September 15, 2014

Mom & family--

As for all your questions...

I am in Zebulon which is in Raleigh... but it is the country part of Raleigh... lets just say a new Pembroke, but I love it so much I honestly can not put into words how happy I am!!  I have never been this happy in all my life and I think this past week has been the best week of my whole mission!! I love Sister East and I miss her but training is really stressful especially in Chapel Hill where there is minimum member support.  In Zebulon,  I am with Sister Anderson who I came out with... She was trained by my trainer’s trainer-- so Sister Lewis’s trainer and so we have always clung together since the beginning. We always used to talk at meetings and we just have been great friends the whole time so when President put us together we thought he was kidding.  So when we got to transfers and it was true we both freaked out and we now have had to make a new rule that we go to bed by 12 no matter what because every night this week we have been like little school girls laughing and talking at all hours of the night.  Then we wake up the next morning having a missionary hang over! hahaha  So anyways, I love her so much and she truly is one of my best friends! Here in good ol’ Zebulon the members are the best part! They are not Indians but they are crazy like them! We have so many amazing members and the house that we live in is so great!! I love it! It is luxurious for missionaries! We have a few investigators and we have been reaching a lot of our goals! This week we wanted to find 4 new investigators and have 20 lessons. Well one day,  it was almost dark and we had been eaten alive by bugs and we hadn’t had dinner yet but we hadn’t found our new investigator so we went back out. Even though I always feel so tired,  I honestly feel like there is an extra source of energy that is given to me when it comes to missionary work.  So we went out and found Melanie and she is sooooo great! A member referred us to her and she is so receptive! She loved the Book of Mormon and we said a prayer all holding hands together! We also found some other new investigators by tracting this week! I usually hate tracting but for some reason everything just seems to be so much more fun with Sister Anderson! We just have fun being with each other and we laugh at all the crazy things that happen to us!! We have been teaching this man named Charles and he is seriously the best! I love him so much! He has a problem with every part of the Word of Wisdom but he wants to be baptized so badly! At the end of every lesson he kisses our hands and we both just die laughing!! His wife is a recent convert named Znobia and she is so strong!  In the middle of one of the lessons with them, I just so happened to see a trail of roaches leading to the ceiling so I followed it up and realized that their was a hole in the top of their trailer that was surrounded by all these nice sized roaches!! I liked died!!! Then when we kneeled to pray we all went to the center to hold hands and I smashed a roach with my knee... yes the guts were on my dress for the rest of the day and I just dealt with it! haha Oh how I have missed the country! haha But seriously, I love it out here! It is the best!  This week has been so amazing! I can’t even tell you all how much I love you and look up to you! You are my greatest blessing and I talk about y’all way too much! I am so grateful to have the best family in the world! I love you and hope you have the best week! 

Love always Cass

ps-- my ward mission leader is in the district!!! He is so funny!! Second we are eating at a ladies house on Saturday that has lice... pray for me!!! Sister Anderson and I have been praying all week!!! 

