BEST Week Ever!

 Here's a bunch of photos. 

Sister White, Sister Nelson, Blanca, Elder Newman, Elder Song

Blanca's baptism!

 Blanca with the Jorgensens.

 Blanca with all of her friends she invited to the baptism. 

 The Elders, the Hermanas, us, and Blanca

 At mutual making the shields

 The ward party

Hello family. 

So this really was one of the best weeks of my entire life. It was so much fun! I'm still just in heaven knowing that Sister Nelson and I have another transfer here in Burien together. So blessed. We had a ward activity that us and the elders helped plan. On Wednesday we went to mutual with the youth and helped them make shields out of tinfoil and cardboard for the activity. It was so much fun. I love the youth in our ward. When I first got here there were only about 3 active young women. But a few more have moved into the ward and the youth is just so strong right now. They're all fellowshipping Brandon and it's just incredible to see how they've come together. 

Friday Sister Nelson and I had Mission Leadership Council with the mission presidency and all the zone leaders and sister training leaders. I'm so grateful for President and Sister Choi. I love them so much and have learned from their humble, Christlike leadership. If you haven't already read President Choi's article in the August Ensign, do it. Yeah, that's my mission president! 

Friday evening was the ward activity. It was so fun! We had two families come that we're working with. We had four stations that us missionaries took the primary kids to in each corner of the gym, helping them to prepare for battle and become a Stripling Warrior. The first one was to get them physically prepared. One of the Young Men led them in jumping jacks and push ups. The next was getting spiritually fit and us missionaries shared the story of the Stripling Warriors with them. The next two was to get them ready to go. They got a streak of face paint on their cheeks, bandannas from construction paper, a balloon sword and the shields we made at mutual. Then they performed their little skit. It turned out even better than we thought it would. The elders, Sister Nelson, and I were just beaming. Everyone loved it. 

Then the highlight of all highlights. Saturday morning Blanca was baptized. It was one of the most beautiful baptisms I've ever been to. Sister Nelson and I worked so hard on making the room beautiful (a difficult thing to do in the Seattle stake center!) and the program beautiful. The talks were wonderful. The Spirit was so strong. Blanca bore her testimony at the end. It was so sincere and humble. It was so cute, after she was baptized she changed and then opened the curtain to us and said, "I'm a new person!" She was just glowing. The baptism ordinance is short, but that baptism represents hundreds of prayers offered by missionaries, you guys, herself. It represents hours of being in her home and teaching her and learning from the Spirit together. It represents questions and doubts being overcome as the Holy Ghost confirmed to her that this was the true church. It represents tears and sometimes confusion, seeking the Lord's guidance on her behalf, wanting to help her. It represents complete joy as she finally accepted the invitation to be baptized. But most importantly it represents a new life for her with the fullness of the gospel. And it is all possible because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of him Blanca, and all of us, have the opportunity to repent, be baptized, overcome our faults, weaknesses, and sin, and prepare to return to live with Heavenly Father again. How very blessed we are! 

And then as if this weekend wasn't already so great we got to have the Women's Broadcast. Blanca came and loved it. And all the messages about the temple were just perfect for her. We met with Brandon that night as well and had such a powerful lesson reading Moroni 10 with him. After our lesson the youth were going to a stake dance so we were waiting for the leader to come pick them up and this guy walked up to us in the parking lot and said his name was Josh and he was looking to join a church choir. He is getting ready to go to the Marines in January, but wants something positive to help him fill his time. Well, Josh. We can help you with that! We invited him to church the next day. And he came! He got there twenty minutes early. He was there before most of our ward was. So cool! He loved church too. We'll probably have to refer him to the YSA branch, but such a miracle. God just blesses us immeasurably when we are obedient and do what He asks. 

I know this is Christ's church. I know that we have a living prophet and we are so blessed to be able to listen to him this weekend. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children so much. He so badly wants to bless us. We just have to do what He's asked so He can. The Book of Mormon changes lives. Whenever I hear Blanca's testimony about the Book of Mormon I am so touched. She loves it. We should all treat the Book of Mormon with that kind of love. It is the word of God. I am so happy. I just can't even believe how blessed I am. I love this gospel so much! 

Love,

Sister Veronica White