7/07/14 EMAIL

From:	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 7/07/14 3:09 PM
To:	Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com)

 

 

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULYYYYYYY

Sister Nash and I made 3 loaves of banana bread on the evening of the Fourth of July because we had to be in our houses at 6pm. LOCKDOWNNNN. They don't want us out on the streets... So we sat inside and ate food to our hearts content, while sitting in front of a fan because we were so hot. BUT THAT BANANA BREAD WAS SOOOO GOOOD. We made sure to dress in Red, White, and Blue though!!! :) As a missionary, it's hard not to appreciate Independence Day. I'm grateful that we can worship, how, where, and what we may! That we can preach, how where, and what we may. And that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is able to thrive here in this country. Yay for serving in the bread-basket of the church!!! Really though. Serving in the states is the best place to be.... In my opinion. And I'm always right. :)

ROXYYYY. She got baptized and boyyy oh boyyy was it a glorious day!!! It has been one of those weeks where everything is crazy and random and falling through and the adversary works hard and puts up some intense road blocks, but it all worked out and she was able to make those sweet covenants with the Lord. 

okay so the coolest thing that happened this week--- We don't tract that often, but when we do we always tract places that the spirit has been urging us to go . I call it spirit tracting. Anyways, so we were knocking this strip of like 10 houses, and no one was listening (but that's pretty common for tracting.. which is why we like to find through members instead) Anyways, this one lady Audrey, when she was closing the door after saying no, Sister Nash asked, "Hey is there anything we can do for you? Do you need any yard work or house work? We can do anything?" And so Audrey was like "Well I've been trying to find someone to mow my lawn. I even tell people to come and I will pay them. and then they don't come!"

So we showed up on Friday and mowed her lawn. And then she was so flabbergasted that she sat down with us and let us share the Message of the Restoration with her. When we finished she said, "Well... MAYBE IVE BEEN GOING TO THE WRONG CHURCH THIS WHOLE TIME." Just imagine this hilarious sassy black lady. So she committed to read, pray, and come to church. HALLELUJAH.

It rained!!!!! Only for like 10 minutes or less. AND THEN IT WAS SO HUMID I ALMOST DIED. but it's cool. It's monsoon season at home?? That's awesome. I love the AZ rainy season, driving in the rain, dancing in the rain, almost dying when trees are falling from the wind every which way. So every time I tell someone I am from Arizona they say, "Oh, okay, so you are used to the heat then?" AND EVERY TIME I AM LIKE NOOOOOOOO. Hahahaha It's the best though when it's hot because people are nicer to us, and they give us water. 

GUESS WHATTTTT! remember Julia? I told you she is getting baptized? This Saturday!! and Sister Nash and I are going. I am so excited. I have never cried at anything here on the mish, but if there was one thing that I cried at, it would be Julia's baptism. I can't contain my excitement

Every week is a hard one, but every week is a favorite one as well. I love missionary work. I love the spirit. I love California. I love the people here. And I love serving our Lord and God. To them both I am very grateful, and I owe my life. This week I was surprised to see Jakelle in my dreams! She came and said hello and gave me a big big hug!!!! It's the coolest to be serving a mission right along side of her. I am thankful to know that she is nearby, cheering me on, and helping me along the way! The times when I need upliftment and encouragement the most, I feel angels surrounding me and bearing me up, and I know it's because of the prayers of my family and friends. I am forever grateful to you all!! 

Thank you all for the support and prayers!!!!

Oh by the way. 6 months in the mission field. What? Where has the time gone?? 

With gratitude in my heart, 

Sister Johnson

You Might Cry 6/16/2014 Sister Johnson Email!!