September 8, 2014

Mom, 

I truly am so sorry for how  I sounded on the phone!  It had been a really hard morning for me because the dentist was not nice at all and he was mad that I was not paying for them to do the crown, so he was very frustrated when he gave me a filling and I was scared.   Don’t worry, Sister East and I got ice cream afterwards and we always have spa parties at night because painted toes make any girl happy! haha  Anyways I just want you to know that I love you and I am doing so well!! I love it out here and I am finally back on top of things!! I am going to Raleigh-- I leave tomorrow! I think that I am in President Bernhisels ward! Scary!!! I guess this is the exact thing to get me back on my feet! I am right by Sister Lewis which will be sooooo fun! I am terribly sad to be leaving Sister East and Sister Miller and Vernetta but I am definitely ready to leave Chapel Hill.  I have been here for 4 transfers and I loved it but I am ready! This week has been all over the place! Saying goodbye has been hard but also really fun! I have seen so many people grow here and that has been a major blessing! One thing I think I told you about this ward-- is that it is very liberal. So we have had a lot of people leave the church after this whole "Kate Kelly" thing.  They all want the priesthood haha--not that it is a laughing matter but it has been a real eye opener. A lot of the members have stopped coming or they go to different wards because our ward is teaching some false doctrine and everyone is wearing pants and stuff! It is kinda crazy but we are working hard! There are still some really great members that we cling to and hold fast with them. We had Elder Parker of the 70's  come a few weeks ago because they are worried about this ward and a lot of people were really mad about some of the things that he said. It has been crazy but I have learned so much!   Oh and I almost forgot, Brother Timothy who you talked to about my tooth,  is going into complain to that dentist.  He had his own practice in Idaho and is really a great guy but had his whole life turned around when he cut his 3 fingers off with an ice blower last Christmas!   Now, he is  going back to school for x-rays and dentist stuff and he is on the Board of Dentistry.   He was in an uproar when I told him what happened so don’t worry he will be taking care of all of that! They are one of my favorite families and they take very good care of us! Other than that, Janvier our investigator talked in sacrament meeting and we had the best lesson with them! They decided to be baptized soon and they told us they really want to be sealed as a family! I love the faith that Julienne, the mom has! She read the whole Book of Mormon! I heard from Clay-- he seems to be doing great!! I can’t believe he is out here with me! 

I love you all and hope you have the best week!

Love Cass

ps--Oh I almost forgot to tell you so last night we went to Eh Thoo's house-- the one who was suppose to be baptized and we taught her a lesson.    At the end, her Dad came out and he asked us to teach him! Yeah-- he asked us to teach him!!!! I feel like the Elder on "The Best Two Years" haha!!   He said that he would call us!!!   It was so great,  we taught him the lesson and he wouldn’t answer any of our questions so I was a little worried when  we started.  But then at the end,  he had like a million and one questions and he said that it actually made sense and that he didn’t want to hold Eh Thoo back from baptism! Ahhh it was the best!!! Well I have  to go but I love you all!!!

September 1, 2014

Family--

This week has  been a little cray cray!! So as for all the questions-- my mouth is fine.  I had the sweetest Russian lady that the members in the ward told me to go to and she talked in her Russian accent the whole time and I really felt like laughing.  I didn’t have laughing gas (it was over priced) and honestly if anyone ever gets another root canal they don’t need it, I was fine! Sister East hates the dentist though so she sat with me for a while before they started but then she got sick so she had to go and sit in the front! They told me that dad wanted her to give me a hug but she didn’t give me one but it was a great missionary opportunity because then she started asking all these questions so-- way to go dad! My mouth was numb for a while but we went to Sister Millers who lived right by and she made my favorite soup and smoothies and took great care of me!! I tried not to take pills for very long because President said not to so that part hurt for the next couple of days!  But Sister Miller told me to just take the pills so I did after that. But other than that it was all good.  I go back this week for them to finish up! As for everything else it has been blazing hott!!! Like no joke it has been rough outside but that just makes everything funnier when we get in bed at night and think of the day! Like literally this week we had a lesson in a house after walking there and the air was off inside because they can’t afford it and I just about died!! I kept praying for patience as the sweat rolled down my nose and into my eyes! hahaha But we had a good laugh on the air-conditioned bus ride home! Then this week was UNC's first big football game at home so the streets were crazy!  Everything was Carolina blue!! Even the fire trucks are blue here! It is actually really fun but it reminds me of ASU! So then we missed our bus because of the traffic.  We had a ward party that night and it was sooooo fun! I truly just love the Millers so much and they take such good care of us! I opened my package afterwards and it was the best! I personally think that Sister East was more excited for my birthday than I was but it was great!  Then on Sunday morning Sister Miller came over in the morning and brought a cake and sang to me!! She made me a skirt too and it is really cute!  That night our dinner appt. decorated their house and sang and had candles and all so it was really fun! Thank you so much for all of your cards and gifts they were the best and yes I got Grammy’s package!! Thank you! The Elders were knocking some referrals that we gave to them in our apt complex when I got it so we all enjoyed the cookies together and they were very grateful because it was a really hot day!! So other than that-- I spoke in church yesterday! We had a kick off to our ward mission plan so Brother  Miller and I spoke but also Sister Nduku--one of the crazy Africans,  along with Janvier who is our investigator also spoke!! It was crazy! He is not even a member and he gave a great talk! He is so ready to be baptized and he bore the best testimony at the end!! He said,  “I pray everyday that the Lord will help me take the step into his true church!”  I am telling you it was the best and I had to try not to cry as I got up after him! But other than that, we are just doing great here! I am getting transferred and yes I am sad to leave Sister East.  Last night we sung the whole Wicked Cd and acted out the parts!   We have some surprises for Chantz especially on the next camera card!! But other than that-- I know the Lord knows what I need and He knows what I can handle so I am not to worried. But I just want to let you all know how much I love you and how grateful I am for you! I truly have the best family out there and I am so proud of Clay for serving-- he will be so great! Carlee you are the top dog now hold down the fort! And Cami and Chloe I loved the singing! Everyone in the FHC was laughing!! They wish they could be in our family!!  As for today, since we are all being transferred-- all the sisters are coming over so I can dye their hair!! It should be fun! I love you all so much! Anyways have the best week!!  I love you!!

