Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

It was so good to hear your little voices on the other end of the line!!!!!! When I talk with you, it feels like I never left. :D You all sound so good! I don't know what else to tell you that I didn't already tell you, but this week was full of food, festivities, games, fun and friendship. We had our England Leeds Mission Christmas Party at the Harrogate Army Base where we bowled, watched "It's a Wonderful Life," and received a beautiful gift of little olive wood box filled with frankincense, gold (aka pyrite) and myrrh to commemorate Christ's birth. We visited so many of the members and had such a blast with them....the pictures say it all. Christmas was wonderful this year and to top it all off, Michael Donohoe blessed the sacrament perfectly on Sunday! BAM! MIRACLE! I love being a missionary at Christmas. Everything is just a little more special and more centered on what it should be. I love you all so much and I'm so grateful to know that you're taken care of while I'm away. I'm so lucky to be doing what I'm doing! I love my Savior Jesus Christ so much! I've learned so much about him and am honored to represent him every single day.

Happy Christmas and a Very Merry New Year!
I love you so much!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

This week, Michael introduced us to some of his family members. We went up to Seahouses to teach his sister. Michael looked smart in his new suit. When we knocked on his sister's door, his brother-in-law's jaw slapped against the welcome mat!
"Michael?! WOW.....I......I hardly recognize you. You're a new man."
Michael was all smiles. His sister was visiting her daughter just around the corner....so off we went, trotting towards this other house....long story short and lots of back and forths later, I witnessed a beautiful moment, Michael's sister, and his two nieces gawked at him.....speechless.
"Michael...we saw you in Alnwick last week and we had to double take. Is that Michael?! He's all smart, and clean cut. Michael...you seem different. ... you seem happy. It's so good to see you!"

Words cannot describe the pride that swelled in my little heart, or the satisfaction slapped on Michael's cheeks. Ahhhh....moments like that....yeah....that makes it all worthwhile. We had a powerful lesson with Michael's sister, where Michael bore striking testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true and living church on the Earth. His sister is now preparing for baptism! MIRACLE!

It's getting pretty bitter at night in this land. We have the warmest socks in tarnation, but they are no match for the bite that attacks our fingers and toes for 9 hours each day. One night this week was particularly bad.....pins and needles that you just can't escape, no matter how many times you skip down the street or do finger exercises. I offered a silent, frantic prayer, "Heavenly Father.....I'm so cold.....It really hurts......please......please.....help me deal with it." The very next door we knocked on, this man opened saying, "Oh...how about you come round back and I'll let you in for some hot chocolate." I couldn't get inside fast enough. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude, I could have bawled myself silly right there on the spot....if I wasn't so afraid that my tears would freeze. We taught this wonderful man about the Restoration and now he too is preparing for baptism. BAM! MIRACLE! Heavenly Father always answers our prayers....even the ones that seem only important to us....even now as I'm writing this, I'm thinking...."Ugh! Stephanie, just suck it up...it's just cold. It's not that bad." In the moment it's always a bit different. Heavenly Father still answered my prayer for me. I'm so grateful.

In other news, It was Michael's birthday this week and the Alnwick Branch Christmas Social which we thoroughly enjoyed! AND My wildest dreams came true on Wednesday when my Zone Leader said to me, "Sister White...I have a lot of zone post for you in my car." He opened the boot of his car, and wrestled with the largest box I've seen in quite a while.
"Here you go!"
"That's for me?!?! Who's it from?"
"The mission."
"What!? Why?"
"It looks like it's a Braille Book of Mormon."
"IT CAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" WOW it's big!"
"You're teaching a blind person?"
"Uh....no....it's for me. :D"
I don't know why, but I feel like I have to learn how to do sign language and learn braille. Maybe I'm going to lose one or more of my senses later in life, but just think....if the lights ever go out....I'll still be able to read the scriptures! Success! :D From the moment I got it home, I whacked it open and began deciphering each little bump....I'm actually not too bad at it, by looking at it.....I can't do it with my eyes closed...yet....but just give me time. I love it! I feel the Spirit so much when I focus on each little word! Ahhhh....I love it. Anyways...The end!

I love being a missionary so much! I cannot thank you enough for letting me come how many thousands of miles to do this every day. I appreciate it all the good, the hard, the beautiful, the ugly :D I love being a missionary!

I love you so much! I hope you have the best Christmas of your lives!
Uh.....miss me terribly :D

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

Allow me to give you some of the highlights of our week. This Sunday Michael walked into church.....with a suit on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHoo!!!! YE-AH! MIRACLE! He looked so smart! That's not all......he also PASSED THE SACRAMENT!!!! WHOO!!!! BAM! MIRACLE NEXT! WHOO! He plopped down next to me with all smiles saying, "That wasn't so hard. I never made a mistake." We are so proud of that guy!

Did service for a less active's father. He's ancient, has some health problems, and is just generally very hard to understand. The moment went as follows:
"Will you go to the shop for me?"
"Yes. What is it you want?!"
"Bread.....white."
"Anything else?!"
"Bread."
"More bread? No...you just want bread...is that all you want?!"
"A toilet wand.....a paper toilet wand."
"You want a what?!"
"A paper toilet wand."
"You want a paper.....toilet.....wand....this is what you want? What is that? What if they don't have it?"
*puts two pounds in my hand*
Alright....so...we trot to the shop, and picked up the bread no problem.....but there is no "paper toilet wand" to be had.
"Hello, sir (shop keeper) do you happen to have a paper toilet wand?"
"Sorry?"
"Yes....a paper toilet wand. Have you ever heard of this?"
"No"
"Have you ever personally owned a product like this?"
"No"
"Have you ever sold something that fits this description in any shape or form?"
"No."
"No? Alright give me this toilet cleaner then."
We dash back to his house, because we're running a bit late for our next appointment.
"We got your bread, but they didn't have any paper toilet wands. We got you the next best thing."
"I wanted toilet paper."
"What in the hoot?! Why didn't you just say that? Toilet wand......" Hahahahhah Story of my life.

We also met this wonderful lady named Pam. She's confined to her home but does some of the funniest things. As we taught her about the Restoration, she hung on every word. When we described the moment when Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ something peculiar happened.
"In his own words, Joseph said: I saw a pillar of light, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me....."
*Her eyes, wider and wider, were glued to my face.*
"When the light rested upon me..."
*She leaned closer*
"I saw two......"
*her eyelids slammed shut!*
.........uh...........
"PAM!"
"Ahhhh! Oh.......Sorry there....I dozed off a bit." hahahha Same thing happened when we watched "The Testaments with her. There she was, all attentive, up until the most critical part when Jesus Christ shows himself to the Nephites....and off she goes snoring up a storm. "PAM!" hahaha never a dull moment in this land. If it's not funny investigators and walking drunk people home, it's surprise Hot Chocolate nights and festive headwear with the Jorgensen family, and if it's not any of those things, it usually is something to do with our car. Poor Bruce. ( Bruce is our car. He's sturdy, reliable and gadget oriented).

Our car wouldn't start this week , we sat there for ten minutes trying to rev the engine, but it wouldn't do anything.....it wouldn't make a noise....lights just shouted at us......we tried everything we could think of to get it to start......so we said a prayer, "Heavenly Father, our car won't start......we don't know how to fix it and we need to get to Shilbottle for an appointment. Please turn the car on for us and help us sort it out. Thank you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.................Alright, Sister Hillgaard, try it again."
*Engine roars to life*
"Wow...."
BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT! I love my life! Thank you so much for letting me be here. I see so many answers to prayers every day! I'm so grateful to be a missionary!

I love you so much!
Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

What to tell you on this frosty December morning? I never know what to write. I always assume my life is a tv program and that you are religiously following it each and every day. I forget that you're.....not....so so you know everything I've experienced. Met a man that said he

We saw Mark and Emma this week and Mark told us,
"I'm just not feeling anything. I feel like I'm just wasting your time."
We talked about things for a bit, then asked, "Have you asked specifically if the Book of Mormon is true?"
"Well......er......no."
"That's why it's so important to ask specifically if the Book of Mormon is true. The more specific we are with our questions, the more specific our answers can be."
In the end, we left on the conclusion that they'd contact us, but we left with a feeling of hope. We knew how hard we prayed for them to get an answer and by the feeling we felt in our hearts, that beautiful warm glow, we know at some point they receive an answer. I love how that Holy Ghost works and how we have to rely on the Lord's timing he always puts us in the right place at the right time.

For instance, this week, my lips exploded. So I called Sister Lindley and said, "Sister Lindley....my lips exploded. Can I go to the doctor?" So.... we went to the doctors. Long story short and multiple prescriptions / examinations later I was summoned once again to the doctor's office. There I was, sitting in my favorite vinyl chair, when this doctor whisked back the curtain saying,
"Hello, You are.......Stephanie White....and you have something wrong with you. Oh....I have this medical student here with me....Let me look at you.....ah yes....I'm going to give you this cream *present the cream* apply it three times a day.....oh wait! I'm meant to have the student do this. Well...come here student. What's wrong with her?"
"I'm not good with skin conditions."
"Well neither am I, but you don't tell the patient that. So (speaking to me) I'm going to give this to you. Come see me if it worsens."
Me: So.....what is it?
Doctor: It's the cure.
Me: What biologically will it do to me?
Doctor: It will heal you? But don't use it too long or it will damage your skin.
Me: Well what's wrong with me?
Doctor: You've licked your lips too much.
Me: But It's up in my eye....I haven't licked my eye.
Doctor: Come see me tomorrow. Good by Stephanie White from Sandy, UT. Oh and when you do, I will look forward to sharing with you my Mormon jokes and converting you to the Baptist church.
Me: Oh well in that case, here's a website you can check out in the meantime. We'd love to share with you this Book of Mormon and how it can change your life. See you tomorrow.

I'm sure that's not what he expected by the way he just stared at us and we waved around the corner.

*The Next Day*

"Stephanie White...come into my office."
*trot trot trot*
"Stephanie, unfortunately we won't have- oh...you're lips look much improved- we won't have as much time together as I wish because we have some very sick children here today I must attend to, which is too bad because I was so looking forward to converting you to the Baptist church and telling you all my Mormon jokes, especially about that book."
"Do you know much about this book?"
"I must confess...no."
I proceeded to give him an ultra brief description of Christ's establishment of his church when he was on the Earth, the Great Apostasy, and how the Book of Mormon is the evidence that Christ's church was restored. He left with the Restoration leaflet in hand and said, "If you are ever in the area on Wednesdays at about 6pm and it's quiet, I'd love to have a cup of tea with you two and talk to you about this book."
"Do you have hot chocolate? :D"
BAM! MIRACLE!

I love this gospel so much. I love how Heavenly Father loves us so much he deemed it important enough to restore it to the Earth. I love the Book of Mormon with all my heart and I get right feisty when people belittle it. I love my job :D Thanks so much for letting me be here.

I love you so much I can't breathe.

Have the best day of your lives.

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

This week was wonderful. We had our long anticipated Sisters Specialized Training where we had a fanciful Sisters Specialized Training!!!!!!! We enjoyed a night full of tea parties, hats, flower crafts, carmal popcorn balls, meals, glorious instruction, tearful testimonies, movies, fuzzy socks, photos, songs, laughter, lanterns, and hugs...many many hugs. When we all get together, I always seem to ask myself, "Is this how the Elders feel all the day long?" Must be. We talked all about the importance of love and how showing love to absolutely everyone will help us be the missionaries God needs us to be. The Spirit was so strong during the whole two days. It was everything a Sister's Training should be.

This week Sister Hillgaard and I prayed about a street we needed to knock, felt the Spirit confirm it and we started knocking. We knocked on one door and this young father looked at us like we had horns or something. "You don't know us...but we' are missionaries."
"Actually.....I do know you."
*WHAT?!?!?*
"Do you remember that one night when there was a torential downpour? You met me as I was headed home from the hospital. My wife just had a baby, but we weren't sure if my wife was going to pull through."
"Ohhhhh....yeah." (.....*flash back*.......He didn't want to meet with us because things were a bit hectic at that time...obviously...so we gave him a Plan of Salvation leaflet, mormon.org, and our contact info, and watched him walk away with his young son. "Heavenly Father....can we keep them? Let us meet them again.")
*flash forward*
"Everytime things got difficult, we looked at the things you gave us, and they brought us a lot of comfort. My wife pulled through. She's just recovering now. My mother-in-law mentioned you came around and that you're meeting with her soon and I wondered if you were the same girls I met that night."
BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT! There's no other way we could have gotten in touch with this man other than Heavenly Father leading us to his door. wow.....amazing! I love my job!!!!

