Week 15- Oversized Pants!

Aloha Ohana and hoaloha,

Katie's fishy face up at Koele (a really nice hotel)

 

Thank you Mom for finding out the Hawaiian word for friend for me. 

 

The past few weeks Sister Duke and I have been helping Brandon (he was baptized a month or so ago) clear out his bamboo forest. He basically takes his machete and chops down the bamboo, whacks off the branches and then makes a pile for Sister Duke and I to load into the truck to take to the dump. He told us to wear pants and long sleeve shirts because bamboo is really pokey and also there are centipedes here and they will bite and I have heard that the bite is not an enjoyable experience. Well, I'm in Hawaii- I didn't bring any pants with me - all year round it is warm. I started looking around my pad (apartment) and I see a laundry basket that has a ton of clothes from the Elders that had previously lived here. I find a pair of pants and they are a few sizes too big; but they were going to have to do. So I grab my belt (thanks again mom for sending it to me), cuff the legs a few times and start to his house. As we work they catch dirt and leaves in the cuffs but protect from all the pokey branches and do their job because I haven't been bit yet. 

 

This week I feel as if a lot has happened but not much missionary stuff. We are working with a lot of members who do not come to church and then members who just need extra strengthening because sometimes life just sucks. I don't know how people manage sometimes because as my dad says, "I have lived a charmed life." I have never had to face some of the trials that I witness and this is in this country; I know there are worse things out of the country. Life is hard and we are all given our share of problems to face; the only thing that we can do about it is our attitude of how we look at things (thanks Rachel for your email last week about this). I have come to realize that my knowledge of my Savior and His role in my life has really helped me form a positive perspective that helps me get through the hard times. 

We are still working with Raven and Ryan. We can tell that Ryan is feeling the Holy Ghost when we come over and Raven is doing great. She is understanding what we are saying but I'm not sure if she is seeing what that actually means to her and her future life. Then with Flora, we are praying and fasting for a miracle because we really don't know how else to help her. We left her "Forget Me Not" talk by President Uchtdorf. I just feel so bad that she really doesn't think she is of any worth- that there is nothing good about her. She doesn't understand that she is a special, unique, and loved daughter of our Heavenly Father. 

 

We have started reading the Book of Mormon with Shaun (Big Easy) to help him get in the habit of reading everyday. Every time we go over I swear I see something new and I have read these chapters so many times! Then we have also started reading with a member, Elaine, who is trying to go on a mission. She is awesome and realizes that she has kinda let herself slack with her reading so she asked if we could help her get back into reading. She loves it and is really good at pulling out meaning from scriptures she needs. 

Mormon Helping Hands

 


On Saturday we participated in Mormon Helping Hands, we cleaned up trash on a road that leads down to the beach and then had a barbeque down there. It was beautiful. Really hard not to go in the water when everyone is telling you to get in and that they wont tell anyone.  We did witness Tuma, a member, swim out to some rocks and pick them up. To my surprise they were not rocks- turtles who had been completely asleep so when Tuma picked them up they were not happy to say the least. They were flailing their arms and as soon as they squirmed their way back into the water they took off swimming. I resisted, I am happy to say, all the invitations to get in the water. Instead, we played volleyball and it was really fun. We were down there for awhile then back up to town, got ready and back to knocking on doors and seeing people. 

 



Trying Opihi

Adventures of the week: I tried opihi with a less active family. we were walking by and they were outside so we stopped to talk and ended up staying for awhile. Opihi are little animals in shells that stick to rocks (kinda like the snails of the ocean. Well they were eating them and asked if we wanted some. I said I would try. Description that should have been saved until after eaten. They take one out of the shell to show us what it looks like and tell us that the orange part is the stomach and that is peoples favorite part to eat... I didn't really want to know that before I stuck this thing in my mouth. Well they throw a few on the fire to cook it. I start looking at a bigger one and it starts moving. Sister Duke and I just kinda look at each other and tell the dad, "Um... this one is still alive." He grabs it and throws it on the fire live. What an awful way to go. You know they are done when 1. they stop moving and 2. the water that collects in the shell starts to boil. We add some sweet and sour sauce and here goes nothing. It was surprisingly good. Kinda chewy and a bit weird when you bit the stomach and it pops. I ate a few more and I like them. I couldn't eat them as a whole meal but as a starter I could :)

 



Ice Cream night with the Bradfords

Tender Mercy: I got to play a sport I am actually good at. The other day we were at the Bradfords' and Brooklynn had missed softball practice for a school assignment she had to go to. Cody, her dad, told her that she would be getting up at 6 the next day to make up the practice. I smiled and he noticed and asked what I was smiling about. I couldn't hold it back, "Can we come?" He said we would have to shag the balls. Done deal! The next morning we did shag a lot of balls but we also got to hit and run drills and it was so much fun for me to do something familiar. At the end we were cleaning up and I asked if I could just pitch a few to see if I still could. (It's been about 6 years since I have actually pitched a ball) The first rolled across the plate. The second was good. Then Cody was like, "Ok, I'm gonna hit these." Next few right down the middle or outside but looking good enough to swing. I struck him out and it felt really good to kinda know I could still pitch. I hope we get to play again!

