Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,
We were able to find a really awesome new investigator. Tidus who is Marshallese and just moved here from the Marshal Islands and is living with one of our recent converts family. He is 14 and awesome, between his little bit of English and then our little bit of Marshallese we are able to help him understand. We have to go really slow to be sure that he is understanding what we are teaching him. On Monday we taught him how to pray in English and now he prays in every lesson and is doing really good. We have taught him about prophets and why we need them and the Priesthood they hold. A moment that made me smile was when we had taught him a principle and he puts up his hand and says, "OK, wait!" to us and then turns to Johnny (a recent convert who has been helping translate for us in lessons) and says, "Ta?" (ta means "what" in Marshallese). It made me smile then as Johnny explains what we taught him in Marshallese. It is awesome to see how it is helping both of them because Johnny has been struggling lately but having him help us teach is building his testimony too. Tidus is awesome and just makes me smile and makes my heart overflow. This work is truly amazing and I love it!
Jorge is a young kid who is trying to get his life in order and is such a good hearted kid, who has and is a huge support to one of our less active young women. He is always there for her and realizes that they both need the gospel in their life. We have taught him a few times but this past time we wanted to review the Restoration with Joseph Smith praying and seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We watched the DVD and afterwards talked about it. We asked Jorge what it meant to him and he said, "The whole story is just really inspiring. I know that I can pray too when I am confused about choices in my life and that I can be answered." His simple testimony was perfect - and as I continued to think about why the Restoration of the Gospel is so important to me it came back to what Jorge said. I love the fact that because Joseph Smith had his prayer answered mine can be too. I can know which church is the same as the one that Christ set up, I can know which path I need to choose for my life - through prayer and a 2 way communication with my Father in Heaven I can know all things that I must do and that is INSPIRING!
This past week was insanity week. Sister Mottl had made a goal that we were going to hit 30 lessons once this transfer. We had gotten pretty close with 25 one week; and then with 20 as our lowest but we wanted to hit the goal of 30! Well the week was crazy/ insane but we Did IT! and now I am so tired; but having insanity week and then having MLC (missionary leadership counsel) on Monday, aka we had to be up at 5 and at the airport at 6, didn't exactly help with the catching up of rest. But it was worth it :)
We were able to find a really awesome new investigator. Tidus who is Marshallese and just moved here from the Marshal Islands and is living with one of our recent converts family. He is 14 and awesome, between his little bit of English and then our little bit of Marshallese we are able to help him understand. We have to go really slow to be sure that he is understanding what we are teaching him. On Monday we taught him how to pray in English and now he prays in every lesson and is doing really good. We have taught him about prophets and why we need them and the Priesthood they hold. A moment that made me smile was when we had taught him a principle and he puts up his hand and says, "OK, wait!" to us and then turns to Johnny (a recent convert who has been helping translate for us in lessons) and says, "Ta?" (ta means "what" in Marshallese). It made me smile then as Johnny explains what we taught him in Marshallese. It is awesome to see how it is helping both of them because Johnny has been struggling lately but having him help us teach is building his testimony too. Tidus is awesome and just makes me smile and makes my heart overflow. This work is truly amazing and I love it!
Pono is going to be baptized this Saturday and we are so excited. He is loving reading the Book of Mormon and finished 1 Nephi last week. He had a questions about chapter about the ball which is like a compass that works on the faithfulness of Lehi's family - we then talked about the scriptures being our compass that will direct our life as well. He then turns to us and is just so excited and says. "Wow, we have such awesome tools to help us with our lives." Its a perfect moment when I see that they have come to love something that I love too! His family (who are members) are coming from the other islands and they are so excited for him! He came to church this past week and loved it, little by little he is beginning to meet so many of the members! It just makes me so full!
Jorge is a young kid who is trying to get his life in order and is such a good hearted kid, who has and is a huge support to one of our less active young women. He is always there for her and realizes that they both need the gospel in their life. We have taught him a few times but this past time we wanted to review the Restoration with Joseph Smith praying and seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We watched the DVD and afterwards talked about it. We asked Jorge what it meant to him and he said, "The whole story is just really inspiring. I know that I can pray too when I am confused about choices in my life and that I can be answered." His simple testimony was perfect - and as I continued to think about why the Restoration of the Gospel is so important to me it came back to what Jorge said. I love the fact that because Joseph Smith had his prayer answered mine can be too. I can know which church is the same as the one that Christ set up, I can know which path I need to choose for my life - through prayer and a 2 way communication with my Father in Heaven I can know all things that I must do and that is INSPIRING!
Mark - I mentioned him a while back; we had fallen out of touch with him due to he became really busy with work and so we weren't able to see him for a month or so. But we found out that he is good friends with one of the members so we had his friend invite him to church last week and he came and loved it and then we were able to teach Mark with his friend this past Saturday. He is a person that has been truly prepared by the Lord - he is very in tune with the Spirit and has told us that when he finds out that this is the true church he will be baptized. We have only taught him about the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, and had him read a few chapters from the Book of Mormon and as he told us so far everything he has learned is correct and true. He wants to keep learning and then he wants to be baptized. I am just amazed at how the Lord does so much of the work and then just tells me to open my mouth and teach what He has told me to. Then He will testify of the truth and do more of the work. My part in the whole matter is so small and I feel so blessed to be a part of his work!
Ruby is doing well. It was really nice because the youth are going to the temple in the summer and they told Ruby that she was welcome to come but that she would need to be baptized first. After that she has been working a little bit harder to find out because she knows that she wants to go to the temple. Right now she will be baptized on May 17th! Her family is doing so good at supporting her and encouraging her to keep learning and studying. Sometimes, actually, a lot of the time we just need the support and to feel that we are loved. Love them into the church either for the first time or if they are coming back.
Less actives / recent converts - this week was hard with so many of our less actives and recent converts really struggling and going through hard hard times. Sometimes I sit there and think, "Man, what can I share with them? I have no idea how to help because I have never had to face anything like this (divorce/ cheating/ losing jobs/ abuse/ abandoned by family) Then I remember, that I represent Jesus Christ and I have responsibility to say what he would say." So I point them to the one that can heal, the one that knows perfectly what they are going through; I point them to Christ. We used the scripture in Matt 11:28-30 and taught that when we turn to Christ that is where we find rest, that is where we find hope. I was amazed to see how strong one woman was as she came to church without her husband and brought her kids when she woke up not wanting to come. We saw her after church and she told us that today she learned, "I will never forget how much Heavenly Father loves me! No one knew what is going on at home but so many people came up to me and said hello and gave me a hug. It is what I needed. I needed to be at church to feel the strength that my Father can give me." I just wanted to cry because her testimony is so strong. I hope that when faced with hard times I will remember her and remember that I need my Father's love to help me and that I can find it as I obey the commandments He has given me to be happy.
Well the work is great! Transfers are next week and I would love to stay here but more so I want to do what Heavenly Father needs me to do. Whether that is staying or leaving I will be happy for all the miracles I have seen, all the blessings I have received, and all the people I have come to love and be loved by. And I will probably still cry ;) I love this work and I feel that there is no work that is more important that I could be doing. I am helping people find salvation - I am helping people come to the Master Healer - I am helping people find hope within the turmoil of the world. I feel so blessed to have learned so much and I am grateful that our potential is endless and that I will keep learning in my remaining 3 months and for the rest of my life! I love you all! Alofa iate oe! Ofa atu! Aishiteru! Mahal kita! Narong secolm! Te amo! Yowke yuk! Paoke paoke yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!
Love Always
Sister Cassidy Jean Lang
P.S. We did the Insanity work outs too this week. Hence the title of the week
No comments:
Post a Comment