Aloha my Ohana,
How is everyone doing? Tell all the kids how much I love them so much and miss them. There is not a day that goes by, well a night that does not go by that I do not think of them every night I think of you all and pray for everyone of you by name. This letter I'm starting now, but I know I'm going to add on it.
Silverdale 6th...Silverdale 6th. I love it already here. The ward is so great. They love the missionaries so much and they feed us so well. Sister Gravers is a lady in our ward and she buys our food every week. If we don't give her our list on Monday we will get scoldings from her and if she somehow finds out we bought milk or something she will get mad that we did not tell her. She is the best. I love my WML (ward mission leader) Bro. Barney. The Barney family is also the best. He does his job well. I know I'm here in Silverdale for a reason. I know I'm working a lot harder. The numbers in Silverdale are a lot harder then in Tacoma. I'm becoming a better missionary from being here. I'm fasting and praying a lot more to get better numbers. We are tracting a lot more, everyday 4-8 most of the time, when we are only asked to go knocking 5-7 everyday. But we want to find new people and to have a teaching pool...So we go out 4-8 a lot. But I know from us fasting on Friday, and on fast Sunday we got blessings from it. On the 3 June Monday, the day after we fasted, we found Andrew. Well so first off, Monday is our p-day so we only tract one hour. Because our p-day is to 6, so we are now asked to knock that last one hour. Before, we never tracted on Mondays. We called it member Mondays. We will do FHE.
Well so on Monday, we were finding on Haul Lane. It's all the back roads and the sketchy places or the places we would not want to tract in the dark times, like winter, so we are doing it in the summer with the light from the sun. So it will be the pix the we are walking on a back road with trees on both sides that is the place. So yeah, back to the story, we are walking down a road then both of us, me and my comp, get a feeling to not go on and to turn around. And there was a guy further back but following us in a place that the homes are far from each other. SO we are walking back and not going to knok down there and as we are passing this guy, I say hi to him and told him we are going around talking about Jesus Christ. I asked him, "Do you know Jesus." He says yes, but does not go to church. Well long story short, we give him a background of the Book of Mormon and give him a one. Then we set up a Church Tour for Sunday. We gave him Homework to read and before we leave to close with a prayer. So we prayed in the middle of the dirt road and then kept on walking. He was the reason we got that feeling to go back and talk to him. Oh yeah, then I almost stepped on a snake and I took a pix of it. I know that is from our fasting two weeks before. I got to love the way the lord works.
Today was my 2nd zone conference. And we are getting ready for our mission tour it is on the 19th of June. Elder Piper and his wife is coming to our mission for the tour. I can't wait to see him and what he has planned for us. It was nice to see some of my missionary friends back from Tacoma mission like the APs and office Elders. They were in my old district and again tonight I saw another snake so I took a pix of it too...haha.
Alma 5. That is my personal study today and D&C 3:9-11. Elder Peterson told us that scripture at our LARC lesson today.
Today is Saturday, 8th, and we have planned a lot of service today...that was one of the things we fasted for. And on an investigators farm, we are going to work and after. Yesterday we knocked on a mans house on twilight. He was not interested but we works with members. He said real member and not so much real members. We asked if we can do any service for him and he told us we can help build a play house for his girls that they started on. So we are making a play house. It's going to be a nice one. Before we fasted in my first week here, we had no one to teach, no appointments. Because the day before transfer Silverdale dropped 4 investigators or they dropped us. So we would have no set appointments. That was one of the reasons we fasted. Out planner for this week has been booked from 11-9. The power of prayer and fasting works. We are trying to get a baptism this month. Well this month is supposed to be baptism month and president asked every companionship to get a baptism this month of June. So we are working hard.
I found out yesterday that the twins that me and Fadin were teaching is getting baptized this month. They were tought by 2 companioships before me and we all had to wait for the court order to go through adoption. So it finally went through. I love those girls so much. They were ready to be baptized from day one. I'm happy they are getting baptized even when I can't be there with them.
Today, Saturday, we did a lot of service. We help out on a farm and planted things for Larry. He is someone the missionaries knocked into. And I knocked into another Larry yesterday and he is making a play house and we offered to help. So I help put the walls up. I put the windows in and we started on the roof. We got invites back again for dinner next time we come to help him. And he would cook us whatever we wanted like steak. Saturday was a good day of service for us. We are fasting again this Sunday for baptisms.