This made me think of Carly

 

Well I think that is it! I love you all. I hope God is blessing you as much as he is me. Even if our pants are oversized we can allow God to fill up where we lack. Let Him do what we
 cannot. All He asks of us is that we try our best and leave the rest to Him. "Take my yoke upon you for it is light and easy to bear." Email or write me! Aloha uwao ia oe!

Love Always,

    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 14

Aloha Ohana and Friends,

    I am still trying to learn what the Hawaiian word for friend is.
    This week I have been thinking a lot about miracles. I have come to learn that we find what we are looking for. Miracles are all around us, both big and small, we just have to look for them and recognize that they are miracles. The Lord is always showing us that He loves us with small tender mercies everyday. I remember in Provo walking home on my birthday this past year... I had nothing planned- my big day was just another day- I felt a little bummed and was kicking a rock just thinking about who knows what- then the story about President Monson telling the man to look up came to mind- so instead of kicking the rock and trying to step on every leaf I looked up. There was a beautiful sunset. And as dumb as it may sound I started to cry- here I was getting ready to throw myself a pity party and I look up and God is there telling me Happy Birthday! There is no greater miracle than that- knowing that God, my Heavenly Father, the Omnipotent thought of me and just wanted to tell me He loved me and knew it was my birthday.
     Why I told that story- I am not sure. I know that life gets hard and sometimes we feel lost in all the commotion of the world but there are a few people who will never forget us. They are Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. They are always telling us that they love us and are thinking of us- all we have to do is look.

Sarona is one of the cutest kids here.  We are really close with
the Seiuli family.  We watch the local basketball
league with them every Monday for FHE.

      We have started doing service for an older lady who lives at the hospital- she cannot walk or control her hands- once a week we will read to her. She has a cheery attitude and it is a miracle to me that she can stay happy even though she cannot move on her own. We have started teaching a young girl, Raven, who is 18 and pregnant. Her boyfriend is starting to come back to church. Raven wants to be baptized but we have to set a date with her. It is a miracle that she has so much courage to be living away from home, learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ, is preparing to get married, and has a child on the way. She is a miracle to me that she is not just breaking down from everything that is happening ( I would be freaking out ! ) People are miracles- how they handle all the different trials that come their way. They never give up but keep fighting because that is what has to be done. The other day we met with a less active - we found him on the old man's bench. There are 2 pavilions at the park, one for the old men and the other is for the old ladies but anyone sits there. Well we were told that John is always on the old man's bench and he was. We chatted with him and then the 2 other guys there. One a chain smoker, John hates questions and has the best laugh, Conner loves to swear and drink but is nice ( I think I would prefer a little less of the f word ) Basically all they do everyday is sit and watch the ladies walk by... One girl walks by and Conner says, "Wow, she's hott!" looks at us "Is it wrong to notice her beauty?" We tell him no but you have to respect her for the daughter of God that she is. We then tell him about how we are missionaries and we tell him about how we read the Book of Mormon everyday. He asks to see it because he already knows what it says. I hand him mine and he starts flipping to random pages and reading random verses. Well, this is what he reads: 1) "the same that looketh at a women to lust after her hath committed adultery" 2) mind your mouth 3) Alma 32 the part about the seed and if the seed be good then we need to continue to nourish it. He hands the Book of Mormon back and I am astonished. The Book of Mormon is a miracle- Connor randomly opened to scriptures that will help him more closely follow Jesus Christ and I had nothing to do with it. The Lord did it all.

