11/03/14

Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 11/03/14 1:18 PM
To:	Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com); Allison Johnson (alliecatfm@aol.com); Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com)

Hola!!!!!!!!!!!!

okay so transfers are in two weeks on November 17. So, if you are desiring to send anything. Then please send it before then! So I'm not going to send my memory card home until after transfers I decided... Just in case I get transferred...... which is very likely.

It's November. Where did the year go? In one month I will be 20...... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH AH AH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Anyways. On October 31 IT GOT COLD. I'm talkin like 30 degrees colder than it has been. It went from 85-89 degrees in the day to 55 and freezing wind and rain. And now there is snow on the mountains! The winter here in the high desert is BRUTAL everyone says..... Because we are high altitude and lots of wind, it gets pretty bad..... BRING IT ON. I'm pretty sure it will get hot once again before it stays cool for good though.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. Best night ever because I got an extra hour of sleep. But now it's the worst because the sun starts going down at like 4:30?!?!?!?!?! People hate opening their doors when it's cold and dark......... DUMB. Arizona is way cool for not doing daylight savings. I like it that way. Thanks AZ!

Sister Martinez and I are finally going to bike this week. So pray for us that we will not get run over. And that we will stay warm! I am so excited.... Crazy right? But biking is so cool because we get to talk to more people and also exercise at the same time! And then more people can see us and that we are sister missionaries. 

This week has been a struhhhhhh-gle. Not gonna lie to you. But it's okay. I love the hard times. We must experience the bad in order to recognize and appreciate the good. 

We also had some good miracles though! Did I tell you that our investigator Carol dropped us? Well we got back into her house to see her and found out she was just scared. scared of change and commitment... like we had thought she was. So she said she would come to our family home evening tonight at the church. We really hope she will! 

We also were able to get in and teach some less actives, the Lloyd family, for the first time EVER. No one had ever met this family before. That was a huge miracle in itself. And now we are bffs with them! Bro Lloyd has been in the hospital and sister Lloyd has been texting us updates about him every day and asking for our prayers. It's crazy how they just needed a little love and support. 

Yesterday we stopped by this crazy less active's house- he's usually pretty rude- but yesterday he was drunk! So, that might seem like a bad thing to you... but because he was drunk and happy that he had just won money from betting on the horse races, he gave us two referrals! hahahahaahaha good stuff. 

We also got into this house of a part-member family we have been trying forever. See, miracles still happen even when times are hard!!!! 

This weekend was Stake Conference! The adult session was of course focused on The Hastening of the Work (my favorite subject) which is the theme that was direct to us all by the first presidency. We sang in a missionary choir with all us missionaries from the stake. Guess what song we sang? You got it. Called to Serve! hahaha and I directed the choir? hahahah I didn't know what I was doing, but I made faces at the choir the whole time and had a blast while doing it! 

I was pretty sad that night though, because only a couple members of our ward were present at the adult session of stake conference. Legitimately.. we counted. there was 7. And the whole time they were talking about hastening the work and the members and missionaries being united! Which is what our ward needs.... So Sister Martinez and I had a pity party for a good two or three minutes and then got over it.. There is work to be done, and this work will continue to roll forth, unhindered, "until the Lord stretches for His hand and says 'the work is finished'." (The Prophet Joseph Smith said that). The Lord is the one hastening His work, it is not hastened by our participation. 

Something I have seen very clearly this week is how the adversary works alarmingly hard against the members to stop them from sharing the gospel. We have been working with members of the ward to encourage them, direct them, and help them share the gospel... But they still have their agency and Satan uses that to his advantage. 

So I had some thoughts about what was shared in stake conference in the Sunday Session. 

