Elba and Roni

L. to R. Elder Abley, Elder Scadden, Roni (12) and Elba Kapllani (19), Sister Bentley, and Sister Kennedy. Picture taken just before Elba and Roni's baptism Monday evening, October 5.

Elba Kapllani was taught the gospel lessons four years ago by a set of sisters and some elders. (See first comment on this post from Eliza Robinson Ruys.) One of the sisters who taught Elba later became a language instructor at the MTC for Elder Abley, pictured here. Circumstances prevented Elba from joining the church but she continued to see missionaries on the street because her grandmother's home is very near our 2nd Branch building where the missionaries teach English and hold discussions with investigators.

This summer Elba's brother Roni wandered into the 2nd Branch building because he saw other boys in the neighborhood going in to play Ping-Pong. Elder and Sister Shupe, who run the Center for Young Adults (CYA), had decided to let the young boys in the neighborhood come in to use the Ping-Pong table at a few selected times during the week.

One day Elba's mother sent her to get Roni at the church, and as she approached the building she was greeted by Elder Abley and his companion who were standing outside, and she was invited to "just go on in." Inside she was warmly greeted by several people including the Shupe's, and all the old feelings she had toward the church came to her memory. After that she was at the CYA several times a week attending Institute classes and activities, and the missionaries began teaching her and Roni the lessons . Roni enthusiastically accepted the teachings and wanted to be baptized, and his parents approved but did not want Elba to be baptized because she had "already been baptized in the Orthodox church." Elba introduced her parents to the missionaries and the Shupe's invited the Kapllani family over to their home, and it was only a short while before their hearts were softened because, as Elba's father said, "These are good people, and this must be good."

The parents, grandmother, and several of Elba's non-member friends attended the baptism, and the grandmother made some beautiful chocolate treats for everyone. Elba's father beamed as he watched his children bear their testimonies after their baptisms and confirmations.

The evening was especially sweet for Elder Abley, as he has completed his mission and is going home to England tomorrow. He told us at the testimony meeting we held in our apartment with just the departing missionaries, that Sister Rose who had gone home earlier this year, had written to him with the advice to work especially hard at the end of his mission because "that's where the miracles are hidden."

Elba was able to contact the missionaries who taught her four years ago to let them know of the fruit that had come from the seeds that they had helped to plant in her heart years ago (see Book of Mormon: Alma, Chapter 32).