Thank you so much for letting me be here! I love it here so much!

love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, November 21, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

This week....in a word.....kaleidoscopic. We had so many good, funny and frustrating things happen to us this week. Someone opened the flood gates and all the angry people of this land stampeded past us each day. What in the world?! I'm sad to report... it got to the point when we got snippy with some oldies and argued with the illogical who insisted on staying in what I call "the poop level"......not our proudest moments....but to make us feel better, we ate some Greggs meat pies and played "The Poop Game" where we sat on a bench, snacking away, and watched people dance around a turd in the road. I cannot describe in words the nail biting anticipation and drama that followed each step towards the poop.
".....oooh.....oooh........OOOOH!...............shoot."
"..................oooooh.....oooh.....*hold breath*........did it happen?"
"I'm not sure."
"............ooooooh....oooooooooh.......*hold breath*........ :D"
"It happened!" *celebration follows*
There was one time that was soooo close! I let out some sort of wail, forgetting that the people could actually hear me. The personal highlight for the day, when a cute old lady drove her jazzy right through it. My life is complete!!!!
"That's number eight......we have ten minutes left. Do you think we can get ten?"
"Yes!"
.....*eight minutes later*.....
"Eight seems like a pretty good number."
"Where is your faith?!?!?!? There is still time! There is still hope!"
*#9......#10* ......*Celebration follows!*

In other news, we had another lesson with Mark and Emma, and they told us they wanted to take a break to read from the Book of Mormon themselves and pray on their own to know if it's true. We're seeing them again soon, and they're sure if this is really the Church of Jesus Christ, they'll feel something by our next lesson. Needless to say, we've been praying for them to recognize their answer in every single prayer. The answer will come. I just pray they recognize it....they will.

We had a little miracle last night. We walked home from another wonderful lesson with Michael. We were tired, hungry, and ready to run indoors. When we passed this man on the street.
"Oh...you're almost home. It's getting late. Don't worry about it."
"No....you know what....I'll just say something really quick."
"Hello. You alright?....We're missionaries and we're sharing this book with people tonight."
"Oh yes...I'd be interested in that. I met two lads a few years back, and I was very interested in what they taught me. Do you have some time to meet with me? How about tomorrow. I'm not sure what I believe in and I need some direction."
"Uh....yeah!" BAM! MIRACLE! I tell you....moments like that sparkle so brightly they melt away any ugliness and poop level we had to wade through earlier in the week. Wow.......AH! Isn't it so amazing what I get to do! Uggh! I can't even handle it sometimes!!!! I love being a missionary. We've had a couple missionary farewells in our little branch. Feeling the power of their testimonies, made me remember my feelings and experiences throughout my whole mission..... this little mission means the world to me..........I am so grateful for it............ I can't talk about that anymore...I'm in public....so instead I will kick this chair over and laugh.

Sisters Specialized Training is tomorrow. We get to drive forever and a year from our little no man's land back down to Leeds to be with all our lady friends!!!! Sometimes, there are just too many Elders in this land. We need some girl time. All the Elders make fun of our "special training," but they're just jealous they're not invited to our festive tea party ;D. Hahaha

I love my life!

Thank you so much for letting me be here!
I love you so much! Have the best day of your lives!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

This week we had a fantastic zone conference about the temple, and afterwards, I went on exchange to Ashington with Sister Belliston. When I came back, I got reports that Mark and Emma had questions about Eternal Marriage that weren't entirely addressed or resolved. So we decided to teach that for the next lesson. For some reason we were really nervous. We felt like this lesson was either going to make it or break it for us. We did a lot of praying about what we should teach, who we should bring etc. Things just didn't feel right. We prayed some more, tried to arrange for members to come with us. Nothing worked out. We felt really anxious about the whole thing. We didn't want to screw it up. We prayed again, got some advice from our District Leader, then suddenly, everything fell into place. We arranged for this wonderful member to come with us, and we felt better about what we planned to teach. Then we went to the appointment.

We walked in and there was tension in the air. Something happened prior to us getting there....there wasn't a very good spirit in the place when we arrived....perfect. We said a prayer, and watched some of "Between Heaven and Earth." Mark and Emma's minds were on other things....scratching, yawning, leaning forward and back, looking around....."Oh Heavenly Father, please....please make something relevant for them please." Just then....on the screen...a couple in 90's wedding garb (complete with puffy sleeves and big bangs) descended the steps of the Salt Lake Temple, and Elder Holland explained that he cannot speak of Heaven in the way we think of Heaven without his wife......or his children....."That would not be Heaven to me." Mark and Emma were still, eyes on the screen, everything was quiet, and the Spirit in that room was so lovely....and sweet. Something changed in that moment. After the movie, we talked for a bit and they asked,
"So according to you, our marriage is not eternal?"
"Yet."
They shared some very tender things with us and turns out the member we brought with us had some very very similar experiences. Who would know that? Not us. God did though. Everything worked out the way it needed to and it was such a wonderful lesson, with such a beautiful spirit. BAM! MIRACLE NEXT!

Ahh! I love my job! I love being able to kneel down at night and thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a missionary......and really mean it. We are so blessed up here!!!!! We have a brand new Vauxhall Meriva with suicide doors, a brand new flat, snappy red plates, a phenomenal branch, no vacuum problems, amazing investigators, a brand new anti-junky area book, I get to sleep on a cloud every night (Our housing coordinator ordered a new mattress and instead of ordering a standard twin for me....he accidentally ordered a standard PLUS!!!! with a pillow top! :D YEAH!) AND we live in the best place in the UK (it's true...Alnwick won a contest). All these thing are wonderful blessings, but what means more to me than all these things, is that lovely warm glow that comes into my heart when I ask my Heavenly Father, "Are you proud of me?".....yeah.....I love that. Even though it's dark again at 4pm, stinkin cold, I have my annual English lip leprosy, and every morning I have to wipe down what I've dubbed "The Moldy Wall", I don't care :D because the things I'm learning, and the things I'm experiencing are so much better than I could have ever imagined! BAM! MIRACLE!

I love this!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

Update from last week: We got the keys all sorted! I'm wearing another ensemble! AND I've had a shower!!!!!!! :D All is right in the world again.

Big news....MICHAEL RECEIVED THE PRIESTHOOD!!!!! WHOO!!!!! BAM!!! MIRACLE!!!! AND we got to be there for the ordination!!!!!!!! WHOO!!!!! That's what I'm talking about!!! He's doing so well. You should see the look on his face now. His cheeks glow. There's a change in his eyeballs. We were teaching him the other night and he said, "I know the church is true!" and he said it with this twinkle in his eye and the biggest smile on his face! Those are the moments....those are the moments that make all the whacks from old lady canes and all the eggs thrown at you worth it!!! (and yes...both of those things have happened to me....but it's worth it!!!!)

Also at church were our new investigators Mark and Emma and their stinking cute five year old daughter!!! Our miracle family!!! Let me tell you the story...I can't remember if I've told you this already or not. If so...act surprised. Sister Hillgaard and I were planning for our next day and it was just one of those nights. I was beat. I itched my eyes, without washing them beforehand.....I touch so many animals in a day.......needless to say, my eyes were weepy tomatoes...I couldn't see...I needed a little old lady to walk on my back....I had my face plastered to the crumbs....i mean...floor....my butt in the air, with one weepy tomato straining to see the map, "Let's look at it again when we're coherent in the morning..... Ok How about this street? Ok looks good. Let's pray I can't see anymore." We prayed about it the next morning, went there late that night, and the last door we knocked on we found Mark. I forget what we said, but I remember the look he had on his face...and I won't even try to describe it because I won't be able to do it justice, but he was looking off in the distance and really soaking in what we were saying.
"We know it's late right now, but when's a good time we can come back and talk with you?"
"Yes...can you come back tomorrow?"
"Uh...hello?!?! YES!"
So we went back, and taught him and his wife Emma. Mark hasn't believed in God his whole life; however, he noticed an inner peace with people, like Emma, who had a faith. Things lately have happened in his life that make him toy with the notion that there really is a God, and he wants to find out for himself.
"I'm open to experiment. I'm willing to see what this might do for me. I'm willing to learn."
BAM! MIRACLE!!!! AND Emma is 100% supportive. There was one tender moment when Mark expressed the concern to Emma if there really is a God would God forgive him for turning his back on him for 35 years? "In a second!"said Emma "in a second!" *tears bubbled up in her eyes, "I've waited for 18 long years for Mark to believe in God and now my prayers are coming true!" BAM! MIRACLE! It's so wonderful to watch them get closer together as they both get closer to God.

I love my job!!!

Thank you so much for letting me be here!!!!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

We had such and interesting week this week. First off....Miracle Michael got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOO! BAM! MIRACLE! The baptism was wonderful! So many people came out to support him! He went under the water once....no problem. He bore a beautiful testimony! Sister Hillgaard and I sang "I am a Child of God" In Danish...look at that. The night was all well and good. Then we walked out into the darkness, walked up to the car, and Sister Hillgaard searched....and rifled....and rummaged......"Uh...Sister....do you have the car keys?" "No........" So we prayed mightily, dumped everything out. Literally turned everything inside out, scoured the countryside. rampaged the chapel.....multiple times.....looked out in stagnant water grates......you name it...we did it. They disappeared. We had to leave our car (believing that perhaps we locked our keys in the boot somehow), stay at the Loynes for the evening. After church yesterday we made our way back down to Ashington chapel, waited for the AA man to arrive, who opened our car....but....no keys in the boot. This does not make my day. anyways....we had to stay the night with the Ashington sisters. After multiple telephone calls, answering the same questions, several rebukings....the situation will be resolved today. YAY! :D AN ADVENTURE FOR THE WEEKEND!!!!

As far as Halloween goes. We're meant to be in Newcastle for Zone P-day carving pumpkins. It's not safe for us to go proselyting in the dark so we have to arrange to be in lessons with people. Heaven help us if people flog :D hahahha. It'll be good. I'm looking forward to wearing the same ensemble for the 4th day in a row :D yes!!!! Happy Halloween! hahahahah

In other news. We felt so impressed to knock in a posh part of town. We knocked on this beautiful door, and this wall of a man filled the doorway. Turns out he's one of the richest men in Alnwick. He owns his own brewery. He is sick and tired living that kind of life. He says he doesn't know himself. He doesn't have a reason to live. He wants to turn things around. We prayed with him. After the prayer he said, "WHoah! What was that!? For the first time in my whole life, I've felt peaceful!" He says the only thing preventing him from diving head first into the baptismal font is the fact that he's so famous in this little town. HAHAHH definitely a concern we've never had to deal with before. BAM! MIRACLE!

