Like is there a tornado outside??

January 27, 2014

HOWDYYYY FAMBAM! How was y'alls week? Ash, how was your test? OMH. MOTHER DEAREST. Thanks for the package! We lovvvveee it. Those sister missionaries=still haven't stopped laughing. And DOBA? Like do you know me or do you know me? hahaha I have the whole "sisrict"--that's what the elders call our cute little district--obsessed with good ol' Doba. I love you soooo much! xoxo

 

One of the funniest things of the week: Elder Derek Bradshaw. Like who are you? I don't know. But I got a letter from this gem hahaahahahaha He sent me a returned missionary dating application--California Sacramento Mission--and a poem.

"Sister Case, (actually he used my first name...)

In the California Sacramento mission a faithful elder dreams of mail. He is just sitting here wishin' that one day we won't check and fail. In this letter contains an application. It was sent to you by revelation. Have fun; be smart. Please fill out with full purpose of heart. Hopefully you're not taken cause I'm sitting here watin', for your response with great anticipation!

Sincerely,

Elder Derek Bradshaw"

HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA funniest thing of my life.

 

We taught 24 lessons last week--aka most we've ever had--aka miracles. We realllly tried to hit all of our goals and we almost got all of them! Those member presents are rough to get but we had 3 this week! The branch is really starting to kick up their missionary efforts! We as missionaries are here to help the members with THEIR missionary work and I love watching the members take control and help out others and it's just a grand sight to see. Like seriously I feel like I have these super cool glasses that help me see God's hand in my life and the little things that I never noticed before! Heavenly Father loves each of us sooo much and we just need to take a chill pill to notice it all. (PS. GO ON TEAM UPS WITH THE MISSIONARIES. GO AS A COUPLE. SOMETHING. #NIKE.)

 

Joan is getting baptized on the 7th! YYYYYEEEEEEHHHAAAWWWWW. She's been a 9 month progresser but she is super pumped and felt like she finally received her answer and is ready to go! She's confident in herself and the gospel and through prayers, miracles, and  like 4 teaching records she is ready to go! *cue the sister case happy dance*

 

We had 2 lessons with Tara this week and we just don't know what to do! Patience is a virtue I suppose. She says she has a testimony in the Book of Mormon but since she's already been baptized she feels like she will be mocking God if she was baptized again. We're teaching both her and her husband and they don't see the point in the priesthood. Both lessons were with members so that really helped so it's all good in the Columbus hood. We committed Tara to baptism and she said she would pray about it and talk to Jason--he was asleep b/c he has the most insane hours evaaa. Poor thing!--She's afraid of change but it will all work out because God's purpose is perfect and when the time is right it will all flow together. We went to church with them and L to the O to the L at the pastor's face when Tara raised her hand to put something into the joy praise thing.-to tell them that the sisters were here--His eyes like bulged out. And then later when she was introducing us to him she told him that she was taking lessons from us and that we were on a church swap and holy Hannah was he not pleased. Great memories. Oh and we went bowling with Tara...sorry daddy but I am terrible. Forgive me.

 

 

 

Okay smack down is about to happen with Satan. GET OUT OF HERE. This guy at Sylvia's work has been asking her all of these questions and basically has been trying to tear her testimony apart. Look Satan, she's baptized and is going to stay an active member so leave her alone. So we had to deal with that all week and hopefully she will tell Travis to stop. Like he's even listening to gospel stations when they're in the car. He keeps telling her that she's wrong and blah blah blah but Sylvia is perfect so she will let him know  that enough is enough.

 

This wind! Oh my heart! Cray to the cray. All of our plans cancelled yesterday. Like even our backups. So we had nothingggg so we went tracting for an hour and I almost blew away. Seriously. S. Dumont has like wind rash status. I was just laughing the whole time...because what else can you do? Be disobedient and go home? HA NO. We had a crazy lady bear her testimony to us and try to tell us we were wrongo's....we had a lady tell us that her husband was working on a sermon downstairs for their church...we had a little old lady let us come in until we warmed up and then kicked us out...it was lovely. But hey, 8 people now know a tiny bit more about the church so that's a plus. I've never been more thankful for my coat and boots in my life. By the last door, I couldn't even talk....pretty sure I was drooling or something. My face was too numb to smile or anything! Gotttaaa love it!

