Letter from Sister Tiffany Johnson, November 26, 2013

Hello Everyone,

     I am so happy to announce that Brooke Fowler was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this weekend. The spirit at her baptism was so strong. When she showed up she had a huge grin on her face and said that she was so happy. She brought her grandpa and mother (who is not a member) with her. They too were so happy for Brooke and excited for the baptism. I don't know how to fully explain the feelings I felt that evening and feel when I look or talk about Brooke. It is a love that is indescribable, I know that she is a daughter of God and she has such a sweet spirit that is so strong. Usually while the people are changing we will just play Mormon messages however in Brooke's Baptism we decided to teach the Restoration and introduce the Book of Mormon because her mom was there and hasn't shown interest in the past. As we began to teach her mom paid close attention. When Brooke walked back into the room we bore our testimony to her and promised her the blessing that will come to her if she keeps the covenants that she made that day. Her mom seemed to be touched by the spirit that evening. At the end we asked her Grandpa to say the prayer. He went up and started saying how he had fallen away from the church and the emotions he felt. He explained how sad he was to have lost something so special and how happy he is to see his granddaughter find it. While he was talking his daughter (Brooke's mom began crying) The spirit was so strong, I felt like there was a blanket wrapped around me. After the baptism Brooke came up to me a little sad and I asked what was wrong. She than responded "So now that I am baptized does that mean I wont see you guys anymore." I just laughed and told her how much I loved her and how we would still teach her and see her at church. Her mom surprised me by coming up and asking almost the exact same question. She was glad to hear that we will continue coming back and we set up a time for a return appointment. She than asked about how we are called and assigned to work in the different areas. I don't know if she will allow us to start teaching her but I know that the door has now been opened. 

    That Sunday Brooke received the gift of the holy ghost and was then welcomed into the ward. When I explained to her what it meant when everyone raised their hand she smiled and said I feel so loved. I then slipped her a sticker that I had in my bag which was a future missionary sticker. She looked at it smiled and put it on over her heart. Seeing her with this "badge" made me so happy, I believe that she would be an awesome missionary. 

     Tasha is another amazing young women we have been teaching (she is actually the first person I ever taught on my mission). However, this week we took her to a devotional by Elder Ellis of the seventy about the Book of Mormon. After wards she said that she loved it so much and she even took notes. She asked when we could come and teach her again. So we went to her home Saturday.  This time meeting with her was different from all the times before. She had the spirit with her and a sense of optimism. She than gave us the best compliment I have ever heard. She said "I want my daughter to grow up to be like you." I know that it's not me that is so special to her, but the light of Christ that shines through me. At the end of the lesson we committed her to be baptized on 12/21/13 this time she said "Yes, I have to and so do my girls." I know that she now sees the importance of our message and knows that this is truth. This morning, we went to Tasha's home to teach her before she and her family went on vacation. When we walked up to the door Tasha whips opens the door and says "Didn't you get my calls, I have been calling you" I thought she was mad or trying to cancel. So I said "no why what's wrong." She than looks at the clock and says "you are late I thought you guys were trying to cancel on me, so I was calling you because we really need this lesson before we leave." I than looked at the clock and realized we were only 3 minutes late but laughed because it's so cute how much she wants this now that waiting 3 minutes is to much for her. So she than has her daughters stop playing with there friends and we begin teaching the word of wisdom. During the entire lesson Tasha was drinking a cup of coffee. So we taught how are bodies are temples and how we need to respect them and not listen to the natural man. We than taught how we do this. When we read over the list of what we should not drink she made this funny guilty face and her daughters began to stare at her. I than asked her to explain how she was feeling. She than said "I am drinking coffee haha" and then put the cup down behind her.  We than asked her what if she would give up coffee she replied "I have too." Her daughter than said "mom hand me your cup we have to dump it out and the entire pot."  They also turned to there grandma who refuses to listen to us and said that she has to give coffee up too. These two girls knew that this sacrifice would really blesses their family. They each committed to live the word of wisdom and support each other as well. 
I loved seeing how excited and willing they were to do what God has asked them to do. They are a great family keep them in your prayers that they can continue preparing themselves for baptism and can make it to church.  

  Alright her is your full story for the week. I went on an exchange to Colusa this Wednesday. So that meant Sister Powell worked our area with Sister Stoddard.  A member in our ward who is from Columbian named Sister French and is kind of crazy drove past them while they were riding bikes. She noticed I wasn't there and automatically thought I was transferred so when she went to pick up Tasha for the devotional she told her that I no longer in the area. When they saw me at the devotional Sister French ran up to me sad saying "I can't believe you left and didn't even say good bye. You hurt my feelings" I than laughed and said no I was on an exchange and am still working in the area. She than gave me a huge hug and than Tasha came up and gave me a hug saying how much she loved me (she didn't hear that I was staying). So on Saturday when we showed up to teach Tasha she started saying "I can't believe your getting transferred, I love you so much and want to go with you." I than laughed and said "Sister French is silly I am not leaving" I went on to say how much I loved her and she started crying with relief that I was staying. It's silly that they started this little rumor that I left but so sweet to see that I am loved and will be missed.  

