August 31, 2015

 

Hey Parents,

Happy late birthday Dad.  Hope it was good.  Did you get anything fun?

It looks like Emily got thrown right into the thick of it.  When I first got there I was with a bunch of Americans and a few Koreans that spoke good English.  It seemed like I spoke more English than Korean.  I wanted to eat a lot of Korean food but for the first couple of weeks we had all American or Chinese food.  Good to hear that she is good with the food already.

We have had a really good week.  We tracted a lot, met an old drunk who was evidently Black Jesus in disguise, and saw a bunch of miracles.  We were always in just the right place at the right time to run into people who were looking or in need of help.  God has been guiding us and preparing people for us to at least plant a seed.  We are hoping for a record number of new investigators this week.

Satan has been hard at work as well though.  We haven't encountered many antis much until this last week.  I had to restrain myself a number of times to not get into a Bible bash with them.  J and K are having a hard time as well.  They are still doing all the things they need to progress but everything seems to be going wrong for them all of a sudden.  They are having a hard time with health and finances and work and are very stressed.  They are bearing it with patience though and still study and ask amazing, insightful questions.

We had a Zone conference this last week.  I saw Elder Jones there.  He told me that the Syrians we found on my last day in Mahoney are progressing amazingly, coming to church and feeding the missionaries good Arabic food.  I knew it!  I knew they would be awesome!  I'm really sad I missed teaching them.

As we have worked with people who are trying to change their life I am amazed at how blessed we are.  I was born to goodly parents who love the Lord and spared no pains in instructing us and teaching us to love God and come to Christ.  I have avoided so many of the dangers that are so common and destructive.  It has been awesome to talk with J especially as he talks about the things he has done and overcome.  He is a good Christian man who devotes so much of his time to helping others and bettering himself.  He is honest and genuine.  This change came as he gave himself over to God.  The man is a real life Jean Valjean.  The power of the Atonement is real and strong.  We can overcome every sin regardless of how large or small it is.  We can be perfect in Christ!

Love you all,

Elder Stapley

August 17, 2015

Hola Familia!

It's already the last week of the transfer. I don't expect a change at all here but you never know.

We got to go to the temple on Friday.  It was great.  Pres. and Sister Gardner came and we all got to hang out a bit afterwards.  It was a bit bittersweet saying goodbye to some of the Elders leaving for home this week though.

Did you get the picture of us in front of the liquor store?  We were walking along and the people working there saw us and waved us over.  We wouldn't go in so they came out and talked to us a bit.  They were trying to  convince us that Jesus liked wine (water into wine was one of his first miracles after all) and we could come into the store and talk with them.  I was uncomfortable the entire time because we were standing at the door of this liquor store along the main street to the temple.  Sure enough we walk into ward council on Sunday and the Bishopric is laughing at something on Bro. B's phone.  He had seen us and driven around the block a second time to snap a picture.  During church the Bishop kept talking about what a great job we were doing at talking to everyone and the ward council would all quietly snicker at us.  I asked Bro. B to send the picture to you, thought you'd enjoy it.

So we've been working hard on talking to a lot more people and we've sure met some interesting ones this last week.  A lot of people just wanted money for "milk", or "gas", while swearing cause they misplaced their id.  Why do you need an id to buy milk?  One lady came up to us in McDonald's and started asking for money for food and the bus.  We talked to her for a little bit.  She told us how she heard evil voices that wouldn't leave her alone and that everyone was out to get her.  She knew she needed help spiritually but refused to actually do anything about it.  She wouldn't even take a Book of Mormon unless we bought her a tablet that she could read it on.  We couldn't really do anything for her.  Mom talked about how I can see the potential in others but I sure do get frustrated when people are so stupid that they won't even take the iron rod right in front of them.  This lady had even said that prayer had made the voices go away but she gave up on it because it didn't permanently fix the problem.  I'm grateful that God is patient with us but I can't comprehend how he does it.

We did have a number of really good experiences too, miraculous even.  We got a feeling to talk cross the street and talk to some people out on their porch.  It turns out that the man whose house it was had just lost his wife.  He was having a crisis of faith and his friends had come over to try to comfort him.  One of the guys was a deacon in another church and had been really worried about coming over there because there were a bunch of other people over that were bad influences.  He prayed for help and the bad friends left and we showed up.  We shared a message and honestly we don't even remember what we said but the spirit was present and we know the guy felt it.  He didn't really respond but we hope that he remembered how it felt. 

