Sister of the Month- Sister Cascio and her Ancestors

Sister Elissa Cascio

I would like to briefly tell you of how I was converted & baptised on July 23, 1999. I was not raised in a normal home ( but then who is? ) that followed one church at a time. You've heard of families that say that their family has been Lutheran or LDS for 100 years or more, my family was different, my maternal grandfather Eddie Sundin ( pronounced Sundeen ) was from Sweden, when he came to America in 1895, he became a Penecostal. My maternal grandmother, Elsie Eliisa Hecko ( pronounced Hayko ) was born in Finland & was a Lutheran. I am named after my grandma, Elsie Eliisa, it means consecrated to God.

My mother who was ahead of her time joined the Navy during the Korean war, after going to college for 2 years. It was there that she met a handsome Italian sailor, they were both stationed in Oahu. After they were married they decided to raise the children with a religious upbringing, so since my Dad was Catholic & my Mom was Lutheran/Penecostal they agreed to bring us up as Baptist. I don't know why they chose Baptist & it was never questioned, so we went to church 2 times on Sundays & on Wednesday evenings. We were a very ecumenical household because of this I learned scriptures & memorized them at age 4 & I asked to be baptised at age 6. I loved to feel the Spirit, especially when my grandfather would pray & sing & I would sit on his lap & then he'd start crying & wipe his tears with his handkerchief, speaking in Spanish. This had a lasting effect on me thru my whole life. He died when I was 6 but I have felt his spirit with me for a long time, no one ever told me that he was with me as a child, I just knew. The one thing he wanted to do most was to be a missionary & go to Mexico & preach, I know that he is doing just that on the other side of the vail, since my husband did his work at the temple. I know how happy he is because I felt the joy when I stood in for my grandma & we had them sealed together for forever.

When I was growing up Baptist, I did not like being told that I was responsible for the sins of Adam & Eve, they called it "original sin". I would question it & was told that we are all born wicked & bad & we had accept the fact that we were responsible for someone else's sins. When I found out in my second missionary discussion that we are not responsible for what Adam & Eve did, I was thrilled! I just knew that our God would never do this to people that He loved, God is a God of fairness. Just prior to hearing the discussions, I had been attending a Baptist church with my 4 children, when the Pastor started telling all his most horrible, dirty, things he had done & thought. I was appalled & tried to cover my kids ears but it was futile so we left & when I got home I remembered that next door to us while growing up was a Mormon family & I told myself that if I wasn't Baptist, I'd be one of them because they are always so happy. I opened the phone book & called the nearest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fully expecting somebody to answer. The Bishop answered the phone & said that he was just passing by in the hallway & how could he help me? I asked him to send someone over that day with a Book of Mormon because I had never read one & I couldn't wait. He said that that was kind of unusual but he would try. That evening 2 missionaries & someone from the Elders Quorum came over & I was so thrilled, I wanted another discussion the next day. I was baptized 2 weeks later, the kids didn't seem to pay attention during the discussions so I had them take them a second time & they were baptized in September. Ever since that day, it has felt like a great big hug, I am always feeling the arms of Jesus Christ around me.

Sister Cascio’s Ancestors

My maiden name is Phelps & as a child in school, teachers & kids would make fun of my last name, I was so relieved when I learned about W.W. Phelps in the church. After about 8 years of searching, I found that one of my ancestors was an uncle to W. W. Phelps & so when the family moved, they all stayed together. My grandfather who was born in 1890 in Illinois, had a major stroke & could not remember anything, so the Holy Spirit has guided me & helped me find thousands of ancestors. About 9 months ago I was following my Phelps family line & it just kept going back past 1400 A.D., 1100, 900, 800, 600, & right past into B.C. so I kept following & found myself back in the Bible times & that I am from many, many Queens & princesses & royalty, we even started Troy & I went back & found that I am from one of Father Adam's daughters named Azura. Anything is possible with Heavenly Father's help & guidence.