By Small and Simple Things

Dear Family,

Happy New Year! I will be sending all of your Christmas presents out today. Sorry that I am such a slacker and behind. I blame the mission. Thank you for your prayers. They are being answered.

We have had a great week. I feel like I just talked with and emailed y'all a few days ago, but have had some good experiences since then. Yesterday we got a new bishop. I almost cried. I love our bishop so much. I also think that next week they will extend our ward boundaries which will be wonderful but will make our areas bigger. We'll see.

On Saturday, Elder Evertsen and I were riding home from an appointment and passed the Miller's house. He has been serving as the second counselor in the bishopric and their family is incredible. We used to be there about every other day teaching investigators, but that hasn't happened for a while now (almost a month) and we felt that we should just stop by and say hi. We did so and shared a message. At the end we asked if we could do anything for them and they just asked us to pray that all would be well with their family. I didn't think much of that becuase many poeple ask us to do that. Yesterday we had lunch with them though and the wife told us that her husband had just lost his job on Friday. It was interesting to me to see the Lord's hand. We had no idea that he had lost his job, we have ridden by their house countless times in the past month without stopping by, but on Saturday, the Lord knew how hard it must have been for hermano Miller to not have a way to support his family so He sends His missionaries to comfort him and remind him that he is not forgotten. It was a tender moment for me to remember yet again just how much the Lord loves us and is aware of us.

Last week David sent me an email and pointed out to me that 2013 will be the only year in my entire life that I spend entirely on my mission. I have been thinking a lot about this opportunity that I have and took the time to set my goals for this year during personal study today. It was incredible to think that for one full year, I can forget myself and serve the Lord. What a year of growth and change and learning this will be.

We have been talking a lot with people about setting goals and welcoming 2013 joyfully. As we have done so, we have shared Alma 37:6-7

6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 7 And the Lord God doth work by ^ameans to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very ^bsmall means the Lord doth ^cconfound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
I have come to know just how true this is. It is by the small things, like reading the Book of Mormon as a family, praying as a family, serving together, and having Family Home Evening, that the Lord is able to bring about our salvation. I am grateful for the example I had growing up in a home where all these things were practiced and lived.

Please pray for Darlene and Doug. I love you all!
Elder Case