THIS WEEKKKKK:

So here in the mission boundaries they do this program called two-week missionaries. Teenagers like 17-20 or somethingish sign up to come out with a set of missionaries for 2 weeks and test out the waters. So today Sister Nash and I got a two week missionary!!! Her name is Sister Bills, she is from Ontario (MY FIRST AREA- but a different ward) and she is 20! She wants to put in her mission papers as soon as she returns from being a 2 week missionary. So we had to drive down the hill (lingo for drive down the mountain to the valley where rancho cucamonga is) this morning to pick her up from the mission office. There is probably only like 10 guys and 10 girls who signed up to do it. So Sister Nash and I were really excited to be chosen to have a 2 week missionary! Anyways, it's 50 miles to the mission office. And of course 50 miles back. And on the way back, we missed our exit to get off the freeway because we were talking and went 20 miles too far. hahahahaha so we ended up in the middle of the desert on our way to Las Vegas (which is surprisingly only like 120-160 miles away). Hahaha fortunately after a while I realized and we turned around. It was hilarious and such a good way to start our day with Sister Bills, so she could see my blonde-moments shining through. Don't worry though, I am a safe driver. Me and Sister Nash know how to use a map like champions. But I have no sense of direction without one. 

This week was crazy awesome. we got 3 new investigators!!! Man, I am so lucky to be in this ward. In Ontario, we were lucky if we got a new investigator within 6 weeks. Julia is on the road to baptism like a champion. She is the sweetest. This week she told us how much she loves us and is grateful we are teaching her. I almost cried, because at that moment I knew that I knew her before this life. It was a sweet tender mercy from the Lord for me to see that I was sent here to this area for her. What a privilege to be teaching such a wonderful and humble woman with such a sweet spirit. Man, I love missionary work. Have I mentioned that I probably won't come home??? I'll be a missionary forever, thank you very much. 

Both Ashley and Sister Kirchner are still coming to church. They are on the road to being active again!!! Sister Kirchner hasn't smoked for 8 days. I am so insanely proud of her. She is almost 60, but I feel like she is my little daughter that I get to watch out for and cheer on when she chooses the right. Idk if that sounded really weird. But you hopefully know what I mean. 

Okay, so I feel like I should say this, because I know that missionary work sounds really beautiful and easy when I talk about it. It is wonderful, but it's not easy. We have to face rejection, hatred, anger, disappointment, distress, heartache, poverty, hunger... Every day I go into people's houses who don't have enough to eat, or they are struggling to find a job, or getting evicted from their homes. They struggle with every sickness, injury, and physical handicap you could imagine. There are the one's who are depressed, angry at God, angry at themselves, or searching for hope. I want so badly to reach into my wallet and hand them everything I have (which by the way wouldn't begin to put a dent into the amount of debt they have). But instead I am called to Preach the Gospel. I am called to deliver a most sacred message, one that won't fill their mouths, but instead will fill their spirits. Jesus Christ lives, and He loves them. Christ died for them, He paved the way for them to return to live with our Loving Heavenly Father. Salvation isn't easy because it wasn't easy for the Son of God. They face these challenges because they need to experience the Atonement working in their lives. We are meant to learn how to rely on Him. I know that God has a Plan for each one of His children, and it pains me to see them reject that Plan. It pains me to see a door close in our faces, not because I feel offended but because I know that they are rejecting the Son of God, the man that we stand as representatives of. I am so grateful for the comfortable life I live. I am grateful that I have always had a roof and food. I never had to question if those things would be there. I have the most wonderful parents who have raised me in the gospel and taught me how to rely on Christ. I am so grateful to teach, to share, to testify, and to be a listening ear. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have to get on my knees and plead for the upliftment and strength of the enabling power of the Atonement, and I know that if a day goes by that I don't turn to Christ for help, then I'm not trying my hardest, not giving my best. And trust me, I still have a long way to go. I just want everyone to know that missionary work isn't easy, but it's not meant to be. The best missionary to every walk this earth was rejected by man, bled from every pore, and was hung on a cross. Out here I see the world, and the world isn't really happy. But we aren't meant to be of the world.

Adam fell that mean might be, and med are that we might have Joy! So Break Forth into Joy! The Lord will Redeem His people, and all ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 

With love and gratitude

Sister Johnson

6/09/2014

--->SO THIS WEEK. It was crazy and weird and awesome and wonderful. 

