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

7/28/14 This is a sweet one!!

This weeeeeek wassssss awesommmmmme. 

It really was. 

ISAIAH AND SARAH!!! Okay so Isaiah is an investigator we have been teaching for a while. He came to church last week for the first time and brought his girlfriend. Then this week we started teaching her too, and now they are both getting baptized!! They have to get married first, but that is okay, the Lord will provide a way. They are loving life and the gospel. On Thursday, one of our ward missionaries, Sister Smith, invited us, Isaiah and Sarah, and Brother and Sister Leon over for lunch. SHE WENT ALL OUT. She made bbq brisket, ham, carrots, cole slaw, and three different desserts. THAT WOMAN CAN COOK. She is my favorite sassy lady from NY. Anways. Isaiah and Sarah and the Leons became fast friends. (The Leon's have been members for 11 months.) The morning of the breakfast Isaiah called us and said "Sarah and I have been reading out of the Book of Mormon and praying every day..... and I know it's true." DUDE BOOOM RIGHT THERE THAT IS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING TO HEAR AS A MISSIONARY. now we just need prayers that they will be able to raise the money to get married. 

The Leons brought Isaiah and Sarah to our Stake Pioneer Day Hoedown and they had a blast there too! They are loving life and so much happier now. It's been a miracle to witness. I have a picture with them that I will attach. 

We also had interviews with our mission president, President Hobbs this week ( we have those every few months or so, so he can check up on us and see that we are being good missionaries). It was wonderful to sit and talk with a man who is so close to God, and also who can offer insight and spiritual upliftment for our young hearts. I felt rejuvenated afterwards and ready to tackle the world!

Two of the recent converts in our ward were in the hospital this week! AHHH everyone is getting sick and hurt and having surgery. It's amazing how much junk people have to go through, but in the process I see them coming unto Christ and seeking perfection through Him. His grace is sufficient! 

Lets be real, a million other good and wonderful things happened this week that I cannot remember nor do I have time to write down. This week was busyyyyyyyyyy hahahaha

Last night, we were walking (because it was about to be storming and so it felt wonderful outside) and this lady stopped in her car and was like "Are you missionaries?" and we told her yes and she asked if we were mormon and she was so excited because she had never seen Girl missionaries from the Mormon church! She wasn't interested in learning more, but we gave her a card and she was on her way. It was still really cool to be able to be recognized right away as Mormon missionaries! GIRL POWER! Random experience for you. Who knows why I chose to share that out of everything else that has happened. hahahaha 

Also yesterday, Sister Nash and I gave the lesson in Young Woman's about going on a mission. It was awesome, and the girls had wonderful questions! The generation under me has some great faith

This week I was reading a talk fro General Conference called "What Manner of Men?" by Elder Hallstrom. Also, I was thinking about some wise words that my dear sister, Lexi, shared with me..... In it he said "Once any of us conclude--'that's just the way I am'--we give up our ability to change."

This got me thinking.. and I gathered that the same goes for what we say about others. When we say, 'that's just the way they are', we are giving up our ability to help others change and ultimately we stop viewing them as a Child of God-- but instead a Child of Man, dammed, unable to progress, unable to use the Atonement, unable to become like our Savior Jesus Christ. We are synonomously saying 'The Atonement wasn't for them--therefore they are unable to change.' How dare we ever say that? How dare we ever handicap others with our words? Elder Hallstrom also says in this same talk, We should have "confidence that His Atonement gives everyone of us--no matter our weaknesses, our frailties, our addictions--the ability to change." 

In the words of my favorite cheesy EFY song, "You can change. You can turn your heart around! A brand new heart can be found, if you only take on step! You can change, wrap your mistakes in a cocoon and let them die. And emerge a butterfly, you can change!" Anyways, that song always gets stuck in my head and one time I broke out in song in a lesson singin it. But I won't share that with you because you will all think I am too cheesy. 

Peace and Blessings!!!

Sister Johnson

 

Brother and Sister Leon took this picture of us at the Stake Pioneer Day Hoedown and then posted it on Facebook right away. hahahaha they told us to walk toward them and act "natural".. so naturally I  put my arms out and made jazz hands.

7/21/14 Pictures

the LOVELY PACKAGE I GOT THIS MORNINGGGGGGGGG

post water balloon fight.... 

 #SOCAL

Us, Sister Moffett (the member we live with) and our Huge Zucchini that our neighbor gave us. 

 my zucchini baby, named Albert

7/21/14 Email Update. ITS A GOOD ONE!

This morning, when we were leaving for the library, Sister Nash opened up the door and was like "look your package came!" and I said "I didn't order anything!!!" 

Hahahaha but to my lovely surprise-- I had a package from mom!!! AND it made my day. The lovely Trader Joe's goodies were just what Sister Nash and I need. We opened up the melted-then-re-hardened bag of yogurt pretzels and chiseled away at it. SO GOOD. and perfect. I love those dried cherries BTW. UNSULFERED AND UNSWEETENED. hallelujah! 

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RED NECK WHENNNNNNN.... you fill pot holes with horse manure. Yes. #onlyinAppleValley. We were headed to meet a new part member family in the ward, headed down one of our usual crappy roads, and yes, there was manure filling up the holes. I'm not sure what different it made, but I guess it was cheaper than asphalt...