I love being out here with all the twists and turns. I love the Spirit! I love the way we can feel that beautiful warm glow when we testify of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Gospel. I love being a missionary! Thank you so much for letting me be here!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

We've had quite the whirlwind week this week. We've been preparing Michael for his baptism on Saturday. Sister Hillgaard and I have acted as his social secretaries, carting him off to tea appointments, branch activities, movie nights etc. On Saturday, we went to Ashington to watch a baptism and have Michael's baptismal interview with our District Leader. The only hiccup was the baptism did not happen. The young man getting baptized was hauled away by his concerned cousin who came out of the woodwork for the day to poop on our dreams. We showed up for the aftermath. The sister missionaries, my friends, were beside themselves. It was the saddest thing. This guy wanted to get baptized so badly! Good news is Michael passed his interview with flying colors, and came out saying, "I really want to be washed clean of my sins. My goal in life is to stand before God with a clear conscience, and enter his kingdom." I tell you this man is so wonderful.
When we rounded the corner yesterday morning to pick him up for church we saw a note taped to his door and a plastic carrier bag outside.
No...no...no....no.....no.... *running*.....no no no no.....*gate squeaks open*....no no no no no...... In the note he expressed some concerns, a change of heart, and said that he went for a walk. I do not know how long Sister Hillgaard and I stood in front of that door. It felt like ten minutes.....in silence....reading and re-reading his note.
"What should we do? "
"No clue...let's say a prayer."
In our prayer we prayed for a miracle. We didn't know where Michael was, but we needed to find him."
We waited about some more.
"Should we leave? We're going to be late for church."
"........not yet.......let's leave him a note."
As soon as I stuffed the note in the letter box, keys rattled in the lock and Michael filled the doorway.
"I just got in from my walk."
"Can we come in for a minute and talk to you?"
*nod*
BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT! We talked for a long time about his concerns, and in the end we resolved him. "Do you believe the church is really The Church of Jesus Christ restored?"
"Yes, I believe that."
"Do you want us to push your baptism back a week to give you more time to pray about it?"
"No, I believe it... I want to go through with the baptism this Saturday." BAM! MIRACLE!!!!

Our prayer was answered! BAM! MIRACLE! I love this job :D Thank you so much for letting me be here. I really appreciate it. I wonder if you realize how much this mission means to me. Thank you so much!

I love you!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy

I love it in this little land of Alnwick. The members are absolutely fantastic! They all are so excited to have us in their little branch. Our little flat is so cute. It's all secluded in this little yard. There aren't any street lights blaring into our little courtyard. On a night, Sister Hillgaard and I plop down on the ground and marvel at all the billions of glittering specs in the sky.....wow.....how can you not look at that and think there's more out there.....how can you look at that and not believe in a Supreme Creator! Wow.... We love our little flat. We've been having movers and boxes and all sorts in and out of this joint, but things are finally starting to settle down and we're getting things into their proper places. I'll show you when we're all settled. The people of Alnwick are wonderful. It's refreshing to walk down the street, wave at someone and not get sworn at :D ahhhhhh......it's even better to not have to chase down little oldies in their mobility scooters. Man, they can definitely kick it up a notch when they want to :D hahaha.

We're just having so many little miracles happen in our corner. We met Michael last week and he's soaking it all in. We give our investigators little calendars to help them keep track of all their reading, praying and church attendance. At our last appointment with Michael, I accidentally keiffed his calendar. When we had our next appointment, I told him I had it, and he said, "Not that I blame you for taking it.....I haven't been reading as much as I should, and I have so many things wrong in my life, I'm not worthy to have it anymore." He's such a stinkin sweet heart. He just wants the blessing of baptism so much. He wants a clean slate and a new life. He came to stake conference for the reorganization of the Sunderland England Stake, where he got to hear from Elder Causse of the Area Presidency and from President Lindley. He was so impressed and so inspired! Michael is incredible! BAM! MIRACLE!

Let me tell you a story. Last night, we went to a street we planned to knock. Before we even got out of the car, a member called us telling us he had some stuff for our flat he wanted to drop off. So we motored back, parked....but no member yet.....so we decided to knock the street on which we live. As part of Stake Conference, Elder Causse said something to the effect of, "The Lord knows these people, and he loves them enough to lead you to them." For some reason that idea stuck with me, and I thought a lot about it for the rest of the day. When we knocked on one door, I had that thought come to be again. "The Lord knows these people, and he loves them enough to lead you to them." The door opened. I can't for the life of me tell you what was said, but I do remember watching the man's eye's well up and his voice shake out, "Well....I'm not so sure....my wife died five years ago." A few moments later our member rolled up behind us.
"Can we come back in a half hour and talk to you some more?"
"Yes. Come back then."
Once we sorted things out with the member, we went back, and knocked on the door.
..............
*knocked louder*
..............
*knocked on the window*
.............
*knocked with the door knocker*
..............
*knocked with rhythm and beat*
..............
*whistled through the key hole*
..............
"Dang it....he was a good one!"
So we went back to the street we planned to knock, but it just didn't feel right. We knocked some houses.....turns out the Jehovah's Witnesses had been there earlier. We prayed, "Should we stay or go to another street?."...........We didn't feel anything in particular, so we carried on........but it still didn't feel right. We prayed, "We don't know where we need to be right now, but we feel like it's not here. Where should we be?" "Let's go back to that man's house." So we did. We knocked really hard with the door knocker and lo and behold, he answered!!! AND invited us in straight away. We got to talking. He had some excellent questions about the Plan of Salvation, and about our church. There was such a lovely spirit in that room. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted!!!!! He lost his leg a few years ago and after an exhilarating discussion about leg attachments (roller skate leg, pogo stick leg, broom leg, mop and bucket leg, the list went on and on....we all know of my love for amputees!!!!!) he told us he's getting a swimming leg (aka a leg that floats) in the next week or so. IT'S A SIGN!!!!!!!! See! You're meant to get baptized! He was absolutely wonderful! In his closing prayer he said, "Heavenly Father, thank you for sending these.....[choked up]..... two crazy women to my house. It's not an accident they're here. They're coming back soon, and we'll see what more we can't learn about you then....."
BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!!!! I love being a missionary!!!! Thank you so much for letting me be here!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, October 10, 2011

Alnwick

Mummy and Daddy,

Where to begin? Well....Alnwick area covers basically 1/8th of England! It's mostly just green....not a lot of people up yonder, so we stole another missionary team's car :D heh heh they weren't too keen on that, bless 'em. After transfer meeting, we made our way on the coach up to Redcar, stole their car, and Sister Hillgaard drove us all the way up to Alnwick. A bit about Sister Gretel Hillgaard. She is from Denmark. She's been on her mission for 5 months and she loves dragons. She can name every Pokemon every made. She wishes she was an Avatar so much that she brought a pair of Avatar fangs along on her mission to pop in when she gets and urge. She makes the best impression of a guinea pig of anyone I've ever seen and her favorite food is liver pate. She's a driving fiend in Denmark, but she's never driven on the left hand side of the road. Since I'm American, my US license is only valid for a year, so I cannot legally drive anymore. So our only option was to have Sister Hillgaard drive us up there. :D We made it in one piece. We drifted now and again to the left and played tag with the curb. I suppose our game went on a bit too long because suddenly in the side mirrors, blue lights glitter in my eyes......oh......poop.
Us: Hello Officer, How are you today, Sir?
Police Man: Fine. When was the last time you had an alcoholic beverage?
Us: HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA what?!
Police Man: We got a report from a fellow driver that was concerned that you were under the influence of alcohol, and for the safety of everyone on the road we've come to investigate.
Us: No... we're just foreign.

That is a definite first.....Two LDS missionaries getting pulled over for drunk driving! hahahha

We're staying with Brother and Sister Loynes who are absolutely wonderful, and the Branch is fantastic!!! They've made us very welcome indeed!!!! Everyone is so excited to have us out and about and they're bending over backwards to get anything we need!
Alnwick town is like the quintessential England. When you think, "small English town", the picture that comes up in your head....THAT'S WHERE I LIVE!!!! I walk down the spindly cobbled streets, look up at the big clock towers and quaint shops and say to myself....ahhhh....I love this land. I love where I live

We went out knocking our first day and found this man named Michael!!!! He is a miracle man! He wanted to know what Heaven and Hell were. We taught him straight away, scheduled him for baptism, he came to church and he absolutely loved it!!!!!

We're moving tomorrow to our brand new flat.

I absolutely love it here in this land! People don't curse at me every five seconds! People actually listen to me on the street whether they're interested or not! The branch is beautiful! The land is beautiful! I live next to a castle for Pete's sake!

My time's out but I love it here! I love being a missionary!
Love always and forever,
Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

I suppose I shall begin with the biggest news.....I am getting transferred! Guess where I'm going.....you'll never guess...so I'll tell you. I am going to Alnwick (Annec) home of none other than the HARRY POTTER CASTLE!!!!!! WHOO!!!! I wonder if you realize what a huge deal this is within the mission :D Alnwick area is the farthest north you can possibly go in the England Leeds Mission, (I'm going just in time for winter :D) and it hasn't had missionaries for two years. So me and SISTER HILLGARDE are WHITE WASHING!!!!!! Whoo! We're getting a brand new flat and a car! I can't legally drive anymore on my American license so Sister Hillgarde will get to chauffeur me about :D I hear the branch is wonderful and they sound quite Scottish! WHOO!!!!!! It will be an adventure....that is....if I don't turn into a human popsicle by the end of it :D More to come. I've spent my morning packing.....I have so much stuff.....a lot of it I can't afford to chuck. I need as many layers as I can get my silly little hands on! As usual, while my companion is eating breakfast, getting ready etc....there I am upstairs ramming my body into my suitcase. GET.... IN! GET ...IN! OOOOOOH!

This week we went to Carol, our investigator's, primary school class to teach her six and seven year olds what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes. We taught them all about how God is the Father of our spirits. We are his children. We taught them a simplified version of the plan of salvation and showed them this video

http://lds.org/pages/mormon-messages-gallery?lang=eng#i-am-a-child-of-god-mormon-message

We taught them the song, "I Am a Child of God," and I cannot tell you how stinking cute it was to see their little mouths singing and believing they were children of God. They drew pictures of who God is, where he lives, and what he does. Then they wrote what they learned.
"God is a father."
"We are God's children."
"I am a child of God."
"Now I know God lives."
Carol came up to us afterwards saying, " I know now more than ever that what you say is true. I wish I joined years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" BAM! MIRACLE! She photocopied all their drawings for us and fashioned them into little books for us!!!!

Carol came to the Saturday Afternoon session of Conference. Long story short....*The Librarian just announced the Library's closing in seven minutes.* When it was all over, we turned to her and asked, "Well, what'd you think?"
"It was good.....It's all good." Tears welled up in her eyes "I so wish I did this years ago!" BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!!!!!!

I am so grateful for that assurance that I know this church truly is The Church of Jesus Christ!!! No other church claims that. No other church bears his name! No other church has the same organization that Jesus had. No other church has apostles. No other church has a Prophet, but we do. I'm so grateful to be out here doing what the Lord wants me to do. This is exactly where I need to be :D

I love you so much!
Love
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, September 26, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

I must dash about again this week, but I had to tell you about a few things. This week we met Phyllis....who is how old?.....Guess......nope.....guess again.....You'll never guess so I'll tell you....She was 103! Hahahaha She even had the official plaque from the Queen congratulating her on her century of life AND she was on the front page of the local newspaper saying, "Phyllis Turns 100!" Oh Phyllis...she's great. She's both deaf-ish and blind-ish. We communicated by writing GIANT on a white board. Bringing the board an inch away from her nose she yelled, each word and waited for some sort of confirmation on our end.
Phyllis: DO?
*nod*
Phyllis: YOU?
*nod*
Phyllis: BELIEVE?
*nod*
Phyllis: IN?
*nod*
Phyllis: GOD? NO! BECAUSE I PRAY EVERY BLASTED NIGHT THAT I FALL ASLEEP AND I NEVER WAKE UP, AND EACH MORNING I OPEN MY EYES, LOOK AROUND AND SAY.... (I'd best not say what she said :D) YOU SEE, THERE IS NO GOD.
Us: HE WANTS YOU TO GET BAPTIZED FIRST! WILL YOU FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST AND BE BAPTIZED BY SOMEONE WITH THE PROPER PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY OF GOD?
Phyllis: NO! I WILL NEVER DO THAT. YOU CAN'T EVEN PAY ME TO DO THAT!

:D hahahha....well.....can't say we didn't ask.