So this morning all of us missionaries in our Zone went on a hike!! It was awesome. Except we didn't start till 9 am and it got real hot real fast. But there was a small waterfall at the end and we put our feet in and cooled off. (don't worry, we didn't swim). It was 3 miles long!! My tan line is pretty stinking awesome! #missionarytan It was really fun though! And we made it to the end safely and completely hydrated. ishhhh.

So apparently, once upon a time. There were apples growing here? I don't believe it. I think they call this place Apple Valley as a way to con people into thinking it's a beautiful and lush place so that they will move here. 

The three main towns up here in the Cali High Desert are Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia. We call them Victimville, Snapple Valley, and Hysteria. Hahahahahhaa 

SOOOOO. Anyways. This week. It's hard to remember what happened. So yesterday at church we had TONS OF PEEPS THERE. We had our investigator Julia- who should be getting baptized soon-- she was there and is loving the Mormon life. The less actives that were there were Sis Kirchner, Ashley, Sister Bartok (she is a sassy Italian lady), The Dubiel family, and Brenda and her husband Bryant. 

So Ashley is loving life and the gospel. She randomly decided to follow the prompting of the spirit and finally has been coming to church after so many years of not coming. She brings her friend with her, Roxy, who is an investigator in another ward. They are awesome because they have crazy psycho young kids who run around, but they still hold strong and bring their kidddos.

The Dubiel family is a cool one-- we just stopped by their house a week or two ago and talked to their daughter (who was visiting from another state) and then they randomly text us a couple of days ago and asked what time church starts. Then they showed up and we had no idea what they looked like. But fortunately the spirit was able to help us out with that one and we found them :)

So usually I hate tracting, but we tracted a small random dirt road this week and found some solid people! I'm glad Heavenly Father has a hand in this work. We also have been less-active finding. We are trying to visit/meet all the women in the ward who aren't visit-taught. THERES A LOT OF THEM. We usually just talk to them at the door, just make sure they are alive and doing well. It's crazy when we find houses with the members who haven't lived there in years.. and I'm like how come their visiting teacher or home teacher didn't figure it out sooner. Anyways. Word to the world. DO YOUR HOME AND VISITING TEACHING.  

We also came across quite a few people with some crazy ideas about life and about religion and God. It makes me so grateful for the knowledge and stability that the gospel provides us. God is real, Christ is our Savior, and we are on Earth for a reason. We are here to learn, to grow, to make choices, to get a body, and to prepare ourselves and others to meet God. We aren't meant to do it alone, we are meant to do it along side our Christ, for through Him, all things are possible. I know that this church is true and I know that missionary work- whether it be in our home or in our ward or anywhere else in the world- is necessary. Christ wants to come! And we, as His disciples, get the privilege of preparing the world for His coming. What a glorious day!! 

"Far from eloquence, I'm not enough. My words are not unique...I'm a witness of His miracles, and how they've changed my life.... When my voice seems too quiet, and my words are not profound, He tells me not to doubt. It's a privilege that He gave me and I won't let my voice be still. I have something, someone needs to hear." 

These lyrics have been stuck in my head all week. and I love it! I can't remember all of it though.. that's why there are dot dot dots. But it's the truth. The gospel is true, otherwise God wouldn't allow psycho teenagers to go and preach it. 

This song is magic and I would kill for the sheet music. It's called Someone Needs to Hear on the Called to Serve CD by Jenny Phillips. We already looked online to find the sheet music. ahahahah and we can't find it. But it's beautiful. Actually Sister Nash's trainer in Ukraine wrote the song and it ended up on the CD. Cool huh? LISTEN TO IT. 

Anyways I love you all!!! 

I love the mish, love the people. I love the gospel and I love Christ!

Miss you!

Love love love Sister Johnson

4//28/2014 Sister Johnson Email!

Yes, I am transferred! It is awesome here! Yes hot, yes so so windy, but it is amazing and the people are humble and my companions are hilarious! Sister Beagley is from St George, Utah and Sister Packer is form Layton, Utah. Sister Packer was in Apple Valley before this and came to this area with me and Sister Beagley has been here for 3 months in this area. They are awsome!!! We laugh alllll the time it is sooooo funny. But at the same time, we totally teach with unity and power and we have had so many little miracles this week!!! A trio companionship works the same way as a companionship. We are allowed to teach men alone because there is 3 of us, which is awesome. We are lucky because our apartment is pretty big!! Other than that it is the same. It is so fun to have 2 best friends that you get to labor diligently with and have a blast with! We are already unified and progressing. 