Also, another random funny story... A few nights ago, lovely Sister Nash randomly woke up in the middle of the night (2:30am to be exact) and turned on the light in the room. I twitched, rolled over and glared at her-- after which she realized what she had done and turned it off and went right back to sleep. It was hilarious. And she has no explanation for her random need to turn on the light. 

Our investigator Sabrina! She hasn't been able to meet with us for a while. I'm actually not sure if I have told you about her before... There's too many people to talk about them all. But anywayyssss. She doesn't have a religious background, so teaching her is wonderful because she is thirsting for knowledge. But teaching her is also hard because she is so skeptical about everything and has never recognized the spirit before. Anywayyyyyysssss. SHE PRAYEDDDDDD. This is a woman that isn't really sure if there is a God. She prayed right before our eyes and it was a glorious thing. Angels rejoiced and I almost cried. I can promise you that God is indeed real, He does listen to and answer our prayers, and He does desire for us to be happy. God is the author of our destiny. But the choices we make plays an ever-important role in the outcome of that destiny. 

Audrey-- the lady who's lawn we mowed-- has been really busy. So we haven't gotten in the door again. But we will! prayers for her please!

OHHHH YEAH! And we were able to re-establish contact with our investigator Isaiah!!!!!!!! We haven't been sure if he has been avoiding us or busy or what... but as it turned out.. his phone had gotten turned off. hahahaha so he really wasn't avoiding us. WELLLLL him and his girlfriend Sarah came to the ward picnic and then to church on Sunday! They were happy and had a good time. We have more appointments with them this week and Isaiah is on baptismal date, and Sarah we hope to begin teaching soon!!! 

Which brings me to the story of the ward partyyyy..... Sister Nash and I are really good, sweet, obedient little missionaries and everyone sees us as that... So we decided to be a little crazy and we brought a trash can full of water balloons to the ward picnic... Some other kids there had the same idea and brought coolers full of water, and when they started throwing that at each other, Sis Nash and I ran to our car and brought out ours and joined the fight. Don't worry. We let them have most of the fun.... but then the kids ganged up on us and started chasing us with coolers full of water. So I did the logical thing and hid amongst the old people, so I would not get dumped on. But Sister Nash ran like the champion that she is.. and was chased until the boys caught up with her. Anywayyyssss... so this guys named Brother Poulson was so kind, and helped us dump all the ice water from the water bottle cooler into our bucket... then we sneaked up to the boys that were trying to get us wet, and dumped the ice water on them..... No shame. We are 12% positive that there is nothing against any of that in the white handbook. But that was my 30 seconds of rebellion for my mission. 

AT CHURCH THIS WEEEEEEEEK. Okay so our usual Less actives were there. Sister Mays, Sister Kirchner, Ashley! BUT THENNNN Sister Bartok came! She is the sassy Italian lady from Chile. And Isaiah and his girlfriend came. ANDDDD our recent convert Sam, brought her littler sister to church. ANNNDDDD Sister Kammeyer came again. ANNNDDD Roxy (our other recent convert) has been bringing her boyfriend to church and he has been less active for sometime. SO MANY PEOPLE WERE AT CHURCH AND IT WAS FANTASTICCCCC. 

Ashley is just loving life and enjoying being active. She followed us around at the picnic and took pictures of us with everyone, but wouldn't let us take a picture with her. BUT ONE DAY WE WILLLLL..

I read this article by Elder Ballard called "Do Things That Make a Difference". ITS WAY LONG BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ IT. Especially YSA age people. It is from the June Ensign in 1983, but is from an address he gave in 1981. everyone read it and email me your thoughts about it. It's where I got the quote "Be creators of circumstances and not creatures of them."

He talks about controlling our life, our thoughts, our actions, and utilizing self-discipline to do so. It pretty much changed my life and made me want to be a better person, more effective missionary, etc. He says, "I believe that when we have the proper attitude, when we learn to reach our goals, then when we apply the ingredient or self-discipline, there is not much that any one of us in this audience tonight could not accomplish, if we are willing to pay the price." If we want to be in the midst of good circumstances, we must use self-discipline as well as the atonement of Jesus Christ- both which will enable us to over come all things and successfully move forward in life.. living the life we want to live. We must grasp not only our future, but also our present, firmly and press forward with faith.. otherwise someone else will come from behind and snatch it from us. There is a price to pay for success in life... but no price is greater than that which was paid by our Savior Jesus Christ. We must make sacrifices is we are to get along. 

all in all.. this was a pretty favorite week. 

I hope it was favorite for you all as well. 

PEACE AND BLESSINGGGGSSSSSS

Sister Johnson

Oh. quote of the week--- by a littler girl in our ward. 

Her- "Do you have lots of freckles?" 

Me- "Not a lot, but I do have a big birthmark on my nose!"

Her- "Oh... well then what are those bumps on your face?"

Me- "ZITS!! And one day when you are a teenager, you will have them too" 

Oh how she boosted my confidence that day. 

7/14/14 Pictures

 Check out their fly pinewood derby car!