Mummy and Daddy,
This is sort of a strange moment. It's hard to know what to say. How can I possibly squeeze, flop, repack, flog, organize, and zip my eighteen months of experience into one spectacular finale? It's not quite as simple as it is with my suitcases. Yet this concluding week was such a sweet one.
We saw Mark and Emma this week and had the best lesson we've ever had with them. The Spirit was there. We all expressed our love, and we invited them to read the Book of Mormon again. With glittering eyes, they accepted. We invited them to be baptized. With smiles on their faces, they accepted. The time will come for them I'm sure of it. Miracle!
We had a call on the phone and it was a self referral. She met a Sister Missionary on the bus and wanted to meet with us! MIRACLE! We taught her, Paige, and her friend, Taylor. We had a lovely appointment with them. They were open and honest, and as we taught about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration, they got so excited and as we invited them to be baptized the said, "This is something we WANT to do. We WANT this to be true so badly!" MIRACLE!
I had so many answers to prayers: spontaneous lifts when we were late, finding things that were lost, and most of all beautiful comments were made to me about the influence I had in the area and in the mission which was an answer to a most fervent prayer....Father.. Did I make a difference?. At this moment i am so happy. I'm at peace about what has happened and what will come.
I look back on my mission I think of that talk where a young man runs to California to pan for gold. He expects to find large nuggets and is quickly disillusioned with his work. He meets and old prospector with his bag bulging. The young man spits, "I want nuggets of gold like you!" The old man, with a grin in his beard opens his pouch to reveal thousands of f tiny flecks of gold. I look into my mission experience and I see all this beautiful golden moments glinting back at me. I have quite the collection and I am so very rich indeed. I look back and my heart swells with stunning appreciation and I get really tender about it all....so then I have to push things over and laugh.
The biggest blessing of my mission is my strengthened testimony and of the depth of my conviction to live the gospel. I know what I believe in. I defended it for the past 550+ days of my life. I truly witnessed miracles and tried to describe them to others. I know God lives because I've witnessed his answers and felt His comfort. I know my Savior in scriptures. When he speaks I say, "OH! That's the same guy!" I love his Atonement. I am so grateful for it. I know now how to use that Atonement in my life to improve and become better. I have such profound respect and love for the fact that we have a living prophet! I know that Church of Jesus Christ was lost and restored through a young boy who was humble enough just to ask a question. I LOVE that God loves us enough to give us the Book of Mormon as evidence of this glorious Restoration! I love commandments! They in no way hinder us! I'm so grateful for the knowledge of why I'm here or what my purpose is.
In our lesson with Paige and Taylor they both said beautiful prayers about the Book of Mormon saying...oh how we want to believe in what they're telling us," but Paige said something that really struck me:
"Heavenly Father, butterflies cannot see their own wings. They do not know of their own beauty. People are sometimes like that. Please....help them see their beauty and their influence...."
That really touched me and I hope that in my mission service I was able to lift others and help them see their potential as unique children of our Heavenly Father, and recognize their own vibrance.
This adventure has changed my life forever. I have learned so much and I'm so grateful there are so many things I have yet to learn about the gospel, my Heavenly Father, and my Savior. I truly love this mission. I can't believe it's at an end. It's weird...but it's time. I'm sad to leave these people...I just think the world of them, but I'm SO excited to see my people! I'm ready for my steak! :D AND I'm prepared for my next adventure. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for this opportunity. Thank you for letting me be here. I am changed for good.
Love Always and Forever.....for the last time.
Sister Stephanie White
PS The Stake President will have to chase me down to get my badge from me. :D
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Alnwick
Mummy and Daddy,
We had quite the week this week. We started off with a fantastic Spontaneous Sister's P-Day
at the Metrocentre Shopping Mall in Newcastle! One of our friends from Darlington, Trish, came to spend the day with us. We had a blast!
When we were out and about finding this week, we bussed our way to Alnmouth, this little holiday village by the sea. We knocked one street, descended a flight of stairs, looked to our left and saw the largest English house of all time. "Oooooh.....let's knock that!" So we Billy Goated our way up the mountain path into the back garden apparently. We turned around to look at the view....wow.....took my breath away. "Where's this front door?" Eventually we made it round the side, up the drive, and rang the doorbell.....commotion inside...key in the lock..........door creaks open. Who emerged from the darkness, you ask? All we saw was a brown robe and rope belt. Both of us stood there with our mouths open.
Er.....
"Hi we're missionaries. We saw this house up here. It's so beautiful. We couldn't help checking it out. "
Our new monk friend: "Would you like to take a look around?"
"Yes...yes we would. Thank you."
We found ourselves a house full of Franciscan Monks, who educated us on some of their beliefs and some of their experience. We asked a lot of questions.
"Well....do you have any questions for us?"
"We know quite a bit of how the Mormons began, but what do you say makes your faith unique."
"We believe in a modern day prophet......"
"More than just Joseph Smith?"
