BAPTISM FROM PEORIA ARIZONA

Aloha Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing back home?  Well for me I had a fantastic week full of spiritual experiences on my mission.  To start off we had 4 wonderful baptisms on Saturday.  The first baptism was at 10 for the Romaro's family of Robert, Catherine, and Sonya.  They were so happy to be baptized and make convenents with God.  The spirit was so great.  Their brother in law-Brother Rantz baptized them.  It was a great baptism.  I am so grateful to have a family baptism that brings their family closer to our Heavenly father.  I hope they stay strong and continue to endure to the end and get sealed in the temple for eternity in a year.  Then we had another great baptism at 6:30 for Ben Courtney a 16 year old.  He had a great turnout of family and friends that came to witness this spiritual day in his life to be baptized.  Lots of them were non-members so hopefully they felt the spirit and are interested in learning more about the gospel and our Heavenly Fathers love for them.  We had 3 book of mormons on a supply table and they were all gone after the baptism so that is a great sign that they felt the spirit.  His friend from school baptized him.  He shared a wonderful testimony of his decision to be baptized and hopefully he continues to build his faith and serve a mission because sharing the gospel is a wonderful feeling.  The next day on Sunday, they were confirmed members and received the Holy Ghost in Apache Park sacrement meeting.  I got the honor to confirm Sonya.  It was such a wonderful spiritual feeling to confirm her, give her the Holy Ghost, and give her a blessing by the spirit.  It was one of my greatest spiritual moments on my mission.  They were all filled with joy and happiness after they were confirmed and got the gift of the Holy Ghost as a constant companion in their lives to guide them.  Then in Sunrise Mountain sacrement there were TWO great mission farewell talks by Preston Brooksby the Bishop's son and Spencer Perreck on preparing for their mission.  There was so many people that came to hear there talk.  There were chairs half way into the gym and they were all taken. The rest of the week was great.  On Tuesday, we did some visit with members and some tracking which I placed a Book of Mormon.  We are going back some time this week to see if he read it and prayed to know if it is true.  On Wednesday, we had zone interviews with President Taylor and learned about nutrition and being obedient to our mission rules.  After I went on a companion exchange with Elder Vaoga in his area and we had a lesson with Ethana on the plan of salvation.  On Thursday, we visited some less actives and taught them the gospel and we are trying to help them come back to church.  On Friday, my companion Elder Geren was sick so we stayed in all day and I just studied most the day and cleaned around the house.  Well hope everyone is doing great back home.  My prayers are with you all.  Please write me letters, I love hearing updates on everyones life.

Love, Elder Lance Kuhi Cabral

HELLO EVERYONE from PEORIA!!!

Hey Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing?  Well for me I am doing great in the mission field.  I am doing my best to share the wonderful gospel to Heavenly Fathers children in Arizona.  I had a wonderful week!  On Tuesday, I was on an exchange with my zone leader Elder Freeman in his area of Peoria.  We did some visit with less active members and then we had a great lesson with Rosa an investigator on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how we are so blessed that he atoned for our sins and fulfilled Heavenly Fathers plan for us to return to live with him.  Before I exchanged back we met with another less active family and taught them about prayer and how god can help us.  On Wednesday, we had district meeting where we go over our investigators and how we can pray and help them come closer to God and prepare them for baptism.  Then we had a skills training on finding investigators and approaches that we can do to share the gospel with others.  Then we had a great lesson with Ben on priesthood and went over baptism interview questions to prepare him for his baptism on January 28.  We are so excited for him and because he is ready to be baptized on Saturday.  Then we had a great dinner with the Leos family, Sister Leos is from Hawaii so she got short ribs, shoyu chicken, spam musubi, taro rolls, and Hawaiian juice.  I loved that dinner - it felt like I was back home.  Then we had a lesson with Jeanna and had Brother Gibson help her on employment to find another job so she comes to church.  Jeanna is doing really well.  She feels the spirit and knows that it is true but won't commit until she can come to church.  On Thursday, we had Stake Correlation with the Stake Presidency and our Mission President since he lives in our stake.  We went over some investigators in our stake and President Wagner told us the process of how the Lord calls a new Stake President because he is getting released to serve as a Mission President in July.  Then we did weekly planning where we plan out our week and go over our investigators.  Then we had a great lesson with Betty and gave her a church tour and taught her the plan of salvation.  She loves genealogy so this was perfect for her to understand Heavenly Fathers plan for us.  She is getting baptized on February 28.  Then we went over the baptism questions with the Romaro's - a family of 3.  They are getting baptized on January 28 as well.  We are so excited to have a family get baptized so they can live with their family for eternity.  On Friday, we mostly visited members to get to know them and share message with them and see if they knew any one that would be interested in learning the gospel.  Then we had the Romaro's family baptism interview which they passed and are ready for baptism.  We met Elder Golden, a General Authority of the Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Fluckinger of the Area of the Seventies.    On Saturday, we help set up the Stake Center for Stake Conference then we visited members again.  We went to the adult session of Stake Conference and heard wonderful talks and testimonies by the Stake Presidency, Elder Golden and Elder Fluckinger about always striving to do better in our lives to have the Holy Ghost with us.  On Sunday, we had Stake Conference where they announced the new Stake President and heard great testimonies.  President Hinton is our new Stake President with President Holmes and President Pace as his counselors.  Well that was my Wonderful week with great lessons we taught to investigators, meeting a general authority, amazing stake conference, new stake presidency, and sharing the gospel with others so they can live with Heavenly Father and their families in eternal life.  I love being a missionary representing our Savior Jesus Christ and do his wonderful work of sharing the gospel.  I know the gospel is true and the Book of Mormon is truly words from God to guide us and testify of Christ.  Till next week, hope everyone is doing well and my prayers are with you all!