I also got to see Mick and Joyce last Monday. Mick put his teeth in especially for the occasion :D We entered the train station and I saw them afar, and said, "Man, they are just too cute!" They are so special to me! We shook hands, we embraced, we laughed, Mick cried :D. We had just a normal, lovely natter in Greggs over a cup of hot chocolate. The whole time there was this wonderful feeling there with us. They're doing so well! Then came the time to part ways again. We took pictures, embraced, shook hands, we laughed, Mick cried :D Then Sister Sorensen and I walked away, arm in arm. In that moment, my little heart had this surge of gratitude.... I love these people so stinking much!.....even now...I'm having an issue! I'm just so grateful they are in my life. If I came on this mission of mine, and only met them.....my mission would have been worth it. All these wonderful people I've met have made such a lovely impression on me. It's hard to explain, but it's a very humbling experience to have someone thank you profusely for changing their lives. I feel like they did it all themselves. They were just ready. I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a part of their story! I'm getting all worked up so I'll kick over this chair and laugh instead! :D ha ha.

In other news, we celebrated Sister Sorensen's 22nd birthday today! My baby's growing up! We played games with the zone, sang songs, ate Costco cake....they have Costco here believe it or not.....and build GIANT pyramid of chairs (pictures to follow in the near future). All in all....a successful day!

We have a big fireside coming up this Friday all about the Savior's life. We've invited the whole of Horbury so hopefully we'll have a good turn out.

I am so stinking excited for General Conference I can hardly handle m'self. How lucky are we that we have a prophet on Earth. UGGH! We are so dang lucky all the day long! Heavenly Father is so good to us! I wish I had a bit more time today to expound on everything, but I do want to tell you: I love being a missionary. Thank you so much for letting me be here.

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

Good news. Hurricane didn't blow us away. It definitely gave it a good go though. My goodness! I think I may have finally combed through my "Nest."

We had some beautiful things happen this week.

Well let me tell you about yesterday. There we were, in the foyer at church, sitting....standing.....shaking peoples' hands.....then the chapel door closed......still no Stacey and Amy. Do you remember Stacey and Amy? Amy is the seven year old we taught about the Plan of Salvation and she lapped it right up. The Spirit was so phenomenal! Stacey is her mother. When Stacy was a little girl, she believed in God, but her parents didn't really approve of that belief, so she stopped believing. She vowed if her daughter wanted to learn about God, she'd let her. Anyways...no Stacey and clan. The clocked ticked on.....still no Stacey and Clan. We went in for the Sacrament with the attitude: If it's meant to happen, it will happen. As the Sacrament was passed....I saw a flick of green out of the corner of my eye. I whipped towards the door and saw.......little girls!!!!! THEY CAME!!!! Stacy and Amy came to church!!!! AND they enjoyed it! BAM! MIRACLE!

There was a feeling around this home....we had to knock on it. "There is a good feeling about this home.....not to mention they have a pirate tree house out back! These are my kind of people!" It looked like no one was going to answer so we turned to leave. "Circle this house. We have to come back." Then the door opened and this lovely Irish lady opened. "I'm on my way out right now, but come back. You're welcome anytime!" Miracle! So we did. We went back. She let us in straightaway. Come to find out, she's recovering from cancer. She has a beautiful family and her faith is incredible! We're so excited to teach her! BAM! MIRACLE!

We met Linda and Graham this week. I don't know much about them to relate to you, but what I do know is that Linda believes in God and Graham does not. We taught them all about who God is, who Jesus Christ is, and how they restored the gospel to the Earth again. I love the Spirit, because every time I felt a *ping* Linda said, "hmmm...that's interesting. I think I can agree with that." The interesting part of the lesson was the fact that it was bright and sunny the moment before we went into their home, but the moment we were inside, it started chucking it down! AND it continued to chuck it down until the moment we said the closing prayer. "That's strange isn't it? Now that you're on your way out, the rain stopped. What a coincidence." "Coincidence? I think not. Coincidences are just when God wants to be anonymous." BAM! MIRACLE!

One evening we went to Kenneth's for a little lesson. He opened the door. "Hi Ken!" .......he just looked at us for a minute......"What's wrong?" Then he smiled.....a big toothy smile. He got teeth! "Ken! You have teeth!" He has new found confidence! It's cute. The jury's still out....I've grown accustomed to his toothless grin. We'll see :D

In other news....I got a card in the post the other day from Mick and Joyce saying they wrote a letter to President Lindley requesting to visit me....He got in touch with them and said they could!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!! I'm seeing Mick and Joyce today for lunch! What can be better than food, fun, and friendship!?!

I love being out here! I love those opportunities just to exercise faith. Isn't faith an amazing thing? You don't know what will happen, but you say I know what's meant to happen will happen. I know You're in control. I love my Heavenly Father so much! He's so good to me all the time! I know this is his work! I know the Spirit is real! I know I'm exactly where I'm meant to be. I love being where my feet are....not bugged about the past.....not worried about what's next, but just enjoying where I am. I love it here! Thank you so much for letting me be a missionary. I can't imagine my life without this experience.

I love you so much!
Have the best day of your life!
Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, September 12, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

News in Horbury. A hurricane's a brewing!!!!! Apparently we are expecting a hurricane with 80 mph winds, rain, etc. A storm this bad hasn't happened since the 1980's :D.....perfect. I love how all this crazy weather trash decides to act up the moment I enter the country. I swear....it's my personality...it's far to large and colorful for this land sometimes ;D
I'm sitting in the Library right now, and amidst all the click clacking of keyboards, it sounds like the tree outside the window might decide to make a grand entrance any minute now. I wish you could see my hair at this moment. ;D I think it might make a small rodent a lovely home.

Today we're cleaning our flat with Q-tips and toothbrushes. Elder Donaldson of the Seventy is coming to inspect our flat......I'd best borrow our neighbor's vacuum. Ours died....may it rest in peace. We have enough hair ground into our carpet to make wiglets for the whole of our elderly friends..... :) .....living with four girls.....what can I say? La la lala la :D Elder Donaldson is doing a tour of our mission, and we're getting a visit from him tomorrow...so we're excited! AND we're doing yet another musical item. I swear I've sung at more people and more events in these short months than I have in my 22 years of existence!

We had a miracle this week. We made our way out to this area that we never go....buses make it difficult. We felt very impressed to knock on this street. The very last house we knocked on we met this lady that we see on the bus all the time. She gets fed up sometimes with her life. She just has a lot on with her autistic kids, bills, stress etc. We tell her all the time to meet with us, but she refuses. We said, "Ok...if we see you again...will you make an appointment with us." "Yes, I will." So there we were on her porch! Come to find out....it wasn't even her house! AND a half hour earlier she almost left, but she felt like she'd stay for just a bit longer!!!! BAM! MIRACLE! That was NO accident! What more do you need? She still didn't make an appointment, but I felt that feeling from the Spirit that we were exactly where we needed to be. BAM! MIRACLE!

I'm so grateful to be a missionary! It's amazing to go back, read journals and hear changes in think and respond. Missions are everything I thought they'd be....and nothing that I ever expected....it's strange really, but I'm so appreciative of my Heavenly Father and how every experience I've had on my mission was tailor made for me. He knows so much more than I do. I know He's there. I feel him as I pray. He really is...I know it. I still have a lot to learn, but I've learned quite a bit that I could never learn without this experience. I'm so lucky!
Thank you so much for letting me be here!
I love you so much!
Have the best day of your lives!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, September 5, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy

This week we had quite the experience. SO....Horbury....like many of the Sister Areas....is a villiage....just a little guy....not many people. So lately we've been struggling to find people to teach. All the people in the area honestly have talked with us before. For many we're on a first name basis....for the majority, we have nicknames for them like the "The Unfortunate Bearded Fellow filled with Rage" and "The Unfortunate Bearded Woman bent on Revenge." etc etc. etc.. Bottom line is: People aren't too keen on us here.....which I will never understand because I am nothing but pleasant, personable, and filled with good news. In any case we had something beautiful happen.

One night, as we planned the next day's desperation, I thrust the map onto the floor, and in a cloud of debris, pleaded with Heavenly Father to show us where to go. There I was pouring over this map, brushing off stray crumbs, going street by street. Meanwhile people brushed their teeth, picked their toes, breathed loudly, yet there I remained. Show me please! This street, Fearnley Drive, made my heart pound. Oooooh! I pick that one. I traced this street with my pencil....my heart burned....oooooooh....I will go there.....on that side of the street....at this time. So that's what I did...In the torrential downpour. :D We knocked that street till we turned blue in the face. When all hope seemed lost I said to myself, "No! I felt it! He told me they're here!" So we knocked on this door, and this woman answered. She was so happy to see us saying that she is dear friends with half of the Horbury Ward. She's never had a gospel discussion with members of the church, but she has all these doctrinal questions she's never asked. If she were to join a church, she would choose ours! She accepted the invitation to be baptized and was so excited to feel relief from bitterness that she still holds on to from her past! The only reason we haven't found her in the past is because she's been on holiday and recently moved into the area. BAM! MIRACLE!!!! See....what did I say?! Heavenly Father ALWAYS answers prayers!

I am just so grateful for sincere prayer. I am so appreciative of my growing perspective of why we go through difficult things. Every difficult thing we go through really is an opportunity for us to refine ourselves....to become more like the Savior....to be happier....to put on divine nature. I am learning more and more this lesson: Don't resent the very things that help you become what God knows you can be. More often than not I want more knowledge, I want to be better, I want to do all these things, but I expect them to come without struggle or discomfort. :D Growth does not and cannot come an easy route. It just doesn't work that way. :D I'm so grateful for the trust God has in me, and for the changes I get to make whilst I'm on this mission. Thank you so much! I love you so much!

Love always and forever#

Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

Just a little catch up on last week. Kenneth got baptized!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOO! HOOO!!! WHA-HA!!!!!! BAM! MIRACLE! He's such a gift!!! He was so cute. Another little juicy tidbit, a recent convert, Dan, of just a few months baptized Kenneth. :D It was an exciting day for all. Dan was so chuffed, he wore a white bow-tie for the occasion. I love convert baptisms...:D hahahah they're so awkward :D Every blasted time these people go under, anxiety swells in my jugular! Dan put his had up into a Live-Long-and-Prosper sign ( just the way his silly fingers are formed), and baptized Kenneth. Kenneth's lone hand spasmed in the breeze......Ohp....gotta do it again. :D Let's just say...we got it in the end :D The best part of the whole evening was Kenneth's testimony. Our humble little Kenneth got up on the stand, and said,
This is such a special night for me. I'm not sure where to begin.....I guess at the beginning....that's always the best place to start. Six weeks ago, my life was not worth living. Someone told be to read the bible, I did, and it got me thinking. I got on a bus one day and I saw these missionaries get on and I knew...I just KNEW...that one of them was going to sit next to me....she did. She gave me a leaflet for a free DVD about Jesus Christ. I sent for it straight away and the missionaries came to my door. I watched this film and I cried...I couldn't believe how cruel people were. I felt something I've never felt before, and I knew...I just KNEW this was for me. I was hungry for the information. I still am! I can't get enough! I'm always learning and improving.... Here I am today. I made a promise with my Father. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. I love the Book of Mormon! I wouldn't dream of ever going a day without it. I know this church is real....it is. Thank you for your love and friendship.
I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."
There he was, a pillar of strength, drops plip plopping on the pulpit, bearing his testimony for the first time. The spirit was so strong...not very many dry eyes... I am so proud of him.

In other news, we're teaching this man, Kevin, aka our pseudo-Muslim. Kevin's at a point in his 30 year old English life where he's doing a bit of soul searching. His Muslim friend is teaching him all the ways of Islam. Kev's really enthused about it too. He has his own prayer carpet, sends us off with Arabic blessings, he's even doing the fast for Ramadan. Each night we see him he concludes with, "Well...the time has come. I must eat my date and drink my glass of water to open my fast! Let us pray." The highlight of the evening is Kevin, sat in his daughter's make shift play pen, sunglasses on, sporting the backwards hat, praying, "Dear Heavenly Father......*says a prayer*.....in the name of Jesus....................................................................Allah and Muhammad Amen. I'm sorry I couldn't just do it...I didn't want anyone to feel left out." Hahahaha he's great, but he's still searching for "the truth." The day we met Kevin he told us he prays every night for God to show him the true path that leads to happiness.....then we showed up....BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!