"Yes...we have one even today....we then explained the first vision of Joseph Smith, and as we explained that moment when Joseph saw the pillar of light, the Spirit filled the room!" Everyone was quiet for a moment....then we continued explaining the vision. Amazing! BAM! MIRACLE! I know they must have felt it as well.....amazing.....
Go figure....now we have some monk friends. They were great.
We also helped with the Alnwick Branch Beach Clean this week and Michael blessed the Sacrament for the second time AND delivered his first ever talk on faith, repentance and baptism...beautifully. We were so proud of him.
In other news, we came home from church to eat our left over cardboard boxes, when we had a pack of neighbors outside our door. "What in the world?!" *Ding Dong* Our neighbors frantically explained to us that all four of our tires were flat.....sure enough....each one was as flat as a pancake. One neighbor, pumped them all up for us and discovered that one of them was punctured horizontally in the side of the tire.....everyone smells foul play....we're not sure what happened. We had AA come to our rescue and we're currently getting sorted as we speak....bizarre.
I'm so grateful to be out here, and to learn about these English people. I love feeling the Spirit. I love reading the Book of Mormon. I love how all the events in that history link together beautifully...I have to end....but I love this with all my heart!
Love always and forever,
me
We had quite the week this week. We started off with a fantastic Spontaneous Sister's P-Day
at the Metrocentre Shopping Mall in Newcastle! One of our friends from Darlington, Trish, came to spend the day with us. We had a blast!
When we were out and about finding this week, we bussed our way to Alnmouth, this little holiday village by the sea. We knocked one street, descended a flight of stairs, looked to our left and saw the largest English house of all time. "Oooooh.....let's knock that!" So we Billy Goated our way up the mountain path into the back garden apparently. We turned around to look at the view....wow.....took my breath away. "Where's this front door?" Eventually we made it round the side, up the drive, and rang the doorbell.....commotion inside...key in the lock..........door creaks open. Who emerged from the darkness, you ask? All we saw was a brown robe and rope belt. Both of us stood there with our mouths open.
Er.....
"Hi we're missionaries. We saw this house up here. It's so beautiful. We couldn't help checking it out. "
Our new monk friend: "Would you like to take a look around?"
"Yes...yes we would. Thank you."
We found ourselves a house full of Franciscan Monks, who educated us on some of their beliefs and some of their experience. We asked a lot of questions.
"Well....do you have any questions for us?"
"We know quite a bit of how the Mormons began, but what do you say makes your faith unique."
"We believe in a modern day prophet......"
"More than just Joseph Smith?"
"Yes...we have one even today....we then explained the first vision of Joseph Smith, and as we explained that moment when Joseph saw the pillar of light, the Spirit filled the room!" Everyone was quiet for a moment....then we continued explaining the vision. Amazing! BAM! MIRACLE! I know they must have felt it as well.....amazing.....
Go figure....now we have some monk friends. They were great.
We also helped with the Alnwick Branch Beach Clean this week and Michael blessed the Sacrament for the second time AND delivered his first ever talk on faith, repentance and baptism...beautifully. We were so proud of him.
In other news, we came home from church to eat our left over cardboard boxes, when we had a pack of neighbors outside our door. "What in the world?!" *Ding Dong* Our neighbors frantically explained to us that all four of our tires were flat.....sure enough....each one was as flat as a pancake. One neighbor, pumped them all up for us and discovered that one of them was punctured horizontally in the side of the tire.....everyone smells foul play....we're not sure what happened. We had AA come to our rescue and we're currently getting sorted as we speak....bizarre.
I'm so grateful to be out here, and to learn about these English people. I love feeling the Spirit. I love reading the Book of Mormon. I love how all the events in that history link together beautifully...I have to end....but I love this with all my heart!
Love always and forever,
me
Monday, January 23, 2012
Alnwick
Mummy and Daddy,
This week we went on exchange with the Ashington sisters. Sister
Belliston came up here to Alnwick with Sister Hillgaard and I went
South with Sisters Lomiga and DeLucchi. We had an interesting
experience. Imagine the scene: Little town of Bedlington. There we are
street contacting up a storm....busy street....everything's
grey....wind. There I am....I look across the street and through the
swishing of passing traffic I see this man dragging two heavy trollies
behind him full of food.
"You need to talk to that man."
"I need to talk to that man!"
So I Froggered my way through traffic, launched myself over a wooden
barricade and pranced up to this man.
"Hello.....*breathe in...breathe out*.....I saw you over here and I
felt like I should talk to you.....so....here I am."
"it's funny that you should stop me, because when I lived in Camaroon,
all I heard about was this "Mormon church." From that time til now,
I've wanted to know,"What is this Mormon church? Why do I keep hearing
about it. You and your friends must come and teach me about this. I
have my shopping here, but in fifteen minutes, if you come to my home,
my wife and my children will sit and listen to you. We will give you
biscuits and a drink if you wish. This is my offer if you would like."
"Uh....yeah!"
So fifteen minutes later, we found ourselves in this man's home
inhaling biscuits and downing hot chocolate (We missed our lunch hour)
with his beautiful wife and kids. We taught them about the
Restoration and the Book of Mormon.