Just yesterday we ran into a lady who was initially really suspicious of us but eventually admitted that she was raised in the church.  She started crying and told us how the church had played a role in her early life.  It was heartbreaking to see how her life had turned out because she had let go of the iron rod and wandered off.  It seems her husband doesn't like the church but she wanted to stay in contact with us at least.  I hope we are able to help her out.

I'm out of time already.  I wanted to include something spiritual but I guess I'll get it in next week. You got more stories than usual at least.

Love you,

Elder Stapley

August 3, 2015

Hi,

We set J and K for baptism on the 29th.  When I asked them if they thought they could do that J said, "Not to have a big head or anything, but I can have my answer way before that".  They just have to quit smoking though.  They are trying.  They fasted for strength yesterday and even gave a fast offering.

We have been focusing on finding people this transfer and this last week we were able to get a bunch of new people.  I am a bit worried about them though.  There are a couple of teenage girls that were way too excited to talk to us, some older people who would just talk over us and didn't really listen and a gay guy that tried to hook us up with some of his "homegirls".  

"Do you like black girls?"  

"I'm a missionary. I like Jesus."  

He wants to come to church though.

We haven't been able to see any of our old people this transfer.  They are all busy or out of town.  We did get to see Ms. M this week though.  She is still stubborn but we are so close to setting her for baptism finally.  She is freakishly good at dodging questions and changing the subject though.  She is already out of town again so we'll have to wait a bit longer to set her.

We had interviews with Pres. Gardner this last week.  He is challenging us to memorize three scriptures every week for the rest of our mission.  He has promised increased power and spirituality if we do.  I am not at all good at this sort of thing but I am excited to think of what that sort of scriptural knowledge would do to my teaching ability.

I have to go they are shutting the computers off.

Love you! Bye,

Elder Stapley

July 27, 2015

Hola Padres,

I got the package thanks. Emily's emails to me are pretty short and pictureless so just forward her emails to me. 

Thanks for sending Mom's talk.  That is the angle I have been taking with my member missionary messages.  Consistency is the key.  Just do the small things. Trust in the Lord and no effort will be wasted.

Our area has been busier than ever.  We have been able to find more people but are still struggling for good solid people who will actually meet with us.  I'm way optimistic though.  I'm not sure why but I feel like the area here is changing and we are making a lot more headway.  It just feels different than it was a little bit ago.  We have started getting more referrals and people have been friendlier and more receptive.

So J and K, the older couple I wrote about last week, came to church yesterday.  They had both read from the Book of Mormon and had questions prepared.  We visited with our awesome Tongan member and he really helped out welcoming them to church Sunday.  One thing I was worried about was teaching about the restoration of the priesthood.  J is the sort of guy who would wonder why one particular religion has to be the true one and I was afraid that he would reject the idea that only one church could have authority.  But we went ahead and taught it anyway.  When I stopped talking, his wife, who is usually quiet, started bearing testimony of the restoration of the priesthood!  It turns out that she has had a testimony of the church the whole time and had an amazing spiritual experience that confirmed to her that our church has authority from God!  I was stunned!  God had given her this revelation years ago in preparation for us teaching her and her husband about the Restoration of the Gospel.  Afterwards I had to repent and apologize for doubting.

So it looks like we had forgotten to lock the car one night.  We got ready to go the next morning but couldn't find the sheets that we recorded our daily miles on.  We then realized the gps was also gone.  We did and inventory and it looks like someone took our gas card, my mp3 player, and all the car paperwork.  I now don't have any music.  I had just gotten some cool songs from another missionary too.  Could you send another one sometime.  No hurry I'm discovering that I actually like the quiet with out music all the time.  When you do send it be sure to include any soundtrack that is uplifting.  I still don't know where the new president is on music but I can always just delete songs myself. 

My district leader duties are almost non-existent.  Everyone in my district is either a sister or they out rank me.  I just get to decide who will be speaking at district meeting.  This week I think I will make a couple sisters do both trainings.  I can just sit back and listen.  Love you,

Elder Stapley

July 13, 2015

Hello Parents,

Thanks for the pictures.  I just haven't had my camera with me to take any for you.  I will try harder.

