Week 23

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

    This week has been good. Alberta is so amazing! She is so excited for her baptism and we are so happy for her. When the difficult times came this week and I started to count my blessings she was definitely the blessing that I kept counting.

    As far as missionary work this week- all of scheduled lessons were canceled. We taught Alberta 3 times down at the beach. It was amazing! We read from the Book of Mormon and she is loving it.

   Today we had P-day with President Dalton and the Assistant to the Presidents and it was super fun! I wish that every p-day was like this! Well, Ill talk more about it next week. But now I'm super tired and have to go. I love the work, and I am so blessed to be here. I have my weaknesses but I know that the Lord will provide for my weaknesses. Aloha wau ia oe!

Love Always,

    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 22- Happy Father's Day!!!

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,


A piece of Heaven

    Well this week has been really really good that I don't even know where to start. I just feel so happy and blessed to be here on a mission because it is so amazing and fulfilling even though it is really hard and exhausting at the same time. I can definitely say now that a mission is the hardest thing I have ever done yet it is the best decision I have ever made so far in my life. 

 

So, why has this week been so good? We got a super awesome/ golden investigator. AND Alberta is getting baptized!!!

 

Ok our golden investigator. Last week I mentioned how we met a guy named James, he is still awesome. We tried to see James a few times this week but he was never home but his niece Sousianna was always there and loved seeing us. She would run up to the gate and talk to us and be sad when we had to leave. On Saturday, we were walking down to James and called to see if he was home- he was having a Fathers Day bbq thing and told us we could come. We did and it was super fun. James asks a lot of questions about our church and what it is like to be a missionary and stuff. We invited him to come to church and he said he would try. Then, Sousisanna says, "Can I come to church with you too?" Sousianna is 8 so we have to go talk with her mom and make sure that she has permission to go to church with us. We go talk to her mom and she says that it is fine if Sousianna comes to church with us the next day. The bbq continues and we talk, play games with the kids and eat our 2nd lunch for the day (Hawaiians love to feed us ALL The Time!) The kids loved us and loved playing so many games with us and climbing on us too...

 

Sunday comes and James cant come to church with us but Sousianna is waiting by the gate for us. We take her to church and she is honestly an angel! She loves to sing and was singing to all the hymns and was really good too. Plus she already knows some of the kids in Primary her age so she was excited to go to class with some of the other kids (I was a bit nervous about having to leave her without us ). Also, thanks mom for the pictures of Christ they are great for kids to look at during Sacrament. We pick up Sousianna after her class and walk her home. She loved church and wants to come with us again. We are going to ask Sousianna and her mom if it would be okay if she came to church with us every week. Sousianna is truly an angel and hopefully she will be able to start coming with her uncle too!

 

Zone Conference- Sister Bonrostro and I
with Lanai in the background

Alberta- Oh dear I am so excited! A little bit of back story for those of you who have forgotten who Alberta is. Every Friday we have gone down to her farm and helped her out. My first week here in Lanai (5 months ago) she asked about our church services and then told us that we had committed her to come to church. A few weeks later (she has come to church every week) she calls us up and wants to learn about the Book of Mormon. Invites herself to take the lessons - great! Then she gets super busy and we still see her but aren't really teaching her and she is still coming to church every week. A few weeks ago she gets up in testimony meeting and says that this is the church of God and asks a member how she can become a member. The member tells her that she needs to meet with the missionaries and get baptized. A week goes by and she tells other people about her wanting to get baptized but doesn't tell us... I keep wondering why and so finally I conclude that we are going to have to talk to her about it. So on Tuesday we are down at the beach with her and her grandson helping Alberta stamp envelopes. I tell her that we baptize down here in the ocean. She says, "Oh really, I have been thinking about baptism but I can't get baptized here. I'm allergic to the jellyfish in the water." Well, I'm dumbfounded because I have never had to face that kind of concern before. I mention that I think someone in town has a pool that maybe we could use. Alberta is like, "Ya, I know them. They are gone for the summer so I'll get baptized when they come home." I was a little sad because she is ready right now and I don't know if I will still be on Lanai until the end of summer... I was a little disheartened.