A member of the Redlands temple presidency and his wife spoke about the temple, President and Sister Tate. Sister Tate talked about the difference between attending the temple and worshiping in the temple. She said "The temple is a beacon to help us become." (my favorite word is become btw). She spoke very reverently and beautifully about the blessings of temple worship. She said we will still feel peace and guidance by attending the temple, but when we WORSHIP in the temple, we will leave the temple with LIFE-CHANGING blessings. woooo! Life changing. Life changing blessings are the kind of blessings that I desire for you all- my family and friends back at home. President Tate spoke about temple blessings as well. He said, "If you want blessings oured out upon your children, whether they are doing what they should or not, then attend the temple." That's a crazy awesome promise right there! He said that temple repetition equals daily blessings. That means regular temple attendance brings blessings. Why would any of us deny ourselves of that?? He also said, "This is a temporary world. The temple is the real world... Soon this temporary world will be gone." 

President Saunders, our stake president spoke about 6 ways to find joy. My favorite way he mentioned was #3, to live outside of ourselves. To serve. In his words, "Get off the back row and quite thinking of yourself." bahahahaha what a slap to the face. 

This week was also WAS HALLOWEEEEEENNNNN DUH. How could I forget? I knew there was some exciting things going down. We had a killer awesome Halloween party on Wednesday and tons and tons or less actives and non members attended! That's what ward activities are all about!!!! We had a chili cookoff.. and a legit chili-judge. This guy in our ward is a certified chili judge. He has a badge and everything. And trunk or treating was awesome. Sister Martinez and I helped a member make popcorn and cotton candy to pass out, and when we went around to see all the member's trunks we ended up with a lot of candy in our bags.... and now some of it is on our thighs and some of it I hid away in our apartment for me to never find again. Hahaha 

So there are some things I have learned or experienced this week.... 

1- pray always that ye may come off conqueror... and that you can escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work. 

2- living below your privileges and potential is a plague that is sweeping the members of the church. do not give into the temptation to sit back and watch others participate in the work of salvation

3- "Because Christ walked such a long, lonely path, utterly alone, we do not have to." Elder Holland

4- Becoming like Christ is part of a life-long process that requires consistent and persistent faith and action. And "Agency is your power to become."  

5- there was this couple sitting in front of us at stake conference that kept cuddling and kissing. Ew. Don't do that at church people. It's weirdy. 

6- "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting.... it's thinking of Father above... When I am reverent I know in my heart, Heavenly Father and Jesus are near." We can learn so much form this simple primary song. I am sad when others are irreverent and drive away the spirit. 

ANYWAYS. hey this was a long email. I am so excited! 

Have a good week. I love you, I pray for you, and I get really excited when you share your spiritual experiences with me. So feel free to tell me what you have been studying, who you have been sharing the gospel with, who you have been serving, and whatever else brings you joy!

Adios!

Sister Johnson

    

10/27/2014

Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 10/27/14 1:24 PM
To:	Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com); Courtney Eyring (splotchee@gmail.com); Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com); Emily Shepherd (emily.shep12@gmail.com); Mallory LeSueur (mlesueur13@gmail.com)

hahahahahahah woooo this week. so remember last week how I told ya'll that sister martinez said one of our companionship prayers and prayed for trials and we got them?????? And I prayed for patience and we got it!???  Well, I told President Hobbs that we prayed for trials and patience.... LOLLLLLLLLLLLL his response made me laugh. "Oh Sister Johnson we love and appreciate you. Never pray for trials. I promise they will come on their own as needed. You can pray for patience and faith. I know there are challenging times and lots of work to do." WHATEVER MAN, BRING ON THE TRIALS. hahahahaha just kidding. But really, the past few weeks have been so humbling, so rewarding, and so beneficial to helping me become who the Lord wants me to become. So, I wouldn't suggest praying for trials. But if you want to see and feel the hand of the Lord working in your life to change you, then DO IT. I know that trials really do bring us closer to God and really do help us use the enabling power of the atonement.... Yes, I am crazyyyyyyyyy.

 Do people still say cray-cray? that always bugged me. "Cray-cray", "totes", "fab", ect. Not real words...... except I really enjoy using "lol".... so maybe I should shut my mouth about things that aren't real words....

whatevs!  <----- hhhahhaahahahha not a real word too.

