EVERY DAY IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFFFEEE

March 17, 2014

Howdy fambam! Mom, I got your package! SO CUTE. Thank you soooo much. Sister Vogel and I are obsessed with our journals. And that plan of salvation kit? stop it. We used it for Grandma Eileen and she thought it was neat. (mom. she bought us Arby's and I ate all of it...well except the last bit of course...but MOTHER DEAREST. I ATE ARBY'S. Are you oh so proud of me?)

 

Happy St. Patty's day! Straight up-if you're not wearing green PINCH YOURSELF right now for me. You know who you are.....

 

What is this foxy song everyone speaks of?

 

SUE CAME TO CHURCH FOR ALL 3 HOURS. Yeeeehawwwww. Her baptism will be this Saturday! She. Is. The. Sweetest. I love her SO much. Confession Session: I LOVE when she prays. I love to sneakily open my eyes to watch her. Brother Witt's face is just beaming and it's the most tender thing I've seen since tinder. (hahaha that was a joke...) And Sue moves her hand while she talks and prays. So when she prays it looks like she is straight up having a convo with God. I just want to cry every time she prays b/c it is so heart felt. She can't wait for them to go to the temple and be sealed and they want us to come back for it! Brother Witt is Santa--straight up.

 

Every week I continue to look back at the week in amazement at all that has been accomplished and can only constantly thank my loving Heavenly Father. It's gotten to the point where after some miracle just happens, Sister Vogel and I will look up at the sky and ask, "What are you planning up there?" MIRACLES. HAPPEN--not just once in awhile but EVERY DAY. I have never had more joy in my life before. Yes, Cocoa Bean and Dimples bring me happiness but once my cupcake is gone I'm secretly sad, but the mission--OH MY HEART. THE MISSION BRINGS SO MUCH JOY I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE IT. This week there were a few nights where I realized I hadn't stopped smiling basically the whole day. There were a few times I started to tear up while we were driving because I was SO HAPPY. I've always wanted to serve a mission since I was little but I never realized how incredible it would be. Yes, it is hard at times, but "I can do hard things." WE ALL CAN. "Let go and let God." "Keep calm and pray on." Pick your own little saying, stick it somewhere, and remind yourself that YOU can help people #comeuntochrist just as much as any missionary with a cute little name tag. Right now I am a full-time representative of Jesus Christ, but we need all of the part-timers--YOU--to help. YOU find, we teach. I would encourage each of y'all to sincerely pray for guidance to who needs the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. Pray for courage. Pray for boldness. Pray for missionary opportunities and I can PROMISE you that they will come. And this invitation is for EVERYONE. If you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--it doesn't matter! Everyone needs peace, hope, love...JESUS CHRIST AND HEAVENLY FATHER. Will you commit? 

 

I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. I am soooo happy like can you lose calories from smiling so much? Because I would weigh -7 pounds because I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS WORK. I'M IN LOVE- I'M IN LOVE- AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT.

 

Share this gospel and smile. Let today and the next day and the next day be the best day of your life.

 

Love Always,

 

Sister Case

 

I was sent to the 2nd most prideful state in America

March 10, 2014

Howdy fambam! So yes, Nebraska is crazy prideful with their Huskers and I love it SO MUCH. It tickles my heart basically. Daylight savings also ruins missionaries' lives. Losing that one hour of sleep nearly killed me...but all is well. I am alive--even if my eyelids weighed 1,000 lbs. And it's warm. My prayers are being answered. The cold straight up is not good for me. I'm so happy. OH. MY. HEART. We taught 30 lessons this week! What to the whattttt? Heavenly Father has BIG plans for Columbus. So buckle up and get readyyyy. Yeeehawww.

 

Funny story that I've been needing to tell you for ages: We were teaching the Leberthons the Ten Commandments and Dominique is 6 (and says she won't get baptized unless we come back her for baptism...what a sweetie). Sister Dumont and I were taking turns talking about each Commandment...and I'm just eyeing her because I can't wait to see how she's going to explain adultery to a kindergartner...and Sister Dumont starts and Dominique asks what adultery is...and Sister Dumont says, "ummm DON'T TALK TO BOYS." FUNNIEST MOMENT EVER. And so now whenever we go over she's like, "can I please talk to boys? Because I am. I talk to all the boys in my class." hahahahaha I love it.

