Missions are fun :)

Transfers are happening on Wednesday! Since there has been so much work in both of our wards, they are putting a set of missionaries in each! I will no longer be covering 2 wards. We are going to miss the stalwart saints in that ward so much!! I'll miss Sister Sallstrom, I'm getting a new companion. She has been soooo amazing!!!! I cannot believe all that we have seen together!!!!

In a few hours we are going to meet 2 of the coolest people in the world for dinner. We were teaching them last week, and it was amazing how strong the spirit was. Their questions were answered through the spirit, it was so miraculous. Corey even said he should've been a missionary, he could easily "sell" the Book of Mormon: Just read it, every answer you ever need, it's in this book. Jacob 2:18-19 :)

I know you can experience the joy from missionary work as you go out with the missionaries in your area. Just last night, we were going out with a member, and everything fell through! Then, we were led to where the Lord needed us, and we were able to see why nothing else worked. Our faith was strengthened so much--the members that come with us are able to relate in ways that we cannot because they have had experiences that connect them to the people we are teaching. Members are a key part for an investigator's conversion.

We can learn more as we go to the temple, we can feel more of Heavenly Father's love. Everything exists because of his love.
Heavenly Father created this world out of love
He sent his son, because he loves us
We love him because he first loved us
We serve him & keep his commandments because we love him
We love others because we love him

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." Thomas S. Monson.

Love you all!
Sister Rachel White

P.S. please pray for Terri & Tyler, they know the gospel is true, but coming to church is hard for them. Also, please pray for Troy.

Fabulous February!

Our mission is planned to have a record shattering amount of baptisms this month! Our mission president said it is "Fantastic, fabulous, faithful February!" Baptisms that follow the directions in PMG are so incredibly uplifting. Powerful. Sister Sallstrom & I got to bear our testimonies & sing last minute at G's baptism (the interlude people couldn't come or something). There was an overwhelming amount of love we could feel there. Especially as we saw a sweet family we are
teaching crying in the back.

I have learned that I need to keep a better record of the Lord fulfilling His promises (3 Nephi 23:7-14). We expect and facilitate daily miracles, and those miracles are a result of the Lord fulfilling
His promises as we act in faith.

Life is a growing period--filled with stretching and opportunities to grow--hard. I am learning so much. A member said, "broken roads help us walk by faith. Trials are meant to help us cleave unto Him, not turn us away." but to turn our burdens to Him, to return to His presence. I pray that we will be strong, and that outward influences don't hurt us, because of Christ's atonement. Everything (our joys & long sufferings) are worth it if they help us come closer to our Savior.

Miracles are happening like crazy here!! The parking lot was FULL on Sunday, people had to park on the street! There was a wonderful spirit during the testimony meetings :)

Love you all!!!!

Puppies, lunch

I went picture crazy this week since I forgot to do it last week.

A less active member has puppies, and she let us take pictures with
them, aren't they adorable? (she has 11, and I think they are all sold already, wow!)

I had so much fun making breakfast for Sister Sallstrom, and she
wanted a picture of it :)

Sister Sallstrom lost her contact container, so I told her what I would 

do when I forgot mine--use teaspoons, haha.

Oh, and that last picture? Especially for Hannah :)

We got to go to the Gilbert temple open house!! It was so incredible!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week!

The work is going well, everyone is getting sick though! Geneva, (I think I sent pictures of her earlier with the gingerbread houses) is getting baptized on Saturday :)

I love you all.

I know that our Father in Heaven loves each of you very much, I hope the Spirit impresses that upon your hearts as you remember all the good things in your life (Moroni 10:6).

Remember Who You Are,
Sister White

Missionary work: joy

Yesterday, there was a woman who was too sick to give her talk, but had written it. I got it right before the opening prayer to sacrament. They announced they heard I do good accents. It was humorous, because I was able to read in a southern accent a poem about Jake the Rancher--it's  probably on the internet. I learned how to follow the spirit, and how wonderful it is to be able to rely on the Lord when we are trying our best.

Wow, so many good things.

Remember the incredible Elder with muscular dystrophy Sister Sallstrom & I got to teach the Plan of Salvation with? Saturday, Sister Sallstrom & I had the honor of singing (with divine help) at his life
celebration, "Each Life that Touches Ours for Good." (because we sang If You Could Hie to Kolob during the lesson, and the spirit was very strong). We have an angel watching us from up above, so y'all don't need to worry about us :)

Our mission president, President Jenkins sent this to our mission, and I thought it was too good not to share: "I love what Elder Orson F. Whitney once said: 'The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.' We should honor the Savior's declaration to 'be of good cheer'. Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other." (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland) This has helped me understand charity more :) I know that if we turn to the Lord with faith, he will help us keep His commandments. 1 Nephi 3:7, He giveth no commandment save he prepares a way.

Prayers are answered in due time, I am so grateful for that. I was able to feel strongly the answer to a question asked many a time for many a year. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and if we continue to press forward in faith, we will gain all that he has, step by step.

I love you all,
Sister Rachel White

P.S.

