Transfers, miracles, day to day, treasures, & pictures

June 16:
This transfer has been a whirlwind! I feel like the relief of staying happened just last week. I'm getting transferred on Wednesday to 1 ward with Sister Evans. She seems really cool, and she was companions with my trainer last transfer.

So many miracles this week! We just found out that the awesome girl we got to teach before she went to Chicago is getting baptized soon :) Remember the nonmember who invited us over for dinner? Miracles just keep happening with her and her family. We met one of her daughters who is really really interested and has tons of questions! Yay! Another huge miracle, elders were teaching a YSA in our area and decided they should pass him off to us--the guy wants to be involved and asks really deep questions.

Mom asked for me to talk more about my day to day life. The dry heat, even though it's usually 110, is not as bad as humid heat. Weird fact: Sometimes the parking lots have sticky tar because it's so hot. Also, Sister Henretty & I put sunglasses on over our prescription glasses because we want to keep seeing & not get blinded--it looks pretty hilarious! We have listened to the Lower Lights' music every day in the car this week, and singing along is highly entertaining. Sister Henretty made up a funny voice/character, "Egbert Kitecutter" and we get to have standup comedy in our car rides too! Sister Snyder has a really distinct laugh that makes everyone happy--after sacrament meeting, if someone said something funny and she laughed, 2-3 people usually comment on how much they loved it. Life  is wonderful :)

There were some golden treasures of knowledge from church on Sunday. "Commandments aren't given to us to change them. They are given to us to change us." And "daily scripture study isn't always about the understanding, more often it's about the sacrifice." I have been noticing more and more the subtle blessings of obedience to the small things. When I'm consciously doing the small things (like not getting distracted by the wall during church--way too easy for me) to invite the spirit, I really do feel better and I'm more edified. It is amazing.

In every spare moment I'm reading the Book of Mormon with the question of how do I get my faith to lead to action--repentance, change, progression (don't worry, I'm still reading PMG over the  summer too).

What is your favorite scripture story?

Pictures:

Members are the best

exchanges are the best

funny looking pictures in the Sunday school manual are the best

Mesa "greenery" at its finest

Have Joy

This week has been fabulous!

Many miracles happened! Sister Sallstrom & I got to go to Tyler's baptism & see him & his mom! It was absolutely wonderful :D (also note: the funny photo bombers, the Stephensens, they're the best). One of our investigators got to come too! But he had to leave right away.

Oh and we used that extremely fashionable cardigan to teach repentance & baptism to the primary! SO much fun!! We did an object lesson & wrote with sharpie on the white shirt to represent what happens when we sin. The shock factor grabbed their attention. They told us what we can do--repent, get baptized, and take the sacrament! It was really cool to see the primary kids--and they love  missionaries--which is awesome :)

What am I doing to follow Christ? Answering this question has helped me reflect and recognize what I'm doing, and what I can do more. I know learning day by day how to follow Christ's example is what brings us true happiness. His commandments help us to have pure joy, even as he has. So let us all follow him and have joy :)

I love y'all!
Sister White

Exciting Changes!!

This week has been full of so many changes! On Tuesday, we found out 2 sisters had to move into our apt. So we have another companionship living with us. Then, on Friday, President Jenkins calls us, and told us we were getting another companion! All of the missionaries in the Eastern most mission of Ukraine got emergency reassigned to other missions, so we are in a trio! Sister Henretty is my new companion, and she is so sweet.

So many miracles happened this week!! We had a Mother's Day miracle--thank you for all your prayers! After we finished talking to our families, we went to go teach a referral at his friend's house. It was amazing!!! Everyone testified with the spirit, including him and his friends! There is peace and joy in righteous living. Sister Snyder invited him to be baptized, and he accepted!!!! He is committed to working towards June 14! He was adopted from Romania and is a model for Adidas. No big deal.

A missionary told me the 12-step addiction recovery program can be used to help one overcome anything. So, I started doing the 12-step addiction (bad habit) recovery program to help me apply the gospel more fully in my life. The process of change and becoming more through the atonement is glorious. I hope I'll get a stronger testimony of it so I can help others overcome temptations and addictions with their faith.

The first step is honesty. When we are dishonest with ourselves/others, we are being prideful. It is so easy to loose sight of the truth when we stop looking for it in the right places. “Pride is a very misunderstood sin. ...“Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.“The central feature of pride is enmity--enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means  ‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.’ It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.“Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of ‘my will and not thine be done.’ ...“Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled (see Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi  12:30).“The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives (see Helaman
12:6). They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works” (in Conference Report, Apr.
1989, 3–4; or Ensign, May 1989, 4). (Step 1: Honesty) (Pride)

I have learned more about humility in this week from simply focusing on a scripture and question a day. My faith has grown, I am becoming stronger, and I am happier. I know this is because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I'm still learning, and need help. I would love love love to learn from you, because I lookup to each of you. How have you been able to put more trust in The Lord?

I'm praying for y'all! Though we are not perfect and all face individual struggles, let our faith in a loving Father in Heaven & the assurance of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior permeate our lives :)

We are going on exchanges twice a week, it's been really fantastic learning from and working with other companions! We get to see miracles every time! One of my favorite miracles this week sprang from Sister Snyder's sacrifice--while she was serving with another companion in their family ward,  they came across a potential for our YSA-ward (which covers that area)! I know we are blessed as we serve others.

