Last One!

Hola mi familia y amigos,

So as I come close to the end of my mission and my last week as a missionary, I am happy to say that I am happy with my performance. The Lord has helped me and shaped me into the servant that He wanted. I have loved being a zone leader at the end and training the missionaries. It has been such a great blessing the get to know them and I am happy that a lot of leadership came from our zone this transfer. I have taught, I have testified, I have served, I have prayed really hard, and I have done what the Lord wanted me to do. I go home with a heart full of joy and a testimony ready to share at my side. I am so excited to go home and be a fantastic member missionary. This is not the end, there is more to come from this guy.

I have come to love the Latin people. Learning their language and eating their food (he he) has made me appreciate so much more the culture. I know how you feel dad. But I love the people I have been able to meet and they will forever be written on my heart. As I move on to a new time in my life and new challenges come my way, I leave those that I have come to love. I will never forget them, but I move on because the Lord needs me in other places. I am so happy that I now have the determination to serve all my life and remain faithful to the things I have learned as a missionary. I will continue on and always be grateful for the experiences I have had here. This time and place is now holy ground for me.

I would like the world to understand my testimony, so I leave with it. I know this work is true and brings the most happiness. Heavenly Father lives and loves me. Jesus Christ is my Savior and I love the relationship that we have. I love the feelings of the Spirit and credit my testimony to Him. Joseph Smith was a prophet and he really did see our Father and His Son. I know he translated the Book of Mormon, and it is the definite word of God. Living the Gospel is the straight and narrow path, and we will find God on it. True happiness comes from that.

Esoty feliz, estoy contento, y estoy bendicido.

Mucho Amor,

Elder Kipp

Hilo!

Hey hows it?

We had a great week working with our ward members. They are really embracing the new program we have of teaching them out of PMG and having them teach us the principles. We are seeing success as many more members are inviting their friends to meet us. One of the youth that we have been working with, Dallin Higham, is inviting his girlfriend over on Sunday for dinner and to meet us. Also the same family has some nieghbors that we talked to as we were tracting. They are working on having them over as well.

So, one of the sisters in our zone had to go home this week. Crazy story. At our last ZTM, she was really not feeling well, so she asked for a blessing. She asked me to give it and the first thing that came out of my mouth was, "go to the doctor". It was repeated like three times in the blessing. The Spirit was super strong and you knew that she was receiving very specific revelation. So she went and saw a bunch of doctors here in Canada and they couldnt pinpoint what was wrong. Some said gall stones and others kindey. But the day she got back home they discovered that she has hundreds of gall stones and her gall blatter is inflamed and filled with fluid. She she went into surgery today. It just shows that we can receive revalation through blessings and the Lord know's what is going on.

Don't have a lot of time, but I am looking forward to a great week. I will make it a good one.

Mucho Amor,

Elder Kipp

¡Hola Familia!

Hey peeps,

 

So I know that time is short but I feel like I am at that time of the marathon where you can see the finish line and so it gives you a little boost of energy. You are tired but know that the excitement and contentment of success is just a few steps away. I am still motivated and still trying to work hard everyday.

 

We are going on a lot of exchanges this transfer. I really like that because it gives me a chance, with the newer missionaries to leave my last two cents and motivate them to keep going strong. I have loved being able to work with our young zone and helping them discover how to be obedient and how to work effectively in their individual areas. We had my last Zone Training Meeting and the theme was Christmas in July. So Epic! Everyone wore an ugly sweater and we decorated the relief society room with lights and streamers. We had a great meeting full of the Spirit. We talked a lot about commitments and extending them more often and in a better way. I got the chance to bear my last testimony in front of the zone and I got an overwhelming feeling of, "You've done good!" It hit me pretty hard. I have loved being down here in Red Deer serving these amazing missionaries.

 

The ward is really reminding me that I am going home. I have gotton really close with a lot of these families and they are really treating me well. I love working with the youth up here as well, helping them get out on missions. The youth just seem to be getting more solid as time goes by. The work is hastening and the attitudes of the young people just keep getting better. They know what needs to be done and they are happy to do it. Bishop Anderson and his wife are going to have a "Goodbye Elder Kipp" activity the night before I go up to Edmonton and it is going to be really great having a lot of the ward there.

 

We got to see Colin again this week. He has not been to church for a while and he really opened up to us why, for the first time ever. He knows everything is true but he just has one thing to get over. He does not know who he can trust to open up to. We urged him to fast about his situation and talk to the bishop. I love him and hope that he can make the further steps to get back to church. Member work has really picked up and we are looking forward to a lot of potential. Remember the girl from Estonia that was going door to door? Turns out that 3 members have met her and all invited her to come over for dinner! This girl is really being led by the Lord. Also there is a foreign exchange student that is living with a member and he really wants to learn about the Mormons. We left him a Book of Mormon in Japanese and he is really excited to read it. The missionary I was with picked it up before we gave it away and was like, "Dummies, they printed the title on the wrong side.." Japanese is backward he he. But the work is picking up.

 

I love it and I will be sad to leave it. I am excited to see what the Lord has waiting for me. I am happy to serve wherever he will send me.

 

Mucho Amor,

 

Elder Kipp

 

P.S.- I was able to see Elder Schubert, Martha, and Mauricio when we went up to Edmonton. Great to hear the both Mauricio and Martha made it to the temple for baptisms for the dead. Makes my joy full!!

Hola Familia y Amigos

Hello my fellow missionaries,

So as the call for missionaries has been emphasized lately, we are all in essence being called to hasten the work together. "The field is all ready to harvest and lo he that thrusteth in his sickel with might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul." We are all in this together, so let's take the load and make a difference.

