Travel Plans and goodbye MTC

Wow...ok so the travel plans came on Friday and I've been excited ever since. As of now, i only have 5 days till I leave! We leave on the 29th, instead of the 28th like the originally said. Not too bad at all I'd say. So lemme give you the travel itinerary in case you care to know:

-Leave: SLC 8:55PM 29JUL2008 -Arrive: LAX 9:57PM 29JUL2008 -Leave: LAX 12:30AM 30JUL2008 -Arrive: Seoul,Korea 4:50AM 31JUL2008 -Leave: Seoul,Korea 12:05PM 31JUL2008 -Arrive UlaanBaator,Mongolia 2:35PM 31JUL2008 Ta daaaa! Isn't that just the coolest thing ever? I think so. As you can see, we'll be in Korea for quite a while so I asked some of the Korean missionaries to write down some missionary phrases. I'm gonna practice them then put them to use in Korea. It'll be pretty cool. The airlines have changed their baggage policies lately which is really going to hurt when it comes time to fly. I'm probably gonna have to pay over 100 dollars due to their baggage policies so I'm not excited about that.

Oh, and here's the new address if people want to send me stuff. I believe Amy has it too but just in case:

(letters through the pouch) must be postcard, or single sheet letters folded in 3 panels and taped at the top only (no envelopes)

Elder James Ammon Cappuccio Mongolian Ulaanbaatar Mission

POB 30150, Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150 USA

(packages) Elder James Ammon Cappuccio

Mongolian Ulaanbaatar Mission

5th Fl, LDs Church Bldg, Tokyo Street 6

Bayanzurkh District, 1st Khoroo

Ulaanbaatar Mongolian 210349

Oh, and so yesterday, I probably got the best package ever. Dad sent me this box of New Braunfel's Smokehouse Jerky. It is amazing! I'm sharing it, but I'm not letting it out of my hands too quickly. That stuff is AMAZING! Anyways, that definitely made my day yesterday.

Let's see...what else. On Tuesday, our Devotional speaker was Elder Gene R. Cook. I'm sure you've heard of him. Anyways, apparently he lived quite awhile in Arizona which is probably why he is such a great man. So he shared a story about this Elder that served in his mission while he was Mission President there. He said how everywhere he put the Elder things would change for the better. The attitude the missionary had and the way he did things just worked everywhere. Even when they sent him to Paraguay (which had been struggling in growth at the time), he still was able to work hard and get results. Elder Cook said it involved a lot of things, all of which were founded on Faith. As we discussed it in our District after it ended, there were many great testimonies shared that were prompted by this talk. One thing I thought of was that if I, as a missionary, am on the Lord's time, and this is the Lord's work, then I'd also think that I could use the Lord's talents should I be sufficiently humble and willing. That being said, if you have the Lord's talents, what isn't there to have faith in! If it is all the Lord's how can it fail? The answer is, it cannot. I've chosen to be the vehicle in which the Lord can deliver his message to some of the Mongolian people and he's promised to steer the entire operation. That being said, it's going to be hard. Without a doubt. But honestly, that excites me.

I just can't wait to get to Mongolia! I know my language needs help but I'm not going to let that stop me. The Lord called me here and I'm going to give it everything I've got. When I think about it, it's hard to believe that I'm about to head out into the mission, that I'm actually at this point, both in the mission and in my life.

Well, I'll probably call in between landing in LA and leaving for Korea. I'll buy a phone card and all that. Depending on what time it is in Arizona when I get to Korea, I might call ya again, who knows?

Anyways, my time's almost up. I just want to let you all know that I love you! Mom, Dad, Crystal, Amy, Joseph, Cali; I love you! And I love this Gospel. This is absolutely a gospel of peace, of happiness and of love. I know that it is true, and with the help of the Lord, the rest of Mongolia will know that in not too long!

~Elder Cappuccio

P.S. Tell Brother Young he can expect that letter very soon! haha