Love always,

Cass

August 24, 2014

As for the family!!! Nawapenda!! That means I love you! in Kiswahili! This week--well what a week!!!! Sometimes I feel like the week is so long but then it is always Monday again and I realize that time is just flying!! Ahh Well Clay-- ARE YOU CRAZY GET DAT BELT ON!! YOU CRAZY HEATHEN CUTTIN UP AND ACKEN FOOLISH!! hahaha just kidding But for real-- I am so happy that you are ok! I hope that no one else gets in an accident! Please all be safe!!  Well Clay--this is the week that will change the rest of your life!! Just hit the ground running! You will do great and you will love it! I am so excited for you! Just remember there is no comfort in the growth zone and there is no growth in the comfort zone so if you feel uncomfortable just keep going-- you know that you are being shaped into what Heavenly Father needs you to be! As for Eh Thoo-- her dad will not give her permission to be baptized so it is postponed but our Mission President speaks Thai so he is going to come to a couple lessons with us so that he can talk to him about it!! It will be great! We had interviews this week and I truly just love my Mission President so much!! It is kind of funny because he has us plan stuff to talk about in our interviews with him and every time I have an interview with him we just talk and talk and talk and the stuff I prepare is always a back up plan!   I know that President Bernhisel truly loves each of us missionaries here in the NCRM! I have learned so much from him and he is a huge influence to me.  He gave me a side hug once.... ahhh all the rules down the drain! hahaha but He is great! He did tell me though that I will be transferred and that I am going to be a Sister Leader again so I have been scoping out where I could go.  I really hope either Raleigh or Wilmington! But wherever-- I am excited!! It won’t be for a couple weeks though so I will let you know when I find out! Well as for this week, Vernetta’s boyfriend, Calvin was baptized! We started teaching him and passed him to the Elders! He is great and was an alcoholic that quit cold turkey! Pretty amazing! It was great to see how it is all about finding the one who will go get one who will go get one! Other than that I feel like I have learned so much this week.  I read a talk called “The Inconvenient Messiah” by Elder Holland and it was the best talk that I have ever read! It has changed the way I think about so much and has truly helped me in so many ways! I had been feeling a little sluggish lately... I didn’t really know why or how to fix it but I just felt like I was going to be a missionary forever.   I came across this talk that talks all about how it wasn’t easy for Christ so why would anything that is worth it -- be easy. He talks about how the road of easiness is the way of Satan and how much more we as disciples have to take the hard road more often than not. I often relate everything to myself and I realized-- if Heavenly Father just gave me everything or made my mission easy then it wouldn’t mean anything but if I learn true Christ- like humility then I will recognize that it is to my benefit to struggle and to have the hard road in front of me.  That is when I gain more knowledge about my Savior and His life therefore I put more trust in Him and gain a closer relationship! I truly love the talk and would recommend it to each of you! I know that we all go through hard trials and we have hard days or weeks or months and we wonder why it can’t just be easy or why Heavenly Father won’t just give us what we yearn for, wouldn’t that just be so convenient! But like Elder Holland says-- it wasn’t convenient for Christ or Joseph Smith so it won’t be convenient for us either.  When we do go through the inconvenience then that is when the greatest blessings are given! I love you all so much and I hope you have the best week! You are the best family!!  God be with you till we meet again! hahaha I know cheesy! But I love you all 