The members in our ward have really stepped up in their efforts. A member called us last week and said that she has a few friends that would like to meet with us. Boo-yah. Cool story. We were tracting by the members house that we were going to eat with one night. The whole time there was another lady going door to door right after us. She knocked on the member's house and they had a long conversation. The member said, "We have some missionaries coming over in a few minutes would you like to come and talk with us more." Esther, the woman, agreed to come and eat. Unfortunately, we had to leave before before she came back, but she came and they had a great conversation and we are going to get in touch. Talk about talking advantage of the opportunities that are presented to us by the Lord. We are all excited for the emphasis the ward is putting on missionary work.

The Zone got to meet President and Sister Manion this week. We also got to sit in council with him on Saturday. He is ready to go. He feels like the new mission president and they are super excited to have him here. We already love him.

Heavenly Father lives and His Son guides us. Forgiveness is a real thing and works.

Mucho Amor,
Elder Kipp

¡Aquí Estamos!

What a crazy great week. President Campbell left on Saturday. We now have President Manion. He is from Texas and we are really excited to meet him this Thursday, We are also excited to council with him on Saturday at Mission Leadership council. Missionary work is really picking up in all areas of the world and it is so great to be a part of it. I feel so blessed that the Lord trusts all of us with this work. I learn more and more every day how much we, along with our Heavenly Father, are involved. The Spirit guides us and we are privileged to have his companionship so prevalently in this work.

We were on two exchanges with our district leaders this week. Elder Laceste is from the Philippines but he moved to Vancouver a while ago. He is so fun to work with. We had some cool experiences tracting, just getting out and talking to people. He has a great ability to just bear his testimony with everyone, no matter the situation. I learned a lot from him. I then traveled to Innisfail which is about 30 minutes away. Elder Marsh is a great missionary that is heavily involved in the work. We celebrated his birthday on the exchange.  hehe You will get a kick out of this. I was thinking in the morning, what should I make for him for breakfast? So I made pancakes, and I looked everywhere for candles, couldn't find any. So I grabbed a q-tip and a stuck it in the pancakes. He got a kick out of it. Q-tips really work well. We have such amazing elders and sisters in the Zone!

I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on Sunday. It was on member missionary work and the desire that grows as we do it more. Our ward mission leader Bro Swainson and a ward missionary Sis. Tucker both spoke with me. It was a great meeting. The Spirit really testified to us that the work is being hastened, so we need to hasten what we are doing. I think it helped because we got a phone call from a member today telling us that she has friends that want to meet with us. We are excited.

I have been been studying and practicing prayer a lot lately and it has really brought me peace. Whenever I am having a tough day, I pray until I feel better. It really is the coolest. I urge anyone that is having a hard time to get on their knees. You never stand taller that when you are on your knees.

I am living it up here in beautiful Red Deer. I love life and I love sharing this time with the Lord.

Que Dios les cuide y bendiga.

Mucho Amor,

Elder Kipp

¡Hola Amigos!

Como va todo,

This week was pretty crazy with all the rain here. If you haven't heard, a lot of areas close to Calgary are getting flooded out. We are lucky to be farther north, but they were pretty scared that the river here in Red Deer was going to flood. We kept watch but everything is looking safe now. It is looking beautiful and sunny here now.

The missionary broadcast was a highlight last night. The hastening of the work is amazing and it is such a blessing to be a part of it during this time. If you haven't got a chance to watch it, I highly recommend it. But it talked a lot about the importance of member missionary work and how the full- time missionaries can be more involved in the ward's missionary work. It made me excited to go home and become an awesome member missionary. We are going to be going to our ward council in a couple of weeks and helping them impliment the ideas we have and also find out what they need from us. Our ward is really cooperative and I am excited to help the members find more missionary opportunities. Next week I will be talking along with our ward mission leader in sacrament meeting. I am really pumped to give some guidance.

Working with the youth of the ward that are preparing for missions is still going great. They are all making great steps and we are happy that we are a part of it. We are even starting to practice teaching so that when they get to the MTC they will have a little leg up. It is also a great missionary opportunity because they are trying to invite some of their friends to listen in. We are also working with a less-active member named Sister Jabbar and she has come to church for the past 2 weeks. It is really cool to hear her say that she is feeling better and the Spirit is stronger. She is the example for her family and she is making great progress. I love working with less active people because most of the time they get it, they just need to be reminded of it.

The 4 new greenies in the zone are doing great. We are happy to have such a new zone. It brings fire and obedience into the work. I love being a leader, even though it can be overwhelming at times. I love the work and I know the Lord concecrates all my efforts. Anyone contemplating whether to serve or not, just do it. You will not regret it. The work needs you and you need the work. Like Dad always says, "There is nothing bad about missionary work."

Mucho Amor,

Elder Kipp

Hey everybody!

How is everything rollin?

 

I don't have a lot of time today because of tranfers. We have to get everything set for people leaving and coming to the zone on Wednesday. Elder Vega will be killing me off. Or in regular lingo, he will be my last and final companion in the mission. He is hilarious. He said "I am going to kill you so hard!", when we didn't get a transfer call. But there are a lot of changes in our zone and we are looking forward to it. We are getting like 4 greenies. Booyah!!

 

We got a new investigator this week. Her name is anna and she is marreid to a less-active member. They are really cool and she is really interested. We are really trying to push the importance of the Book of Mormon with them, and she is really excited to find out about the church. She asked a golden question as well, "So what made you know its true?" And you know missionaries love sharing about their own conversions. I love the spirit that comes with talking about spiritual knowledge. They look promising.

 

It was really good to see Wilson and Misty. We had a great time and I am looking forward to seeing them again.

 

I love this work. I know I say that a lot, but its true.

 

Mucho Amor,

 

Elder Kipp