     Along with miracles- I have been thinking of all the miracles I have seen so far on my mission. Brandon Avegalio was baptized on March 16, Shaun Langsi was baptized on April 12. A little over a week ago, Sister Duke and I went to Maui for the day for District Meeting. Well, we ended up being dropped off at the ferry 2 hours early. We started doing the tourist thing and looked at all the shops. Sister Duke started to go into a boutique and I thought, "I think this is a little out of our price range," but followed her inside. The lady working started talking to us and we found out that she has a lot of friends that are Mormons. Kaili (the worker) has a really good friend out on a mission and writes him every so often. I asked Kaili if she would allow the Sister missionaries that are over her area to come and visit with her and teach her about the gospel so she can know what her friend does everyday. She said that she would love that. Well about 5 days later we get a call from the Sisters who met with Kaili. Kaili will be baptized on April 29th. A miracle that I got to help make. A bigger kind of miracle.
     Yesterday, we were out tracting and knocked into a man's house. We asked him, Jim, if we could pray with him- he didn't know how to pray but said that it would be fine with him. We ask if there is anything or anyone specific that he would like us to include in the prayer- immediately he mentions a friend who is struggling. We pray for him, say amen, and Jim is crying. The Spirit was there and no he is not getting baptized yet. He thanked us and told us that he wasn't sure if we could come back but that he would call us. At first, I was so upset, wondering if I had asked the wrong question after the prayer that had made him give us the Spirit back, or what I had done wrong. Then, the Spirit came to me and just placed the thought, "Did you do everything by the Spirit" "Yes" "Then you did your part". At this time I don't know what the outcome with Jim will be- whether he will allow baptism to help change his life and bring him the greatest peace and happiness or if he will never want to know more. But, I do know that that prayer that we said with Jim was a miracle to me. It was God once again telling me that He knows me, He cares, and He is accepting my efforts as small as they may be.
    I love this work! It is the best! It is hard but great! We are all called to the work to be missionaries- whether in the field or as a member missionary we are called. There is always someone that we can help and lift. Maybe being a parent is the only thing that can compare to being a missionary. You see those you love grow and make changes, sometimes there are times that you want to quit or scream but then a moment of pure sweetness comes and all the moments of frustration are washed away and you are ready to start again! That is how missionary work is. I know there have already been frustrating moments but those are not the ones that I remember it is the times when I noticed the miracles around me. The moments that I saw God's love for me. Miracles are there just open your eyes and look. Aloha ovua ia oe!
Love Always,
    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 13

Aloha Ohana and Friends,

     I am asking around to find out how to say friends in Hawaiian.

Back at the beginning of the week on Tuesday, we went to Maui for our District Meeting because we had reached some goals last March. So we went over there and it was so much fun to actually be with the other missionaries in our Zone! President Dalton and Sister Dalton came as well. I always feel so inspired after District Meeting but it was really good to actually be there in person for this one. Well at the end before we all went out to lunch, Sister Duke and I performed a little rap about the Molonia District to add to the special day this is what it said:
Elder Dahl, Sister Duke
Elder Burns, Sister Lang
Humphreys, Leiataua
Bows and arrows and a bang

Molonia Huntahz is the name
Teaching people, saying prayers
Inviting others to come to Christ
Showing them that someone cares.

Our islands are apart
The distance maybe long
But that doesn't hold us back
From having unity forever strong
District Meetings do we watch     (we skype into our meetings)
And we sometimes get the munchies.   (we always have snacks with us)

"President's taking us skydiving?!"   (planning what to do with President)

Elder Dahl starts throwing punchies!

Our district is unique

Elder Leiataua hurts wrists with trees?    (one of the many stories)

Jesus shoes for Elder Burns  

Water tricks from Elder Humphreys  (drinks a whole bottle in one gulp)

The Sisters have hidden talents

They have prepared a special treat

No we ain't talkin bout food.

Just ask them to drop a beat!

BOOTS AND CATS. BOOTS AND CATS! etc.

But- on a more serious note

21 was our goal

We hit high water as a zone.

Miracles on every island

Knowing we didn't do this alone

Back to back do we strive

Never stopping to rest

Representatives of Jesus Christ

To Him we have promised our best

!Imua!

(Press Forward)

Everyone loved our rap and were probably jealous that their District wasn't that cool. jk. Lunch with everyone was really fun and just getting to know other missionaries was a nice reminder that there is work being done everywhere. After lunch we had an ice cream social and then got dropped off at the ferry in Lahaina (I recoginize the Banyan trees from when we used to come to Maui as a family) about 2 hours early. We had some spare time so we just went to all the little tourist shops there. Well, Sister Duke walks into a little boutique and I think ummm this is a little out of price range but I followed. We ended up talking to the girl that worked there, Kaili, and she is awesome! She has so many LDS friends and is interested in knowing more, has a really open mind to learning about other churches. Her best friend is in the Phillipines right now and is coming home soon. She said that she would love to go to lunch with the Sisters that were over that area! PERFECT! A few days later the Sister over that area had said that they went to lunch with Kaili and that it went really well. She was such a sweetheart and the Lord has prepared her so well. God is good ALWAYS!



Shaun Langsi and President Dalton in the font

 

The kids still get the front row seats here

Shaun Langsi (Big Easy) was baptized on Friday!! It was amazing. On Tuesday Sister Duke and I asked at choir practice who was going to be able to come to the baptism...cricket noise... literally no one was able to come. Friday rolls around and the family that had introduced the church to Big Easy all came (kids were taken out of school), a family visiting from Utah came, and then a lot of people who said they were not able to make it ended up coming. It was perfect! President Dalton flew over so that he was able to baptize Big Easy and it was great. The spirit was so strong and our maucho cowboy Cody Bradford gave a really good talk on the Holy Ghost that related perfectly to roping so that Big Easy could understand. Then we drove down to the beach and had the baptism. Let me tell you that baptizing in the ocean is the best! I love it! Even though it was in the middle of the day, a few people were walking by, the Spirit was still there and everything just fell into place. After the baptism we had a potluck, it wouldn't be Hawaii without one, and Mom thank you for sending the banana bread recipe because it was a hit! It was the only thing that there was nothing left of. And thank you Carly for finding that recipe in the first place ;) Big Easy is just the best, he understands everything and has such a strong desire to do what the Lord wants for him. On Sunday he received the Holy Ghost and he has just been beaming ever since his baptism. He honestly looks so bright!

