I mastered saying it Tuesday, when Thursday rolled around I still had
not used my phrase and thought yep I guess I just learned this for fun. I was on
exchanges now and an appointment we had fell through. So we went tracking
through the trailer park. After the third trailer we came up to a trailer that
had a little 3 year old Hispanic girl outside of it playing in the dirt. I
called out to her by saying " Hi" she didn't respond so I tried again "Hi, how
are you?" She didn't even move or look at me. It was really odd. But than I felt
the feeling to speak Spanish to her. Feeling a little sheepish I called out
"Hola, Como estas?" She looked up and said "Bien Gracias" I than felt like I
should say my new learned phrase. "Soy una missionara de la iglesia de
Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias". The girl smiled and I felt like I
should than ask "Hablo English?" She smiled again and said "Si". Speaking now in
English we asked her if we could talk to her mom. Excited she ran inside and
told her mom to come and talk to us. The mothers listened to us as we briefly
bore our testimonies of the restoration. She said she would like for us to come
back and teach her more. It felt amazing to be able to feel the spirit so strong
and be proud that I had followed the promptings I had received.
The hardest part though is we went for our return appointment with this
family and they didn't answer the door. When we had originally visited with her
we brought a young women from the ward with us. She was impressed by our
spiritual experience. She asked about the return appointment and was sad to hear
the out come. Looking at this young girl, I thought man this makes our spiritual
experience look bad because it doesn't seem to have the best outcome. However, I
was quickly reminded that that isn't true. This was a spiritual experience
because I was asked to do something and I did it. The lady we spoke to felt the
spirit and had her agency to choose for herself what she was to do. My companion
and I will be blessed for following the spirit even though it didn't turn out
the way we would have hoped. But I know we planted a seed in that young ladies
heart, we also showed our Father in Heaven that we are willing to follow what
ever promptings we receive. Now he knows he can trust us and give us more
spiritual promptings. I have learned to enjoy not knowing the why behind the
feelings I get. It motivates me to continue working hard and doing my best. The
work we do is unpredictable and because of that I know that it is Gods work. I
just get to be apart of it and for that I am so grateful.
Don't worry we plan on visit this lady again. I am a bit stubborn and
don't give up on people that easily.
In our area we have some pretty amazing people that we are teaching.
One is named Glenn. He is such a sweet man in his 60's. Sadly he was told by the
doctors that he only has about 1-6 months to live. He found out about the church
through a friend and has been investigating for about 5 months now. He loves
that families are forever since his daughter was killed while in high school.
Teaching him is always fun and the spirit is always present. However, before he
wouldn't commit to be baptized because he wants his wife to join. She refuses
and wants nothing to do with the church. So almost every week Glenn hobbles into
church by himself. He is such an example to me of the importance of coming to
church even though you don't feel good. This week while in a lesson with him I
felt the spirit prompt me to read a scripture with him. Mosiah 18:9-10 which
ask the question "What have you against being baptized in the name of the lord".
He looked at me and said "Start warming the water up" He committed to be
baptized but he is not ready to set a date yet because he want his wife to be
there and to support him. So please keep Glenn in your prayers that his wife
will allow us to come and talk to her so that she will commit to attend his
baptism.
On a extremely positive note we have a baptism on the 13th of April.
Maxine is getting baptized. She is so excited that while in Mexico she said I
didn't give her enough homework that she ended up reading the entire Gospel
Principles book. She is so cute and I just love spending time with her teaching
her about the gospel. She already wants a calling and is willing to do what ever
she can to serve the ward and follow the prophet. She was supposed to miss the
women's broadcast because she was in Mexico but she felt after our conversion
that it was important to be there so she ended her vacation early and forced her
husband to take her home. She is simply incredible and has such a strong
testimony of this gospel. I can't wait to see what is in store for her in the
future.
I love servicing in this area it literally reminds me of home. It is
filled with small town gossip and drama. Which honestly just makes me laugh.
Lately we have been having tornado warnings which is really freaking people out.
But none have touched down in our area just in local towns. Don't worry we are
safe.
Love Always
Sister Johnson
I forgot to
mention this exciting news. (If you remember Jon the guy I met and taught on the
plane this story is about him and an update on him)
I met this guy on
the plane on my way to California. He was big and super intimidating. I didn't
want to talk about the gospel with him for fear of public rejection and then I
was stuck on a small plane with him for a few hours. But my missionary purpose
kept flashing threw my head and I knew what I had to do. I had to open my mouth.
So we started by talking about teaching he used to teach. Than it progressed to
what I was doing on the plane. So I told him I was a missionary and what we do.
He than looked at me and said ok then what would you teach me. Completely
freaked out I prayed for the answer and I told him the plan of salvation. I
would talk to him about his purpose on this earth etc. He took a breath and said
well what made you say that. I was honest and said the spirit. He proceeded to
explain that he had major depression and was bipolar. He went on to say he had
plans on taking his life. He even went on to say how he was going to do it. I
luckily had to deal with that often in vantage point. So we began to talk openly
on how God has a plan for us and how we should not take that into our own hands.
He was impressed and said he will keep fighting for his daughters. He also told
me that the was going to stay and take care of his sick aunts for a few months.
She happens to be lds. So I talked to him about reading her the Book of Mormon
and what it was. He committed. I wanted to ask for his contact info when all of
a sudden he said sister I have had this paper out for about an hour so I could
get your contact information. I would like to hear about the work you are doing.
I was so touched. Every week for the last six months I have sent him my mass
emails along with every few weeks writing him a personal email. Such as teaching
him the restoration in an email. Since our meeting he has attended church a few
times and just last week wrote me saying three sister missionaries came to the
door and he let them in because he knew me. I knew that was my purpose not to
get him to baptism but to get him to finally be ready to accept the missionaries
into his home. I was and am so happy and can't wait to see what is ahead for
this man. His name is Jon.
So it really
means a lot to hear that you enjoy my letters because I really want them to be
spiritually uplifting for not just Jon but everyone who reads them. Thank
you.
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