Mother's Day 2022

I really enjoy Mother's Day. It isn't about getting gifts or people making dinner (although I do love that), but I happen to have a wonderful mother and I love BEING a mother. My kids are pretty awesome. 

Today was a really touching day for me. I got up and got to chat with my mom over Skype so it was a good start to the day. Daisy and Pearl made breakfast for me and who doesn't want a strawberry shake for  breakfast. It was delicious.

Ivory put up streamers for me that spelled Mom. I've never seen this before and I thought it was super creative. 

Church was great. The girls sang and Robyn played the piano and it was stunning. She did an amazing job! And then I left early to chat with my missionary. June sent a package and a letter that made me cry. She included a super adorable apron that I will wear often and think of her. 

I ended up cooking all the food today. I made bread in the afternoon and cake for FHE treat. I really don't mind cooking, so that was fine. And I always know that if I ask, others will help out. The cake was quite the project. It turned out fairly well, considering it included ice cream and cookies.

The family got me some gifts. Pearl always makes the cutest cards and I got a food processor. I've wanted one for ages. Bet you can't believe I didn't already have one, since I have plenty of kitchen gadgets.

Robyn often takes a Sunday Selfie. I love that she captures moments on Sunday. This one makes me smile. 

And really, in the end, these are the things that make Mother's Day all worth it. (June was kind enough to send a selfie for today too.)

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely women I know. You make the world brighter by being in it.

Cherry Photo Shoot

It is not uncommon for me to find personal photo shoots on the girls' phones. Some may call them selfies, but it isn't just one photo, but often dozens. After all, in the digital age, if you take one, might as well take ten. They are all cute, but they don't always make the blog. (Sorry my somewhat vain harem) But this shoot of Robyn last summer was so adorable with the reds and white. I always thought of it as the Cherry Photo shoot but when I looked closer, I realized, she is wearing Christmas ornament earrings. Haha. Oh well, they will still be cherries in my memory. Enjoy some cute pictures of Robyn from last summer.

Summer is just around the corner again. These pictures make me excited for warm days!

"You Have Been Cleared for Travel"

What an awesome week! We found two new people! One by facebook (it does actually happen) and one by service. We weeded for this cute lady named Pam and then asked her if she'd like to do a Bible study with us and she said yes!

We had a ward talent show this week and it was so much fun! Our ward is so awesome. There's one family who feeds us almost every week and are like my favorite people. They kinda remind me of my family. They did this rock band version of Head Shoulders Knees and Toes and it was so awesome! Dad on electric guitar, mom on bass, kids on drums, keyboard, and uke. When my family gets the band together it looks a little different but we've done similar stuff.

This family also made me laugh the hardest I have in a while when we had dinner with them last night and somehow got onto the topic of coconuts. How many deaths do you think are caused by coconuts every year?

There was also a kid at the talent show who played the accordion and it was awesome! I don't think I've ever actually seen someone play the accordion. And he was really good!

We contacted a ton of people this week. We're trying to make it through contacting every person listed in our area book before the transfer ends in two weeks.

We also did a split with the STLs this week! Normally that means one companion goes with one of the Sister Training Leaders and the other one goes with the other STL. Since there's three of us, Sister Adams and I went together with one of the STLs. We did in person contacting. In other words, knocking on doors of inactive members or people we've done service for before or met with in some way. It was awesome to go with Sister Hill, one of the STLs, because she is so good at talking to people! At the first house we went to, she did all the talking. Invited the people to church, got phone numbers, etc. Then as we were leaving I was like, "I wanna step up my game and be like her," so at the next three houses, I really did. I talked a lot more, connected with people, extended invitations! There was one awesome one. We knocked on an inactive ward member's door and he wasn't home, but his neighbor happened to be outside washing his car, so we talked to him instead. He was totally open to the invitation of coming to church and he might be a new person we're able to teach! It is so cool how God puts people in our path like that, even if it's not the people we're expecting when we start.