 

My last Zone Conference with President and Sister Dalton

Wednesday, we go over to Maui for Zone Conference and it was so much fun. Wow, I love being around other missionaries. It is hard to be the only ones over her but it is okay because I still love it here :) It was super nice to actually meet people in person and not over skype... This was President and Sister Dalton's last Zone Conference before the new mission president comes in. The conference was really good. It was all on obedience and how we can't only be obedient to the big rules but we have to remember the small details too. Then we talked about our goal for the month of June as a mission. Our goal is 200 baptized in the month of June as a whole mission (the state of Hawaii). The only way we can achieve this is if everyone is working extra hard and being perfectly obedient. It's important that the off islanders do their part- when they told me that I knew that Alberta shouldn't wait until the end of summer to be baptized. We came home Thursday night and knew that we were going to have a busy week ahead of us. 

 

One of my favorite Elders that I will probably never see again
cause I'm on Lanai and he is going home soon

Friday, all of our appointments get canceled. We have a super spiritual lesson with Flora (the lady who has been coming to church for longer than I have been alive but has not been baptized). The spirit was so strong in that lesson and we invited Flora to be baptized twice and she said no both times. I was so sad.  The lesson had been led by the Spirit and tears were shed as He touched our hearts. I had truly given my very best and even that was not enough. It all comes down to their agency because this is their choice and I cannot force them to do anything. I prayed to keep a positive outlook even though I felt like the day hadn't been going the best; then, off to the farm. This Sunday Alberta is hosting a charity event at the farm and so she was off the whole time we were there setting stuff up- so no time to at least talk to her about baptism. Then we are driving home and we keep trying to bring up the topic of baptism but everything keeps getting off topic. We arrive home she gets out of the car and hands us our bags of lettuce and bananas. I feel hopeless but not defeated, I know I need to do something and so I ask, "Alberta before you go, can we leave you with a question to think about?" She says sure so I start, "We have been thinking and praying a lot about the other day when we were talking about baptism and we want to extend..." I'm cut off and she says, "I have been thinking about that too and I'm ready to be baptized now. I want to be baptized at Manele (in the ocean)" My heart becomes as light as a feather. I feel completely exhausted but so happy and calm at the same time. I don't know how to describe how happy I was but it wasn't the jumping for joy kind it was immense peace, oh I don't like when I cant find the words to describe something, but I hope you get the idea of how happy I was. Kinda like in Alma 27:17 "Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth." No I didn't faint but I did feel so tired and had so much joy in the miracles my God does for me. I truly had done nothing, Heavenly Father has done it all. Once again, Alberta invited herself to be baptized, and God loves me enough that I got to witness yet another miracle. Alberta continued to tell us that she wanted me to be present at her baptism and since we never know when we are leaving she wants to do it soon- so on June 28th Alberta will be baptized in the Pacific ocean at Manele beach on Lanai. My heart is so full just thinking about that. I am truly blessed and my life is charmed every day. 

 

Saturday night we had a Fathers Day dinner and they had asked Sister Bonrosto and I to do something performance wise. Well, singing and piano is not my strong hold by any means and swimming is not really something you can perform on stage let alone be allowed to do on a mission. So I shared a poem that my little sister Katie and I wrote last year for Fathers Day. I hope you all like it. 

My district- I'm not the only one that sticks my tongue out
haha ;-P

     Daddy Taught Me How

 

Hand in hand I stand

First steps wobbly, then I run

Daddy taught me how.

 

On a bike I yell, "Don't let go!"

Ten feet behind, you pray I don't fall.

Daddy taught me how.

 

To kick, to throw, to hit, 

To score- as my coach

Daddy taught me how.

 

Recitals, concerts, or games

You never miss, supporting the family

Daddy taught me how.

 

To serve, to anoint, to bless

To baptize and to teach

Daddy taught me how.

 

When distressed or ill, your hands you lay

Communing with the Father

Daddy taught me how

 

Tears you dry while in your arms, speaking

A good one of our district

A simple phrase, "They're not worth the time."

Daddy taught me how.

 

Wronged and hurt, but told to forgive

Letting go of the bad

Daddy taught me how.

 

With smiles and laughs at the dinner table

We gather as a family, united.

Daddy taught me how.

 

Now I stand and rise on my own

Chin up I face my road

Daddy taught me how. 