 

When we were teaching a lesson this week about the plan of salvation it totally hit me that I need to share this gospel with EVERYONE because I want to be with EVERYONE up in heaven. My heart full on shattered thinking that I might not get to be with my besties or people I meet here if they don't accept this gospel! Good golly this work is so important and we need to let everyone know about it! I wouldn't be able to function without it and I want everyone to have the peace and joy this gospel brings!

 

I sure do love it out here and love being a missionary and meeting new people and learning more about my Savior.

 

Have a grand ol' week! I love y'all!

 

Sister Case

The Water is 112 Degrees....

January 20, 2014

HOWDY FAMBAM! How are y'all? I'm alive....I mean like I was literally pushed by these 65-70 mph winds this week so that was fun....The cornfields looked like this giant dirt storm. It was cray to the cray. PS did you know that S. Dumont and I know 4 of the same people? Like pretty well status. Gabby (my efy counselor) Parker O'Very (the one that sang the Buble song at YASE camp), Brent the cousin, and MY LOVER BEVAN BLAKE. (I'm sure you loved that Bevs.) LIKE HOW IN THE WORLD? I'll have to explain at a later date. But obviously we are oh so meant to be!

 

Want to hear a funny story? We go to the Kadous fambam to teach about the family mission plan and Sister Kadous's little daughter, Kayla, is 2 and goes "mommmmyyy I want milk!" Like you know....ya that kind of milk.....and Sister Kadous keeps telling her no, not right now. So after a few minutes of begging for some milk she stops, looks at us, and goes, "mommy does Dumont have milk?" HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA DYING. Oh but it gets even better. (or worse in my case.) Sister Kadous goes, "why didn't you ask if Case had any milk?" and Sister Dumont says, "well isn't it obvious?" RUDE. but hilarious. hahahaahahahahaahaha my life is always in shambles.

 (Cue Mulan theme song) LETS GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. aka SYLVIA AND EMILY'S BAPTSIM. Holy Hannah. Oh my heart. Yee to the Haw. It was wonderful. perfection. Disney ending lovely. I don't know what else to say. (the water was really 112 at first....what?) They were both sooo happy when they came out of the water. I straight up couldn't stop smiling! PURE JOY. When they were changing, S. Dumont and I hugged each other and she whispers, "this is what it's all about!" And she is so right! Not in the sense of having to baptize people but just helping others come unto Christ and helping them find peace and joy in their lives. They both are still so happy and Sylvia is sharing her testimony with everyone at work about being baptized and people are asking her all these questions and so we are having to do some serious study to find stuff out--but I love it! They want answers from the Bible and it's incredible to find things that I had never noticed before. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY AND AHHHH IT'S THE BEST.

The program went oh so well. S. Dumont and I sang a song--we will record it and I'll send it to y'all!--we asked them how they felt afterwards and they were just so happy! They said clean. super happy. joy. We watched 17 Miracles later and we talked about the miracles that they've seen in their life and how Heavenly Father has helped them every step of the way to be where they are right now. Emily turns 12 next month and is sooo pumped to go to the temple! She wants to start learning about family history like tonight! aka I lovvveee her. And Sylvia.

 

 

 

 

Miguel passed the sacrament on Sunday! He got baptized like the weekend before I got here and so we've been teaching him the recent convert lessons and HE PASSED THE SACRAMENT YESTERDAY AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT HE GOT TO GIVE IT TO US. Heavenly Father you're the best! but straight up joy.

 

GJet....do I love her or do I love her? She brought cookies and juice to church once for all the kids and was sooo mad that we didn't tell her that church was 3 hours long.....she never asked...hahaha okay that was our fault but she would have never come haha. I love her! "Your church is so poor. You don't even give juice in your little service thingy. Poor people use water. I need to help you." Oh gjetttt....she asked what she needed to do to be baptized and we had a serious heart to heart on that one. She needs to follow the 10 commandments....."girls. you know that won't ever happen...." whhyyyyyyyy GJET. STOP. She is such a hoot and a holler. But we talked to her about having a change of heart and a desire to do so because right now she is wayyy to happy with the life she is living right now. woof. but all shall work out in its own time :)

 

I'm becoming more confident in my teaching and following the spirit and I'm learning and growing soooo much and I just love it. Oh and I love y'all. I also love this gospel and being able to share it with those in Columbus! Have a great week! xoxoxoxo

 

Sister Case 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mission Be Betters

Mission Be Betters

OKay so I wrote this foreverrrrr ago.  The facebook page "many are called...few are sisters"  helped me out so much, and I just wanted to return the favor for some other sistas! 

