EMPTY NESTERS

October 6, 2014

 

Howdy fambam! OH MY HEART I LOVE CONFERENCE AND I NEVER WANT IT TO END. Golly, was that great or was that great? I love lists and I'm so thankful for the guidance and direction that was given to us to be better disciples of Jesus Christ. And I loved that they kept quoting my favorite scripture! Helaman 5:12.---

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

It is SO important that we keep our foundations strong and sturdy. Family prayer and scripture study is ESSENTIAL. Family Home Evening every week! Attending the temple regularly. And how we need to constantly be feasting on the words of Christ. So what are y'alls plans to create a stronger foundation? Baby steps are still steps in the right direction :) As long as we try--in the best way we know how--Heavenly Father will accept our efforts. I KNOW that to be true. Start out small and great things will come to pass. I love y'all!

Soooo I'm sick. Like I feel like a zombie! But it's my 1st time in over a year on the mission of getting sick...so I guess I'll take one for the team. But Heavenly Father is blessing me and I love Him! Like all morning I'll just want to crawl in a ball and play dead...but the second we walk out the door I'm alive and awake and have the same pep in my step. But once it turns 9 pm I turn into a pumpkin and I feel like crawling to the front door. So He is saving my little bottom. Sister Cragun and I are both down for the count. So aka we're going insane we feel like.....hahaha we are literally losing our minds....but it's fine. We love sharing the gospel so chin up! (but....if you could pray for us that would be great....because we are living off of Kleenex, airborne, and Nyquil.)

MY BABY GIRL LEFT FOR BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. She is officially in Taiwan. So sad but she's going to rock it out there. Love that gem!

Hahahaha so I'm officially a missionary....this new sister was asking me get to know you questions and her face the entire time...priceless.

1. If you could have anyone play you in the movie of your life, who would it be?

-literally I couldn't think of anyone. Like I felt bad for trying to even think of a single actress. I know nothing of this world now. Ohhh wellll

2. If you could live in any time period, which would it be?

-THE PIONEER'S.

3. Who is someone that you admire and look up to?--and it can't be anyone in your family--

-President Weston or Thomas S. Monson.

yepppp she loved those hahahaha YAY FOR BEING A MISSIONARY! YEEEHAWWWW.

We saw Angelica again this week! I lovvveee herrrrr! She is pumped for her baptism! Pray for her please! And she's coming to fhe tonight! (have I told you about that? we get to go every week with our ysa ward and the other one in a different stake. SO fun! Last week was capture the flag and this week we are doing glow in the dark ultimate Frisbee! Like is a missionary supposed to be having this much fun and playing with people all the time? YSA! YSA!)

We have this other guy named Isaac that we're teaching and he really wants to get baptized too. The ward is totally up for coming on team ups so it's oh so lovely. The only hard part is when we're teaching a guy and we need a guy fellowshipper--but then we need a public place because we can't go into his house without another girl and then there are just toooo many people. But all is well. We're working on it :)

And JAKE. I love Jake. He likes to wear cowboy boots. And when he talks, he sounds like Hunter Hayes. I'm a fan. haha but he really wants to strengthen his testimony in Christ and knows he could be doing more and wants to be a better person. We have 3 gems that we're teaching and I love them!

Missions are hard but they are SO WORTH IT. I love it. And even when things go wrong, I know that as I'm just inviting and doing what I can, that Heavenly Father will work His perfect magic timing for everything else to fall into place. I know this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true without a doubt!

"Oh how praying rests the weary...don't forget to pray." I love prayer and through it, I am strengthened.

I love y'all!

Sister Case

                             See ya laters to the old district!

 

     This man was hitting on us and gave us these masks b/c Ebola is apparently coming...

 

THE DD FOR THE STRUGGLE BUS OF LIFE

September 29, 2014

Howddddyyyy fambam! So this email is all over the place this week....forgive me. So are y'all so excited for General Conference or WHAT?! I am stokkkeeedddd. I love President Thomas S. Monson and I know he is called of God to lead and guide us. Please pray this week and prepare! Bring some questions with you that you would like to have answered, and I promise God will hear and answer YOU. Because each of us is His child.

