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
Monday, November 21, 2011
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
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)