I am sitting right under the air vent thing at the library.... SO COLLLLLLD. My fingers are having a hard time typing. 

So, you are probably wondering about our investigators... welll along with praying for trials came the decline in our investigator pool. But that's chill because we are still working with what we've got!

Athen and Athena came to church though and they just want to get baptized so bad..... It's hard because they only can be taught by us when they are at church.... We asked them how they feel when they pray and Athen ( he is 9) said "I feel like Heavenly Father is sitting right here next to me listening." There was the cutest little twinkle in his eye and it made my heart happy! Oh the faith of the little ones. blows myyyy mind.

The Forget's are doing so well! I have mentioned this before I think.. but they are reading their scriptures together every evening at 5 and ITS AMAZINGGGGG. They are so cool. They are learning so much, and have been blessed so much. I can see their relationship improving as they are progressing in the gospel together. Family scripture study... DO IT. no matter your age. 

ALSO. Three less active families we have been working with came to church on Sunday. made my heart happy tooo. One being sister Bernal and her kiddos. We didn't expect her to be there because we didn't see her this week... but she WAS THERE AND SO HAPPY WHEN WE WALKED IN AND SAW HER. This is a lady that I loved visiting when I was in this ward back in May, and since I've been back we've tried to get into her house a million times. But the Lord blessed her with trials that brought her back to church. so she let us in her house, came to church, and now she is excited to bear her testimony. Holla at her! 

The Lord is blessing the work here in this ward. Slowly but surely AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF HIM. 

Something that has been so cool to experience and humbling to be a part of is promising blessings to people.... Idk how to explain it well. But Sister Martinez and I have been working on extending bold commitments, testifying boldly and promising blessings. And the most amazing thing is when we feel the spirit prompting us to promise a very specific blessing to the people we are talking to. It's legit. Being a representative of Jesus Christ is amazing..... I will forever keep my name tag painted on my heart. So anyways... we taught the lesson in young women this week. We of course taught them about sharing the gospel... :) that's a common theme for us. AND IT WAS AWESOME because when we were committing them and testifying to them at the end. The spirit prompted us to promise them that as they shared the gospel with their friends and those around them, their grades in school would improve. WHAT THE WHAT. I'm telling you, the Lord has very very specific promises in store for each one of us. WE HAVE to do what he asks though. 

We also have been working with four families/people on their family mission plans. I know that's what the Lord wants for this area right now. Missionary work cannot progress until the ward members are on board. It's cool to hear members say "We bring up the gospel and church in our conversations with people, but we don't really know what to do next to share more." AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE WE CAN HELP WITH THAT. I love Elder Nelson's talk a year or two ago where he said "Ask the missionaries." hahahaha to be honest we don't have the answers to everything. But Heavenly Father does, and as representatives of His Son, we can help others with recognizing what Heavenly Father wants. being a missionary is theeeeee besttttttttttttttttttt. 

We have been making Mexican food! I feel so cool now because I know how to make Horchata! We also make tomatillo/avacado salsa, tacos de papa, y agua de pina y agua de tamarindo! hahahaha sister Martinez doesn't know how to cook really, so we are learning how to make Mexican food together! :)

I think there was more I wanted to tell you. I can't remember though.....

To everyone--- feel free to write sister martinez a letter. She is better at responding to them than I am. And letters make her happy since her family is so far away. 

THANKSSSSSS 

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU

que tenga un buen semana!

Sister Johnson

1o/2o/2o14

:	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 10/20/14 1:03 PM
To:	Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com); Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com)

MAN THIS WEEK. WOOO

Okay so last week on Monday Sister Martinez said this really awesome prayer when we were leaving these other sister's apartment to go grocery shopping. and in that prayer she exercised her faith and prayed for trials and challenges. Then I recognized that  I needed to develop patience so I prayed for patience :) .......and ya know what.... Heavenly Father always answers our prayers. I know that for a fact. LOL. So we had one of those weeks that really rough......... But honestly, I love rough weeks. We know there must be opposition in all things. We must experience the hard in order to appreciate the wonderful. And the true test is to find joy within the hard times! Fortunately, it's easy to feel joy when we are in the service of our God.... So I am always happy :).........

