Happy conclusions from Cassandra

My mission has been one of the greatest blessings in my life...for some the Lord requires 18 months to 2 years; for me it was 11 months, and within those 11 months in Washington I was able to see the Lord's hand in so many ways. Whether it was helping people experience the power and love that comes from saying a prayer for the first time, entering the waters of baptism, going to the temple, listening and recognizing the Spirit, or trusting what the Lord tells them to do, to so much more.

I know that Heavenly Father has played a huge role in this adventure through the amazing times and the depressing ones, but if there's one thing I know, you will never regret serving the Lord. Although I am home now, that doesn't mean that my mission is over...there are people here, just like there were in Washington, in my case. For you, it's wherever you may be needed. You have gifts and talents that others may not, and you can be an answer to someone else's prayers, like I was so blessed to be. Never be ashamed to let your light shine and to follow the Lord and all that He prompts you to do.

---Cassandra on 4 December 2014

Matthew vs. the cows

Happy Thanksgiving! I am having a blast on my mission. I am loving it more and more every day! This past week I went herding bulls! It was a lot of fun!

---Matthew on 24 November 2014

    Look at how flat the northern Texas plains are!

Cassandra is home!

Cassandra finished her mission early and flew home from Seattle on October 21st. She had been living and working in her third area, in Renton. Ever since Anthony's death in May, she had been dealing with depression. The mission president and his wife were wonderful and made sure Cassandra got all the help she needed, including counseling and medication. But the medication had bad side-effects like headaches, and in the end they decided to give her a chance to recuperate at home.

 

We met her at the St. George Airport, and she was released from her mission by the stake president. She looks good and has been very positive about the whole experience.

Shortly after her arrival at home, Sherrena and Tonya and Cassandra made a trip to Yosemite National Park. They had a very nice time. Then Cassandra took a trip to visit a friend from her mission in Montana.

  

Cassandra was here for Thanksgiving and will be with us for Christmas as well, and then she is planning to move to a place near Billings, Montana.

So although she needed to rest from her missionary labors, Cassandra is feeling good and moving forward in a positive way. We are glad to have her around again.

How to explain these experiences?

I am doing really great! I am going to the temple this next week, so that's really exciting. I am learning so much on my mission! It helps me grow spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. Really helps me prepare for the future that lays ahead of us! But the work is hard to explain in any part of the world or area that you're in. I think about that every day almost. How can I explain this to my family and friends? It's like being in a complete different world that has no distractions, because there are no girls, no technology, no worldly things, and you are free of any addictions and distractions. So you can really focus on what really "matters most." I am very grateful for the Gospel and the atonement that Jesus Christ performed for me and everyone! I love being a missionary!

---Matthew on 20 October 2014


We had transfers this past week. Here we get an e-mail or a call if you're a district leader or zone leader on Monday and then on Wednesday for me. I did work in my area with another nearby missionary, and Elder Harker and his companion drove to where they were switching and we met up with our new companions a few hours after. I stayed in the same area, which is good. My new companion is Elder Foggin. He is from Canada. He is into hockey and hunting. He has been out for around 10 months, and we get along pretty well. He is Native American and is really awesome.

This week has been good. We were able to do some good finding, and we went through the area book and got a list of names that we are going to stop by this week. We have seen good things happen with a few of the people we met from the area book. Also we have been meeting with Vivian, one of our investigators. She knows that she needs to be baptized, but she is afraid to make that commitment and not be faithful, so there are some things we need to help her with. And we had another good lesson with Melinda, another investigator, which was good. Also we have been helping a less active member family, the Davises. Bro. Davis has 2 kids. He is around 22, and we have been working with him. He got into some bad habits in his past with the Word of Wisdom. He wants to stop, which is good. I have been doing pretty good. I just got a little sick these past few days, but nothing too bad that would stop us from doing the Lord's work.

---David on 20 October 2014

Temple neighbors and progressing investigators

I am loving my new area and my new companion! My companion is Elder Moore. He is the simplest man you will ever meet on this planet! My area is the smallest area in the mission, but there are a lot of people! I see the Lubbock Temple many times a week! In fact, when we have Elders Quorum in the stake center, we are only 30 feet away from the temple! So that's always a great reminder about everything on my mission! I am doing great! I love being a missionary! It's loads of fun and hard work!
---Matthew on 29 September 2014


I have been doing pretty good. The weather is starting to cool off here. This week we had some slower days and some great days. One of the investigators we are teaching has a desire to get baptized, which is great. There are some things we still need to work on, including the Word of Wisdom. He has a little trouble with alcohol. He is working on it. He doesn't want to be pushed into something or feel like he has to do something unless he chooses to himself, so he is progressing a little slower, but he has that desire, which is great. He is engaged to a member in our ward and is from Africa.