 

This little boy that I taught in Kanesville got baptized on Saturday. He taught me a very valuable lesson on the scriptures--"a chapter a day, keeps the devil away." HAHAHAAHHA. I LOVE CHILDREN. They speak the truth!

 

Our ward got a new bishopric on Sunday! Crazy sauce. No one saw it coming. It's like a whole entire fresh slate for the Cold Springs Ward. New missionaries. New leaders. Everything. I'm so excited! We have to and can only rely on God's will if we want to get ANYTHING done.

 

So something that I've finally learned is that the scriptures are incredible. I mean I knew that--but golly, I just love them so much. Whenever I need anything, I can turn to them and they bring me peace and comfort and joy and hope and I could really just go on and on. I love how one week I'm just on cloud 9 on happiness and then the next it's like BOOM. crash and burn. This mission stuff...woof. I swear, sometimes I'm like "it's okay....it will all be better one day..." Right? I mean that's what I have to keep telling myself haha or else I might go crazy. Being in a trio is HARD. A mission is HARD. I love it--but it's a struggle still. This whole companionship thing is constantly preparing me for my own family someday and Heavenly Father is a gem at reminding me of that when I have those moments when I'm about to pull my hair out. I'm learning a lot about myself that I never really knew before I left--  like love languages. WHY IS IT THAT I AM THE ONLY SISTER WHO'S LOVE LANGUAGE IS TOUCH? (well except S. Dumont...haha that is probably why we are the best of friends....xoxos) Like the case fambam is just touchy and lovey and huggy and I love that! Others are not....and it's been really hard for me at times...but that means I'm able to stretch and find ways to love and serve them the way they want to be loved and served. I will be honest, yesterday was rough. I felt like I was crying all day...and I just wanted a hug....but apparently lots of people are not about that life...and so there I was...secretly crying while studying....praying for a hug from my Heavenly Father in some way....and then I looked up and I knew that Heavenly Father heard ME. We still haven't been able to put things away so my picture frame that y'all sent me for Valentine's day is near by and it just tickled my heart. Yesterday I wore the outfit that I wore on my 1st day entering the MTC and there's you and me Ma, same outfit, and you've got your arms wrapped around me and we're just smiling away and it was right then that I got my hug. I literally felt it and I knew that everything was going to be okay.

 

 Heavenly Father does that a lot--when we actually take the time to notice the little blessings all around us, we can't help but feel loved and have hope and know that "it's alright. Everything will be okay" When we open our HEARTS, not just our eyes, to all the blessings and miracles that God is giving each of us individually, we see things in a whole new perspective.

 

Back to the prep for the fambam life, I feel as if I'm truly preparing to be a mom. Each companionship has those moments--the glares of being corrected...hurtful comments every now and then...but like you have to roll it off and smile and even when your kids hurt your feelings--you still love them and want to help and do whatever you can to help them succeed. So with that, I apologize 1002x for each horrid thing I ever did and for all the love y'all still gave me. Thank you for never giving up on me. I love the atonement and I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Without him, I would be nothing. He leads and guides and CARRIES me through every single thing I go through. My desires have changed. I'm different. And it's because of him and his infinite love for me. The atonement is REAL and should be used every single second of every day. I mess up, I struggle, and I fall. But "He is always near me, though I do not see him there. And because he loves me dearly I am in his watchful care."

 

I love my Savior so much. I can do all things in Christ. And I will keep turning to him until the day I die. Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself, and He knows what I need and what I can become. He's in the details of our lives and will continue to stretch us because He knows the incredible  that are awaiting us.

 

I love y'all. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary. I love love. I love hugs. I love cupcakes. I love life.

 

love always,

 

Sister Case

We got to help with the Pancake Breakfast!

 

Apple picking party with the YSA ward. ( Young Single Adults)

 

 

It's a GIRL.

September 22, 2014

 

howwwddddyyyyyyyyyyy fambam! Oh my heart! My sisters are gorgeous! Y'all looked so beautiful for homecoming. Ashley--I am STEALING your dress! Y'all are foxes.