·         Bring snacks b/c there will be times you feel like you will truly starve

·         Mints and Listerine strips shall be your new bff #nogumstruggles

·         Earrings can only be 1 inch

·         Write down birthdays, addresses, everything so that way you don’t have to annoy your mother toooo much when you’re on the mission

·         MAKE GOALS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF  YOUR MISSION AND THE MTC SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK AND FOCUS ON

·         Flashlight—bring or die when trying to get off the top bunk

·         Allow elders to be gentleman and open your doors and stuff. It’s fine. Calm down.

·         Our district president liked us to do district spotlights every night—where we spotlight one person and each person asks the “spotlight” a question so we can get to know that elder or sister better and then everyone goes around again and says one compliment. It’s a great way to bond!

·         We did spotlights in our bedroom too and that helped us sisters grow SOOO MUCH STRONGER TOGETHER because you can be more personal and it’s just fun girl time.

·         You don’t need ugly shoes.

·         Be yourself.

·         Make it a goal to make each of your companions your best friend

·         Make others feel welcome and try to get to know everyone as quickly as possible! You’re a fambam now!

·         Smile CONSTANTLY. A smile can go a long way.

·         Don’t complain. Be positive!!!! (I’m always cold so one of my goals has been to not complain when I am. You can dooo itttt)

·         You. Will. Survive. Fast. Sundays. Don’t cheat and it will be a gr8 day. Honest.

·         I have a bunch of notebooks for different things—weekly plan out email, Christ like attribute notebook, companion notebook, daily miracles, grateful journal, favorite scriptures, one for meetings, a journal…really just anything.

·         Each night write down 5 things that your companion did that you admired or did well that day or things you like and then “We’re companions because…” and write a reasons why y’all are together.  If your mission president believes you two need to be together then start figuring out why! It helps you truly love your companion and grow closer. Then when y’all get transferred give it to her! It will help boost up her confidence and everything. Just SERVE HER.

·         Bring pens that you KNOW you love.

·         Try to volunteer as much as possible at the MTC. The MTC is where you learn and train for the real deal. Aka suck it up and volunteer and it will be easier out in the field.

·         OH MY HEART BRING A BLANKET.

·         Be 5 minutes early to EVERYTHING.

·         You can have logos and and things on your tshirts for gym time

·         Be honest and open with your teachers! They love and care for you want to help in any way possible. Let them know of your fears and struggles and they will do everything they can to build you up!

·         Go to the temple on PDay with a question in mind

·         Be exactly obedient with your emailing and you’ll see miracles from it. Promise!

·         Have your companion sign your dork dot…I mean…you’ll see J

·         Do something fun with your companion! We always match on Wednesdays…you pick something and have fun with it!

·         Make a list of all the ways to make outfits. Such a time saver…it took forever before I left but it helps sooo much

·         EAT WRAPS AT THE MTC. YUM YUM YUM.

·         Each night we chose one elder and wrote a whole list of how he’s a great missionary and then gave it to all of them the last night. It helped us think of ways that they help our district and helped us love them more….especially for the times when you didn’t want to….

·         WATCH CHARACTER OF CHRIST AT THE MTC. BEST SUNDAY MOVIE.

·         If you’re like me and fail at opening letters….bring a letter opener so you don’t rip things up to shreds….

·         Start NOW to memorize 1^st vision, D&C 4, How to Begin Teaching, and How to be a Successful Missionary

·         Bring pepper spray…you never know when you’ll need it and there have been a few times where I’m grateful that I can feel it in my bag if I need to whip it out

·         Bring two large ziplock bags and have one for “To write” and the other for “Responded.” I’m telling you—you forget who you write and what you said and this little trick helps your brain not hurt as much

·         Carry a little picture book of your family and things you did before the mission. Everyone likes to see pictures and hear stories of those back home

·         Make sure you have a sit down with your bank and that they understand what you’re doing and stuff. It took me FOREVER to get my card to finally start working. (make sure you give your parents all that fun info too so they can go yell at them if needed.)

