Transfers

Hello everyone! Transfers officially happened this week so I am now with my new comp Sister Lee. She is so awesome! I'm excited for this transfer.

This week we got to talk to some cool and nice people. So lots of seeds planted.

We got to volunteer at a blood drive. So we basically just got to check people in for a few hours but it was a good time. 

We went Chalking. Which is where we basically write scriptures, questions, or inspirational messages and our phone number and hope someone reaches out. 

We went to a relief society activity all about the Philippines. These two Filipino ladies in our ward made so much food for it and it was so yummy and lots of fun!

We saw a huge miracle Friday. We were attempting to visit this one friend we have had a hard time to get in contact with and she wasn't there. But when we were leaving her apartment building, we ran into her! She told us she just found out that her dad just died and now she had to tell her kids. We could tell she was having a really hard time so I asked if we could pray with her. The spirit was so strong, I have never felt the spirit guide my words so much. To think if we came moments earlier or later we would've missed that experience and opportunity to serve.

On Sunday I got to hold puppies!!! If you know me, you know I love dogs, so this was a dream come true. Shout out to our bishop whose dog had puppies and they had us over for dinner.

Last major miracle this week was our final former visit Sunday. It was awesome! The guy's name is Kevin and we got to answer lots of his questions about missionary work. I also got to explain some of the Restoration to him and we're having a lesson with his family tomorrow!

Spiritual thought: 

This week in our Sunday devotional we talked about the talk, "Labels" By Elder Thomas S. Monson and I want to share a scripture from the talk, 1 Samuel 16:7 “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Remember when you see others to not focus on their outward appearance but what's in their heart. We are all children of our Heavenly Father and that's what our focus needs to be on.

Love you all!

-Sis.Kapp

Bye Sister Esplin 

Sister Lee

Challking

Puppy!

General Conference!

Hello everyone! Nothing too crazy happened this week but it was good.

We got transfer calls and I'm staying and Sister Esplin is leaving. I get my new companion tomorrow. It'll be weird not being with Sister Esplin but she'll do great wherever she ends up.

We had a lesson with our friend Isaiah. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and even with his Muslim background he agreed with everything. He then watched the first session of conference with us at the temple's visitor center, and he liked it so that was a highlight.

I had my last in field mentoring session. Which is basically extra training you get from MTC teachers while in training. But I'm officially done with it!

We actually got to play basketball at our basketball night this week which was fun.

Conference was so good! We got to watch a session at the mission home and watched Sunday's at a member's house. 

I loved Elder Holland’s talk and the emphasis on making great things out of inadequate and simple things. When he sang Amazing Grace, the spirit really testified that we are all saved through the grace of God. This is all because he loves us so much!

So Many Miracles!

Hello everyone! This week was sooo good! We saw so many tender mercies and miracles.

On Tuesday we had District Council and I was in charge of the Doctrine. We talked all about the importance of baptism and how our efforts and loving this gospel will keep us on the covenant path.

On Wednesday we had our weekly lesson with this older lady in the ward that we're kinda reteaching everything to and she prayed for us for the first time! It was so amazing.

Friday evening we started our exchange with our traveling stls. I was with Sister Jensen. I learned so much those 2 days! We talked to everyone in the McDonald's drive through which was new for me haha. We used the bus system pretty much all day Saturday. 

So after we got on the bus we realized we were going the wrong way so we got off at the next stop and while waiting for the right bus we met this awesome guy named Gabriel. Turns out he talked to missionaries a few months ago in California and has a Book of Mormon. We were able to talk with and teach him all the way to his stop. We didn't have a chance to set up a future lesson so we got his phone number but when we tried to text him it didn't work! But luckily last night Sister Esplin noticed that we may have just typed in the area code in wrong and so we changed it and it worked! Two amazing miracles!

Another funny bus experience is when our bus just wasn't showing up and the next one wasn't for 23 minutes. So we had a decision to make. Wait or start the 26 minute walk back. So we decided to pray and at the end of my prayer the bus comes, slows down, but passes us! So we walked haha.

Last month we only had one new person that we were teaching but this week we got 5! And we have lessons set up with most of them. I am so grateful!

Our zone got 100 new people this week so we got permission to play sand volleyball today to celebrate and it was SO fun!