 

You know how I talk in my sleep? Ya, well it has gotten worse. I pray and teach lessons in my sleep all the time. Like I started doing it my 1st week out and it's to the point where sometimes I don't sleep because I feel like I'm being disobedient because I need to teach or something...even though the world is asleep. I'm going insane. Obviously. The other night I woke Sister Vogel  up I guess teaching a lesson or praying and saying "we are all children of Christ." I'm not normal. I shouldn't ever come home I guess haha.

Some info on some of our investigators:

Sue! A requirement for baptism is to attend church 3 times--and one of those times has to be for all 3 hours so you can check out relief society and make sure you're committed.  Her and Brother Witt have reallllllly bad health problems so they weren't able to attend yesterday, so her date will now be for March 22nd. :) But all is well. She's like sprinting to the font and Sister Vogel and I are crawling trying to teach her everything and get her interview all ready and all this stuff so it's better this way! Please pray that her body won't ache next week so that she can attend all 3 hours!  She is soooo cute.  She said,  "So my baptism is like a weekend that revolves all around ME?" MY KIND OF LADY.

  

The Castanovas! I love them! They are a family and are set for April 12. Guadelupe--the mom--really understands it all and loves the plan of salvation! They like us coming over and we're really good buds with them. Saturday night we went over and had tacos and then had a little bonfire for s'mores.

 

Georgette is going to let us start teaching her kids! She wants them to know God and get baptized. What? But we know that it will only be through her help and example that the kids will stay committed. Baby steps!

 

Real quick about Tayna--she's not set for baptism--but it's so sad! She has like zero self worth and it makes me very sad. I was studying and thinking how to help her and I just felt of  her sadness and how it makes Heavenly Father sad when we don't love His beautiful creation. Then I thought about y'all and how y'all are each so beautiful. This world is so brutal when it comes to self worth and then I started thinking of my future children and how I want them to know how wonderful and beautiful they are.

 

My scripture for the week:  Mosiah 14:5 -- "And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, ^asuffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and ^bscourged, and cast out, and disowned by his ^cpeople."

 

Jesus Christ is incredible! Wounded for MY transgressons. Brusied for MY inquites. His chastisement = my peace. His stripes = I am healed. And then I started reading 1 Cor 12 in the Bible. I love how we all have different gifts, but as we use and share them with others, we begin to become like Christ. We're not all the same for a reason. We're different so we can learn and grow from one another! There is this song that I love! One part goes, "Am I more than flesh and bone; am I really something beautiful? I want to believe. Jesus help me believe that I am someone worth dying for." I am worth it. You are worth it. WE ARE ALL WORTH IT. We're all different and special in our own way.

One of the biggest downfalls of pride is comparing what we have or who we are to others. Never compare yourself to anyone because Heavenly Father made each of us. President Weston told us, "If you look in the mirror and don't like what you see, the only person you can blame is Heavenly Father because He. made. YOU." Jesus Christ loved each of us so much that He died for every single one of us!

"If you want a friend you have to be a friend." We need to each make Christ our BEST friend, but we must begin and work on that relationship. That's something I really want to work on. I know OF him but I want to KNOW HIM. It's going to take work and consistency, and ya I'm going to mess up at times but that is what is so beautiful about the Atonement. We mess up, we can try again. We fall, He will give us a hand and lift us back up. It's up to each of us if we want to live with Christ again. We are each someone that was worth dying for -- He knows our potential. But we must decide if we will begin to become what He wants us to be. To be the clay that He can mold. 

 

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL AND I LOVE Y'ALL! LET HIM IN. LET HIM MOLD YOU.

 

Love Always,

 

Sister Case

1/3

March 4, 2014

Howdy fambam! Is it freezing down there too? Probably not..since Texas is perfect. Like Jack Frost, stop being so rude! OMH I have so much to tell y'all. Crazy miracles for sure. and AHHHHHHH I only have 1 year left. 365 days. In a year from TODAY I will be on the plane heading home. What? Stop. Not okay. WHY IS MY LIFE FLASHING BEFORE MY EYES? Okay I don't have time to be dramatic anymore....

 

To answer some random questions: Eileen is 92 and my favvvvv. So sassy and future Lindsey White--I kid you not. She's such a gem...but Sylvia and Emily???. They invited us to Em's birthday party last week and that was good but kinda awkward...and then we were supposed to see her yesterday and she bailed so aka sneak attack. Keep them in your prayers please!

 

We had zone conference this week! I was able to see Sister Harris and Sister Dumont! I cried. obviously. (mom--i'm turning into you!) So I had all 3 of my companions with me and it was oh so tender. We learned bunches about prayer and how you need to be yourself and talk to Heavenly Father as if I'm talking to Daddy. THEN we had the zone conference Olympics and I won the gold for my two events! Ladders and push ups! Yeehaw. 111 real deal push ups.