Love always,

Elder Lance Kuhi Cabral

Hi from ARIZONA - it has been 6 weeks!

Hi Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing? Well for me, I am doing wonderful in Arizona in the mission field.  Enjoying everyday sharing the gospel and teaching others to come unto Christ.  I am learning so much daily from studying each morning from the Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel (which is our missionary booklet).
 

I had a great week.  On Wednesday, the 11th we started our day by going to a transfer meeting to take Elder Vaoga who was with us for the week to get his new companion.  It was so great to see the new missionaries that came into the mission and hear there testimonies on how excited they are to share the gospel and do the Lord's work.  I cannot believe its been 6 weeks in the mission field it has gone by so fast.  I am glad my companion and I are staying in our area because we got some great work and investigator's to continue to teach.  After we went and visited some less actives, we did some tracking.  Thursday, we did our weekly planning for the week where we discuss our investigator's and how we can help them prepare for baptism.  Then we went to visit Bryan and checked how he was doing?  Then we did some tracking and met some members.  Then we had a lesson with the Romaro's who are getting baptized on January 28.  They are so excited and we are so happy for them.  On Friday, we had district meeting and had a skill training on getting referrals from less active.  After we went to visit some members.  Then we had a great lesson with Ben who is getting Baptized on January 28.  He is doing really well and wants the gospel in his life.  On Saturday, we helped a member family move to a new house in the same ward.  Then we had a lesson with the Romaro's and continued teaching them the commandments to prepare them for baptism.  Sunday was a great day at church we had 4 investigators attend sacrement.  Then we had a dinner/lesson with the Romaros and planned out their baptism.  Yesterday, on my pday I went shopping for food, did laundry and clean house, played volleyball with the district, and did some letters.  Then we had a great lesson with Jen a new investigator and with Ben.  Today, Tuesday I am on an exchange with my zone leader's for the day.  We are in the southern part of Peoria, Santa Fe and Sun Valley. 

Well hope everyone is doing great back home.  I love receiving letters from everyone and hearing the updates in your lives.  Gotta go!