One of my new favorite quotes :)
"Happiness in...life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful [relationships] are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
-The Family: A Proclamation to the World

New Years Happened? / Testimony

Oh yeah, about that. Life as a missionary has been making me lose track of time. It feels like our New Year's activity was forever ago! I forgot about it until my companion brought it up. 3 funny things, we played do you love your neighbor, and a chair was broken. Our zone threw up some missionaries with a sheet, another blessing from being small. We did skits, I was Nephi, large in stature! I walked up to the edge of the stage and climbed onto the shoulders of a tall sister missionary.

Miracles are wrought everyday through faith. Prayer is incredible. Saturday night it was right for us to set a date for 2 wonderful, incredible people, a mother and her son. When we asked if she'd follow the example of Jesus Christ & be baptized, She said she was looking forward to it! And her son was ecstatic! (We've asked them before, but she said she was listening, and he was confused as to why he needed to be baptized again). The ward loves them, they love the ward, and we are sooooo happy. Being a part of this marvelous work is wonderful. The bishop was working with this family for ~20 years. Charity never faileth.

People keep calling me Sister Smith, because they remember my name is really common or something. My first Sunday I was introduced to the ward as Sister Smith (it got corrected). People we meet on the street leave saying, nice to meet you Sister Smith! Last week even Sister Sallstrom's family in emails called me Sister Smith!

Testimony
I know that our Redeemer lives, and this brings me great comfort. Remember the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Way to have everlasting peace and joy in our lives. Faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, Enduring to the end. I love this gospel.

I know that we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Miracles happen. My prayers are with you.

Stay strong in the faith.
Remember who you are.
Return with Honor.

Love,
Sister Rachel White

You are loved, so so so much. D&C 121

Christmas Pictures

The Hall family sent a gingerbread house making kit, so last week we made them with Geneva and Alnita :) Alnita was baptized a year or so ago, and her granddaughter, Geneva has a brother on a mission. We have been teaching Geneva and love sharing the good news of the gospel with her :)

We also happened upon a droll Santa saguaro cactus.

Merry Christmas!

Wonderful things are happening! Mesa is amazing! Christmas is a wonderful time to be on a mission!!

How will we make room for Christ this Christmas?

"If you serve you will learn to love. If you love you will serve. Therefore love=serve

We are called to serve=We are called to love

Mosaih 2:17; Matthew 22:37-38; John 14:15"

One of our investigators got an answer to his prayers! He learned that God answers prayers 3 ways, sometimes he says yes, and gives us what we want, sometimes he says no, and gives us something better, and sometimes he says wait and gives us the best.

There are members here that let us come over every pday and it's like going home once a week! We are blessed with so much love :)

One of our investigators is a Jehovah's Witness and when I got here, she always said she didn't celebrate Christmas when a member talked about it. She used to argue with the missionaries. Well, Saturday, she said she wants to be Mormon!!! And when we were leaving, she told us Merry Christmas!!!!!!! It is incredible to see what individual prayer and reading the Book of Mormon can do--she has been reading them :)

Ofa'atu

Sister White

Miraculous Mesa :)

My cup surely runneth over. Your prayers are making a huge difference for this little missionary :)

On January 11, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland will be meeting with all of the missionaries who serve in the Mesa, Gilbert, and Scottsdale missions!!!!

I can skype y'all for Christmas!!

This week so many wonderful things have happened! An Elder resides in our area and does indexing, he's about 20 and suffers from a disease that makes him need caretakers to help his mother take care of him. We found out in correlation that he probably won't be on this earth much longer. He has been such a missionary in the hospital throughout his trials and pains! One of his care takers is going through a really hard time, many members of her family have passed away recently, and he and his mother gave her a Book of Mormon. We are so blessed to be the missionaries here! The Elder's mother set up an appointment. with this beautiful Hispanic woman to have us come and teach the plan of salvation. During the lesson the spirit was tangible, we were in the presence of angels. The Elder bore his testimony on the plan of salvation when we finished. Oh, and we got to sing his favorite hymn, half at the beginning of the lesson, and half at the end--If You Could Hie to Kolob. This is the most spiritual experience I have ever had. The comfort and hope that came into her eyes was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen.

I love being a missionary! The people in our area are wonderful! Many incredible investigators got to come to church this Sunday. One of the boys exclaimed, "I cannot stop smiling!" We are blessed to be in a ward that helps them feel Heavenly Father's love for them by the way they treat others. I wish I could tell you about all the wonderful people we are teaching, we are teaching about 20... with 4 hours less of proselyting time, prioritizing is something I'm learning very quickly. Sister Sallstrom and I are blessed to have the best problems :)

I love you. Something that is powerful: if you are confused about anything/don't understand, 1 Nephi 15:8

So, something that clicked for me this morning during studies: Christ's "laws [are] not inscribed upon stone, but upon human hearts" (Thomas S. Monson). Christ's laws are universal, our hearts drive us to keep them, as we act on the Light of Christ within each of us, we are given, we are able to receive more light. Each time we act, we are opening the "windows to heaven" (Mal 3:10) even more! I imagine a huge curtain that opens little by little. Life gets so much brighter!! There is more hope, more faith, more joy, etc :) The opposite is true as well though--each time we don't act on the feelings to do good, we close off the window of our soul, and life gets darker--less hope, less faith, less joy... Let us cheerfully do those Christlike actions so we may be a light on a hill, & give light to all (3 Ne 12:16). Let us go "about doing good" (Acts 10:38) Cheerfully doing all in our power (D&C 123:17)


Sister Rachel White

Serving at the Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple!