 

 

 

Sister Vogel and I worked our tails off this week and we are already seeing the blessing for it! Last week during weekly planning we both felt that we should put 4 as our # people set with a baptism date and we were a little nervous....going from 0 to 4 in one week?!  But we listened to the spirit and put it down for a goal of 4 and we did it! Well,  the spirit did it. And we had 6 member present lessons. 6. My jaw is still on the floor.

 

SUE WITT. Brother Witt is her husband and we helped get him all active when I first got here and he is just the best! He now passes the sacrament and he just got the Melchizedek priesthood. She's come to church bunches now where before she wouldn't even come out for the lessons!  For some reason the branch had little faith in her because I kept asking  what more could we do, and lets take it up a notch because I kept feeling like she was ready and they would always be like "you're not being grateful for this activity she's doing now"--basically. not those words but prettttyyy much. WELL, our lesson on Monday we committed her to pray about a date that felt right to her and she goes, "I have one already. I would like to be baptized on June 1st." WHAT. THAT IS SO GREATTTTT. Because she's always been scared that her mom--who has passed away--would be upset with her and her decision to become Mormon. She always asked, "can I be catholic and Mormon?" tender...but no. OH BUT WAIT. THERE'S MORE. Our lesson Friday she goes, "I'm ready. When can I get baptized?" Like I think I passed out for a second. And the whole lesson she was just so excited to get baptized. So she is now set for MARCH 15TH. Holy Hannah I'm in love. And she kept asking, "so who's gonna dip me?" She is cute or is she cute? Brother Witt was BEAMING. "I've been praying for this day for the last 5 years when I was baptized." ahhh I'm so happy and freaking out. She said the closing prayer and in it she said, "I know my mother would be proud of me and the decision I have made."

 

The castavnoa story is for next week :)

 

ahhhh I love y'all and have 8 million more things to say but for now just know that this gospel is true and that I am so happy. LIKE PURE JOY. This work is incredible and I am thrilled to be able to work with Heavenly Father's children here in Columbus. It's an honor and a privilege. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I wish everyone would go on a mission. Pray about it! The next 365 days are going to be incredible.

 

I love y'all sooo much. xoxo

 

Sister Case

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD....

February 24, 2014

HOWDY FAMLIA! How are ya? OMH Carrollton 4th? That's incredible! Yee to the haw. Mother dearest--THOSE PDAY SHIRTS ARE AMAZING. I love em! Thank you!

Drum roll pleaseee.......I'm still in Columbus....WITH SISTER VOGEL. AGAIN. Like hangin' with the trainer in Sioux City status all over again! Crazy! And like apparently President puts sisters with me to see if they can handle me...and if they can,  then they can obviously handle the sisters in the rest of the mission and then they become sister training leaders!  :) Happened with Sister Vogel and now with Sister Dumont! She's going to be incredible! Golly she's gong to be great! Like am I crying in the library right now? It's quite possible...I just love her so much! She was an incredible companion and taught me how to love: myself, others, Heavenly Father. AND SO MUCH MORE. When I 1st got on my mission there were these 2 sisters who were bawling because they were getting new companions and I remember telling myself that I hoped I would find someone like that where it was so hard to say 'see ya later' to and it happened :) She will always have a special place in my heart! She's going to be amazing in Kearney! And omh Sister Vogel is just the best! We've just picked up right where we left off and I'm oh so happy! Both of us have only served in 2 places--Sioux City and Columbus. And since she was a Sister Training Leader and came on exchanges she already knows a bunch of the members and investigators and there are so many miracles that I have seen in the past 3 days! I'm also really having to rely on my Savior even more and I'm loving it! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Ya...I'll never stop saying that one.

Final Pic with Sister Dumont.

Back together again with Sister Vogel.

This week I was reading "Do We Know What We Have?"--Carole M. Stephens in Oct 2013 General Conference and I loveeed it. We all NEED baptism. the gift of the Holy Ghost. temple endowment. sealing ordinance. sacrament. PRIESTHOOD. (golly we're annoying/needy humans...good thing our Heavenly Father loves EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.) It's through the priesthood that we can have these incredible gifts that we NEED to help us each day and to be able to return to our Heavenly Father. The priesthood is incredible! Worthy men can act in the place of God and be instruments in His hands to help His Children and help move His work along and to help us have the desire to become like Heavenly Father. HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING and is constantly helping us to reach our potential. It's through the priesthood that it's all possible! So aka I will ONLY marry a man who honors his priesthood. #1 on the list now...(I guess smelling good doesn't matter as much....) I'm so very thankful for the wonderful examples in my life that have honored their priesthood. I love y'all!

