Elder Robert Killpack, September 24, 2015.

Dear Family and Friends, 

Exciting News!!! We had transfer calls this week and so I will report what is happening! Elder Bonnke will go to SOLOTHURN in der Schweiz! und das wird ganz toll für ihn sein! I will be staying in Pforzheim and my companion will be... actually I don't know who my companion will be because he will be coming right out of the MTC! I am going to be a trainer next transfer! I am freaking out! That is going to be crazy and really scary but also rewarding and fun! (just like a parent right?) haha But ya I am way excited dafür! Man, getting a golden is a lot of work so hopefully I can get all the stuff done, like getting a visa for him even when I don't know the Wortschatz for that kind of stuff!!! but it will all work out! So pray for the golden that he will get here safe and that I will make sure that he can stay here safely with all the stuff that he needs! Thanks for all the support you guys give it really is so good to have people back home there for me! I am so grateful for ALL of you!!! Haben Sie eine gut Woche!

LG,

Elder Killpack

Bailey Jayne Love February 24, 2015

Friends and Family! Family and Friends!

I am loving life as usual. My Father in Heaven has blessed me so much in my life and if my mission has brought me anything it is a greater sense of gratitude.. I have been given much. 

This week was a good one! Lots of staying productive indoors because it has been freezing! Students on campus generally dress the same though.. well at least the girls.. down coats, leggings, hunter rain-boots, and infinity scarfs. The Asians typically have hats with something dealing with animals on them... feathers, ears, even bedazzled eyes.. you name it!! .. oddly enough it really does make me miss the college life..

We had an awesome experience with our investigator. As we read from the Book of Mormon her heart was soften. She burst into tears and said that she wanted to believe so badly, but couldn't because her best friend was a homosexual. We explained that God had SO much love for her best friend and that there is a place that is prepared for him so that he will be comfortable.. She wants to take a break from meeting for now, but says that in a couple of weeks she would like to meet again. Please pray for her. Her name is Tricena.

We had Gibson, our investigator with Autism, come to church. When introducing himself he said "and I'm here because the Sisters got me hooked" haha I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love him!!

Amy, another girl that is working towards baptism, came to church as well. and guess what! Everything about church talked about how the Savior was baptized! We also found out that she has had a my family search account for years!! She is already a better member than I was before the mission!! 

Things are just looking up.. it always seems to happy after hard times.. I love my mission. I love my area! I love my companion! She quotes Disney almost as much as I do! There have been plenty of off key tunes in our apartment.. mostly from the Goofy movie. 

I love you all! Have a great week! 

Sister Love

Sister Slater and myself.

Snow :) apparently the most Columbus has gotten in over 100 years.. and more than Utah currently..

Our Power went out!

How many missionaries can you fit in a car? 

The answer is 12!

The frat parties that happen right across the street from the institute..

Awkward...

Awkward again...

Amy!

Elder Jesse M Killpack February 24, 2015

This week was pretty cold. The snow on Tuesday really hurt the work.

People were stuck everywhere and needed help shoveling snow. They  weren't home

when we needed them to be, etc. It was funny though because every time

the forecast  says snow the people freak out and buy all the

milk and eggs etc.... out of the stores and it is just chaos. It is never

as bad as they say it is going to be. Our big success story is that

Poker, a man we have been working with, is now meeting with us three

times a week and came to church. He is pretty well known by the ward.

He has a desire to know the Gospel is true but has a lot of doubts. We

are working with him and hopefully he keeps up the good work. The big

thing this week was that yesterday we had a meeting with Elder Evans

of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Allen from the Fifth

Quorum (He is head of the missionary dpt.) It was the first meeting of

its kind.They are restarting the online/ mobile device missionary

effort. They had been kind of "testing" it now for some time and they

see some areas where we can improve. What impressed me the most is

that they talked about how this will help missionary work, but more

importantly this is preparing us to know how to use technology and

social media after our missions. They talked a lot about pornography

and how by making our hearts the greatest filter we can be more

prepared to go into the world and not be of it. They shared how the

word of wisdom was a problem for a lot of people when it was

relatively new, but now we don't face the same problems with it because

we will be trained better. They promised that if we were committed and

converted then we would be able to train our children so that they

will be stronger than ever to not accept the "evil gift." So, to sum up,

we have the I-pads and Facebook to train us to use them worthily when

we come home. There are going to be lots of other changes as well.