De-scaling and gutting the fishies!

Also, on Friday we finally met the Alconsels, a less active and part member family! Before we didn't know where they lived all we had was their P.O box number but no idea were they actually lived. Well, we knock on the door hoping that it is the right house based on our Hawaiian directions (aka ya that tree turn right then go down for a bit and it is 2 or 3 houses after the 2 story house). Knock on the door, "Sisters, finally you found us come in!" It was the right house. Well we sat down and chatted for awhile and then ate dinner with them. Then their son came home who had been fishing all day and had a whole cooler full of fish. Well he started descaling and gutting the fish with his girlfriend. We asked if we could watch and then after a few minutes of us closely observing, Rachel, the girl friend, asked if we wanted to try... um... OF COURSE! So yep, for the first time I descaled and gutted a fish. It was slimy and weird, kinda gross when the fish has eaten a lot of sand because it all ends up inside of the fish and oozes out when you cut it open. Some of the fish have really sharp spins or needles in their fins so I ended up with a few cuts but nothing that wont heal. It was so much fun and I left smelling life fish haha. They said that next week if they caught a deer they would let us help clean it. Um.. OK Ill try. I might as well learn something new. They are a really fun family and they came to the first hour of church and hopefully will keep coming!

On Sunday after church we had potluck because our Branch Presidency was changed and the Stake Presidency from Maui had come so we fed them before they left. Then last night we had a musical fireside. To tell you the truth I was a little nervous of how it was going to turn out... if people were going to come... if there would be investigators or not... and so forth. It went really well. The Relief Society sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives", the Priesthood sang "Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy" and "Beautiful Zion", the primary sang "The Wise Man" and "Book of Mormon Stories" and then Sister Duke and I sang "Joseph Smiths First Prayer" to the tune of "Come Thou Fount". We had a few people bear their testimonies. We didn't have a lot of investigators but we had some less-active/part-member families there who haven't been to church in months but have started coming back. It was really good to see the branch start to bond together. To eat together, laugh together, and just catch up with each others lives. Big Easy was there and is really becoming apart of the Branch family, which is just what we want!
  

A little catch up on Flora, an older lady who has been coming to church for over 20 years but has never been baptized. Well, we ate dinner with an older couple over a month ago and they had invited Flora; after dinner we had a lesson and the Spirit was really strong. We asked Flora to give the closing prayer and she said she couldn't. To make a long story short she ended up walking out with a lot to think about. After that lesson, I remember feeling so sad that I just didn't know how to help her know that she is a daughter of God and that He loves her no matter what has happened in her past. Since then, every week Sister Duke and I write her a note and tell her we love her and then leave her a few scriptures to read. This past week in the note I told her that God loved her no matter what and that Sister Duke and I loved her and then asked her to read Alma 5 and to really pray to know if now was the time that the Lord wanted her to receive the blessings of baptism. Well, she was at church on Sunday (that is normal) but then she stayed for all 3 hours (she hasn't done that in months). Then she came to the musical fireside and stayed for potluck and everything. I think her heart is slowly being softened. The Lord is definitely teaching me patience because I have no idea what is happening in Flora's mind. Sister Duke and I have decided that it would be best if we just keep loving her and let her come to us and to not ask about the notes we keep leaving. But the dumb curiosity is killing me because I want to know everything right now!

This is for all the people who I went to Jerusalem with. 
It's FYU instead of FYI- thanks Tucker for the memories.

Well I think that is it for now... I gotta run and work on my basketball skills ;) Little by little I am getting better, but sometimes I just want to kick it or chuck it like a waterpolo ball. Whoops. Aloha uwao ia oe!

Mahalo,

     Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 12

Dear Friends and Family,

     Shaun Langsy is getting baptized on Friday!!! He is so amazing! Everything we teach him he grasps, if it is something hard he just sighs and says, "I know that I want the blessings of the Lord more, and I want to do what He wants me to do." He admits that it will be hard but he realizes and wants the life style change. Oh my, he is just so good. Every time Sister Duke and I get a bit frustrated we start counting our blessings and Shaun is always one of them. I am just so excited for him to make this step and to receive all the blessings that the Lord has in store for him. The baptism is on Friday and our mission president, President Dalton, is going to perform it. When we asked Shaun who he would like, that is who he choose because one time President Dalton had gone up to the barn (where Shaun works) before church to say hi to some people and asked if he wanted to come to church. He didn't really want to go but when the boss says, "Ya, take Shaun he is off right now anyway," you go to church. So he went and that is how he was introduced to President Dalton. Pres. is so excited and honored that Shaun wanted him to baptize him. It is going to be so beautiful down at Manele! Oh I love it here so much.

