Let Us All Press On.....

My dear family and friends,

  Oh my goodness!  There is so much to share. I've learned through serving others that we are the Lord's hands, and just how much He needs each one of us to build His Kingdom upon the earth. 

As I have been blessed with many talents and abilities and used them out here during my mission, people will cry and say to me, " The Lord has answered my prayers". It brings the love of the Savior to both of us and our heart are knit together as one. I love being missionary so very much.

 

Trying to keep the rats out of flats here can be a challenge so I went and bought some wiring that they couldn't chew through and put it on all the windows of the sister's flat in Bikenebue.

Cleaning the chapel's with some of my new friends...

The members here haven't caught on to helping in this area just yet...

but I continue to invite them to come and help:)

Taxi driver! Someone always can use a ride...

This is Athy. She loves to come to my house and learn how to bake. My daughter, Maddison, sent me her recipe for Snicker Doodles. They were a hit!

After we bake, she takes them home to share with her family. She is so darling.  Her grandfather used to be the President of Kiribati. They are not members...yet. They are truly wonderful people that I will miss when I leave. 

A big thank you to the Mansell's and their friends for donating T-shirts to the Service Center here in Kiribati.

The employees are so proud to wear them and some have told me that it has opened the door for them to do missionary work.

"I'm a Mormon! I know it! I live it! I love it"
 

Yes we do!

In loving memory, Glenn and JoAnn Haws

 

I had no idea when they took me to the MTC that I would not be coming home to see them again. But the Lord has called both of them home to be with Him.  I am eternally grateful to them, for all the love and support to me and to my children.

 

My heart goes out to my best friend, Marci, who is their daughter. My life is better because of you and your parents. Just look at me now... a missionary! Who would have guessed it? Like the song goes, " It only takes a spark to get a fire going."  In tribute to your parents: I know that they have been the "spark" in many people's lives and most importantly in their family. Their endless service in missionary work continues on.

I will be leaving Glenn's book here in Kiribati, titled " Who And What Am I... Why Am I Here On This Earth? 

 You can order a copy at this link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/travis-glenn-haws/who-and-what-am-i-why-am-i-here-on-this-earth/paperback/product-21447976.html

Til next time!
Sister Cassita

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words....

Dearest family and friends,

   Sorry for my absence in writing to all of you but I assure that I have been much engaged in doing the work of the Lord and being refined. It has not always been easy, that's for sure but oh, so worth every blessing that I have received and the increase in learning. I would not trade what I have learned nor the experiences that I’ve had. I love you and miss you all!

Since it has been so long and there is much that I want to share, I will be posting mostly photos in my next couple of posts.  The Lord is Hastening His work in miraculous ways and I love that I’m serving my mission at this time and that I get to share it with all of you.

  I have learned that as I feed His sheep, my spirit is being healed. It is quite a miracle!  I love my Savior with all my heart. My eyes are filled with tears of gratitude and love as I write these words. I feel such a deep love for each of you and for your love, support and kindness to me while I’ve been serving.

Thank you!!!
Love, Sister Cassita

 

Pictures of the children coloring for their first time. My best friend Marci sent some crayons and coloring books and what a hit they were! The children colored in them all 4 days that I stayed with them. Thank you so much Marci!

Just heading out to clean the missionary flat. I love this island!

This is Nana fixing dinner, fish, rice, breadfruit and coconuts, Yum!

BEFORE:

                                       AFTER:

BEFORE:

                                    

                                     AFTER:

                               BEFORE:
                                                     AFTER:
 

                                 BEFORE:

                                       AFTER:

                            and AFTER...

These are two of my dear friends, Ntonga and Taraawa. They went with me to the outer island , Abaiang to clean a missionary flat where an elder used to live but now sisters will be moving there. The boat that we are on is called the Waa.

  Down on the main floor there are 4 large holding  spaces where supplies are put for transport.

 The Captain let us sit up on the roof, it was a spectacular view and plenty of sun.

 There were so many beautiful shades of blue as we traveled. On our way to the island we saw dolphins and two huge black and white sting rays just skimming the surface of the ocean, so amazing.

I'm sitting on a beautiful kia that was a gift given to me by the village, all hand made from Pandana leaves.

 This was a view from the top of the Waa as we were approaching the island. 

 Beebe's hut and two of her children and Kiribati pancakes for breakfast, Yum!!

A Little History

Dear Family and Friends,

 
I thought I would do a post on a  little history for you. 

The Republic of Kiribati straddles both the Equator and the 180th meridian.   It's 33 Atolls and islands all cluster about the Equator, 12 to the north and 21 to the south.

In 1788 Captain Thomas Gilbert of the British vessel Charlotte passed through what is today known as Kiribati,(where I am at)  accompanied by the HMS Scarborough under the command of Captain John Marshall. Thus the two group of Islands, " Gilbert Islands" and the " Marshall Islands"  Have been named after these two men.  They were the first Europeans to see the islands that had previously been known as collectively by the indigenous name " Tungaru". The Gilbert Islands became part of the British Crown colony and in 1979 the Republic of Kiribati gained it's Independence.

All the Atolls and Island are low-lying, only about 4 or 5 meters above sea level. The only high ground can be found up a palm tree. (I haven't mastered that one yet but I will…)

 

The Kiribati people are Micronesians with links to other Micronesian peoples to the north, and also influenced by their Polynesian neighbors to the south. The language is Kiribati. Just within the last year they began teaching it at the MTC in Provo, Utah.

At the start of the Second World War the population on Tarawa was approximately 30,000. It now estimated that there are over 90,000 people living on this tiny Atoll. Bairiki is the capitol. This is where the President of Kiribati lives and most of the government offices are located.

Betio is a much larger town and can be reached by a man-made causeway.  Betio is where the Wharf is located and all the shipments and cargo come in to port. This is the most populated area of the island. At the other end of the Atoll is Bonriki this is where the airport is located. 

I live in the town of Eita on the Moroni High School Campus.This is a church owned school and everyone wants to attend school here. There are 45 girls and 45 boys that live in the dorms; most of them coming from outer islands. The rest of the students live here in Kiribati. There's over 600 students that attend and there could easily be over a couple of thousand if there was room. The education the students receive here is the best on the island and most everyone here wants a good education.

 WW II

Two days after entering the war with their attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the Japanese captured the Gilbert Islands. The British had departed months earlier when it realized that Japanese occupation was imminent and thus began in 1941, the " Battle of Tarawa"  This was one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific war.  Many of the people suffered at the hands of the occupying forces, and the Japanese used the islanders as slave labor. Later the Americans recruited them and shipped them off to work on other islands in the Pacific.  

During the war some 750 Kiribati people lost their lives. 1900 Americans, 60 Tuvaluans, 5,670 Japanese and a handful of British, New Zealanders, Australians and other Europeans were killed. The estimated total reaches approximately 8,730.

There are still many remnants of war that can be seen and heard here. The large bomb shells are used as a bell for meal time. The locals will take a large metal spoon and pound on it. It can be heard from a long way off. But when the sound rings through the air you can see a lot of people and a whole lot of children go running. 

I have loved these people at first sight. I felt at home the minute I walked off the plane. They are so kind, loving and gentle. I am so humbled and honored to serve a mission for the Lord here in Kiribati. May we all hold on to peace and let go of any and all contention. I know firsthand just how difficult it is to surrender but as I have and will continue to repent and be refined, my heart is filled with the peace and the love of my Savior.

Love to all of you - my dearest family and friends,

Sister Cassita