Butterfield Stage/Temecula Valley YSA Week 2 - Remembering the Christ in Christmas...

This last week was so great. We had lots of opportunities to teach and meet with members of our ward. I am so blessed to be serving where I am. The people here are incredible. The members in our ward are so focused and willing to help us missionaries. We had a great Christmas! The members really took care of us and it was a blessing to talk to the family! Thank you to all that sent cards and packages! It means so much! 

The only downside to the week is I have been really sick. I have been sick on and off for the last 6 months. I got some new medicine that should help. It's definitely made it harder to work, but I feel like that's just the missionary life.

This last week I put a lot more time into learning about Christ, it being Christmas and all. I was frustrated being sick because it made it really hard to really get engaged in my studies. I was really bummed to be sick and generally just felt bad for myself and not being home, but I really felt the atonement play a strong role in my week. I have just been fed up with being sick for so long and I wanted to be healed now. As I prayed and prayed and got a blessing, I got exactly what I needed, not what I wanted. Funny how that ALWAYS happens. I received more peace and comfort and strength to help me deal with being sick and get through it. We can't expect Heavenly Father to change His will for our wants. That is absolutely contrary to our purpose of being here on earth. However, we do have a Savior. Jesus Christ was born so that we could make it back to our Father in Heaven. He made it possible for us to make it through our trials. Honestly, we will always be struggling with something. It's hard. A lot of God's children will live their entire lives struggling with one specific thing. A lot of the times we want to say, "That's not fair. Why do I have it like this and that person doesn't? Why do they have it better? It's not fair that life is this hard." If you ever feel tempted to say that, I want you to picture Christ (who was perfect) in the Garden of Gethsemane saying, "You're right. It's not fair." It wasn't fair that Christ suffered anything at all! But He did. Because He loves you. The first verse of the Book of Mormon says it best. Nephi says the word 'afflictions'. If you look at the foot note for that word it says, "Blessing; Gifts of God". THAT'S RIGHT! Your struggles are blessings because they make you better. And when it gets hard, you can turn to Christ. Because He already suffered it and knows how you feel and is willing to do everything possible to help you. Christmas is much more than acknowledging Christ was born. But we also need to think about what that means to us.

I love this gospel. I love Jesus Christ. I love my family. I love the blessing I have to be a missionary. This is Christ's church on the earth today! I love you!

Elder Kapp

Pictures

1. Christmas Morning...

2. Christmas with Ian

Butterfield Stage/Temecula Valley YSA Week 1 - New Area and MERRY CHRISTMAS

I have been in Temecula for less than a week now and I already love it. It is such a cool area! I am with Elder Gantner and we are covering two wards. We are over the Butterfield Stage ward and Temecula Valley YSA branch. It's hard trying to figure out 2 wards at once, but I love it! I am having so much fun, but I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. Especially with being a new Zone Leader and people asking me for help it's scary because I don't know a thing.

The work is so good right now! We have investigators in both of our wards.

On Monday I said some tough goodbyes to Carlsbad YSA. That was hard. I also hated packing. I got here Tuesday and we just stopped by some members and planned Zone Welcome. 

Wednesday we had Zone Welcome. We taught a part member family, the Butters and stopped by a lot of members. 

Thursday we had a ton of stop bys and taught Liz, our investigator in the YSA. She had a baptism date but she had some set backs. She is super cool! It was fun teaching her. We're going to try to get her back on date this week.

We also taught Maddy Neugart. She is 16 and has been active in church most of her life. Her parents are divorced and her dad wouldn't let her get baptized, so she has been waiting until she turns 18. This last week her mom got full custody so Maddy can get baptized! She wants us to come by twice a week up til her baptism later in January. She is super cool! We are excited for her to get baptized!

On Thursday we also stopped by the Lewis'. They used to live in our ward in Clinton and I was trying to catch Tyler.

Friday we taught Kindra. She is very Christian and friends with a recent convert in our ward. She is very strong in the Bible, but she is open and likes to learn. 