   I love the area I am serving in. I know that I am supposed to be hear. I am thankful for the ward and their support, for the people we are teaching and there willingness to listen. But most importantly I am thankful that I am a daughter of God and that I am able to go out and teach to truth to those around me. I am thankful that I am not doing this on my own am supported and guided by my Savior Jesus Christ. I love this gospel and I love my family and friends.

       Thank you for all you each do for me. I pray that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time that you get to spend together but don't for get to say a prayer that is just saying thank you to God for all that he has blessed you with. 

               LOVE Always, 

                    Sister Johnson

If anyone would like to contact me:

Email: tiffanyj@myldsmail.net

Address: 1355 Stabler Ln #6

               Yuba City, CA. 95993

Facebook: Sister Tiffany Johnson






How do you like my HELMET?

Letter from Sister Tiffany Johnson, November 19, 2013

Hello everyone,

I can't believe its been another week. There is always so much to do and never enough time to do it all. This week was a little hard because we are on bikes and its pretty cold with that my companion got sick this weekend, so we have been trying to keep up the work but try and help her feel better as well.

But here is the exciting news, my little 15 year old we have been teaching, Brooke, was unable to meet with us all week because she is so busy. We were worried about this because she is scheduled to be baptized this Saturday. She came to church with a big grin on her face, we talked to her about meeting with her parents after church. So that night we went to Brooke's home, we new we were going to have to be bold with her to make sure she was ready for baptism. When we got there we began talking to her mom who doesn't seem super interested but said Brooke can do what she wants. We than turned to Brooke and discussed the importance of Baptism and went through the baptismal questions. She answered all the questions correctly. Than we looked at her and said why do you want to be baptized? She said "Because it just feels right. I prayed about it and I know that this is what I am supposed to do." She gave a big smile and just hugged her legs. It was a tender moment and all my fears of her joining the church unprepared went away. She talked about how she would also like to start attending seminary and then I knew she was truly committed :D. So I am pleased to announce that Brooklyn Fowler will be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints on 11/23/13 at 6:00. (Her mom is going to go) I am so happy for her and amazed with how spiritually in tuned she is at such a young age. She is going to do great things in life, I just know it when I look at her. Now that she is going to be a member of the church my new goal for her is to possibly get her to start thinking about a mission.

Funny story from this week: Tuesday morning we went to the family history center to work on Facebook. While we were there the lady that works there began staring at my legs. She than started complaining about how awful they look. She than made her husband come over and look at my legs. He then bent down and touched my scab on my leg. Now that I was completely uncomfortable I decided to step back. They started saying how I need to go to the hospital right now and get on antibiotics and get my scab cut off. I tried calming them down saying it happened about 6 weeks ago and that I will call my mission nurse about it. We then went home for lunch and I called the mission nurse like I had promised. It had not even been 10minutes since I had talked to that couple was I receiving a call from my Zone leader. He was freaking out saying how am I going to get to the hospital and had I called president yet. I just started laughing and explained the scab and what had happened. He than started laughing saying that in the last 10 minutes he had received 2 phone calls from that lady saying that I needed to be rushed to the hospital and she was willing to give me a ride. He thought by the way she was talking that I had gotten really injured and was bleeding to death or something. After talking with him we thought that mess was over and that was the last we would hear about it. O how we were wrong. Later that night we called a random lady in our ward to see if she could go to a lesson with us. When she heard who was on the phone she began yell "o sister, how is your leg. I have been so worried about you. When the man told me my sister was injured I didn't know what to do or say." Haha I than explained to her that I was okay that I have a scab from an accident about 6 weeks ago. She calmed down and laughed about the situation. The next day we ran into a man in the church and than began saying are you the sister with the leg injury from soccer. I said "okay this is crazy it was from my bike and it was 6 weeks ago." Its now a big joke around the area now since it is just a scab about an inch big but the rumor of me getting injured made it sound like I had a massive gash. I love the people I am serving, they really are such caring and protective people. However, they are also a little dramatic and crazy. But I think that is one of the reasons I love them so much.

If had to learn something from this experience it would be, be careful with what you say, how you say it, and who you say it too. Things can easily been blown out of proportion.

In the last Zone meeting our leaders told us about Elder Ballard and what he said about our mission. In the next 6 months we are going to double our baptism numbers. Also out of all the missions we have the best teaching statistics meaning out 1 out of 15 investigators we teach get baptized. There were other thing mentioned that we are going to need to work on to make doubling numbers possible. But I know that I am going to do everything in my power to become that missionary. I know I am far from perfect and I have a lot to improve on. But if Elder Ballard believes that I am supposed to increase the numbers than I believe that I can too. I don't know how this is possible because we are already so busy but I know that with the lord all things are possible. This is his work, these are his people and I am his servant. I will go and do the things the lord commands of me.

I love each of you so much and am so grateful to have you in my life. I am truly blessed. Thank you for the love and support.

LOVE always,

Sister Johnson
These are the missionaries we share the area with. This was at the Punjabi parade

I carved the whale :D

Also this is the first time I have ever held a bird :D