LOL FUNNY STORY IT IS SO WINDY HERE. I totally have to hold down my skirt all the time. So I will be investing in some leggings or shorts or something to wear under my skirts. We have a car, but our miles are so limited so we walk a lot and I love it because we get more exercise! Also, when you walk, you get to talk to more people and contact! The ward isn't huge, our bishop is hilarious, we need to help them be more missionary minded... Don't be surprised if bishop Lyon calls you up sometime and talks to you! He said he does that with every missionary here. 

This week was awesome. We had so many miracles!!!! We have a baptism this week! Ryan, he is 10 and he will be baptized on Friday! He is so sweet and I am so excited!!! I will send you pics afterwards!!! WE also have another investigator who wants to be baptized, her name is Kenzie. She has some hold ups, but she will get there! We also have an investigator named Jen, her husband is less-active. She wants to be baptized and sealed in the temple, but straight up doesn't want to come to church without her husband. Which stinks because he doesn't want to come. We also got a new investigator named Billie (she is a girl). She is the manager to our apartment complex and is awesome! She fed us lunch this week! 

It's a whole different world here in Hesperia. The people are different, the investigators are different, the scenery is different, there are pawn shops and thrift stores everywhere, it's all so random. I love it though. Really, this place is awesome, and I will bring you all here when we come back to tour my mission (assuming ya'll want to do that). We get fed well, the members are sweet and motherly, and the sun always shines. But it's all different in a great way! These people hunger and thirst after righteousness and are willing to get do whatever they can to get it!

I am so grateful to be here. I know it's where I am supposed to be!!! 

So this week I finished the Book of Mormon! What a great and rewarding feeling. I can say that I know without a doubt that it is true. Miracles can happen in our lives as we feast upon the words of Christ. When we read the Book of Mormon, we truly can "come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him...that ye become holy without spot." (Moroni 10:32-33)

Love you! I hope I answered all of your questions!

Sister Johnson

4/21/2014 Sister Johnson Letter!

1. I got white washed out. That means sister respecia and I both left. SAD DAY. It's like leaving my family. Only I may never see some of them again. And leaving you guys wasn't sad for me. hahahahahahaahahahahah 

2. I am in the desert. Here they call it the high desert. It's like AZ except EVERYTHING is brown. there is no grass. there is no trees. and there is wind. Lots of it. But the temperature and dryness is the same. The summer. 120 degrees. What am I going to do mom??? 

3. Sister Respecia is in Apple Valley. That place is cool. Some movie stars have houses there

4. I am in Hesperia. LOL this place is the most random place ever

5. My companionS names are Sister Beagley and Sister Packer. Yes I am in a trio! RANDOM. It's cool though and super fun. Sister Beagley is a gem and so cute and Sister Packer is hilarious and easy going. I love them both already! 

I GOT THE PACKAGE. THANK YOU! on Easter I wore the cute shirt you sent me from anthro. and Sister respecia was so happy for the shirt too!! it made her day! she doesn't get packages from her family like ever because they are so far away. So things in the mail make her day. THE COOKIES OMYGOSH I LOVED THEMMMMMMMMMM.

Sad day there is no Sprouts here. (yeah the sprouts in ontario was SO busy always) And I left my ezekiel cereal accidentally in Ontario. AH. It's okay I will survive...... 

I am so glad that you had a good Easter. Easter was our last day in Ontario, so we spent the time going around to everyones houses to say goodbye! We ate lunch at The Santamaria's house- out ward mission leader- and it was SO GOOOD. He can cook. and so can his wife! He is Mexican so you can only imagine! and he barbecued. 

