Well, this week has felt super long. last Tuesday we went to the the temple which is always amazing! It was a long day but one that I wouldn't ever change, I just always feel so much strength when I am able to go to the temple :) That will be a happy habit that I will do when I come home- go to the temple once a week because it is that good!
Wednesday night we found out that we were moving- we knew that we would be soon because the Senior Sisters that were in our zone moved to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center and so their pad was open so the mission office told us to move there. This new pad is super nice!!!! We didn't have ton of time to pack in an organized fashion so I'm still trying to get stuff in the right place but at the same time transfers are next week and if anyone is going... its me :/ I have been here for 4.5 months- the longest in the zone... I wouldn't mind staying because we are making really good progress with some less actives and our investigators. If I go I will be so sad to leave these people I have come to love.
Sometimes all people need is love. This week Heavenly Father filled me with love for those around me:
The Fa'aifo Ohana. We went over Friday evening- were talking to the 2 younger girls. The dad struggles with addictions and the mom feels hopeless in trying to constantly be the leader in her family. The girls want to come to church but don't want to go alone. Well, we get there and just talk story with the younger girls and keep it gospel related. Then we find out our dinner canceled so the girls ask us to stay. Then the opportunity to serve comes- "How about we make you dinner?" Well, we end up washing the dishes, making crazy good eggs (eggs, onion, pineapple sausage, spam, spinach, and cheese), pancakes, then while the brownies were cooking we read from the Book of Mormon. We ate as a family, well all the girls at least, the dad didn't come home and the mom wasn't feeling good. We talked about their day and their likes and dislikes, told jokes and gave them a family dinner which I don't think happens very often. I know that they had fun and enjoyed us coming, eating (our cooking), and learning from the scriptures. As we left the mom came out and thanked us for coming. Most of the time I just yell back to her and say thanks but she came out to say goodbye to us. I was filled with love, gave her a hug, and told her that I love her and her family. ... Sadly, they did not make it to church :( We will keep trying.
Ace- We were able to teach him twice this week about the Plan of Salvation, Word of Wisdom, and the Law of Chastity. He feels the Spirit. He told us that he feels happy when he is with us taking lessons, he feels like it is right. We asked him to be baptized on November 23 and he said yes! I know that his mom is going through a rough time medically and he has been at the hospital a lot lately with her. He has a lot of faith and made it to church this week. He took notes, and we were able to talk to him. He just makes me smile because he is dealing with so much and yet he remains happy and joking.
Jean- she is Joe's biological mom (Joe just got baptized a month ago). She knows that she is going to get baptized but she knows that she needs to give up some bad habits before that can happen. I said the opening prayer and asked that we would get to know her better- well normally she doesn't open up to many people but after the prayer she told us that she was going to be honest and gave us a really good background of her. She is so good and is trying so hard to be better! She sees a light in members of the church and she wants to have that light too. We explained that this light comes from the restored gospel and also the Holy Ghost (which we receive after we are baptized). It comes from knowing who our Savior, Jesus Christ is to us. We taught her about the Atonement, which she had heard but didn't understand. We bore testimony and she loved it. She is praying about being baptized in December.
Groendyke Ohana- Well early in the week we stopped by and were able to talk to the wife. she is super nice and really wants to come to church but when she does she faces contention with her husband (they are both members she is a convert and he was raised in the gospel). She expressed how she really wants her whole family to come to church again. We asked how we could help and asked if we could come over Sunday before church and talk with her husband. She said we could try but to not get our hopes up. She is such a wonderful lady who is trying and having her kids go to church without her. Well, Sunday came and we went over and we see the husband out in the front looking under the hood of their car. We walk up, and he is frustrated- the car is not working and he just fixed it. We talk to him about faith. He says he has faith- he prays and he knows that Heavenly Father listens and answers. We talk to him about how faith is action and how maybe Heavenly Father wants him to exercise the faith and to come to church and then see if He won't bless him. We talked about how when we put God first everything else falls into place. We invite him to come and he flat out says no. A rush of love comes into me and all I can say is, "We hope to see you next week or soon. But, no matter what we love you. We will always love you. Your Heavenly Father loves you. There is nothing you can do that will stop our love." We walk away and I just love him so much and am grateful for at least the honesty. Well, church ends and I turn around and I see him quickly walking out of the chapel, I catch his eye and motion him to come here; he does not want to get stuck for more church and points to the door. I mouth, "I want to shake your hand." He agrees to that, so I go back shake his hand and tell him I'm so happy that he made it. He tells me, "We were only here for the last 30 minutes." "That doesn't matter, what matters is you came. I love you." And he is off!
Sometimes all people need is love. There are too many people in this world who are tough, hard, persuasive, and win their debates... we don't need more of them. We need more people who are going to love people no matter what. Yes, that means we will be taken advantage of... no matter- love them anyways. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and that means I love others the way He does. Was Christ taken advantage? You bet, he was rejected by all and judged and killed. Why? Because He loved us. So many times people think a mission is about baptizing and that is important. But to me, my mission has taught me to love more. LOVE is my mission. Will I love perfectly? No, but I will try my best to keep loving others as my Savior loves them. I love this work! I love my family and the support they give me! I love my friends! I love the people I can serve her! I love the Book of Mormon, Priesthood Power, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints! I love you all! Ofa atu! Aishiteru! Pueko pueko yuk! Nalong secom! Alofa ia te oe! Aloha wau ia oe!
Love Always,
Sister Cassidy Lang
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