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Friday, October 10, 2014

Cassidy's Letter October 7, 2014

Hey!

Well... exciting news! For once in my life I am NOT GETTING TRANSFERRED! Neither is my companion! So we get to stay for another 6 weeks!  This is the first time in a trillion years that I don't have to pack and move. I am pumped.  Especially because we had the coolest experience this week!

So at the Gladys Knight event there was an option for people to fill out a referral card, which said they were interested in the missionaries bringing them a Gladys Knight CD, a Book of Mormon, and a dvd. And the other day we got one of the referrals and so we went and stopped by this lady named Angela. And she is SO COOL. She let us right in and we had the coolest discussion with her. Her and her 15 year old daughter loved the Gladys Knight fireside and are pretty interested in learning more. She is Catholic, but said she has always kind of wondered what was the full truth. She said she is excited to read the Book of Mormon! She is just super solid and it is a huge miracle. BUT the craziest thing was she was telling us about this lady that she works with, who was the one who invited her to the fireside. She  was describing her and telling us about how she can sing  and how she was tall and she said "Jenette is just one of the best people I know" and I could picture Jenette so perfectly in my head.. so I said "She really is one of the nicest people" and my companion looked at me like I was a lying crazy person and she said "Jenette is not in our ward we don't know her".. so I was weirded out because I swear I knew her. But I couldn't figure out how the heck I did.  So I asked Angela where exactly Jenette lives (because I was assuming she lived around Chardon) and she said "She lives pretty far away actually. She lives over in Avon"... which is in the LORAIN WARD. So... I know Angela's good friend from the time I was in Lorain! How crazy is that? I will tell you.. it is crazy. The odds that I was full proselyting there, then came back to Chardon, then met Angela.. who loves her... not a coincidence. It is really cool because I know that God had this all worked out. The spirit really testified to me that I am completely an instrument in God's hands right now and He is using me to help the people here... and that is the best feeling ever.  And now we are going to teach Angela! At the end of the lesson she said "Thank you so much for coming. I really am so glad you came." And multiple times she said she had "goosebumps" while we were talking... so she totally felt the spirit. And then her 7 year old daughter asked us to never leave... so at least someone thinks we are cool! Even if she is seven. Haha.

So that was the miracle of the week. Also can we just talk about how good General Conference was? I swear it gets better and better every single time. It was practically like Christmas.  I feel like I learned so much. It just makes me so grateful for modern revelation and for the fact that I know God loves us and gives us a living prophet. You can't watch conference and not feel that God is still speaking to us. Like don't even try to tell me they are making that stuff up. It is too good.  I really just loved learning how I can better live the Gospel. I especially loved how much they talked about loving, accepting, and helping others. Especially those who are different than us. I have gained even greater respect for people of different faiths while on my mission, and I know that Christ really just wants us to stop judging others so much and just love people.

And I'm glad I am a missionary right now so I can just focus completely on getting to serve and help others. I am kinda scared to going back to real life and being busy with school and all that stuff. Missionary life is just stress free and so rewarding. Like okay we are helping this huge family who just moved here.. they have a son we are teaching, and then a few members who are struggling with the Gospel... and teaching them is just so fulfilling. They have lived with the church and without.. and they can see the difference it makes in their lives, so they want it again. We had a really awesome lesson with them last week! We are meeting with them again tonight. I feel like one of the reasons I am here is to help their family.

I am trying to think of some of the funny things that happened this week.... I got bit by a dog while I was praying one day.  That was fun. And Fiona wasn't wearing pants when she opened her door so that was terrifying. Also I had one of the most awkward times ever.. so we stopped by these less-active members of the branch... and their young son opened the door and then ran away.. and the parents were in on the couch... but wouldn't stand up or acknowledge us... so we were just standing there in the doorway for what felt like 20 minutes... and finally I just asked if we could come in and then finally  the mom acknowledged our existence. We started talking to her and she said that a lot of the time the reason they don't come to church is because they have sports on Sunday... and she said "But it is okay because sports are really good for the kids. It teaches them a lot. So it is totally fine they don't go to church."... and first of all I was like... DO YOU HEAR yourself?? No offence... but WHAT. I didn't even know how to respond... I was like.... okay.... It was really interesting because we had just finished watching conference and so many people talked about how we have to set priorities and not put what is just "good" above what God wants us to do. I think it is so easy to justify things but all those small decisions make a huge difference. In the end a football game when you are 6 will not really change your life, but developing a relationship and testimony of Jesus Christ will be eternally beneficial. I mean people these days really don't think that God matters.. which is just depressing to me. I think being on a mission you get to see that the happiest people are those who put God and their family first in their lives. I have been in so many homes where people are always "busy" and involved in a billion things, and have all the material things they want.. but there isn't a feeling of real happiness in their home. I sound like I am being dramatic but it is so true. And It has really taught me that no matter what, the single most important thing is to live the Gospel. Sports, cars, clothes, trips, and all that can be good and fun.. but if you aren't living the Gospel than you won't truly be happy. And I am grateful that God has let me see that so I know how to be happy the rest of my life!

And that is all I have time for today! Sorry to be short and boring! We get to go to the Cleveland Art Museum today and I am so pumped. I hope you all have a good week! Thanks for the letters they always make my day.

I love you!

Love Cassidy

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