In closing, I just want to mention our Zone Conference we had this past Wednesday. It was all about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We watched the following youtube video that made a big impression on me. It makes the Atonement just a little more personal. I think about moments in this video a lot everyday. I am filled with gratitude that my life was worth saving. Someone died so that I can live. I am so grateful to be out here and teach this message to everyone around me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhkpxpjHIRg

I love you so much! Thank you so so so much for letting me be here! I can't tell you how much it means to me.

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, August 8, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

Highlight of the week....Kenneth passed his baptismal interview! BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT! Whoo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's such a star! He's looking forward to his baptism so much! HE's so humble and full of faith...I love it He has such a strong testimony of the church and he loves everything about it. He love love loves President Thomas S. Monson. Every spare moment he has, Kenneth's online watching "Thomas Monson talk." He is plowing through the Book of Mormon like there's no tomorrow, and he's always talking about the next tie he's going to wear to church....AND the one thing he wants in all the world is for Sister Sorensen and I to sing "Jesus wants me for a sun beam" at his baptism :D hee hee cute.

Funny story. President Lindley gave Kenneth a call to congratulate him on his upcoming baptism. President Lindley called us afterwards to tell us how impressed he was with Kenneth. After our phone conversation, we headed up to Kenneth's for a lesson. We walked in, got settled, and there was Kenneth....peering at us with this knowing look in his eye. (Whistling through his four-toothed gap) "You'll never guess who I just talked to."
Sister Sorensen: "Someone online?"
Member: "Your long lost children?"
Me: "President Lindley?"
Kenneth: "......nope." :D
..................uh..........................
Kenneth:"President Monson....the big man himself! He told me how pleased he was of my decision to be baptized. He said, "Welcome to the Church!" I'm as good as in!"
His whole toothless face lit up!

We couldn't help but laugh! For two reasons
1) It was so cute! He loves President Monson.
2) You know me....toothless grins just get to me...not to mention his bottle brush mustache flappin in the breeze! hahhaha :D

We're so proud of him. He really was a little gift from above. He's one of our Horbury miracles! BAM! MIRACLE NEXT!

In other news last night I barfed up a storm. Not to worry....it was just something I ate. I ate a little onion whole and I think there was some sort of war raging in the abyss of my stomach. Needless to say, I tried all sorts to pop what felt like a massive gas bubble trapped by a slab of apple pie....Nothing worked....til I got a whiff of our nappy rubbish bin.....urp.....that did it. Lucky for me....I had a handy dandy Krave box at my disposal. OH! AND......last P-day, we had a District outing....where you ask?....this place called Love Your Feet, where we had tiny miniature carp eat our feet off!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! Talk about sensory overload!!!!!!!!!!! BLAH!!!!!!!! I've never giggled so much in all my life! We had all sorts of oldies on the bus try to dissuade us from doing it....but the sheer experience out weighed the risks. Good news....I don't have any sort of disease but I do have silk soft feet :D and an even better story! Can anyone say Life List....kaching!

I love you so much! Thank you so much for letting me be out here! I'm learning so much about myself, people, my faith, and my Savior! This is really important to me....thank you so much! Have the best day of your life!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

What to say....what to say :D I just want to tell you about a little experience I had last night. Poor Sister Sorensen felt like death...she had her first Mission Body Breakdown! Yay....fret not...we documented the experience. So there I was downstairs, filling out all this paper work, and I said to myself, "Self, you know what I want to do at this moment in time....I'm going to say a prayer." Now this may seem like a silly thing. You may be saying to yourself, "What are you talking about? You pray about twenty times a day!" This is true; however, we have so many time constraints (I have 30 seconds to pray to be ontime for Personal Study) ,I'm always so beat/ sleeping (Heavenly Father, Thank you for my day today I really liked eating Krave this morning...I wonder how they get that delicious chocolate into those tiny cereal squares....I should really purchase more milk tomorrow....oh wait......Sorry Heavenly Father I was thinking about Krave agian. I get distracted...forgive me), etc etc...I feel like It's been a while since I've had a really meaningful conversation with Him. Anyways, there I was kneeling on our carpet...little stones and bread crumbs drilling into my knees....and I just talked outloud to Him. I told him everything....The beautiful part of it.....I felt Him there. It's like when you have your eyes closed and you can still sense that someone is in the room with you....I felt Him there...really listening to me. It meant a lot to me.BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!

This week has been interesting. We've met some right crazies(We met this old lady that laughed...ooohhhooo hoo hoo hoo hoo every five seconds and said, "Sometimes my hearing aid lets me down, but I don't find out til it happens!" ooohh hooo hooo hoo. I literally could not breathe!!!!! ahahahahhaha I love old people!), picked up loads of trash, and spent a lot of time teaching and helping Kenneth learn.....but I also hit my year mark....wow....one year......goes by fast. I feel like I've changed quite a bit, but at the same time....I still feel like I don't know anything ahahhaha which is probably true, but I do have such a greater appreciation for my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm glad they give us hard things to deal with....yeah...it's hard, but that's the only way we'll get better. I hear people tell me all the time, "If there were a God, all these bad things wouldn't happen in the world. We'd be happy all the time, and life would be good." I grow weary of this :D People people people...how in the world are you gonna know happy if you don't know what sad is? How are you going to know what's good if you have never experienced bad. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father loves me enough to give me opportunities to be a better version of ourselves. Sister Sorensen and I chant this little quote every day before we head out to get "pumped,"

"I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed! The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I will not look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talk, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals! I no longer need to preeminence, position, promotion, plaudit, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now walk by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor with power...... It goes on from there, but we have yet to memorize that :D

I love it out here! Thank you so much for letting me be here! I will never be able to express in words how much it means to me!
I love you all!
Have the best day of your lives!

Love always and forever,

Your Sister Stephanie White

Friday, July 29, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

First item of business.....THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!!!! I ripped that bad boy open, inhaled....."Ooooooh....smells like freedom." That box of cheese nips did not stand a chance!!!!!!!
*crunch crunch crunch*
"God Bless America!"
Talk about the best possible way to start the week! Many thanks indeed!

Sis. Sorensen and I had a crazy miracle happen this week. We got a letter in the mail....a referral from Church Headquarters of someone who wanted the "Finding Faith in Christ" DVD. WE went to this man's home straight away. He wasn't there but as we walked to the end of his street, this man approached us.
"You wouldn't happen to be Kenneth would you?"
"I am." :D
Miracle!
So we went in and taught him. He gobbled up that invitation to be baptized!!!! He's scheduled for the 13th of August!!!! WHOOO HOO! He's progressing so well, we'll probably be able to move his date up a week! WOOOO HOO! BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT! We taught him all about the Word of Wisdom and that night he immediately dumped all his coffee and tea down the drain. He came to church and loved it so much he went out the next day to find a suit! He said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help him find a suit he could afford. He felt like he should go into this particular charity shop, and the first suit he saw was this tailor made navy suit that was exactly his size!!! BAM! MIRACLE! He loves learning about the gospel! He has so much faith! He's "hungry for the information and he feels like he's home when he's learning about the gospel." MIRACLE!!!! We've dragged him to all sorts of activities this week, and the sweetest little moment for me was this: We arranged to meet Kenneth at Ossett bus station to travel together to a baptism in Horbury. As we approached the station...There was Kenneth, sporting his brand new suit, staring off into the distance, with his silly ears flapping in the breeze. "Awwww...there he is." :D

I'm so glad to be here! I'm so glad to be with Sister Sorensen! I love her so much and we're making things happen here! I know this is true! I just do! I'm so thankful for my knowledge and my testimony! Thank you so so so so much for letting me be here! I love you so much!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

We've had such a good week this week. During transfer meeting, President Lindley took all the trainers into a classroom and briefed us on the magnitude of our assignment. Many of the wide-eyed Elders made comments like, "They probably don't realize we're more nervous to train them than they are to be trained." I felt fine about it all. I was more excited than anything. I met the new sisters out in the parking lot....and I had a pretty good idea of who my child was. I hugged her and I said in my head...."Yep....you're mine." Anyways, there I was, sitting in the back of the chapel whilst the bio's were being read out...k she's basically me....dance, theater, art, guitar, comedy awards, etc etc....the same sort of embarrassing bio I had :D I said, "Yep....she's my child."

"And Sister Sorensen will be trained by..................Sister White in Horbury!!!!" WHOOO! I pranced my way up to the front and gave her the tallest squeeze of her life! :D "MY BABY!!!"

The first morning I had that slight panic moment thinking, "Oh.....yeah...I really don't know how to do this...I'm overwhelmed...my life is unmanageable :D," but Sister Sorensen is a powerhouse. She has no reservation running people down with me. She's not afraid to testify boldly to people on the bus with me. She's great in lessons....you name it...she can do it. I feel like she's training herself. :D great gig for me. We laugh all the time! hahahaha Life is good.

We went knocking this week and met this lady named Hazel. She wasn't interested....but.....I spied a stair lift!
"Hazel.....is that a stair lift?"
"Yes."
"Does it still work by chance?"
"Yes...it just houses the laundry now."
"You wouldn't want to let me ride it now would you?" :D
"Oh.......go on then!"
Oh! It was soooooo gooood!!!!! I wish I could send the video your way. I think I giggled the whole time! :D Life List! Check! OH....it did my soul good. I may just have to invest.

Let me tell you about this.....Last night, we made our way back home for tea. Sister Sorensen said, "Let's go check if Rob's in." .....*knock knock*.....no Rob. I looked down the road, and felt this little ping say "Keep going"
"Hey...before we go back...let's just carry on a bit.
" As we carried on, we passed a little cul de sac. Something jabbed me in the heart. I spun around on the spot. "GO HERE!"
"We need to be here! Ok....which door is it?" I zeroed in on #51, marched up to the door, and rapped a few times. This woman opened the door a crack. I forget what we said, but I remember saying, "I have a strange request. I feel like we need to sing a 30 second song for you. We've been practicing. Can we sing for you?" She motioned us into her living room.
"You can't stay long."
"God be with you til we meet again......" As we sang, this woman's eyes got really big! She inhaled and exhaled, and jabbed at her heart, "Woah!...I feel that....That's spot on that....wow...woah!" The next thing I knew, we were in this embrace with this this woman whilst she sobbed/ convulsed on us. Hello! When she dried herself off a bit and I juiced the shoulder of my coat, she told us how her father passed away recently.
"Music was always the way he helped me calm down when I was stressed. What was that feeling?! That felt like I was showered in peace!"
"That...was the Holy Ghost." BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!
"This is so funny. Just before you arrived, I heard someone say in my head, 'Have you been to church today?' Then you knocked on my door....strange."
Coincidence? I think not! MIRACLES!!!!!! We taught her all about how our families can be together forever. It literally felt like her dad was there with us. It was CRAZY!!!! BAM! MIRACLE! NEXT!

I love being a missionary!!!! Who else gets to experience things like this!?!??!!? I know what I'm doing is literally the work of God! The Spirit is real and I have felt it direct me on so many occasions it's incredible!!!! I know this is true and miracles happen all....the....time!!! Oh! Don't you love this!!?!?!? Uggh! This is so good! I can't even handle myself right now! I gotta go buy cereal....I need a snack :D Thank you so much for letting me come here! I love you thank you for everything!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

I have big news......are you sitting down.....maybe you should sit down..... your little bunny....your little Sister Stephanie White is going to be a MOMMY!!!!! I'm TRAINING!!!!! Say what?!?!!? Truth. There we were sitting in our little four-man pow wow, drinking H2O, contemplating life when the phone rang....."Mission Home" Dun da Dun!!!!!
"Hiya, It's Sister White."
"Hello Sister White, It's President Lindley."
"Hello President! How are you doing this fine evening?"
"Very well...thank you. Sister White, after prayerful consideration I have selected you to train an incoming missionary this transfer!"
"Whoo-Hoo!" (I like to make sure people know I'm excited about things.)
"I'm confident that you will teach this missionary how to be a strong, enthusiastic servant of the Lord.......blah blah....It goes on from there, but you get the gist. SO...yeah...I'm training. I felt like it was coming....I'm not as nervous as I thought I'd be. I probably should be...heck...I don't know anything myself. It should be interesting. I'm sure we'll both figure it out together.
Miss Sister DeLucchi is going up to Redcar. She's on the beach in the summer. It's a coveted spot this time of year. She literally walks out her front door and there's the sea. That's pretty amazing. :D She'll have a good time. She'll miss me terribly, I'm sure :D but she'll have a good time.