"The things you have shared with me are very very interesting. I have
many questions. Where can I get one of these books?"
*hand Book of Mormon over* "Our gift to you."
"Wonderful. This will be the only book I will read for relaxation,
recreation....etc....until I have read this book through. I wish I
wasn't working, for then I would be able to sit down and read this
book cover to cover in about two weeks, and I would have all my
questions listed out for you. You must come weekly until I am done.
If I pray and God reveals to me in His way that I should be a Mormon I
will be a Mormon!" BAM! MIRACLE!
After the appointment we walked outside and Sister Lomiga looked
green. "Sisters....I don't feel ok. I feel like I might throw up."
Luckily, we had a member couple coming to take us to our next
appointment. The husband, like the boy scout he is, pulled out his
consecrated oil off his key ring and gave Sister Lomiga a blessing in
the car. There's nothing that makes my heart swell than a Priesthood
holder exercising his Priesthood. It's a special thing. She stayed in
the car with his wife while the rest of us went into an appointment
with an investigator. When we came out, "Oh...it looks like someone's
been sick." Sure enough, the biscuits and hot chocolate didn't agree
with Sister Lomiga and fought back. We went home and I called Sister
Lindley I should have a frequent calling card with that lady..
"Hi Sister Lindley, how are you? It's Sister White."
"Hi Sister White....how are you feeling today?"
"Well I just wanted to report that I am alive and healthy."
"BAM! MIRACLE!" *President in the background*
"However, Sister Lomiga is not. She was sick this afternoon."
We studied scriptures, made dinner, painted our toes and examined our
tendons :D
Never a dull moment.
I'm so grateful to be able to do this. This experience and the
beautiful people I've met mean more to me than anything! I can't
imagine my life without them! Thank you so much for letting me be
here!
I love you!
Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White
This week we went on exchange with the Ashington sisters. Sister
Belliston came up here to Alnwick with Sister Hillgaard and I went
South with Sisters Lomiga and DeLucchi. We had an interesting
experience. Imagine the scene: Little town of Bedlington. There we are
street contacting up a storm....busy street....everything's
grey....wind. There I am....I look across the street and through the
swishing of passing traffic I see this man dragging two heavy trollies
behind him full of food.
"You need to talk to that man."
"I need to talk to that man!"
So I Froggered my way through traffic, launched myself over a wooden
barricade and pranced up to this man.
"Hello.....*breathe in...breathe out*.....I saw you over here and I
felt like I should talk to you.....so....here I am."
"it's funny that you should stop me, because when I lived in Camaroon,
all I heard about was this "Mormon church." From that time til now,
I've wanted to know,"What is this Mormon church? Why do I keep hearing
about it. You and your friends must come and teach me about this. I
have my shopping here, but in fifteen minutes, if you come to my home,
my wife and my children will sit and listen to you. We will give you
biscuits and a drink if you wish. This is my offer if you would like."
"Uh....yeah!"
So fifteen minutes later, we found ourselves in this man's home
inhaling biscuits and downing hot chocolate (We missed our lunch hour)
with his beautiful wife and kids. We taught them about the
Restoration and the Book of Mormon.
"The things you have shared with me are very very interesting. I have
many questions. Where can I get one of these books?"
*hand Book of Mormon over* "Our gift to you."
"Wonderful. This will be the only book I will read for relaxation,
recreation....etc....until I have read this book through. I wish I
wasn't working, for then I would be able to sit down and read this
book cover to cover in about two weeks, and I would have all my
questions listed out for you. You must come weekly until I am done.
If I pray and God reveals to me in His way that I should be a Mormon I
will be a Mormon!" BAM! MIRACLE!
After the appointment we walked outside and Sister Lomiga looked
green. "Sisters....I don't feel ok. I feel like I might throw up."
Luckily, we had a member couple coming to take us to our next
appointment. The husband, like the boy scout he is, pulled out his
consecrated oil off his key ring and gave Sister Lomiga a blessing in
the car. There's nothing that makes my heart swell than a Priesthood
holder exercising his Priesthood. It's a special thing. She stayed in
the car with his wife while the rest of us went into an appointment
with an investigator. When we came out, "Oh...it looks like someone's
been sick." Sure enough, the biscuits and hot chocolate didn't agree
with Sister Lomiga and fought back. We went home and I called Sister
Lindley I should have a frequent calling card with that lady..
"Hi Sister Lindley, how are you? It's Sister White."
"Hi Sister White....how are you feeling today?"
"Well I just wanted to report that I am alive and healthy."
"BAM! MIRACLE!" *President in the background*
"However, Sister Lomiga is not. She was sick this afternoon."
We studied scriptures, made dinner, painted our toes and examined our
tendons :D
Never a dull moment.
I'm so grateful to be able to do this. This experience and the
beautiful people I've met mean more to me than anything! I can't
imagine my life without them! Thank you so much for letting me be
here!
I love you!
Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White
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