 

I want to end with a few things that I truly know: God is all powerful. He commands oceans and winds and yet makes time to show me He loves little ole me. Why? Because we are His literal children. He doesn't need me to come on a mission to bring me closer to Him. He could do it all Himself. He loves me enough that He wants me to experience a piece of the joy He feels when He sees one of His children find His gospel. I'm humbled to learn that this mission is all for me. Here I thought that I was going to give back to Heavenly Father and show my gratitude by serving Him (which is good and I'm still showing my gratitude by being here); but, He is giving me so much more than I can ever give back to Him. He isn't the kind of friend where you buy a lunch and then they buy the next; He is the friend that loves to give, He loves to see us smile, and He loves to see us happy and so He blesses us as much as He can. This Fathers Day I have been shown how many Fathers I have. So many people care for me. I have my earthly and biological Dad and I am so grateful to have him in my life. He loves and supports me in all of my decisions from sports to play, to studying abroad in Jerusalem, to deciding to serve a mission. My Dad is always there for me and I love him so much. Then I have father-figures that have been my Sunday school teachers, coaches, bishops, members from my ward back home, and members and non-members here on Lanai who love me and teach me. I love them too. Then as I have mentioned above I have my Heavenly Father who is always with me, to care, direct, comfort, support, and bless me. I'm so grateful for all the Fathers in my life!



A view into heaven.  God loves me.  I know because He places
beauty all around me to see.

My life is wonderful because of the people that have been apart of it. Elohim Tov Tameed! I love you all. Ofa atu! Mahal kita! Aloha uwau ia oe!

Love Always,

    Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

Week 21- Open the Windows of Heaven Miracles

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

Café 565! Check out the Los Angeles sign! ^_^

 

Transfers came and went. Sister Duke is in Manoa and I miss her. I miss our inside jokes and just knowing each others' strengths and weaknesses. But, Sister Bonrostro is great. She is awesome at asking inspired questions and she is always cheerful about the work! I actually knew her in the MTC so it is fun to know some of the same people and she is from San Francisco so that is fun too. 

 

I can now say that I have knocked on every single house on the island. Now what, you may ask? We start again knocking on every single door and hope to meet new people that weren't home the first time. 

 

Miracle of the week from knocking on doors. We met this awesome guy named James. There was this big rolling gate that doesn't roll so you have to pick it up and move it to get in... so I'm examining the situation and thinking how are we going to bring this house the good news if we cant get in?? The dogs are barking like mad (all dogs hate missionaries) and then someone comes out, tells the dogs to shut up and then I say, "Aloha!" he looks at me and says hi. I ask if we can come in and pray with him to leave the Savior's blessings of peace and comfort. Another look, starts to put the dogs away and says sure. To be honest I thought he was going to say no. We go in and pray for him and his family. Then we invite him to be baptized. He says he doesn't know yet because he hasn't found the right church yet. He is confused why there are so many different churches that all teach the same things but with different twists. Perfect! We have an answer to that! We ask if we can come back in a few days and he says that he is always home because he just moved back from Maui and is trying to start his walk with God and change his life around. Perfect! That is what missionaries do! Two days later and we are back- James lets us in and he is super nice and curious. We were able to teach him about the Restoration and how we have a modern day prophet who is appointed by Jesus Christ Himself. At the end of the lesson we ask how he feels and he says enlightened (a sign the Spirit was there in the lesson) and we ask if he thinks it could be true. He says, "Ya, it makes sense. I believe that this could be true." I love it when people listen to us and make an honest effort to understand. He agreed to read the Book of Mormon which is the convincing evidence that this is God's church that has once again been established on the earth. He also said that he would start getting in the habit of praying! He didn't make it to church yesterday but we will keep working with him!

We went to the fish pond and Kealohi caught a
few fish with her bare hands- that's legit!

Alberta- we were supposed to meet with her 3 times this week and she canceled all of them because she was super busy! Ugh- Satan uses whatever he can to distract people from the gospel. We are hopefully going to meet with her tomorrow and be able to set up an baptism date. 

 

Quote of the week: Perfection isn't about living a perfect life and never making a mistake. It is about being able to stand before Heavenly Father and be able to say that I tried my best.

 

Oh and I spoke again in church- I don't think it was my best talk ever. We spoke on the first principles and ordinances of the gospel which are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I didn't have as much time as  I thought I was going to so I had to cut a lot out. Its ok though because I still was able to learn a lot from the opportunity I had to study it.

  

Also, a less active family came to church and it was so good to see them. We had visited them the day prior and had been only able to talk to them for a short while and they had said that with time they would come back. Then they were in church the next day and it was so great! I pray that they keep coming. 