Mommy remembers the name from the Book of Mormon that you guys were going to name me instead of Kawehi? Was it Abish? I just wanted to know. I thought that it was Abish, but I could be wrong. I just gor the letters from the kids today. I loved it.
I can't believe that on Sunday is my 5-month-mark, almost 6 months already. one-third of my mission is finished :(. It does go by so fast. I feel like I just got here last week...haha. My mission is the best thing that happened to me. I met so many people that I could not have met if I never went on my mission; from the ward, families I teach, missionaries, missionaries that just went home. Everyday I learn something new...And trying to be a better missionary. One of my now good friends, Elder Price, went home last tranfer. he told me everyday is a new day and make it a better day today then yesterday. Always work hard and the lord is with you every step of the way. Now he is trying to get me to go Utah for school at BYU. I have seen my testimony grow within the last 3 years since the fire. The lord would not give me too much that I can't handle, so I know I can do it!
How is the temple? I wish we could go to the temple more. I love the temple so much. And now I have so many questions for you. I guess not until I come back home to go to the temple again with you guys. I'm still working on my wish to have al my brothers and sister in laws in the temple when I go again for myself. I can't wait for that day to be with all my family.
Make sure you are showing the pix of me to the kids so they do not forget me. I hope they do not forget me. I love them so much.
One of our investigators, Irene, is 84 we think. she does not remember her age but I think she is older. Well we are teaching her and she had dinentia. We have been fasting that she will remember the things we teach so she can get baptized. President told the sisters to just love her and keep teaching her, if we are preparing her for this life or in the after life. But we were prompted to promise her that she will start to remember and now she is starting to remember to pray and the more part of the lesson when we review it with her. She's like, "I know that." We are so happy that she is remembering. It's just a cool story. I thought you guys would like to know.
Love always, with love and aloha,
your missionary
Sister Casey
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Letter #17: 05.28.13
Aloha my Ohana,
So today is transfers and on last saturday i got the transfer call and im being transfered to Silverdale 6th. im sad that im going but im staying in the WA-TAC and that im so happy about but it is so sad to say bye to a lot of missionaries that is going to move to the new mission. so ya i'm again a follow up trainer (step mom) everyone tells me that it s very pretty there and a lot of trees and water. bishop had me bear my testimony on sunday and i cryed a little and on monday we had a ward activity the fun run at point defiance park. we ran the 5 miles and ate after so i also got to say bye to them. it was sad to say bye to jennifer and joe and the kids but i told them to let me know when their baptismal then i will try to come. joe was very sad and still is he said they will visit me in silverdale some time. "I will go were The Lord wants me to go" everyone in my ward told me that to take my aloha and smile there and there will be somone there that i need to help there. they also told me that there will be a lot of locals or people that lived in hawaii for some time there.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Letter #16: 4.01.13
Aloha Ohana,
How is everyone doing? I love you guys and miss you guys so much. So the Saturday hula classes are doing well. Tell Aunty Kella about my hula class every week. I think I'm going to just miss the Tahitian thing right before I come home. So it is becoming so beautiful here in Tacoma...more so Skyline...haha. Just cause I'm going to be here...LoL :). I started to cry when I was reading Mommy and papa's email to me this week. So I was little home sick. So everyone got my mind off it and it was a nice sunny day so we went shopping at Roses and then went to a park to play football...I had so much fun. We so far went to this park/beach 2 times in a row for P-day. I have it on my SD card that I will be sending some time. Oh yeah, we also went Bodening (rock climbing). I also have videos of that too.
So Na'u is going to BYU-H. The Kamakaalas sent me a box last week and this week I got a card from grandma & pa.