I can't wait for all the many miracles that will come this week! I love this gospel!

Have a great week and smillleee and be an example! xoxoxo

Sister Case

Brother Vavra

I must have one of these someday.

Columbus Fambam

Mamma Spicer and her baby girl

Don't ya just looovvveee love

February 18, 2014

 Howdy fambam! Oh my heart. Thank you gram and grams and Kathleen and Uncle Tracy and Di for the cute presents! Y'all are the sweetest! And thanks fambam for the adorable package! I'm in love with the picture collage. (Ashely, you bum. You would choose the worst picture EVER.) How did you know that S. Dumont is obsessed with mustaches AND chevy? She had an in love freak out. And those bracelets. stop. And we jam to Hillary Weeks for days now. Thank you!

Heavenly Father is seriously the best! So once upon a time, little ol' me was kinda bummed because I wanted to leave sooner on my mission and blah blah blah. WELL Heavenly Father knew what He was doing. Duh. Because now I get 2 of some of the best holidays! (and holidays on the mission are the best! b/c people are kinder and you get their attention and well hellllooo I love holidays.) This Valentine's day was the BEST. ever. (s.dumont and I were talking about what we did last Valentines Day and I go....ya well my date last year is now married. HAHA we had a good laugh. Yeeehhaawww for missions.) I never saw Valentine's day as a day to love EVERYONE around you or showing your love to Heavenly Father or even taking the time to see how much our Heavenly Father loves each of us. Earlier this week we made valentines (thanks for the cute kit mom!) with people for lessons and read scriptures about love and how serving others makes Heavenly Father happy. It was so fun! And you know that door kit you sent us? Well instead of decorating our door we used the different hearts to pass out to our members that help us constantly and we had a little love lesson with them. I couldn't have asked for a better valentine than Sister Dumont!  I LOVED IT THIS YEAR!

 

 

Oh HEY. We're moving out of the Peshkies! It's just been a bunch of things that have added up so we all just need a break for a bit.  So we will be heading to an apartment. But I'm very grateful for the time that I lived there because I learned a lot about myself and how to be a better person and in some ways to just simply grow up. It was a great learning experience and I'll always be grateful for the Peschkies for the life lessons they taught me!

 

For the next zone conference we're having the Olympics and this week we competed in the zone against the other sisters and mission status. Somehow I'm still somewhat athletic...what....because I won pushups, sit ups, and ladders. Hollerz for being able to do 100 serious push ups in 5 minutes. Who knew?  Not me.

 

We had the most tender lesson with GJet! She finally broke down and opened up to us and was crying and wahhh I love her. She needs hope in her life and the gospel can give her that. The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us the hope of a new day. As we develop trust in Heavenly Father and His timing, we're able to know that everything will be okay, even if we don't know what lies ahead. We're able to endure and continue moving forward when it seems that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. If we're keeping His commandments and living worthily, we don't need to fear because He is with us ALWAYS. "Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has PROMISED that this will NEVER CHANGE." ~President Thomas S. Monson. I love being a missionary! and I love being an instrument in the Lord's hands.

 

Transfers are this week so I'm way nervous but hey, if I get a new companion then that means I get to stretch and learn and grown and rely on my Savior even more, and I couldn't be more excited for that wonderful opportunity! I'm excited for a new best friend :)....but I love the one I've got right now! Missions are incredible. This gospel is incredible. And I'm just so happy that I get to be a part of it!

 

Have a great week and smillleeee. xoxoxo

 

Love Always,

 

Sister Case

Leberton's little girls gave me a new doo.

J. Miller :)

Sister Missionary Dolls. See the resemblance?

DQ Blizzards should be 1/2 off when there's one outside

February 10, 2014

Howdy fambam! Tell me stories. What's new? How are the Olympics? SINCE NO ONE TOLD ME. Where are they anyways? What's this show called Downtown Abbey that every human is obsessed with over here?

 

THE SPICERS ARE HAVING A BABY GIRL. Daddy Spicer says he needs to put Papa Case on speed dial b/c we joke that he's going to have all girls. Yeeeehawwww

                  College Sweats with Mamma Spicer

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMANAN WHEAT. and MAIDISON SHANNON. XOXOXO. How was your birthday Amanda?

