Week 11, 12, 13, 14 Where to Start?!!?!?!

My Dearest family and friends,
Oh how deeply I have come to love my Savior, Jesus Christ; and yes…” I need Him every hour.”
I pray, as I share my testimony, that your spirits will be inspired and uplifted.

   “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ”                      and 
“Lean not unto thine own understanding” 

“That they may see your good works and Glorify your 
Father which is in Heaven.” 

I am thrilled to have received another 
assignment!! I have been called to serve in 
another part of the Lord's vineyard. I will be 
serving in the Marshall Islands on the Atoll of 
Tarawa. 

If you are wondering what an Atoll is (like I did) it's smaller than an Island. When high tide comes in the Marshall Islands and Atolls are situated such that it creates a lagoon. The highest point of land on Tarawa is 10 feet. (I'm hoping that that measurement is at high tide!) I have always loved the Hymn "I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea". Every time I have sung it I longed for the time when I could go and Live It! And I am!
                     
                           I'm a Mormon

             


I know it!

 I live it!

                                             


I love it!

Sister Ann M. Dibbs shared this in her conference talk in October and I adopted it immediately and "lived it" in Cape Verde. When Sister McKnight and I would go out for our morning walk I always wore this t-shirt. (Thank you so much, Mansells) The greatest thing,was the stares that I would get from the Capevardians that can read English. They would read it out loud and then I would turn around and they'd read it out loud in Portuguese.

I want to send a huge THANK YOU! To all of you who helped out with the Starfish Project. With your generous donations Gracinda officially now owns her home free and clear and all of her past taxes were paid. So now that allows for any remodeling, repairs or work of any kind to be done. And as I will not be there to help facilitate this (getting a toilet put in her home), the Lord has opened another door for this to happen…which is perfect!

Gracinda not only has the safety of knowing that she owns her home free and clear, but she now has an even a greater gift…the home of her Heaven Father. Yes, Yes! Gracinda was baptized on January 26, 2013. So the other door God has opened, is her new ward family; her own people; and she will be the one (because of her humble heart in allowing others to serve her) to teach her people how to serve one another. I love you, my dearest Gracinda and oh how much I truly miss you and your children. I am so humbled to have been given the wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with you and so very happy for you. I know, if for no other reason than this one Starfish being saved, my mission here is complete.

I did not know until I received these pictures of her baptism, that 2 of her 3 older children, (Edu and Carla) were baptized with her! I feel confident that their mother's great example will have a profound influence on them and that Manuel (age 15) will soon follow them into the waters of baptism.


Oh, how I will miss the wonderful people here. Partings are so hard when they tug at my heart strings. I do, however, find comfort in knowing that I will see them again. I know that this church is true and by living its true teachings and keeping our sacred covenants we will all be together again someday. The missionaries in Cape Verde, Praia are great warriors in God's army. It made me feel special that I could help them with their illnesses, either through my skills, or that of the doctors there, or by Elder Swensen that served over me as the Area Medical Adviser  He was so wonderful to work with.

I know my Savior lives and that he loves each one of us. I know that there is no better work that I could be doing at this time right now than that of missionary work and saving souls. God wants all of His children back with him. I know that this church is true. I am so very grateful to have met and served my brothers and sisters in Cape Verde. God will be with you till we meet again. Oh how my heart longs to be with you again. This I know to be true. Stay close to Him, trust Him and He will feed you. I shall miss you all but our hearts are one.


I share this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
Sister Cassita

P.S. I will be sharing some of my adventures in Cape
Verde during the next few weeks until I arrive in the Marshall Islands.