Surround Ourselves With the Good

Hey there! 

THANK YOU FOR THE GPS!  I got it when i was at sites the day of transfers.  Thank you!  We haven't gotten lost once!

Whaa? Kory, kory.... glad he's doing okay. :/

Wow, this week was so crazy.  We had transfers, sites, meetings, and a lot of planning and then just taking over the area and training.  I've had a lot of headaches this week haha it's been crazy, but so great.  I don't know how I am so happy all the time when being so exhausted. :)

My companion, Sister Coontz is cute.  I give Kory permission to marry her. haha  She is 19 and from Saratoga Springs, Utah.  But she was born in California and lived in Arkansas and Texas and most recently Utah.  She is very sweet and wow she is so on top of her life.  She is catching onto everything so well.  It's funny seeing her and how she is getting used to the mission, especially being tired all the time and waking up in the morning.   Her head has been bobbing up and down in a few meetings including one right in front of President Vellinga.  I was laughing.  She is great. haha

We saw Lisa and Jim three times last week. We had a lesson on the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity and the temple.  Right after we had our Word of Wisdom lesson, we went back over and he was slurring his words.  He had definitely been drinking.  I said, "Jim! How's the Word of Wisdom going?" haha  He said he didn't want to do it... the last night that we were talking about the temple, there was a different look in his eyes.  He so so so bad wants to make it there one day.  He said he will do everything he can and try his hardest. (He just needs to get on meds, hopefully soon that will help)  Lisa is trying too. We promised them that they would be able to overcome it.  The following day was Sunday and they promised that they would make it to church.  Jim looks up to the guy members who come teaching with us so much.  He keeps say, "I can't wait to go to the Priesthood class!"  We saved them a seat and they didn't come :/  We called and he said he drank too much and didn't want to drink and drive.  We were very very sad... they could tell.  We told them how important it was to go to church if they want to progress.  It will take some time, but that is okay.  I know they can do it.

We also have been seeing Michael more.  He is doing well... he is just so intellectual.  He said he still has not gotten an answer YET, but he said he will be baptized once he does get an answer.  So the three of them are the ones who have baptismal dates in September. 

Then we are meeting with our other investigators Nora, the Stamm's and starting to meet with some more this week!  We have Brandon, Dusty, Barbara, Kimberly, and Carol.  Hopefully they will all be progressing investigators soon!  Some of them have come to church on their own!   We are also working with a lot of less-actives still.  More than half of the ward is in-active.  It is hard to see.  They all seem to say the same thing, "the know it's true, but it's hard getting up and going to church." 

Haha Nick Jeffrey showed me his big tool room this week.  He has collected tools for over 40 years and when we got there he said, "Sister JOHNSON!  Come over here!  Quick! "  He had me sit in the front seat in his bright yellow car. (it looks like Bumblebee on Transformers)  Then he leaned over and pressed play on the stereo... the Beach Boys were playing. haha he said,  "Do you feel at home?  Do you feel like your in California surfing those waves?" haha  He is the best.  I was definitely nervous the whole time, feeling like I was breaking the rules listening to the Beach Boys, but he was too excited to show me!  He's awesome.  He also came up to Kirtland this week so we could take him out on site and he is just received the Priesthood and is preparing for the temple!  Ahhh  I love it :)

One of our investigators, Nora was reading a lot of things online about Mormons.  We talked about that last night and how we should stick to the good sources :)  It reminded me of something that I read this week in the Ensign.  There was this girl and she was in the check-out line at the store.  She was a single mom and not very wealthy.  There was a man checking out in front of her and he ended up running short and not having enough money.  The cashier seemed annoyed and said, "Sir, you don't have enough".  The other people in line were annoyed, frustrated and rolling their eyes.  She had remembered that she had an extra 10 dollars and that was how much he needed.  So she pulled out the money and handed it to him.  The other people in line were shocked that she would do such a thing.  When he left she had learned that he had done that more times than once.  She went to the car and was really pondering that and began to sob.  Not because she had given him the money, but because she had remembered our Savior.

We fall short ALL the time.  We make mistakes and He doesn't throw His hands up in the air and say, "really, again??"  He comes to our rescue and will be there when we need Him. 

Then I was thinking about the influences that were around her.  Would I have still given him the money after the people around me had been influencing otherwise.  We live in a world where there are so many influences around us.  Good and bad.  It is OUR job to make sure that we are surrounded by good influences.  It may be hard for us to be the bigger person, to do what is right sometimes, but the cool thing is that when we come unto Him, no matter how hard it may be, He will make out weaknesses our strengths.  The more we turn to our Savior, the STRONGER we will be and He will help us.  He is not our last chance, but the ONLY way and our only chance.  

One more thought Kory told me one time.  He said that there was a humming bird that got stuck in the Turner's garage.  He said that it kept hitting the side walls and couldn't find the way out, even though the garage door was wide open and by the time the Turner's got home, the beak was bloody and the Humming bird was dying.  They got a broom and guided it out of the garage door.  Kory said to think of the Humming bird as us.  The walls around us are the sins, the broom is our Savior's hand and the garage door is the Atonement.  The garage door is always open.  We are always able to access the Atonement and the Savior will always be there to help us, even when we think there is no way out.  He will be there. 

There are a lot of influences out there.  There are a lot of times that we fall, but when you remember the Savior then no one will be able to influence you.  Know who the enemy is.  Remember that we are on the winning team.  That is so comforting to know.  I know that the Atonement is real.  I have seen it work in my life.  I know that it is easy to be influenced down the wrong path, but through the Savior, we can always come back.  I know He is also on the sideline cheering us on.  I have learned that so strongly this last week.  Always remember to surround ourselves with the good and turn to the Savior constantly. 

Have the best week.

xoxo

Love always, 

Sister Johnson

“Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object we’re waiting for.”  Charles Stanley (Isaiah 64:4)

Kelsi is a trainer!  The sister to her left is her new companion, Sister Coontz, to her right is her trainer, Sister Joseph that just went home last week. 

Kelsi with her former MTC companions, Sister Clark and Sister Smith, at the Visitor Center.

Kelsi with her companion Sister Spong.  They were only together for one transfer.