 JUST KIDDING. always is definitely an overstatement. Sometimes I am mad or angry or frustrated or sad or want to cry or confused. But then I feel the spirit comforting me, and the angels God has sent to bear me up. 

For example. WWWOOOOO. So the past transfer and a half we have been putting so much time and effort into helping our ward, serving them, building relationships with them, helping them with their conversion, trying to promote unity, and trying to motivate them to do missionary work.... And we don't always see the fruits of our labors right away (see that's why I need patience).... So we went to ward council and things didn't go the way we hoped.. AT ALL. Our Ward Mission Leader is pumped and excited, but the other ward council members are not.... And that's okay, I know they have a lot on their plates with their lives and their callings. ---BUT GUYS THE LORD IS COMING AND WE NEED TO DO HIS WORK. TOGETHER. HAND IN HAND. M&Ms. Missionaries and Members.------ hahhahaha that is what I wanted to say. But I didn't. So we were pretty bummed. So things like that make me wonder why I am here in this ward and what I have to offer...... And although I don't know the answer to that question, I do have trust in the priesthood authority who assigned me here. I know that President Hobbs followed the spirit, direction straight from the Lord himself to send me to this ward. And that's what got me through those frustrating moments this week. I am grateful for the priesthood. I am grateful for revelation. I am grateful for the Lord and His guiding hand. 

Sister Martinez and I taught the lesson in Gospel Principals this week and the lesson was on the priesthood. And it made me SO GRATEFUL for my wonderful daddy and his righteous example in leading our family under the direction of Heavenly Father. I am grateful for all the father's blessings or comfort and healing and direction. I know the priesthood is the power of God given to man, and I know that the priesthood acts as an umbrella to help guard us from the evil influences of the adversary. So thank ya Pops.
 :)

This week I am grateful for the little miracles. One of those miracles being- we were able to get in to teach a lesson with an investigator Jen, whom we thought moved! But she in reality didn't... they were just out of town for 3 weeks. hahahaah so we taught them! AND MET HER HUSBAND, who we have never been able to meet before... and he is actually a super less-active member. Turns out he was a nice guy. 

In the middle of the week we came to the library to do Mormon.org time, and they had an earthquake drill. IT WAS HILARIOUS. they made us get under the tables and sit there for a couple minutes.. hahahahaah I feel so prepared for earthquakes now. 

We also did some service as a Zone for someone in another ward, and so I sent pics of that I think? 

It's awesome, because here in the cali desert, there is a lot of weeds. like forests of weeds. SO we have PLENTY of opportunities to serve others and help them with their yards. :) it's nice to be able to wear pants once in a while too.... 

So anyways. I know we were blessed with a hard week for a reason. And because of that THE FIRE IS BACK. Sis Martinez and I are pumped and full of the effects of the enabling power of the Atonement, ready to conquer the world.

Which of course we are already doing. 

LOVE YA LOVE YA LOVE YA

HAVE A GOOD DAYYYYYYYY 

QUE TENGA UN BUEN SEMANA. 

ADIOS

Sister Johnson

10/14/2014

	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Tue 10/14/14 5:48 PM
To:	Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com); Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com); Courtney Eyring (splotchee@gmail.com); Emily Shepherd (emily.shep12@gmail.com); Mallory LeSueur (mlesueur13@gmail.com); Sarah King (sbking6@gmail.com)

This was a heartfelt week.... 

Tuesday, October 7, was a very special day for me and also for the ward here. I was Jakelle's birthday for one!!!! and My sweet companion told some other sisters in our zone to wear yellow, and I didn't even know it. So we showed up to district meeting all wearing yellow and it WAS AWESOME!!!!! It was sweet to be able to remember Jakelle all day, and wear her favorite color while at it :) Also, on Oct 7, a little girls named Emily in our ward passed away from leukemia. It was very powerful to participate in so much prayer and fasting in behalf of another little girl who held a place in so many people's heart. It's amazing that a tragedy can unite so many people, can remind us of what's truly important, and can cause us to rely wholeheartedly on our Savior. 

