Nov. 15, 2011

FAMILY!!! Oh my goodness!! I can't believe how incredibly cool you all are. I am so grateful for the talented people you are and the activities you do. Nicely done on fitting the truck in with the boat. Is it hard to get out? Let's face it, the youngest is always spoiled. But I can't really complain because I am pretty spoiled too. Mom, my mind is basically blown at the climb you did. I was explaining to my new companion about Ancient Art and Titan and all sorts of climbing things and she was astounded. I'm astounded! Does DiLynn absolutely love climbing with you and the club? I'm so grateful you found a friend to do those things with now.  Thanks for the update on Little Beav. That's going to be fun to go back to.  But it sounds like, as always, there are a lot of fun things with the family.

On a different note, there is a man named Randy Madsen and he is a history/Mormon Battalion buff. He comes in frequently and has taught me a lot about the guns and the cannon and all sorts of things. And it's so cool to know all these things because sometimes I'll get asked random questions by guests and I'll actually have the answer to them! There is a history reinactment event the first Sunday in Decemeber and I really want to be one to go and represent the Mormon Battalion. It's not likely, but it would be super cool- even though I would have to be a laundress or cook instead of getting to shoot the guns. You have to be certified to shoot an 1816 flintlock musket anyway. But it would be so fun to experience. They are also planning the Mormon Battalion history day for January which will take place down in Old Town square. That'll be fun to see too. I just love this story and everything I've learned about these men. Testifying every day of the faith they had and being able to make each tour unique for those I'm taking through is a great blessing. I don't know if I could handle a mission without the Mormon Battalion Historic Site. I am so grateful.

Ok I'm sure you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats anxiously waiting to hear all about my new companion. Well, her name is Hna. Ortez. That's right, the one I knew in the MTC. She is so great! She is happy, cute, forgiving, patient, loving and enthusiastic for the work. She keeps me focused without stressing me out. I was so worried about getting someone in the area who wouldn't love my investigators like I do, but she loves them probably more than I do. And they love her too. She is just so happy and has the light of Christ beaming out of her face. They can't help but love her. I am grateful to get to serve with her and I'm glad I'm still in Logan Heights. I was terrified I'd leave and the few investigators who are the most promising would be left behind. I know, I know- fear is the opposite of faith. I just love these people so much and cannot bear the thought that someone would not give them the chance to get baptized. They will be so much happier when they accept the fullness of Christ's gospel and have the gift of the Holy Ghost. Especially that family we've been teaching. I was thinking about them during personal study today and I just have an image in my head of all of them dressed in white sitting in the front row of chairs facing the font. And the youngest one being baptized (all of them of course get baptized in my thoughts, but I can see him the most clearly). He has such a tender place in my heart. A few weeks ago he knew I was sick so when I made the comment, "some day I'm going to hug you." He responded, "It's ok, I'm not worried about getting sick." HOW TENDER?!?! Oh my. And he's been reading so well!!! He's working his way through 2 Ne. and he reads more constantly than anyone I know. He is such a great example of having the humility and teachability of a child. And his mom is so great too. She's hard to get ahold of sometimes, but when we stop by she is glad to see us now- which is a huge improvement. We're going to teach the Plan of Salvation tonight and I'm excited to be with them again. The oldest has been kind of distant, so we need to work with him. But he'll come around I hope.

Reading lessons are going really well. She is learning so much and is so proud of her progress. We are too. She's been practicing writing too and was showing her daughter the things she had learned. And she was asking, "After I learn the vowels I can start learning ABCD.... right" with a huge grin on her face. I am so excited to help her learn this skill. My favorite part is seeing her light up as she does it and we help her see that she's learning well. We read in the picture Book of Mormon and point out the letters and how they work together. Then we teach whatever principle we had read. I feel like it is really helping her understanding of the simplicity of the doctrine grow, but also helping her see how things tie in together. Her esposo man isn't happy with us, but if she is learning that she's a daughter of God and can do things and have worth, I'm ok with it. We just need to get him to start listening to the message too. But she knows so much. It's surprising sometimes the knowledge she busts out of what we taught. She is so humble, and I just love her. I don't ever want to give up on her.

 Another lesson we had this week went... well? It's with the guy who last week put us on the backburner. We stopped by again, because I refuse to let him go, and we had a good lesson about the Plan of Salvation. We've been teaching that a lot recently. He really liked what we said, but he also thinks that he can get by in just believing in Christ. I want to say to him, "YOU NEED TO ACCEPT CHRIST BY DOING WHAT HE SAYS AND KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS- LIKE BAPTISM IN THE CORRECT CHURCH!!!" But that's not very subtle and would ruin everything so we will just work on him one little bit at a time. Small and simple means, right?