·         For those days when you feel like you’re nothing: write down the good things that you’re comp says during companion inventory. Sometimes you can’t see the great things you’re doing and don’t notice in yourself.

·         Start birth control before coming out to make sure it’s right for you

·         IF POSSIBLE GET THE MINI SCRIPUTRES QUAD. You carry your scriptures with you everywhere. The lighter the better.

·         Actually, whatever you can get that’s mini for the mish—do it.

·         There are these books “The Missionary’s Little…” I have the quote one and my companion has the object lesson one. THEY ARE AMAZING. The objective lesson one is def. my favorite! It works for everything. I HIGHLY recommend it.

·         Have someone write down your setting apart blessing! I read it all the time when I’m feeling a little low and it’s a great reminder of the blessings I can receive if I’m being exactly obedient.

·         When you’re not being exactly obedient you’re not only hurting yourself but the people you’re teaching because you don’t have the Holy Ghost with you. Remember that.

·         YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS CHRIST AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL THINGS AND IN ALL PLACES.

·         Go into each district, zone, conference, with an inspired question and it WILL get answered.

·         Commit people to baptism on the first lesson. Be bold. Who do you fear more—man or God? Who are we to judge whether or not people are ready for this gospel? Unless the Spirit full on says NO, then go for it. If you’re questioning if you should do it, it’s Satan trying to get into your head. Never let him win.

·         Write “For When” letters to those you love. I made some for my sisters and now I’m “there” For When they go on their first date, junior prom, musical, first kiss, birthday, first day of school—the little things that you can’t celebrate with them, but this way you’re kinda with them.

·         If you’re like me and always cold, bring lots of sweats.

·         Ask each companion what her pet peeves are. Better to just know those at the beginning then later finding out or something

·         Write down tender mercies and things that you’re grateful for each night. You’ll see the hand of God like never before

·         Make your letters/emails home meaningful. Sure, everyone wants to hear of the funny things you’re getting to experience but don’t forget the spiritual things. You never know who will read your letter. You’re a missionary at all times. Share your testimony. Let people know who you’re teaching and how each of you are growing closer to Christ.

·         Never miss an opportunity to share your testimony.

These are just some things that I had to learn the hard way and things I wish I had known before. I love each of you and I hope you enjoy every second of your mission! I’ve only been out 3 months and I couldn’t be happier. It’s true that what you learn on your mission would take a lifetime to learn in some aspects. Never forget that you’re a daughter of God and if the decision to serve was right once, it’s still right today! I love y’all! ~As sisters in Zion~

 

Love Always,

Sister Carly Case

Nebraska Omaha Mission.

11027 Martha Street. Omaha, NE 68144

 

(If you have any questions feel free to write me! Xoxo)

 

 

WE'RE THE DEFINITION OF COMP. UNITY

January 13, 2013

Howdy familia! Soooooo drumroll pleaseeeeeee I'M STILL IN COLUMBUS WITH SISTER DUMONT! YYYYYEEEEEHHHAAAWWWWWW. When the Sister Training Leaders told us that, I seriously started to cry. PURE JOY. I now get to spend 6 more weeks with my best friend, sharing the gospel! We're so pumped!

 

OKAY HAS EVERYONE SEEN THE NEW YOUTH VIDEO--COME UNTO CHRIST? Well if not, here ya go: https://www.lds.org/youth/theme/2014?lang=eng

 

It's seriously the best and it warms my heart. So I am just gonna start by bearing my testimony of the youth programs.  ALL Y'ALL YOUTH LISTEN UP. So basically my dream calling would be to be in the YW presidency....but you have to be super righteous for that...hahahaha but I LOVE THE YOUTH. I love Y'ALL. If I could go back in time, I would be in high school foreverrrr because it's there that you get to truly stand up and be an example in everything you do! Wear your CTR with pride. Stand tall with your modest clothing! Tell people about your beliefs. I mean I lovvvveee BYU but everyone is Mormon and it's just not the same. Being in an area where there are not many members allows  your light to shine and help others COME UNTO CHRIST.