In other news....I have things to tell you about. I can't remember all the things I've told you about various people, but we have two people that we're very excited about John the Ice Cream Man and Ray of Sunshine. This past week we've had trouble getting in touch with both of them.....so we've been asking members to say little prayers for these people to help us accost them. We went over to a member's home and asked her cute little boy to say a little prayer to help us find John the Ice Cream Man. His little prayer was so precious and so powerful...guess who we found by chance the very next day....Truth!!! Miracle!!!! John the Ice Cream Man!!!! We were so excited and so grateful we took a picture of our excited grateful faces. He's doing well....he just won't come to church because the sun's out....too good for business. "How am I going to get to church when the sun's out? I'll have to pray for rain, I think :D" We called Eben's mom, Lisa, the other night and she told me she had a dream about the ice cream man. "There I was, and the ice cream man came rolling up the road blasting, 'High On a Mountain Top."
I think it's a sign :D

Now....Ray of Sunshine....we've had five encounters with him
Encounter 1: We accosted him on the street and he started laughing saying, "You missionaries keep jumping out at me...you seem to pop out of the strangest places...bushes...rubbish bins....windows....buses...you lot are everywhere!" He's funny...and smart....we left him with a Restoration leaflet with the challenge to read it and pray to see if it was true
Encounter 2: He drove up the street in his bright blue car, honked, waved....we followed :D but we lost him...so we walked up to the street we planned to knock and guess who came out of a shop and flagged us down, "You girls are following me I think.....but all that aside...tell me about this Joseph Smith fellow." We had such a good little lesson with him! He has some of the best questions and he genuinely wants to know.

*We pushed the Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration movie through his letter box.*
Encounter 3: A week later we saw him again driving up the road. He honked, and waved, we followed. We saw him again at he end of his street. He honked, waved our DVD at us and pulled over for a nice little chat. He was surprised how much he liked the movie. He finally accepted a Book of Mormon and a Plan of Salvation Leaflet. We arranged a chapel tour with him.
Encounter 4: We had to shift his chapel tour up one day because of other stuff, which he was happy to do. We showed him around the chapel...during "Band Practice" (I dunno...apparently this band uses our building to jam every Wednesday eve...) We ended up having our lesson outdoors. He whipped out his Plan of Salvation leaflet and it was all marked up :D hahahha success. We had an amazing discussion. All of a sudden Sister DeLucchi whips out some line...She said something to the effect of ,"Jesus Christ is our example. We follow him back to Heavenly Father." Saying that, it seems pretty basic, but the Spirit definitely touched his little heart. His eyes lit up and he said, "That's it! You've done it! That one line!" The discussion continued but he said at the end, "The things you taught me tonight are probably the most important things I've heard in my entire life." BAM!!! MIRACLE!!!!

Encounter 5: He's been really difficult to get a hold of this week. We've pleaded with Heavenly Father to help us find him. Yesterday, we were on the bus out to Ossett, when I felt like we needed to get off the bus and pop 'round to see a potential. "I think we need to get off and see Kevin." "That's handy...so do I!" "It's a sign!" *ding* We lept from the bus and trucked our way down to Kevin's street...no Kevin...but guess where we were....on the street where Ray lives. I felt, "Go see Ray." "Let's go see Ray." So we did. His car was in the drive and there he was in the window washing up! "Ray! Let us in!" We had such a good appointment with him!!! oh! he's so good! I want him to make it so bad!!! Uggh! Anyways....he'll get there. BAM! MIRACLE! I feel like these people could be some of our "Horbury Miracles!" Don't you love the Spirit?! Oh! I DO! Don't you love being a missionary!?!? Oh! I DO!
Thank you for letting me be here!!! I love this so much I can't breathe sometimes!!!
I love you! Thanks for all you do for me!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Friday, July 8, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

I literally just whipped on my missionary attire, ran to the Horbury Library, and here I am stringing together a few pearls of wisdom before I have to book it across town to catch a bus to the middle of nowhere. (Last time this happened....we got stranded in a field.....good times good times.) Well.... Today I woke up singing "They're Coming to America!" HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "And I'm proud to be an American for at least I know I'm free!!!!" Pretty sure my hand has fused to my heart! Can I just tell you that I've had the worst biggest craving for greasy KFC Chicken and biscuits. Every five seconds I find myself saying.....Ugggh! Where are my biscuits!...Did you know English KFC's don't serve biscuits.....OR MASHED POTATOES!!!! What do they serve you ask......good question.....nothing....just silly chicken nibblets in a match box. I thought I ordered a Large?! Pretty sure this is anti-large! Anyways....I had a nasty grey hamburger patty instead and imagined it was delicious. :D

A shout out to Sister DeLucchi's mother! She sent us a plethora of American goodies....This week we feasted on Goldfish Crackers, Campbell's Chicken Noodle, Mac-n-Cheese DELUXE, among other things! God Bless America!!!!! I feel like my soul has been fed with much needed preservatives! God Bless America!!!!!

I must dash! I wish I could tell you more about what happened this week. Little Moe with a Gimpy Leg was pretty gimpy this week.....but she's on the road to recovery. Success.
We just had Huddersfield Zone P-day where we had a talent show, BBQ (hence the grey patty) and Dungeons and Dragon Tournament......yes...you heard me right.....Dungeons and Dragons.....confession: I loved it! I was Susan- The One Eyed....oracle extraordinaire wearing the Tapestry of Life, knitted from the leg hairs of giants (aka my heinous nordic jumper) wielding a frying pan......strange things are happening to me here! :D OH AND for the talent show we made up a song to the Spice Girls "Wannabe".
Sister Savage= Savage Spice
Sister Lomiga= Secret Spice
Sister DeLucchi=Spoiled Spice
Sister White= Old Spice

The following is our rendition of Wannabe....read at your own risk! :D

If you wanna be a member you have got to read (you've got to read!)
Get yourself together
Get down on your knees
If you wanna be a member, you have got to feel (you've got to feel!)
Feel the Holy Spirit, then you'll know it's real

Now here's the story in the ELM
We're gonna set a date, then you take it up with Him.
We'll teach you all the lessons in the PMG
Tithing, Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity
Then Sabbath Day
We've gotta big buffet!
Then you'll say,
"Chapels over here and temples over there! Prophets and apostles...the Spirit's everywhere!"

I wanna be a member! I've got my white suit on! (I've got it on!)
Walking towards the water, my old life is gone!
For when I am baptized, my sins are washed away (They're washed away!)
I can be forgiven, Improve myself each day!

Blah blah blah... the end.

I love you! Have the best day ever!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, June 27, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy!

Let me tell you a story. Remember how we had a freak heat wave this week. Remember how you could grill an egg on the flagstones one minute and then the next it'd be chucking it down with rainy pellets of ice and death!?!??!?! Remember how we started melting in our woolen coats after a wet spell. Remember how the people were especially "friendly".....by "friendly" I mean "not-so-friendly." :D Truth. The only thing that could make life better was a cone of icy refreshment. Lo and behold what do we hear in the background. Doo Da Doo Doooo Da Dooo Doo Da Dooo Doo Doo Da Doo! ICE CREAM MAN! RUN!!!! So there we were chasing down the ice cream man.....we'd stop people on the street....ask them about God, then ask them if they saw Ice Cream Man!
"Do you know that Ice Cream Man?"
"The Ice Cream Man?"
"The Ice Cream Man!!!!!!!"
To make a long story short, we ran up and down streets, following the little bursts of that happy little song we caught on the wind, seeing glimpses of his blue and yellow van turning corners, asking people right and left..."have you seen the ice cream man?" This guy asked us, "Why don't you just pop down t'shop and buy some ice cream? It'd be easier than chasing him down."
"I'm on a quest....besides....it feels important that we find him."
Well we said a little prayer. "Heavenly Father, please...if it's ok...help us find the Ice Cream man. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen." Immediately after, guess who rolls up next to us!!!!! THE ICE CREAM MAN!!! BAM! MIRACLE!!! We sat there, licking away to our hearts content as we taught John of John's Ices the gospel. On two other occasions we just happened to run into him on crazy side streets. What are the chances!?!??! MIRACLES! We exchanged lessons of peace, happiness and salvation for free ice lollies!!!! :D Now that's my kind of missionary work! :D Now He's our friend! Last night we ran into him again...and he said,
"I have news for you two sisters."
"OOOOH news!!!!! What is it?"
"I've read your little booklets.. like you told me."
"Whoo-Hoo!!!!!! How'd you like them?"
"Haahhah they were good....but that's not all. I've prayed about them...we're talking... knelt down...at the foot of the bed....arms crossed."
"WHAT!?!??! WHOO HOO!!!!! AND!??!?! HOW'D YOU FEEL!?!??!"
"It were good.....I near about came to church this morning!"
"WHOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAM! MIRACLE!!! NEXT!!!!! As we were hobbling to the bus stop, I remembered a comment I made to Sister DeLucchi during our quest to find John of John's Ices. I said, "I wish prepared people played a little tune like the ice cream man....then we'd at least know when we were getting close." Little did we know....the ice cream man WAS prepared! BAM! MIRACLE! That's why no ordinary shop ice cream would suffice....we had to find John! MIRACLES!!!!!!

In other news
Last P-Day, we hiked as Huddersfield Zone through Melthum....little did we know that we'd also be trekking through fields stinging nettle. I emerged unscathed. :D I had my trousers on and kept my lanky arms fully extended above me.....
Put your arms down, you cheese!
Never!
....Who's laughing now :D
OH! AND One night we clonked down the street, trying to get home on time. We were beat. We'd been on our feet chasing after people all the day long. There I was...ka-cunk ka-cunk..... then I heard ......*Kaddaoiingdskishhhh*.....in my mind flashed," BAD!" I turned around and there was Sister Delucchi...flat on the ground....Big X....Human pancake....poor Sister DeLucchi. Well we rushed her home, doctored her up....now we've got Little Moe with the gimpy leg at our house. Her injury is a great finding tool though. People stop and listen to us, especially when she just "happens" to drop things :D

I LOVE BEING HERE!!!! I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father trusts me enough to let me do this! I feel like the longer I'm out here...the more I don't know...but that's ok. :D What I do know is that He is definitely there. He definitely answers prayers! The gospel is simple! The Book of Mormon is officially amazing! Jesus Christ is my hero! This mission is quite possibly the smartest decision I have ever made in my entire life!!!! IT'S TRUE!!!!

I love you so much! Thank you for letting me be here!!!!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Monday, June 20, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

This week we had the Horbury Fayre!!!! Sister Delucchi and I finally ended our quest for Candy Floss (aka Cotton Candy...First time I heard Candy Floss, I thought to myself....self...that explains a lot.) Did you know that they make BUTTER SCOTCH CANDY FLOSS?!"!??!?!?!?! It's changed my whole life.

Our people...like Joanna......dropped us. BAH! However, we met this amazing man named Keith. The night before we met Keith, I had a similar experience to when I met Rose Cousins. We prayed about what street we needed to go to and I felt a little pin prick when my finger passed over this particular spot on this map. So we went to little old St. Peter's Court the next day...and lo and behold the first house we knocked on...there was Keith. BAM! MIRACLE! He's in his 50's....on his own. He says he makes "deals with God." I felt like I should ask him if he made any deals recently. He seemed caught off guard and admitted that he had. To my surprise I found myself saying, "We are a direct answer to your prayer." He agreed to learn more, so the next time we saw him, we took a ward member that used to be a Church of England Minister. We had such a good lesson with him!!!! We invited him to come to a baptism which he did, and he said, "I'm really very intrigued by this Holy Ghost business...I think that could really help me.... now....I'm not gullible but I like what I see here." Only a matter of time my friends...only a matter of time. BAM! MIRACLE!!!

