Miracles present in Esco and Following the Spirit

Hey everyone,

This last week was such a great week! We are living the dream. Elder Halstead is doing SO GOOD!

So this is the gist of the week. We did a booth at Mira Costa and met this super cool Jewish kid named Shlomo or something... He is actually a Messianic Jew, so he believes in Jesus and all that! So he's really not to far off from being Mormon. He taught us some Hebrew and I learned a lot about the Jewish faith! Hopefully we can teach him or something this week!

We are struggling getting back in with the investigators we've picked up. It's frustrating, but we're praying to see miracles and they are coming!

There was this nonmember guy named Elroy that just walked into church on Sunday. He said he met missionaries a while ago and came twice. He checked out a bunch of other churches, but really likes ours. Hopefully he comes again next week because he slipped out before we could talk to him much. He has Book of Mormon and our number, so he might call!

Edson Range was on FIRE yesterday! We picked up 3 new guys and one of them is getting baptized next week! He was taught in MCRD and is ready! He passed his interview and is getting dunked! This is E Halstead's first one so we are excited! We also taught this Recruit Collins. He heard we had a class about marriage or something and he thought it sounded interesting and unique. We taught him the restoration and he said he would definitely read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. 

I learned a lot about the Spirit this last week. There were multiple experiences where I learned what the Spirit is saying and to be more open to what it can prompt me to do. I will share one experience. So we were on exchanges on Saturday. After dinner I could not for the life of me figure out where to go. Due to a breakfast with our bishop at 8:00AM, we didn't get much time to plan. We kept praying and praying but the place where to go that kept coming to mind is a place we contact every couple days. I didn't want to go there and felt we could do something more. Eventually I just decided to go to that park and walk around. I kept having this thought we should go get corn (like the Nacho Libre Mexican corn) from this lady that sells it on the street there. We got it and sat down and just talked. I felt bad. I kept thinking, "Heavenly Father! Come on... I am trying to work! I really am, but I don't know what to do!" So we got up and just talked. This Elder really began to open up to me about what's gone on in his life and what's been hard for him. Eventually we were back in the car and waiting for our companions to come exchange back and I just felt I needed to talk to him about forgiveness, especially forgiving himself. Honestly, I don't know what I said, but I remember I felt pretty bold saying it. Then it was silent for like 30 seconds... (Felt like minutes). Then he wrote down what I said and said it's been really hard and that's exactly what he needed.

Moral of the story.  I learned that I am here to bring souls to Christ. That is everyone. I realized that this was the best place God could have me be at that time. God put me in the path of who was prepared and I was able to testify of the atonement. We need to get out of our minds that missionary work is simply inviting nonmembers to get baptized or read the Book of Mormon or take the lessons. No. It's helping in bringing God's children closer to Christ. Always listen to the Spirit and I promise the Spirit will be more present in your life. Pray for missionary opportunities. 

I love you all!

Elder Kapp

Zone conference pictures:

Run From Jerusalem & Don't Look Back

Elder Halstead and I are doing really well! We are having a ton of fun and getting so much done. We are working hard! We were able to pick up 2 new investigators this last week. Unfortunately, none of our investigators are progressing! We have been doing everything we can to get them to church, but they aren't coming! It's frustrating. But we definitely saw some awesome miracles this last week.

I was on exchanges with Elder Noble this last week. He's a greenie from Centerville, Utah. Awesome kid! We had dinner at Al Stroes' house. He invited this kid, Shaw, who took the lessons over a year and a half ago. He really clicked with us, especially with Elder Noble. We were talking about the Holy Ghost and Al told Shaw that he could feel the Holy Ghost all the time if he got baptized. He talked about how he had a big spiritual experience recently and if that's what he needed to do to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion then he wants to get baptized! He committed to come to church and we're trying to set up a lesson!

 However, he did not come to church like he said he would....

The second miracle was while doing service at Ken Birch's on Friday. He is a member from the TOV ward and we stopped by to say 'hi' last week. He said he had a lot of work to do to prepare for his daughter's wedding reception and we asked if we could help. He had so much for us to do! While we were digging holes for some bushes, his next door neighbor, Josh, was cleaning up after his dogs. He looked YSA aged and we talked with him for like 20 minutes. We asked if he would want to meet up and he was down! We ended up meeting with him on Saturday and answering a lot of questions. He doesn't seem like he's really looking to convert, but is looking to make friends and meet up! We'll see what happens.