We also helped a recent convert and her family move out, the Stevenses. The husband is a member, and the wife and oldest daughter got baptized before I came out. We are going to be doing a lot of moving and yard work this week for one member, and the rest are people we have run into. The ward is great here. They are all nice and have been helpful. We are also working with another investigator, Melinda, who is 37 and has 2 kids. Her husband is from Brazil. I think she is pretty close to making that decision to be baptized, but we still need to help her grow a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon and help her with the Word of Wisdom. She drinks tea, coffee, and wine a few times a week. She has a hard time giving them up, but if we can help her find out for herself that the Book of Mormon is the true Word of God, then I believe she will have a stronger desire to keep the Word of Wisdom.

---David on 29 September 2014

Matthew transferred to Lubbock, Texas

Matthew was transferred in late September from the small towns of eastern New Mexico to an apartment that is a 15-minute walk from the Lubbock Temple. Our missionary addresses will always be updated in the address link in the right column of this blog.

Service among good people

I have been doing good this week. It has been cloudy and rained quite a bit here. Tuesday Elder Harker got sick. We think it was the flu, so we had to stay at our apartment for most of the day, but he is feeling better than he was, which is good, and I haven't caught it yet, other than a small sore throat. We were able to do more service than we have done. We helped Tony in our ward with his Eagle project. We laid mulch at an elementary school from 8 am to 11 am, than we had lunch and helped someone else in our ward move, and after that we were able to do yard work for one of our investigators, Melinda, which was good. With her husband from Brazil, she has two kids: 2 years old and 4 months old. Also I was able to have African food a few times with one of or other investigators, Melvin who is from Africa. It tasted good, but it's not my favorite, only because when they cook meat, they cook everything: bone, fat, skin, and something else that I think was cartilage. Also today we have a Labor Day picnic with our ward, which will be fun.

The best thing we were able to do this week was probably service. We were able to teach the Restoration to 2 people, which was good.

---David on 1 September 2014

Rough days are worth it

I am doing very well! I am about to hit my 3-month mark soon! And it has gone by like a bullet leaving a gun barrel! It's just gone by soooo fast! Some days are rough, but most days are well worth it, and I am glad I made the sacrifice and choice to serve, labor, and teach Heavenly Father's children and bring them back into the fold. They should have the same opportunity that I have to all the blessings Heavenly Father has given me!

The rough days can be boring, exhausting, frustrating, sad, and hard. Days like that can occur when we haven't had any success on one day, due to rejection and things like that. People aren't always the nicest in the world. But that's when the miracles come in and you knock on that one door or meet that one person who is ready to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how they can apply those teachings to their lives.

I know this church is true! I love Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ with all my heart! Thank you for all your support and love!

---Matthew on 8 September 2014


BTW, it looks like various bands of thunderstorms have passed by David in the Minneapolis area in recent weeks and the weather is cooling down. Currently raining there, and they're only expecting a high of 54 degrees today. Winter is coming in the North...

What should I become?

I am doing well! I finished my 1st transfer about 2 weeks ago. And I am still in Dexter, New Mexico for another transfer, until this one gets over on Sept. 23rd. So I have 3 more weeks of being trained, and after that I have the potential to become a regular missionary, trainer, District Leader, Zone Leader, or whatever the Lord wants me to become.
I had ward conference recently in my mission ward. And the stake presidency spoke along with the bishop. And every talk was related to missionary work. In this life and the next. A question the stake president asked:

"What does the Lord need me to be?"

So I asked myself that and prayed about it. And I am waiting for an answer, but my mission is helping me grow soo much! Thanks for all your love and support!
---Matthew on 25 August 2014

Mini-what??

Sorry, I couldn't help but share this...

Almost foreign

Oh, BTW...

Matthew is living 1:45 hours away from the Mexican border.
Cassandra is living 2:45 hours away from the Canadian border.
And David is living 5:15 hours away from the Canadian border
(and part of Canada is within his mission boundaries).