So yeah, I have one baptism on general conference between the Sunday sessions and I'm going to the temple 2 times in April on the 5th and 12th. So we ran the Narrows bridge every morning and on Wednesday we are, as a zone, going to the church to play b-ball in the morning at 5:45 AM. We are trying to work with our ward. To make them a better missionary ward. Tacoma is the best mission our there. Last week as TA zone, we got 25 baptisms, just our zone. We do this March madness from the Weavers every week and this last one last week was a hard one for Easter but made me think a lot of what the Lord and my big brother, Jesus, do for me in my life. And I was thinking about that Jesus had to live every one of our lives here on earth to know what pain we do and what is happening. He lived this moment of my life. That is so cool. I also learned so many other things from just reading. It's in D&C, I forget the verse.
How are the kids doing? I love them so much. Tell them to draw me pix. Mommy, oh yeah, can you take some pix of my art work- well my good art work/paintings. Some of the Elders are asking me what type of art I do and want to see my work. Or try and send it on my email. Thank you! On Tuesday we are going to try and go see Brother Dede.
I have some funny songs that I'm listening to on my mission. It the only kind I can listen to. We have some about the WA-TAC that some missionaries did. So when I finish, you guys can listen to it. So if you come across any LDS artists for music I can listen to let me know cause the ones I have are getting old. So if like Helam can burn me some songs it can be any church songs or LDS artists. I want some local artists church songs if can. Thanks.
I love you guys so much <3. Thank you for everything you do Tell all my friends "Hi" for me :). Tell Na'u and Lucas "Hi." It's going to be about at least 3 1/2 years until I see them. Talk soon :)
Always with much love and Aloha,
Sister Casey
How is everyone doing? I love you guys and miss you guys so much. So the Saturday hula classes are doing well. Tell Aunty Kella about my hula class every week. I think I'm going to just miss the Tahitian thing right before I come home. So it is becoming so beautiful here in Tacoma...more so Skyline...haha. Just cause I'm going to be here...LoL :). I started to cry when I was reading Mommy and papa's email to me this week. So I was little home sick. So everyone got my mind off it and it was a nice sunny day so we went shopping at Roses and then went to a park to play football...I had so much fun. We so far went to this park/beach 2 times in a row for P-day. I have it on my SD card that I will be sending some time. Oh yeah, we also went Bodening (rock climbing). I also have videos of that too.
So Na'u is going to BYU-H. The Kamakaalas sent me a box last week and this week I got a card from grandma & pa.
So yeah, I have one baptism on general conference between the Sunday sessions and I'm going to the temple 2 times in April on the 5th and 12th. So we ran the Narrows bridge every morning and on Wednesday we are, as a zone, going to the church to play b-ball in the morning at 5:45 AM. We are trying to work with our ward. To make them a better missionary ward. Tacoma is the best mission our there. Last week as TA zone, we got 25 baptisms, just our zone. We do this March madness from the Weavers every week and this last one last week was a hard one for Easter but made me think a lot of what the Lord and my big brother, Jesus, do for me in my life. And I was thinking about that Jesus had to live every one of our lives here on earth to know what pain we do and what is happening. He lived this moment of my life. That is so cool. I also learned so many other things from just reading. It's in D&C, I forget the verse.
How are the kids doing? I love them so much. Tell them to draw me pix. Mommy, oh yeah, can you take some pix of my art work- well my good art work/paintings. Some of the Elders are asking me what type of art I do and want to see my work. Or try and send it on my email. Thank you! On Tuesday we are going to try and go see Brother Dede.
I have some funny songs that I'm listening to on my mission. It the only kind I can listen to. We have some about the WA-TAC that some missionaries did. So when I finish, you guys can listen to it. So if you come across any LDS artists for music I can listen to let me know cause the ones I have are getting old. So if like Helam can burn me some songs it can be any church songs or LDS artists. I want some local artists church songs if can. Thanks.
I love you guys so much <3. Thank you for everything you do Tell all my friends "Hi" for me :). Tell Na'u and Lucas "Hi." It's going to be about at least 3 1/2 years until I see them. Talk soon :)
Always with much love and Aloha,
Sister Casey
Letters #15: 3.09.13/3.25.13
Kawehi sent a letter home (3.09.13) that got ripped in the mail. So it was sent back and we asked her to rewrite it. We got one back from 3.25.13.
Aloha Family,
Iʻm going to try my very best to rewrite the letter cause I do not remember what I had put...lol.