Then we had dinner at the Bates house. They made ham and cheesey potatoes and salad and asparagus and it was really good too!! So Easter was awesome. Saying goodbye to all the teary eyes in Mountain View Ward wasn't so awesome though. Especially for Sis R who has been there for 9 months. that place was her home, and they all treated her like their daughter. Her and I are only like 10 miles from each other right now though! haahahahaha

 BUT GUESS WHAT. On Sunday, Sister Glogosh, who hasn't come to church for like 30-40 years NO JOKE, CAME TO CHURCH. Also, a bunch of other Less actives came, but that's normal because everyone comes to church on Easter and Christmas. But Sister Glogosh was so awesome. miracles! She is one stubborn cookie, and we were so so shocked that she came. no joke. I am so happy for her! hopefully the new missionaries in that ward take good care of her and she keeps coming. 

No, we never got to go to Costco. That's so fun that dad is taking the Elders though! You are so sweet to give them an Easter Care package. That makes my heart happy! 

Send me a picture of that ring!!! yes I have seen the setting but not it with the diamond inside! OOOHHHOOOOO!!!!!!! 

It's really short today, because we had our transfer meeting and now we are running out of time to shop and stuff. So i will be finishing this email now. 

Love you!!!!!!!!! bye bye!!!!!!!!

Sister Johnson

PICTURES!!!!

April 14 2014

I am so glad that Charlie had a good birthday and that she is excited fro PROM. SEND ME PICS OF THAT. Shayla's wedding too. pics please! I love provo!

The transfer is the 21st of April. I have no idea if I will stay or go. I bet I will stay, my work doesn't feel like it is done here. Sister Respecia will probably go. 9 months in this area, she wants to stay, but she is preparing herself emotionally and physically to go. I will miss her! I will also finally be done with my 12 week training on the 21st of april! WOOHOOO. training is awesome and builds better missionaries. But I will be relieved for it to be over with!!!

Wow I am so happy that you finished reading chapter 6 of PMG. It's golden. My favorite section is the one that I studied this morning, on HOPE. None of us are perfect, and I am far from being Christ like as well. But I am glad that we have the opportunity to progress and grow and become more like Him each day.

Mother's Day- I don't know anything about anything. I will be sure to let you know when I know... I'll have to talk to president about that one...

Family prayers. That makes me so happy. I hope that you keep it up and continue. It will help solve many problems, and bring you all closer together.

Be friends to everyone new in the ward!!! They need the fellowship, especially that recent convert family! I love the hastening work.

hahaha I am so sorry that your chair didn't work out...... LOL

You asked if I needed anything/wanted anything? Wellll.. HMM Sister Respecia needs a black cap sleeve shirt from downeast basics! hahaha She lost hers and can't find it and was expressing to me that she wished we had that store here in Ontario! Idk if she is a Small or Medium! I would bet medium.

Oh if you want to send a german chocolate cake in the package I would be okay with that. hahahaahahah LOL.But seriously.  Or homemade cookies from lexi that are healthy. I miss those! or muffins!? ahahah will those things last??? or something yummy and homemade. a few cookies wouldn't hurt. You know what I like! or those raw chocolate bar things that are really small?

 

I don't have time to update you on our investigators. All was well this week though! I can see the hand of the Lord working!Since it is Easter though, I would like to share my testimony about our Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. Jesus Christ, The Son of God, rejected and despised by man, actually walked this earth. He lived and served, was crucified, and then rose again. I know that because He overcame death, we will as well. Because of Him, we can live with our families forever. Because of Him, the broken can be healed. Because of Him, loss can be replaced with joy. And because of Him, we can overcome and do all things. I know Christ knows each one of us personally, and because of that, He knows how to succor us. Through Him, our burdens can be made light. Through Him, we can find light to illuminate the paths which seem dark before us.I know that Christ himself satisfied the demands of Justice. He suffered for our sins, our iniquities, our pains, so that we wouldn't have to. He was foreordained, chosen before the creation of this world to save all of God's children. His grace is sufficient to help us overcome our weaknesses. Through Him we can become strong. I know that His church is here on the Earth. Christ Leads and guides us through His prophet, Thomas S Monson. President Monson walks and talks in the way of the Lord, and if we will just be obedient, we can do the same. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is a book filled with the peace that our Savior can offer each one of us. Through reading this book and following it's commandments, we can find eternal life. I know without any doubt that it is true. I know that God speaks to His children. The proof of this lies in the experience of Joseph Smith- for He truly did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ when he asked a souls searching question. I know that when we ourselves lack wisdom, we only need ask of God and He will unfold it unto us. This work is real! God is real. Christ is real. I love them both, and I love building my relationship with them.