So I have so much to say! eeks! Well I'm just going to go it in numbers because that will be easier....

1. I got transferred
2. I still get to serve at the Trail Center :)
3. I'm in a trio
4. I'M TRAINING. I HAVE A BABY GIRL.
5. My other companion--sister Cragun--and I came out together. #tender
6. Sister Strong (my baby girl) is a visa waiter FOR TAIWAN.
7. I'm leaning a new language basically.
8.I'M IN THE COLDS SPRINGS YOUNG SINGLE ADULT WARD.
9. oh.my.heart.

Training Sister Strong

Sooooo that's my life! I would have never thought that I would train or being in a YSA! (Young Single Adult)  ahhhh. So I'm like training this sister on life and for the trail center. Do I have any clue what I'm doing? hahahaha PSYCH. But Heavenly Father is leading and guiding every step of the way. And Sister Cragun is helping as well so it's grand. I love the two of them. This is now my 3rd apartment that I've moved into after elders......boys are so gross. the end. Like....we have no soap? hahahaha the struggle has been real the past few days. You try eating oatmeal with a knife.... so we're deep cleaning and organizing and unpacking for our pday. yeeehawww.

Sister Cragun is from Roy, Utah and Sister Strong is from Hooper, Utah. Actually, they knew each other in high school--how funny is that?! So our studies go like this 1 hour of personal study. 1 hour of companionship study. 1 hour of 12 week (for the new missionaries.) and then 1 hour of language study. and then lunch....and then off to the trail center at times. So our little time in the area is rough but the time that we do have IS INCREDIBLE. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY MIRACLES IN JUST THE LAST 24 HOURS.

We worked on shift Thursday night so I didn't even really get to say "see you later" to anyone in Kanesville, but all is well. I will see these gems again someday! I was just about to have a baptism too! for this 11 yr old boy named Thomas. He is so great!

I did get to say " see ya later" to the Brockways. I love them.

So with helping Sister Strong study Mandarin..good golly that stuff is intense. Like Heavenly Father knew what He was doing sending me state side. But we will play little games with her or I'll read words to her and she repeats them back in the language. But like it's really neat because I'm starting to understand the tones of it all and I'm able to correct things when she messes up. I don't know how to explain it but it's so neat! Like I will never speak this stuff, but Heavenly Father is helping me at least wrap my brain around some things to help her with her studies. She was the only sister that came out that's heading to Taiwan and so it's some pressure but such an honor and privilege to be training Sister Strong and helping her in any way that I can. Thank goodness for the trio!

Sister Case, Sister Strong, Sister Cragun

We have a new investigator named Angelica that we met for the first time last night and she's already set for baptism for November 1st! She is GOLDEN. She's been reading the Book of Mormon and referred herself on mormon.org and WANTS TO GET BAPTIZED. AHHHH I LOVE HER. We asked her if she has prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true and she goes, "no, I just know it is. I mean I had some doubts...but when I was reading my eyes just turned to this one verse and it answered all my questions. It was like God was talking to ME." Oh my heart we all walked out of that lesson wanting to just cry tears of joy.

When President called, he asked me to pray after the call to know that I need to be in the Cold Springs YSA ward with these two sisters. Heavenly Father opened my eyes to the reasons why I am needed there and it was such a testimony builder that He truly knows each of us and our concerns and wants to help in any way. And that He answers prayers. I can see all the different ways I will be stretched and I'm excited for it. I know it will be hard, but with my two incredible companions we will be able to fulfill God's will. Like it's so weird working with people my age! And some of these girls--I swear they are 28...nope. They graduated with me....I look like I'm 12 years old compared to all of them. Whatever--they can all go get married and I'll keep being a missionary. But all these references about dating and marriage and back scratches during sacrament. DYING. Oh and our 1st lesson in the area was to an engaged couple. hahaha I love my life! And we get to help her with her wedding center pieces. Toooo good. and We have fhe every night and tons of activities all the time. I love it here! And it's helping me strengthen my testimony of the kind of person I want to be after the mission. I'll explain more next week :)

We pink washed the area--so elders leave and sisters come in. So we know NO ONE OR ANYTHING. But I love that the 3 of us are all new to the area because we HAVE to rely on the Spirit. We don't know these people, but Heavenly Father does. And He will make us instruments in His hands. The lessons that we have had, have been exactly to their needs and I walk away from those lessons just feeling pure joy, just knowing that we're on the same page as Heavenly Father and being able to do His work. I love it out there! And it has been so incredible. He cares about every one of us and we get to come be His helpers.