David's first area in the mission field

David has now been in his first assigned area in Minnesota since at least Thursday. He is living in the town of Rosemount, 30 minutes south of downtown Minneapolis, just a short distance south of Eagan, MN and southeast of the Minnesota Zoo. Rosemount is small, but the whole area between Minneapolis and Rosemount is filled with suburban neighborhoods.

He lives in the Eagan Ward in the Oakdale Stake. It looks like they drive 8 miles west to their meetinghouse. The Apple Valley and Burnsville Wards also meet there.

He only lives about 20 miles from the Wisconsin border, and most of his stake is in Wisconsin (see the included map of the stake boundaries). He lives about as far north as Yellowstone, but Cassandra lives further north. David and Cassandra are now about 1,700 miles from each other..

All three now in the mission field

I am doing pretty good. I will send some pictures to you next Monday. My companion is Elder Harker, and he is great. He is a little taller than me and is from Idaho. Thursday was the first real day of doing work out in the mission field. It was alright. We tracted, and I need to work on that, because I sometimes I don't know how to start a conversation or what questions to ask, but I am doing a little better, and I will get the hang of it in a few weeks. The people here are great. I am meeting all kinds of people here.

There are a lot of lakes here, there aren't really any mountains, and it is green here, a lot of trees. There are also a lot of different religions here, which makes it a little harder to get people to listen to you. The ward here is great. We had a dinner with a member family each night except on Mondays, and last night we had Indian food, which was good. We had this kind of rice with spinach sauce stuff with cottage cheese things in it and this other dish that is some kind of vegetable that they soak in spices and than deep fry, which was good, The family that fed us Indian food is from India, and they are in the ward that I am in, and there are a lot other cultures in Minnesota.

Right now there is one progressing investigator, and we are trying to find some more investigators. The weather isn't too bad here; the highest it got was high 80's, and it has rained a few times here with high humidity. They just had one of the holidays they celebrate here, Leopard-cons Day, which is like 4th of July, so at a lot of the houses we tracted, nobody answered, because they were either at the fair or didn't want to answer. Also this Sunday in Sacrament Meeting, they did something that I haven't seen before, but they don't do it that often. It was kind of like Fast Sunday, but instead of going up and bearing your testimony, you would pick your favorite hymn, then come up and say why you like it, then we would sing that song, which was good.

The longer I am out the more I am used to being out in the mission field.

I hope you have a great week  =)

---David on 28 July 2014

This past week has been full of experiences! I fasted for a full 24 hours, and I saw many miracles while fasting and praying. I gave a priesthood blessing for the first time. That was quite interesting, and I was nervous. But the Holy Ghost put words into my mouth that I didn't even know I was saying. God does talk to others through our own voices, if we are worthy and willing. My companion and I right now have a investigator who is preparing for baptism on August 9th. And she has much potential for preparing for that day. They don't celebrate Pioneer Day as a New Mexico state holiday. But at church there were a lot of talks regarding the pioneers and the sacrifices they made so we could have all the blessings we have today, such as the temple. 
And the amazing beauty of the buildings!

Days are long, but weeks are fast! Thanks for your love, and support!

---Matthew on 28 July 2014

My week was good. I was sick for a few days, but that's normal haha. Nothing too exciting happened this week other than Shelia coming to church, which was amazing, and my companion and I sang in Sacrament Meeting. That was terrifying, but fun at the same time. (I just hope that next time we don't get voluntold that we are singing.) Then we taught the Gospel Principles class, which was interesting, because it was a last minute thing haha. Other than that, not much  :D  Oh, and we had housing inspections and we got an A+++ so yay!

---Cassandra on 28 July 2014

People seeking peace in the Gospel

My mission is teaching me soo many things! I am starting to develop love for the people I serve. The mission is going by soo fast! The days are long, but the weeks are fast! I am teaching several people, and we have 2 baptismal dates. One person is Ann. She and her husband want to be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. But her husband is dying. So she has to be baptized first. But she wants to be baptized. She came to us as missionaries. That was a tender mercy, showing that Heavenly Father has prepared people to hear about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know this church is true with all my heart! I know that Heavenly Father loves us individually, and blesses families! I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I love my mission!
---Matthew on 21 July 2014


