Week 60 - Miracles Under the Weather - March 10, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha

    This week was great considering that Sister Mottl and I were sick the whole entire week and still aren't feeling the best but we are feeling a little bit better. In short and from the words of a little girl, "My body is owie!" headaches, everything made us queasy, whole body hurting, walking to the fridge for water was exhausting, coughing, and looking at things made our eyes hurt. Now its just a cough and we get tired really easily. With all of that we still had some really great lessons and came across some new favorite quotes. So for lessons this week:

    Antoinette- we were able to go over and teach her about the Restoration. she had been able to read the pamphlet that we had left with her and then when we went over it, a lot of her questions were answered. She is so good and wants this change in her life and she knows that she will be blessed as she comes closer to Christ. she kept saying that she knows that baptism would be good and so we ended up talking about being baptized and telling her the things that would need to happen before she is baptized but she wants to be baptized as  soon as possible. She now has a baptismal date for the 22nd of March! She came to Stake Conference yesterday and really liked it. She is so amazing and sends us little texts just telling us thanks for all that we do for her when in reality we haven't done much but Heavenly Father is truly watching out for her. I just love being able to watch as miracles happen all around us. 

     Mark: here is one of my favorite quotes of the week: phone call- "Hi, Mark, its the Sisters Missionaries. We are a little bit sick and we understand if you don't want to get sick but we would still love to meet with you today but it is up to you." "Well, I take vitamins so I should be okay." ( in my mind- Shoots then, we will see you at 2!) "Perfect, we are bored of being inside we will see you at 2!" We were able to have a lesson at the church with one of our members and we were able to go over some of the questions he had about the Restoration and then he wanted help starting to read the Book of Mormon so we ended up reading the Introduction page and then we read 2 Nephi 31 which talks about what we must do here on earth in order to return to live with our Father in Heaven! it was really good. Mark is very open and is a true seeker of truth and knows that as he studies the Book of Mormon he will come to find out if it is God's words and he tells us that if this is what God wants for him then he will be baptized. I love it when people tell me that they want to be baptized and I don't have to ask. God really is so good! At the end of our lesson our member shared his testimony of the Book of Mormon and once again I was reminded that it is such a strength to have members come with the missionaries and be an added testimony and someone who can relate to our investigators! Then I gave him a Restoration DVD to help him have a visual of the things he has been learning about he looks at it and then with great curiosity asks, "What is this?" I tell him and then he explains his bewilderment, "I have about 20 of these in Alaska, but I always thought that they were a home improvement video so I never watched it" he has had so many moments that are guided by heavenly Father and it amazes me! 

    Lesters- Well they are just one of my favorite families! We told them we were sick and they said to still come over because they love having us over it was a tender moment when they told us that we reminded them of their kids that are still back in Simi. It was so nice because throughout my mission I definitely adopt people to be my Hawaii family wherever I go and the Lesters have become one of those families and it was so nice to know that they love us as much as we love them! Their son is so amazing, Jake, they are trying to schedule a time when his grandpa can fly over so he can baptize Jake. They are such a good family and are willing to listen the hardest part is getting them to then apply it and as the parents to find out for themselves if what they are hearing is true. We were talking to Jake last night and he told us that he had prayed about if the Book of Mormon was true and he said that he thinks Heavenly Father answered his prayer because he felt happy inside and had a great day. So often we make things so complicated when our Heavenly Father is simple. We are supposed to be like the little children and not doubt the simple answers that our Father gives us but to trust Him and trust and not complicate all the truths He gives us. Lately I have been doing that a lot of being worried about going home and wondering if what I am majoring is right. I was looking for this grand answer but then I learned again that Heavenly Father answers simply. And my answers have come just as Jake's did. 

     2 Timothy 1:7 " For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." We are not meant to be in fear but to allow this power that is within all of us guide our lives. Faith casteth out all fear. It is hard, yes; but, as we allow faith to motivate and guide us we have no reason to fear. We may not understand everything at the beginning but we must start walking by faith and then Heavenly Father can shine light on the path that He is taking us down and lead us to back to Him. I know that god will never lead us astray because He loves us and wants the best for us even when the great things have to come to end, there is still something else out of sight that He can see; but we have to keep moving forward with faith in order for Him to guide us there. This was the lesson I learned this week. Is the future scary- a bit- but with faith I must keep walking. 

      I have faith. I have a testimony that God lives and loves us. Jesus Christ lives and made it possible for us to live again as well. I know that we are never alone. I know that when we walk by faith we will be amazed at beauty and miracles that fill our journey back to live with our Heavenly Father. True Christianity is love in action. (I forgot who said that). I love my God and I love my Savior. I love the people of Hawaii and I love you all! Basically, I love A LOT and am so grateful to have first been loved so in return I can love. Mahal kita! Poake poake yuk! Aishiteru! Narong shecolm! Ofa atu! Alofa ia te oe! Te amo! Yakwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe! 

    Love Always,

       Sister Cassidy Jean Lang