Week 67 - Insanity Week! - April 29, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

   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

Week 66 - Easter = A Perfect Brightness of Hope - April 21, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

    Well this week was tough - I have been contemplating what it truly means to have a perfect brightness of hope. I teach others how to endure and my favorite scripture to use is in 2 Nephi 31:20 "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." I love the promise of eternal life; I feel like I know how to feast upon the words of Christ as I have come to love the scriptures and constantly reading from them, learning from them, and coming closer to my Savior; but then I came to understand a perfect brightness of hope this week.  To remind you of the plans of this past week - we were supposed to have 3 baptisms - none of them happened. To say the least I was upset. We had worked so hard with these people and they were ready and still want to be baptized but with one getting a job (which we had been praying for) then being scheduled to work during her baptism, then losing the job and being so upset that she drank coffee (her date is now May 11th). Then the others had a good friend pass away and the funeral service was scheduled at the same time as their baptism, then the afternoon they had to work and the next day their family was going out of town. (I hope all of that made sense) By the end of that day- I was so confused at how I should be feeling. We are supposed to have this brightness of hope all the time but at the same time I don't think we are supposed to be robots. We have emotions and we should be able to feel. I was frustrated and upset not at anyone in particular but at the situation that had seemed so perfect but then fell through. I realized that perfect brightness of hope does not mean that I have to be smiling all the time and laughing and having the best time of my life; But, I am supposed to trust in my Father in Heaven and accept the things that come my way and have faith that everything will work out. So then I started to see the positive. I have 3 amazing people that want to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized - their day was pushed back - their desire is still there - I didn't lose 3 people. Yes it is nice to have them baptized as soon as possible but in God's timing it is not about the numbers of the week. Success is success whether it happened this week or in a few weeks from now. I realized that perfect brightness of hope came as I allowed my faith to shine through the hard times- realizing that it was not ideal but that the light was still bright and something I needed to keep working toward.

    As far as people go they are all doing great.  Pono is my tender mercy a lot because he is so good. He came to his lesson this week with his Book of Mormon all highlighted and showing us what he had learned and questions he had. It makes my heart feel so full!

Then David is a new member and has been wavering a bit and we were concerned about him. We have been trying to see him more but he had been avoiding us for a few weeks now. The other day we stopped by and he was back :) He was so happy to see us. I know that a few members of the ward had stopped by earlier in the week and I think that had made all the difference. We read 1 Nephi 10 and he loved it. A few days earlier the family had read 1 Nephi 8 and had been making guesses of what all the symbolism meant. Then the family loved chapter 10 as it went over all the meanings and they just applied it to their life as a family. They are working so hard to go to the temple with the ward and then coming to Salt Lake to be sealed in November! Once again a moment where my heart is full!

    "And they went about doing good..." (not sure where the scripture is) That is how I felt this week. With the cancellation of our baptisms I was sad and our numbers didn't match our goals like we had hoped but we went about and did good. We helped a less active start living the Word of Wisdom (coffee was her problem) with her son. We made her a smoothie 3 times this week and she loved it. She lived the Word of Wisdom for a week now and we were so proud of her and so was her son! We helped a women, who owns a shop and sews for a living, with ironing and another project. She is not super interested in the church but she called us the day after to thank us again for coming over for a few hours and helping she told us, "I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Thank you so much for all the help. It wasn't just helping it was uplifting." Did that count for numbers - no but it was going about doing good.

     Easter was really good. We were able to spend the evening with a less active family and then a less active guy who has been coming back to church these past two weeks. Our dinner appointment had canceled and so Sister Mottl and I thought of who we could see that would be lonely on Easter. It was perfect because as we visited with them we became family. There was no extravagant meal - only what we had brought, some rice, and what a meager income from the family could provide. I was able to see a single father, with the world on his back smile. I don't always know what to say to them, when they have it so hard. All I can think is to help them realize the blessings that come with living the gospel and allowing the Christ to help carry our load. He told us that his life has been so much better ever sense he has joined the church and even if he sometimes can't make it to church Christ is always in his heart. So often I am the one that is taught. I just love these people so much and they are so strong. I am so blessed to have my life full of people that I love.