Love you all, 
Elder Lance Kuhi Cabral

*HI from MESA ARIZONA TEMPLE*

Hello Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing? How's the New Year starting for you all?  Well for me, I'm doing great here in Arizona - sharing and teaching the gospel to Heavenly Father's children.  This past week was a pretty busy week for us.  We are in a triple companionship with Elder Vaoga because his companion left a week early for school, so we are covering 5 wards.  We are mostly in a car this week going to lessons and visiting potential investigators and less active members.  We had some great lessons with Ben (one of our investigators) that is doing really well.  We are teaching him the commandments to get him ready for his baptism on January 28.  We are so excited for him and he loves learning about the gospel and knows that it is true.  We also are teaching the Romaro family who are doing great and also teaching them the commandments to get them prepared for their baptism on January 28.  Another investigator we are teaching is Bryan and teaching him about the Book of Mormon and how it testifies of Jesus Christ.  We just had a great lesson with Jeana this morning and taught her obedience and the Word of Wisdom and how we can be blessed by following his commandments.  Sunday was a very nice Fast and Testimony sacrement.  We had church from 7 am -2 pm with sacrement, meetings, and classes.  Yesterday, Monday we visited Mike a potential investigator whose wife is a member and had a great lesson on the Book of Mormon.  Then we visited Betty a referral we got from her brother-in-law and we got to know her and taught her about the Book of Mormon.  Then we had a great lesson with Ben on the 10 commandments and following the prophet.  We are pretty busy teaching investigators, but we are excited that they are open to learning about the gospel and how it can help them in their lives?  The Lord prepares those that are ready to hear the gospel and how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ loves them?  Well today, Tuesday is my pday this week because tomorrow are transfers. I am staying in Peoria Apache park and Sunrise Mountain beacause I am in a 12 week trainee program, but I am still going to the transfer meeting tomorrow with Elder Vaoga so he can get his new companion.  Wow. I cannot believe its been 6 weeks already, time is going by fast.  The weather is still pretty nice last week was a little hot but it is pretty warm this week too.  Well, I hope everyone is doing great. 

Love you all,

Elder Cabral

Happy New Year 2012 from Arizona!

Aloha Family and Friends,

Happy New Year!!  How is everyone doing?  How was your New Year's?  I cannot believe it is 2012 but I am excited to be here on my mission this whole year doing the Lord's work and sharing the gospel.  Well for me, I had a great New Years in Arizona.  We went to church at 9 am for Apache Park Ward.  We had 7 investigators come to church, so we were excited that they were starting the new year by coming to church and learning more of the gospel and how it can bless them in their lives.  Then we had Sunrise Mountain Ward which starts at 11 am.  They had a great sacrement about Reading the Book Of Mormon this year and how it can help us in our lives.  After church, we went home and I did some studying.  Then we had to drop off our district leader at the mission home because he is finishing his mission a week early to start school.  Best wishes to Elder Farnsworth for all his service in doing the Lord's work.  Then we had an awesome lesson with a family of 3.  We taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invited them to be baptized and they said yes!!

We were so excited for them the spirit was so strong throughout the lesson.  What a great way to start a new year by committing to be baptized and be on the path to eternal life with their families forever.   Well that was my wonderful New Year's day in the mission field.

On Tuesday, we did some tracking and had a great lesson with the Family of 3 and we read the Book of Mormon & read having Faith in Jesus Christ.  On Wednesday, I went on an exchange with one of my zone leader Elder Freeman.  We did some visiting and went to their district meeting.  Then I exchanged back and had a great lesson with Ben on the plan of salvation.  On Thursday, we had weekly planning and did some tracking.  Then we had a lesson with a family about the plan of salvation and how we can know God's plan for us.  Then we had correlation meeting with our ward mission leader where we visited some investigators to see how there doing.  On Friday, we had district meeting and did some tracking.  On Saturday, we visited a family that the husband got baptized in October.  Then we did some tracking and visit some potential investigators to see if they were interested in learning more about the gospel.  Had a great week!  Gotta go take care everyone.

Love, Elder Cabral

Merry Christmas from Arizona

 

Hello Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing and how was everyones Christmas?  Well I had a wonderful Christmas here in Phoenix.  We woke up at 6:30 am like always and opened gifts in our living room.  It was so great to be with 5 other missionaries opening our presents and seeing what each other got.  Socks were probably the most received gift that we got along with deodorent, towels, and other necessities that we use.  After we got ready and had our personal study time which I studied and read Luke 2 about Christ's Birth.  Then we had a great Christmas Program in Sunrise Mountain Ward.  Great talks and hymns that were sung by the primary and ward choir.  After we headed home where my companion Elder Geren talked to his family back home.  He said that his family is doing great and cannot wait to see him in April when he goes home.  Then we had a lunch at a members house which was great.  They have a daughter that lives in Oahu and they just went to visit the family a week ago and they had a great time.  Then we had another wonderful spiritually uplifting Christmas program in the Apache Park Ward.  It was so great to see 9 investigators come to church on Christmas Day to remember the Birth of Christ and everything he did for us to make Heavenly Father's plan possible to enjoy this earth with family and friends and return to live with him in eternity.  Then we went home and had a fantastic time talking to my family.  It was so great to hear from the family and hear that everyones doing well.  After we had a lesson with a family of 3 that we are teaching and taught them our Heavenly Fathers Plan of Salvation.  It went really well they felt spirit.  Then we had dinner at a members house where they had a few non-member friends so we shared a message about the Birth of Christ and how we are so blessed.  My Christmas was great with spiritual feelings and I am so glad to be here on my mission serving him and sharing this wonderful gospel with others so they can be blessed and live with their families for eternity.
 