I had to start writing my letter today before I forgot. So right now Iʻm at the sister training and Sheri Dew is speaking. As I was coming down to the conference with my comp, we sat down and a lady came and talked to us (I think I already emailed you about her so that is what the first page is about- meeting her). So the sister conference and the culture show were the same day. For the sister conference, we had to wake up at 5 Am to drive down there and it was 2 sessions. We got to meet Sheri Dew. Sister Weaver introduced us to her. Sister Dew wanted to meet all of us sister missionaries. There were 50 of us sisters there in her 2nd session. She was in our chapel and so she called all us us sister missionaries up on the stand. It was so cool to be seeing all of us missionaries coming up on both sides. A lot of women cried. In the first session she talked about testimony and how it is knowing and conversion is DOING. She says we all need to work on our conversion. And she also talked about as women in the church, what we do and how big of a part of the church we are.
She is very funny. She had all of us thinking about what the Lord has given us and people shared.
"When we keep our covenants it gives us the access to the power of the Lord."
"We all are learning our job, don't get mad, everyone is learning their job."
"The blessings are not only for the men, its also for the women of the church." -Pre. Fielding Smith
"There's no group of women more privileged then the women of our church."
Second session...She talked about how all of us have a chance to prepare a child for exaltation. I got to shake her hand too. Sheri Dew asked all of us this question: What is turning out harder than what you thought it would be? Everyone shared.
"We were designed, programmed for this time...We came now! We are living in a time that everything is restored."
She told us about President Hinckley and how his two biggest fears were losing his wife and getting cancer. Both had happened to him but he handled both very well and how he wanted to get through chemo when the doctors were going to do nothing because of his age...and he ended up living 2 more years. She has said to us that he did not want to go unless he knew that he did everything on Earth for the Lord. Pres. Hinckley prayed and asked Heavenly Father that when he dies he will know that he had done everything the Lord had planned for him on Earth. Even as much as he wanted to be with his wife again. And he knows that he did everything the Lord asked him to do. So I'm thinking about that story. For me on my mission, that before I "die" on my mission, as a missionary, I want to know that I did everything that the Lord has planned out for me to do. So I prayed and asked the same question as President Hinckley. So I will know as I come to the end of my mission in WA-TAC, I will know I did everything he has asked of me. HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THE LORD? Sheri Dew asked that question to us and if not go and ask. It was such a good conference.
The rest of my letter is on...we ran the Narrows bridge and/or we go to the Y or dance tahitian. But this past week we ran the Narrows bridge. I have to cook only some times because our ward is so good, we get fed everyday. Me and Sister Fa'oliu were told this is the hardest place in Tacoma because the ward is not as good. It's hard to do the work. Things don't happen in Skyline. All of the other missionaries also say the same thing...how bad it is. Even Sister Fa'oliu knows that too but we did not let it get to us and we love it here so much. We were even told of times about when they go finding at 5-7pm, sometimes the sisters get chased at gun point a couple of times, cause it is the ghetto and everyone is mean. None of that has happened yet to us. So far every door we have knocked had people who are so nice to us. Maybe it's because it's to big brown girls...lol. But the other missionaries can see the difference. Skyline has changed for good. When you have a good attitude it all works out. All the other missionaries that served in Skyline know of the bad things and let it get to them and that was the excuse for not having as many baptisms. Now our ward feeds us everyday. They help out so much. Most of the ones we are teaching are referrals from the ward. We put a good name to the Skyline ward and area. There are so many great people here. I love it <3.
So it's been very sunny today on our p-day. We are so lucky. So we went to a park and spent the whole time outside in the sun. It was so much fun. The hula class is doing so well. We should have more next week. So if you some fun songs for little girls to dance to, can you send some? So we can do some different songs.
We are teaching a family, Jennifer and Joe, Gaby, Maliky and baby Kalani. Joe is the boyfriend and the father of Kalani. Jennifer is a member but less active. We got her and the kids to come to church 2 times so we are working on Joe to get baptized. But its funny. Maliky is 7 yr and he has a crush on me...haha. This is just one of the families we are teaching.
I love you guys so much and miss you. Thank you for everything.
Always, with much love and aloha,
Sister Casey
Aloha Family,
Iʻm going to try my very best to rewrite the letter cause I do not remember what I had put...lol.
