Transfers again!

June 23:

I cannot believe so much has happened since the last time I emailed y'all!

Sadly I just realized I don't have any normal pictures of my new companion, Sister Evans. She is super fun! We have laughed so much together.

This week I met a bunch of people that confirmed to me that this is where I'm supposed to be. Which is really nice because leaving my last area was not very fun

The first picture is with Heather, she was my splits buddy I would go out with just about every week, we had a ton of fun! YSA is the best!

Our ward mission leader has 2 huge racks of hats, so on my last night we took a bunch of pictures with hats! And the pictures in the car are very descriptive of our companionship. Goofy and laughing all the time. I was very blessed to be their companion :)

2 Nephi 29:8. Replace nation with person or missionary :)

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

Knowledge gives us wings to fly

June 9:

Just like worldly knowledge helps us fly in airplanes and other things, spiritual knowledge helps our spirits fly. I am so grateful for the blessings of scriptures (PMG & General conference included). As we read the scriptures, we come to know our Savior. We remember him. We remember who we are. We remember that we can withstand the power of Satan. We remember that our Lord will never forsake us. I know that studying the scriptures with real intent everyday can inspire anyone to fly. I highly encourage each of you to read a talk titled: “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence” By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.

I love you all. The gospel is true. The formula to being successful and joyful is simple: Pray. Read. Go to church.

Remember who you are!

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

Charity brings clarity

Random fact: In Arizona it's illegal to refuse someone water if they ask for it.

We had Zone conference this week. It was incredible. I have greater desires to repent, change, become--to prepare to return to the presence of God. Considering why I am where I am made me remember my purpose. Taking personal time to reflect has helped me keep perspective and my priorities straighter. Becoming more forgiving and caring.

If you want to become more, remember who you are! "Remember who you are, you are more than you've become". You are a precious child of God. He loves you. All love emanates from God.

"What is it about true love that touches every heart? Why does the simple phrase “I love you” evoke such universal joy?

Men give various reasons, but the real reason is that every person who comes to earth is a spirit son or daughter of God. Since all love emanates from God, we are born with the capacity and the desire to love and to be loved. One of the strongest connections we have with our premortal life is how much our Father and Jesus loved us and how much we loved Them. Even though a veil was drawn over our memory, whenever we sense true love, it awakens a longing that cannot be denied.

Responding to true love is part of our very being. We innately desire to reconnect here with the love we felt there. Only as we feel God’s love and fill our hearts with His love can we be truly happy."
(The Power of God’s Love: John H. Groberg)

I type to you as a witness of the redeeming power of God's love. It changes hearts, it's changing mine. I know he loves you, no matter what. I pray that we may all let his love into our hearts each day, and rejoice in the glad tidings that our Savior lives!

Make good choices,
Return with honor,
Remember who you are,
Sister Rachel 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 :)

Some Creative Subject

Transfers happened this week & my companion & I didn't get transferred!!!!!! I've never been so happy about transfer news!!!!!!!

During fast & testimony meeting yesterday, Camille, a YSA, bore testimony that she knows the Savior lives. She shared that she felt an undeniable spiritual confirmation for the first time of this truth as "the sisters" spoke the other Sunday. The spirit was so strong, undeniable. It made all the stress of giving a talk (in the silent YSA ward packed of incredible return missionaries all paying attention) very much worth it. I am so grateful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost that carries the truthfulness of our message to hearts. I know that our Savior lives, and that knowledge grows every day (especially yesterday).

Could y'all please pray for Elaine & her family? Last time there were so many miracles. Terri got baptized last Saturday! I know that by small and simple means the Lord brings to pass many miracles. Thank you for your faith.

Remember Who You Are,
Sister White