We must share this message with others, for it can bring hope to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness!

I love being a missionary.

 

Sister Johnson

3/31/14

SPROUTS OPENED UP LAST WEEK SO WE ARE GOING TODAY AHHHHHH

Yeah I am still in training. Training lasts for two transfers- or 12 weeks total. They do that because they cut down the time in the MTC so much. So every morning I have an extra hour of study, to finish training me to be a missionary. So this coming transfer I will probably need to buy a bike. That is in a few weeks. I am supposed to have $450 for the purchase of a bike. Uhh heads up about that. I feel like in every email I am asking you to spend money on me. hahahah I am sorry.

Wow yeah the time has gone by so fast. I feel the same way. 3 months have gone by and in a blink of an eye it will be over. So sad. I don't ever want to leave.

Aww thanks for the update about Grandma. I will email her. prayers their way

 

THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME. We got 3 new investigators.

Nelsi- she is 13 and she has a baptismal date now. holla. But we will pass her off to the spanish sisters because her priamay language is spanish.

Sally- Sally has met with missionaries in a different mission 7 times, but had never been to church or read the BOM. We got the referral for her this week and have already met with her a few times, and we set a baptismal date for April 19 with her. AND SHE CAME TO CHURCH yesterday. She is legit. She pretty much accepts everything we teach. And is reading the BOM now and praying about it. And at church she was totally participating in class and taking notes and saying amen to what people said. And she introduced herself to the class and said "I am sister Sally". So cute. She pretty much acts like a member. She has 2 little kids and a husband so we need to get them on board as well. She is excited for conference next weekend and is planning on bringing something the the pot luck that the stake is having in between sessions. SUCH A MIRACLE.

The other investigator is Zaneta. She just got kicked out of her house and met some elders in a Denny's restaurant and they referred her to us. We have taught her a bunch of times this week and she CAME TO CHURCH TOO. This is exciting because getting investigators to church is the hardest thing ever. She even brought her 1  year old son. She is just temporarily in our area though because she is staying in a hotel, so it will be sad when she has to leave. Miracles have been happening with her as she has realized that God has a very specific plan for her and Christ has never left her side. She says the most sincere prayers and I can feel angels surrounding her and bearing her up. It's the sweetest thing. She loves learning, and is so humble and teachable. Her son's name is Jeremiah and he is ADORABLE.

 

Also. 3 Less-actives came to church. Angela, who we have been working with for a LONG TIME. she is the one with marriage problems. And Brother England came again. He came last week as well. We figured out that with him, we just have to text him the hymn numbers that we are singing in church a few days before so he can learn them. Then he will come! He just doesn't like not knowing the songs. It's awesome. And another Less-active came named sister Fergussen.

 

MIRACLES.  this week has been so different than previous weeks. The work is speeding up in our ward, we are going to need another set of missionaries in here. hahahahah! I LOVE IT.

 

Thanks for the picture of you in San Diego!! so pretty. The picture from Sister Hobbs actually came from me :) she let me hold her ipad and send it to you. Yay technology! hahahaha that was from the Women's conference on Saturday. all of  us sister missionaries got together and had a clothing exchange and dinner and then watched the conference. It was so good! it made me think of you- especially when all the mothers and daughters were singing together. so tender. I love how they talked so much about Covenants and love and being Christ-like and all that good stuff. It definitely gave me the energy boost that I needed!

thiings I loved from the conference:

"love each other more and love eachother better."