I've been having a really hard time lately believing that miracles can happen for me. I believe they happen for others, but for me I didn't think so. I still don't know. But as I've been thinking about it, I've started coming to the conclusion that they'll come as I strive to be obedient and look for them. If I'm not looking for them, I'll never see them. So that's my goal over the next few weeks. To live like miracles are just around the corner. It's so hard for me to even begin on this goal, but I need to have the faith that somethine will happen. I never realized how much of a pessimist I have become over the years. Was I always like this? I'm just so afraid to hope for miracles because I don't want to set others up for them and then have them not come through. As much as I want to avoid hurting myself, I don't want to hurt others. So this is my battle. And if any of you have scriptures that will help me, please send them so I can have that strength.

So on to the funny coincidences of the week. I met a family (this was actually last week when I forgot my list of things to write about) from Riverton called the Nelsons. And apparently Dino used to be their home teacher. They told me a story about how he had found a garden snake and brought it to their house. I laughed at that. It was good to meet people who know the Dudley's and say hi to them. I also met a family from American Fork- the Cannons. And they know the Doxeys actually. They told me about Sarah's wedding and now I'm not sure if you had told me about that, but if you had, I'd forgotten. But I was glad to hear she had gotten married. Who was it too? They said he was from PG too.

 This week has been moving into fall/winter as in it's starting to get cooler. Last Thursday it was pouring rain. In fact, there was so much rain that the parking garage under our apartment had 4 inches of standing water. And we were going to throw away our trash, but had to either swim to get to the garbage cans or pull some spy moves. Since I was wearing a long (borrowed) rain/trench coat, I decided to be a spy. I'm glad for the skills I've learned from climbing because I had to scoot along a short wall just barely out of the waters reach to get near to the garbage cans. Then I had to fall and catch myself to give me the needed leverage to move across the now pond. I must say, I looked pretty legit. I made it safely to a higher level with only one inch of water and threw away our trash. Poor Sister Ortez though couldn't catch a break. She didn't try to follow me, but all day she kept stepping in puddles and getting her shoes very wet. I was surprised at how water proof mine are. They were worth the money. Now, the moral of the story is: I need my black rain jacket because it's starting to get wet here.

In fact, here is a list of things I'm running out of:

Mascara, USU Admission pens, muddy buddies, and a rain coat

And here is a list of things that if you happen to send me I would not complain:

Square scarves, or scarves in general
A pea coat (black)
Homemade or Lion House rolls (for the Holidays of course)
A mini Preach my Gospel
and a Plan of Salvation puzzle that can be found at Missionary Mall or maybe even Deseret Book.

 Anyway family, it's been a good week and I was glad to hear from you all. Thank you again for your support and prayers. I love you all very much. Everything is going well and I'm hopefully slowly becoming a better missionary. Have a good week!

 Love, Hna. Johnson

Nov. 8, 2011

Well family, I normally write up a list of things that I want to tell you so I make sure I get it all in. But I'm sitting here in the Family History Library realizing that I left it on a sticky note on the back of my planner for last transfer. So I'll do my best to remember what I need to tell you.

Since last Tuesday time has literally flown. I cannot believe that it's another Pday. It's been super emotional and surreal. Sister Adams left this morning and I think she'll adjust fine. She was excited to see her family and get going, which was good because she's been so scared about the change the last few weeks. But she's amazing and I'm not worried about her. Last night we had our last appointment, in which Daniel put us on the backburner, but I refuse to be dropped by him so he'll keep getting visited. We had District Meeting in which we all bore our testimonies and why we were here on our missions. I was in a very foul mood yesterday, so it wasn't a pleasant experience. I think I was stressed, and tired, and depressed and so I was not in the mood to feel the Spirit. But God knows best and he softened my heart a little. We went to the branch president's house and spent some time with his family and said goodbye to them. The night's festivities ended with a Battalion gathering in which the 4 leaving sisters bore their testimonies and we all went home. Sister Adams had packed and was living out of her suit case, but that meant everything was unpacked last night so we came home and repacked. I'm so grateful for her organized and non-cluttered personality. Yeah, we have random things in the apartment, but she took care of everything she didn't want and now it'll be easy to clean and move in a new companion. Some apartments weren't so lucky. I feel like I've been left standing and ready to go, even though I'm terrified to take the lead in my area if that's what is required. But at least I'm standing.