Love always Cass

July 14, 2014

Mom as for all of your questions.... hahaha  First off-- yes we are going to dinner with Rachelle and Charisse tonight.   We are going to a Mediterranean place down Franklin Street!! It should be fun Anyways as for the others-- I forgive you.  Don’t worry it actually was a strengthening experience... I felt a little sick for the first few days but then all the thoughts went through my head of what I would do and I realized that I would stay out here. I know that this is exactly where I need to be and I know that I have been called to do a work that is the most important work I could ever choose to do! I love being a missionary and yes there are a lot of hard days but I love them because every time there is a hard day there is always a blessing afterwards!  I also have learned a lot about relying on the Lord in times of trouble.  I came to a point this week of wondering what my own relationship with Heavenly Father is.  We ask people all the time but I never thought about my own so I have been studying a lot about my Heavenly Father and I have come to know that all I have to do each day-- is my best. One of the greatest parts of that is-- I am the only one who knows what my best is so yes I have to push myself.  When I keep going and try a little harder to be a little better each day, I am able to see and feel that my Heavenly Father is proud of me!!   Well I loved the pictures and the package!!! It all meant so much to me!!! Your vacation sounded and looked like so much fun and I wish I could come and watch the movies with you and relive it each family night!! hahaha But don’t worry-- there will be plenty of time for that!! Oh and you all look so old and pretty and skinny and good looking and I just made Sister East look at the pictures over and over again!! haha Well this week has been crazy as well because the Elders that are in Chapel Hill with us are great and we love them! They are so hard working and we all are trying to work close together! They give us referrals almost everyday and we start teaching them.  Then we have people baptized that are dating or related to someone who they can teach!   We often pass our investigators over to them! This week we have been trying to get them over into Joey’s house and they gave us a referral of a lady named Pam who is so great!! She just moved in and when she was moving to Chapel Hill-- the Elders in Wilmington ran into her and helped her pack her house up.  Then when she got here the Elders ran into her and helped her unpack only to later get the referral from the Wilmington Elders! haha So then they passed her to us and now she calls us all her God given servants of the Lord! We love her and she laughs like Kitty on “That 70s Show” so I have to hold back from laughing so hard every time she laughs!! hahah   Also this week we were privileged to have Elder Parker from the 70’s come to our ward! It was a little intimidating because he came up to us before Sacrament and said to Sister East and I, “I want to meet your investigators after church.”  I died a little inside because he is very Southern Baptist but a miracle happened and we had 5 people come to church!  The Elders had a couple as well! He met them all and talked to Vernetta afterwards and told her that she just signed up for the biggest job she has ever been given of doing missionary work! haha I think she died a little but with all these Baptist folks out here-- he really touched their hearts!! It was amazing to feel the Spirit that was there.   I hope that you always  know that I love you all so much and you mean the world to me!! I am so grateful to have such an amazing family!! I hope you have the best week!!

Love always Cass