"ALL THE EASY THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE. FROM NOW ON IT'S HIGH ADVENTURE."

there is no age barrier in christ-like service

together with god, we are unstoppable

"As we keep our covenants, our insecurities and feelings of inadequacy will fade."

And my favorite thing that our mission president's wife said before the conference started was "There is no better training to be a mother than that of being a missionary. You will be raising Helaman's Army" I am excited. Excited to welcome in the Coming of our Savior again, excited to be a art of this work, and excited to labor in the Lord's Vinyard.

 

Love you!!!!!!!

Sister Johnson

3/ 24/ 14 Pictures and Email!!

hank you for the package!!! I HAVE BEEN EATING OATMEAL A LOT AND USING THE COCONUT OIL YOU ARE THE BEST.

Okay, so not much time today. I promise that I do have time for a hand written letter though. So I will send it. P-days are always the same. We go to the grocery store, wash our car, go to the library, eat lunch, do laundry, and clean our living area. in a different order each time. Every other Monday we have Zone activity. That is with all the missionaries in Ontario! We play ultimate Frisbee or card games or soccer or something. It's fun! then P-day is over at 6 pm and we get back to teaching. And eating dinner. Okay, dilemma. HOW DO I AVOID SWEETS. I am so tired of eating them and feeling like crap. hahahahaahahah the members love feeding dessert. But to all members out there reading this

- STOP. We get dessert almost every night. WE ARE SO THANKFUL. BUT SO FAT. hahahahahaha

this week was awesome! I had exchanges with one of the sister training leaders, sister Shaw. Sister Respecia went to Diamond Bar for the 24 hours and I stayed here in our area. It was legit being here without Sis R! I realized that I can do this without a trainer. On Saturday when sister Shaw was with me, we saw Val and Mary- the part member/less active family. And we killed it with the lesson. straight up the spirit was so so strong as we testified and were straight up bold with them. I think sister Shaw was surprised when I called Val out on his selfishness and lack of commitment to God. hahahahahahaa But they are using their agency and choosing not the follow Christ and come to church for the sacrament which is so sad. So we will probably be taking it chill on them. But dude. When the spirit speaks through us missionaries- it blows my minddddd. I love it. That is what is so humbling about being a missionary, is knowing that when we are being obedient and diligent, we are literally saying the words that Christ would if he was here. We aren't great speakers, we aren't eloquent, we aren't intelligent or full of spiritual knowledge and experience like our parents or leaders or the Apostles, but because we have the Spirit, we are able to be all of those things. A less active came to church two weeks in a row, his name is brother England! such a joy to see him take the sacrament.

Reuben doesn't ever text us back or call us back anymore. hahaahha and Kat was so busy this week. But we have a new investigator Sally! and we will meet with Kat this week! it stinks when all these people use their agency to reject this gospel. But God has a plan for this area. (His plan is working so slowly, but He has a plan).

 

I am so excited for conference! and for the woman's meeting this weekend!! HEARING FROM THE PROPHET IS THE BEST. "every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among my people." legit and intense right? ahahahha that's in 3 Nephi 20:23

 Another baptism in the ward?? that is AWESOME AWESOME. Dude. fellowship them like crazy okay?? promise me???!!!!?!?!?!?!? sweet thanks. Retention of new members is so so so so so important. If you don't know how to help the new members then ask the missionaries.

 

hopefully I answered all of your questions. love you!!

love sister johnson

 

 

3/ 17/ 14: email and beautiful pictures!!!

So Selena. she is awesome but so so busy with life. We will get her though

Reuban... funny story. He told us the BOM is a copy of the Bible, so he will not read it. But I know with out a doubt that if he reads it, he will know it's true. But that's the thing. He hasn't read it. lol stubborn people. We keep inviting him to baptisms that are happening in the Spanish branch and other wards and invite him to meet with us again. We will get him too. eventually. hahahaha

Kat. Kat is a gem- she is the recovering user. She has been meeting with us twice a week. Which is what investigators are supposed to do!! so holla at that!!! woohoo!! We have invited her to be baptized but she hasn't prayed about the BOM yet so of course she wouldn't know if being baptized is the best thing to do. We told her- hey Kat you know that we want you to be baptized right? She loves sitting and learning from us because she has never had that before. Never just been sat down and taught. She also has never felt true happiness because of the lifestyle she has lived. But she now knows what happiness is. And she just needs to recognize that true and eternal happiness is from the BOM and the gospel and JC. But she is awesome and progressing. If she doesn't pray about the BOM though.. then she will stop progressing. so we shall see. We are meeting with her again this week.

