Hermana Cassie Joan Gray: A Week of Blessings

Hello family and friends!

As I am sure many of you who are reading this email know that my grandpa Gray passed away this last week. . . it was a bit of hard news to take, more shocking than anything, not what I was expecting to hear but in the end it is better that he is in the spirit world.

With his death I had a lot of time to reflect on many things. . especially the plan of salvation and the truthfulness of eternal families. I was reading over a talk in general conference given from President Uchtdorf and I would like to share a little of what he said with all of you, "Often our grief is caused by what seems to be an ending. Some are facing the end of a cherished relationship, such as the death of a loved on or estrangement from a family member. Others feel they are facing the end of hope--. . .

Sooner or later, I believe that all of us experience times when the very fabric of our world tears at the seams, leaving us feeling alone, frustrated, and adrift. It can happen to anyone. No one is immune.. .

Everyone's situation is different, and the details of each life are unique. Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious. WE CAN BE GRATEFUL!"

As I read that part of his talk I was reflecting on my week and it really has been full of so many blessings and truly just magnificent miracles.

To start off! I had the chance to write my dad and grandpas for fathers day. . wow am I so grateful I had the chance to thank them for being such wonderful fathers! I also hope that all of you had a wonderful Father's Day yesterday! =)

This week I also had the chance to say goodbye to so many wonderful people in Newport News. I truly will miss all those I served with and am so grateful for the change the made in my life. I have such a deep love for all those I served there and am so grateful for their examples to me. =)

We had a really neat experience happen. .

We were going to say goodbye to Jesus, Miriam and Natasha and share a message. . and our message we hoped to share was on Missionary work. And how members sometimes don't understand that missionary work isn't necessarily sitting down your friends and teaching them the whole message of the Restoration but you can be a missionary by doing small things, like inviting them to FHE or inviting them to join with you in a prayer before you leave somewhere, etc. So we pull up to their home, we say our prayer, as we are walking in Miriam and Natasha are outside with their neighbor and her daughter. And Miriam invites her really great friend in to hear the lesson! Wow, yes, we didn't need to teach them about missionary work. . we just needed to be missionaries there so we could share a message. We decided that we would watch finding faith in Christ with them. And that maybe her friend would have some interest in the message. It was amazing to see her friend be so absorbed by the movie. . to feel the love the savior had for her. Her daughter is two and was running around, playing loudly. . but she didn't care. She was so focused on our message. It was really neat. The spirit was SO strong. And they had a follow up appointment with her Saturday. . So hopefully that went well!

The days leading up to transfers were crazy and hectic, but fun at the same time. It was fun to say goodbye to everyone but sad too.

Transfer day came and now I am here! I am currently serving in Norfolk, and we are just having so much fun together! =) Hermana Sahleen is my companion and she is a HOOT! We are too fun! We just have laughed so much already, this transfer will FLY! We actually won't be serving in Norfolk for too much longer, we will be switching areas with the elders in our district starting next Monday. we all decided it was for the better and so I will actually switch areas again next week, not apartments or anything. just areas. =)

I was a little taken a back when I got here. It is a lot different than when what I was expecting. There are a LOT more houses here. which is nice. I actually taught a lesson this week in a HOME! WEIRD! But it was good. =) the apartment we live in isn't as nice as the one in the news but it is fine. It is just a little older and a little more work needs to be done for it. They actually aren't going to resign the lease for this apartment when it is up because they are going to move us somewhere better. . cause it is a little ghetto. . I dont' think it is up for a while though.

I am loving the new area though! it is super pretty and right next to the Ocean! And the bay. . I think! =) I will actually be serving next week on the ocean area. . so that will be gorgeous! I heard there is a lot more activities to do around here for P-day so we are going to be adventuresome! Next week I think we might hit up the zoo, and there are some cool parks, and museums here too! so I am excited for that! =)

Well. . I will now share what I consider to be the biggest blessings and miracles of the week. .

Before I left the News we had went to the church with the other hermanas so Hermana Johnson could get a blessing. as we were there I felt like I should get a blessing. . So I did! It was a really wonderful and beautiful blessing. . full of many promises. But in one part I thought it was a little interesting. . it said a little about how I would face some distractions pretty quickly in my future and that it would be hard for me but that I would be able to focus on the work. So in my head I am thinking what in the world is going to happen. .haha. But I think a little of that was Grandpa's death. So that was neat that I had a little of a forewarning.

As some of you know, aka family, that when dad called I was actually in a district meeting with President baker there.

That morning we were at the church and the elders frantically told us right before the meeting that president and sister baker were coming to the meeting. . they werent' supposed to be there that morning. It was unplanned. So as I am giving my INCREDIBLE white handbook training. . (okay it wasn't all that great), President Baker stands up and walks out. . So I am like oh goodness.. . I just made him walk out. . okay really I was just thinking that he probably had an emergency.

After the meeting he comes up to me and says, "Hermana gray don't leave I need to talk to you" . . AHHH!!! So he takes me into a little classroom and he sits me down. . "don't worry you aren't in trouble"

When I stepped out of district meeting I was answering a call/text from the mission office. Your father called the mission office this morning to inform me that your grandpa gray passed away this morning. .

So he goes on to tell me a bunch of stuff. And he just was going on and on. Of course I am crying. haha. which was good. But he was hilarious. He was telling me how neat it is that we know the plan of salvation and that right now would be a unique time for me on my mission. Which is so true. =)

He told me that my grandpa was doing the same work as I am doing right now. He than asked me if I wanted a blessing. Which I said yes. So I received a blessing from my mission president and it was neat, at the beginning he told me he was standing proxy for my dad so that was really neat. But it was just such a comforting blessing and I really felt Heavenly Fathers love for me and my family at this time.

I just know how true the plan of salvation is. . families are forever! I am so grateful for that in my life.

I also had a neat thing happen. . that morning as a mission we had been reading in Alma 11:42-44 all about temporal death and the resurrection! Oh goodness! Heavenly Father truly knows each and everyone of us.

I love you all so much! I love Grandpa too and am so happy for him, that he is in a better place. As all of you gather this week to say your goodbyes, know that I will be there in spirit, that I love all of you so much. We are a Forever Family! =)

I will leave you with a little laugh, a little of my true personality, =)

An embarrassing moment of course! ;)

So President asks me before transfer meeting if I would be willing to say the closing prayer, than he jokingly says "in English" after... So during the meeting he than calls on me to ROLE PLAY in front of everyone! So Hermana newman and I are up there and I am supposed to extend the baptismal invitation. . . (in English. . I have yet to do that on my mission. . so I am struggling trying to translate it in my head from Spanish to English) So I say "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone possessing the priesthood authority of God?". . Possessing?!?! Oh goodness. . then it gets better. .

During the closing prayer I am just saying this wonderful prayer in English and then all of a sudden there is a pause and I take a breath (natural don't worry) so I continue and say "y que. . . (and I realize I just spoke Spanish. . so I try to fix it so than I say. .) y that." yes. . I about lost it during the prayer.. luckily I finished than laughed but EVERYONE was laughing. . it was a pretty great moment. Definitely embarrassing! =)
Well, I hope I left you with a laugh and that you all get as much joy from my emails as I do from you! Know that I love and miss you all very much! I love you and will be there with you on Friday for sure. Give dad a hug for me. and grandma.

Love you,

Hermana Gray

I'll have more pictures of my new area up next week!