 

Firsts: we went to a wedding party! We had helped make the pulled pork for it and we cut up vegetables for the chicken heka. We weren't officially invited but everyone said we could come and then our dinner appointment ended up taking us to the wedding anyways. We didn't stay too long but it was fun to see half the town at this wedding. You think I'm joking about half the town but I'm not. :)

 

The fish really liked Sister Duke, so they would follow her as
she walked up and down the side of the pond.  See the ripple-
that's them alright!

Well, I think that is it for my week. I love the Lord. I love this work. When we are obedient we will be blessed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church of God. We have a prophet on the earth today to lead and to guide us. I am so grateful for Joseph Smith and all the knowledge and keys that he restored to this earth.  Elohim Tov. I love you! Mahal kita! ( Tagolic) Te quiero! (Spanish) Aishtaru (Japanese) Ofa atu! (Tongan) Wah ai ni (Mandrin Chinese) Aloha uwau ia oe!  

 

Love Always, 

    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 20- Patience Donkey Patience

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

Transfers are this week and I am staying! I am both happy and sad. Sister Duke is leaving to go to Honolulu to train for her remaining 9 weeks. I will truly miss her, we have become so close and have so many jokes that are the kind that aren't really funny unless you were there and realize how ridiculous the things a missionary laughs at. I am not training, yet, my new companion is Sister Bonrostro and she came out with me, I have met her a few times but don't know too much about her besides she can speak some sort of Filipino dialect which will be SO helpful with all of the Filipinos that live here. She is a Visitor Center sister and all the proselyting Sisters are going to be super jealous of her getting to come to Lanai. I realized the other day that after this next transfer I will have been out for 6 months, a third of my mission! That is crazy!! As of right now I would say that I'll stay here on Lanai for one more transfer and then leave. So far no one has stayed on Lanai for over 6 months so I will hit that and if I stay that will be another first for the area. I'm excited to stay because I truly love the people and for a selfish reason Pineapple Days are coming up and I want to be there for that! So that is me for now.

 

We did a lot of service this week. We cleaned the Avegalios house and they moved this week. I'm sad to see them go but I know they will be okay and this move will provide them with new opportunities. 

 Teaching Briel and Brynlie how to play softball

We have started to teach a lady named Virginia. She is the grandma to a member who has been baptized for a little over a year. He is the only member in his family and comes to church every week by himself and is so smart. He received the priesthood a few months ago and is so good. He invites his grandma every week to church and finally she came last week and she loved it. We asked if we could come over and she told us to come back later that week at 6. So we did and we taught her about the Restoration. Her grandson, Christian, (the member) was there and he was so helpful with bearing testimony of the gospel. He is already such a good missionary and he is only 12! Virginia likes the idea of baptism but is still thinking about it. She understands the role of the Priesthood and loves church. 

 

A few months past a member told us a joke that I didn't really find funny but I did get a moral out of the story. Short version:Ch.1- There was a master and a donkey and they start out on a journey. They walk and walk and walk. Over hills and through valleys. Ch. 2- They continue to walk and walk and walk on through valleys and over hills. The donkey begins to tire and asks, "Master, I'm thirsty may I have some water?" To which the Master replies, "Patience Donkey, patience." So they carry on walking. Ch3.- The Master and the donkey keep walking over more hills and valleys into desserts and again the donkey cries out, "Master, I'm thirsty. May I have some water?" To which the Master replies, "Patience Donkey, patience." so they carry on walking. Ch. 5- The donkey has slowed his pace and is sweating, his tongue is dry and sandpapery and in a croaked voice cries, "Master, I'm thirsty. May I have some water?" To which the Master replies, "Patience Donkey, patience." So they carry on walking. Ch.6 - Donkey is barely able to keep his hooves moving but keeps on walking, every fly feels like another brick on his back. In a hoarse, faint cry, "Master, I'm thirsty. May I have some water?" To which the Master replies, "Patience Donkey, patience." So they both kept on walking. Ch. 7- The donkey has collapsed, beginning to see hallucinations from heat exhaustion. With his final breath, the donkey gasps, "Master, I am thirsty. May I have some water?" To which the Master replies, "Patience Donkey, patience." And the donkey dies. 

So the joke was that we skipped Ch. 4. I didn't think it was funny because this poor donkey just died because of his dumb master. Well, ever since they told us this joke I have taken the phrase Patience donkey patience to remind me to be patient. No I have not died, but I have been taught patience. 