It's also cool how God works through us when we are bold. I've been thinking a lot about faith to find. I have faith in Christ and I don't doubt Him. But as much as I have a goal to talk to everyone, I am afraid to do it and I doubt myself. But doubt and fear are opposites of faith, and they can't coexist with faith. And this week I've been trying to remind myself of that whenever I don't want to talk to someone. Hey Hermana Cazier, you don't doubt Christ. And who did He call to do this? That's right, you! He knew what He was doing. He does His work through the weak and simple, and that's you, so open your mouth! I feel like this this is the most quoted missionary scripture like ever, but it is true so it bears repeating: "if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27). When we bring our shortcomings to Christ with humility and faith, He changes us and converts our flaws into strengths.

And... it was cruel of me to put this at the end, but I GOT MY VISA! Last Wednesday I got a text from President On May 16th, two weeks from today, I'll fly to the Dominican Republic! I am so excited to go there and learn different ways to do missionary work than I have experienced here in Oregon! I love it here and I'm so grateful I got to serve here and meet so many amazing people and learn so much. And now I get to go continue the Lord's work in a different place in a different way in a different language, but what the work is the same and I'm so glad I get to keep rolling it forward.

I love you all! I dare you to think of some way that you can choose faith over fear this week and rely on Christ rather than doubting yourself!

Hermana Cazier 

pics!

1. Sisters pic at the wildlife safari

2. zone conference! We meet right next to the temple so obviously we had to get a picture

3. we did matching space buns one day (all credit to Sister Adams)

4. a lady we're teaching has a lemon tree in her backyard

5. us in front of a pretty tree

6. us in front of another pretty tree... but what you don't see is that we had to disconnect a wire fence from the ground and they had been growing together so long that they were inseparable

7. us doing weekly planning outside

8-12. pics from the hike we went on this morning! I finally got to hike, just barely before I leave beautiful Oregon! The one where I have a clovery thing in my mouth is because the member who took us hiking told us those plants are called sheep sour and they taste like sour apples. They're actually really good... but I feel like I shouldn't recommend putting random plants in your mouth...

13. that text all the foreign missionaries are praying for

14. the answer is 150 by the way

Girls Camp 2021 - Abbreviated

Girls camp is always a blast. In 2021, there were still residual effects from Covid and it wasn't a full week of camp. Instead, there were two days of Stake camp and then the wards could do whatever they wanted for the other time. Our ward chose to use the rest of the same week and they went camping in a lovely wooded area. (Sorry, I don't even know where.)

I wasn't in a Young Women calling at the time, so I was thinking that I wouldn't be involved in camp, but they ended up having a workshop speaker fall through and they called me to step in. I got to teach about party planning and social skills. It was really fun. We talked about how to go about inviting people over and I gave the girls tons of ideas of activities. We also played some group games and it was a delight to be with the girls again.

Although June was graduated, she came to the Stake camp days and it was so fun to see all the girls together. The theme was connected to the Olympics. They had some really fun opening ceremony activities. The torch lighting was neat and I loved that they had the flame 'burning' all during camp. The different wards had flags representing the girls. I don't want to brag, but our ward had the coolest one. 

They did some archery. 

There was water color painting, friendship bracelets, and nail painting.

There were outdoor games, but I think it got too hot in the afternoon for some of the groups. But Gaga ball is always a favorite.

The second day was Lake day. I wasn't involved this day, so I sent the girls on their way. I think they had a good time.

I was super amused by this picture.

 Mostly because in June's phone, it was immediately followed by this picture.

See any similarities? Both out to dry in the sun. :) The fish happened to be a picture Isaac sent her. He was in Alaska all summer and he sent lots of cool pictures.

The girls had a day off and then they packed up their stuff and went to a more authentic experience. (June did not attend this one.) This one involved dirt, hiking, chipmunks, and lots of girl bonding.

There was also one epic day that Maren convinced almost everyone to lay down, including putting their head under the water, for at least 3 seconds. Nothing like torture to bring a group together.

One last pic for the road. You've heard of the Very Hungry Caterpillar. This is how I imagine he started. Watch out, a few pies and a salami later and this guy will be huge.

I'm glad the girls were still able to have a girls camp experience. What great memories.