We cleaned the temple this morning for part of our pday! I love the temple! And it is so beautiful. I can't wait for y'all to see the Winter Quarters temple someday! I got to clean Heavenly Father's home. How neat is that!

Well I am just a happy camper. I just love life and I am so grateful that I still get to be at the trail center. (this will probably be my last one because President told me he wants to make it a proselyting area.) Ahhhh i'm just so happy!

love y'all!

Sister Case

Look who I get to study up on!  Go Grandma Patty!

Love my Sister Schrader

 

"It's not a race-- it's a journey.... ENJOY THE MOMENT!"

September 15, 2014

Howdy fambam! Holy Hannah I have officially brought out the tights. Nooooooooooo. 

Soooo how are y'all? I can't wait to hear all about Homecoming. yeeehaawww! I love mums. S/O to Texas. and thank you so much for the help with my glasses. I finally have them and can see again. Miracles happen.

Okay time for some stories! Well one--the spirit finally led me to someone through my food cravings. I knew my dreams would come true one of these days! We were praying to decide between 2 people that we should go see and during the prayer "Eli's Deli" popped into my head. And I was truly fighting back the hunger thoughts but I really felt like we should go there. (we do have a potential investigator there and her mom used to be a member? We still need to figure all that out.) So we head over there and at the park before we enter we're able to give a Book of Mormon to these Arabian brother and sister! Sweeettt. But it gets better! We enter the cute ice-cream place and there is Cassie--a girl that works there. She gave us our ice-cream and we started talking to her and she said she just moved here and wants to make friends SO WE INVITED HER TO VOLLEYBALL WITH THE ZONE (best thing evaaa on Mondays!) and she said she was looking for a church to go to. She's super cool! She would go to the YSA elders but still--the spirit led me to ice-cream. Can we just pause for how wonderful that is? Heavenly Father knows and loves me. Official testimony builder on that one.

 

Awkward story--by the ice-cream place again hahaha (I promise I have only been there one time in my entire life.) It was closed when we thought we should go see Andrea--the one who's mother is a member--but this guy is passing by us and we say hi and he keeps walking. DANG IT. Next thing that pops out of my mouth HEY! ARE YOU WEARING A NORTH FACE COAT? Well that gets his attention! He smiles and says yes and starts walking back while I jump up and down and say twinnerrzzz (1. am i awkward or am i awkward? 2. yes, it has gotten that cold that I've brought out the green fuzzy.) His name is Mark Church and he's a gem! He recently went to Salt Lake and talked to all sorts of missionaries at temple square and really enjoyed it all. Sister Purcell had met him before so total blessing that we saw him again! He was asking lots of questions and was telling his concerns on life and how he wishes he could see his family that had passed away again some day. He was just out walking because he had a lot on his mind and needed to think things out. I love them thinkers! We gave him a Book of Mormon, said a prayer with him, and asked him to read a chapter for us. I'm excited for Mark! It's true--if we just open our mouth the spirit will do the rest Even if it's the most lame thing ever it will work! Yeeehawww!

 

We went on a field trip at the trail center to different places that the pioneers went to! I love it here! And it is beautiful!

 

Sister Purcell sang in a lesson for our investigator Jacob. We sang A Child's Prayer and he started crying! We were outside for the lesson and it was freezing but  he says, "That was beautiful. I have goose bumps! and it's not because I'm cold. I feel something good inside me." I don't think it can get more tender than that. I love the Holy Ghost! and I love how it can touch people. Pray that Jacob will read the Book of Mormon and begin to progress! (Live news feed here in council bluffs: OMH JACOB JUST SAT BY ME AT THE LIBRARY. MIRACLES.)