This week really was crazy. Thursday we went on exchanges, and they were really good. Then the next day was a funny exchange because of departure events for the leaving sisters. So Sisters Young, Burleigh and I spent the day together. It was really fun and raining so hard! We stopped by an investigator's house in my area and didn't get to meet with her, but she did an assignment we left for her and I was thrilled. We're going over to her house tonight to continue teaching her to read. Our backup was with an investigating family. Somethine had happened last week in which I thought they'd be really mad at us, but the lesson was amazing, the Spirit was so strong and we talked about the gospel. The boys get it. The mom gets it to, but she didn't come to church last Sunday and I'm not sure why not. I need to meet with her again in the next couple of days to check up on her. To finish the day we went to Sister Young's area to meet with some of her people. We met with a girl whose cousin recently died and we know how much the Plan of Salvation will help her and her family. It's amazing to me how the Spirit tells us what or what not to say. Sister Young and Burleigh did great, but my tongue was literally held so I wouldn't speak. And not in a bad way. I know that what I wanted to say would have been bad to hear, although at the time I didn't. And even though I was silenced, it was still a testimony builder that Heavenly Father won't let me mess this up as long as I'm trying my best to do His work.

We've been fed a lot this week, which is unusual. I've gained 5-10 constant lbs., which is rather depressing, but hopefully I'll get it off. It doesn't help that all I eat are quesadillas. I've learned some really great ways to make a quesadilla delicious. Which is problamatic. But Sister Young and I are starting to train for a 5K called the Warrior Race. I don't know much about it, but it sounds really cool. It's a race in which people dress up like warriors, run and crawl through mud, climb and jump over things and be warriors. I'm excited. So Hannah, or Annette, if you could send me a 5 and 10K training schedule, I would really appreciate it. Don't worry, we're not going to run it until after we get home.

 Anyway, as far as I can remember, that's it for this week. I'm finished with my training so technically I'm ready to train if need be. Yikes! Because we lost 4 spanish speaking sisters and we're only getting one, things will be a little bit crazy for this next transfer. Someone's area will have to close or be combined with another area. And there will have to be a trio, whether in Spanish or English, I don't know.

Annette, your curtains sound cute and everything else sounds great too. Thanks for your update and pictures! Everyone says your family is so pretty and cute and all those good things. You did a great job on the costumes this year (you do every year).

Family, I love you all and I hope you're doing well. I didn't get an email from you this week, so I hope you're alive.

Grandma, I'm so excited for your new home. I bet it's darling and clean and lovely.

 Thank you all for your prayers, love and support. I'm excited to hear from you next week.

 Love, Hna. Johnson

Nov. 1, 2011

Hey Mom,

I was very glad to get your letter and hear about the things that are happening. It is weird to me that life keeps on happening and I have no real idea what's going on. But the same happens reverse. I'll never be able to truly explain what the mission is like. I can share stories and major events, but so much of the mission is the routine every single day. And it's impossible to describe, even to other return missionaries. But it's still good to hear what's happening. I can't believe that Phil is going to be home so soon!!! What have I even done with myself in the past 2 years he's been away?

Well, I guess I'll start at the beginning of the week: We had a great lesson with an investigating family. At first the lesson was in English because we were just teaching the kids, but then the mom came home and so we switched to bilingual. That was fun. We committed them to a date! But, alas, things have come to a halt. During the week we tried to stop by to talk to the mom because she wasn't as sure as the boys, but we could never get ahold of her. So we stopped by three times last Saturday because we were trying to get the family to come to the Stake trunk or treat and she wasn't home. And as it turns out, they may be moving to Bakersfield to live with her sister so we may not even get to teach them again! NOoooo! Things went from great to kind of bad and I just hope they'll continue to read. The boys were doing so well in their reading. Better than most missionaries. We're just going to try to get their new info so we can send the missionaries. I just hope it's not too late.

 We added a new investigator named Oscar. I'm not sure if he's super interested, but we'll continue to teach him until he becomes interested or refuses to progress. We've had a lot of changes with our teaching pool. One of our recent converts moved last Saturday which is super sad because I love her so much and she'll be sorely missed. Hopefully she comes back this way soon.... but possibly not. We found out we were teaching a girl who wasn't in our area so we handed her over to other missionaries then a few hours later turned over another investigator because she too was not in our area. We were not intentionally poaching because that would be rude and hypocritical. I just hope the missionaries do a good job with them. We had a mom and her daughters who weren't progressing at all and were kind of rude to us every time we went over, so we decided to stop pushing on them something they weren't interested in. I don't feel bad about dropping them- not that I'm not worried about their salvation, because I am. And I know how much they need to gospel because it would literally change their lives. But they weren't ready to work for it, and it isn't fair to teach them more doctrine when they're not ready for what they were being shown. It's bitter sweet.

We had a lesson last week with a less active woman who is homebound. But it was really cool. We have been worrying about her testimony and if she was progressing and all those things that missionaries worry about, but this lesson we walked in, and she bore her testimony to us and told us that she wants to start teaching with us. It was good to see the change in her life after she rededicated herself to the gospel.

