Dear Family and everyone else,
Happy 2016 everyone. It's been a good 2015 being called to serve as I said goodbye for 2 years to my family. As for 2016, I will have a full year to serve in California, and 1 1/2 months in 2017 before I can say hi in person and give hugs to them all. As of today, I am sick with the common cold. I guess being a missionary isn't everything. I am not invincible. But being how late into the winter cold season, I was doing pretty good up until this point. My nose is runny, my eyes are watering, I feel like I need to sneeze, and I don't. Yup, having a cold is just ggrreeaatt... Good thing I got cough drops, and Day/NyQuil to support me and vitamin C. To add to all this, it's suppose to rain half the week this week. I have been exaggerating in my mind that I am near to the point of death--as if today is my last day being alive as a missionary. This inspired me to work harder than ever!
Also this week, I received a new "Preach My Gospel," because my old one was getting torn apart. I have pictures of them too. As I started studying in it completely fresh, I am finding new things that I may have overlooked the first time. I am different than I was nearly one year ago. I am nearing my year mark in a couple weeks. It's exciting that I allowed myself to press forth and endure to the end. It's been bumpy, but this is worth it.
Throughout this weekend, I have been accessing my testimony. As I read in Chapter 11 about keeping commitments, I read in the section "Bearing your Testimony Frequently." It got me thinking, am I keeping my testimony selfishly? If so, am I going to lose it just like President Thomas S. Monson has said? So I did something about it. I shared my testimony at fast and testimony meeting yesterday. I say it was the most powerful testimony I have ever bore in my life. I want to prove to myself and to others that I know the scriptures are true and that they continue to change my life for the better. "Preach My Gospel" is also modern day scripture. It is one of two books that have ever been written inside the temple. The other one being Jesus The Christ. I have also looked here and there inside and it's really interesting and insightful.
Also, throughout this weekend, we have been having a Zone council almost every day about setting up a baptism goal per missionary by the end of the year. After what should have been only 30 minutes, it turned into 4 1/2 hours total so far on a number that we just can't agree on. At first, I thought 4, then 2. Then 3, and then the spirit told me it is 4. I felt that confirmation on Sunday for the number 4. However, 3 missionaries in the Lodi Zone felt otherwise. Hermana Maya said 3, Elder Feltman said 5/6, and another elder said he hasn't felt anything yet and still waiting on a confirmation. I have learned what the apostles go through in making any decisions. I felt my spiritual testimony become stronger in doing this. After so many hours of pondering and discussing, we came to a conclusion to trust the Zone Leaders to take care of it and bring it up to president in their leadership council. I think they will also mention that the majority was in favor for 4. So this will be interesting for a little while until this matter is finally resolved. So please, pray for us all in the Modesto Mission that we can set a goal that is "The will of the Father" for this year. Thank you all for 'watching with me' in my adventures as a missionary for our Savior Jesus Christ and his eternal family. May we all be united under his true, restored gospel, and that we can find everlasting happiness in this life and the next to come. I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder White.
P.S. The Lodi 2nd ward is also having 9:00 church so there is no relaxing that morning. It's rush rush rush and off to ward council at 7:15. While we were gone this one time because I was sick, Brother Parker told us to arrive at 8:00, so we can have more time to prepare. Also, in one of the pictures, I was bored so I decided to take a picture of me on my bike in my usual looks while riding in the cold. I even bought a beenie hat to keep my ears warm. Now the only place on my that gets cold now is my nose. Nothing I can do about that. Oh well.
Happy 2016 everyone. It's been a good 2015 being called to serve as I said goodbye for 2 years to my family. As for 2016, I will have a full year to serve in California, and 1 1/2 months in 2017 before I can say hi in person and give hugs to them all. As of today, I am sick with the common cold. I guess being a missionary isn't everything. I am not invincible. But being how late into the winter cold season, I was doing pretty good up until this point. My nose is runny, my eyes are watering, I feel like I need to sneeze, and I don't. Yup, having a cold is just ggrreeaatt... Good thing I got cough drops, and Day/NyQuil to support me and vitamin C. To add to all this, it's suppose to rain half the week this week. I have been exaggerating in my mind that I am near to the point of death--as if today is my last day being alive as a missionary. This inspired me to work harder than ever!
Also this week, I received a new "Preach My Gospel," because my old one was getting torn apart. I have pictures of them too. As I started studying in it completely fresh, I am finding new things that I may have overlooked the first time. I am different than I was nearly one year ago. I am nearing my year mark in a couple weeks. It's exciting that I allowed myself to press forth and endure to the end. It's been bumpy, but this is worth it.
Throughout this weekend, I have been accessing my testimony. As I read in Chapter 11 about keeping commitments, I read in the section "Bearing your Testimony Frequently." It got me thinking, am I keeping my testimony selfishly? If so, am I going to lose it just like President Thomas S. Monson has said? So I did something about it. I shared my testimony at fast and testimony meeting yesterday. I say it was the most powerful testimony I have ever bore in my life. I want to prove to myself and to others that I know the scriptures are true and that they continue to change my life for the better. "Preach My Gospel" is also modern day scripture. It is one of two books that have ever been written inside the temple. The other one being Jesus The Christ. I have also looked here and there inside and it's really interesting and insightful.
Also, throughout this weekend, we have been having a Zone council almost every day about setting up a baptism goal per missionary by the end of the year. After what should have been only 30 minutes, it turned into 4 1/2 hours total so far on a number that we just can't agree on. At first, I thought 4, then 2. Then 3, and then the spirit told me it is 4. I felt that confirmation on Sunday for the number 4. However, 3 missionaries in the Lodi Zone felt otherwise. Hermana Maya said 3, Elder Feltman said 5/6, and another elder said he hasn't felt anything yet and still waiting on a confirmation. I have learned what the apostles go through in making any decisions. I felt my spiritual testimony become stronger in doing this. After so many hours of pondering and discussing, we came to a conclusion to trust the Zone Leaders to take care of it and bring it up to president in their leadership council. I think they will also mention that the majority was in favor for 4. So this will be interesting for a little while until this matter is finally resolved. So please, pray for us all in the Modesto Mission that we can set a goal that is "The will of the Father" for this year. Thank you all for 'watching with me' in my adventures as a missionary for our Savior Jesus Christ and his eternal family. May we all be united under his true, restored gospel, and that we can find everlasting happiness in this life and the next to come. I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder White.
P.S. The Lodi 2nd ward is also having 9:00 church so there is no relaxing that morning. It's rush rush rush and off to ward council at 7:15. While we were gone this one time because I was sick, Brother Parker told us to arrive at 8:00, so we can have more time to prepare. Also, in one of the pictures, I was bored so I decided to take a picture of me on my bike in my usual looks while riding in the cold. I even bought a beenie hat to keep my ears warm. Now the only place on my that gets cold now is my nose. Nothing I can do about that. Oh well.