Serving in Seattle: Email 71: Birthday + Impressions + Brother Cappelle

Received on May 26, 2014

Hello Family! Thanks for all the emails this week! I am so happy with all that has been going on at home. Congrats to Addie and Brig for being bosses and finishing out the school year strong, you are going to have a great summer! And it looks like Brynne and Clark have a pretty sweet set-up! I am so happy for you. I hope you all enjoy your time in Colorado together. I think that we should do a family trip up here to Washington just a week or two after I come home? That might not be feasible haha but wouldn't it be awesome!!

I love Green River! The ward is awesome, we have the best families here. Whitewashing is hard. But, we have never been happier. We worked our faces off and talked to everyone and we found 6 potential FAMILIES to teach just in the last three days. So we are praying that this is the week where we actually help some people start investigating and progressing!

I got to go on exchange back to White River! It was one of the greatest days ever. So many great memories. I don't know if y'all remember me writing about my birthday last year, but here are some things I wrote:

So, June 8, my birthday. One of the greatest days of my life! We started the day as normal and just went to work! I wont go through a play by play but just hit the highlights.

There is a really less-active sister in the ward that hasn't been to church for 15-20 years, Sister Puerta. I have been working with a member of the ward, Sis Lee, for over a month to set something up with her so we could meet and talk about her, her life, her family, and the gospel! Finally, she came through and said she could meet on Saturday at 5 at a park. So we went to the park, Sis Lee came as well, and Sister Puerta then showed. She got out of the car and then helped her two kids out. Amaya is 8 and is super pretty and shy. Julian is 13 and is severely autistic and non-verbal. I almost started crying as I watched this mother gently love and care for her son. He immediately started walking towards the playground and Elder Davis walked over there with him while Sister Lee talked to Sister Puerta. Julian is so amazing. But we got to the point where we sat down and started talking. I can tell you that this experience was a turning point in my mission. I had not quite yet felt that level of Charity for a person and her family. Sister Puerta also has a 16 year old that is slightly autistic and suffers from depression. She has so much that she has to work through. She is an incredible mother and person. We bore testimony of our Heavenly Father's and Savior's love for her and her family. The Spirit was so strong and we all sat there with tears in our eyes. I could feel Heavenly Father's love for her, for her family. It will take some time and many steps for her and her family to get fully immersed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I pray with all that I have that we will be able to continue to help them.

Next, we went to another family, the Macks. Michael is an ex-marine and was a convert when he was 16. But he hasn't been to church for a long time. His girlfriend is Shane, and they have two kids Adin, and Elithia. They aren't married yet but they have been together for three years. We met them last week, had our first lesson this week, and this was our second visit to them. When we came to their house they were happy to see us and let us right in! It was such a miracle because we have been struggling to find people who will keep commitments and they kept all of their commitments! Shane is reading the book of mormon, they are praying together as a couple, and they also started having family meals together! They are also going to come to church this sunday! I love them and I am so happy that we have the opportunity to be a part of their lives. Their family has so much potential!

Then, the last lesson of the night, we went to Mary Hawley's house. She is a referral we recieved from the Spanish Elders and they said she was super solid and ready to get baptized! They put her on date for june 29 and set up a lesson with her for us at 2:00. We went by at 2:00, no one home. That has been happening to us a lot so we were a little upset. But after we went to the Macks, we felt like we needed to try and see her that night. Bro. Miller was with us so we all drove to her house. She opened the door right up and acted like she was expecting us. She apologized for not being home earlier. We sat down and got right into the gospel. I have not met someone yet on my mission that has been this prepared for the gospel. She has been to church twice before with a friend in Issaquah. The Spirit was so strong in the lesson, Bro. Miller told us after it was one of the most spiritual experiences of his life. We talked about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Commandments. We covered a lot but the Spirit was guiding. She was smiling, crying, and adding her own testimony the whole time. She is so prepared. She is now on date for June 15th, this Saturday!! She came to church yesterday and LOVED it!! She is already 1/4 through the Book of Mormon! I testify to all of you that God IS and FOREVER WILL BE a GOD OF MIRACLES!!!

Almost a year later....

While driving to exchange I got an impression that I needed to go and visit Sister Puerta again. The missionaries and the ward have tried plenty of times to reach her but haven't been able to. Elder Tibbitts and I went to the door and knocked on it, and within 5 seconds Sis Puerta opened the door. It was an awesome reunion and she was happy to see me. We talked and she still has some of the same concerns, but the same thing happened to me as on my birthday. I was FILLED with this love for her, and as I testified to her, she felt it. It was incredible. She agreed to let the missionaries come back next week!

Just a note, Shane Mack did end up getting baptized! They are kind of struggling right now but the Sisters are working with them.

And then to Mary Hawley. The story with her is kind of a long one, but the short version is after that awesome lessons, some concerns came up and she didn't want to meet and it was really sad, BUT GUESS WHAT! She moved to a new part of White Rivers area, she has made some changes. And just a few days ago, she ran up to the missionaries and told them she wanted to be baptized and be a part of the church! She is getting baptized on JUNE 7th. A day away from the first lesson we had with her. GOD IS SO GOOD. Being in White River for a day helped me to be so grateful for all of the people I have met and experiences I have had. And it made me excited to go and do more!

Thomas Cappelle was baptized in Redondo last weekend! I didn't get to go, but nonetheless it makes me super happy! He is awesome! The Noune family is still awesome and progressing, the language barrier is turning out to be harder than we thought but they will get there!

So I have a lot of fun, and I have always had a lot of fun, on my mission. But something about my calling, and being with Elder Bradford has taken it to new heights. I AM SO HAPPY! All we do is smile, laugh, teach, and testify. It is the greatest life.

Hope all is well for y'all! Let me know what I can do for ya! Love you so much!