Aloha Family,
Thank you Mommy. I got my letter with my Patriarchal blessing too. I don't know how you knew what I'm going through, but that letter helped in so many ways. I needed that letter.
Yes, it is getting hot here. I'm happy to see Makana...also, everyone is going to be married by the time I come back. haha. See I told you guys, I'm not getting married...LoL :)
It's so funny. All my comps have seen my picture book and they all ask me if they can write my brothers. I just laugh. Then all the elders I'm serving with see my picture book and think that Helam or Ira is my boyfriend...haha. They always ask, "What is the story with him?" I say, " He is my brother." Lol :)
So yeah. I'm in Silverdale 6th for another transfer. Your 2nd transfer with your comp is when you become even closer. So Elder Pedersen is also staying and he has a baby (greeny). Elder Bond is changing to Spanish speaking in our mission. It's funny because he knows no Spanish but he took 2 years in junior high. In the MTC he felt he needed to buy a Spanish Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel. He did not know why because he had an English speaking mission. But he did get them. That's cool. ha.
Oh ya. I started this letter because I wanted to tell you my cool story that happened to us while tracting. Well a few days ago we tracted in Brownsville. We are still tracting in Brownsville. The homes are far from each other. So there is a lot os walking on the side of the road. We came to a side road/hill and there were about 6 homes...letting you know it was a very steep hill to walk. Well we always start at the farthest house first then walk back. So the first house, we knocked at had a very old couple in their 80s. We let us in... We were thinking, "okay, yes, we got one" and he wanted us to talk to his wife. They are very lonely old people who needed to talk to someone. She was not that interested at all. My comp was talking to her and I was talking to the man. He knew of some members while he was in the airforce. He told me so many cool stories. I think he would be a wonderful member. I got to talk about our message and he told us to stop by anytime. So long story short, we were there for a long time. As we were leaving, we go to the next house and there is this big dog that would not let us come up the road so we are like, okay, we will go to the next one then. As we get between that house and the next, a dog 3 times bigger charges at us and was barking. I could feel my heart drop as I do not take my eyes off of him. I wanted to run but I just could not run...only walk. The dog comes an arm's length away, full running at us, but as we said a prayer in our hearts, as soon as the dog gets an arm away from us, it was like we had a force field around us while we were walking.
The dog kept on running to us but it looked like we had a wall that he kept on running into. Then soon we could not see the dog. Somehow, he ended up into the bushes in a few seconds. We did not know at the time what happened. I looked at the time and it was right at 7PM and that is when tracting finishes. I know blessings come from finishing right on time. So we still had to walk about 5 minutes back to the car. I know the prayers work and the missionaries are protected. That is a cool story. I almost died from a dog. I still can see the face of that dog in my head and remember the feeling I had at that moment.
Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are afaithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith. Alma 44:4
Daisy Tangare came to transfer meeting to see me. She brought me flowers and she told me that they are going back to Hawaii. Her daugher, I was teaching hula to and helping her, she had to dance at school and she had a song that her dad was going to sing. But they told me that she changed and danced the song I was teaching her. That day I felt so loved. I even got to see the Coveys and I said Hi to Brother Covey and he was so happy to see me. We talked for a long time. I can't wait until I can take you to see them.
I talked to the sisters that are in Skyline and asked them about Jenn and Joe. The last few days I have been thinking about them at night. So on P-day, I wrote a late birthday card for Jenn and I bore my testimony and told her to never give up because I know she wants to go to the temple and I gave her a picture of the temple. I got to give it to the sisters there in Skyline. The sister in Skyline told me that everyone loves me and I'm known over there. She told me that Joe cannot stop talking about me. So I was so happy to hear that and it made my day.
The last few weeks I was going through a hard time; thinking I'm not a good missionary and that no one will remember me. I got the letter from you Mom. Then I went to transfer and felt so loved. I know as long as I work hard, I will be the missionary the Lord wants me to be. Thank you for all you do and I will love it if you both come to get me at the end of my mission.
The mission home is so funny :) as a missionary. We watch the movie, The Testaments, a lot. It's so funny. All the missionaries say that.
On P-day, I went mini golfing with my zone for 2 of the Elders birthday. It was so much fun and I got to know them a lot better. I found out I suck at miniature golf...LoL. In August, Presdient Weaver is having a not mandatory BBQ on one of our p-days because he cannot have any mandiotry meeting on our p-days. The way he said it, everyone is going to be there. There's going to be a talent show as a zone. I'm going to ask if I can dance a hula for the mission.
So fun fact, it was my 6 month mark so I got to burn my nylons. You will see in my next SD card. It was so much fun. Every 6 months you burn something else. It is a WA-TAC tradition.
So today is the 10th and after district meeting we all went to the family history center to learn how to use and teach how to start family history. That is going to be our finding idea as missionaries. We always did it but it was not organized and now that we have a good plan that I started off with in talking to other Elders about. We talked to president and we are going to try it out here in my zone in Silverdale. If it is good, everyone in the mission will do it this way. We are working so hard trying to find people to teach and we still have the highest rates of baptism in the state as a mission. Everyone wants to be a part of the WA-TAC and that is why our numbers are high in baptisms and they stay active.
It's always funny but sad at the same time. Some how I always make friends with the Elders that are leaving. Every transfer I always have to say bye to the Elders. But it's all good. I can't wait to see them all after the mission.
I love you to the heavens and back. And I miss you all too. How is everything? Is Ira at home still for the summer? So the kids still remember me? How's my room Ammon?
Sorry my letter is so jumpy. It's been taking 2 days to write it in my down time. I write what I keep forgetting to write in my emails. But ya, I'm in my old area. Skyline is also this transfer and there are Elders in our ward. It is so hard to serve with Elders in the same ward. Almost all the wards are having sisters and elders. That's at least 4 missionaries. Some time there are 5 or 6 in a ward.
I'm still in shock that Tori's getting married this month. She is younger than me! And Aubrey too. I did not even know they were dating. I know she liked him. But I'm so happy for them and also all the ones going on missions too. By the time I come back, all my friends from high school will be married or still on missions...haha:). Is there any more news that I do not know of???
FUN FACT! I'm not getting married. There is no hope...haha. by the time I come back everyone I know will be married. In my ward, Silverdale 6th, everyone has amazing stories about how they met. Like one convert was telling the Lord, "no, not this man." He told her over and over, "It's him." She said, "anyone but him." They could not stand each other. Well they have been married for 4 or 5 month now. This ward is filled with stories like they are meant for each other. So all of missionaries are like, We are never getting married! Lol. Well, I love you. <3.
Love always,
Sister Casey
Your Baby and Missionary
P.S. Mommy, if you want to read the Book of Mormon with me. I'm in Alma 44. And I read about 4 chapters a day. I thought it could be a mother/daughter thing or even a family thing if eveyone wants to read with me? I love you and miss you so much <3. Oh yeah. This transfer we had an Elder from Iraq. That's cool.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Letter #18: 06.08.13
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
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
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.
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