Well that was my first Christmas in the mission field.  My past week was also great.  We met some wonderful people and got a few investigators this week.  Tuesday, we did tracking and visited some less active members.  Wednesday we had a great lesson with Jenna and then we gave her a church tour and read the Book of Mormon with her.  Then we taught a short lesson of the restoration with Emelia.  On Thursday, we had weekly planining, district meeting, and taught the restoration to a member's sister's family.  On Friday, I went on an exchange and we did alot of tracking and had a lesson with Ryan.  On Saturday, we went to a baptism for Bernadette - the sister missionaries investigator which was very spiritual.  I love going to baptisms and witnessing how happy they are after they get baptized.  On Monday, pday we did shopping and had a zone activity that was fun.  Well hope everyone is doing great and hope you all have a Happy New Year till next week take care and love you all.

Love,
Elder Cabral

Aloha Family and Friends,

How's everyone one doing? How's the Christmas Season going back in the Islands? Well for me it has been wonderful here in Arizona.  I had another wonderful week here in the mission field.  On Tuesday, we met with a recent convert Kim to teach her the missionary lessons again.  We tried to teach her the restoration but we ended getting to know her and she talked about how her sister might be interested in the church. So that could be missionary work teaching her sister the gospel.  Then we met with Luis to make sure he was ready to be baptized and answer any questions he had about his baptism.  He was nervous but we told him everything is going to be fine and he would feel good after he is baptized.
 

Wednesday was an amazing spiritual day we had our Christmas Conference.  We met at a stake center with half of the APM missionaries.  We watched some great videos on bicycle safety, Missionary Photos, and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the birth of Christ.  We also sang many hymns and listened to some great testimonies by some departing missionaries who are finishing their mission in a few weeks.  It was a very spiritually and uplifting experience.  It was so great to see 4/5 of my MTC District Missionaries that came out to Arizona with me.  I saw 2 elder missionaries that are from the Spanish speaking that came out with me.  I also met a sister missionary from Oahu, Hawaii - Sister Pilimai.  Then we headed to the Mesa Temple and did an endowment session.  I love going to the temple to feel the spirit and the peace that lays in the house of the Lord.  After we walked around the Mesa Temple.  During Christmas time they decorate around the temple with Christmas lights.  It looks so beautiful and many people come out to see it and and listen to the music that they play.
 

On Thursday, we had a great lesson with Jenna an investigator we go referred to by a member.  It went very well as we taught her the plan of salvation and helped her understand about temples and why we do temple work.  The spirit was so strong as we taught her we could tell she felt the Holy Ghost testify to her what we were teaching are true.  We invited her to be baptized and she said that it is the direction she is heading towards but she wants to learn more before she commits.  We are going to meet with her again this week to teach her more.

 

Friday, we went to visit a less active sister to see how she is doing.  A very nice lady that wants to come back to church but is struggling with some health issues.  Then we did some tracking and met a young lady that seemed interested in the church.  We are going to meet with her after the holidays because she is busy right now.  Then I started my 2 day exchange with Elder Vaoga from Samoa.  I went to his area Pleasant Valley, West Wing, and Lake Pleasant.
 

On Saturday, we did some tracking and met some great people but no one was interested but it is still great to share the message so hopefully one day they will feel the spirit.  Then we went to a baptism for my exchange companion investigator Taylor.  It was so wonderful to see her get baptized.  Then we had our investigator baptism for Luis.  His Baptism was also amazing.  He was so happy and it was so funny when he said he did not want to leave the church building and go into the world because it is cruel and he wants to stay clean and pure of sin.  Witnessing their baptism was a wonderful spiritual experience.  That was a great early Christmas gift to see them be baptized.  Then on Sunday,  I went to 3 Sacrament meetings because I was on an exchange and they cover 3 wards.  It was so great to be a part of Taylor's Confirmation of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  I was so happy to exchange back to my area and get back to riding my bike because I was in a car area because their area is so big.  I rather bike because I meet people on the street and share a message with them plus I get a good exercise.  I love being a missionary it is an incredible spiritually feeling .  Merry Christmas Everyone hope you guys have a great one and remember what Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
 

Merry Christmas,

Elder Cabral