Gods Tender Mercy and "The Mormons are coming!!"!

This week we went to Windsor Castle and I forgot how beautiful it was there! Man inside it is crazy amazing. When we come back we will have to go there. On Tuesday we had to move some sisters out to the Isle of Wight. That place is fun to go to and a place to visit also. It was a long car drive though and then we had an hour fairy out from Southampton. The sisters we moved out there brought so much dang stuff! We brought our mission van and their entire luggage took up the whole van!!!! On Wednesday we had a ZLC. Thursday we worked in our area. I won’t lie it has taken me forever to try and grasp how to work an area while being and AP and I don’t know if I will ever be able to do it... Trying to do exchanges and trainings and then still trying to get enough rest and work in our area it just manic. Right now our big hope for a baptism is Charlotte. She is doing great. She is in Alma in the book of Mormon. Really the conversion is already there. It is just when. I don’t know if I will see another baptism... I was thinking though that no matter what the seeds which I sow don’t die when I leave but continue to grow as the Lord of the Harvest (Jesus) reaps of their benefits.

The Book of Mormon musical is coming to London. It’s all over the double decker buses and in the news papers and the ads they have put up say.... "THE MORMONS ARE COMING!!!!" and has a picture of a missionary, then in little letters at the bottom it says Book of Mormon Musical, but no one notices that unless you are really close to the bus and so it actually has been really good for the church. Everyone in London is asking us if we are Mormons! It is fun!!! Anyway the church I believe is planning to blitz London with the "I’m a Mormon" ads and they have bought a piece for advertisement in the program for the musical. It hasn’t been bad and I think the only people that will see the musical are morons anyway and those who do see it hopefully have sense at least investigate to find out more. Anyway made me laugh.

Remember a year ago when I was teaching Grace, a Chinese student from Plymouth and were about to be baptized but didn’t. She had some things she needed to work out. Then before she got them all worked out she went back to China. About two weeks ago she came back to UK to finish her schooling. She moved from Plymouth to Birmingham. I got her number and have called her a few times but never was able to get her information from her. She said she was coming down to Surrey sometime but I didn’t know when and where and keep in mind that Surrey has at least 4,000,000 people. I had no idea when she was coming and where she would be but I wanted to get in touch with her so I could get her info to send elders to her in Birmingham.  I  also wanted to say good bye to her...... Anyway ok back to story... we went to an eating place that was about an hour away from my area called Guildford. We went inside and talked for a while then went to order our food. While I was in the line I heard "Elder White!" and there was G-- right behind me!!!! I was shocked!!! Of all places I had no idea it was in this particular city in the county of Surrey that she was going to visit, at this time, and at this restraint! (Tender Mercy for sure)It was really neat! We talked and I got her info and passed it on to the Birmingham Elders. She said she will let me know when she gets baptized as well. We probably talked about 10-15 minutes. It was really good. So that was quite the tender mercy of the week. Just those divine meetings that God sets up. Amazing how that works, He knows where we will be at that exact point in time. I would expect she will be baptized in a month or two's time. 

Well family love ya tons and I will speak to ya soon!

Elder M. White

Elder Nelson

This week has been a good week for us. We are working with some great investigators as I said... but none of them with a date yet. I think we need to start extending dates soon though. I really want to see one more baptism before I go. I hope as well that I can see one more LA go through the temple before I go. I don’t have that much time left!!!! 

We taught our Ugandan family again about the importance of the BofM. We are also teaching Charlotte I can't remember if I told you about her. She is a 16 year old girl in the ward who is PM she is not a member but her mom is and she and her mum come to church and she is pretty much just a dry Mormon! We have been planning on teaching her the commandments. She is really good and needs to be baptized she needs the Holy Ghost!" I think she might be scared of her father and his reaction though. Please keep them both in your prayers. We have been fasting and praying for them each week to hope that a miracle will come. 

As far as RCs they are doing great the ones you know. I heard Emiliano he is dating this girl from Bolivia who is a member so we will see how that goes. I thought that was pretty great.  He is such a good bloke and really wants to get sealed in the temple,

Jonathan and Debi are awesome. Debi is teaching us to bake English foods... It is kind of funny cuz she in 0% English she is South African and Portuguese! But hey, I need to learn to make crumpets before I go home and she said she would teach us. She and Jonathan are rock stars. 

Man this week wasn’t a boring week but my email has kind of been sorry.  I can’t think of any really good stories right now...

I loved meeting Elder Nelson last week.  That was so sweet and quite the shocker. He came to see his daughter who is serving with her husband in the temple here.  He came into the office and we were all shocked!!! There was a missionary from Botswana who was going home and he was in the office when he introduced himself and said he was from Botswana Elder Nelson said "Oh... I dedicated Botswana in 1992." All of us were like... Wow, who but an apostle can say that, yeah very few people can say that! Elder Nelson was also a lot taller then what I thought. On TV he looks smaller but no he is probably like six foot taller than me... It was pretty amazing to meet and talk to him.

Well that is about all the news I can think of for now.