Sister Snyder and I got to teach an investigator's mom while he was getting interviewed for his baptism--it was incredible. This church building is brand new and has amazing paintings in it, so we walked around and looked at them. As we testified of the Savior, her heart was touched by the testimonies of each painting. After the interview, President Jenkins told her that it was no coincidence that so many of her children have become Mormon, and told her that there are probably ancestors tugging from the other side at her family. He told us to look at the paintings of faithful women in the R.S. room. He left because he had to be somewhere. Then after a few minutes, he came back, and burst into the room with tears, and hugged her, and told her he was impressed to come back and tell her it was her time to listen to what we have to say, and to join her family. It was incredible. After we finished looking at all the paintings, she gratefully accepted a Book of Mormon! Later on in the week we went to the Easter Pageant with them, and she loved it! She's also very excited about reading the Book of Mormon, and cannot wait to go back to the temple grounds!!

Yesterday a member brought a friend with him to church, and she is excited to learn more about our church, her whole family has been looking for a new church to go to!!! It was amazing.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. I know that as we pray continually, many mighty miracles will happen because of faith. I was studying patience and thought about how sometimes we cast others or ourselves "out" because of exceeding poverty--not only monetarily, but when poor in spirit, emotionally, physically, mentally. See Alma 34:40-41:

40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your  exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;

41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions,with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.

Sister Snyder & I got to see a banana tree!

Antonio got baptized!!! We are so happy for him!

P.S.  this movie is really really good: http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694

Prayers & pumpkins

This week I learned a little bit more about the power of prayer. If you ever need anything, pray, and you can receive divine help--we've gotta act in faith, and then we can stand still and see the arm of The Lord.

"Trust me, learn of me, do what I do. Then, when you walk where I am going," He says, "we can talk about where you are going, and the problems you face and the troubles you have. If you will follow me, I will lead you out of darkness," He promises. "I will give you answers to your prayers. I will give you rest to your souls." (Broken Things to Mend)

I had an incredibly spiritual experience this week over planting pumpkins! There is an incredible couple that has decided to get baptized in 1 year, and on exchanges Sister Mitchell and I got to learn from them--communication & teamwork are super important. One point he made was that no one can ever take away our ability to communicate with God. And we were sent here in families, so these are eternal principles for success--communication and teamwork. I know that these are very crucial in the best kind of work :)

Best Birthday ever! :)

Wow, the gospel is the best! We have had the most wonderful weekend!

Troy was baptized! As the bishop said, it was like the textbook. It was simply perfect! (the spirit made it that way). Just to see how much Tory's family has gotten so much closer, to see the joy he has
from living the gospel. To feel the spirit of love from the whole entire ward (truly a miraculous experience). His wife and mother-in-law sang My Song of Testimony, the spirit was so strong, undeniable. Especially when he bore his testimony of how much the church has changed his life. Everyone loves him, and welcomes him. He has been an amazing example to me of how to truly have an open mind and move forward with faith. The whole ward prayed for him to get a job too, and he started the same day he was baptized! It was incredible to see the strength he got from the members! And they from him! He has had really good friends/mentors in the ward who care for him as their own family--how it should be. It is simply wonderful seeing the light of Christ shining so brightly from him. I don't think the ward can ever forget this miracle :) and me too! Yesterday he made a comment in class about the gathering of Israel, how the missionaries didn't get all preachy when we came! It was amazing to hear how much the spirit really directed all of this. The Lord is doing his work, and we are his hands :)

Sister Lomax, my missionary grandma--she takes care of us every pday, it's like coming home :) she has made a birthday party for me this pday, it is amazing! I want to be just like her! She taught me how to bake perfect bread, it is sooooooooo good :)

I love you all!
D&C 121:33 rolling waters cannot remain impure. When living the gospel is how we live, we are like the rolling waters that cannot remain impure--the atonement is the best :)

Remember who you are!!!

P.s. Isn't this family the cutest? :)
Also, look at the picture, that was our inspiration, haha :)

Pictures again!

Quoting my mission president: "Rather than end my letter with a spiritual message, I would like to begin with it. It comes from President Packer's General Conference talk titled "The Key to Spiritual Protection". He said, "The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection. They contain the doctrine and laws and ordinances that will bring each child of God to a testimony of Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer."

President Packer added, "Be not afraid, only believe. Righteousness is more powerful than  wickedness". Never lose hope (don't be afraid). Never give up or give in. You are stronger than you think. The power of the scriptures, of our personal righteousness, and of our faith and belief in the Savior, combined with the enabling power of the Atonement are sufficient for all our challenges, trials, heartaches, addictions, tendencies, and weaknesess. I promise you that this is true."

Uploading pictures was not working for a few weeks, and Sister Sallstrom got transferred, so we got a bunch of pictures (this isn't even a fraction of them, we love taking pictures)

I cannot recall if I told you about our super fun lesson! The Cenatiempos helped us teach the blessing of obedience to Tyler. We raced, and then raced with one person being weighed down with weights (being weighed down with sin). We basically did a bunch of relays. Seeing who could shoot the most hoops first with a basketball and then with a yoga ball. One of my favorites was when we did the wall sit competition, Sister Cenatiempo "kept the Sabbath day holy" so she got a 7 second break every 7 seconds, & then a longer one for "General Conference."

"Consider on the blessed and happy state of those at keep the commandments" Mosiah 2:41

Also, meet Antonio, he may look scary, but he accurately describes himself "like a big teddy bear". He is so cool! We had the best time teaching him, he is so funny. The new elders in the area love teaching him. He is trying really really hard to quit smoking by the end of this month so he can be baptized, we are praying for him! Many many miracles have happened as we have had the privilege to teach him, he loves loves loves the gospel!

Shada invited us to her son's birthday party this week. We got to meet a ton of her awesome family, they are awesome! she is one of the sweetest women in the world :) she's the one we got to teach with the elder who passed away from muscular dystrophy.

I just realized I only have a few more minutes, but just so you know, Tyler's mom, Terri! is one of the most amazing people I have ever met (someday you might be lucky enough to be her friend)

I love you all!!!
Stay strong in the faith,
Sister White

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.

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

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

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