Hey everyone!
I swear I was just emailing you... this was potentially the fastest week ever. Not a ton happened.. but I need you all to sit down because I have the COOLEST story ever. Really. Get prepared. I have been dying to tell you all week.
So let me start from the beginning. A few weeks ago we got a text from church headquarters giving us a referral. So it texted us a name and number for this girl named Faith. We called her and she is a student at Hiram College (it is a small college in my area) and she said she is in charge of a bible study and asked if we would come talk to them about our church and stuff. Obviously we were really excited because ya know that is exactly what we want to do. So we show up last Tuesday.. and it was a really small group, there were only 4 people.. but that is totally okay. So we met in this like old historic church upstairs and it was super cool. And we went around so that we could all introduce ourselves. This one girl (I actually can't remember her name right now and I actually want to die haha) but she says that she is majoring in political science, and I thought "Oh that's cool I am studying that too!" and so then it gets to my turn and I said that before my mission I did a year of school at a small private university in southern California and that I am double majoring in political science and communication studies.. and the girl gets all excited that we are studying the same thing and it was super cool and then she says "My dream school is in southern California. I am planning on transfering there next year" And I said "oh really what school?" and she said "Oh it's a small school no one here really knows about it." And I was like "Okay which one?" and she said "Chapman University." AND I DIED. I literally could not believe it. And so me and my companion both started freaking out and then we told her that's where I go and she started freaking out. It was the craziest thing of my entire life. Like out of all the schools in the world... she is going to transfer to Chapman to major in the same thing I am... and I just happened to be the missionary that came to do the Bible Study. All I can say is that is no coincidence. Oh and it was funny because part of the introducing ourselves we were supposed to say one way we have seen God in our lives this week.. and I was just like "RIGHT NOW" if that wasn't God who timed that out then I know nothing. Anyways so the girl was just honestly the most excited I have ever seen a person. She said we are "soul sisters" haha.
So then we got to spend the next hour talking about what we believe and they believe.. and it was no joke the most fun I have had in probably forever. I basically just got to share why I am a member of this church and all the cool experiences and blessings I have had. And we taught the first couple of lessons.. and they LOVED it. They were taking notes and they were so excited and after I would explain something they would say "I love that!!" and I have just never had people so excited to talk about religion and God and man it was literally a dream come true. They are all members of the Disciples of Christ church, so we got to learn a bit about that. So I guess in their religion they are pretty open to different interpretations of the Bible and basically each person just decides how they want to worship, which is interesting. But these kids are honestly SO COOL. I felt like I was hanging out with my friends talking about The Gospel.. and it was so fun. And then they asked if we would come back every week so they can keep learning more. And when I say "asked" I mean BEGGED.. like they really want us to come back. I told them they should be careful because once they tell us we can come back every week... we will... and we will probably never stop. haha not a lot on my mission has someone actually begged for us to come back. So we were just a little excited. At the end they said a prayer and she thanked Heavenly Father for "gracing us with these girl's presence" and I was like... woah. Never thought that would happen. And it was just so fun because I just got to be me and share my experiences and I feel like I learned so much and they learned a lot. Man it was so great. And they are super pumped to read the Book of Mormon!!
When we left me and my companion crossed the street and we heard them say "That was the coolest thing ever!!" they were all so excited. Basically it was the highlight of my entire mission. And I feel like that is why I am here in this area. And I am so excited for tomorrow I may actually die. But seriously how cool is this?
So that whole thing just made my life complete so I don't even know what else to share. Haha okay besides just that I had a really good week. Kirtland was super busy because it is spring break (even though it is in no way spring here because it is currently snowing) so we got to give quite a few tours! One guy is investigating the church and preparing to get baptized. He said that the missionaries had been stopping by his house for years and that they drove him crazy.. and finally he decided he would just listen and read the Book of Mormon.. and He said that when he prayed about it he knew it was true and now he is getting baptized. It was awesome! The Book of Mormon really does change people's lives and it is so cool to see that.
Had another great experience doing service.. HA. No it really was good because we got to help someone who really needed our help. It was just terrifying. It was at the same lady's house as last week. I was sweeping the floor and you do not even want to know what was on it. Trust me. There are some things I wish I could unsee. My companion did the dishes and it took TWO HOURS for her to do them all because there were that many. It took me a good hour to clean the stove because there was some unidentifiable substances that I swear were permanently glued on it. Also my companion found underwear in the sink. If that doesn't tell you how sketchy it was.. nothing will. By the time we were done I was ready to start myself on fire so that I could be properly sanitized. She invited us to stay for dinner to have cow liver.. and I had to politely decline because I would have died. I would no joke rather eat off of a dirt floor in a hut in Africa because it would be a million times more sanitary. But I am glad that we could help her because man that was just not safe haha.
Oh and I almost got eaten by a dog this week. We were visiting this lady named Patsy.. and she has this man killing dog.. and normally it is put away. And last time she told us to be careful because she said that it will hurt us if it is ever lose (why she has this creature I have no clue) but we get out of the car the other day.. and we walk up to the door.. and all of the sudden the dog is right there. So we start to back away slowly as it is growling at us.. then it starts barking and runs towards me (of course it runs at me...) so I ran to the car as fast as I could but I couldn't get it unlocked and somehow right as the dog hit my legs I jumped in the car and quite literally had to shut the door on the dog as it was trying to bite me. It was the scariest thing of my life and I still have not recovered. It was a serious blessing that I didn't get bitten. haha
Things are SO GOOD with the Smiths! I love them so much. They were so excited that neither of us got transferred. Their mom told me that Hunter (the little boy who is 8) prayed that we wouldn't get transferred. That is seriously the cutest thing of my entire life. And they came to church yesterday and loved it! It was so funny so after Sacrament meeting we went to help them find their primary class.. and Hunter said "I don't want to go." and I asked him why not and he said "I don't want them to sing to me." hahah he was so scared they were going to make him stand up and sing to him. Luckily that is an easy fear to get rid of. But they loved it and they are planning on getting baptized April 27th! I am so excited. It is just really fun to see the Gospel become a part of their family and feel the spirit in their home. I know this will bless their lives and I am so grateful I get to be part of it.
Gladys (the walking skeleton) started coughing up blood while we were visiting with her so she had to go to the emergency room.. it was slightly traumatizing.. and we still have no clue if she is okay. So yeah that was interesting.
My ward here is seriously the best. They are the nicest people and they take such good care of us missionaries. They feed us delicious food and are just some of the nicest people ever. It is starting to kinda feel like home here. Also they buy us Chipotle quite a bit so obviously they are pretty cool. There was a pie auction the other night and one guy bought a pie for over a hundred dollars and then practically gave the whole thing to us. That was, as Shirley would say, delightful.
Oh in other news me and my companion no longer have a gps and are going full maps to find our way around Ohio. We almost ended up in Cleveland once this week while trying to go to her doctors. haha. Other than that we are becoming professional. You should probably be impressed.
Other than that.. not too much happened this week. One solid quote from the nursing home:
Dorthy wheeled up to me and said "I want a new butt." and I said "What?" and she said "I want a new butt. This one hurts." it was a classic.
Overall it was an awesome week. Things couldn't be better! I love you all and I hope that you have a great spring break!
Love Cassidy
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