 

Cool service we do: well the other day a guy called and asked if we could come help him with some stuff so of course we said yes... we ended up moving rusting dirt bikes. At first thought- no problem they have wheels we will just roll them... Wheels don't roll when they have been rusted into place. Sister Duke and I literally had to lift them up, push them, and shove them to where this guy wanted them. Dirt bikes are not light either but we did it and laughed after the fact.

 

We went and did our Prayer Approach (knocking on doors and offering to pray with individuals and families). Not many people allowed us to pray with them but this one older guy asked us to come in and so we prayed with him and his son, and grand daughter. The son (father of the girl) was really attentive and we talked about the importance of following Jesus Christ and asked if he would be baptized and he told us that him and his wife were looking for a church right then to be apart of and they were thinking of getting baptized into another church but he wanted to know what we had to say. We asked if we could come back or if we could share a little bit with him at that time. He said that he had time right then. So- we taught him about the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and then we invited him to be baptized - pause - "Can you guys come and teach my family?" We told him we could and he said he would think on baptism but he felt the Spirit and I could see that things were making sense. All the confusion that he had found and felt in other churches he had tried out were all beginning to make sense to him. Well, we went to his house Friday, and his wife answered the door and flat out told us that she wasn't interested at the door step. We asked if her husband was home - he was busy. She said we could try another time. Wow, I just about cried after that. Why was she being so hard when it was her own husband who had told us to come by. Well, Sister Duke and I will try again and hopefully it will work out.

 

Right now our main focus is with strengthening our less active members, recent converts, and part member families. We are seeing some success with some of the families and hopefully if we can get all of the less active families back in church we would have a whole ward.

 

Funny moment: we were walking home one evening and a man is walking in our direction. We get a bit closer and he says, "Do you sing in harmony?" odd question - he has us sing ah for him and then tells us that we have fairly big chests - um I felt a little violated- then proceeds to tell us that a girdle could increase our diaphragm strength or something like that by 3x. Then he asks if we are Mormon - yep - "Oh my people killed your prophet Joseph Smith." - me "Oh, well I hope that if you had the chance again that you wouldn't do that again because he was a prophet of God." - I dont think he heard me - He loves poetry and we started talking about that and we are going to go share a poem of mine with him on Wednesday, (Forever At His Feet). This could be one of the funniest lessons ever but heck might as well give it a shot.

 

I'm sorry I cant write more. I love you all! Keep the faith. Help the missionaries in your area.

Love Always,

     Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

Week 11

Dear Family and Friends, 

 

     Happy Easter, sorry I am one day late. But why stop celebrating. he lives and we should celebrate that every day because this is the greatest news in history. I feel like Easter is the most important holiday that is so easily forgotten with all the candy and eggs. Like Christmas the real meaning of Christ is often forgotten. Easter is to remember that Jesus Christ lives and that even death could not hold Him. Due to this fact we too will not be bound by death but will live again in a literal sense.

     This week has seemed super long with a lot of high and lows! But the highs definitely outweigh the lows. Last Monday we said goodbye to the Kawasakis who went back to lil ole Provo, Utah. I will really miss spending our Mondays with them. We ate dinner with Alberta and Beanie on Monday night. We made chocolate banana lumpia for dessert which is maybe one of the best things ever! And we taught Alberta about the Restoration. She is too curious for her own good sometimes. She has so many questions about everything! We are just trying to teach her the basics but she has questions that if you don't understand the basics the answers won't always make sense. Its like asking an algebra question when you don't even know how to add yet... it just won't make sense. The lesson went well, and she still wants to keep learning and she came to church this week.

      On Wednesday, we had Zone Conference so we took the ferry to Maui and it was weird to see other missionaries but also really fun. You just feel so motivated to serve the Lord and try your very best. I loved it!

     Then, we met some awesome people this week. The first was Kevin (one of the first haoles aka white person that I have really liked). Um he does everything; he is a wood worker, plumber, metal worker, construction, mechanic, basically anything you want done he is the best handy man ever! He is so fun to talk to - has had a rough past that he was able to just decide to get out of one day and is the President of a bike club in Michigan (the good kind- they do fund raisers for kids). He let us come and talk to him and his dog on a porch he built. It was really good, he told us to come by any time. Then we have seen him though out the week because he walks or rides his bike everywhere. We invited him to church for Easter because he grew up religious but hasn't gone in a LONG time. He said that he would come AND ... he did because he is just awesome like that! Then he called us this morning (Monday) and had us over for breakfast. Omelets = yumm! Sister Duke and I rarely cook like that. Kevin is just the best and is so kind to everyone! I really hope that we will be able to keep building this friendship and will be able to teach him.