We've recently been getting grief about the Book of Mormon musical. I can't believe it's won so many awards first of all....that's crazy...but second of all...it just goes to show how true this work really is. I can guarantee that no one's going to make a parody musical about the Qur'an. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly scripture. Anyone who says otherwise obviously haven't read it and definitely haven't prayed about it. I have witnessed it change people's lives and I know that it has changed mine. I really do love it and I can't imagine not having it. It makes me sad to see people being praised for mocking something so important to me....but it's a little satisfying just because the adversary is definitely working overtime...that's saying something. :D I'm so grateful to be here. I'm so grateful I get to defend what I love. I'm so grateful for the things I'm learning out here! Thank you thank you for letting me be here.

I love you!!!! Have the best week of your lives!

Love always and forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

This week was jam packed with all sorts of interesting tid-bits. Not only have Sister DeLucchi and I made some silly memories (ranging from composing songs and asking people what their favorite kitchen utensil is, to riding about in fire trucks) we've met some really neat people and felt Heavenly Father's help this week.

Last P-Day we went to Wakefield Cathedral. Not only could you mark off "Weekly Worship" and "Confess Sins" off your to-do list, but you could quench your java craving in their adjoining cafe, AND pick up a commemorative tea cozy in their gift shop. Now that's what I call "handy."

Interesting tidbit: We were in the shop, buying pizookie supplies (Cookie mix and toffee ice cream). A man zeroed in on our badges saying, "You're a long way from home....*flashing the peace sign and walking backwards out the store* Always respect a Mormon.....I'm a Salvationist....BUT........ Always respect a Mormon." uhh........thank you? We made our way to the bus stop and we hear, "HEY! HEY!" oh....no....that's for us. We turn around and lo and behold there is our friend the Salvationist....and what does he have...a bouquet of flowers!!!! He crunches them into my hands and says, "I don't always do this....*flash the peace sign* BUT.....always respect a Mormon." hahahahaha

In the realm of miracles, we met loads of amazing people this week and had powerful lessons with them. One of which was Joanna. Let me tell you about Joanna. We met her on the street, gave her the Plan of Salvation Leaflet and challenged her to read and pray about it. The next day we were out street contacting and felt like we needed to pop by and see how she was. When she saw us, her eyes lit up and she blurted, "I read your leaflet thingy...." WHOO HOO!!! And? How did you like it? "I loved it....." WHOOO HOO "....and.....I prayed about it.....and I feel like I got my answer!" WHOO HOO!!!! "The answer was Yes It's True!!!" WHOO HOO ".....AND.....I think it's the answer to all my other prayers." BAM! MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!! Turns out Joanna has had a really difficult life. She's been in foster care for 14 years. She's 24 and has three kids. We went back to her place for a little lesson. We felt impressed to take Sister Dale to our appointment. It wasn't long after we started the lesson that there was a knock on the door. *Cue the next door neighbors* In walk husband and wife in all their glory....they took one look at us and wheezed, "Who do we have here?"
"We're missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints."
"Oh...I see...Joanna let me have a chat with you."
*they step outdoors*
Perfect
Joanna came back in and we resumed the lesson. Five minutes later guess who saunters in....the neighbor wife-lady......ooooh.......there was an anti-bueno feeling that came with her. She sat down
"Joanna, is it all right if I sit in on your little teach?"
ME: Oh of course that's fine. No problem.
"I didn't ask you."
ooooooooooooooh
We carried on talking about the Plan of Salvation. We've got nothing to hide this is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Alright, Well...as I was saying....Adam and Eve---"
"Sister White is it? Let me ask you something." *Cue sting of alcohol in my nose"
Now....this is the part that I don't really remember. All I remember is saying little silent prayers for help to get rid of this awful feeling in the room. All I know is she asked me something, I said something, our member said something. Things got heated, it felt like we were all moving in slow motion. All I remember me saying is, "We are literal representatives the Lord Jesus Christ...." That seemed to shift things. She got nice. It was the strangest thing. The next thing I knew I was raiding Sister Dale's pantry for extra food for Joanna and her little family. I remember standing there, holding a carrier bag thinking....How did we get to this point exactly?

Joanna came to church, and during the Sacrament talks (that were all centered around Heavenly Father's love for us individually) Joanna leaned to us and asked, "Who do I talk to about getting baptized?" WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!? Are you kidding me right now?! Miracles!

I know this church is true! I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. I find it VERY interesting that this is the only church that bears the full name of Jesus Christ. Coincidence? I think not! I cannot deny the Spirit that I feel within myself when I teach the gospel and testify of it. I cannot deny the change I see within the faces of those that are touched by that same Spirit. This is true. I'm so grateful I was willing to find out for myself that it is! Thank you so much for letting me be here! I can't think of any other place I would rather be.

Love always and forever,

Your Sister Stephanie White

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Horbury

Mummy and Daddy,

We had the big transfer this week. I went around and said many a tearful good bye to the people of Wharfe Valley. I swear, I blub more on this mission of mine than I ever have in my whole life! I can't even handle myself anymore Hahahaha. We went to transfer meeting, and I received Sister DeLucchi! It's official....we seriously have WAY TOO MUCH FUN! When we're not laughing at random things (Jazzies, pizza ads, and door knockers), we're running after buses. When we're not running after buses, we're sitting next to oldies, chatting about the gospel. When we're not chatting to oldsters on the buses, we're running after posh people in the streets. When we're not charging people down in the streets, we're witnessing miracles happen. Honestly, we've witnesses many a miracle already, and it's what...only the first week?!

We met this man named Kevin my first night in Horbury. We set up an appointment, which he cancelled because he had a bad day at work. We went knocking on another street and we both felt, "Go see Kevin." So we did. We basically barged our way into his home so we could sing him a song and say a prayer with him. Let me paint the scene. Dogs barking like mad in the other room. Kevin saying, "Listen, I'm going to bed. I'm stressed from work. I'm tired. I'll call you some other time...." Cars honking in the street, Neighbors yelling. Then we said, " Ok ok, we'll just do this last thing and we'll leave." Immediately we started singing, I Believe in Christ." All went still. I watched Kevin's face change...I'm not sure how to describe it. At the end Kevin said, "Wow....that really chilled me out......even my dogs are quiet." We talked to him more about the Spirit, and baptism and scheduled him to be baptized!!!! Bam! Miracle!

We had an appointment with someone named Jonny we met in the street. He gave us a phony address, but when we called his phone his girlfriend invited us over to her place. So we took a member with us out to a seedy part of town to see these people. On the way, we got a prank call of this girl croaking, "I'm the devil's daughter." I laughed. The member got scared and told me to put the phone down. I felt like I should be nice, tell her she was just the person I wanted the share the gospel with. She hung up. We found the door, knocked and this sketchy character invited us in. I felt calm, so we went in. We peered through the haze and saw four people. Jonny, his girlfriend and his two other friends, Kyle and Sammy. Sammy we learned was the "devil's daughter." We started our lesson, and talked about the Plan of Salvation. Sammy and Kyle were saying all sorts of choice comments. Kyle kept saying, "I'm a total atheist, me" As we talked some more, they all started asking questions.
Kyle asked, "So will I see people that have died again?"
Jonny: I thought you were a total atheist, remember?
Kyle: Well we're talking about it.......I'm thinking about it ok!
...five minutes later.....
Kyle: I don't think I'm an atheist anymore.....
.....five minutes later.......
Me: I want to testify to you that I KNOW this is our Heavenly Father's plan for us---
Kyle (looking methodical): I think deep down everyone knows it's true. BAM! MIRACLE!!! They all told us how they've lost people they want to see again and they'd do ANYTHING to hug them again. We scheduled them ALL to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAM!!!!! MIRACLE!!!! Even though there were people swinging axes around in the street outside, the Spirit was so strong and touched each of their hearts in a way that they KNEW it was true!!!.....wow.

Some of our other miracles:
We had someone invite us off the street to talk to them. Miracle!!!!!!!

We had someone follow us to the chapel for a chapel tour, and we scheduled them to be baptized!!! Miracle!

Met an eternal investigator, taught him the importance of the Book of Mormon which he finally understood!!!!!! He wanted to make Jesus Christ happy and get baptized with his power!!!!! Miracle!
All because of the Spirit. We felt the Spirit in abundance!!! It truly is amazing the effect it has on people. I know this is true! I know there is no way I could have taught, persuaded or explained anything to these people to make them want to believe....it was only the Spirit they felt! This is so true!!! I just wished more people would open their hearts to the wonderful truth that comes from the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!!......wow....I am just so humbled and so grateful for it in my life...

In other news, I learned to juggle...sort of. :D

I love you so much! I really can't thank you enough for letting me be out here!!!! Thank you!

Love Always and Forever,
Your Sister Stephanie White

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Me with our Franciscan Monk friends

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
So we did....we knocked on it...and guess who we found?

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
We saw this giant house on the hill in Alnmouth and said....."Oooooh let's knock that!"

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
We share the gospel with everyone....even people that live in extra small houses!

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Sister Hillgaard with the man from AA who came to our rescue.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
1 of 4 tires

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
"LDS BEACH CLEAN"

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
The Alnwick Branch Beach Clean

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
This is where I live! Look at that beach!

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Me on the beach

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
This is what I look like for morning exercise. Sister Hillgaard finds it expecially amusing :D

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Some of us Sisters by the "What's in the Bag" statue

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Had a Sister's P-Day at Metro Centre Shopping mall in Newcastle...I look right at home.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
This is my face when someone tells me they've made me fresh meat pie :D

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Welcome to Embleton...a little town near the coast. That's all there is basically.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Candid photo of Sister White #342

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Candid Sister Hillgaard

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Received this festive hat from my cousin Sarah! Shout out to Cousin Sarah! Happy Christmas.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Beautiful banner made by the youth of the Willow Canyon 8th Ward! It is proudly displayed!

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
After all our Gospel study, we compared tendons :D Look at Sis DeLucchi's crazy tendons! I'm going to make her tendon shields just in case one gets severed.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Painted toes! We feel like ladies.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
An ill Sister Lomiga and a peppy Sister DeLucchi

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Exchange in Ashington: Me with member Cathy

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
The Sunderland Family

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Zone p-day playing Mafia....when I was finally discovered as the MURDERER!

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Zone P-day where Sisters Belliston, DeLucchi and myself are attempting to stay warm in the sunlight.

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Ronnie with his Mansized tissues. My personal favorite

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Me with Ronnie

Alnwick January 2012

Alnwick January 2012
Me hugging my cold jug of milk and eyeing my Gaviscon pills for comfort.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
More reading

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Here is her dragon she named "Dramatica"

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
It's Sister Hillgaard's Birthday Today! Here's her "Dragon Fire"

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
This is how we rang in the New Year! Happy 2012!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
We dyed Sister Hillgaard's Hair

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
I was thrilled at all my little presents!!!!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
My pretty Christmas gifties arrived

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Me sleeping after reading scriptures with my gallon jug of water I sipped out of with my new Build- your-own-straw.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Sister Hillgaard sleeping with her lion, "Fluffy"

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Me sleeping

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Christmas at the Hansens!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Calling Home!!!!!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Trying out my new "Build a Straw!"

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Happy Christmas Sister Hillgaard

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Happy Christmas Sister White

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Happy Christmas Ronnie

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Me being festive.....even though I'm in dire need of a food nap.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Me with little Sally Hansens (Jack Russel) in her new Santa outfit.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Sister Hillgaard digging deep to her Viking roots to conquer multiple Christmas dinners

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Justine Jorgensen displaying my sad attempt at rice krispies.....I have other talents :D

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Peeping around the corner to see what Santa brought

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
We had our Mission Wide Christmas Party at Harrogate Army Base

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
The love of my life arrived the other day....my brand new, six volume, Braille Book of Mormon! I love it!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
We had gale force winds up here. The wind blew so hard, some of those wind turbines burst into flames! And we braved it, yelling, "Bring it on!!!" It slammed us into a few people and a few cars....but we survived with only minor bruising :D

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Being our resourceful selves.....we made our Christmas tree this year, complete with our own festive ornaments! We love it! AND we plan to dance around it in true Danish form for Christmas.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Our cute Alnwick youth/primary putting on the best nativity yet!