There will be pre-MTC training, virtual districts, post field work

such as working as a volunteer tutor for incoming missionaries. Lots

of different things. If you get an email about buying an I Pad it won't

apply to me. (I'm too old... =(...) It was a slow but really good

week. Keep up the good work and be committed to the standards the Lord

has set for us.

Love, 

Elder Jesse M Killpack

Elder Jesse M Killpack February 19, 2015

So this week was pretty crazy. On Monday we had President Anderson
with us and we went to the Roye's house. We were able to talk with
them and their son and we talked all about how to receive answers and
comparing the lives of Nephi Alma the younger and Laman and how they
received or didnt receive their testimonies. It went really well and
we had really good pie. After that we went to visit Lucia a hispanic
less active member. We got there and we started to share the first
presidency message (I was translating the whole time) and President
Anderson starts to ask her about her family, parents and grandparents.
She started to get really emotional as we talked about how she can
prepare to participate in baptisms for the dead for her family. She
really felt the Spirit and was crying and everything. Its always great
to make people to cry right? She decided that she was going to come to
church on Sunday. So to jump ahead it was Sunday and her supposed ride
probably wasnt going to make it to her. A lot of people didnt go to
church because of the cold weather and ice. So we went with our Ward
Mission Leader to pick her up from her workplace and she wasnt there
and as we had pulled into the parking lot she called and said she was
actually at home. So we went and got her to church at about 1030.
(Sacrament starts at 1000) and she also had to leave to be at work by
1100. She was super sad that she had to leave though. She is going to
have her friend drop her off at church from now on so that she isnt
late but rather early to meetings. Thatll help. Oh and on top of that
I gave a fifteen minute talk with the only preparation being from 1000
to 1045. The original speaker bailed so I filled in. I was told it
went well. I just spoke on the Plan of Salvation and focused on John
17:3 and 1 John 3 :2-3. It was good.  I guess I should be in trouble
that I didnt get to take the sacrament. But it was for a good cause
right? We found a new investigator named Julie that is super prepared.
She kept asking us questions and asking for homework and told us we
can come back everyday if she is there. She should be at church this
coming sunday. The only hard part teaching her is that she speaks
super good english but the rest of the family doesnt,  so we
are finding the balance of how much english and spanish we should be
speaking when we go there to teach. Thanks for the Valentine's Day
package it was delicious. I hope everyone has a great week.
LO
VE

Elder Jesse M Killpack

Sister Bailey Love February 16, 2015

Family and Friends! 

It has been a really good week! Between meeting my new friend Brother Tender and avoiding all the other shenanigans of OSU during Valentine's week we actually taught some people about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

We taught our atheist friend again who turns out isn't so atheist after all! The spirit was so strong in our lesson and she felt God's love! After a while of talking we asked her what she is really searching for. She said that she wants to believe in a God, but more specifically she wants the God we have taught her about to be real. She thinks that the Heavenly Father we believe in is the only plausible one. She is so amazing! I love her tons!

There are plenty of adventures happening on campus that I can't fit them all in. I love the people here though and I love being a missionary! 

Our Heavenly Father loves us so much! We are His children and He is anxiously awaiting our return home!

Love you all!

Sister Love!

Brother Tender and I 

Elder Robert Scott Killpack February 16, 2015

Dear Friends and Family, 

Well it is official everyone! I can go on a mission because I am 19!!!!! I cant wait to serve the Lord! I am really excited to get my call here in the next few weeks and I will let you all know where I will be heading on my mission!!!! Ha Ha, Ya I have had a good week here in Pforzheim! We had a really cool experience this last week! We were at the train station two Saturdays ago and this lady came up to us and asked us if we were Mormons! We answered with the obvious answer by our badges... Why yes, why yes we are!! Then she proceeded to ask us where she could order a Book of Mormon or how she could get one! We told her that we could bring one by! Last Wednesday that is exactly what we did! We went by and gave her a Book of Mormon and were able to talk for a little bit! She told us that she knew that this book had wahrheit (reality or true) in it and that she knew she needed to read it.  She wanted to find out where we got it,  how we got it,  and why it is so important! We are going there again this week to teach about the restoration!!! It was just so cool how she bore testimony to us that the book was true and she hadn't even read it yet!!! I am really excited to find out what will happen!!!

