Letters from Sister Tiffany Johnson October 21, 2013

From: Tiffany Johnson <tiffanyj@myldsmail.net>

Subject: Re: WE love you! Happy almost Birthday!

Date: October 21, 2013 12:14:13 PM PDT

To: Scott Johnson <Scott4599@sbcglobal.net>

OK so a little about facebook. We can get on everyday but Mondays and we can use it for up to an hour during slow proselyting times. We add all the members in our ward and those in our area that we are teaching or want to be teaching. We can also add people from outside our area if we know them and its for missionary purposes only. We also have two options. We can use our old facebooks (and clean them up to make sure they are missionary appropriate but you get to keep all your old friends) Or we can start a new one. I decided to start a new one because I didn't know how to hide everything and it would take forever because you cant have any past pictures or post showing from before your mission.  But my mission president said that I can basically add anyone I want if I feel its appropriate and is only for missionary work.
  

How we use it. We try and post videos or scriptures or quotes that are uplifting. Than we can have private messages with people. So we can teach an entire lesson online if we can't get to them. We can also skype lesson if we have the technology. We than can also use it as a form of daily contact with those we are teaching. It is also use d to confirm and schedule appointments. 

We are a testing mission, so if they like the reports we give and fill it really is beneficial they may open it as a tool every mission are can use. But I believe there is only 8missions that are approved to be on facebook and we are one of them.
 

But don't worry we are really monitored. We are not allowed to post anything without our companions reading everything. And our leaders will do random checks as well were they will log in as us and make sure all of our public and private conversations are appropriate.

 I hope that answered your questions. If you or the elders have any other questions just let me know. You can look at my facebook if you want (SisterTiffany Johnson) but there isn't anything really on it yet I am still setting it up.So feel free to send me names of people you think will be interested but try and make sure they are people I know. 

             LOVE YA

On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 12:03 PM, Tiffany Johnson <tiffanyj@myldsmail.net> wrote:

HELLO EVERYONE!

    This week went by so fast. I had my first exchange and that was a lot of fun, to live for one day in a different area with a different companion. I went to Colusa for the day. We decided to visit a woman named Jackie. Neither of us had met her but we read the teaching record on her and thought that she had rejected the teaching because she didn't believe in prophets. But I thought well lets go see her anyways. So we walked to her home and luckily she was there and willing to listen to us. I then asked her a few questions like why did she stop taking the lessons and why she believed there couldn't be a prophet today. It turns out that the reason she doesn't believe in these things is because she didn't know anything about prophets (She didn't say that but you could tell by her answers) She also thought that if there was prophets than God couldn't personally speak to us. So I quickly jumped in and taught her on our beliefs, that we can receive personal revelation and that prophets receive revelation for everyone. They are there to help us and guide us in the way we are supposed to be living. She really liked that and said she would like to learn more about this. We than helped her see in her life when she has received personal revelation. She really knew by the end that those were times that she did feel the spirit and was being guided or counseled by her Father in Heaven.  She scheduled a time to meet with us again. It's too bad I probably wont see her again but I will be checking up on her and will keep you guys posted if there is any more progress with her. I think it is so important that we really don't assume people know things. I know if we went into that lesson assuming she knew all the lessons we would not have had any success. This is why asking questions is so important. We need to ask questions to know the areas they need help in. IF we don't ask questions you will just be teaching a lesson NOT a person.

     Marty has been doing great, he is still on track for being baptized this Saturday (oct. 26) at 1:00pm. Sunday was his interview with President Paulson. It was so amazing to hear him explain his conversion story. He said that he had heard the lessons for the last two years and then when he heard us teach it, it just made sense. He explained he just liked the way he felt about what we said and knew that he was supposed to be baptized. I am so honored to be a messenger for God. I know that we were just teaching by the spirit and that he too was spiritually prepared. It wasn't because we were better teachers than the Elders in the past. I am so excited to see Marty get a fresh start at life. He is already starting to be a missionary. He is really good friends with Brian Skousen (He is the cousin to the Barth's) who is not active. Marty invited him to his baptism and he agreed to come and even said that he too should start coming back to church. So we are going to start teaching Brian. His mom (who you drop my stuff off with) is so excited.

    We are also preparing a sweet 15 year old for baptism. Her name is Brooke and she is so amazing. She is involved in so many school activities that it makes it hard to meet with her. But she has committed to baptism and reads the Book of Mormon every night. She said she gets a "weird" feeling when she reads it. I said "O really, lets talk about that". I know that she is feeling the spirit and to already hear that she misses church because she wasn't able to go was so sweet.  I know that the Lord has been preparing her to meet us. We are also hoping that we can start meeting with her parents. (They are not members but are literally never home. So that should also be challenging) But her grandpa (who is a member) already says that we are family and her calls us his "sweet girls" or his "little angels". I love this family they are just so nice to everyone.

     ALRIGHT here are my funny stories from this week!