 

There was a blizzard here this week. Okay not really....whenever little white monsters...I mean snowflakes...fall from the sky I call it a blizzard. But it did snow so much that our cars were grounded for almost 2 days! Talk about stress to the fulllll but thankfully some of our lovely members saved the day.

Missionary Snow Angels

 JOAN WAS BAPTIZED ON FRIDAY!!! It was such an oh happy day! Joan's been taught since sisters first came here-- in may--and has had some serious baby steps. But it's been incredible to watch her grow and take the leap of faith to be baptized! I remember when we watched The Testaments with her and afterwards we had this amazing lesson and it was just what she needed, to help her move forward. I wish I could truly describe all the little things that led to her big day, but since I can't--just know that missionary work is incredible and I love it out here! I'm so thankful that I'm able to see so many miracles each and every day :)

 

 I had to train at district meeting again. I talked mostly on how the restoration is the foundation of our testimonies and that we need to share personal experiences with others more. Sister Weilding said--Joseph Smith shared his personal experience with others and now look at where the church is. All because he had the courage to speak up and share! Boom. (ps. there are now 4 sets of sisters in our cute district. #takingover) We can all share experiences and testimony builders with those around us EVERY DAY! Every member is a missionary! So before you walk out the door, don't forget your smile, testimony, and some courage, and you can do anything!

 We had interviews with President and golly do I just love him! One of my yearly goals is to be buckets more charitable b/c well I'm not.  So I'm really working on it! I'm so grateful for the atonement so I can start over each day to be a little better. Sister Schrader helped me out with something. "Sister Case, say that your husband has this super horrid mother-in-law but he loves her sooo much! What will you do? Well I'll love my husband so if he loves her...then I love her. Well then do you love your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Yes. Then you love *insert humans* because your Heavenly Father loves them and He sees all these amazing qualities about them." She's great. Obviously.

 Okay sooo funny. At interviews the Zone Leaders forgot to bring food but I had this box full of candy that I've been trying to get rid of so that was easy. and I brought in some of Mom's bar cookies  to share with everyone and all the elders freak out and say nooo because that's holy food and you can't eat that--but the zone leaders are like "i'm going in." and take off their shoes in order to eat the bars. Funny moment of the week. Oh and the Zone Leaders said that Sister Dumont and I have some of the best numbers in the zone and to keep up the great work! Yay to hard work. Well it's fun work. So whatever you call missionary work. Oh and people are still being boooo bears....to the point where I swear someone will start driving by us and throw tomatoes at us... but oh well. I love it :) Bring on the prepared people in Columbus!

 

Sylvia and Emily are still MIA. We'll keep trying. The Apple's little girl--Caylyn--had her 3rd birthday and wanted their favorite missionaries to come over :)

 I just love it out here and the cold and everything BECAUSE I'M A MISSIONARY.

 

I love y'all! xoxo

 

Sister Case

#endure the burrrrr

February 3, 2014

 

Howdy fambam! Anything fun happen this week? That is so great to hear about Megan! Congrats Cuz! I would like pics of her and Brody  and engagements of humans like BB and others!

 

I never realized how important visiting teaching is! Aka sorry s/o to my 3200 Taylor Hall girls....woof. But the branch is beginning to see the vision of it all and they're really starting to be great missionaries to everyone!

 

GJET. Miracle. We went and knocked on her door and she wasn't home...so now we're just standing at her door while planning our next move of attack when that gem and her kids walk into the apartment building. (cue angles singing) They tell us that they're going to the park to feed ducks and anyone who is anyone knows that that is my FAVORITE thing to do so naturally we go with. We had a really great lesson with her while her kids played at the park...with peter...hahahaha okay I'm just funny...We were super bold but backed it up with love. She might even let us teach Mav and Felecia (9 & 11) I think she knows that she will one day become a member but she doesn't want to change everything yet. But hey, those little baby steps still help you reach your destination. She even texted us one night saying that she was reading the Book of Mormon. Yeeeeeehhhaawwwwww.

 

The super bowl ruins missionaries lives...we texted like the WHOLE town and only one family let us come over for a smidge so we did weekly planning during the game. I will always still cheer on my patriots....hahahahahaha. and OMH Bruno Mars? Of course it was someone perfect the year I'm gone. Rude.

 

I've never had so many doors slammed in my face before! Like one boy even screamed when he opened the door. Rude. But I know that there are prepared people out there! Heavenly Father will lead the way and it will be grand.

 

I love y'all soooo much! Happy early birthday Amanda-mo. xoxoxoxo

 

Sister Case

 

Sister Schrader

 

Surprise Party for Tanya

 

Huskers LOL