 

So something that I've started to do is pray every day that I will have the opportunity to share my testimony with someone. And I am being able to share it even more! I love it! Actually during Zone Training I was asked to come bear my testimony to everyone and it was a scary struggle, but it was a neat experience because I kept praying for God's will on what to say. It just helped me see that I've grown a lot and I'm so grateful for my Savior. Then at the Tabernacle we had this huge bus tour come in and the senior couple missionaries asked us to share our testimonies with the two groups and it was just tender. 

 

Well, this week is transfers! 2 trail center sisters are coming to the mission so I really don't know if I'll be here next week. It makes me so sad but I have learned so much these 6 weeks. I love the trail center. I love the pioneers. My testimony of them has strengthened immensely. I love their faith and their willingness to obey God. I know that as I continue to pray and ask for Heavenly Father's will and not my own, I'll be more happy, loving, a better disciple, everything! It's incredible to realize that Heavenly Father has the story written out and the game plan ready to go. We just need to take the time to ask Him what it is. I love this gospel!

love always,

Sister Case

Time flies when you're sharing the gospel

Monday September 8, 2014

Howwddyy!! How are y'all?! S/O to getting on last week to find out that NIKKI RAE GOT BAPTIZED. OH MY HEART I AM SO HAPPY AND I STARTED CRYING.(my British friend from BYU that's on the tennis team--y'all met him at a BYU basketball game. Love you Nikki! soooo happy for you!)  OMH you saw Hudson Lights? Stop it. I've never really ever heard them...but I've heard Keith..and he's a Vocal Point member...--well they are all VP members--and we all know how much I'm in love with them...so needless to say I FREAKED OUT.

It's randomly starting to get cold....don't do this to me! I'm straight up begging for it to not happen YET. but then other days it's suppperrrr humid. like you get out of the shower and you're allll sticky for the rest of the day. Honest, I love it hahaha. Okay enough weather talk. I'm not THAT awkward..yet.

Familysearch.com is doing this really neat thing where they can locate your pioneer ancestors and it's only up for just a tiny bit longer so GOOOO SEE ITTT. seriously it's sooo neat!

https://familysearch.org/pioneers/?cid=hp-1659#/

President Weston wants each companionship in the mission to give out at least one Book of Mormon every single day. Some days we get it...some days we don't,...some days we give out 2. We're trying! Last week 265 copies were given out through out the whole mission! That is so great! The Book of Mormon is taking over NOM. Speaking of that gem of a book--need a video to watch? Don't have a family home evening lesson planned out yet? Have no fear--Sister Case is here! (solid ring to it.) We watched this video at zone conference and holy Hannah my love for the Book of Mormon grew even more! PLEASE PLEASE WATCH. Pray before and after too. I can promise you that you will feel the spirit testify to you that the restored gospel is on the earth and that the Book of Mormon is true. That it's another testament of Jesus Christ. You will feel peace and love from our loving Heavenly Father.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-04-004-scriptures-legacy?lang=eng 

August came to church again AND young womens! Please keep them in your prayers. Baby steps but I love em :)

I just want to bear my testimony with this quote from our favorite person, Mr. Walt Disney :)

"Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want to come back and see you do it again. And they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do."

I like to think of that quote as being an example. a member missionary. a worthy priesthood holder. People totally watch every single thing that we do, so we need to make sure that we are on our best behavior and have the light of Christ shining in our eyes. Because through that example, others will want to know of the happiness that we have in our lives and will want to bring their friends along to know of the restored gospel here on the earth. Stick out and make a difference. Something I'm realizing is that it's easier to be normal and complain and be miserable. There are not that many happy people in this world anymore and sometimes it's nicer to just go with the flow and say negative things or get down in the dumps. Who wants to be normal anyways? I'm weird and I love it. I snort when I'm scared. I don't finish the last bit of my food. I sleep with a stuffed animal. oh wellllllll. Because I know that I'm a daughter of God and that He loves me. He loves each of us! And that in itself is something to be happy and smile about. Be an example!