 I love the Young Women's program with all of my heart. I love the For Strength of Youth and I know if that everyone truly saw it as ways to return home safely and not as rules or restrictions your life would be easier and much happier! And if I can't be a teenager forever and be an example in my actions at school then you bet I'm so happy to be on a mission and being an example and a representative of Jesus Christ. It's a new year! So everyone truly start this year out right by striving to be the person  HEAVENLY FATHER wants YOU to be. Each of us has so much potential it's ridiculous, so we need to align our will with God's. I mean helloooo He's the one that sees the big picture and knows what He's doing. TRUST HIM. My heart is filled with joy today with all the exciting things that y'all are learning and working towards. A mission, a mother, an example. Whatever your path is, ask for help and hold tight to the iron rod. Find the joy that this gospel can bring to anyone and everyone who has a desire AND THEN SHARE THAT JOY WITH OTHERS. Golly I just love y'all and I can't wait to see what Heavenly Father has in store for each of you. Never forget that you're amazing and a child of God.

 

 

 SYLVIA AND EMILY HAD THEIR INTERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY! While Sylvia was having hers, Emily was so nervous and was like "I Can't do it. I'm not ready."  So we gave her a pep talk and went over the baptismal interview questions again and said a prayer before she went in. I think the biggest help was when her mom came out GLOWING and smiling from ear to ear. She hugged us and said, "I'm 100% ready now." and she later told us that before she went in she still wasn't sure about all of it BUT NOT ANYMORE. Goll, like I might just start crying in the library right now. The spirit is so strong right now and I'm just soooooooo happy. I can't stop smiling and I never want to stop. A mission is such a beautiful thing and being able to help others be just as happy and COME UNTO CHRIST is incredible. The same thing happened to Emily. Picture perfect.

 I love how this gospel changes lives for the BETTER. We go and see them all the time now or even when we call them you can just hear it in their voice how happy they are. They're not even baptized yet and you can tell they're being converted. AND WE CAN ALL BE CONVERTED TO THIS GOSPEL. It's continuous and incredible. I'm still working and changing and striving to be better. Who I was will NOT be who I AM and who I WILL become when I get home and the rest of my life until I'm safely home with my Heavenly Father. Those two are just great and there is even a change in their home. They don't fight or get annoyed. They are just HAPPY.

 

Can I just say that Heavenly Father is incredible?! You know when everything was falling apart around us and we were homeless and stuff? Well Heavenly Father totally knew what He was doing! Things needed to happen so people could be stronger and more receptive to the gospel. We finally got to see Tayna and she starts crying and says, "I'm so so sorry I ever doubted you girls." We are back! And through her mother's death she wants to be baptized and go to the temple. It's always a party when we try to teach her a lesson but yesterday everyone in the house all just LEFT and the spirit was so strong during our lesson on the Plan of Salvation and I felt like we needed to talk about baptism and the atonement and she's still unsure but she said she would sincerely pray. I trust Him. He will answer her when the time is right because His timing is perfect! And somehow we got out of there in an hour! Exact obedience straight up brings MIRACLES. *side note that I need to say--if you're feeling uneasy about a mission or that you don't know enough--STOP. You can do anything! I didn't understand the Plan of Salvation or have the smallest clue about the atonement but I love it. I love bearing my testimony. I love meeting people. I love that I don't know things but through study, prayer, and some serious trust, the spirit will lead and guide. I'm also realizing that the less I talk, then the more the Spirit gets to talk. YOU CAN DO IT.*

 

 

My fav scripture for the week is 2 Nephi 31:3--- For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

 

I love how Nephi's soul is always delighting in something. Like can he share please? Oh wait, he helped write the Book of Mormon so duhhhh he is. Thanks Nephi! You da bessttt. I love how Heavenly Father speaks to each of us in our OWN way. How does Heavenly Father speak to   YOU? Everyone is different, and I would challenge each of y'all who read this to really think about that. Mine is through my pen. I'm beginning to notice during my studies and prayer journal. He speaks to each of us and in his own way and time :)

 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Okay like how many times have I said that? Am I annoying or what? Hahaha but I love y'all! I love this gospel and I'm going to share it forever!