    I think that is it for now. I hope that this email made sense. I love this work so much! I love seeing how the gospel brings a perfect brightness of hope even when the load we are sometimes given seems impossible to carry. Sometimes we have to take it one day at a time; but that is fine. Progress is progress no matter how slow. I love the fact that I am not done learning. My progress may have been slow but I have progressed from the girl that started her mission months ago to the one I am today. I love you all! Alofa iate oe! Ofa atu! Aishiteru! Yokew yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!

    Love Always,

      Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 65 - Tired But Good - April 14, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

     This week has left me exhausted but it has been good. You know you are tired when the members start telling you, "Sister Lang you look exhausted." A lot of restless nights, I think from just all sorts of different emotions rolling over in my mind and feeling that time is weighing down on me.

    We started off the week with eating with a part member family. The husband is not a member but has read the Book of Mormon about 5 times all the way through and knows that it is true. He is such an amazing man but there is something that is holding him back form the waters of baptism but I am not sure what it is. I continue to pray and seek revelation that will help. I feel like we are getting a little bit closer. He said no to baptism but he said that he would honestly pray about if it was what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. I really just want him to be happy and he is so good all ready all he has to do is say yes and the next day he could be baptized. I just keep thinking about the talk from General Conference that talked about how we first must love them, second share what we know and then let them decide on their own. I think it was Elder Scott but I could be wrong.

    Tuesday was mainly filled with President Interviews. As Sister Trainers we were asked to be the one to go through the Area Books and Daily Planners- that meant we had to make sure that ours was perfect! That took a bit of time because we had fallen behind; but, it felt really good to get it back under control and now it is just maintaining it! Its a lot easier to maintain than to constantly having to catch up- and if you are like me then its one less thing in the back of my mind that is stressing me out. After Interviews, which felt really short, we had exchanges. Sister Fonua came with me to Kalaheo and Sister Mottl went with Sister Haws to Hanalei. It was really good. I had only heard about Sister Fonua so it was good to be able to actually meet her and figure out who she is, her strengths, and what we could learn from each other. The exchange went really well but its hard because I am so used to Sister Mottl and how we work together and its not awkward because we just know when to say something. It makes me a little sad knowing that this will probably be our last transfer together :( But its okay because she comes home right after me. Right, so back to Sister Fonua - we were able to teach a really good lesson to Pono, our recent investigator who is so good! He had been reading the chapters that we had assigned him to read and then we were able to go over 2 Nephi 31 and talk about what we need to do to follow our Savior and return to live with Him. He loves reading the Book of Mormon - he finds so many applications. After we taught him about how the Word of Wisdom tells us how we can best take care of our body. Heavenly Father has told us to not smoke, drink alcohol, tea, coffee, or take illegal substances; but, we should eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meat sparingly. He said all he needed to do was stop drinking tea which shouldn't be a problem. Then my favorite question, "So, how much meat is sparingly?" I have never been asked that question and I just started laughing because it took me off guard. Hawaii culture is all about meat - typical meal is at least 2 kinds of meat (fish, ribs, chicken, pork, deer, or spam) and then 2 scoops white rice and mac salad; anything that is colorful (aka fruits and veggies) is considered rabbit food... So meat sparingly I guess would mean only eat 1 cow instead of 3 in a day. haha. Pono, could be one of my favorite people. We also told him that he should go on a mission and his only concern was, "Would I have to cut my hair." I have only seen him in a beanie so I don't know what his hair looks like.

   Wednesday- we taught the Vegas ohana and they are so ready for baptism! We went over the baptismal interview questions and you can just tell that they are ready and excited with the normal nerves that come too. Also - Landon, 3 year old son, is just the cutest! He just came up and sat right next to me and just kinda snuggled it. Then when we leave it is still, "Come mommy- we need to say bye to my friends!" Yep, I would love to just take him home with me!

   Thursday- we some how got roped into making one of the Marshallese bamles (means family in Marshallese) dinner. We come over and there is a whole chicken- liver, kidney, heart and all; and then ribs. Then they say cook! Sister Mottl was vegetarian prior to her mission so she has no idea how to cook meet. Um... I have never in my life made a whole chicken into something... first things first take off the skin and get the meat off the bone. Now I can work with this. I basically did the only thing we know how to do, cook it with garlic, peppers, and onions (the only veggies there). As for ribs - I don't make them because I don't really like them unless they are amazing! Ya those weren't as good by the end of it. Oh well, the bamle said they liked it (though they could have been lying to me; but we appreciated it anyways.)  Also, it was the first time that I have ever had a lesson with their whole family. We were able to talk with them about the temple. We gave them one of the temple boxes and the Family Proclamation in Marshallese. They loved it! I left with hands smelling like chicken guts and garlic but feeling very happy!