I had to start writing my letter today before I forgot. So right now Iʻm at the sister training and Sheri Dew is speaking. As I was coming down to the conference with my comp, we sat down and a lady came and talked to us (I think I already emailed you about her so that is what the first page is about- meeting her). So the sister conference and the culture show were the same day. For the sister conference, we had to wake up at 5 Am to drive down there and it was 2 sessions. We got to meet Sheri Dew. Sister Weaver introduced us to her. Sister Dew wanted to meet all of us sister missionaries. There were 50 of us sisters there in her 2nd session. She was in our chapel and so she called all us us sister missionaries up on the stand. It was so cool to be seeing all of us missionaries coming up on both sides. A lot of women cried. In the first session she talked about testimony and how it is knowing and conversion is DOING. She says we all need to work on our conversion. And she also talked about as women in the church, what we do and how big of a part of the church we are.
She is very funny. She had all of us thinking about what the Lord has given us and people shared.
"When we keep our covenants it gives us the access to the power of the Lord."
"We all are learning our job, don't get mad, everyone is learning their job."
"The blessings are not only for the men, its also for the women of the church." -Pre. Fielding Smith
"There's no group of women more privileged then the women of our church."
Second session...She talked about how all of us have a chance to prepare a child for exaltation. I got to shake her hand too. Sheri Dew asked all of us this question: What is turning out harder than what you thought it would be? Everyone shared.
"We were designed, programmed for this time...We came now! We are living in a time that everything is restored."
She told us about President Hinckley and how his two biggest fears were losing his wife and getting cancer. Both had happened to him but he handled both very well and how he wanted to get through chemo when the doctors were going to do nothing because of his age...and he ended up living 2 more years. She has said to us that he did not want to go unless he knew that he did everything on Earth for the Lord. Pres. Hinckley prayed and asked Heavenly Father that when he dies he will know that he had done everything the Lord had planned for him on Earth. Even as much as he wanted to be with his wife again. And he knows that he did everything the Lord asked him to do. So I'm thinking about that story. For me on my mission, that before I "die" on my mission, as a missionary, I want to know that I did everything that the Lord has planned out for me to do. So I prayed and asked the same question as President Hinckley. So I will know as I come to the end of my mission in WA-TAC, I will know I did everything he has asked of me. HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THE LORD? Sheri Dew asked that question to us and if not go and ask. It was such a good conference.
The rest of my letter is on...we ran the Narrows bridge and/or we go to the Y or dance tahitian. But this past week we ran the Narrows bridge. I have to cook only some times because our ward is so good, we get fed everyday. Me and Sister Fa'oliu were told this is the hardest place in Tacoma because the ward is not as good. It's hard to do the work. Things don't happen in Skyline. All of the other missionaries also say the same thing...how bad it is. Even Sister Fa'oliu knows that too but we did not let it get to us and we love it here so much. We were even told of times about when they go finding at 5-7pm, sometimes the sisters get chased at gun point a couple of times, cause it is the ghetto and everyone is mean. None of that has happened yet to us. So far every door we have knocked had people who are so nice to us. Maybe it's because it's to big brown girls...lol. But the other missionaries can see the difference. Skyline has changed for good. When you have a good attitude it all works out. All the other missionaries that served in Skyline know of the bad things and let it get to them and that was the excuse for not having as many baptisms. Now our ward feeds us everyday. They help out so much. Most of the ones we are teaching are referrals from the ward. We put a good name to the Skyline ward and area. There are so many great people here. I love it <3.
So it's been very sunny today on our p-day. We are so lucky. So we went to a park and spent the whole time outside in the sun. It was so much fun. The hula class is doing so well. We should have more next week. So if you some fun songs for little girls to dance to, can you send some? So we can do some different songs.
We are teaching a family, Jennifer and Joe, Gaby, Maliky and baby Kalani. Joe is the boyfriend and the father of Kalani. Jennifer is a member but less active. We got her and the kids to come to church 2 times so we are working on Joe to get baptized. But its funny. Maliky is 7 yr and he has a crush on me...haha. This is just one of the families we are teaching.
I love you guys so much and miss you. Thank you for everything.
Always, with much love and aloha,
Sister Casey
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