It of course took me back to those hard months when Jakelle was struggling in the hospital and then when she passed. I have so much love for that girl, and miss her dearly. I am so extremely grateful to have been able to have known her, and I am grateful for that experience. I am forever in debt to those who supported me, strengthened me, and sat on the curb to talk when I needed it. Those few months taught me the true meaning of comforting those that stand in need of comfort and lifting up the hands that helplessly hang down. I'm in awe of the Westergard family and their diligence in keeping their trust in God, even when the tempest was raging. 

I owe a lot to so many people..... I learn a lot from the examples of others... Man, I am so grateful for life lessons, for trials, for imperfections, and rough patches that bring us closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know His gospel is the solution to everything. I know that we can see those we love again. I know that simple trust in the Lord can get us through a lot.  And I know, without a doubt that families can be together forever.

GUESS WHATTTTT

Brother Forget got baptized! YEAHHHHH MAN. This is the first person that I have found, taught, and baptized all with myself and my companion. The other people that I have taught and baptized were found by other missionaries, or we passed off to other missionaries because they moved or some other random situation. N.E.WAYS. It was awesome. He changed, from the beginning to now, he has diligently sought out His Heavenly Father's guidance as he has developed a relationship with him. 

There's a couple recent converts in our ward, who are ON FIRE excited about life and the gospel. I know that is because they are reading their scriptures every day, praying daily, and keeping their covenants, NOT TO MENTION they are progressing equally with their spouse. Especially brother Forget-- he and his wife are reading their scriptures together and because of that their relationship is improving, they feel peace and comfort and guidance and love and AWESEOMENESSSSS. So the question is... why are sometimes us as members not as fired up about the gospel as the recent converts are?? I think the simple answer is because we stop to do the little things, which dims our fire a little, then we get comfortable and complacent, and we stop progressing...... BUT THAT CAN CHANGE. If we truly want to BECOME like Jesus Christ, we CAN. Then, as we feel the fire and excitement and joy of the gospel, WE CAN SHARE IT TOOOOO. 

hahahah I get so excited. 

ahh there were so many cool experiences with teaching the Bernals, the caudillos, sister espin, the langs, this lady we met at target named Rayanne, and more. not to mention church was awesome and testimony meeting at church was jam packed with the spirit. But, I have to go! 

So, yeah. It's been an awesome/hard/joyful/powerhouse week. I LOVE IT HERE. 

I love you!

Sister Johnson

PICS! 10/09/14

10/06/14 MY MOST FAVORITE EMAIL SO FAR!!! (yeah, they are all soo good, but this one is AMAZING!)

From:	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 10/06/14 2:33 PM
To:	Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com); Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com)

I'm sure you are wondering how everything is going?

WELLLLLLLLLL BRO FORGET IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY HOLLLAAAAAA. 

so excited for that. He is so ready. He came out of his baptismal interview beeeeaming. He told us that he was having doubts, that he was wondering if he was getting baptized for the right reasons. BUT after his self-evaluation he told us he is so ready, he knows it's true, and he knows this is the right time for him to be doing all of this. This man has come a long way! And his wife, who was less active, has come a long way too. She is receiving and acting on revelation, seeking help through the scriptures, and making necessary changes to bring her life in accordance with the teachings of the Savior.

We got 4 new investigators this week! A whole family! They are the Winklers. So coooooooool. And so gonna get baptized. They have been prepared to receive the gospel. They have members friends that called their elders to help the Winklers move, and then because of that, they referred the family to us and we were able to get in the door to teach them!! ALL BECAUSE OF MEMBERSSSSSS. So all the members out there that read this: TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE CHURCH, SERVE THEM, AND HELP THEMMMMM.

