March 24, 2014

(I know she has a Christmas hat on--hopefully she will send more pics soon! haha!)

Well hello family!!! 

It sounds like you all had an amazing week!! Just so you all know-- I leave tomorrow so that will answer a lot of questions but I will let you know next week!! Clay please tell me about your blessing I would love to hear about it!!   Chlobo-- congrats on winning the hand stand contest!!! You da you da best!! I will try to do my best to answer you all on this email because I have to go home and pack all afternoon... What was I thinking bringing so much stuff!!! Honestly I can’t even use half of it so it is like I have a whole suitcase that just sits unused!! haha  Besides the point-- what is this about Chantz having a motorcycle????(ps his gift should come, it will just be a little late-- sorry) but Happy Birthday Chantz! I love you and hope you have a great day!! 

Well as for this week, where to even begin... what a crazy week!! Everyone has fed us their best meals since they all found out I was leaving!  I am very grateful-- but whooo we have eaten all week!! Well at the beginning of the week Sister Cowley and I planned for the best week ever! We said it would be the best week Pembroke would ever have... well what a roller coaster it has been.  We went to the first appointment this week with Summer who was suppose to be baptized last week and she told us she had had some sweet tea. Well, she will be baptized next week don’t worry but then after that just about every appointment for 5 days straight cancelled! Switch that-- EVERY appointment cancelled this week and I got stung by a bee.  Also two of our investigators told us that they didn't want to meet anymore--but yet it was still the best week! I don’t know how it happens but somehow Heavenly Father always has a bigger plan. This week we had the most lessons since I have been in this area!  We found 4 new investigators and the Dyers received their temple recommends. What an amazing experience it has been to work with them.  They are the ones that yelled at me the first week that the church isn’t perfect!! If you don’t remember... All I can say to you is that I know this church is true.  I know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that He restored the Priesthood to the earth. I know that he translated the Book of Mormon so that we could find our way back to our Heavenly Father and I know that Heavenly Father’s plan is perfect. There is no other way to happiness than the gospel. I know that no matter what happens our Heavenly Father always has opened arms for us and that He wants each of us to make it back to live with Him. It is my life and I will live it forever! I am so grateful to have you as my family and know that I am so excited to be back with yall!! Yesterday was a bit of a hard day because they announced in Sacrament meeting that I was leaving so everyone knew and let’s just say-- they all saw my bare eyelashes by the end of church. I just have come to love this ward so much and they are truly like a family. There are so many things that I am going to miss about Pembroke and I feel like I have to leave all over again. The  worse part is I will probably never come back. The people here are so humble and I love them with all my heart but I know that the Lord has a job for me to do and wherever it is he wants me to go I am happy to go there!   After that Sister Connie and everyone made Mexican food because I always make fun of the one Mexican food place here called San Joses... it is nasty but they all just made me feel so loved! Tamara and Mrs. Hilda were over as well and I just hope that one day you all get to meet Tamara!! She is such a great friend to me and I am so grateful that I was able to meet her! Well other than that, like I said-- Sister Ang has been putting 24 cookies on a pan and cooking it each night and making pazookies for us three to eat every night till I leave... I guess go big or go home!! But seriously our diet starts tomorrow!! hahahaha  Well other than that, this week we got yelled at by 2 preachers.  They were a little scary but it is interesting to see what they have to say.  One of them worshipped Paul and just kept yelling the same bible verses at us.  It was hard because we were just trying to leave and he would keep asking us questions as we rode away on our bikes. He said “I hope you get to read 1 Corinthians 13” and I said back “We hope you get to read the Book of Mormon too!!” haha It is sad to see people like that. They really just won’t even let you say a word-- I just hope one day that he will "hear the song of redeeming love" as the scriptures say!  Anyways I just feel bad that the pioneers had to go through so much persecution. It hurts when people say things about what you believe when they don’t even know for sure, they just know what their preacher tells them. But then again-- I know that what I believe is true.  I know it with all my heart and I know that my testimony has become stronger because of it! Well I better go but I just wanted you to all know I love you! I am so grateful for you and all that you do for me!! I hope you have the best week! 
Love always,
Cass