First: When I was in Colusa on my exchange an older Easter Indian man (older than 50) waved to us as he passed us on his bike. I thought what a nice man. However, he then stopped his bike and waited till we got to him. When we approached him he started saying "you marry, you marry". I was really confused and thought he was saying that we were lesbians or something. So I started to explain who we were and that we were not married. But than he went on to say "no, no I need a wife. You Sister Johnson, marry me. I take care of you on my steady social security income. See I have clean eyes and can shave my face to look younger for you." He went on to explain how beautiful I was and that my companion was pretty but his eyes preferred me. It was pretty awkward. He than grabbed by hand and said he could kiss me right now. I yanked my hand away and said "Sorry we are missionaries and that's against the rules. I need to go serve the Lord now, BYE." and we walked away. He yelled out his address and said come by my house  "I'll buy you a ring". We than started power walking away as fast as we could. When we were far away from him my companion and I just looked at each other and started laughing. It is now the joke between all the sister missionaries in this area now. 
  

Second: Well I have never had much sea food experiences in my life. I never eat it but I promised myself that if I was served it I would eat it. So Wednesday night I was served Shrimp Pasta. I have never eaten this before and didn't know I was in for a surprise. The man who lived in the home, Oscar, wanted to spoil me so he scooped up my plate and made sure to pick out a bunch of shrimp for me.  I thought to myself "OOO lucky me." As I looked down at my plate I thought hum... they have that nasty tail on them but its in pasta, so am I supposed to just eat it, RIGHT? I didn't know what to do so I just took a deep breath and ate one. As a began to chew I realized, yep its super hard and disgusting. So I swallowed it whole.  I than looked at my plate and thought man how the heck am I going to swallow all of these shrimps whole. So I just put another one in my mouth and prepared myself to swallow, when I noticed everyone else had there tails on there plates. They weren't eating them!!!! SO I used my napkin and spit the tail in it. I than went through and cut off the tails like everyone else was doing. Let me tell you it taste a lot better this way. I just laughed at myself and tried to pretend I always knew that. Later that night I told my companion what had happened and she just laughed and said I didn't even know it was possible to eat the tail. SO lesson learned DO NOT eat the tail on the SHRIMP its hard and nasty.
 

Anyways, I just want all of you to know that I love this gospel. I have seen how it has blessed so many families and how it has blessed my own life. And if I have to eat a Shrimp tail to help someone else learn about this gospel, that is something that I am willing to do.

                                  LOVE Always,

                                            Sister Johnson

P.S. I just found out my companion grew up with Jacen Stout. She lived in Oakdale until she was 8 and I guess her mom is really good friends with Aunt Nancy's sister Judy Howes (? I am not sure on her name) But let them know that Sister Caitlyn Powell and her mom say Hello to the STOUT family. Small world.

On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 11:03 PM, Scott Johnson <Scott4599@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Hi Sister TIPPY,

Happy birthday to you-happy birthday to you-happy birthday dear tippy, happy birthday to you:)  Enjoy your bike and stuff.  Sorry--your birthday box is still getting together.  I have a box of stuff we have been gathering for you.  We drove through Roseville yesterday, but we could only talk about you:)  I didn't have the box complete so It is coming but not today.  Your sisters sent you a box.  Not sure if they sent it to your house or the mission home.  I keep forgetting to ask.  If nothing else, know that we love you and pray daily for you.  Dad and I went to the Reno Temple on Saturday and we put your name on the temple rolls.  They always pray for the missionaries, but I want to make sure you get extra prayers.  We got your letter to the Falkes.  Ashley spent the night there while we had our short get away.  It was a belated anniversary trip.  We couldn't get away for our actual date so we made it an extra long event:)

Our Elders want to know more about this Facebook missionary work such as when do you get to do it etc.  If you have a minute, let us know a little about this.

We love you and pray always for your protection and guidance.  Stay close to the spirit.  We love your letters, they are awesome.  Keep it up.

Love always!
MOM


Hey Sister Johnson,
        Happy almost birthday!  I hope that you will have a good birthday and that you find lots of wonderful experiences to tell me.  This past week was really crazy because friday was the end of the quarter and all of my teachers wanted to assign something.  Any way I survived, and it is weird to think that my senior is a fourth of the way over.  Friday I missed school because I had a lot of appointments.  I went to the DMV( I finally took the permit test), got a lot of blood work done( very close to passing out) and went to the chiropractor.
        This morning I had my first BYC.  It went fairly well, but it helped me realized  that I have some work to do as Laurels president.  On wednesday we have the third annual youth scavenger hunt.  It is really fun and hopefully all go well.  I am in charge of refreshments and I plan to get doughnuts.
        Well I have to go now, I love you! Have a wonderful week.
Love, Ashley

Hello,
        Happy birthday!!  I am glad you like the bike.  I like the features and I put an extra liner in the tires so you don't get flats.  Don't forget to lock it.  If it is outside and you are not next to it, then it needs to be locked to something.  Don't be tempted in thinking that is safe just because it is next to some members door.  One of our elders got is bike stolen when his bike was locked.
        Thanks for the nice letters, we enjoy reading them and see you growing in testimony and faith.  The mission is hard work, but when it is all over, you will always be grateful that you served.  I still think it is one of the most important things I ever did.  Ashley scored a goal in her last game.  She only has two more games and her water Polo career will be over.  It has been fun to watch, but it will be nice when it is all over.  We spend a lot of time on Water Polo, she has played over 30 games this year.
        This week is the ward Halloween activity and I get to drive.  Hopefully, I get a nice group of Kids.
We had the Elders over for dinner tonight.  They seem like nice Elders and they left a message when they were done.  If you do have dinner with the members, don't waste time and always remember that you are a representative of the Lord.
        We love you and our proud of your efforts to be a good missionary.  Keep up the good work.  Love, DAD