Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Endure to the end:)

Dear Family and Friends,
Before I start I have to say...
I'M COMING HOME!!!!!!

I fly in to Salt Lake City on August 14th. It will have been 22 months since I left, so needless to say, I'm SO EXCITED!!!!

Now to catch you up... I'm not sure where to start,  so here goes. A lot has happened since my last post so I will do my best to bring you up to date but It will mostly be through photos.

 
I got to help my friend Taraia start the foundation for her kitchen floor.


                        We had a great time.
My arms are much stronger now after carrying about 80 center blocks.
 So much of what goes on here in Kiribati makes me feel like I am in the garden of Eden. This little puppy and baby pig played together for a long time, they were just darling.

Oh how I love the children!  These are just a few of them that come nearly every day to visit and to get a piece of candy. Once in while I will have a project for them to help me with.  This project was at the front of my house, it was full of weeds.

                      Many hands make light work.
                  I was so grateful for all their help.

We had a wonderful spiritual feast at our last Zone Conference with Elder and Sister Hamula; his wife is so awesome! He was the Area President for the South Pacific but has since been transferred and now we have Elder Pearson. He spoke at one of our Stake Conferences a few years back. 

The night before their departure there was a big celebration held in their honor. It was very entertaining and a spirit of joy was in the air.
 

The former president of Kiribati, President Tito, took the senior missionaries on a tour of Parliament.
His granddaughter is Athy, the young girl that comes to my home for baking lessons, that I spoke about in an earlier post. They are the most humble and kind family. I shall greatly miss them. I even got to sit in the chair of the speaker of the house. 


The people of Kiribati were so blessed to have Dr. Chisholm return for the 8th time.
His daughter Riana Chisholm Jasperson and the rest of the crew worked long hours and blessed the lives of so many through their endless service. We held a senior missionary dinner with them at my home
and then there was a big thank you and departure celebration held for them.

I had a wonderful time at girls camp with the Eita Ward.
They loved learning camp songs. It was the first time for them; they had never heard any of them before. They can harmonize so beautifully.

 I will close with my testimony that I know God lives and that He sent His son to atone for our sins, all because of Love. I see and know that the Lord is hastening His work and it is truly been humbling to be serving a full time mission during this time.  I love my
Savior, Jesus Christ.

If you are struggling at all, I promise you, that you will find peace and answers to prayers in the Book of Mormon and the other scriptures. I love all of you, my dear brothers and sisters. May Heavenly Father continue to watch over you and bless you with His love.

Love,
Sister Cassita