Sunday was crazy! Because our wards are at the same time we had to split so I went to the family ward by myself! I don't really know anyone yet, but it was really good.

I really love this area. There is such a great vibe from Temecula. It is a very Mormon community. It's like a Utah community in California. The members are incredible. I am super excited to be here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love Elder Kapp

                                            Spaghetti Carbonara
                                       Dinner Yesterday with the Goss family!

Carlsbad YSA Week 17 - Transferring out to Temecula

Hey friends and family. This last week has been absolutely crazy! We have been so busy and the days feel like they didn't happen. So I am getting transferred to Temecula! I will be serving in the Butterfield Stage Ward and Temecula YSA as a zone leader with Elder Gantner. I am nervous for the move, but excited. Elder Hadfield was also called as a ZL and he will be going to Oceanside 3rd... Big move... haha.

This last week has consisted of lots of member lessons, zone training meeting, and planning and filming videos for our ward mission plan. Just really busy and stressful.

On Thursday we were walking around and met this man named Carlos who was trying to put a brick path in his front yard. He let us help him. It took about 3 hours. He was from Mexico and spoke decent English. We put cement in and he showed us how to be good workers like he learned in Mexico. It was a really neat experience.

We also had a lesson with Delshawn. We went over the sacrament prayers. I got to bless the sacrament with him on Sunday! IT WAS SO COOL! There is no sweeter feeling in the world than seeing someone change their life to be happier.

Friday Elder Hadfield and I went to the new leadership meeting because E. Hadfield has never been in leadership before. We weekly planned and started getting things ready for the new missionaries. We also visited our member Ramiro on base. He just had nose surgery.

Saturday we got transfer calls and worked on filming the videos. 

Sunday we had our last Sunday on Edson Range. I got to ordain Recruit Vega-Salzar a priest!! Crazy to think he was baptized a week ago!!! It was great!

I am very sad to leave this area. I love the people here and I am grateful for all the opportunities I've had. Elder Hadfield and I have left it all on the field and I am sad to go our separate ways, but I know he will continue to grow and become an even more incredible missionary.

I love you all!

Elder Kapp

                                                               Caleb Reiley

                                                               Human Mario kart!

Carlsbad YSA Week 16 - Slowing down before Christmas

This last week was pretty slow, but the work is still moving forward. We have picked up a few potential investigators, but nothing really to talk about with them yet.

On Tuesday we met with Mitch Steen. He just got stationed on Camp Pendleton and is trying to become more active in church. He actually is a return missionary from Sweden and was companions with Jake! (He has nothing but good to say about Jake.) We taught him the restoration and the spirit was definitely there. He is a really cool guy! 

We taught Delshawn on Wednesday. We talked to him about callings, serving in the church, and talked to him about what it's going to be like when he moves to Snow College at the end of the year. He is a bit nervous, but really excited! He has grown so much and it's pretty obvious how much he has changed since our first lesson with him. 

We had district meeting on Thursday and did some gardening for a guy in the O3 ward with the zone leaders. That was a good time! 

On Saturday our district got together and baked cookies to take tracting a complex with the Light The World pass along cards attached to them. We didn't find anyone because of it, but I think the sisters did! It was a lot of fun and was a unique way to find.

I did forget one thing! Recruit Vega-Salzar got baptized yesterday! I taught him and he was set to be baptized on the 11th. We had a lesson and answered questions. Immediately after I grabbed Elder Miles and he started his baptism interview and I went back into the room. Elder Coreless, our senior missionary, came over and asked why he wasn't getting baptized today. I told him he was ready and that he could if he wanted to. Elder Coreless went out in the hall where the were conducting the interview and asked VegaSalzar if he would get baptized today rather than next week. He said he wanted to wait til next week. Elder Miles, who was conducting the interview, finished and asked VegaSalzar to kneel and give the closing prayer. He gave a powerful prayer and as soon as he said amen, he said, "I want to get baptized today." The spirit is the best. THE BEST! It was awesome. I got to confirm him and he should receive the priesthood next week!

We slacked off at taking pictures this last week. I will send some next week!

Love you all! 

Elder Kapp