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Some of the chaos from the Branch Christmas Social

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
I'm sporting my fetching new Santa hat from the Kirches :D I'm the envy of all of Alnwick.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Michael's birthday present from us

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Expressing my musical genius with these mystical bells.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Me with the Jorgensen family and their surprise Hot Chocolate Night.....takes me back.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Louise Jorgensen and I sporting our festive antlers

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
All the sisters at Zone Development meeting.

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Candid shot...just thought you'd like to see me....in the moment :D

Alnwick December 2011

Alnwick December 2011
Good Morning... No better way to start the day than with Captain America advent calendar. my poor little mouth.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
Us pulling a "Beatles" with newly set apart Elder Jorgensen

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
I couldn't resist. The yellow slicker was just so fetching.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
This is not what I had in mind.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
This is at 4pm....note the darkness....

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
Ronnie, the ex-miner who no one can understand except for us, who brings his dog Maggie to all events.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
Singing Happy Birthday to a member of our branch, John....it looks like it's sucking out my soul.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
I'm always finding opportunities to drink with crazy straws. It's the only way to go really.

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
This week I finally finished my project for Sister's Specialized Training. We're having a tea party!!!! These are the little teacup name cards, and agenda sheet. I love projects!!!! I got to do something artsy!!!! WHOO!

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
Sister Hillgaard would like you to see her new way of smiling...she's been practicing. :D

Alnwick November 2011

Alnwick November 2011
Ghetto copy of our adventures with the Ashington Sisters

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Good news is...we got to have a party with our friends Sister Terry and Belliston! and eat Krave....with no milk! Yay!

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
This was the moment we realized we no longer had our house keys either.....

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
This was our expressions when we realized we didn't have our car keys anymore.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Michael got BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
It was so magical! It kept pooping on my dreams though and washing away all my sand sculptures!!! Everyone elses' were fine and dandy, but all the waters combined and targeted only mine! How is my artistic genius meant to flourish in these conditions!!!!

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
We made it out to the sea!!!!!!!!

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Me churning butter. It's a great shoulder work out :D

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Sister Hillgaard "churning butter"

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Last week we made butter. Why you ask? Well....just to mark something off my life list :D AND I ate real live honey comb....full of wax....not exactly what I was expecting but still delicious and now I'm allergy free :D supposedly.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
I finally made it out to the sea!!!! It quite literally took my breath away. Incredible!

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
This is Sister Hillgaard's favorite picture.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Sister Hillgaard in her "gown of ruby and gold!"

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
"M'lady! Thou hast not thy proper frock!" yells the man in the corner by the racks of costumes. We remedied that straight away.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
"Sister White, POSE!"

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Me and the Castle.....Sister Hillgaard was in charge of the camera and took all kinds of shots.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Sister Hillgaard casting a spell

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Here I am engaging in warfare.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Here I am doing my flying lesson.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
Here I am at the front of Alnwick Castle

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
This is me. This is what I see out the window of our member's home.

Alnwick October 2011

Alnwick October 2011
This is literally what I see when I walk outside my front door! Well....until I move into my new place tomorrow.

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Huddersfield, England

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Sister Sorensen and I are in a very English setting...

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Me putting on Deep Heat. I smell like a life sized Wintergreen Life Saver....fresh.

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
My body hurts :D Yet I'm still in good spirits :D

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
The Mighty Huddersfield Zone!

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Sister Sorensen and I went to the 42 bistro...very posh ;D We had the best panini and soup I've had in all my days!

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
I couldn't help myself. I had to chase after him! Meet "Hans" from Germany in his top of the line mobility scooter that can brave any weather condition.

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
I saw this man chugging down the street in a hard top JAZZY!!!!!

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Hey guess what. "Onward Christian Soldiers" was written right on this spot in Horbury. And did you know that I'm living in the Rhubarb Triangle of the World!?!?! Truth. Thought you'd appreciate.

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
Nightly ritual from Sister Sorensen :D She's hiding from the world.

Horbury September 2011

Horbury September 2011
This is Anne. She doesn't remember a thing, but she has THE funniest laugh of anyone I have ever met...Every time we need a pick me up, we go see Anne. She won't be able to tell you our names but what she will tell you....multiple times....is that she did welfare on Sunroyd Hill every day, and went to all the bungalows round about. Do you know what they did? They asked, "Anne, Do you want a cuppa?" (Cup of tea) and she did! She had more cuppas than she could manage and nearly floated away every single day! ahooo...hooo...hooo. :D Shout out to Anne!

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Kenneth got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Treasure trove!

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
This old guy invited us in and sent us off with a treasure trove

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Picture Scavenger Hunt: Be A Mannequin

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Picture Scavenger Hunt: Find someone getting their hair cut.

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Picture Scavenger Hunt: Find and IPhone 4 and Someone with a Crazy Hairdo....I wish you could see this guy from the side.

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Picture Scavenger Hunt: Find Giant Chess Pieces

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
This is where Dan lives. I've been on this :D

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Kenneth and Dan. Note the Bow Tie

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
When we got home....All the dancing and the squeezing took effect...I launched towards a Krave box.....good news...I felt a lot better afterwards.

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
The dancing wasn't working....so I squeezed it like an orange

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Me trying to dance out a big gas bubble in my stomach.

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Sister Sorensen eating her first official English Fish-n-chips in the pouring rain, under the shelter of a little bus stop.

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
We went for a fish pedicure! I've never giggled so much in my whole life!!!!

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Sister Sorensen felt like death....first body breakdown of the mission

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
Making a wish!

Horbury August 2011

Horbury August 2011
My Celebratory Pizza for my one year mark!!!!!

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
President Lindley...keeping a safe distance :D.....me, Sister Sorensen, and Sister Lindley.

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
Me on Hazel's stair lift. Life Goal officially fulfilled and it was more wonderful than I could have ever imagined.

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
Sister Sorensen on Hazel's chair lift

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
Mother and Child: Sister White and Sister Chelsea Sorensen. I am so proud!

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
This is the Huddersfield Zone Megaphone....which is "Unsuitable for Sisters"...or is it!?

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
The final Huddersfield Zone Photo...for now.

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
Be amazed at the superhero lolly. I just felt like sending this. This takes me back to my Blow Pop days. :D

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
This says it all

Horbury July 2011

Horbury July 2011
Our four-man pow wow....these are the sorts of things we do in our "spare time" :D Thank you Kungfu Panda 2 Happy Meals at McDonalds!!!

Horbury June 2011

Horbury June 2011
John of John's Ices!!!!

Horbury June 2011

Horbury June 2011
Mighty Huddersfield Zone Hike

Horbury June 2011

Horbury June 2011
The sky here is AMAZING

Horbury June 2011

Horbury June 2011
Companionship Photo: Sister White and Sister DeLucchi

Wharfe Valley May 2011

Wharfe Valley May 2011
I love this woman. Rose slapped the beard on her head and sported it for the rest of the evening. * Let us all keep in mind that she's 64, plays XBOX Kinect games...like the Wii... She dresses up and she has the most fun of anyone anywhere! She's mint!

Wharfe Valley May 2011

Wharfe Valley May 2011
We had fun with wigs...People told me I looked either like Jesus....or an average English chick....you take your pick.

Wharfe Valley May 2011

Wharfe Valley May 2011
Sam Peel, Me and Joyce Bowman

Wharfe Valley May 2011

Wharfe Valley May 2011
We had a "60's and 70's Do" branch activity. Rose, Sara and Kevin came with the best outfits! They went all out and won the prize for "Best Fancy Dress."

Wharfe Valley May 2011

Wharfe Valley May 2011
We did it again :D

Wharfe Valley April 2011

Wharfe Valley April 2011
Our whole clan watching "Wallace and Gromit and the Wrong Trousers!"

Wharfe Valley April 2011

Wharfe Valley April 2011
Sister Taylor and me at Rosemary Cousins's Baptism!...With her son Kevin and her daughter-in-law-to-be, Sara

Wharfe Valley April 2011

Wharfe Valley April 2011
Seven inch hair chop!

Wharfe Valley April 2011

Wharfe Valley April 2011
Leeds 1 University District in front of the Obo Chinese Buffet!

Wharfe Valley March 2011

Wharfe Valley March 2011
Generation photo: Sister Taylor and I with our "moms" Sister Owen and Sister Richmond. P.S. Sister Owen went home. Bye Sister Owen!

Wharfe Valley March 2011

Wharfe Valley March 2011
Darling Sisters,

Wharfe Valley March 2011

Wharfe Valley March 2011
Amanda Kelk's Baptism!!!!!!

Wharfe Valley March 2011

Wharfe Valley March 2011
All the sisters had a "Tea Party" complete with special cups, pink candles, doilies and GIFT BAGS! PSSSH YEAH!

Wharfe Valley March 2011

Wharfe Valley March 2011
Me and Bessie after a hymn session. "Come here love...come sit on my knee." Every Saturday morning we go visit Bessie. Do you know what she told me after I sang a solo for her, "Do you know what that makes me think of.....an old woman rocking in a rocking chair....an old....welsh.....woman....in a creaky old rocking chair that's very old." hmmmm....old woman + welsh+ creaky old rocking chair that's very old = the last solo I will ever sing :D Sister Lamb really likes bringing it up :D hahaha

Wharfe Valley February 2011

Wharfe Valley February 2011
President Craig, Mick, Joyce, Chris, Me and Sister Lamb at the BAPTISM!!!!!!!! I know I take up most of the photo....I couldn't help m'self....My ankles don't bend :D Plus...something's got to distract from the picture on a jaunty angle.

Wharfe Valley February 2011

Wharfe Valley February 2011
Our friend Patricia celebrated her 50th Birthday!

Wharfe Valley February 2011

Wharfe Valley February 2011
Valentines Day....These were my valentines this year.

Wharfe Valley February 2011

Wharfe Valley February 2011
Mighty Leeds Zone....notice how I am strategically positioned so you don't notice I don't have a tie

Wharfe Valley February 2011

Wharfe Valley February 2011
Sisters of the ELM

Worksop January 2011

Worksop January 2011
Me with Norman and Rosemary Jones, who want to adopt me, and come visit us in America. fyi.

Worksop January 2011

Worksop January 2011
Golden Glen at his Baptism....whoo hoo Glen, the camera's this way.

Worksop January 2011

Worksop January 2011
MARK LESLIE JEPSON GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!

Worksop December 2010

Worksop December 2010
I hate not being able to be part of the action....can I just say that :D

Worksop December 2010

Worksop December 2010
Neil Raymond Stocken got BAPTIZED!!!!! WHOO!!!!

Worksop December 2010

Worksop December 2010
Me in the snow...this was just the beginning.

Worksop November 2010

Worksop November 2010
Miss Beryl Dolan got baptized!!!!! I'm sad she's not grinning....she's got the sweetest toothless grin you'll ever seen. Oh how I love the toothless :D Ps We're wearing our poppies for Remembrance day on the 11th.

Worksop September 2010

Worksop September 2010
Hey hey I've got an idea...we should name this shop "Going Potty :D hahah

Worksop September 2010

Worksop September 2010
Sasha!!!! Paint Girl!!!! This is my dream.

Worksop September 2010

Worksop September 2010
Old People run rampant here!!! Worksop is Jazzy central!!! They have "scooter" shops on every corner and these signs on every street....heavens.

Worksop August 2010

Worksop August 2010
We were carrying this to a recent convert....the bag broke....need I say more. I couldn't let it go to waste

Worksop August 2010

Worksop August 2010
Ashley Louise Doncaster, Brother Jones and the Sisters at Ashley's baptism

Worksop August 2010

Worksop August 2010
Me with Sister Star Owen and President and Sister Lindley

August 2010

August 2010
President and Sister Clegg

August 2010

August 2010
A Legit Phone Booth

All missionaries at the Preston, England MTC July 2010

All missionaries at the Preston, England MTC July 2010
Note my snappy plaid skirt

Can this count as part of my checked luggage? I feel like I should own this :)

See....it likes me...now I HAVE to take it with me.

Mr. Postman...make my day.

This cookie would NOT crumble!

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