Best transfer ever :)

Dearest family,

So, one of the people we got to take to the Gilbert open house a while ago has been having a lot of changes of heart. Every time we go over there, it's like going to grandma's house! She is super sweet, and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it has helped her in overcoming he loss of her husband for 60 years. She is an incredible example to me of being motivated by love.

I'm getting transferred this Wednesday! I'm going to a YSA ward and a super rich family ward. I'm excited! But I'm really really really going to miss this area, and the people here.

To prepare for the Easter season, we have been studying the atonement. Coming to understand the atonement brings such great joy into our lives. "When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by an overpowering sense of gratitutde---simply for the privilege of serving Him. I have committed my life to Him. You have committed your lives to Him. Together we are engaged in His holy work. I love you for it. And more  importantly, He loves you for it." --Elder Russell M. Nelson

I love you all!

Sister White

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 :)

Love & patience

Elder Marvin J. Ashton is amazing. Every talk I have read by him has been especially awesome :) I highly recommend his "FamilyCommunications" talk it has helped my companionship so very much :) Jones Stephens wrote, "I have learned that the head does not hear anything until the heart has listened, and that what the heart knows today the head will understand tomorrow."

I pray our Heavenly Father will help us to communicate more effectively in the home through a willingness to sacrifice, a willingness to listen, a willingness to vocalize feelings, a willingness to avoid judgment, a willingness to maintain confidences, and a willingness to practice patience. "How forcible are right words!" (Job 6:25.) Yes, how forcible are right words shared at the right moment with the right person.

May our gracious and kind Heavenly Father help us in our needs and desires for more effective family communication. Communication can help build family unity if we will work at it and sacrifice for it. For this goal, I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.  (Family Communications)

I know that what Elder Marvin J. Ashton taught can help everyone, for he is a man who teaches after the manner of Christ. We can always grow in our love, faith, and other capacities with the Savior's teachings. Following him improves the quality of our lives.

Pray with your whole soul for others. We must. In good days, in bad days, in so so days. All days. Doing so will make all days miraculous. Even if it's not easier, it's better!!

You're in my prayers, I love you all dearly

With love to eternity & beyond!

Remember who you are,
Sister White

P.S. We are teaching the coolest people, and our bishop is incredible!!!!!

Our loving Father in heaven

I love you all, thank you for being awesome! Keep up the hard work!

I know that we are all blessed as we serve The Lord first. Sometimes it may not be obvious right away, but learning patience is one of the blessings. But he helps us along.

"He treats us with great love and respect, even when we make mistakes. He reminds us of our potential (see Moses 1:39) and our great worth (see D&C 18:10), which are based on our identity as His sons and daughters. He gives us laws so we know what He expects (see D&C 107:84), allows us to make choices (see 2 Nephi 2:15-16), and honors our choices (see D&C 130:20). He allows for learning and instruction to correct mistakes (see D&C 1:25-26) and for repentance and restitution to correct sin (see D&C 1:27-28)." (Raising Resilient Children)

Temples are a "sanctuary of serenity"

Stay strong, stay true,
Sister White

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.