Love ya all

Elder M. White

SPRINTING

This week we have seen loads of success. We had a teach with a lady and her daughter. The daughter has come to church consistently since Dec. We went by and taught them, and the mother’s cousin who is Pentecostal was there. He was quite adamant that we were Satanist, and that we need to pray in the gift of tongues. We laughed and kept teaching. The cousin was against the whole Joseph Smith and Book of Mormon and pulled out the classics, no adding to the Bible scripture. Elder Albrechtsen “doctrined” the snot out of him by explaining the history of the Bible and how Joseph Smith didn’t need to be mentioned in the Bible, that all of the prophets were talking about Jesus Christ and not other prophets. Their cousin shut up after that and we were able to continue on our teach. It went well; well, as good as it could with a Pentecostal bloke there.

Then a member in our ward is looking to refer to us a family as well, to teach. Hopefully this week. Our teaching pool is growing slowly but surely.

As far as our RCs and LAs we are teaching. The singing sister I told you about is still coming to church. I love it. We dropped by a LA yesterday who hasn’t been to church in two years. She was baptized 12 years ago, endowed about 7 years ago. We talked with her, she really felt the spirit and said she wants to find a way back. We also went to the prison again this week to see Della. She is doing great. She has finished the Book of Mormon and D&C 78. We have also been working with some of the youth in the ward that are trying to build testimonies. So that has been fun.

 

We have also been teaching Manoj and his wife. It has been good. I think his wife will be baptized, but not while I am here. Their daughter is turning 8 right after I leave and he will baptize her. Man I am so glad we knocked on his door.  What a great man.  I sure love him.

I love ya lots! I really am sprinting to the end. As far as you guys talking about home it honestly doesn’t affect my work ethic. I figure I am going home whether you mention it or not and so I don’t think about it really. I am working my tail off right now and can honestly say this is the hardest I have worked on my mission.

Love you all!

Elder M. White
 

Enjoy Where You Stand....

We have been trying to jump start our area but it all seems in vain! All of our investigators dropped us. All the eastern Euros... ya they dumped us, and that family we found the father said he didn’t want his family apart of the church so that was sad... All the people we were excited about have dumped us. We have been praying very hard though to see success. As I said we work in the area about 50% and we figure all it takes is one contact. We have been fasting each Sunday and praying very hard to have that one contact. The fasting has been great though. I love  how much more spiritually in tune I feel when I fast, and once a week isn’t that bad :)

We also went back down to Plymouth this week. I ordained Chao Li with the Mel. Priesthood that was pretty exciting! While I was talking to him he said how he has been saving up money to build the "Latter day Saint Church of Jesus Christ up in my hometown". He is such a good guy. I really hope he can get into BYU or some university here. God has such a big plan for him. I love the Chinese people. While there we contacted a lot of Chinese people. I forgot how many there are in Plymouth. There are loads. At one point Chao Li took us out to eat with one of his friends who now wants to be taught by the missionaries and he said "Ya Chao Li tells everyone about your church. He has no fear of  letting them know he believes in Jesus." It was nice to hear. He is such a good missionary it was so good to see him again.  Once again I love Devon. Devon is Heaven. It really holds a special place in my heart. Also while down in Plymouth I saw a bunch of RCs. They are doing so great!
This coming week we will be doing an exchange with Elder Snow and his comp. He and I will be headed off to Slough to go and see Jo and Nellie. It will be good to see them again.

This week I have been studying the fall it has been really interesting. As APs we have a Laptop and I have put my study journal on the Laptop! And I love that. I have been having some really great studies. Also this week we have been doing a lot of zone trainings. That has been fun, I love teaching. Pres Millar is a stud. I love serving where I am and I love serving with Pres. Millar and all the missionaries I am blessed to serve with.  Enjoy where you stand! And I really

am :)

Well family I love you all so much!
Love ya all!

Elder Michael White

Missionary Life

Well, this past week has been a crazy week for us. We have been working the area like crazy and are seeing some good success. We don’t have any dates as of yet but there is a member referral from Lithuania we are teaching and we are excited about that.

 The next two days we won’t be in our area. We are going to go on a road trip for a couple of days. Tomorrow we are headed up to Oxford. I’ve never been there so I am excited. Pres Millar has really gotten into his groove over here. He is a fantastic mission pres. I really love him to bits. The other night he took us out for dinner and I was laughing so hard I about died!

I went into London... again. Crazy place up there especially during the Olympics. We gave the departing group of missionaries a tour of London. It was good. This past week as well after all of the moves Pres. Millar went to Germany for a few days for a conference. We held down the fort.

We have been working with the RCs as I said. Jonathan and Debi are rock stars. We took them to the temple and they loved it again! The ward is so good to them. On Sat. we went to an elder’s quorum get together and Manoj who is a recent convert and the elder’s quorum sec were there. Manoj made us all curry. It was so good. Today we fasted for our area. We are trying so hard  to find an individual or family who will be kingdom builders before I go home.

Chao Li came up on transfers with one of the missionaries. He was one of their companions for the day.  I thought we should go do baptisms and so after we had done our training we went into the temple with Chao Li and did baptisms! It was so good. He told me after "I love bringing people to God." Melted my heart. I love that kid. By the time we were done  it was too late for him to go home so we got pres. permission and he stayed the night at our flat. We watched the Joseph Smith movie. He had never seen it and didn’t know how Joseph Smith died. He has three friends down there who are being taught by the missionaries. He is such a great missionary.