ALSO WE SAW THE MOVIE MEET THE MORMONS. IT WAS SO GOOD. ya'll will cry and love it. We watched it at the stake center with all the missionaries in this half of the mission. so INVITE EVERYONE. we missionaries are not allowed to use the movie as a proselyting tool. That means we can't knock on everyone's door and tell them to go see it. What it does mean though, is that all ya'll members out there CAN DO THAT. This movie is a tool for members to invite their friends to go see, to tell their neighbors, to bring their families, and to help everyone see how legitimately cool us Mormons are. And get to the movie on time because the beginning is hilarious. 

wow, conference was awesomeeeeeeeee. So awesome. They just pounded to the max how important it is to have a prophet on the earth today. WE ARE SO LUCKY. Sister Martinez and I prayed tons and tons that our families at home would watch conference and would find joy and guidance from watching it. Of course I knew you would watch it, but know we were praying for you anyways! I loved all that was said about REVELATION. man oh man, I just love revelation. Continuing revelation. We, as individuals can receive guidance direction from a supreme being, our Creator, our Father, our God. I have learned on my mission that we are entitled to revelation, but we will not get it if we do not move. Revelation comes to those who are on the move! I also loved in conference all that was said about conversion- doing the little things. This world is spiraling in a scary direction, but when we plant our feet firmly on Jesus Christ, we are promised that we will not fall. I ALSO LOVED ELDER HOLLANDS TALK. Man. It blew me away. I hope that I can dedicate my life to serving the Lord and God's children, seeking out to help the poor and the poor in spirit. 

I'm grateful for conference. I know we have a prophet on the earth today. I know that strict and exact obedience is necessary to entering into the kingdom of God. Do not pollute your minds with things of this world. It's not worth it. It's not worth the entertaining movie, the first pumping music. It's not worth the the degrading clothing, or spirit chasing language. It's not worth the little white lies, the lazy nature, the "I don't have time because I'm too busy" excuses. Forfeiting our Salvation is NOT WORTH anything this world has to offer. BUT gaining Salvation and relying on the Lord is worth everything we can offer. It's worth the sacrifices. It's worth the little things. 

Something a former missionary said hit me hard. He said--- once you get home everything is weird and different. You spent 18 mos or 2 years of your lives growing and improving and changing at an alarming rate. Then you come home and everyone is the same. Everyone is at the same place they were when you left. and you feel out of place. ----

I can testify to you that that doesn't have to be true. You can spend the next 9 months and rest of your life growing and changing and improving at exponential rates just like missionaries do IF you will rely on the Atonement of the Lord, consecrating your time and efforts to Him. I love you all, and I know what you are capable of. I know that you will have grown and changed and become who He wants you to become over the next months, because I know you love the Lord and strive to follow and become more like Him. Know that I pray for you all like crazy. Know that where much is expected, much is given. As you live up to the expectations of the Lord, he will cover you with His power, and change you, mold you, and shape you into what you can become. 

I LOVE YOU

Love Sister Johnson

PICTURES!!! 9/29/14

9/15/14 EMAIL FROM SISTER JOHNSON!

From:	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.
Sent:	Mon 9/15/14 12:40 PM
To:	Robert Johnson (cars4play@gmail.com); Lexi Johnson (papaversatiny@hotmail.com)

I need to think of a new word besides awesome... Because this week was awesome. FANTASTICO! MAGNIFICO! MUY BUENO! 

hahaha things are going way good with working with the members. They are keeping the commitments we are leaving with them. They are studying the Atonement. They are studying PMG. And because of that, their desire to do missionary work will increase, and soon enough, they will be sharing the gospel all over the place! What's so awesome about the gospel, is that if they TRULY understand the Atonement, if WE truly understand what Jesus Christ has done for us, we WILL share the gospel. We WILL be obedient. We WILL hold a current temple recommend. We WILL share what we believe with everyone we meet. I don't mean WE as missionaries. I mean WE as members. Every member a missionary! 

BY THE WAY. Last general conference, there was a push for all members to be studying Preach My Gospel! Who is doing that? What have you been learning??? 