Spiritual thought:

Last night in our mission zoom call we discussed a talk from our beloved prophet Russell M. Nelson who just passed away. The talk is, "Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains" and I want to share a quote that I love from it, 

"act in faith. What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith."

Faith is an action so we need to put in the effort to increase it. I know that I have truly seen that as I have pushed myself and have put trust in God. 

Love you all!

-Sis.Kapp

Post bus passing us

Our amazing traveling STLs

Volleyball with the zone

Why wouldn't you believe

Hello everyone! This was a good week of lots of tender mercies and miracles.

Tuesday was zone conference. I learned a lot! Something I loved that they shared is that before this life we told people in our missions that we would find them and teach them so we really need to talk to everyone. That hit me. It relates to temple work too. We all have ancestors that we promised we'd do their work for them in heaven so we need to find their names and do it.

After zone conference we had a call with a referral and read some scriptures with her and had a really good discussion. Now unfortunately when we met up with her later in the week she ended up being very crazy. But we learned a lot and that initial interaction is exactly what God knew we needed.

Wednesday we had exchanges and I got to stay in our area with Hermana Pixton. It was so good! I learned so much! The main thing was utilizing every moment to do the Lord's work. We were supposed to have our first basketball night but no one showed up...BUT while waiting for people we called some formers and got to talk to this guy named Charley. He is such a nice and funny guy who really loves God. He at one point started singing Whitney Huston because it reminded him of God's love. We were able to have a lesson with him later in the week and it was a good time. He wasn't able to come to church because of work but hopefully next week.

We met lots of awesome people while contacting who seem so ready for the gospel. So please pray for them.

We had a "Why I Believe" Sunday and it was so good! It's basically a devotional that happens once a month at the temple's visitors center that is for our friends. The speakers essentially speak on why they believe. This is where my title came from. One of the speakers asked why wouldn't you believe? Why wouldn't you choose to make Covenants that bind you to God? Why wouldn't you choose blessings? Our friend Henok came and I could tell that he felt the spirit. He loved the temple and all the symbolism in it. We had a really good conversation with him about working towards entering it and invited him to pray sincerely about baptism. So we will see what he feels prompted to do at the end of the week.

I also saw SISTER HENDRIX at the "Why I Believe"! I'm not exaggerating when I say we ran and hugged each other when we saw each other. I love that girl so much!!! God knew I needed her in my life. 

For pday we finally got to go to the clock tower, sooo pretty! We also went to the American History Museum, the Star Spangled Banner was so cool! We then painted with the sisters at the mall.

Spiritual thought: Our Sunday devotional was really simple and really good. We talked about the phrase, "many are called but few are chosen" and why only a few are chosen. That's because we have to choose God to be chosen. As we choose God we will feel his power and receive blessings. So choose God!

Love you all!

-Sis.Kapp

Zone Conference

Exchanges

Sister Hendrix!!!

Why I Believe

Clock Tower

Another Week!

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing great! This week was kinda slow but here are the highlights:

We had our first district council with our new district. It was pretty good. We talked about lots of different ways of finding, trusting the Lord, and asking for miracles. Definitely something we needed.

We had interviews with our mission president. It's always good to get advice from him. One piece of advice he gave us was to cut out planned street contacting and plan tons of visits with formers and find on the way as we walk between each house. So lets just say the Lord is giving me great opportunities to get my steps in lol. I'm excited to see what miracles the Lord has in store for us as we follow our president's council.

We also did some service for a family in our ward. They're building 2 sheds in their yard so we helped lay gravel for the foundation. They then fed us and gave us lots of names of people in the ward to visit. So overall very successful.

We had a member meal where we made sushi. It was actually pretty good. Then we had a good conversation with the members where they gave us the advice of always working to progress in life and not allowing yourself to get comfortable and stagnant.

For pday today we went to DC. We attempted to go to this 360 clock tower where you can see all of DC but we got to the door and it was closed. SO we went to the Botanical Gardens, the outside of the Capitol, then this super cheap but good DC gift shop that basically has all the things you can find at the monument gifts shops but SO much cheaper. So if you're in DC go to the DC 1 gift shop.

That's pretty much it for this week.