I have stayed put but Elder Madsen transferred out.  My new companion is Elder Nockai.  He is pure Navajo and is from Las Vegas.  He seems pretty chill and is actually newer to this mission than I am.  We just absorbed a part of the mission north of us and he got absorbed with it.  He has already been good to have around.  People love to talk to him about Native American stuff and it has been great for breaking down barriers.  We also got a Kuren Elder in the other ward.  There are a ton of Kuren (I don't know how that's spelled) people here in Omaha.  They are refugees from Burma.  They are ethnically distinct from the rest of the country so the Burman people have been killing them.  They have been quite receptive but unfortunately are mostly in the other area.  With Elder Zaw here now we are seeing visions of a Kuren branch being created.

As for package ideas I wouldn't mind some thicker socks.  The ones I usually get keep sliding down my foot and getting twisted.  I can't think of anything else though.

I was just thinking about whether that car was still running.  Bummer.

Thank you for writing such long letters. They aren't boring at all.  I'm sorry mine are so short.  Today the computers haven't been working well so we'll have to cut our time short.  Sorry.  I'll write more next week.

Love you,

Elder Stapley

July 6, 2015

Hey Parents,

Transfers are this week.  We don't think either of us are going anywhere but we have a new mission president so who knows.

I got the package this week.  Thanks for the letter as well. 

I would be good with you printing off Emily's letter to send to me.  It would give me more time to think about what I would write back.  I did write her a letter last week.  She has Bro. Cambell as a teacher!  I had his older brother as a teacher.  When I got to Korea Elder Cambell was one of the trainers and I got paired with him for part of the proselyting exercise.  She also gets to hang out with President and Sister Gilbert.

We had a pretty good 4th.  We were invited to a luau for lunch and then a members house for dinner and fireworks.  We have a massive Tongan family that in our ward.  Between the two parents they have a total of seventeen kids plus grandkids.  Most of them aren't here in the area but they still take up at least one whole pew at church and I've seen them fill a row and a half one week.  They are way cool.  They invited us to a luau at one of the parks for their sons birthday.  They had two roast pigs as well as a mess of hamburgers and hotdogs and steaks and chicken.  They had one of those massive coolers filled up with a watermelon drink which they promised would be gone by the time they were done.  Before we left the kids all got up and danced for us.  They did a few poly dances and the haka.  It was pretty funny seeing those shirtless preteen boys get up and do the haka.  They were actually pretty good.  It was a lot of fun.

Sorry I don't have much time this week.  I love you,

Elder Stapley

June 29, 2015

Hello Parents,

Happy anniversary.  Next year will be the big 25th.  Is there a precious metal associated with 25 years?  Hopefully I'll be home next year for it.  I should get my new ministering certificate thing soon and that should have my end date on it.

Don't worry about not emailing me last week.  That hand written letter was all I needed.  As well as the official call from one of the twelve.  Once President called to tell me about my assignment I knew that I was where I needed to be.

I just wrote my last email to Pres. Weston.  We are having a zone conference this week to meet our new President and his wife. I don't envy them taking over an entire mission so quickly.  Apparently he, Pres. Gardner, only has a few hours with Pres. Weston before he leaves.  This should be interesting.

Mom, when did you serve your mission?  I was over at the V's house last night.  He served in Chile.  He might have been there while you were.  He talked about nearly getting bombed during that unrest over the one dictator dude (I'm not going to try to spell his name).  Weren't you there for that?

We have so much food.  People keep feeding us and giving us groceries.  The other day we were given a couple of cakes by one of the members and then a potential investigator gave a whole box of food.  Our teeth are going to rot out of our skulls from all of the sugar we've consumed lately.

I'm going to end now and write you some more if I still have time after writing Emily.

Elder Stapley

(another email)

I'll write a few more thoughts.

Yesterday we talked about the talk by Elder Anderson of the Seventy, The Music of the Gospel, three different times.  Someone gave a talk based on it in Sacrament meeting, then we had it in Priesthood and then we talked about it at a member's house that night.  As a family they go through a talk from the recent General Conference once a week and it just so happened that they were at that talk this week.  I know that the youth went over it in the recent youth conference as well.  I guess that topic something we really need to work on.  Have you been getting that a lot too?

I just sent Emily an email.  I'm pretty sure there is only one Sister Emily Stapley right?

I haven't found out if the wifi cameras are actually allowed or not.  I don't really need one anyway.  I don't take enough pictures.

Love you,

Elder Stapley