Aloha Ohana and Hoaloha,
This week was amaizng! I realize that my time is growing shorter and it doesnt' seem real... I will focus on just a few of the highlights this week that helped me know that God loves me so much!
We had a ward activity- Softball game- finally something I am good at. As a missionary- I feel like if you dont have musical talents it is hard to show what you are good at. For me I have always been sporty but playing softball and soccer in a skirt isnt always the best look. So, we organized the softball game and it was so much fun. We had a lot of people come. A good amount of nonmembers, kids, adults, and some old timers joined in. I was able to teach a 7 year old how to throw and catch a ball and by the end he was doing really good! Pitched an inning and just had so much fun doing what I love! Missionary work can be incorporated into anything! It was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father to just let me have that moment.
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| softball game! |
This week the youth in the stake were able to go to the temple. We had 4 Marshallese recent converts all go from the Erakdrik family. They were so excited and we were able to talk to them the day after. Hearing about their experiences truly strengthened my love and testimony of the temple. One of the girls as we asked her about it said, "I felt like I was in heaven because everyone was wearing white and it was so beautiful. All I felt was peaceful and happy. I didn't think about anything else." I realized that I haven't been to the temple in 9 months. Prior to the mission I would go every week and I miss it. As the girl was talking I could just feel the Spirit so strong and kept getting chicken skin! I was reading this morning and came across a scripture in 3 Nephi 20:35-37, "The Father hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the Father; and the Father and I are one. And then shall be brought to pass that which is written: Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself form the bands of they neck, O captive daughters of Zion." Heavenly Father has made the temple open to all who are willing to cleanse themselves. The temple is to strengthen us, purify us, and to help us find peace. We are to shake off the dust and trials of the word and arise to the temple and that is where we are meant to sit down and stay. We are not meant to stay in sin and hardship but to learn from it and to ascend to higher ground- to the temple where we find heaven on earth.
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| NG's baptism |
Along with the temple we had NG's baptism. It was so beautiful. One of our recent converts who had been struggling was able to get back on his feet the past month and was able to be worthy to baptize his cousin. It was such a beautiful baptism- I was able to give the Missionary Message and I usually choose the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but those didn't feel right. I ended up talking about the temple; a lot of what I talked about above. That is where Heavenly Father wants us- baptism is amazing but it truly is just the start of our path towards Heavenly Father. I tasted what it must be like for the people that live on the islands or not near a temple- I see the struggles that they have because they miss it so bad but cannot go because they do not have the means to purchase a flight. My heart aches for them because they love the temple too, and the saying goes, "Out of sight out of mind." The temple is out of reach for many but they have found ways to keep it always in their sight and thus in their minds. I am amazed at the strength of people who go through so much but continue to press forward with hope and love. I have found so many people that I want to be like because they truly try their best to follow in our Savior's footsteps.
I know with all of my heart that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us all because we are His children. I know that the world seems at unrest at times but He knows and He has provided a place of rest for us- that is the hope that comes from living a Christ centered life. The temple is where we are meant to be- He has given us all of the tools we need to get there. We can build our faith, repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to help us continue along our paths. We have the Book of Mormon, which is God's words and scripture, the proper authority called Priesthood, which has been restored to Joseph Smith and passed down, and we have access to the Atonement that Jesus Christ performed to make all of this possible. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contains that fullness of the gospel and is established by Jesus Christ! I love the gospel and want it to direct my path always. I love you all and pray for your success. Mahal kita! Poake paoke yuk! Ofa atu! Alofa ia te oe! Noka muna quiqui! Narong secom! Te amo! Arohanui! Yokwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!
Love Always,
Sister Cassidy Lang
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