Courtney got baptized, and her husband was able to baptize her! Yay! Her in-laws came into town to be here for her, and they are from Utah. The downfall was during church their truck got stolen, and they had left everything in it! I can't believe some people! We're going over today to see if they were able to find the truck yet. Other than that, some old missionaries who went home including my last companion came back to visit, and it was awesome seeing them. Shelia (the one that we have been working with) and the Veetches surprised us by coming to church on Sunday. And Sister Murray's daughther came and is now living with her, which is awesome. She is so happy to have her family together, and I love working with them.  :D  Not much else other than the fact that transfers are in 2 weeks, and I know that either I will be getting a new companion or leaving the area. President told me himself haha, and my parents told me a few weeks ago haha. They are in close contact with the president haha.  :D

As for the spiritual experience we had soon after Anthony's passing, we were driving in an apartment complex and we saw this girl (our age) crying on the curb with a few suitcases. We drove past, but then we felt like we needed to go back and talk to her, so we parked and ran to her... She opened up and told us how her home life sucks and how her boyfriend just passed away... We hugged and I was able to share my experience of having lost Anthony not even a few weeks earlier and how I knew that we would be able to see them again. I testified of the Plan of Happiness, and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon and tell her that it was all going to work out, that she just needed to trust in the Lord and trust that the Book of Mormon could help. We were able to get contact info, and we've been able to see her a few times since then.  :D  I know I am where I am supposed to be, even if it is a challenge at times, but hey, the Lord cares about our growth and progression in becoming more like Him than He does about our 100% comfort  :D
---Cassandra on 21 July 2014

Never too late

Here's a happy story about the baptism of a 100-year-old woman in Tacoma, Washington (close to where Cassandra is currently serving)...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865607010/Never-too-old-100-year-old-woman-baptized-into-LDS-Church.html?s_cid=Email-4

It could be worse

Well, my cousin's daughter, Sis. Madysen Messer, reports from Japan that the typhoon crossed her island, but fortunately the rain and wind were not too bad where she lives.

Oh, and she caught one of her investigators rolling his own cigarettes with pages from the Book of Mormon! In her positive attitude, she says, "We will work with him."

So whatever your challenges are, remember it could be worse.

So proud of my niece and nephews for their positive and willing attitudes and for their vision of what the Gospel of Christ can do for people. May they continue to be blessed!   :-)

Three (or four) missionaries serving

I am doing very well! This past week was actually rather interesting. I got pooped on by a bird, our AC unit broke, and I gave a talk in church about sacrifice (since I am a missionary, I focused it about member missionaries). How you should be devoted and willing to sacrifice worldly things to build the kingdom of God.

My companion is from Ogden, Utah. He is 20 years old, and he has been on his mission for 1 year and a couple of months. He is very soft spoken, but when he speaks, his testimony is very powerful. Dexter is very small, but the people here are very respectful and kind. But very religious in whatever religion they are in. And it makes it tough to teach and to find people, because they are soooo firm in their faith that they aren't willing to listen.

I shared my testimony about the Plan of Salvation to some lady that grew up in the LDS faith until she was in the 8th Grade. I shared the experience about how Anthony had a special disorder that made him limited to things he could do on Earth. When he died, I explained to her that I was frustrated, mad, and sad at the same time. And I prayed to Heavenly Father about how He could take away such a special spirit. And I bore my testimony that families can be together forever. And how Anthony's spirit was there when I was sharing that experience.

In reality, in the Plan, we are the ones actually away from home! So let's live our lives the way the Savior would want us to. Let's be devoted and committed to being member missionaries and to bringing souls home to Heavenly Father, so He doesn't have to feel the pain that we feel about losing a very close loved one!

I know that everything happens in this life for a reason and purpose. So let's make the best of it with everything we have! Thanks for your support and love.

---Matthew on 14 July 2014

The first day at the MTC was hard, but things are getting better hour by hour.

---David's first message from the MTC on 15 July 2014

Everyone has a mission

I am loving, and struggling with my mission. The mission is the hardest thing I have ever done with my life! And each day goes by fast, but the days are long! But I am doing fine. And I am trying to stay positive in all I do. I am teaching some less-actives and investigators. I wanted to tell you to tell everyone that every person on Earth has a mission and should be bringing people closer to Christ at all times. I invite you to do that.

---Matthew on 7 July 2014

Blessings in all kinds of areas

Know that I am doing well. I am still staying in Federal Way with the same companion, and not much is new with me, other then the fact that 2 investigators that we have been working with really closely dropped us. But I am happy for this new week,  :D  and I love this area.  :D

Courtney is still committed for baptism on 7/19, and the ward is amazing.  :D  I know both Sis. Hills and I are here for a reason.  :D  You are always in my prayers, and I wish you nothing but the best. Stay safe, and have a stellar week.

