Week 9- Manele Bay March!

Dear Family and Friends,

     Well the most exciting news! Brandon Avegalio was baptized this Saturday at Manele Bay! It was super small, just the way he wanted it. He didn't want the whole branch there he just wanted his family, the two witnesses, President Mailo (he performed the baptism), and Sister Duke and I. It was so beautiful, I was amazed at how Brandon was so happy before he was baptized but then he just glowed after. Ah, I still feel so much peace just thinking about it! It was early in the morning, a bit windy but still warm, and the Spirit was strong and perfect. I love how the family is the center of this gospel, and it was amazing to see that now their family will be progressing in the gospel together. Eren (a member wife) shared how she is so grateful that now when trials come she will have her husband to help her along the way and it won't have to be just her anymore.

      The more I am out on my mission the more I am grateful for my family and the way I was raised. I see less active parents starting to come back to church and to feel the Spirit again, but they regret that because of their falling away that some of their kids were lost in the process. I see part member families where the wife is a member and has been enduring through when she knows that it is through the temple where her family can be sealed and will be with each other forever. I see young kids that come to church without their parents and do not get the support they need. So many families are hurt and wounded but yet somehow mine was able to stay intact. Why? Because of the gospel and the principles and the truth that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches. It has not always been easy, we have taken our share of trials but instead of hitting bottom we hit Christ. Then with His help He can lift us up, dust us off and help us face whatever comes our way.

    Well, I will step off my soap box now and get back to my week:

We taught Big Easy (Shawn) last night and it went really well. He could feel the Spirit, we will have to work on his swearing problem. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he would be baptized and he said YES! He still needs to pray about it though but I know he will get his answer. He really wants the Atonement and to be cleaned of his past and just have a fresh start through baptism. At the end of the lesson he just said, "I feel really good." Yep, that is how a missionary feels all the time. (Well most of the time) Even when people reject our message and a few are rude about it, all I have to do is remember how much the Lord has done for me and that I know the truth. My testimony and knowledge is such a blessing and I am so grateful that I have had the trials that I have had so that I could grow, learn, and come closer to knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior and my best friend.

    Then on Thursday we had a lesson that didn't go great, this lady just did not care at all what we had to say. But after we went over to some apartments and went to see if Emma, a girl that had taken a few of the lessons and we had tried to catch her at home about 5 times already, was home. Well, she pulled up from work just as we got to her apartment. Wow, she was amazing! She asked for a Book of Mormon and said that she was really busy with her last quarter of high school. So she said that she didn't want to get baptized yet. We hadn't even mentioned that. She has had a lot of LDS friends and is dating a member boy that lives on Molokai. She is really awesome, the hard part is just catching her at home.

      Friday: we had Zone Meeting to start off the new transfer. And if you didn't already guess I was not transferred. In the meeting we had to decide names for our District. (A mission is split up into zones and then from there 3-4 districts make up a zone). Lanai and Molokai is my District and these 2 places are known for their hunting; our theme scripture is Jeremiah 16:16 and our name is Molonia Huntahz. I guess you could say we are legit. Ha. We do whatever we can to work on unity.

     Spotlight of the Week: Takeo- we met him by knocking on his door. The question to ask him is where hasn't he been because he has hiked all over the world! He is an ivory carver and he is really good! He makes little plumeria flower earrings and they were beautiful. He also carves wood and showed us walking canes that he has made and then told us where he has traveled with it.  There are so many creative people in this world and I love it all and just wish that I had the time to learn anything and everything! I guess we all have our different talents.

    It is amazing how much the mission has already changed me and I am only 3 months in. Wow, what will 15 more months do... that is crazy/weird to think about.

    Lanai history: last Monday the Kawasakis took Sister Duke and I to Kaunolu Village. It is an ancient village that King Kamehameha took over. All that is left is some stone foundations that were used for houses and then a mound of rocks which was the temple. The coolest part was Kahekili's Leap. There is a gap in between 2 rocks that then just falls off into the Shark's Fin Bay (there is a rock formation in this bay that looks like the fin of a shark). It was really high up and the warriors used to show their bravery by jumping off this cliff. We were surrounded by cliffs so I was just wondering how they got back up. That is if they weren't eaten by sharks first.

    A prayer answered: the other day I was just missing home a bit, not home sick and I just asked that I would be able to have Norma with me throughout the day. Well we went out and plan A and B didn't work, I was a little bummed but still ok. Then I look down and see a beautiful butterfly. I thought of Carly and knew that this was Norma, I knew that God cared and had given me a little miracle.

    Random fact: I now want pikake flowers at my wedding. The other day we stopped by Brandon's and Eren's to drop off some dishes they had let us use and they invited us in and Eren showed us her wedding book and I got lots of ideas that I will be saving in my mind for a later time haha.

    Well, I think that is my week! I love this place and never want to leave. Elohim Tov - God is Good! (Hebrew) Aloha uvau ia oe!

Love Always,

  Sister Cassidy Jean Lang