  I'm excited for this coming week.  We’re going to do divisions with the AP's tomorrow and we should be able to set some more baptism dates.  The mission is awesome and of course there are hard times but there is always something new that I learn.  Right now in my studies I have been trying to finish the bible.  I have about 100 pages left. The bible is awesome (new testament especially) but sometimes hard to understand everything.  It teaches a lot about the organization of the Church along with the ordinances that we need to have and how we should do them.  Well, thank you so much for all that you do for me.  You guys are all the best.

I Miss and Love You All!!!!!!!!

Elder Kapple