     We also met a guy named Eddie and prayed with him (we had met his son a few weeks ago, there are so many connections that I still have to make with the people here on Lanai). Eddie is awesome! He wants to know what is the truth but doesn't feel like he has found it. He knows a lot of the LDS members on Lanai and really respects them. Then he said something that made me know that I am here on a mission and on Lanai for a reason: he told us, "Every member of our church has this glow about them. They are always smiling and happy even when I know that they are going through a hard time. I see this glow and I want to know what it is they know that I don't know? And how can I get that glow?" Bam - I am right back in Jerusalem sitting across from a money exchanger, Aladdin, and asking, "How is it that you know who the Mormons are?" And he says, "I know who the Mormons are because they have faces of angles." Both of these people see a light in me that I too often forget I have. Well, when Eddie said that tears were in my eyes because unlike in Jerusalem where I couldn't tell Aladdin about how we glow like angels I can tell Eddie. I can tell him exactly where this light comes from and how to obtain it. Our conversation didn't last too much longer because his friend came to pick him up. But he wants us to come back and tell him more, which we will be doing.  Fortunately, next time I will be able to tell him we emulate the Light of Christ. He shines through us because we have Him with us at all times! People see this, they notice it and whether they voice it or not they want it. They want what we have - the gospel in our lives. We have the glorious truth that brightens our countenance, provides peace even when life is really darn hard, and makes us be able to end a cruddy day with a prayer and know that we have a Heavenly Father that knows all about our cruddy day and loves us no matter what we have done. If you are a not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day reading this and you have noticed this glow about the Mormon friends you have, please go and ask them about it and the next time you see Elders in white shirts, ties, and name badges or Sisters in church clothes with name badges stop them and ask them about this glow and they will tell you. 

     Yesterday, Sister Duke and I taught our Sunday School with both 12 year-olds and 35 year-olds it is sometimes hard, to say the least, to be able to teach to both age groups and make it interesting so they both are interested. We used 12 "Resurrection Eggs" inside each egg there was a scripture and something that symbolized the last few days of Christ mortal life. For example, one had a leaf because of Christ's triumphant entry and the people waved leaves and placed them on the ground out of respect. It was so quick that this respect was forgotten and was betrayed. A later egg held 3 dimes symbolizing how Judas, a close and chosen friend of Jesus, betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The last egg was the best... It was empty. Why? Because Christ is not in the tomb for He is risen. He is alive once again and forever more. It is because He has risen that we too will rise. We have no need to fear death or the loss of loved ones because we will be able to see all those that pass on to the next life before us in the flesh. This world is not the end and we will be able to live again because once again Jesus Christ set the example that we must follow. he paved the way so we could receive every possible blessing.

     Then in Primary/ Nursery (so ages 3 to 11) we taught the same thing but simpler. Wow it is hard to keep 10 kids sitting still and listening. One was always running around. I have a new respect for elementary teachers. They must have so much patience and are so Christlike. I have a long way to go to even be close to the patience He has. Well, it was really cool when you see a few of them see things start to click. One boy learned that Christ has already risen and that because of that he will get to see his grandma again. Then, later that day we were visiting the Bradford family and Brynlie (their 5 year old daughter) had been in our class and we were talking about what she had learned at church. She needed a bit of help remembering but at last she said, "I learned about Jesus." And I asked, "What did you learn about Jesus?" "That He is alive!" Yep, all of the "blank will you sit downs", and "not yet, you have to wait to open your eggs" were worth it.

   I'll just end by saying that I love you all. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven. I know that Jesus Christ lives. It is simple but true. I know that because He lives I will be able to see my best friend, Norma, again. I know that I will never have to say a final farewell to anyone and that is amazing to me. I know that I will live again after my time is spent. And I will live with my family forever because of the restored Priesthood. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary even with the hard times where I just pray for the strength to keep walking. I know that God hears AND answers every prayer!

Love Always,

     Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

Week 10

Aloha Family and Friends,
 

     I find it hard to remember things that have happened in the past week. Time just blurs together, I forget what happened on which day, and everything feels like it was months ago or that it just happened the day before. Maybe it is a blessing because in my mind it just goes from one good moment to the next good lesson and skips all the ehh stuff in between. 