 

Be bold. Be brave. Be an example.

 

Love Always,

Sister Case

Missionaries match on Wednesdays

My little Lebrethon's

Snooowwww!

2014 = MISSION LYFE

January 6, 2013

 

HOWDY FAMBAM! Happy New Year! S. Dumont and I celebrated some with GJet and by wearing our lovely goodwill gear (not the hats though. ew.) and had a little photo shoot. Naturally our New Years kiss was our Book of Mormon. We went to bed at 10:30, woke up at midnight to give each other a sleepy high five, and then went back to beddybyes. It was a party let me tell ya. Did y'all do anything fun?

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to say that I get to dedicate the whole year of 2014 to serving the Lord! Yeehaw to such a great year coming up!

 

My life is in shambles:

1. We were reading 'Would You Rather' cards and one said, "Would you rather have golf ball sized eyes or keyboard sized teeth?" Like what if you already have both? Shambles.

2. Sister Fuller awhile back asked me if I was writing anyone and I laughed and said ha.no. And then she goes on to tell me how me and this elder should write and blah blah blah and I just say she's crazy and that's the end of that. Well I get a letter from him and so we randomly will write each other and I told him in an email that his last name sounds so familiar and asked if he had any siblings....well come to find out when he skyped his fambam that I did know his older brother because I went on a date with him...like I don't even know this kid but I went on a date with his older brother? My life=shambles.

3. I was asking S. Dumont about someone and I go, "She's from Washington, Doctrine and Covenants." totally on accident. Missionary shambles. So that's some fun on my oh so weird life. 

 

Transfers are this week :(   Ugh like how did these 6 weeks just fly by? I LOVE S. DUMONT.

 

Happy Birthday Courtney Anne Case! Oh my heart you are getting too big. Squeeze Mama Punk and eat a cupcake and it's like I'm there! :)

 

SYLVIA AND EMILY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED ON THE 18TH. She changed her date but she said she's all good to go for next week and feels for realzy ready. She wants to know everythiinnnnggg and she thinks she has to but it's all on faith! We met with her a lot this week and on Saturday we went to the Trail Center! Our mission is so blessed to have it to really help anyone answer questions, recognize the spirit, everything! It was Sylvia, Emily, and Vicki--she's an active member now!--There's one room called the memorial room and it's so quiet and peaceful and full of windows to look out across to the Winter Quarters Temple. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. (AND OMH WE GOT TO SING IN THERE. MISSION BUCKET LIST: CHECK.) The spirit was so strong! At one point Emily (11) was like, "I want to go in there." Sylvia: "You have to be baptized first." Emily: I know.--Just how she said it and the look on her face...golly gee it was perfect. THEY ARE SO READY. After the tour we watched the family movie that they show. I felt like we needed to say a prayer before we watched it and after I did, the spirit was soooo strong and Sylvia was already crying! Oh my heart that video gets me good. By the end I was a bawling mess. But I have such a strong testimony in the plan of happiness! Like helllloooooo who doesn't want to be happy? Having this gospel brings such joy to the lives of those who will listen and being able to know where our loved ones will go is such a blessing! I sure do love and miss y'all but I'm making new families out here too and I just want to be with them forever as well!

 Doctrine and Covenants 15:6 is one of my favs---"And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to ^adeclare ^brepentance unto this people, that you may bring ^csouls unto me, that you may ^drest with them in the ^ekingdom of my ^fFather. Amen."  I still remember how I would start to cry in seminary when asked to draw and explain the plan of salvation because I felt like I didn't know it. I didn't understand it. I totally remember thinking, 'I can't go on a mission! I don't know this stuff!' Now 4 years later and I'm fulfilling one of my dreams and I'm learning every single day. I still feel  like I don't know this stuff but I have faith and I have full trust in Heavenly Father. I know that Christ died for each of us so that we could have the opportunity in this life to CTR--choose the right--to be able to live with Him again someday. I know that God's plan is the perfect plan.

 

I looovvveee y'all so much! xoxoxoxo

 

Sister Case

Painting nails with Tara

 

Road Tripping to the Trail Center

 

What up TEXAS!

