Week 54 - A Week of Miracles!

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

This week has been super busy, but that is the way I like it! I hate being bored and feeling like there is nothing to do well, this week I felt we were running all over the place with so many things to do. I think I managed to maintain control for most of it, with an occasional moment where I'm sure that I acted as if I was a chicken with my head cut off. Oh the joys of the unexpected chaos that as missionaries we need to fix right away! Sorry for the normal scatter brained me but here are some of my favorite moments:

Zone Pictures

Sister Curtis & I - MTC Companions

Welcome to Hanalei

Jeffery Erakdrik: he is 9 and usually a punk kid. He was baptized a few months back and likes to give a lot of people a hard time. I think he is funny at times when I probably shouldn't be encouraging his behavior, though I have scolded him before. I think he is beginning to like Sister Mottl and I. There is a Micronesian Culture night this weekend and so this past week the Marshallese have been getting together every night to practice their songs and dances for it, we have stopped by a lot to see them and to teach because they are all either recent converts or less active members. Well, one night they were going home fromm the church and we drove to their house after Jefferey had hid by our car and scared us and then started running home to try and beat us. Well, he lost. But somehow Sister Mottl and I had some extra energy so we started running back to get Jeffrey to show that we love him by example. We catch up to him and then race him back. Umm, he is super fast, I was wearing no shoes because I had ditched my slippers at the beginning, and we had just eaten dinner. Somehow we kept up with him and didn't die! MIRACLE! Then we reach the house and realized that we are locked out and the only one with keys is at work and won'

t be home til midnight. So with the help of Jefferey we broke into the house. Simple bonding moments with him and I think we have won his trust haha. Proof that he is deep down a good kid: at Dolly's baptism we were playing I Spy before it started and he said, "I spy two angels." Sister Mottl, "US!" Jefferey, "No." Me, "Dolly and Malia?" "Yep!" He denied saying it later- he had an image to keep, but slowly it is coming down ;) Ya gotta love the kids!

Dolly's baptism

Dolly's Baptism: Dolly was baptized yesterday after church. We combined it with a little girl whose family are all members. It was so good and beautiful. There were so many people that came for Malia and then almost all of the Marshallese families for Dolly! So much love and goodness. I truly love baptisms! Dolly looked so likatu (Marshallese- beautiful) - truly like an angel! I had originally been asked to play the piano but thankfully I weaseled my way out of that one and led the music instead! A baptism is such a great way to end the week! Plus, our recent convert, David, was able to baptize her. He received the Priesthood that morning and then did a wonderful job at exercising the Priesthood that he had just received. He looked so happy and full of the Spirit! Ah I love the gospel because it is so good and so true!

Malia & Dolly

Gilbert: we have been teaching him for over a month now and he is such a good man. I met him with Sister Broomhead and said a prayer with him and he said that he would love for us to return. We see him most every Saturday, and we have been trying to have someone come with us but it always falls through so it has only been us, the missionaries; but, this past week we were able to have a couple come with us and it was so good! We watched the Restoration dvd because he has some doubts about modern day prophets so we had been able to quiet a lot of his concerns but thought a visual would be good for him. At the end we said that he related a lot to Joseph Smith and how he has those same questions of where to find truth. Our members were able to bear strong testimonies of how one of them converted into the gospel and how he has found the answers he has been looking for by studying the Book of Mormon, praying, coming to church and being baptized. It was perfect! I truly gained a testimony of how there is a power when we have members of the church come out with us missionaries. Yes, as missionaries we are set apart and called of God and have a power with us; but, we are young, we don't have all the experiences that some other people have and we need their testimonies as well. There is a strength when we are all unified in this work together! At the end of the lesson our member invited him to church and it was the first time he didn't say no. He said that he would really try. Unfortunately, he didn't make it on Sunday :( but I know that Gilbert is a son of God and God has a plan for him and it isn't according to what Sister Lang wants it is according to God's time table!

Emergency moment: we were about to leave to go knock doors in an area and we get a phone call from the Relief Society President saying that we are needed at the Erakdrik's house. We go straight over and find out that their 3 year old daughter was hit by a car, and was taken to the hospital. She was okay, thankfully the car was going fairly slow, Lulu (3year old) has some pretty bad scrapes and bruises but is okay! MIRACLE!

Friday night: we were asked to do a musical number on that Sunday (so yesterday- giving us about a day to pull something together and find someone to accompany us) Well we called about 5 pianist and they all said that it was too late notice. Then I discovered that my comp composes music and writes music... so we sang A Capella on Sunday and combined 3 songs, "Josephs First Prayer", "A Child's Prayer" and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" and it was really good! (I thought so at least) MIRACLE was that we could even sing, my throat had been really sore the past few days and I was fearing strep throat because I had been around it a few weeks prior. So I drank lots of water, lemon herbal tea, and lots of fruit and cough drops with vitamin C in them. And I'm doing much better, still a bit sore but getting there. Then my comp hasn't been feeling good all week and we still go out and work we just pray that she will stay up right and not pass out. We sang without either of us being a wreck and we are both feeling much better today!

    This week we had exchanges and I was back up in Hanalei. It is so beautiful there. A very nice part of the island. Humbling moment: before we left to go back to Kalaheo, we stopped by one more house. well, I follow Sister Talanoa and we go to the back of the house and knock on a little door and the husband opens the door and I can see inside. It is a little room with a microwave, bed, a bar over the bed making their closet, a few shelves with small amounts of food, one chair that is right next to the bed and takes up almost all of the floor space. This room is all they have.They are just making ends meet if that, and they invite us in. It is crowded but full of the Spirit. We share a scripture in D&C 61:36-39 and testify that God is aware of their needs and knows their struggles and as we have faith in Him, He will take care of us. We pray and leave. I am speechless. Never have I had to want for anything. Never have I been without. I have so much and I wonder, why does God give me so much? I only hope that I give enough to others. I remembered that I must be grateful for all the simple pleasures, but I also remembered that true happiness comes from our Savior. This family had little, but their hearts were full and smiles full of happiness. My mom has always said, "Where much is given, much is required." I pray that I will always be humble enough to willingly give what I am asked to give.

     Jaylynn- we have been trying to teach her for awhile, but she is always busy with homework or volleyball. Her mom and younger sister were recently baptized and her dad was baptized years ago but never really became involved and understood everything. Well, the mom called on Saturday and told us that they were free right then so we went over and were able to teach Jaylynn, the mom and the dad about the Plan of Salvation. It was a really good lesson because we were able to clear up a lot of misconceptions and questions that they had. The next day all 3 of them were at church!

Something my dad told me was that missionary work is the work of saving souls. Sometimes there are people who have never heard about Jesus Christ and the hope that he can bring. Sometimes it is people who have fallen away and helping them realize that there is still a way back, and Sometimes it is helping someone who is already strong in their faith come even closer to their Savior. Either way the work is good and I love it all! I love being a missionary!

I love you all! Yakwe yuk! Ofa atu! Aishiteru! Alofa ia te oe! Mahal kita! Nalong sicolm! Poake poake yuk! Te amo! Aloha wau ia oe!

Love Always,

Sister Cassidy Lang