    Friday: Sister Clayson (never was her companion but I lived in the same pad as her in Makakilo for 3 months) finished her mission a few months ago and came back for a visit with her family, well she was on Kauai for Friday and Saturday. So she came with us to some of our lessons and it was so good to see her and just realize that I can come back here after my mission and people will still love me. Kate Clayson came with us to teach Pono and the lesson was awesome again! We followed up on his Word of Wisdom and he told us, "As I was leaving the house today my mom made me ice tea and I handed it back to her and told her, 'Remember, Mom, I cant drink that.'" Later he told us that he had been trying to eat more fruits and veggies and meat more sparingly. He is so good. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he realized that it made so much sense and loved the idea that there is hope for everyone that is alive or that has passed on to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. He told us that he had tried to do what Joseph Smith had done by going up into the mountains and praying and asking Heavenly Father about what he has been learning and the Book of Mormon. He feels like it is right. I just love teaching him because he gets it!

    Sunday: A good day but just tiring. Perez was confirmed! Matt, a less active, came to church for the first time since I have been here. I love members that reach out and just offer to help. A member asked Matt if he wanted a ride to church because he knows it is hard to start coming back to church and having to walk in alone. Matt took him up on the offer. It was so good to see him in church again :) He looked millions of times
lighter - I think that is what church is for. We come weighed down by at least a weeks worth of the world, place it at the feet of our Savior and then He tells us, "Leave the load, and follow me." I cant imagine how heavy Christ's load is because we all give Him ours; somehow, He has the strength and I am so grateful for Him. After church we found out that the Vegas family is going to have to have their baptismal date pushed back because of a funeral :( At first I was really upset; but I'm slowly handing it to the Lord knowing that He will take care of it. Sunday night we taught the Lester family about the Word of Wisdom. Jake is planning on getting baptized the beginning of June when the rest of his family will come to Hawaii! We challenged his parents to live the Word of Wisdom for one week to try it. The mom agreed as long as we make her a green smoothie mon, wed, fri. DEAL! We keep praying that the dad will come around and will allow the Spirit to motivate him to action.

    I love this work. It is so very good. I am tired all the time, but somehow find strength to keep going. I know that my Redeemer lives and because of that I too will live again after this life. I know that His sacrifice has paved the road to exaltation and all I have to do is choose to follow the road. I love you all! Ofa atu! Alofa iate oe! Poake poake yuk! Aishiteru! Mahal kita! Yokwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!

    Love Always,

        Sister Cassidy Jean Lang

Week 64 - A Glorious Week! - April 7, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

   Well since I emailed so late last week I only have to catch up since Wednesday! Today I'm super tired - too many days getting up at 5 in the morning, which is sad because I did that throughout high school. I really love my sleep. 

  Highlights- Thursday: We had received a referral from some of the Elders on Oahu and contacted the referral and then were able to meet with him, Pono, on Thursday. Um.. he is so good. His cousin had taught him the first lesson about Joseph Smith and the book of Mormon and Pono had loved it and then his cousin asked Pono if he wanted to be baptized and he had said YES! So we go in and start teaching and he is so good. We read Alma 32 and Pono loved it and was finding all sorts of insight and how those scriptures related to him and he was so excited to read more of the Book of Mormon. As we left we gave him a chapter to read and he looked at the card that I had wrote it on and he says, "Is that it?" So we gave him a few more of our favorite chapters to read. Sadly he didn't make it to conference but we do have another "circle sitting lesson thing" (his words) for tomorrow!
Later that night we stopped by a Marshallese family that has recently joined the church. When we got there, I asked the dad if there is anything we can do and he says yes - go upstairs and bring down the chicken and cook it. Um.... OK so I go upstairs and bring the chicken down and then he really wants me to cook it because I had helped another person make dinner and he had tried what we had made and he wanted me to make it again. I have no idea what I had made for the other member. We decided to reschedule dinner to this Thursday - so we will make them dinner and then have a lesson with them too. It was just one of those moments where I think, "Is this really happening?" and then I laugh and say, "I love my life!" 

