Oh my transfers are this week... drum roll please.......... I'M STAYING! ( I know the dramatic effect is not as great since you all are reading this and don't get to her me yell and make all kind of sound effects ;) Yep I'M so sosososos happy! I may have a chance of finishing my mission here... that will have been 9 months here CRAZY! I thought for sure I was leaving but Heavenly Father has me stay!
I don't have much time today but ill try and summarize the best that I can! This week was insane but not like insanity week - this was unplanned and all over the place, basically a mess. But there were still some great moments to help me make it through.
Monday we had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council in Oahu) - which was awesome. Every time I learn so much and just pray that I will learn all the things that Heavenly Father needs me to learn before my mission is pau (done). After the meeting Sister Mottl and I went to talk with President Warner and were going to ask him if we could find out transfer news before church on Sunday because the ward wants to know and are sad when they don't get to say aloha oe to the missionaries. So we walk up to him and he asks us, "Do you sisters want to stay together one more transfer?" "Um, yes! Is that even an option?" He says its an option and that he is going to work on transfers the following day. I told him that I would love to stay but I will go wherever he and the Lord need me to serve. Then a week of still not being sure if I was leaving or staying.
We went to teach Ruby this week and she told us as we walked in, "I want to get baptized and I have been living the word of wisdom. I want to go to the temple! Yesterday, my friends asked me why I wasn't' drinking tea and I told them that I was keeping the word of wisdom to be baptized." This was all in the first 5 minutes of the lesson! She is doing awesome! What was the switch? One of the members came over to her home and was talking with her siblings that can go to the temple because they have been baptized and invited her to come too but also explaining that she would need to get baptized first to be worthy to enter the House of the Lord. Sometimes, it takes that little extra effort from others besides the missionaries. We need those added testimonies to help our investigators see that its not just us telling them and asking them to do these things but that others know and follow the same path that they are starting down.
Then craziness started happening. We had to flip our schedule around for a meeting that was moved to Friday. So we did service and weeded this man's garden... I was expecting little weeds and stuff... his weeds were taller than my comp! It was crazy and there were thorns all over the place. We left a bit bloody but the weeds were gone and he made us really good food! Yep, I'm still a sucker for good food :) The cuts are better now - the splinters are coming out every day and it made a great story.
Then Thursday night we found out that one of the other sisters was in the hospital for abdominal pain. Then the next day she left for home to receive better medical care. President Warner called us and asked for help - if we could take Sister Haws with us because she was now companion-less. So Friday night we said goodbye to the one sister and brought Sister Haws with us! That night we went to a play that half our ward was in and then our investigator was in as well and it was so good and cute. I am amazed at young people and their ability to memorize all their lines and perform in front of people - I still struggle with remembering scriptures and speaking in front of large groups.
Saturday was the highlight of the week! Pono was baptized! It was such a beautiful baptism. He is now the only member of his immediate family and they all came. A lot of the ward new Pono because he had taught their kids swimming lessons in the summer, so there was good ward support too! The opening prayer was in Hawaiian and then his aunt gave the closing prayer and there was such a strong Spirit there. His uncle from a different ward baptized him and then his cousin from Oahu came, the one who had first taught Pono about the church and invited him to be baptized and then referred Pono to us! It was just amazing and Pono was so happy! After we had pot luck and the room was full and everyone was smiling and I loved looking over and seeing Pono take off all of his leis except the ones that Sister Mottl and I had made him! He was so prepared and feel like he was a tender mercy for this unplanned insane week! Pono received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. And then in class we were learning about the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price and our group was the Book of Mormon and Pono volunteered to be the spokesperson and taught the class about the Book of Mormon and how it helps answer our questions, guide and direct our lives, etc, and " Its just fun to read." He finished 2 Nephi this past week! He truly is amazing!
This week was up and down and all around but it was good. We were in close contact with President Warner with transfers and then one sister leaving and then having another come in! It was crazy but somehow the Lord helped strengthen us to be able to handle everything! I love this work so much and it is so good! I am on the final stretch and its scary and exciting all at the same time. I have no idea where life will be taking me but that is where faith is tested and I have to turn to the Lord and trust that He knows where the road will take me. My part is to keep the commandments, take upon myself His name, and always remember Him and I know that He will guide me! I love you all! Alofa iate oe! Ofa atu! Paoke paoke yuk! Aishiteru! Mahal kita! Yokwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!
Love Always,
Sister Cassidy Lang
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