The Prepared

June 3, 2013

Hey there,

 

Soo good to hear from you... that is cool Jake and Doug were at the house!  Sounds like it was a busy busy week.  Dad, good luck on your surgery today... love you.

It has been a changed week!  Guess who our new roomie is?  Sister Lauren Nance :)  She is sister Esplin's new companion.  She is so sweet.  I am still with Sister Joseph because I am still in training... but I might be her last companion as well because she goes home next transfer.

Elder Prince and Sister Goodman went home this week... I am so sad Sister Goodman went home (in pic with me last week I think).  She is one of the most sincere and sweet people.  Mom, Elder Prince said he was going to write you to tell you I am doing well. ha.

 

Oh and Kory... I met a couple boys on tour who are going to your same mission!  Elder Lyman... he leaves in August and I don't remember the other one.  I'll try and remember.

I also have allergies... I sneeze like 100 times a day and they said this state is known for allergies.  Weird!  Never had it before.

 

The summer at Kirtland is sooooo busy.  They have bus tours coming in all the time.  We had one bus tour in Kirtland with about 100 plus people (another one coming up with about 400).   Then when we went to the Johnson home the next day, we had the same tour again!  It was one of the best tours I have taken thus far.  There was one kid who kept taking my picture... and showing everyone pictures of me and then when I saw him again the next day, he grabbed his camera took more pictures. It was a little creepy...

But the tour was amazing.  We sat in the School of the Prophets and one of the leaders with them was just released as a mission president.  I told them that when I first came on my mission, our mission president had us pray and really reflect while in this sacred, sacred room.  I asked them to do the same... so they all sat and prayed... the spirit was so strong and then the mission president bore testimony.  Words can't describe how powerful it was...

 

This week we also mucked horse stalls.  By the time we were done... it was like we jumped in a pool from the humidity.  I was so sweaty and nasty.  I wish we were allowed to wear capris or shorts or something!  Jeans and boots were hot, but it was pretty fun :)  I wish I could have rode the horses.

 

We also had a lot, a lot of miracles this week. It was amazing... I can't wait to tell you :)

So first, a couple weeks ago, we ran into a lady named Sharon on our bikes.  We hadn't been able to teach her, but we finally went again and were able to set up an appointment.  We had handed her a Restoration pamphlet and asked her to read it (which usually we don't... my lack of faith).  Well, we sit down in her home and she says... "oh, I read your pamphlet!" So we didn't even have to ask, which was so great.  Then we start going over the pamphlet with her, we get to Joseph Smith and I start reading the "First Vision".  After I read it, she said, can I tell you a story?  And she told us how she has felt the spirit prompt her before, just like Joseph Smith.  She said she has been searching for something like this her whole life... and she really thinks that the message we are sharing with her is IT.  Woah.  First of all... we did nothing.  The spirit was there and she is so dang prepared!  I wish I could tell you the whole story...but she gave us a hug and kiss on the cheek when we left and man... I have never met someone so prepared.

 

We also went to church yesterday and Brother Edwards came and grabbed us and said, there is a non-member here!  So we of course ran to greet him.  He came and sat next to us and the whole time during sacrament meeting... I was explaining what was going on.  He told me a little bit of his story and how he started talking to someone online who was LDS and they gave him the address to a building in Ohio.  During sacrament he said, "Sister Johnson, look- I am even prepared!  He showed me how he downloaded the Book of Mormon and all the scriptures.... I was like Serious??? haha and I asked him if he had a chance to read it.  He said, oh ya I just finished the whole thing.  He said "It was great. People always says The Book of Mormon contradicts the bible, but really it just supports it and for Mormon's not believing in Christ, you sure talk about Christ a lot." haha  Can you talk about another prepared person?  He took everything in and said how much he loves our service and he knows God sent him here to learn more of this truthful message.

 

I was thinking a lot this week about how a mission is preparing me for so many things... to be a wife and a mom for sure. I never really believed it when people said that :)  But it is so true... you learn how to really listen and discern needs, how to serve, how to compromise,  how to put on a happy face no matter how tired you are, to accomplish a lot, set goals, be loving and sincere, learn to love others for who they are, and be with someone 24/7, you learn how to rely on the Lord, how to pray more consistently, and of course, gain a stronger relationship with my Heavenly Father and really learn more about the Gospel.

 

Just like the prepared people I met this week... there are so many more people being prepared.  They are being prepared to hear the gospel through US.  Through YOU.  They are going through spiritual experiences (just like Sharon) and realizing that they need something more.  We are all being prepared for something in our lives.  Like just being prepared for an experience or a trial that you will or are having in your life.  Heavenly Father prepares us for everything. Most importantly, we are being prepared to return to live with Him again.

 

Thanks for all you do... I love you very much.  Be strong.  Be happy.  Be Pure.  Be safe.

 

Love always,

 

Sister Johnson

 

"I've learned that people will forget what you said...people will forget what you did...but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

 

"Better to do something imperfectly...than to do nothing flawlessly." - Robert Schuller