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes!!!!!

Elder Killpack

Birthday Watch

Elder Jesse M Killpack January 9, 2015

Dear Family, 

 I'm probably not going to be able to write a ton this time. 

We are taking the Mission President out teaching in almost an hour. We

are going to see the Roye family. He is the member that served in the

same mission as Dad at the same time. They were even in the same

district at one point. This has been a good week. We got back in

contact with Shane and he still wants to get baptized but  might be

moving to Virginia. That might put a roadblock in the way, at least

on our side. He has recognized that his life is better now that he is

trying to do the things that we have been teaching him. All of the people

that told us that they were coming to church bailed on us again. Oh well, you

live and you learn. We taught Salvador and met his sister who is a

less active member. She goes to a different church now but still says

that she is a member. Interesting... We then found out that she is the

ex wife of a less active member here in Salisbury as well. The

connections that this ward has with the community is crazy. Everyone

knows someone else. I guess that happens when you have 700 on the

roster and only 220 come to church. They put two sisters in to replace

the two elders. So now I'm in the "lowest Elder" area possible. We almost

saw the ocean on Friday because we did service for a lady that lives

in Ocean Pines close to Ocean City. (We are not usually allowed there

but because we were doing service for a member we got permission.) But

yes, the work goes forward and the ward is really pulling things

together to help us out.

Love,

Elder Jesse M Killpack

Sister Bailey Jayne Love February 9, 2015

Hello family members and friends!! 

It's been a good week for sure! We have had the opportunity to teach so many wonderful people! Some highlights:

Teaching a atheist and feminist about our church's view of Eve and just women in general.

We testified of the Love that God has for all of His children, but especially the special place He has in His heart for His daughters. He loves us girls so much. He cries when we cry and rejoices when we rejoice. He wants us to have all that He has and the only way to accomplish that was to send us to Earth.. The only way to get sent to Earth was through the fall.. Put simply Eve is the best. GIRL POWER. 

We had a movie night with Meet the Mormons and has a huge turnout! We had two investigators come and they really loved the documentary. It was a hit for sure and I love how that movie really shows the diversity of all God's children. 

Nothing too crazy happened this week in comparison with last week, but It was truly an uplifting and fun time. Serving with my trainer has been quite the cool experience. Sister Wagstaff is on OSU training again and she is such a good example to me! She only has a little over a transfer left, but she is still running as fast as she did when we first got put together. I've been pondering my calling a lot lately. As I have been out a while I see a lot of missionaries lose their fire at the end of their mission. I get scared that I might do the same, but it all comes down to what I'm willing to do because of Him. If I truly understand the Atonement and the way that it is meant for ALL men, then I would be willing to serve a 14 year mission like Ammon and I would preach the Gospel to everyone in that time. 18 months isn't long enough to show how much I love my Savior.

or maybe I just don't want to come home and deal with normal life...

haha I love you all Family and Friends!

Sister Love

Elder Robert Scott Killpack February 9, 2015

Dear Family and Friends, 

This week we had some good lessons and some frustrating lessons. And one really really good lesson!!!!!!! It was with Claudio, again, but this time there were no bongs and that was really a good start! We progressed into the lesson and starting talking about the restoration and the Book of Mormon. We asked him, "why do you think we want you to read the Book of Mormon and what does it mean if it is true." And he told us he didn't really know exactly what it meant but then bore testimony to us that he already knows that this book is true. He said every time he reads the book, he gets goosebumps and knows that they are good goosebumps! ha! We told him what it meant and that this book is true. He said that he can accept that, and then bore testimony that this is the true church and that he knows it! So ...safe to say we set a baptismal date with him and have the next month or so planned out really well to help him in every way! He is way excited about it all and probably the most serious out of anyone I have taught about keeping the baptismal commitment we set...  I cant wait to see him come closer and closer to this covenant. I have a testimony that the Lord really does prepare people for us, but we have to do something so that they can accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I love you thanks for everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Killpack

