Kirtland Temple

Hello, hello!

How are you all doing? I hope you are doing great.  We don't have much time today.  SO much to do. 

I just got asked to sing on Easter in our ward.  Super nervous.  I'm leading the discussion tomorrow in District Meeting on the new video, "Because of Him".  You should check it out.  The missionary department e-mailed President and said to tell everyone. Millions will be watching it for Easter.  You can also type #BecauseofHim.  I forgot what hashtag was!  You can type it on any social media site and it will automatically pull up the church websites.  Youtube estimates that over 109 million will be watching it on Easter, but we know that it will be SO many more if we get the word out.  So put it on your facebook pages and all your social media pages. 

We had a ton of cancellations this week, but somehow we still made 4 1/2 hours of service with quite a few lessons.  We didn't make our 20, but we were so close.  As site sisters, we lose a lot of time in our area to make the 20 lessons.  We haven't been able to meet with any of our main investigators this last week.  EXCEPT Kia and Kayla.  Kia dropped us.  That was so sad.  She said, "My mind is not in this, so I am done. See ya".  It was really sad... Kayla is 11 and she said she wants this so much.

We met with Bob at President Stacey's home.  Bob taught the lesson and President Stacey's children and grand-children were there, so he asked us to teach a lesson for them.  We are going to teach his other grand-children this week.  Sister Frankenberry was nervous during the lesson.  It was very intimidating because he tells our mission president everything. haha   It was an intense lesson.  The spirit was so very strong.

We also had an amazing training meeting in the school house this week.  Everyone kept talking about how spiritual it was.  We decided to talk about our mission study on Friday and talk about all the things that have been restored in Kirtland.  The sisters last year made a time-capsule, so we wanted to make one for the 2015 sisters and seniors.  We read some of their testimonies and then we say a, Child's Prayer.  So many were crying because of the spirit that was there...... I loved it so much.  This next week we are going to do some kind of spiritual Easter egg hunt.  We haven't decided yet :)  We shall let you know!  If it's not snowing, because it is supposed to be snowing tomorrow.  :( 

We were asked to attend a meeting yesterday.  We weren't sure what the meeting was about and who was going to be there. Well, when we got there... it was basically just us and the zone leaders, President Vellinga (mission president), President Haymond (Stake President) and President Stacey (mission presidency).  It was so scary!   We felt so mature and in charge.  They asked us a lot of questions about how the bishops and ward mission leaders could change and do better.  They are now inviting us to this meeting every month.  We also helped with a Kirtland missionary Academy.  The Tanner girls were there and we were the investigators while the cute high school kids practiced.

My favorite part about this last week was Monday.  John came. (He asked me out on a date to a theme park haha).  He loved it.... we sent him off to the other elders now.  We took the Sacrament in the Kirtland temple.  Are you jealous that I get to see the 1st temple every day? :)  It was so powerful.  Karl Anderson spoke on the sacrament.  He read in D&C 110 when the Lord tells them that they are forgiven of their sins.  He said that he has been asked so many times, "Why does it say that they are forgiven of their sins?"  He said that he has a ton of answers for that, but for 1, he said that they had just taken the sacrament.  He said that we can all experience what they experienced after we partake of the sacrament.  Go back and read section 110.  It is so great.  We can be clean of our sins every week.  He also had us vision the Savior standing behind him.  He said, "We don't know which pulpit he was standing on, but why don't you all pick one and picture it.  Do you see him?" I tried so hard to picture it... again, there were angels in the Kirtland temple with us.  We are so blessed to be in such a great place . The Savior appeared 8 times just in the Kirtland temple....

I love Kirtland.  So many things were restored here.  It is a special place and is being build back up again.  I feel the spirit here everyday.  I love that I can see the Whitney Store and the School of the Prophets from the old home I live in.  This is a once and a life time chance.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I love you.

Sister Kelsi Denae Johnson