Spiritual thought: This week in our Sunday devotional we talked all about prayer. We watched a portion of a talk President Nelson gave to mission leaders and he talked about so many good things.  Specifically, setting aside and planning private time to prepare, ponder, and pray. Praying is great but to see the fullness of the blessings of it we need to put in work too and set time aside for the spirit to speak to us. Prioritizing prayer in my life has blessed me so much and I know you all will feel the same blessings if you follow President Nelson's council.

Love you all! Have a great week!

-Sis.Kapp

Botanical Gardens

Capitol

Roller-coaster

Hello everyone! This week was kinda a roller-coaster. 

To start off Tuesday our friend Henok came to a baptism and it was SO good! The talks were simple, clear, and very heartfelt. At the end we could tell Henok could feel the spirit. So this gave us a little boost to start the week.

The rest of the week consisted of lots of not so successful finding and visits. We had a few members lessons too which are always good. But by the end of each day Sister Esplin and I were pretty defeated. We had no idea what to do differently to find some success, so we asked our district. Their suggestions were ditching the car and visiting people who formerly showed interested in the church.

So Thursday after lunch we ditched our car.

15 minutes into our walk we got 2 phone numbers and then 1 more later. Did any of those people come to church? No. But they were tender mercies from God.

Thursday night Henok came to a member meal and it was so good until he told us that he's grateful for us talking to him but we should focus on talking to people who don't have a relationship with Christ. But then he still came to church and our members invited him to go to the temple visitors center sometime and he said yes, so we aren't sure if he dropped us. We're not giving up hope yet. 

Saturday I got to call my fam to see my brother and his now wife walk out of the temple after getting married so that was a big highlight!

Sunday we attempted to apply our districts other piece of advice, visiting formers. When deciding who to visit we decided to go somewhere we don't go too often and we missed the mark a bit. We got to the first "house" and it was an office building, the next was only a street, one wasn't home, and the last was a house of dudes smoking weed (who were not interested). So we'll have to retry visiting formers again haha (and look at the addresses better). 

Sunday we also got to volunteer at a faith walk. This basically consisted of us welcoming people and giving them general information for 2 hours. If anything it showed people that our church consists of good people wanting to help out.

For pday we went to Annapolis (the Island of Maryland) and toured the naval academy and got some good Mexican food. The unfortunate thing was that our district leader forgot that our area has permission to use our gas card to pay for parking so we did some good old walking. Annapolis is beautiful though! Praying that I serve there are some point.

If any former missionaries have finding advice send it my way I'm all ears! 

Spiritual thought: 

In Alma 36: 3 & 27 it states,

"3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me."

Alma is telling his son Helaman that God will support him through his trials because he has done so for him, all it takes is trust. I know that if we trust in God he will help us through everything! There are so many hard things I wouldn't have been able to go through if I didn't trust in God. Trust in him and look for him in every little detail and tender mercy. It won't only make it easier but it will strengthen your relationship with him.

Love you all! Thank you for the support!

- Sis.Kapp

Car ditched

Faith Walk

Annapolis

Transfers!

Hello everyone! Not much has happened since last pday so this is gonna be short.

- Our friend Henok came to church again this week and our sacrament meeting was perfect! We had talk that this girl gave on her experience receiving her endowment and it was so good! I didn't have to explain anything to our friend. We then had a talk on a member's conversion story and the last was a member's experience recreating his relationship with Christ. 

- On Sunday we made muffins and visited some member's.

- We had our last district council with this district and I am staying in White Oak another transfer with Sister Esplin! We are finally seeing some success so we are happy to both be staying! 

- I had to last minute teach our FHE Monday but luckily it was on the Kirtland Temple so I knew a thing or two to help me out. 

- For pday today we had a zone activity in the morning. Then tonight we are going to a member's baptism. Our friend Henok is going so hopefully him seeing this baptism will allow the spirit to testify to him that our church's baptisms are different than the one he received as a baby. 

Spiritual Thought: 

Going to the temple last week, hearing a talk on the temple, then teaching a FHE on the temple reminded me of how important it is. There are so many blessings we receive for going and for making those promises with God. In the October 2022 General Conference, in his talk, Focus on the Temple, President Nelson said, "It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can." The temple is SO important so everyone please take of any opportunity to go because it will bless you, your family, and those you are doing work for SO much! It has truly blessed my life and has strengthened my relationship with my Savior and Heavenly Father.

Love you all!

- Sis.Kapp

Silver Spring Zone

Muffin Visits