     Friday: another miracle - I was not emergency transferred! One of the Hanalei Sisters was transferred off Kauai because there was another sister that is allergic to the vog on Oahu so they wanted to move her as far away from it as possible. Oh and vog is Volcanic smog. So we had to be at the airport at 6 because that is when the Kauai sister was leaving and we needed to be with Sister Haws for 3 hours so she wasn't companion-less. It was sad to say goodbye. Us 3 ended up going out to breakfast and it was yummy and fun because I was able to talk with Sister Haws about all the people that I had left in her care when I had left Palehua. The new sister is Sister Fonua and she seems good - I'll find out more about her tomorrow because that is when we are doing exchanges. 

That evening we made an egg casserole thing and then a french toast casserole, to help motivate people to wake up bright and early for conference that starts at6am here. 

    Saturday: we arrive at the church at 6am (when conference starts) and no one is there. We walk in and get all of our food in. (We had made an egg casserole thing and a french toast thing for our investigators and less active members that said they were going to come). Go look in the chapel because we were a bit early and nothing is set up... Um that is a problem! We start making phone calls and no one is answering because they are all asleep, recording conference and watching it later. One of our less active families come and so we try and get conference up on one of the church's computers and we can't get the sound to work. We recall a few people and finally get a hold of the 2nd counselor. We ended up missing the 1st hour of the Saturday morning session and watching the rest at our 2nd counselor's house. Then during the break we go back to the church to set up conference and have breakfast with our less active family, Antoinette, and then another less active who hasn't come to church in months. It was awesome because we brought him to the chapel and he hesitated at the door, but then we helped him come in and you could see that he knew this is where he needed to be. We watched the 2nd Saturday session with Antoinette and our less active family and it was great :)

    Sunday: conference went a lot smoother with everything being set up. The people that we had invited didn't make it :( But we made panikeke (a Samoan doughnut!) and Samoan coco and it was so yummy. It was the first time i had made it myself and it turned out really good. 

The 2nd session- a kid named Jorge came. I had met him a few times - he is friends with 2 of the members and I have talked with him and invited him to take the lessons and he has said yes but then never kept the appointments. Well I turn around in conference and he is sitting on the back row by himself. During the middle song we go and talk with him. He tells us that he is loving conference and new that it was going to be small - he then tells us about how the talk on Obedience by Hales was so true and he wanted to apply that to his life. We invite him to come sit with us and he does for the rest of conference.

After conference we ask Jorge if he would like to stay for the baptism. We were able to have a lesson with him about the Restoration. He had been given a Book of Mormon and had already started reading it. It was great because one of our new members was with us and as we talked with Jorge about how his reading was going he said he struggles reading and then understanding at the same time. Our new member chimes in and says, "Me too, I cant read and know what it is saying." then proceeds to tell him that if you get the Book of Mormon on your phone and then scroll to the bottom of the page you can listen to it. It was good that they were able to have that little connection which is hard because I'm awful at technology. We talked about baptism as well and how it gives a new start and Jorge loved that and wants to be baptized but told us that he wants to talk with his mom. Then he stayed for the baptism and loved it! He is so good. As he was leaving he told us that he really wants us to meet his family! We are working out a time for this week! 

Perez's baptism! It was so amazing! We had it after conference! Perez was so excited, Dennis another Marshallese man, preparing for a mission, baptized him. Laura, 5 years old, conducted the music and was so excited! It all went smoothly and there was a good balance of ward members and Marshallese people to show their support! It was really good and I just felt so happy! I love baptisms and conference :) 

     Well, I think that was it for this past week! I'm super tired but I love the work! I loved conference! I love you all! Alofa iate oe! Ofa atu! Poake poake yuk! Aishiteru! Yokwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!

Love Always,

    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 63 - I Love Heartaches! - April 2, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

   Sorry this is a few days late. As sister trainers Sister Mottl and I had a meeting on Monday in Oahu. Man that was weird to go back there and then I remembered that I am so grateful to be on Kauai still :) Oahu is like the mainland in that it is so busy and city; when I was there I loved it but if I had to choose I would stay off island (off Oahu).

