The Temple

 I love to see the temple.

I’m going there someday

To feel the Holy Spirit,

To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty.

I’ll prepare myself while I am young;

This is my sacred duty.

Today, the lovely Sister Thunell brought me to the temple for the first time. When my parents finally agreed to let me get baptized, I knew I wanted to visit the temple first. I am SO glad I did.

The temple is so pretty, and seeing it made everything feel so real. I know that I am going there someday, and I'm thrilled for when that day comes. :)

Mommy Thunell also brought me to the LDS bookstore (Where I spent $110.17... Oops?). I got my very own set of scriptures with my name on them, as well as many other things like:

• Colorful scripture markers
• Tiny cards to keep in my scriptures (2 of the Savior and one with a picture of a YW with the armor of God on)
• Preach my Gospel 
• A Temple calendar
• "Who is your hero?" cards

Sister Thunell got me a tiny picture of the Dallas temple to keep in my new scriptures, too. :) It was really exciting. :)

I got a package from Brother Wilcox last night (yes, Brad Wilcox. We're email buddies, I'll have to make a post about how I got so close to him). He sent me a book called "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" by Clayton Christensen. I love that book. Its so good.

Its been a really amazing day. I'm so thankful for Sister Thunell and everything she does for me!

I have good news: the Church is true! :)

Missionaries! <3

I got the opportunity to meet with the missionaries twice yesterday.

I LOVE my missionaries. I have fantastic missionaries and I thank Him for them every single day.

In the first meeting, I planned to have all these wonderful people come. It was me, my friend Willie (whose going on his mission in 15 days) and four Elders. Elder Christensen and Elder Saenger brought friends :)

It started off weird. Elder Saenger and one other missionary played random songs in the piano while Willie and I sat with Elder Christensen and another Elder whose name slips my mind. We talked about my baptism. And Elder Christensen wrote the program on the chalk board and we discussed and he explained to me that I needed to stop stressing about it because I have so many people around to help. He compared it to the movie "The Game Plan" when the little girl is pushing this sled with all we might and it won't budge. Frustrated, she turns around and says "I'm not strong enough!" And he says "it's not about what's in here" and pointed to his muscle "it's about what's in here" and pointed to his heart. So she turns around and starts pushing and it moves! She looks up and a couple football players are helping.

"Now, Casey, you aren't an 8 year old. You are 17, so you're pushing this sled and it's inching forward. But you don't have to do this alone. You have a whole football team that loves you and is willing to help you in anyway possible. Casey this isn't a ward, this is a family. That's why I love it here"

Elder Christensen's testimony shines through his eyes. It inspires me.

Later that night we met with the bishop and talked about everything and my nerves and stress set back in. One of my really good friends suggested a priesthood blessing of comfort the day before and I decided to go ahead with it. I am so glad I did. Priesthood blessings make my thoughts go silent an calm me down. I LOVE the priesthood.

I'm so very grateful for these stubborn, camera shy missionaries. They bless my life each and every day.

Stake Conference :)

Stake conference was today and it's was really good. I always find myself getting really antsy after the first hour, though.

The main focus was missionary work? Which was cool because I sat right next to the Elders today :) it was fun.

As my baptism gets closer and closer I get anxious. And the slightest bit nervous for unknown reasons. And stressed. VERY stressed. There's so much to do before that wonderful day.

This is the final stretch of my first lap of my Church life. As the day approaches I feel myself gain more and more adrenaline and move a lot faster toward my goal. This is not the end of my journey. Again, this is my first lap. I still have many more to go. I'm so proud of myself that I have gone so far in this church.

I have good news: the church is true!

Elder Christensen

So many of you may be wondering "What made them say yes??"

Well, there is a missionary in my ward named Elder Christensen. I told him about how I gave my parents a Book of Mormon and a couple weeks later (November 3rd) after I bore my testimony during fast and testimony meeting he came to me saying that he had a revelation. :)

He told me he felt like I should set a baptismal date and go from there. So I chose December 7th. So I asked my mom to talk about me getting baptized with my dad and she promise I would have an answer by the next weekend.

Elder Christensen went around telling everyone and asking them to fast and pray for me. While I myself was fasting and praying. I know that this is why their hearts softened.

I gained a huge testimony over the power of fasting and prayer. That was something I hadn't actually experienced before. (Ironically enough I taught my laurels class about fasting a couple weeks before that).

I am so grateful that Elder Christensen did all that he did to help me get this far. He is a wonderful missionary and a great friend to me. :)

And so I have asked him to baptize me. He will be baptizing me on December 8th. :)

The Church is true!!!!!!! :)

Little Miracles

"Dear everyone. 
CASEY IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GONNA CRY. She has been coming to church faithfully for 4 years and her parents have finally agreed to let her become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. CASEY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!"  -Savannah 

Yes. Its true. MY PARENTS SAID YES TO BAPTISM.

I will be baptized on December 8th at 5:30 (possibly 6 because of mission prep...)

Things are speeding up. Its amazing to me the things that can happen when you trust in the Lord's timing. This past year has been full of struggles and pain. For a while I was in a dark place where I felt like I would never come out. But with the help of the Savior, I found the Light again.

I absolutely LOVE this gospel and everyone who has touched my life throughout my journey. He does amazing things. I have so may friends who are supporting me. I am VERY blessed.

I know that this church is true and I am so very grateful that I have such a strong support system in the church. I am so blessed to know as many people as I do and I pray that I will touch someone's life at my baptism. 

I am so very grateful for my life and all of the miracles He has woven into it.