Monday, March 10, 2014

The Holy Ghost is Vital to Our Salvation


Hey y'all,

How are you doing?   Hope all is well at home and I hope you are enjoying the weather.  Good news, it is warming up!  It has been in the thirties the last few days.   Much better than 0.   When I was on exchanges this last week with Sister Mertlich, it got up to 47!   Warmest day since October, but then it went right back down.   It was so weird, my body couldn't handle it... we went to a nursing home and I started to feel really warm and then slightly nauseous and then while we were talking to a lady, I leaned over to Sister Mertlich and told her I was going to throw up, so we ran out.   I'm not sure what happened there. Drastic weather changes!

Exchanges were really fun.   I learned a lot from her... she "could" be my new companion.   I am playing the transfer game.   She was in my singles ward when I lived in Ventana and we have all the same friends, we were not friends, but now we are!   I can't believe transfer breakfast is this next week.  While on exchanges we went to teach Cheyla and Dazia.   Their aunt kicked us out and told us they were busy... and while we were walking out, their neighbors door swung open and then closed.   So I knocked on it and this guy named Andrew opened the door.   His uncle was drunk.. they asked us where we were from and we told them.   Then, Christopher (his uncle) said, "you get the California one, I'll get Utah."   We were like... oh no... maybe this isn't good.  Andrew just laughed and then Lefia came.   She is so sweet.   She invited us in and told us she LOVES Motab.   We were able to give them all copies of the Book of Mormon and teach them.   They have been texting us.   They really want to come to church this next week and Andrew wants to bring his "girl".   He's engaged.   So all four will be coming to church and they are reading the Book of Mormon!   Not sure about Christopher... but the others are :)   It was really great.

Then, last night we went to see Vincent... he wasn't home, but his son opened the door.   His name is Chaz and we talked to him about how the message we share makes us happy.   He grabbed a piece of paper for us to write down our number.   He was pretty brief, so we didn't get his number :/   We were walking to the car and said, "do you think he will call?"   Well, right when we got home, he called!   He said, "I have been going through a lot of things and it's been really hard.   Can you tell me more about what you are talking about?  You caught my interest."   We are going to teach him on Saturday. :)   From both of those stories, you can see that the work is truly hastening.   We couldn't get anyone to listen to us when we first got here.   It's really amazing to see.

Do you remember when I wrote and said my Stake President was told by Elder Ballard that a lot of blessings are about to come to this area and a lot of hardships as well?   I believe this is it.   The ward is going to be pretty busy balancing their lives and going teaching with the missionaries and helping fellowship all of our investigators.   People are seriously ready to listen, it's amazing.

Workouts are still going well.   Sister Rigby came in our room the other night, I asked her if she felt anything from working out.  She just stared at me and said, "are you kidding me?"   I was like what? haha   She said, "YES I AM SORE!"   I said, "oh great!   Where are you sore?"  She stared at me again, and screamed, "EVERYWHERE!" haha it was so funny.   She said, " I can't move after every work out!"   It's the shortest workouts... doesn't do much, but it's better than nothing. 

We had Mission Leadership Counsel.  They talked about working out... we went around the room saying how much everyone in the zones were working out percentage wise.   It's about 40 percent of the mission.   President said, "Not good!"   He got to us and we said, 100 percent in Kirtland :)  Sister Sorenson said, "Sister Johnson is the inspiration.   She has everyone doing Zions Boot camp!"  I might be making work outs for the mission.  haha   It was so funny, I feel like I am helping now.

President Vellinga also read my letter to everyone that I wrote to him last week.   He asked me permission, I wasn't sure what I wrote about!   We talked about listening to the spirit.   We also had Zone Training Meeting and Sister Wygant and I had to give 1/2 of it.   It was all on the spirit.   We talked about the roles of the spirit, how we prepare to have the spirit, feelings of it, how we feel when he leaves, etc, etc.   We talked about the word Holy Ghost.   When we were teaching Nitin, he said, "that is contradictory, Holy and Ghost."   I really thought about that.   Who was the first to create the word?   The world or God? God was.   The world sees the word "Ghost" as spooky. 

The Holy Ghost truly is a member of the Godhead.   He knows all.   He knows as much as Heavenly Father.   Alma 17:13.   He is working alongside with two perfect people.   Do we realize how valuable He is?   Do we thank Heavenly Father for Him?   If we didn't have the Holy Ghost, we would not have the testimony that we have today.   We wouldn't be warned of danger and we couldn't progress.

I remember when I really wanted to go on a trip to Utah.   The car was packed and as I was walking out of the door, I had a thought, "you shouldn't go."   But, I thought back, "But I want to."   So I did... on the way, I got pulled over twice after never getting pulled over before, I got in a car accident, etc etc. and my life was going in a different direction.   Heavenly Father knows all and knows why even if we don't know why.   I am grateful for the Holy Ghost. 

You don't always remember what you see, but you can always remember how you felt or feel.   That is what kept me coming back on the right path, were because of the feelings I felt from the Holy Ghost.   He's vital to our salvation.

I love you all more than you know.

Sister Kelsi Denae Johnson

Ps- we had our training meeting in the Kirtland temple this week. :)  It was pretty amazing.

"Repentance diminishes the distance between you and God."

No comments:

Post a Comment