Anyways. The cool thing is. We invited tons of members to pray for our investigators. AND IT'S WORKINGGGGG. They are praying. And because of it! We got three new investigators this week!!! :) and the ones we already have are progressing! 

Brother Forget and his wife came to a baptism that the Elders had, and after it was over, we asked Bro Forget if he was excited for his baptism and he said, "Yeah, I didn't think I would be, but I'm so excited. I'm ready. I know I'm gonna be ready!" And we were worried that he was on the fence about it. Ahhh seeeee miracles. 

One of the new investigators we have is named Carol. She is old and has a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation. Their were some tears shed in our lesson with her, and she accepted the invitation to keep learning more. 

The other two investigators are Athena, she is 10, and Athen, he is 9. They are siblings! And have been coming to church with their grandparents for a while, and we didn't know they weren't baptized! Anyways, we will fix that :)

Such cool experiences and miracles this week. I am so grateful for being here! 

So, our new motto is "THESE GIRLS ARE ON FIRRRRREEEEEE." And we sing it out everyday, just like Alicia Keys. And so every day we feel the fire of missionary work burning and pushing us along! woot woot! So I am sending a picture of my drawing on our white board. Appreciate. 

hahahaha so I forgot to tell you this funny story about Joseph. We met Joseph while trying to contact a less-active in our ward. He was sitting on his steps outside and so we started chatting! He was hilarious.... but that was due to the fact that he was quite a bit tipsy with his extra large can of Coors Light. He was black, and talked exactly like he was trying to be gangster.... I'm not sure if it was working for him though. When he told us his name, "My name is Jospeh. Ya know, just like God's name is Jospeh and His Son's name is Jospeh. The Son of God. So I am God's Son and I am the Son of God." and so I politely but boldly said "How about we come back some other time when you aren't drinking and we can talk about a prophet of the Lord who's name was Jospeh Smith, just like you." He agreed and gave us his phone #... So when we called it the next day, it was the number to a Bank of America in Dana Point. hahahahahahahaha it was a really funny experience..... but I don't think it sounds as funny when I tell you over email.... So just laugh and it will make me feel better. 

Thanks for the prayers and support!

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Johnson

9/10/14

From:	Victoria Paige Johnson (victoria.johnson@myldsmail.net) This sender is in your safe list.

So! This week was a weird one. First of allllllll!!!!!!!!! I am emailing you today, which is Wednesday which makes it feel weird. hahahah but that is because we went to the temple this morning! Boy. Oh. Boy. Was that fantastically beautiful. So much joy packed into such a small temple.  

I am not quite sure how to describe this week.. it was probably one of the most joy-filled and spiritual weeks of my mission. It was a week where all of our appointments cancelled and no one seemed interested in the message we had to share.. So Sister Martinez and I spent a lot of time in prayer, seeking for guidance, asking Heavenly Father what we could do to build up the ward here... Because let's be real. It needs some help. But all wards need help. And of course--Heavenly Father answered that prayer. 

So I definitely know I am in this ward for a reason. Heavenly Father has some wise purposes that I am not sure of.. But after this week I have realized that one reason I am here is because up till this point in my mission, I haven't been the kind of missionary Heavenly Father wants me to be. Up till this point, I have been obedient, diligent, and successful. But I know there is more to missionary work than that. SAY WHAT? hahaha!

As missionaries, our purpose is to "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End." I've been so darn focused on investigators and less-actives that I haven't done so much focusing on the ward as I should have. So, Sister Martinez and I recognized that. And with some heavenly help, we devised a plan to help the ward. Whether or not anyone gets baptized in the next months, is not what matters right now. What matters is that we are helping prepare these members to usher in the coming of the Savior. So instead of making plans to help the ward and then not following through with them like usually happens--- we actually got to work! We prayerfully chose specific families to focus on, and we have already seen miracles come of it. We have had floods and floods of inspiration and revelation coming in on how to help these specific people. 