The other night, Sister Sallstrom & I got to take the baby Jesus out
of the manger at the Christmas lights, it was really amazing :)

Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooo much for your prayers and letters!!

P.S.
Power quotes, the whole mission is reading a General Conference talk everyday :) "The companionship of the Holy Ghost is not just a pleasant convenience---it is essential to your spiritual survival. If you will not treasure up the words of Christ and listen closely to the promptings of the Spirit, you will be deceived" (Elder Adrian Ochoa). "But here is the point---rather than solve the problem Himself, the Lord wants us to develp the faith that will help us rely upon Him in solving our problems and trust Him" (Elder Terence M. Vinson)

Mesa Means Magnificent

I am convinced, Mesa means everything wonderful in the world at one place.

It's hitting me, I am on a mission!!! I am so very happy to be here! I love learning from everyone around me. Something that really really struck me yesterday is that when we were teaching the plan of salvation, I learned even more of why it is called the plan of happiness. As Tim realized what it meant, his entire face lit up with hope, and tears of joy came to his eyes. Being a missionary is so very wonderful, seeing this all the time. I do not think it is something I could ever take for granted, because those moments are so powerful. I hope each of you are taking advantage of missionary moments, and having the blessings that come from sharing this wonderful message of peace, hope, joy, and everything else praiseworthy. Phillipians 4:11 no matter what state we are in, we can have joy when we are grateful.

What is said is never as important as what is felt.

Christmas is coming! The spirit of Christmas is very strong at the temple here. We started helping on Friday. I get to walk on temple grounds every day :)

Something that stood out to me this week is how trials and blessings go hand in hand. We have seen so many miracles every day. The light of Christ shining in someone's eyes is one of the best things in the world.

D&C 90:24, is so true. bam.

If you want to hear about something specific, let me know!

Much love,
Sister White

Whoa!

My wonderful, dearest family!!!

Wow. Missionary work is just the best. Last week I was good and wrote down what I wanted to say as I was going throughout the week... I left most of my notes at home this day though, so this email will be a lot more random. Sorry!

One big thing I learned during a personal study is this: As we get to know someone better, the more we love them, the more we love someone, the more we want to make them happy--the more we love them the more doing things for them makes us happy. The more we love someone, what makes them happy makes us happy. Likewise, when we love God, we grow to love his children.

As I have born my testimony practically every moment I have been out here, it has been growing at an accelerated rate. I am working very hard, praying and relying on the Lord, and turning to Him for help. I know that this gospel is true, we are so loved. We can be healed. Jacob 2:8

Also, Mosiah 18:7-11 is powerful. Why not get baptized and have access to a fullness of joy through the atonement?

I am SO blessed!!!! I am in the 7th mission to get ipads and do online proselyting. Every single sister missionary gets to help give tours during the Christmas lights show at the Mesa Temple, it is such an
exciting time of year! The Lord really has His hand in everything.

My companion, Sister Sallstrom, knows Elizabeth Moss!!! Apparently she was her visiting teacher in SVU!

So, where to begin! The first night I was in Mesa, my day training companion let me share the spiritual thought after dinner--it was completely directed by the spirit. It was a witness to me of how I was in the right place at the right time, and showed me how prayers are answered. It also showed me
how much my past experiences can allow me to testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

The next day at transfers I was called up to share one of the miracles that happened the day before, so I shared that experience at dinner, the spiritual thought I gave was about the promise Elder Holland gave of the healing power of the scriptures--the healing words of Christ have been on my mind a lot. Because, I'm healing like crazy!!! When I got to the MTC, I could only run for half a minute without my knee causing me trouble, now I can run about 2 miles!!!! I have been getting sooooo much stronger and it is sooooo wonderful.

It is paradise here, perfect 70's weather right now. Funny--there were inch deep puddles!!! it rained a couple of days STRAIGHT here. Coming to the desert, I was expecting something different.

It feels like the MTC was FOREVER ago! Just because I have been learning so much I guess.

Wow, there is no time.

I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you so very much. I know that the gospel is true. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and because of the prayer of that lad, millions have been blessed. I know that the Book of Mormon contains the words of God, and that through prayer, we may come to know. As we act with a sincere desire to know, and take it one step at a time, we can learn.

I compared it to a marathon. You cannot just take one step and say, woohoo, I'm done! Nope, it takes training and work and many many many steps.

Oh, and the members here love the missionaries and go to lessons with us all the time, we are so very lucky. They treat us like family. We are a part of the ward families. Oh, I'm pretty sure I've learned about 100 names already. I'm serving in 2 wards. We are sharing the love in Mesa!

Oh! and I met Kristin Connell's brother!!! He is awesome & he & his wife help the ward so much!

Ofa-atu,
Sister White