    Transfers came and went- I am still on Kauai and that is a miracle in itself. The new people are great haha. Elder Morris came who was my District Leader in Palehua for awhile; and, Sister Haws came as well, and she was my companion back in Palehua. It is good to see her again and she has been able to fill me in on what has been gong on in my past area.

   As for the work: it is going super well! I love all the people we are working with. Perez is the best! His baptism is the Sunday after General Conference and he is so excited. He had his baptismal interview last night and did awesome! He is so excited and I am so grateful that I have been able to stay and see all of these miracles! We were quizzing him right before his interview on what a few words meant and he got all the ones he had been struggling with. The mission has taught me that LDS people have our own language with gospel terms that we just use as if other people know them. Kinda like how doctors can't use their language when they are just talking to us normal patients.

   Antoinette- still so amazing she is so excited for her baptism on the 19th! She struggles a lot with the after effects of past mistakes of drugs but she told us that whenever she is with us she doesn't feel the negative forces working so hard on her. She also told us about a dream she had where she saw 2 angels watching out for her. When she woke up she realized the angels to be Sister Mottl and I. Whether that was true or not I know that she is being watched over and that she has been an angel to me. She is so strong and a fighter. She managed to get herself out of really hard situations and has found Christ and is truly allowing Him to heal her. It is amazing how He truly is the Master Healer and can heal anything we bring to Him. I am just so humbled and grateful to be able to see these miracles occur.

    Vegas Ohana- They are doing awesome! Their little son is so cute! We taught them about prayer and it was really good. They still struggle with praying. They feel okay praying by themselves but when it comes to praying with us they pass it off to one of the missionaries. Sister Mottl and I are trying really hard to help them resolve this fear they have. Besides that they are doing awesome and I just feel so close to them as we teach them. Lyon, the husband, reminds me of Dad because he can fall asleep anywhere and at anytime. He was telling us that as they were driving to church he had to pull over and make Mojo, the wife, drive because he was falling asleep. Mojo was like, "Really? you were just singing and fine." And he was like, "I know but I was falling asleep." Yep, that is my dad :) As we were leaving the little son, Landon, says, "Come mommy, we have to walk my friends out." It was so Cute!!! They came to Kalaheo ward this week and it was so good to see them. They usually go to a different ward because that is where their family all goes. I love them.

   June: she is less active and we randomly stopped by on Friday and it was perfect. The day prior she had had an awful day and is really struggling with a family problem. She opened up to us and we were able to be a source of comfort for her because she didn't feel like she could seek peace from her family. She hasn't been to church for months now and we told her about the Women's
Conference the following day. She said that she would try and come. We then proceeded to ask if she did go if we could go with her because we needed a ride and then she wouldnt have to walk in by herself. She said she would let us know. Saturday comes and she calls and she takes us and it was great! She is such an amazing lady and is finding her testimony again and holding fast to Christ! She ended up getting along really well with Antoinette which was awesome because we have introduced Antoinette to a lot of people but she hasnt yet hit it off with any one but maybe they will be able to help one another. June came to church on Sunday and sat with us (along with half the Marshalese kids) and it was great!

   Missionary Leadership Counsel (MLC)- it was really good! We were trained on how as missionaries we need to endure to the end of our missions. I really liked it, I don't think I'm that trunky but we do deal with some trunky missionaries so it was nice to go over how to help them. I think my favorite part was seeing some of the missionaries that I know. ( I don't know very many but it was nice to see the few - I guess spending 12 months not on Oahu does that to you; but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make ;)) I was able to talk to someone that had just come off of Lanai and it was great to hear how the people were doing. They baptized someone that I had started teaching! Then one of the less active families that I helped come back just went through the temple! and I found out that Brandon, my 1st convert, is getting sealed to his wife and kids on April 4th! It fills my heart so much but it hurts at the same time to know I'm not there but I am so happy that I was able to help the little that I could. I cant explain how I feel because I want to stay here forever but I know that is not Heavenly Father's plan for me. I will have to leave I will have to move forward. But my heart doesn't want to leave what I love so much! But I also know that somehow I will love where He takes me too. I feel as if complete joy is always accompanied with heart ache of missing the ones I love too!