---Cassandra on 30 June 2014

I am now in Dexter, New Mexico. And I love it here! Except the living conditions are not that great... There are bugs all over the house. And the water is unsafe to drink. I would also tell you that it's very hot down here in New Mexico. It's going to be around 110 in July! And it was 107 the other day! It breaks 100+ everyday!

I have started teaching people with new investigators. And I seem to connect with people very easily. I really feel the Lord is blessing my family back at home from my mission and my service.

---Matthew on 30 June 2014

Same ole blessings in Lakota Creek

It's crazy to think that Elder Young is out in the field and that my bro leaves in just a few weeks! How are you doing? Is there anything I can do to help you?

I am staying in Lakota Creek for another transfer, and I am staying with the same companion, Sister Hills.  :D  I really don't have much to report this week. Got a haircut, and we are talking to everyone, but other than that not much... Oh, this Saturday is a BBQ we are putting on, which should be a lot of fun.  :D  Anyway, know that you are always in my prayers and that I wish you nothing but the best.  :D

---Cassandra on 24 June 2014

Two missionaries serving

     Matthew with his MTC district in front of the Provo Temple in June 2014

I am loving the MTC, but it is probably the hardest thing I have done in my lifetime. Leaving behind family, friends, and of course all 16 of my girlfriends. I am serving with Elder La Fours (it's French). He is from Montana and is 19 years of age.

---Matthew on 13 June 2014

Courtney is still committed to be baptized on 7/5, and when we saw her last, she said she was going to quit coffee cold turkey, because she really wants this and she wants to be able to go to the temple and become a forever family. :D She is amazing! Other then that its just been inviting people to a BBQ that the ward is putting on and talking to everyone, which is still a huge struggle for me, but I promise miracles happen as you open your mouth and share what you know. :D

---Cassandra on 16 June 2014

Blessings bring positive attitude

An investigator named Courtney whose husband we are working with is less active, and she has 2 little girls and one on the way. She is amazing. Yesterday she brought her whole family, even her mother-in-law who was in town for the week, to church, and that was just so priceless. :D I am so psyched for her, and I know that this is something she truly wants and she is committed to baptism on July 5th.   :D  Ahh, we are just so happy for her.  :D   Other then that, the other big one was last Monday at Walmart we were talking to this cashier named Patsy, and she wanted us to come see her, which shocked all of us so we got her contact info. But she wasn't in our area, so the Zone Leaders are teaching her and she is committed to be baptized in July as well.  :D   I'm still working on talking more, and it's slowly getting better. It's still really hard for me, though. Most of the food here is pretty normal unless Sister Kauer (a member in the Lakota Creek Ward, where I serve) gets adventurous. (She creates some interesting concoctions or seafood that is just weird to me.) We are blessed to have a washer and dryer in our apartment which is really nice. All the apartments here do,  :D  but that doesn't mean it's the same everywhere. We get to go to the temple once a year, so depending on when we go, I might be able to get there twice before I go home.Have such a stellar week and be safe.  :D  Know that you and the whole family are always in my prayers.  :D  I wish you nothing but the best.  :D

---Cassandra on 9 June 2014

Great family support in all directions

I am just so grateful that we are part of this amazing family. Know that I am praying for you, too, and I wish you the best week. :D

Be safe and know that you are never alone. :D

---Cassandra on 2 June 2014

Intro to this blog

Dear friends and family!

The Cousins Serving blog is for the purpose of sharing the mission experiences of Sister Cassandra Swapp (in the Washington Federal Way Mission), Elder Matthew Young (in the Texas Lubbock Mission), and Elder David Swapp (in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission). Welcome to their blog, and feel free to comment (appropriately) and to leave your greetings on any of the posts.

Besides the posts and photos being shared, there are also some informational documents available on this blogsite (at the top of the right column) that keep us up to date with their addresses and current locations as well as offering maps, links, and other information about the areas where they are serving.

If anyone has anything to share or any suggestions to make for this blog, please send them to me at my e-mail address below.

Let's all support these dedicated missionaries for the Lord with encouraging messages and packages, and let's follow their example in being good disciples of Christ and in sharing our understanding of life's purposes with everyone around us.

God bless our missionaries and the people they serve!

Aloha,


Steve
SteveSGU@yahoo.com