Wednesday, November 20, 2013

My Grace is Sufficient

Dear Family,

Attached is a photo of Elder Larson and I that I just took so that you would have an idea of what he looks like. Sorry I am such a bad photo taker. I am always trying to repent of that but the change of heart has just not occurred yet.

It has been another good week. I learned so much from zone conferences. Each day seemed to teach me new things as the Spirit kept on working with me trying to help me apply the doctrine and principles to myself. It was a wonderful experience.

We continue to work with Saul and Sofia and have made a little bit of progress with them. Sofia has been reading the assignments that we leave her and asking questions. She also committed to come to church at some point, just not yet. Elder Johnson and I were doing a role play for her the other day trying to receive revelation about what is holding her back from progressing even more. I had the slight feeling during the role play that we needed to include her sons. Her sons are named Christian (6) and Bryan (2). Elder Larson an d I decided to try and teach the boys and it was a great success. Normally what happens when we get there is both the boys go back and play. If they come out, there parents send them back to their rooms. On Friday we stopped by to drop of a CD for Sofia since we were close and she wants to learn English. It has some hymns on it and so we figured that it couldn't hurt. They invited us in and we decided to teach Christian. We called him over and began to talk to him about prayer. We asked if he knew what prayer was and he explained that he kind of did. We had a wonderful little lesson with him and he prayed twice on his own for the first time in his life. He loved it and said that it made him feel so good. We then committed him to pray every night and help his parents pray with him. He said he would. We came back the next night and asked everyone if they had prayed. Christian immediately answered, "I did!" He was so proud of himself. His parents had not prayed but he promised to help them. We then taught a very simple Plan of Salvation lesson while drawing with crayons on the lids of pizza boxes. Sofia payed better attention and learned more than she has from any other lesson.

As we have taught Christian it has helped me to understand better why Christ was continuously commanding us to become like little children:

19 For the anatural bman is an cenemy to God, and has been from the dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he eyields to the enticings of the fHoly Spirit, and gputteth off the hnatural man and becometh a isaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a jchildksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. 

How true that is. Little children are so humble and open minded. Their hearts are soft. I just want to become like a little child. Like MJ, Katie, Andrew and Allison and Parker and Miles and John and Kimball. What great examples little children are to us. There is a talk by President Packer entitled "And a Little Child Should Lead Them" that I just love.

We had a miracle at church yesterday. We had been trying to get in contact with la familia Padilla the whole weekend without much success. We spoke with one of the members that is really close with them and asked her to call as well. She didn't have any success either. We were planning on stopping by before church but weren't able to so we just sat in Sacrament Meeting saving them a seat. I was frustrated that they weren't there and that there was nothing I could do about it. Then we took the Sacrament and I had the opportunity to reflect on the Savior and His atoning sacrifice. After the Sacrament, I was thinking about what I had learned from President Ashton during zone conference about doing all we can and then relying on the Lord and His grace to make up the difference. We can never do enough but if we do our best then he promises to make our five loaves and two fishes sufficient to feed the thousands or to touch mere stones and turn them into brilliant globes of light. As I thought about this, I decided we had done our best to help them get to church and while it still wasn't sufficient, I decided to stop worrying about it and put it in the Lord's hands. Within seconds of deciding this, la familia Padilla walked in and sat down right next to us up front. It was a miracle! I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father. And what's more, just as President Ashton taught in zone conference about the five fishes and 2 loaves not only being sufficient but being more than enough (After feeding the multitude there were twelve full baskets left over. See Matthew 14:20.) they not only came but stayed all three hours and loved it! In Priesthood, Hermano Padilla introduced himself and said that he would be coming from now on. I love this work!

Anyways, all is well here in Houston. It is Elder Larson's birthday this week. I am trying to figure out a way to throw him a party in the apartment. We will see how it works out.

Thank you for your love and prayers. I sure need them and appreciate them.

Love you all!

Elder Case

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