Aloha Ohana and Hoaloha!!!!
This is my last email home and to be honest I dont really want to write... I guess I am in denial. Here are just a few thoughts of the last week and 18 months.... basically i am just scatter brained and organizing my thoughts sounds like too much effort so I hope you enjoy and understand:
Sunday I was asked to give a missionary moment right before church started - of course I said yes. I tried to keep it brief, and i dont remember exactly what I said. I know I used Romans 5:19 about how our obedience is what brings people into the gospel. Then I talked about how being a member is who we are and should not be compartmentalized into different sections of our lives. Then I talked about the temple and how that is where we are meant to be and baptism is just the gate to take us there.
They sang aloha oe to me and a young woman who is moving to the other side of the island - I was good until half way through the song and then the tears came. I looked out and saw so many faces that are my family. A lot of wet eyes in the congregation. I feel so lucky that I was able to serve in Hawaii. I am so blessed to have stayed in Kalaheo for 9 months (half of my mission). I live a charmed life and the secret to it is to always trust in the Lord. Hard times come - but they always go if we put the Lord first, trust, and start walking the way that He did.
So many times throughout my mission I had people tell me no thanks to the message we had to share but then would comment about how members of our church seemed to always be truly living what they believed. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and that doesn't mean I just go to church on Sundays. It means I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I am trying my best to do as He would do. I am not perfect or close to it. I have my struggles, my weaknesses, and my sins that I have to work with; but it is just that, work! My religion is a part of who I am and it is a part of every aspect of my life. I am not just a follower when its conve
nient, or when I am around my family; I am a follower because that is me.
I feel a lot like I did leaving home. Excited for the new adventure; scared because I dont know the future; ecstatic to see my family and friends; sad to leave the home I have here. It doesn't feel real. I keep saying goodbye but I feel like I will see them next week. It hasn’t hit yet. I hope it never does.
I am so very grateful to my Heavenly Father who loves me so much and made a mission be apart of the plan that He has for me. I love this gospel with all of my heart. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that it is only through Him that we are brought back to live with our father in heaven. It is through His sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross that we can be forgiven. All of the guilt, sorrow, and pain that comes in this life can be taken away as we turn to Him; as we take upon ourselves His yoke for it is light. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children - He tells us it every day if we would only open our eyes and see the miracles all around us. Most of the time its the small things that He has placed in our path to make us smile. For me - He gives me sunsets; little voices, "Bye Sister Lang"; or cool breezes that smell like the ocean. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet and gave his life to restore the gospel back to the earth after it had been lost. He sealed his work with his blood as he was martyred. The Book of Mormon proves his work and it is truly God's words. I know it with all of my heart because I can feel it. It overpowers and calms my fears - leaving me sanctified. God is good always. Eloheem Tov Taneem. He continues to show me how good life can be when we hand it over to Him. I love to love! With that this is my last time- I love you! Aishiteru! (Japanese) Poake poake yuk! (Pohnpeian) Narong secom! (Croatian) Sarong haeo! (Korean) Ofa atu! (Tongan) Alofa iate oe! (Samoan) Te amo! (Spanish) Mahal kita! (Tagolic) Aloha wau ia oe! (Hawaiian)
Love Always,
Sister Cassidy Jean Lang
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