Innenstadt 

Elder Robert Killpack February 2, 2015

Family and Friends, 

Holy cow it's February! I cannot believe it!!! Time goes so fast here!! I have a pretty funny story about one of our lessons this week. We are teaching this guy who is from Italy and came to Germany for a better place to live. He started his life out a little rough getting into drugs and stuff like that and really wants to change his life. He reads every time we ask him too, so that is good He is really good during lessons. Well now that you know a little bit about him, I will tell you the story or the scene I guess haha. So we show up to his apartment and He let us in.  When he opened the door is smelled like smoke, but not like from a cigarette. We went into the kitchen and  met  another guy there just hitting up on a homemade bong. haha. He was so out of it, it was almost funny, We were still able to give our lesson and the spirit was still there, but not as strong as it could have been. But ya I thought you guys would like to hear that we gave a lesson in that circumstance.  It was pretty crazy, one for the books. It was also my first time there, so it was a really good first impression!! 

Love you all and thank you so much for your prayers! 

You are all amazing!!!

Elder Killpack

New Jersey selfie

  

Bus Stop View!

Sister Bailey Jayne Love February 2, 2015

Bad Boys Bad Boys, 

Whatcha gonna do? 

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

We've been robbed!! I love that this is our welcome to OSU campus present.. It has been a very interesting week to say the least. 

So to start off from the beginning we were at "The Church of Latter-Day of Saints" as the news reporter calls it and we had someone walk in a take a backpack and my companions purse. Luckily nothing too big was stolen and we were able to recover everything that was lost. It made for a wonderful missionary opportunity and many of us missionaries have been able to see the results of being on the news.. Although it was super embarrassing for Sister Slater (our mission present even called her a "Jesus freak") it definitely makes for a good story..

http://www.abc6onyourside.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Thieves-Target-Church-at-Start-of-Sunday-Service-71950.shtml#.VMl5dIY8LCQ

Except being woken up by the police officers at 1 AM.. I could have definitely done without that. 

But let me tell you... I LOVE OSU campus! It has been the most incredible experience. I love the wards that we are over and all the students. There are the most amazing converts here. They are so grateful for the gospel and will give anything for it. We have had some really special experiences teaching all kinds of people. From die hard Catholics to straight up Atheists. I have the strongest testimony that God knows each of us individually. The spirit is working through us really well and I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to open my mouth and let it be filled with exactly what these people need to hear.

I'm also extremely grateful that the Patriots won last night.. Because all of the members here are starving college students we have to get creative with getting them to feed us.. GO PATRIOTS! 

Along with making bets I also broke the Word of Wisdom this week. There is a challenge at the OSU institute called "The Triple Sloop". It involves eating 3 HUGE pancakes with peanut butter, chocolate, syrup and of course plenty of whipped cream. The record for the sisters is 9 minutes while the record for the Elders is 3:40. The pictures don't do it justice, but I will say that after the first 5 bites I wanted to die..

But I finished!! unfortunately not in 9 minutes.. it took me 25.. and I wanted to die.

So my commitments for this week are to follow all the points of the Word of Wisdom! Especially watching what you eat! 

I love you all! 

Have a fantastic week!

Sister Love 

Elder Jesse Killpack February 2, 2015

Family, 

Hey there so this week I learned that using Facebook as a missionary

is actually useful. For example, that man Glenn, who you saw reply in the picture  wants to talk about the Book of Mormon now. A members sister that I contacted via Facebook, 

using He is the Gift,  later met the missionaries, took the lessons, and

is now getting baptized on Saturday in Mexico City! That made my day. 

We did not have our investigators at church, although four said that they

were going to come. But that's life. Other than that the work seems to

be picking up. Even though Elder Riley has been kinda sick the last

few days.  Life is good. We had a good week and are staying here

together. That equals eleven companions in total.  Time is flying by

and we are going to keep working hard.

Love, 

Elder Jesse Killpack

The moment Elder Riley said he was  going to kill me! 

This was a group message from a man named Glenn through messenger to me.