Faith. Trust. Pixie Dust

December 30,2013

Howdy! It was so good to see y'all on Christmas! Golly did I love it. Thank you Fowers, Activity Day Girlies, RS, family, and everyone else who sent me some love! It tickled my heart. Mom--have you asked Sister Duke or Kathleen about my hair and what brush or stuff I should use? (For everyone who does not know...I chopped my hair off. 8 inches. Crazy I know. It's been on the bucket list forever and I figured I should do it while I'm MIA on the mish and no one can judge because all missionaries are supposed to not judge..yet all the elders do and say they like my longer hair better. Well whateverrrr because it's not like you can touch my hair anyways. Okay I'm don't with that one. Sorry.)

 

Christmas on the mish is the best and I'm so thankful that I get to spend 2 of them out here! It's just so fun and special. Members took us to go look at lights and we did bell songs and the nativity with the elders at the Hydes. It's fun to do different traditions with people like Christmas Crepes or Pizza on Christmas. We saw some of our golden girls on Christmas and they are the cutest. Do all old people just tap people's bottoms? Like do you hit a certain age when that is allowed? I feel like they do it allll the time! And I just love Ms. Dorothy. Straight up LOVE HER.

 

I trained this week at district meeting. "Why is the Atonement Conditional upon our faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ?" I felt like this training was just for meeee. Heavenly Father is the best. Duh. I learned buckets and now I'm just trying to #nike.

 

I used Xan's dream some for it and added some stuff: You're walking down a dark tunnel and you come to two doors and a sign that says choose. One says darkness while the other says light. In order to unlock the darkness door, all you have to do is flip the switch--easy as that. But in order to unlock the light door you have to find the right keys that are hanging on the door handle, unlock them, and crank open the door, using all of your energy to be able to walk through it.

 

It's easy to choose the darkness door and go through the motions but in the end we're still lost and confused. Unlocking the light door is hard work. You have to be diligent and patient in finding the right key for each lock, just as we have to be diligent and patient in our Heavenly Father's timing. The keys are right there on the door handle, waiting to be used. The price as been paid for each of us. Now all we have to do is unlock the door--unlock the atonement and allow it into our lives. It will take work, but the wait is worth it.

 

President Weston said @ zone conference: We can learn--but we must DO. sooooo until we strive to use the atonement in our lives, it won't help if we don't  learn and study it. We must be actively using it every day.

 

Our zone got to go to the temple this week! It was great! We are so lucky we get to go because the rule is you can only be 60 miles from the temple-and Columbus is like double or more-but since we're in the Lincoln zone we get to go! It is seriously the coolest thing to look at a room full of missionaries. I love it. I try to take as many pictures in my head as possible because I never want to forget it. Our temple is gorgeous! I love it so much! We got to see the gingerbread display too and I kept thinking of sister Woodfield. She would LOVE it.

 

Barb passed away on Friday and it's really sad. I really dislike looking at my planner and seeing her name in it and that we never got to fully teach her the plan of salvation. I'm just so happy we were able to mend things with her though. We can't figure it all out yet, but I know Heavenly Father has a plan for Tayna being all mad at us and Barb passing away and I can't see it but it's all going to be okay. I just KNOW IT. Like my heart wants to jump for joy with the faith that I have that everything will work out

AND OMH SYLIA IS GETTING BAPTIZED FOR REAL AND SO IS EMILY. Her date is for the 11th but that's the day after transfers--ps start sending stuff to the mission office--so we asked her to pray about the 9th and she said that she will for sure be ready for next week but she's still figuring out which day. OMH THEY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED. AFTER LIKE 8 MONTHS IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING. We asked her the baptismal interview questions and her testimony is so strong it's incredible. She's pure gold. She's ready for this and wants it. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. AHHHH.

 

I just want to leave y'all with one of my new favorite verses and it's in Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a ^bhouse, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;" Take out the word HOUSE and put in the word LIFE. I know that as we strive to use the atonement every day and really work on knowing our Savior that we will come to have this kind of life--one of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, order, God.

 

I love y'all so much! But I love the mission too....so I'm gonna stay for as long as I can. xoxo.

 

Sister Case