October 20th. Great Blessings....

Kia Ora Family, How are things going over there is the US? We hear some pretty crazy things are happening with the government and national parks? So anyways, this week has been an interesting one. I hate that i switch so much about how much i love the work to not wanting to go out at all. I wish it would always stay the same about wanting to go out and talk with everyone and feel the love for them, but that is not always the case. It's alright though because yesterday was a great day. Casey came to church, and just so you know church is always a scary thing to bring an investigator too. It can either be really good or really bad. But in this case Casey loved it! The bishop and many other peopel came up to talk to her after sacrament and she instantly loved the bishop because he talked "ghetto"(as she calls it) too. He said "sweet as" and she felt that it was way cool because she says those terms. It was funny, he is also helping her find a new place to stay because she moved out of her moms house, contention... so hopefully she'll still be in our ward. The ward loved her and made her feel so welcome. The next best thing about church was that in sunday school the many teaching it, brother manukau, and he is mauri as well. He just stopped the lesson and told her everything about his conversion and how he had struggles with family and such but he knew it was true. He said it's hard, but it's worth it. He then connected mauri traditions with the church and she understood and connected with him and it was great! Apparently words in mauri are more meaningful than in english. then in relief society we were talking about what to do if our leaders make mistakes and lead us astray. What do we do? After many ladies said some things, the room started to feel dark, Casey raised her hand and said "if i ever have a problem with someone who is dark i just give them love, everyone can use a little love." Then she said, "although i don't know any of you's to well yet, its starting to feel a little dark in here but i love you's already". It was so cool! i loved it! And it totally lightened the mood and brought the spirit back. What investigator participates in church their first time? She's awesome:) she was so excited about church and everyone she met, she told us afterwards that before she wasn't so sure about baptism but now she wants to be baptized asap! ha it was so cool! Also, this week we were teaching casey and before we started the lesson she said 'hold up i have something for you two before we start". She gave us little black bags that had necklaces in them. These necklaces you don't buy for yourself, it has to be given to you by someone. she said "though this may be small, it means a lot. so just like what you are doing for me may be something small for you, it really is a big deal and means a lot to me. You girls are awesome!" It was so special and tender moment. That is exactly how i feel about the necklace. though it may be a small gift from her to us, it means the world to me. I will never forget her and these memories. The stone she gave us have a meaning and what it said before that's what i means. They have a mauri 'poem" kind of thing that goes along with them. but this necklace is so special to me. i never wear necklaces but i wear this everyday now. i just love casey. So glad that we met her and were able to teach her. I love seeing the gospel change lives. i honestly can't remember much of what else has happened this week. We are singing this next week in the sister conference for our mission, i'll see if i can't get a clip of it sent to you. It'll be too big to send in email but we'll figure something out.. i know you'd love to hear it. It's been fun practicing it through out the week. I'm evening trying to learn it to play and accompany someone too. That's my goal for the future, play the piano well enough to accompany someone. Something i learned this week is found all over the scriptures. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you, seek and ye shall find. If you turn to D&C 103:31 it says that and then that men do not always do my will. Its Gods will that we seek and find. laman and lemuel never did, therefore they were confounded and found unwise and fell astray. We are wise when we study the sctipures. In Alma 30 it talks of korihor and how he persuades many of his teaching but the ones he didn't persuade were people who were wise, they knew God and them kept reading and praying. The basics are so simple, yet, people have such a hard time doing them. Always do the basics. For it is the will of God and will make us wise and we will not fall astray. I love you all and i know the church is true. This is Jesus Christs very church once again on the earth. And we are members of it, how cool is that? So cool! Goal for this week: read and pray everyday! doing these things are so important. It gives you the spirit, guides you in your daily lives, helps you to be more happy and handle struggles and trials with a sense of happiness and ease. Yes we will still have problems but the way we handle them will be more positive and we will feel helped and comforted. We may not be helped in the way we think we need, but we are ALWAYS helped. it also helps us with major and minor decisions. Please do it and you'll notice a difference and won't want to stop. You'll long for it, the days you do miss. Love ya heaps, Sister Bird

Casey and her brother