Statue at Kanesville Tabernacle

I love this. I'm on a little spiritual journey thingy right now--and when I've figured this all out I'll tell you all about it :) But I'm finally becoming me and I'm just so happy. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the perfect example.

Shine and share your testimony!

love always,

Sister Case

Birthday Breakfast at the Trail Center

 

Faith in Every Footstep

Tuesday September 2, 2014

Howwwddeeee! How are y'all? Did you do anything fun for labor day? I'm glad y'all were able to go to Uncle Tom's funeral. He was a gem!

Funny stuff--you know that BYU tour of 3 guys that I took? Well one of them somehow got my full name and mission address and sent me a tender little postcard! I was dying! Life is still grand.

Best. Slide. Ever.

 

We're teaching this girl--here in good ol' Kanesville--named August! She 's 12. Her grandma isn't a member but she is very supportive of August learning more about the gospel. Her parents do not want her to learn :( wahhh so we can't meet at her house to teach but we are allowed to go to other places and August and gram came to church yesterday and loved it! The YW swarmed August after sacrament and she is excited for Wednesday night! Fellow shipping is so important! No one came up to Diana (the grandma) so aka if you ever see someone new in church--get your bottom over there and introduce yourself! I was DYING. Help a missionary out. Please keep these two gems in your prayers. August doesn't know anything about Jesus Christ so we are starting from level 0. It's going to be a slow process but if she's coming closer to Christ, then it's all worth it!

The Trail Center is great! It's starting to slow down though. Like Friday I was there for 6 hours and had 0 tours. I really do love it there! It makes me sad to think that I could possibly leave after this transfer and i don't know how long I will be here for so I'm trying to enjoy every second of it!

Brother Brockway.  We live with him and his wife. 

We love having popcorn parties with them.

 

I had 2 super neat experiences at the Trial Center that I want to share! The 1st was this man in a tour for a group of special needs people. (it was a tender mercy b/c the 2nd my bumbum hit 1st chair they walked in. It made me think of my fun times with Circle of Friends in high school.) This man was one of the leaders/sponsors. The main topic that kept coming up with everyone was faith. When we got to the memorial room (the glass room that overlooks the temple and pioneer cemetery) I sang "I Am A Child of God) and that was a very special experience in itself. I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us and that we are all His children. By the end of tour, the man was asking why the pioneers would leave everything for this religion. At one point, I knew the question he was going to ask before he even finished--word for word in my head. (so cool!) And the answer that came to me was SHARE THE BOOK OF MORMON. I began to explain its importance and asked if I could share Moroni 10:3-5 and he immediately asked if he could have his own book! I then bore my testimony on the Book of Mormon and he asked if missionaries could come visit him. He told me that missionaries had come to his door a few times before, but he always shooed them away! But after taking a tour, his heart was filled with happiness. He figured that if the pioneers dropped everything to follow this religion, then he should take the time to learn more about it and the peace he was feeling. It was an incredible experience!

I also had the opportunity to take a family on a tour right before we closed. They had just come from the temple doing baptisms. One of the daughters is leaving for her mission next month to Phoenix, AZ and I was able to talk to her and calm down her nerves. It was really tender! We didn't have much time, but I felt very impressed, while in the memorial room, to sing "families can be together forever" and ask how the temple has blessed and affected their lives. Well the mother became a bawling mess and the girls started tearing up as they shared their testimonies and then I started tearing up too. Golly. But the Spirit was there and we all knew--in that little room--that families truly can be together forever.

I'm working out new things and trying to know my Savior better. I love being able to learn and grow. Sister Purcell has been sick lately and so I've been able to step up the mother status and help her. Thank you mother dearest for all that you've taught me. It has been a great experience to love and feel like the Savior does for each of us as his children. I can't wait to be a mommy someday! Which is so funny b/c before my mission i thought everyone was a little gremlin :)

Celebrating Sister Purcell's 4 month mark with Krispie Kreme Doughnuts.