Well family I love you all so sososoososso much!

Love you all!

Elder Michael White 

P.S.  One of the ZL's took these pictures of Elder Simmons and I and sent us this little note.                     Just a quick tip found on page 22 of Preach My Gospel.  "Study at a desk or table where you can write (not laying down or sitting on your bed), organize your study materials, and remain alert."
Keep up the good work!
 

Olympics and more

This week is transfers! Crazy week... I will miss Elder Simmons. He leaves on Wednesday.  Today Pres. called a new AP and his name is Elder Albrechtson. He is from Logan Utah. He is great! I seriously love the kid to death.  I am sooooooo stoked to serve with him. Good man. His personality is just like Kyle Esplin.  

This past week Elder Simmons and I went to visit a lady we had reactivated.  I don’t know if you remember Della Barbour.  She is the one who is in prison. Her prison is in our mission. She was recently   moved there, and so we went to visit her. We write her a letter about once a week. Now that she is in our mission we can visit her.  When we got to the prison, they did ID checks, took my badge, my tie, my wallet, everything that was loose they took. Then we got strip searched, then they took us into separate rooms and the door behind us would close, and then the one in front would open; this repeated about four times until finally we got into the main hall area and there was Della Barbour! We sat and talked with her for about two hours and she is doing so well! She is reading the Book of Mormon.  She is in the Book of Helaman right now. She writes to us, and this is what she said in one of her letters, "I cannot tell you how much you both mean to me. I feel as though I was the reason why you were both sent to England. I don’t know where I would be today without you two to help me through this tough period of my life. Thank you." I believe that whole heartedly; that she was one of the MANY reasons I came here. It was good to talk to her. Her family is doing well too.

Another cool part of the week was when we took Jonathan and Debi to the temple for one of our teaches. That has been one thing I have tried to do in our spare time to solidfy these RCs.  They had us over for dinner. Man I love them. They made me and Simmons promise we would be here for their sealing. I told them I can’t promise but I will try. When we told them Simmons was leaving on Wednesday Debi started to cry and say, "I don’t want you guys to go." It was really touching and just made my heart melt! 

As far as the Olympics things are crazy as ever. When the games are on TV at members or at the temple visitor center we see a few things. When we go out knocking doors it is funny cuz while we knock we still get rejected but the people are so much more happy about it! Especially cuz Gr. Brit. is doing really well for this year.

Also as I said earlier Simmons and I went up north of the river for a few reasons. It really is crazy. It was funny though cuz we would pass Olympic venues and hear cheering. Like we were at Horse Guards Parade (beach volleyball) and then hear all of this cheering and then "USA, USA" and Simmons turned to look at me and he said "God bless America!" It reminds me so much of the Olympics when it was in Utah. The magical feeling in the air and just everyone is so happy. It really has been amazing! 

Well anyway... life is good here in good ole England. I am sure I will have some more stories to tell you all. 

Love ya lots!

Elder M. White 

Ann Romney

Things here in London are in manic. That’s all I can say!  I did see the opening ceremonies it had  a lot if British humor. The song they sang at the beginning "Jerusalem" yeah greatest song in the world I want that sung at my homecoming! That is our mission song, love it to bits. 

We have been in London a lot, we have been setting up a bunch of stalls for the missionaries to work at that are by the Olympic events in our mission. While we are working the stalls we wear our countries flag underneath our badge like the temple square sisters. It is fun to have people from the states come up to us and talk cuz they see our flag or wherever the other missionaries are from. In the London zone there are four Americans and the rest are from all over the world! Denmark, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Wales, Scotland, England, Australia, Honduras, South Africa, and France!

One of the places we set up a stall was right next to the London eye and that is where you get all of the street performers! Just like in NYC the dudes who paint themselves or the dancers that is where all those guys go. Those street performers are territorial! There was this clown who was like the clown from you know where and in his act he was funny and cute but then after he came up to us and was swearing and saying we shouldn’t be there that we were taking away from his act. We gave him a pass along card and he walked away. Then we ran into these Ghanaian street dancers and they were awesome! I went up to them and in their language told them that I love fu fu (an Ghanaian dish) me pe fu fu pa!  and they went nuts! They loved us from that time forth! We got all their addresses so the missionaries could go teach them.  Also while we were there this blond American lady came up to us and said "hello elders" we had already seen a bunch of members of the church and it was obvious she was one of them cuz she called us Elders. Then I saw on a name tag she had, it said "Ann Romney" and I asked any relations to Mitt and she said yeah he is my husband! Boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So we met Mitts wife! We talked for a bit and then we took a photo with her. That was my excitement as far as the Olympics is concerned. I’ll enclose the picture of E Simmons, me and Anne Romney. Small world:)

Dad cycling was in Surrey that is near the temple. Rowing in Winsor where I started my mission. The Olympics are alive and well and so am I.:)

Well, family hope all is well and love you guys to bits!

Love,

Elder Michael White