Hermana Cassie Joan Gray: Life as a Missionary

Well, Family sounds like all is well!

Mom has been giving me an update on March Madness and I want all of you to know that if I were there right now I would be defending my title and you all would have no chance! But as I am not I wish the best for all of those who are in it. ;) And Diva Dearest. . .I am sorry Duke lost in the first round (at least that was the rumor at church. haha). ;)

Well. . . not a whole ton happened this week. We didn't have too much success finding investigators. We got a couple of referrals from English people (aka them pointing out where the Hispanics live) But we didn't have any success. They were all not home. So we will see. This week seems like it will be a lot of tracting and praying. haha. They seem to go hand in hand. Although we did have the chance to visit with a lot of the members because Hermana Nord was saying goodbye. So it was great.

Cute Jesus and Miriam and Natasha. . . where to begin with them?!?! Oh I just love their family so much. Miriam is so sad that Hermana Nord and I are no longer a companionship but she is so happy that I am here too. She is so cute and is like I want to be there throughout your life. . when you get married. . . have kids. .. all of it! She is the greatest. But they were so nice and took us to Plaza Azteca (a Mexican restaurant) to say goodbye to Hermana nord and then we had an FHE with them where Jesus gave an excellent message on Faith.

Then Wednesday night we went over there to share a message and say final goodbyes. Hermana Nord also gave Natasha a BOM that her little sisters seminary class had read and marked their favorite passages and stuff. And then chosen to send it to Natasha. =) So we gave them that and we all took the time to mark one of our favorite passages in it. And I cannot say how much it melts my heart to just see this cute family marking their favorite scriptures together. I just love it! =) Then not even joking I wanted to bawl (I didn't. . . shocker I know. . . but I was truly touched). They bought Hermana Nord and I Willow trees. Yes. . . willow trees. I know so cute. They bought us the surrounded by love one. Where the girl is holding flowers. They were telling us that they wanted us to know we are surrounded by their love always. They are just the greatest family ever. I was so truly touched by this gesture though. And cute Natasha bought two angels and she is like they are to remind me of the angels that found us. And she named them Hermana nord and gray. haha. She is adorable! I just love them.

Hermana Newman and I also had the chance to go and visit them yesterday evening. We shared a message with them about family history work and no joke they are so stellar. They were like this is incredible. They want to go to the temple so badly. It is so neat to see them progressing. I also asked them how they met and Jesus and his story of it just cracks me up. He was like well I was a welder and I worked outside in the street and she had to pass by me everyday to get to the market to buy tortillas and things for her uncles store/restaurant thing. So one day I decided to whistle at her and it was all down hill from there. ;) He cracks me up. He seriously is the greatest. They are adorable though. (I guarantee I say this about a hundred times each letter so I am sorry but I need to think of a different word to describe them!). haha.

We will be having an FHE with them tonight. The Hamilton's are having them over and wanted us to come too. So I am excited.

This week Abuelita also fed us early because she wanted to say goodbye to the Hermana's. So we go there and we are STUFFED already because the day before we had eaten tons of food at Plaza Azteca. So we are like oh no this is going to be bad. So all the hermanas are dying. . eating our food. Seriously Hermana Sahleen and Nord were just struggling (I can hold my own when it comes to food. . although I thought I wasn't going to be able to hold it in after). But Hermana Johnson and I are fine. Hna. Sahleen is plotting how to get rid of the rest of her soup (the appetizer) we are like just go flush it down the toilet while they are in the kitchen. haha. Anyways Hna. Sahleen ends up eating it. We all get our plates of food. And no joke they FORGOT to feed Hermana Sahleen. She lucked out. We were like HOW HERMANA?!?! It was hilarious though. I feel accomplished though because I ate it all real fast. The new hermanas (Newman and Camps) get to experience Abuelita right after emails because Hermana Torres has to work on Wednesday and today is her only day off to feed us. So they will be introduced to Abuelita early in life. =)

WEdnesday was SUPER busy visiting people. We tried to visit as many people as we could to say goodbye.

