Pray for Missionary Work(Oct 19th email)

Hello! I hope that you all are having a great time in America. I'm doing my best to enjoy my time here in Mongolia. This week we had our interview with the mission president. It was wonderful! You should be so grateful that I have President Andersen as my mission president. Everything he does pertaining to this work is guided by years of experience, care, and most importantly, the Spirit. He helped me to see this last transfer in a good light and to turn bad situations into great ones. This week is the end of one transfer and the beginning of another. In the Mongolian mission, the transfer are every 12 weeks, not 6 like with every other mission. If things need to get changed, he'll change them at the 6 week mark or, if it's an emergency, he'll do it right away, but usually, everything changes ever 12 weeks. So, next week I'll have a new companion! He'll most likely be a Mongolian, but either way, he's going to be awesome and we're going to do some really good work. I might stay in the area I'm in, and I might go, I don't know yet but it doesn't really matter. As long as they still speak Mongolian where I go, I'll be ok!

So don't you think it was neat how President Monson asked us to pray for the opening of nations to missionary work? THat's awesome. I can see it in my mind how through the faith of the church members, China and much of the Middle East and the rest of Africa will be opened to the glorious message of the restored Gospel. It's something that is so important so don't forget to petition the Lord for it! It will come because the prophet said it would through our prayers!

This week has been an interesting one. We've had some success and we've had some failures. I'm definitely learned to love my companion more which is such an important thing to have. Like the talk in General Conference, unity is essential to work progressing in the church and ultimately, salvation. There was a talk 2 or 3 conferences ago by Elder Hales, I believe, that talks about how Salvation is a personal matter, but Exaltaion is a family matter. To an extend, that branches to missionary work. If my companion and I don't pray for each other and work together, we could both be the best talkers and scriptorians and not get a single baptism because of our disunity. The Lord says that if we aren't one, we are not His. Thus, how can we pretend to be His representitives if we are not one? That wouldn't make sense at all.

Anyways, why I won't share specific accounts, suffice it to say that the Lord's hand has touched our work. When one appointment fell through, another was found that yielded great potential. Never underestimate the power of sincere prayer and faithful acting on that prayer. This week I really wanted to meet with an inactive youth that is incredible hard to get a hold of. No cell phone and he usually doesn't get home till after 10 each night. I decided on a time on Saturday when we would stop by his place and prayed to the Lord about it, asking for him to bring it to pass so that we could help get him back to church. Saturday came, and when the time came to visit him, there he was, in his family's store! We came in and talked with him for a bit, introduced ourselves, and set up a time to meet with him! All I did was listen and then do it. Hopefully this will continue and we'll be able to bring him back into activity and bless his life.

Mom, as well as the rest of you all, I love you! You are all awesome and if you weren't a member of my family, I just wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now probably. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior. He came once before to save us from our sins and he will come again. God is our loving Heavenly Father and he wants to hear from each and every one of us everyday. Seek him out in prayer, because He always listens. I love you all!

~Elder Cappuccio

Dear James,

Sorry about not getting my last email. I guess you have it by now. I really liked your email. Thanks for writing down stuff to share with us.

I didn't dig any toilets, but I tiled the upstairs bathroom this week and when I get done grouting, I'll be buying a new toilet to put in there.... I have been digging in the garden this week and planting some new flowers. Also, Glenn( a man I'm dating) fixed the ceiling in the study and then painted the ceiling, the walls and the baseboards for me. It helps that he's a professional painter, but he is very nice to help me. With moving peoples homes and digging toilets you'll keep in good shape, at least when it's warm, not sure you can do that stuff in the winter. ...and take it easy on the pickaxes.....and hopefully you'll have better success with Meekers....

At work I was having a slow week, hadn't sold a loan all week, then on Friday, I sold a large loan to a Greek family in New York. Having Greek heritage and a name like Athena has helped me sell a few loans =). and also prayer came in handy for me too. We'll keep praying for you and you for us.....thanks for your dedication and example you are to all of us.

We love you. keep the fire burning,

love always, mom