 

From my first week here Sister Duke and I have been doing service with a lady named Alberta. (Yes the one we farm for every week). Well to refresh your memories. Our first week here we were talking to her and she asked about when church was and what we did. We told her and she says, "Okay, you have committed me to come to church." I remember thinking, "Wow! that is great we didn't even invite you but you are welcome to come and we are thrilled to have you." The next week we asked how she liked church and she loved it and asked what that coming week was going to be like, it was fast and testimony meeting and once again she committed herself to come to church. Since then, Alberta has rarely missed a Sunday. After a few weeks of coming we received 3 miracle phone calls. 1. Brandon Avegalio, "Hi, Sister I want to get on a pathway to baptism" Brandon was baptized on March 16. 2. Alberta, "Hi, Sisters I want to learn about the Book of Mormon" 3. Cody "Hi Sisters, I walk into work today and Shaun says that he wants to get baptized so you should call him at ..." Shaun was baptized on April 12. Since Alberta's call we have taught her twice because she is always SO busy all the time. Then this past Sunday was Testimony meeting and she got up and expressed her gratitude for all the work Sister Duke and I have helped her out with. Then she closes by saying, "I know this is the true church of God." Blew me out of the water! Then during 2nd hour of church our member comes up to us and tells us that Alberta had asked him how she could become a member of the church! We are meeting with her tomorrow and we are going to set up a time when she can be baptized. 4 months of Patience, Cassie, patience. Sister Duke and I have spent countless hours studying for her, praying for her, and giving up plenty of meals fasting for her. So, unlike the donkey, at the end of my patience when giving up sounds so good the Lord provides the miracle. The water has been given and I am revived. My heart is so full with gratitude for how much the Lord does and how little I do in this work. 

 

Yep, it was cool and I definitely was trying to compare the
deer's anatomy to a human's. There are a lot of similarities.

Adventures of the Week: Sister Duke and I were out knocking on doors and we come to a house and hear voices so I say, "Aloha." Response, "Um you might not want to come around the corner." I use my detective skills and see drops of blood on the steps and ask, "Are you skinning a deer?" Response, "Yes." Sister Duke and I, "Can we watch?!" Taken aback response, "Sure. You are the craziest girls I have ever met." So we watched Bob and Albert skin a deer and man were they good at it. They made it look like art. Bob, Albert and Lori were so funny and I love them. Lots of foul language, marijuana joints and beer to be had but they have met missionaries before and so only offered water which I was grateful for. If the deer hadn't been shot by a super rich guy I would have asked if I could try and skin the deer and butcher it. But since it was my first time I didn't want to ruin some guys hide that he wanted to have stuffed. Next time though :)

 

At the Imu banana stump phase with the leaves to your right!

The second adventure is I witnessed my first imu! A less active family invited us over to see it and it was super cool. It is a huge bit and they have a fire going and then lava rocks and then they throw banana stumps over the fire, banana leaves, the meat (there was tons of meat!), tea leaves next, two layers of tarps, and dirt on the side to keep all the heat and moisture in. Then you let it basically slow cook over night. The next morning you take all of it and put everything inside and the imu is done! Next we shredded the pork and put Hawaiian salt on it. Of course we ate some and it was darn good. Then we saved most of it for a wedding this coming week. It was really cool to watch the whole imu experience. Hopefully next time I will get to see a whole pig be put inside. 

 

Well my life continues on Lanai and I am happy about it. The work is good and hard. I love being a missionary. I'm sad to say goodbye to Sister Duke. The only constant thing in life is Change. I know that with a new companion I will grow and learn something new from her. I will be grateful that she will be able to help with the language barrier with so many of the Filipinos. I'm grateful for fresh vegetables and sunsets (Sunrises are growing on me now that I have to be up earlier than I was used to). I love the Lord and I only wish I could learn quicker but He continues to teach me little lessons. He keeps telling me, "Patience Cassie, patience." Sometimes we have to work through the hard, keep enduring, and then make it a little bit farther to the water that awaits us but we just cant see it yet. The Lord loves me and He loves you. Elohim Tov taneem. God is good Always, Aloha uwau ia oe. 

 



Yes the eyeballs are still attached.  Cool, right?

Love Always, 

    Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

P.S. I would love to hear how all of you are doing! So email me at cassidy.lang@myldsmail.net

More deer pictures:

The perfectly cut hide