      Well the most exciting news... Big Easy is getting baptized on April 13!!! We taught him the other day and had a member with us that was perfect for him because the member has faced and overcome a lot of the same trials that Big Easy is working on overcoming. He hadn't been reading the scriptures we had asked him to read so in our lesson we read it with him. It was 2 Nephi 31 where it talks about baptism is the gate that we need to enter in by to make it back to our Heavenly Father. We stopped throughout the chapter and talked about what it was saying. Well at the end we asked him what he thought about the chapter and what he was feeling. He said, "It just feels right. It makes me want to give up chewing and not smoke my cigars anymore." Uh- I didn't know he smoked, I could have guessed about chewing tobacco. Game plan altered, we told him that if he wanted to be baptized that he would have to give up those things. He said he would and then jokingly said, "I have my can of chew right here, I can give it to you." Joke taken seriously and we took the can and removed the temptation. We told him that when we dropped him off at home that we would also take the cigars that he had planning to smoke that night. His nightly plan would be altered. When we asked him about baptism he said, "The more I think about baptism the more I think I should be baptized!" Perfect, so April 13 is what he is working for! ... He came to church this Sunday, and Sister Duke and I teach Gospel Principles and we talked about the Atonement this week and I think he was really understanding it. Then later they announced that there was going to be a musical fireside on April 14 and he turns to us and said, "Hey that is the day after my baptism." It is the best feeling when you know that these people that you love so much are excited to be baptized and promise to Heavenly Father that they are ready to commit their life to Him.
 

    We are also working with a less active who is roommates with Big Easy. He is 25, a cowboy, and a flirt. He works every Sunday so can never come to church and he likes to drink and chew as well. Well when we stopped by we were just going to leave a Word of Wisdom pamphlet for Big Easy but since he was home we talked to him and told him to read it too. He said that he was going to try and quit because he knew that it was bad. So we asked how we could help. He wants to start off by getting back into the habit of reading his scriptures every week. Well perfect, as missionaries we do everything that we can to help others so we make nightly phone calls to him and remind him. Hopefully, he will take the next step and dump out the alcohol and give up his chew.
 

     Side note: when Big Easy gave us his chew, we threw it away. But I was curious and smelt it. Oh my! Not many things make my stomach turn but that did. It smelt awful! I don't know why anyone would want to put it in their mouth! Blah!
 

     As for Alberta- we ate dinner with her on Friday after we had helped her on the farm and she has so many questions about the church and wanted a copy of the Ensign. She came to church last week and they talked about weekly Family Home Evening, this week she wasn't able to come because a film crew from New Zealand was coming to film her and her farm. Um- that's cool! She loves the way The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints makes her feel. We talked about the way the church was run and then asked if she had started reading the Book of Mormon. She hadn't and so I told her that we have a lesson that introduces the Book of Mormon and how it came to be and then she said that she wanted to hear that and asked if we could do Family Home Evening with her and teach her about that. So tonight will be great!. I am so excited for her because she is so amazing and Christ-like always helping others and is involved in everything; she does things that push herself and make her grow. Ah, I just love her!

      Also, we were able to meet a mother, Denise, who the missionaries before Sister Duke and I, had taught a little bit. Wow, she has gone through so much. She has 4 kids and no husband to support her. She is struggling to get back on her feet. We talked to her about how she can find strength by reading the Book of Mormon. Then at the end I felt like she needed to know that her past could become her past and that those events didn't have to keep affecting her future. Through Jesus Christ and baptism she could be free, she could be given a fresh and new start. She started to cry because that is exactly what she wants.

     People are amazing! It is so amazing to see people want to be better, who want to be clean of their past. They want Jesus Christ to be weaved into their lives, they don't want to just hear it anymore, they want to feel it. And when they do they want to change and they want to act to find Him. Big Easy giving up his addictions and staying clean because every time he is tempted he prays and reads the scriptures and receives strength and the craving leaves. Denise, who got herself and her kids out of an abusive situation only face struggles and loneliness. No steady job and little help. My sister Carly, is serving a mission on crutches and is exhausted but presses forward because she knows this is God's church and wants to share His gospel and His peace with everyone. People make it through incredibly hard trials. Watch the mormon message, "Mountains to Climb" and if you cry then you are feeling what I am feeling. I do not know how people make it through this life and face the trials they do without the gospel. I look at my life and have overcome some hard things but I always knew that I had my Savior and that because of what He did for me that I would never have to face anything alone. I think of Esther and the courage that she had to muster up to save her people and think how many people I know that have that same courage. Whether it is to just keep getting up every morning and face another day. I encourage all to remember this time of year, the time where Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, died on the cross, and rose three days later as a perfect being with flesh and bone. This gift is given to everyone whether they want it or not; all we have to do is accept it.
 

     I love you all, I pray for your well being and your happiness. Keep the faith and press on with faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and friend. Remember that His Atonement can apply to every aspect of our lives. I know that Jesus Christ is with us always. I know that He lives today. I know that He knows us personally and knows exactly and perfectly what we face and what we feel. I love Him as my Savior and know Him as my friend.

Love Always,
  Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

Week 9- Manele Bay March!