I have developed a new sense of love, passion, and dedication to the Lord's work. I feel like I am finally starting to become who I am supposed to become, and I know Sister Martinez and I have been prepared through our past experiences for this transfer. I don't know if any of this is making sense. But I truly feel like running and jumping and singing, and laughing and have never been as happy as I am now! The key to missionary work is revelation. The key to revelation is submission. and the key to submission is humbleness and obedience. I know without a doubt that I cannot do this work alone, I need the Lord's guidance and direction through the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I have realized that right now, we are to focus what we teach on the Atonement and the Temple. We are setting hard core visions, goals, and plans for our companionship, our ward, and everyone we teach. We are committing everyone we talk to- members included- to do something and then following up. We are studying harder, learning more, and applying training we receive better than we have before! All because we had one crappy week and decided to ask heavenly father how to make it better. I know the Lord knows how to do His work, and I have every intention of helping Him do it. 

And the icing on the cake was going to the temple this morning. 

I love you! I love the Lord. I love the temple. I love love love this work.

Tue 9/02/ 14 Email!

Sent:	Tue 9/02/14 2:37 PM

Man oh man, I have no idea why I am back here in Hesperia Santa Fe Ward. But I know I am supposed to be here. 

We got a new investigator this week! His name is Brother Forget. His wife is a Less-Active and she is now coming back to church! It was awesome. We taught him, put him on date to be baptized, and they came to church all in one week! Way cool.

The work here in Hesperia is different and slower than in Apple Valley. My Zone in Apple Valley was the highest baptizing zone in the mission.... so it's been quite the shocker coming back here and not seeing the same. But every area is capable of miracles and wonderful things. And I know there is good things to come here! Good missionaries are obedient. Good missionaries see good things happen. But miracles happen when we work with the ward, to find teach and baptize. Great missionaries, wonderful missionaries are those who work with members. So don't any of you ever think that it is okay to sit back and relax.. the work is hastening and now is the time for members and missionaries to unite together to gather the lost. 

Sister Martinez and I have similar ways we work as missionaries, so we get along well! She helps me with my Spanish and I help her with her English! It was so funny to see her freak out as I spoke Spanish to her. She thinks I am really good, but in reality, everyone from Arizona can speak a little if they try. hahahahah It's cool to see how much I have remembered from High School Spanish though.

So Elder Nelson. Yes I got to shake his hand

One of the things he said that blew my mind: One of the missionaries raised his hand and asked the question, "So Peter went through a huge and amazing transformation, he went from denying Christ three times to leading the church with diligence and obedience. How can we have the same transformation as missionaries?" Elder Nelson responded: "Peter was being obedient. Christ commanded him to deny him three thrice...." there was a pause as we all gasped. Then he said "Peter had already been transformed. If you want to be the same, you be obedient." and then he asked for the next question. DUDE WHAT THE #MINDBLOWN

He was finishing up his remarks when he said "Wait, I cannot leave here until you know who you are." Then he turned around to one of the Stake Presidents sitting on the stand and said in a very very intense voice "Your youth do not know who they are." IT WAS INSANE. Then he turned back to us missionaries and talked about the gathering of the lost and how we are destined to help prepare the earth for the return of the Savior. It was magnificent. It was the answer to my prayer. I quite often kneel in prayer and ask Heavenly Father who I am. Not because I am lost, or searching, or feeling like I am worth nothing. But because I know my purpose is greater than what I see for myself. All of God's children have a purpose that is greater that what they see for themselves! We are children of God, we are part of the Abrahamic Covenant, and we are disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Elder Nelson also said that there is more to the restoration that hasn't happened yet. boom. mind blown again. 

The apostolic blessing he left upon us was the sweetest part! He blessed us to be able to feast upon the scriptures and apply the messages, he blessed us to have health and strenght, as well as our families, he blessed us with healing, and healing for our families, he blessed us to be missionaries in our families as well. He also blessed us to become all that the Savior wanted to make of us. 

Awesome stuff. I wish you could have been there!

I love you! I love this work.

Love sister Johnson