   I am so grateful to be here! I am so grateful for 4.5 more months to serve (editor's note: she will eventually  realize it is less than 4,not 4.5). I am grateful for this time of year with General Conference this week end where we get to listen to prophets and apostles, the ones that speak with and receive direction from Jesus Christ! I love Easter time and remembering that because of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection I can be forgiven of the things I have done wrong and that even after I die I will rise again, body and all! I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints is the true church and that it contains the Lord's Priesthood power! I know that Christ died and yet lives again for all of us! I love the gospel and I love being a missionary and a representative of Jesus Christ! I love you all! Poake poake yuk! Ofa atu! Alofa iate oe! Yokwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!

Week 62 - Such a Good Week! - March 24, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha! 

    This has been the best week ever!!! I'M STAYING in Kauai! This week was so good and long. 

Monday- we went and tried to find a cool hike, got lost and ended up meeting this random guy who was selling coconuts. It was really fun and we were able to share a little bit about the gospel with him. As we told him we were LDS or Mormon he told us a lot of things about what we believe that aren't true. It was fine we were able to bear our testimonies and eat a coconut and meet a really cool person. Sorry I forgot my camera cord so no pictures this week:( 

   Tuesday- we had a really good lesson with the Erakdriks, they have been baptized for a few months now and they are so good. We have started going over the basics again just to help them remember what they have learned. We were able to bring a returned missionary and then another kid from our ward and we are hoping that they will be able to start being friends with the Erakdriks. The lesson went really well and the young kid has been really been helping us keep the kids involved! We also found out that one of their daughters is moving home and her dad really wants here to take the lessons and get baptized. We met her on Sunday and she is really sweet and we are excited to start teaching her. 

Miracle of Tuesday- we have been teaching Perez for 4.5 months and he has wanted to be baptized since October but his mom keeps saying no! Well, we taught Perez and followed up on his reading the book of Mormon and he told us what he had read and it was so good. We told him to stay strong and to keep showing his faith to Heavenly Father and in time he would be able to be baptized. Well Tuesday night when his aunt, Doresty, came home they were talking about what to do. They decided to pray and then to have Doresty call Perez's mom and ask again. Well she did... and Perez is... getting baptized on APRIL 5th!!!!!!

    Friday- We taught Anotinette about the Word of Wisdom and it was great! She is doing so well but she told us that she has prayed about her baptism date and she feels that this month is too quick and so she asked to move her date to April 19th. We are so excited for here and it will give here time to get all of her stuff organized. 

I got a phone call from one of the Elders about transfer news. They tell me that I have a plane ticket. Well I was sad and really confused because I didn't feel that I was leaving. 

   Week- we made piggy banks but with temple pictures all over them and then we have been giving them to our recent converts. My heart gets so full when we give the box to them and then I see the kids searching the house for the pennies and change that they can put in the box to help their family go to the temple! 

Saturday- we had dinner with a family that hasn't been coming to church for over a month now and then we invited another less active member and they both were able to come and be friends again! There was a special spirit as they both realized that they need to come back to church. The family came to church and the individual didn't make it :( 

I called the airport because I had to hear it for myself if i was going because it just didn't feel right... there is no ticket for me anymore. I call the Elder back and he checks again and says that I have been taken off his confirmation code... I might be staying- that feels right! 

 Sunday- the family from above came and it was so good! they saw us and came and sat with us and I loved them! Then a moment where my heart was so full.: sitting in front of me was Disney (7 and going to be baptized when he turns 8), Auggie (10 and baptized a few months ago), Perez (10 and going to be baptized April 5), Keawe (10 and we are going to start teaching him), and PJ (10 and recently got baptized). I see PJ lean over to Keawe and start teaching him about the sacrament and ask him if he wants to get baptized and Keawe says yes! I imagine in a few years from now and they are all in white and going on missions. they are so good and my heart just wants to burst because I love these sometimes rampunctous boys but they are so good too! 

   This week was full of miracles and I love the work so much! I am so excited and blessed to be able to stay here in Kalaheo at least one more transfer with Sister Mottl. I love the Lord and I have come to realize that He is the Master Healer and I am just a servant of Him. I am here to bring others to Him. He knows how to heal them and if I love them then I will help them find their Savior! I love the gospel with all of my heart and I love being in the service of my Lord. I am truly blessed and spoiled. I am humbled to once again ask, "Why does God love me so much?" 