 

 okay. IT IS SO HOT HERE. wow. this week was awesome. we had ward conference and our stake president was there. Our ward has come a long long way. They are starting to get more missionary minded. And we are trying hard and praying hard that they will continue to progress. We drag people with us so that they can get their visiting teaching and home teaching done ( some of them just meeting their teachee's for the first time). It's awesome. This ward will do great things. Our bishop is so missionary minded. And our stake president is the bomb. Makes me appreciate Bishop postert and president westergard. They work hard. And sis R and I sang in the choir at ward conference. (it wasn't as good as our choir at home hhahahahahah don't tell anyone I said that). The song of the righteous is a prayer unto the lord.

 

We got to hear from Elder Anderson this week at our mission conference. Got to shake his hand! it was legit. Seriously hearing the testimonies of Apostles is probably the best thing to hear. ever. When he said "As a special witness of Jesus Christ, I can testify that He lives." It is an explosion of the spirit filling the whole room. That man knows Christ. I am so extremely grateful to be on the earth at such a special time as this- a time when the earth is being prepared, at an amazing rate, for the coming of Jesus Christ. Over and over I keep hearing and reading form prophets and apostles that Christ wants to come, literally he wants to come, but the people aren't ready yet. And it is so true. Christ wants to come, but the saints are not ready. We have not completed the work that He has set out for us to do. and "more and more, Christ will be our message- that He Lives" as his existence fades from the minds of those in the world around us. And that is why I am here. "We talk of Christ. We preach of Christ." Every night when I kneel in prayer, and realize how so extremely inadequate I am for this job, for preparing the earth for the return of the Savior, I plead for the strength and upliftment that I need and then I feel the enabling power of the Atonement working and lifting me up. It's the best. This work is the best. And my Savior Jesus Christ is the best. I know He lives! I know that He is the Son of God, and chose to give up his life even when he had the power to withstand it. Then He rose again. And because of that, the rest of God's children can do the same. So special, and such a sacred responsibility we have as missionaries. And as members. Bringing joy and happiness to those who have not yet found it.

 

Something awesome from Elder Anderson- he said the United States is the "Bread basket" of the Church. "We have to grow here. We save some of the best missionaries for the states. you're the best the lord has." He is awesome. He talked a lot about the Atonement. How important it is, how vital it is to our existence. He said to use the atonement we have to be humble, we have to be forgiving, we have to yearn for forgiveness, and we have to help others along the way.  he said "life is real Be converted so you never get lost. If your prayers aren't being answered, get on your knees more, longer." just like Enos did. (Enos 1:1-12ish)

 

I also studied about Jesus Christ in the Americas this week. 3 Nephi 11-18. It is the most special even of the whole book of Mormon. My favorite is in chapter 17, when the multitude falls at His feet and worships Him, kissing and bathing His feet with their tears. Then He prays for the multitude, and the words are so sacred that they cannot be spoken of or written by anyones. Then He weaps for them, and gathers the children and blesses them. And "no one can conceive of the great joy which filled their souls at the time they heard Him pray for them unto the Father." "So great was the joy of the multitude". Dude when Christ comes again, it will be the same for us. HOW GREAT WILL BE OUR JOY. And we get to help others feel the same joy that we will feel. We have to literally grab them by the hands and pull them in though. (We=missionaries and members).

 

 

 

OKAY WOOHOOO

 

long email. love love love you!

guess what. sprouts opens up on March 26th and it is nearby-ish. so we can get permission to go. MY JOY IS FULL I LOVE SPROUTS I CANNOT WAIT FOR ORGANIC NONGMO AND HEALTHY FOOODDDDDDd

 

Love Sista JJ