We went to say goodbye to Arelis and shared a good message with her. All about General Conference and we invited her to watch it with us at the church. It will be interesting. The last time we brought up living prophet she read all of Hebrews to us.haha. She didn't agree. But this past time she wasn't argumentative at all and actually was really interested. We will see if she will come and listen though!

Thursday came. . . and our new companions arrived. We went to the meeting at the church and did a switch a roo. It was really fun actually and it has been exciting introducing Hermana Newman to all of our members, and less actives, and "investigators". We are still struggling with finding people. This next week we will be seeing/knocking on lots of doors. So wish us luck! But it's been fun getting to know her better. She is from Utah also. Salem area. She is the 4th of 6 kids. She has had a crazy mission so far. Her stories make me want to cry (I may have. haha.). But she is so wonderful. She has a strong testimony of the gospel and is working so hard at becoming the missionary heavenly father wants of her. =) She is VERY obedient. haha. She was like can we call Angel in the car. (we were at our apartment complex and like 8:30 at night and were going to call angel to get his information because he moved. And I was like okay. .. and she was like I feel weird going back before nine even though we are just calling someone. So very obedient! She will teach me well. I will learn to be a rule follower for sure! =)

This week I also had a Bucket List moment checked off!!! haha. =)

I bought ice cream from an ice cream truck. . . well clarify. Valerio bought us ice cream from the ice cream truck but it was delicious. We were giving him a message outside his trailor and then we heard the ice cream man and we started talking about him. And he was like come on and he was saying we are buying ice cream. He is the greatest. Makes me laugh but he was determined. =)

The McCoys also took us to Pelican snow cone place. Oh man. . . family we are visiting it when we visit my mission (whoever wants to come is invited). But it was so grand. Has a delicious flavors. Over 100 different. I was in heaven, good ice too. =)

We also visited Ana Rivera this week. And she was SO HAPPY! She was enjoying us a little too much. She was telling Hermana Newman all about her life, and her conversion story. She was cute.

Another weird thing that happened this week was I had FOUR people tell me how much better my Spanish was. WHAT?!? haha. They were like Wow, when you first got here I couldn't understand you at all and now you can speak pretty well. I was thinking in my mind. . Yeah I still know nothing but thanks.haha. =) They are funny.

On Saturday we also had the chance to help the Muellers with packing. They are moving to texas soon. So we went and did some service over there. They are hilarious. Brother Mueller kind of reminds me of Nate and I think he is hilarious. He is always making funny comments. It was a good day. =)

Oh I almost forgot, we talked to a drunk guy. haha. Oh man so we leave this house (LA) and there is a guy outside and he starts talking to us while holding and drinking his beer. He had to have been drunk way before. So we are talking and then he is super embarrassed that he is drinking. But it was fine then Hermana Newman and I at the same time get this feeling to leave right then so we did. But it was such an intense feeling of the spirit. Heavenly Father truly protects his missionaries. =)

Well. . . not much else has happened. Just the adjusting to having a new companion which is going fine. A little harder in lessons because you don't know when they are going to jump in and things. . so we are adjusting. =) Hermana Camps (the one straight from the CCM) is so nice. She is fun. It is interesting to see the difference between those who come straight form the CCM and those in the field already. Hermana Camps is still a little closed off but that'll change quickly. I think it's weird that I was like that once. But now I am super open! =) haha.

I still have the feeling I am going to be Elder Calhoon to someone and when that day comes I will laugh real hard. =)

Well, Love you all! Hope you have an excellent week and enjoy the relief society (I guess not that anymore but you get what I mean) broadcast! I am so excited for conference! I hope you all are preparing now for it! =)

Love you!

Hermana Gray

This is totally breaking the rules. haha. my bad. But he was literally almost thrown into Hermana Nord's arms. So we broke the rules together. But he is adorable. This is Miriam's baby. =)