Week 61 - Choosing to Laugh! - March 17, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

    I'm at a loss for words, I am not quite sure what to say- the week was filled with great moments, hard moments and so a typical missionary week. I'll share the good ones :)

    Last Monday it poured but I wanted to see something beautiful because I am on Kauai, the garden island. So we ended up getting lost and not finding what we were looking for but the Kapaa Elders ended up showing us their favorite spots. Well, we got drenched and I absolutely LOVED IT! I feel that it is not socially acceptable to show up at peoples doorsteps completely wet and I hate umbrellas so the likelihood of me using one is 1/100 (on a good day). But, since it was Monday and we didn't have to see anyone until that night I got really wet and pretended that I was swimming!  It was great and then Sister Mottl and I went to Walmart and looked at the birthday cards and laughed for a good half hour at all of the cards! (3 people in our zone had birthdays the last 2 weeks) 

    Taught the Lester family about the 10 commandments and they thought it was super funny. I think the best part was that the lesson was by the pool. Yep we walk up and they are outside by the pool and ask if we are allowed by the pool. Um yes, we just aren't allowed in the pool so we all sat outside and learned about God's commandments with hand motions, of course! The less active mom, was doing the hand motions with her son and said, "This makes complete sense, why didn't they teach me this back when i was going to church?" 

    Taught Mojo and Lyon about the gospel being restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was really awesome. Mojo was raised in the gospel and knows most everything but was never baptized and her husband, Lyon, is learning about everything now but likes it. I shared the part about Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ after he knelt down and prayed. Then I asked Lyon what he thought about it. he paused and then said, "Its a really big claim and out there." I then asked, "Do you believe that it happened?" The sweet moment when the Spirit tells me that it did, then Lyon pauses and thinks and says, "Yes, I believe that Joseph Smith really did see God and Jesus Christ." My heart felt so light and happy. We talked about being baptized at the end and Mojo said that she wants to be baptized the Saturday before Easter Sunday so that is their date April 19th! I am so happy for them and they are excited. We are meeting with them tomorrow! Also, their son, Landon, who is 3 and is the cutest! he started playing peek a boo with me and it was so cute and then he takes his blanket, holds it up and around him like a cape and then puts me under his blanket with him! Man little kids are so cute! I feel like I made a new friend this past week! 

    One of our members was sick and so we went over to see if they needed a blessing and then we could call someone with the Priesthood to come. Well we pull up to their apartments and 3 of their kids run up to the car and are peering in and waving, and smooshing their faces on the glass and trying to get in and say hi. Fun/cute version of little zombies attacking. We go in and talk about the power of the Priesthood, mind you they are Marshallese and gospel words are really foreign and my limited knowledge of Marshallese hasn't gotten to the chapter on priesthood. So we try our best and pray that the Holy Ghost will help. We have 2 Brothers come over to give the blessing and I just had to laugh because they used the biggest most obscure English words to ask them questions and explain things. (i.e. preemptive, preference, and predicated) I don't think they understood much, but I'm oh so grateful for the holy Ghost and the Spirit that all can feel. Unless your Jiman passed out on the couch drunk. I don't think he is getting baptized this week. I just love the amazing moments of being a missionary where you have agency, or the ability to choose, to either cry or laugh. I try to laugh but sometimes fail at that! This was a moment of laughter which I am grateful for. Then as we were leaving, the same 3 kids came out and were once again trying to break into the car, for I don't know what all we have are Book of Mormons. I tell them that they have to back up so they don't get run over. I continue to back up Sister Mottl and then the 3 move to the front of the car and start pushing the car to help it back up yelling, "Push the car, push the car!" Yep I laughed and just loved them so much and wanted to take them with us! Man I love them! 

    Well, I love being here! I love teaching people and sharing with them what I know to be true! I love so much sometimes that it hurts and I wonder if there was anything else I could have done. I love you all! Ofa lahi atu! Aishiteru! Te amo! Poake poake yuk! Alofa ia te oe! Yakwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe! 

    Love Always, 

        Sister Cassidy Lang