Dear Family and Friends,

     Well the most exciting news! Brandon Avegalio was baptized this Saturday at Manele Bay! It was super small, just the way he wanted it. He didn't want the whole branch there he just wanted his family, the two witnesses, President Mailo (he performed the baptism), and Sister Duke and I. It was so beautiful, I was amazed at how Brandon was so happy before he was baptized but then he just glowed after. Ah, I still feel so much peace just thinking about it! It was early in the morning, a bit windy but still warm, and the Spirit was strong and perfect. I love how the family is the center of this gospel, and it was amazing to see that now their family will be progressing in the gospel together. Eren (a member wife) shared how she is so grateful that now when trials come she will have her husband to help her along the way and it won't have to be just her anymore.

      The more I am out on my mission the more I am grateful for my family and the way I was raised. I see less active parents starting to come back to church and to feel the Spirit again, but they regret that because of their falling away that some of their kids were lost in the process. I see part member families where the wife is a member and has been enduring through when she knows that it is through the temple where her family can be sealed and will be with each other forever. I see young kids that come to church without their parents and do not get the support they need. So many families are hurt and wounded but yet somehow mine was able to stay intact. Why? Because of the gospel and the principles and the truth that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches. It has not always been easy, we have taken our share of trials but instead of hitting bottom we hit Christ. Then with His help He can lift us up, dust us off and help us face whatever comes our way.

    Well, I will step off my soap box now and get back to my week:

We taught Big Easy (Shawn) last night and it went really well. He could feel the Spirit, we will have to work on his swearing problem. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he would be baptized and he said YES! He still needs to pray about it though but I know he will get his answer. He really wants the Atonement and to be cleaned of his past and just have a fresh start through baptism. At the end of the lesson he just said, "I feel really good." Yep, that is how a missionary feels all the time. (Well most of the time) Even when people reject our message and a few are rude about it, all I have to do is remember how much the Lord has done for me and that I know the truth. My testimony and knowledge is such a blessing and I am so grateful that I have had the trials that I have had so that I could grow, learn, and come closer to knowing Jesus Christ as my Savior and my best friend.

    Then on Thursday we had a lesson that didn't go great, this lady just did not care at all what we had to say. But after we went over to some apartments and went to see if Emma, a girl that had taken a few of the lessons and we had tried to catch her at home about 5 times already, was home. Well, she pulled up from work just as we got to her apartment. Wow, she was amazing! She asked for a Book of Mormon and said that she was really busy with her last quarter of high school. So she said that she didn't want to get baptized yet. We hadn't even mentioned that. She has had a lot of LDS friends and is dating a member boy that lives on Molokai. She is really awesome, the hard part is just catching her at home.

      Friday: we had Zone Meeting to start off the new transfer. And if you didn't already guess I was not transferred. In the meeting we had to decide names for our District. (A mission is split up into zones and then from there 3-4 districts make up a zone). Lanai and Molokai is my District and these 2 places are known for their hunting; our theme scripture is Jeremiah 16:16 and our name is Molonia Huntahz. I guess you could say we are legit. Ha. We do whatever we can to work on unity.

     Spotlight of the Week: Takeo- we met him by knocking on his door. The question to ask him is where hasn't he been because he has hiked all over the world! He is an ivory carver and he is really good! He makes little plumeria flower earrings and they were beautiful. He also carves wood and showed us walking canes that he has made and then told us where he has traveled with it.  There are so many creative people in this world and I love it all and just wish that I had the time to learn anything and everything! I guess we all have our different talents.

    It is amazing how much the mission has already changed me and I am only 3 months in. Wow, what will 15 more months do... that is crazy/weird to think about.

    Lanai history: last Monday the Kawasakis took Sister Duke and I to Kaunolu Village. It is an ancient village that King Kamehameha took over. All that is left is some stone foundations that were used for houses and then a mound of rocks which was the temple. The coolest part was Kahekili's Leap. There is a gap in between 2 rocks that then just falls off into the Shark's Fin Bay (there is a rock formation in this bay that looks like the fin of a shark). It was really high up and the warriors used to show their bravery by jumping off this cliff. We were surrounded by cliffs so I was just wondering how they got back up. That is if they weren't eaten by sharks first.

    A prayer answered: the other day I was just missing home a bit, not home sick and I just asked that I would be able to have Norma with me throughout the day. Well we went out and plan A and B didn't work, I was a little bummed but still ok. Then I look down and see a beautiful butterfly. I thought of Carly and knew that this was Norma, I knew that God cared and had given me a little miracle.

    Random fact: I now want pikake flowers at my wedding. The other day we stopped by Brandon's and Eren's to drop off some dishes they had let us use and they invited us in and Eren showed us her wedding book and I got lots of ideas that I will be saving in my mind for a later time haha.

    Well, I think that is my week! I love this place and never want to leave. Elohim Tov - God is Good! (Hebrew) Aloha uvau ia oe!

Love Always,

  Sister Cassidy Jean Lang