Dear Capell family,

How are you all doing? I hope you are doing well. I have a few pictures attached to this email of my apartment and most of the elders I share the apartment with. Elder Brough didn't want his picture taken, because of past experiences with having his picture taken.

I hope you all have a good Christmas, because I know I will.

I also have another Family Ordinance Request. I think you've already done some work on the two others I have sent you, but I have yet another, because I found about a dozen names earlier this week in our family tree that need the temple work done for them. Just make sure you do them in order, so pay attention to the names on the Sealing to Spouse Ordinances, you'll be unable to do those until you do the other work for the corresponding female names.

Also, in the pictures you will find a picture of my desk, the temple, and the Christmas tree on South Temple. All of which are visible from my work area on the third floor of the JSMB.

I look forward to calling you and talking to all of you on Christmas Day.

By the way, my schedule is: wake up at 6:15 in the morning or sooner if possible, shower, shave, etc. Then, eat breakfast, brush teeth, head out the door to the JSMB. 7:45 is prayer meeting, usually I arrive 15 minutes early. I start working at 8:00, break for lunch at 11:30 A.M. and come back no later than 12:30 P.M. Work until 4:00 P.M. and head home. Personal study and companionship study, whenever we feel so long as it is completed before other activities like basketball, etc. We must be in our apartments no later than 9:30 P.M. and lights out at 10:30. Also my P-Day is still Saturday for now, and my half T&R day is on Wednesdays. My full T&R day is on the fourth Wednesday of every month. So on Wednesdays, I leave work at at lunch time and don't come back the rest of the day. On my full T&R day, I don't go into my office at all.

I hope you all have a merry Christmas!

Love,

Elder Ryan John Capell

Letter from the Mission President

Dear Brother and Sister Capell,

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve with your son, Elder Ryan John Capell, here in the Family and CHurch History Headquarters Mission. He has been warmly welcomed, has received a good orientation and training, has been given a fine companion and trainer, and has received his assignment to serve in the World Wide Patron Service Zone. What he has experienced for the last two weeks should set him on course to progress toward an excellent fulfillment of his missionary service.
Enclosed is a picture of Elder Capell with Sister Peterson and me taken here in the mission. We express our gratitude to you for sharing your son in this unique and wonderful opportunity of service in the Lord's Kingdom.
We trust your son will progress and prosper in his service to the Lord. We recommend that oyur correspondence be positive and uplifting to further enhance his total experience during his service here.

Thank you again for blessing us by sending your son. We anticipate finding great joy in our service together. Please be assured our interest and concern is for his happiness, safety, and success in his dedicated service here and for those on the other side of the veil.

Sincerely,

President Wayne S. Peterson

Mission President

"I am beyond happy, so in short, doing most excellent!"

I am doing fantastic. I feel healthy, not hungry, and I am beyond happy, so in short, doing most excellent. The mission is going fantastic, I keep finding more names in our genealogy. Oh, that reminds me, both Elder Nielson (my young missionary trainer) and Elder Rogers (my zone trainer) are BYU fans.

We do not have a Christmas tree in the apartment. A small one would be nice to, so thank you for your offer on that. Elder Nielson has a Christmas tree, but it is only one foot tall.

There are four elders in the apartment that I live in. They are, Elder Nielson (from Orem), myself, Elder Brough (he's from Sydney, Australia), and Elder Rose (from Hyde Park, which is near Logan). Our daily schedules vary as we each have different assignments. My schedule is for the first two weeks, at 5:30 AM, I wake up, shower, shave, pray, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and head out the door to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I have to be there on the third floor of the JSMB no later than 7:30 AM, we have a short meeting then start working at 8:00. Then we take a break for lunch at 11:30. Report back to the training zone no later than 12:30, and back to work until 3:30, after which we head back to our apartments.

I also need to let you know I got my shirt and coat okay, as well as the treats inside the coat. I decided to share them with the other elders in the apartment, as well as have quite a few myself. We are fine as far as it comes to music, but if you send anything, it must follow these guidelines: it must be consistent with the sacred spirit of my calling, it should invite the Spirit, help me focus on my work, and direct my thoughts and feelings towards the Savior. I cannot listen to music that pulls my thoughts away from the work, merely entertains, has romantic lyrics or overtones, or dull my spiritual sensitivity by its tempo, beat, loudness, lyrics, or intensity. We do have a CD player in the apartment, if you would like to send more Christmas music, feel free.

The missionaries here shop at Wal-mart.. It's really not that hard, seeing I know how to cook very little. I could use some recipes. Would you please send me the instructions and recipes for: cheeseburger soup, spam surprise, those hershey's pretzel things, pizza bombs, and Mom's home-made chocolate chip cookies, as well as any others you can find that you think I would like? Thanks.

I haven't gone to the Salt Lake temple yet, but I will on December 16th. I will see what other ordinance work needs done for our ancestors. I think I will just print the cards off and send them to you in the mail, if you are fine with that. It says on the card what work has and hasn't been done. So if you have any questions on it, just email me.

Thanks for your support in my decision to serve, as well as the letters each of you send. I keep all of you in my prayers continually, praying that all of us may be strengthened in the Gospel while I am serving. I pray for you collectively, as well as individually. In case you didn't know, the second day here, I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time, and prayed that the Holy Ghost might reveal the truth of it unto me. Well it happened and I know that it is true. God has chosen prophets to speak his holy words, just as he did anciently, he does so in these the latter days. I love you very much, and look forward to hearing from each of you soon!


Love,

Elder Ryan John Capell

All Is Well

I am writing this letter to you to let you know all is well so far. I finished the Book of Mormon today during personal study. My trainer, Elder Nielson is awesome. He is helping me to become a better missionary, as well as a better person. He has already, through one day of training, made me more diligent in my studies of the Gospel. I have also been more diligent in personal prayer. I am doing great in other aspects as well. Elder Nielson and I had Chinese style Ramen (my Aunt Tara gave me a recipe book for over 100 ways to cook Top Ramen). I am already putting into practice all I have been taught so far.

I love you and hope to hear back from you soon. Tell the siblings I love them and that I am praying for each of you.

Love, Elder Ryan Capell

On my way...

Let the adventure begin!!! We took Ryan to his apartment and met his companion, Elder Nielson, then met them at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, met President Peterson and his sweet wife, gave him a hug and said goodbye. He will only be gone 24 Fast Sundays!!! Now I understand what "miserable joy" is. On one hand, I miss him like crazy, and yet on the other hand -- I wouldn't want him anywhere else. He will be a fantastic missionary!!!

Thank you to all of our friends and family for your love and support along the way. We couldn't have done it without you.

called to serve...

Good news everybody.. I got my mission call! I have been called to serve as a Young Missionary in the Family and Church History Headquarters Mission beginning December 2, 2011. I will have the opportunity to speak in my ward, the West Jordan Park 3rd Ward on Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 1:00pm. We would like to invite friends and family to attend.