 

I love y'all so much and I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It can change hearts and answer any question of the soul. I would love for you to share your testimony with me! They build me up!

love always,

Sister Case

1 year down.....99 more to go

August 25, 2014

Sooooooo I hit my year mark. #SHAMBLED LIFE. All is well though. Tender moment--we had zone conference on my year mark AND IT WAS IN MY SIOUX CITY CHURCH BUILDING. 1st time I've been back there since I left once upon a time. I loved it! Zone Conference was incredible! I wish I had my notes with me right now. It was allll about the Book of Mormon and it  put so much into perspective of how so many people fought for it and how now it's my turn to share. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has exploded! We have been asked to carry one around with us everywhere and to loan one out everyday. So here we go! And the whole mission is reading the Book of Mormon together from start to finish. We had to underline every single time is says atonement, God, Jesus Christ, or any other form of their names. And we have to circle the word heart every time. The NOM (Nebraska Omaha Mission) missionaries are incredible and I am so grateful to be serving with all of these gems. We will all have a changed heart together. So by next zone conference we will all have read the Book of Mormon. Eek! I am so excited. We also sang the EFY  medley all together and it was incredible. I recorded it :) All of us missionaries truly are like the army of Helaman and I am so happy to be serving a mission right now.

Adding the Book of Mormon to the

 " Little Free Library Box"

 

I sang in one of my tours this week! I felt like I should and it totally brought the spirit in. I really do love to sing. I don't know why I have never really shared that talent with others as much as I could in my life. I'm working on it. I'm really trying to figure out what other talents I have and then use them to share and help others. Can you help me? Strugglesss.

Something that I've realized is that a mission truly never ends. Coming on a mission has helped me see how to be a missionary until the day I die. It's never going to end, really. Hahaha but I'm so obsessed with being a missionary that I sleep with a Book of Mormon under my pillow and sleep with my name tag on....I might be going a little overboard...but I love my cute tag and never want to take it off! Brigham Young said, "There is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life." loovvveee itttt

Buddies I came out with.

My Columbums :)

It's so weird to think that I've always wanted to serve a mission and now I've got only 6 months left. My testimony has grown so much and I ahhhh I am just so grateful! I love the Book of Mormon and I know it's true. I receive personal revelation from it every time I diligently seek. I feel at peace and I know I'm a child of God because He hears me and help me understand what I need to work on, become, or just help me know that everything will be okay. And because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I have more charity than before. I'm a better listener. I'm more patient. (I know.....it's kind of hard to believe.....since we all know I'm always driving the struggle bus of life.) Having S. Purcell as my companion puts a whole new meaning to being a child of God. I 'm so grateful for this opportunity that I finally have to be a senior companion. I think it took me forever to finally be one because I was super prideful and wanted it for the all the wrong reasons. But now I see the responsibility as a sacred task and privilege. I'm learning how to give correction in a loving way. With S. Purcell as my baby it makes me realize that we are all God's children. I must love my companion and put her 1st and help her with whatever she needs. My needs don't matter. Turning outward is crucial and Heavenly Father is molding me and helping me. If Sister Purcell is so important to me, and helping her feel loved and listened to, think of how important and special we are to Heavenly Father! And when we realize the love that God has for each of us, we only want to uplift one another.

 S. Purcell is preparing me for marriage and motherhood in ways I never thought about.  I just want to have a family and help my own little baby gems. That sounds so weird but it's true. She has opened my eyes to so many things and how to look at life. I love families! The whole choosing a husband thing is pretty intimidating...(holla for not having to deal with that for awhile..) but I know that families are eternal. And I loveee y'all so much. Like I'm so happy! It's veryyyy hard....but I'm happy. My choice!

My first day with Sister Purcell

 

Language is so crucial and important. I've come to know that the only words that should come out of my mouth are kind and gentle words. Even silly words or sarcasm are not okay. Speaking only like the Savior would and living each day as if he were beside me. That's the kind of life I want to live. I know that miracles are all around us every single day and that God is in the details of our lives. I know the atonement is real.

I am so grateful! to be on a mission right now. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and I just want to make them proud of me and become the potential that they see in me. Here's to a beautiful, exhausting, miracle seeing 6 months! YEEEEHAWWWW!!!

Love always,

Sister Case