I love you all because I have been loved! Ofa atu! Te amo! Aishiteru! Poake poake yuk! Alofa ia te oe! Yakwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe!
 

Love Always, 

    Sister Cassidy Lang

Week 61 - Choosing to Laugh! - March 17, 2014

Aloha Ohana and Haoaloha,

    I'm at a loss for words, I am not quite sure what to say- the week was filled with great moments, hard moments and so a typical missionary week. I'll share the good ones :)

    Last Monday it poured but I wanted to see something beautiful because I am on Kauai, the garden island. So we ended up getting lost and not finding what we were looking for but the Kapaa Elders ended up showing us their favorite spots. Well, we got drenched and I absolutely LOVED IT! I feel that it is not socially acceptable to show up at peoples doorsteps completely wet and I hate umbrellas so the likelihood of me using one is 1/100 (on a good day). But, since it was Monday and we didn't have to see anyone until that night I got really wet and pretended that I was swimming!  It was great and then Sister Mottl and I went to Walmart and looked at the birthday cards and laughed for a good half hour at all of the cards! (3 people in our zone had birthdays the last 2 weeks) 

    Taught the Lester family about the 10 commandments and they thought it was super funny. I think the best part was that the lesson was by the pool. Yep we walk up and they are outside by the pool and ask if we are allowed by the pool. Um yes, we just aren't allowed in the pool so we all sat outside and learned about God's commandments with hand motions, of course! The less active mom, was doing the hand motions with her son and said, "This makes complete sense, why didn't they teach me this back when i was going to church?" 

    Taught Mojo and Lyon about the gospel being restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was really awesome. Mojo was raised in the gospel and knows most everything but was never baptized and her husband, Lyon, is learning about everything now but likes it. I shared the part about Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ after he knelt down and prayed. Then I asked Lyon what he thought about it. he paused and then said, "Its a really big claim and out there." I then asked, "Do you believe that it happened?" The sweet moment when the Spirit tells me that it did, then Lyon pauses and thinks and says, "Yes, I believe that Joseph Smith really did see God and Jesus Christ." My heart felt so light and happy. We talked about being baptized at the end and Mojo said that she wants to be baptized the Saturday before Easter Sunday so that is their date April 19th! I am so happy for them and they are excited. We are meeting with them tomorrow! Also, their son, Landon, who is 3 and is the cutest! he started playing peek a boo with me and it was so cute and then he takes his blanket, holds it up and around him like a cape and then puts me under his blanket with him! Man little kids are so cute! I feel like I made a new friend this past week! 

    One of our members was sick and so we went over to see if they needed a blessing and then we could call someone with the Priesthood to come. Well we pull up to their apartments and 3 of their kids run up to the car and are peering in and waving, and smooshing their faces on the glass and trying to get in and say hi. Fun/cute version of little zombies attacking. We go in and talk about the power of the Priesthood, mind you they are Marshallese and gospel words are really foreign and my limited knowledge of Marshallese hasn't gotten to the chapter on priesthood. So we try our best and pray that the Holy Ghost will help. We have 2 Brothers come over to give the blessing and I just had to laugh because they used the biggest most obscure English words to ask them questions and explain things. (i.e. preemptive, preference, and predicated) I don't think they understood much, but I'm oh so grateful for the holy Ghost and the Spirit that all can feel. Unless your Jiman passed out on the couch drunk. I don't think he is getting baptized this week. I just love the amazing moments of being a missionary where you have agency, or the ability to choose, to either cry or laugh. I try to laugh but sometimes fail at that! This was a moment of laughter which I am grateful for. Then as we were leaving, the same 3 kids came out and were once again trying to break into the car, for I don't know what all we have are Book of Mormons. I tell them that they have to back up so they don't get run over. I continue to back up Sister Mottl and then the 3 move to the front of the car and start pushing the car to help it back up yelling, "Push the car, push the car!" Yep I laughed and just loved them so much and wanted to take them with us! Man I love them! 

    Well, I love being here! I love teaching people and sharing with them what I know to be true! I love so much sometimes that it hurts and I wonder if there was anything else I could have done. I love you all! Ofa lahi atu! Aishiteru! Te amo! Poake poake yuk! Alofa ia te oe! Yakwe yuk! Aloha wau ia oe! 

    Love Always, 

        Sister Cassidy Lang