I was reading in first Nephi this last week. I love studying Laman and Lemuel. Honestly, there is so much we can learn from those guys! I was reading the part where they were complaining about being in the wilderness (which is most of 1 Nephi) and they were saying how their lives would have been so much better if they had just stayed in Jerusalem. What I learned is the importance of leaving the world, not turning back, and figuring out where we're working towards. If we are caught in sin and are just getting out, we can't hangout just outside of "the city" and expect to be safe. GET OUT OF JERUSALEM! But stopping sin is not enough. If we spend our lives running from sin it will ALWAYS catch us. However, if we are running towards something we are better off. Like Nephi, we need to run to the Promised Land. We need to run to Christ. One of the things that caused Laman and Lemuel to turn against their family and God is they never fully left Jerusalem. Part of their desires were always in the past they left. "Man, it was so nice back when we...." "What I would do to just be back in Jerusalem again..." Their hearts weren't changed. They wouldn't let go of the world.

I'm so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. No matter what we did in Jerusalem, he can change us on our journey to the Promised Land as long as long as we are willing to give our past to him. Jesus came here to save us. He wants to forgive, but we have to be willing to RUN from our mistakes and weaknesses. We can't hangout just a couple steps from where we were looking back. We need to look to Him. I just want all of you to know that I know Christ lives. He is our Savior. He is my friend. He offers us new life. Please don't settle for the mediocrity of the life you currently have and be willing to let go and trust that he will make it worth it. I love Him.

Elder Erik Kapp

Trust God and Keep Holding On!

Hey people,

Well this week has been a blessed week. Elder Halstead and I are killing it! We are putting it all out there and seeing a ton of success. This last week we were able to pick up 2 new investigators. We found both of them from contacting on the streets. The first guy's name is Andy. We played basketball with him for a little bit then we got to teach him. It went really well! He's a cool guy!

The other guy we taught is Franko. He lives in our apartment complex and he knew some missionaries that would come talk to him before. We didn't have a very formal lesson, but it's good. He seems open to listening, but not really looking to change or anything. 

We went on exchanges on Wednesday. I was with Elder Garner. He's a really awesome kid! He's brand new from Texas. He's doing a really good job!.

There were a ton of small miracles we saw. We picked up tons of potentials for ourselves and for other wards. Street contacting has been super effective for us. We are trying to pick up 2-3 investigators a week. It's going pretty well so far. We are setting up a booth at the college this week. 

The last eventful thing was Mission President Interviews. That was my last one before my exit interview.... Not a fan of that. It hit me pretty hard and I finally realized the reality of leaving and I have been really sad off and on since. But I'm trying to shake it off!

I think the one thing I've learned this past week is the importance of trusting God and holding on. I don't know why, but this last week I was feeling very anxious and depressed randomly. I couldn't figure out what I was doing or what was causing me to feel so panicked all the time. It would just hit me randomly. I figured out a few things and did what I could to eliminate stress. There was one night I was kneeling and praying asking Heavenly Father why He wouldn't just take it away and help me. I realized His constant hand in getting through each of those days. I mean, I'm still here! I feel like I was trying to get rid of my part and my problems, but Heavenly Father knew what I needed and gave me the strength I needed. That might be a bit of a rant... But moral of the story! Trust God and just keep holding on. If you feel His spirit at all in your life you know He's there. So keep calm, trust God, and keep holding on! I just love my saviour Jesus Christ and know he's a friend of mine. 

I love you all!

Elder Kapp

 Kick Ball Game!

Picnic after Kick Ball Game

Exchanges with E. Garner!

Corn is celebration of the New Investigator! (It's a tradition)

                      Elder Halstead and I with the sunset. 

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District picture

             Fishing @ Dixon Lake (Not the biggest Bass recorded...)

Choppin wood

Just A Good Week.

This last week was awesome! Man we had so much fun and saw so much success! I got my new companion, Elder Halstead. He's from Las Vegas and this is his first week! I love the kid! We are seeing so much success and working super hard. He's very excited and enthusiastic about the work. We got a lot done! We were able to get in with 4 less active members and all of them said they'd be willing to come to church and activities. We also have been hitting the streets hard and picked up a ton of potentials from contacting. We have a lesson set up with one of them tonight! Wish us luck.

Lately I have been trying to develop a closer and more personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I've always been so envious of those who could said, "I know Jesus Christ. He's my friend." I never really thought as my relationship with Christ as a friendship. So I've been trying to work on that. As I've studied and relied on and opened up to my Savior, I've realized how he really does know us. He truly loves us and understands us. He doesn't want us to turn away from him. We need to turn to him and come to him always. I've felt my relationship with Jesus Christ come a lot closer this last week. I know he lives and made it so I could be forgiven. I love him. 

Elder Kapp