Dear Family! Hello! I'm glad to hear everyone is alive and kicking! I did get Cali's letter, but I got it today, not last week. It was a little sad coming in to an empty mailbox, it's kind of like coming home to an empty house, but I survived and I'm here to write you today! Thanks for sending that one quote from Allan Packer. That's such an important principle. Everyone is looking for the sensational. I remember a quote I heard twice when I was in the MTC. It was from one of the Prophets of the Church. And what he said is that more impressive than walking and talking with God is the quiet impressions of the Spirit on the heart of man. Isn't that remarkable? Because Satan knows that, he is frequently trying to pull the world away from those quiet moments, those still moments, moments where we can feel the impressions of the Spirit clearly. President Packer once said that the first thing a military leader does before mounting a major military invasion is jammed the communication channels of the enemy. That is exactly what Satan is tying to do! By putting more noise, more flair, more unnecessary things in our lives, he makes it hard for us to receive the help God wishes to send to us through the Spirit! Then we're cut off from that sustenance and Satan overruns us with temptation. That's one thing that gets kind of frustrating as a missionary. Everyone in Mongolia has a cell phone. Even if you don't have enough money for food, somehow you've got a cell phone. And a TV. And so as we teach lessons, the cell phone will go off, or other people will turn on the TV and it acts as a major distraction to the Spirit. But then there are those wonderful lessons when everyone is listening, no distractions, and the Spirit just flows over you constantly. I love those lessons. We had one just a couple days ago when our Zone Leaders, Elder Hasanbold and Elder Stephenson came to Zuun Kharaa to do an exchange with us. I went with Elder Hasanbold and we found ourselves teaching the 1st lesson to a friend of an inactive church member. That lesson was so powerful as we taught the message of the Restoration. We asked questions, they answered, and we were able to testify simply of the truth of this church. We closed of the lesson by giving them a Book of Mormon and setting a baptismal date. It was great! Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to meet with them again. This last week there was a transfer and although I didn't expect anything to happen, President Andersen called me and let me know I'd be going to Nalaikh. Now I'm companions with Elder Nasanbold, the elder that came to do exchanges with me! Which is awesome by the way. He's honestly one of the best missionaries in the mission! In one word, he's "classy" I'll have to get a picture with him and send it back home, I think you'll all agree. Just to let you know what I mean, he sings really good and he loves Josh Groban. He's just got good taste and he's a very hard worker. So we're going to have a lot of good experiences this transfer! I'm really sad to leave Zuun Khara. This last week I wrote a letter to President Andersen how I was going to place some really high goals and really work to help the branch in Zuun Kharaa. Guess that won't happen. But the elder that's taking my place is way good. And, interestingly enough, his companion is my son, Elder Cardinal! So that's way good. Elder Cardinal has grown a lot, his language is really good and he's just doing good work. The work here in Nalaikh is good. The night I came in we had a baptism! His name is Naranbaatar and he's this 16 year old kid. He's so sweet and sincere. Now we're working with Mom and his little brother. I don't know what happened to the dad. the branch in Nalaikh is also really strong. It's got a chapel and we have upwards from 100 people coming each week. Alright, well, I love you all! Work is going good and I love it! Make sure you do all you can to invite the Spirit into your life! I always thought it was a kind of nerdy thing that Elder Bednar would always start his talks by saying "I invite the SPirit to help..." and then discuss his subject. Now I realize the wisdom and importance of those words and the spirit behind it. Say the words in your prayers and etch then in your heart and I promise you'll notice a significant difference in your life. I'll write more next week! ~Elder Cappuccio -----Original Message----- From: marathomom@aol.com To: james.cappuccio@myldsmail.net Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:07:15 -0400 Subject: SNOW IN MONGOLIA BUT POTATOES WARM AND DRY Dear James, I forwarded your last email also because I liked your story about the potato harvest and the spiritual harvest afterward. I sent it out to your email list with the title in the subject line. Susan Sutherland emailed me back that she really liked the story and that i should be proud to have such a righteous young man as my son. And she is right, I am honored to have you serve a mission and bring blessings to all of us at home by your righteous example and commitment. Thanks for your service and desire to follow the Lord. Marcie Burgoyne gave her missionary farewell talk today. She is going to Belgium. Last week was Stake Conference and Cali was supposed to write you, so I hope you got a letter from her for all of us. Stake conference was god, we had a general authority from the seventy there and he was very good. He said he has never had to apologize to his wife for anything because he has never treated her badly or said anything unkind. he said all husbands should treat their wife like that and if they haven't to start today. I think that is so important and I hope you can remember that to help you in your life. Also, I need to forward a letter to you that Tony's dad sent to us for you, but I keep forgetting....sorry. This week we are going up to Utah. I didn't have any luck getting conference tickets yet , but maybe we might be able to find some, if not it will be good to visit anyway. Didn't get a chance this summer and I like to go at least once a year. Amy hasn't really worked yet so she is learning how to get by on no money, but she has generous grandparents who let her stock up on food for her apartment. Crystal moved into her house this week. She was happy to finally get the loan closed. Now they live much closer to school so they don't have to drive so far. She is just taking some classes to get ready for graduate school. Joseph is hoping to get his drivers license this week, but I am a little hesitant because he hasn't practiced very much. He is singing in the Stake Youth Fireside tonight. Won't that be cool if you and he sing a duet when you get back? He has a really low voice now! Cali is going to start taking voice lessons this week. She quit her club soccer team a few weeks ago. Jack's daughter Katie, who is married is expecting a baby boy in January and has picked out the name Trevor James, so i thought you might like to know you will have a step-nephew soon, she already has a baby girl named Emma. Killian, jack's 12 yr old is playing Diablo a lot, but still doing his homework, I think. I am sure you remember how I feel about wasting time playing violent video games, anyway I don't ge t it. Well, I hope you are staying warm with all the snow and weather changes, We certainly are....it was 105 yesterday!. I still drove with the top down =) Love from all of us Keep the fire burning, Love always, mom
I remember people saying if you were bad they would send you to Outer Mongolia. In this case it's different, because James is good he's going on a mission to Mongolia.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Quiet Impressions of the Spirit- Sept 27, 2009
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