 Coordination meeting was .... well, coordination. Sooooo fun!! (Insert sarcasm). No, it was good. But after Hno. Plata took us out to breakfast at Jack in the Box. It was our whole district and the Platas just having a good time. They made us eat two breakfast hamburgers and E. Cisneros became our friend again (there had been a rough moment in which we were mad at him and then he was cold toward us and we didn't go out of our way to be nice, but it all smoothed over at breakfast). But after breakfast we had an appointment with the Dubons. Sister Dubon is the one is had complications with her pregnancy a few weeks ago. So we went over and had papoosas- so good! But we were incredibly full after breakfast. We ate what we could, but I wish I could have eaten more. I need to learn how to make Latino food. But Sister and Brother Dubon are great. They're people I hope to continue to be friends with. He actually reminds me a lot of Jeremy and it made me a little home sick, but I love them and their cute little family. After that lesson we went to the lower part of our area (it's kind of weird boundaries including Point Loma which is mostly military) and taught a little bit. But that night was the trunk or treat and we had invited the Dubons in hopes of introducing them to other people in the branch. Which worked out fairly well, except most of the branch didn't go. However, those who did were the ones we wanted to help them get to know anyway. Younger couples with younger kids. Perfect. Plus they all speak Spanish and English so they get the mixed culture.

 Sunday was the day I spoke in the branch on charity. It was so scary! During the whole block I had been co-interpreting with Sister Adams for the RS president and one of her couselors who had come. I only caught about a third of what was going on, but Sister Spring was really understanding and we had some good laughs. Then I spoke and I talked really fast because that's what I do. They all said I did well, so I'll just trust that. After church we had a few members from a different ward come to take family pictures for those in the branch. A cute older lady from Spain wanted us to be her family, but she got sick Friday and asked if all the missionaries would take a picture together for her. That will be the fanciest district picture ever I think. It was cute though, because other recent converts asked us to be in their family pictures too. I don't think I truly understand the unique relationship we have with people as missionaries.

Halloween was so fun! We had cleaning checks so our morning was really off because we didn't want to clean on Sunday, but we passed which is good. Then the Woodburys took us out to lunch at Miguel's with Hnas. Evans and Young because Hna Evans is leaving too. It was so tasty! We went to our area and had a great lesson with Daniel about prophets and Thomas S. Monson. Holy cow that man needs to get baptized!!! He would tell us about an impression he had or a spiritual experience and say, "I don't know if that's right or if that's how it works but..." and of course we said, "YES! That's how God communicates! He loves you!!!" He will be such a power house when he gets that testimony. The hard thing is that he works all the time and we can only meet with him on Mondays. But we'll make it work and get him baptized. He's looking for the answer and it's right here, he just needs to take those steps and show God that's he's ready, because he knows how to receive answers.

A few weeks ago we were asked to take pictures with all the less actives and investigators we interact with so that Pte. Lopez (of the branch) can have faces to connect with the names. Well, this weekend we went around and took so many pictures with people. For which I am grateful because that gave us the chance to have pictures of the people we're coming to love. It'll be good to be able to show you all these people. So we took the pictures but had to be in our apartments by 6, but we thought it was 5:30 so we were home early. The poor other missionaries had to stay in their apartments the whole time, but as Battalion sisters, we get to bend the rules. So of course we had a party with great food, talent shows, a treasure hunt and mucho laughter. Oh goodness it's good to be in the Battalion. Sister Adams and I have decided though that as perfect it is, we have a whole different set of challenges- despite the schedule being hard to coordinate with members and investigators. We have to learn how to not compare ourselves to 21 other incredibly talented and beautiful sisters. It's hard, because we see their strengths and abilities and we can't get down on ourselves. But it's a good place to learn because we have the Spirit backing us up the whole time. I'm still incredibly grateful to be serving here. Everyone is wonderful and we are so taken care of. The other day at our temple shift, the Brenchleys (a senior couple) were working before us and gave us money for lunch, then they bought pizza for the Battalion that night, and Elder Brenchley fixed Sister Adams watch. All the senior couples just take such good care of us. It's the biggest blessing for us right now. Plus, they all make such wonderful desserts and treats!

Last week I forgot to tell you that I saw Jub (James) at the Battalion. He came in with his family. I'm not sure if you remember him, but he was there and I got to take him on the tour. So fun!

 Ok, well... we're getting kicked out of the Family History Library, but I love you family and mom, I needed to hear that you are proud of me. That meant a lot to me. Thank you. Dad, please write me. It's been really hard not hearing from you for the past month and a half. I love you all. Have a good week!

Love, Hna. Johnson

October 25, 2011

Hi family. The week has been good. We had three investigators come to church on Sunday, three brothers named Alberto (15), Manuel (13) and Pedro (10). Sister Adams and Evans added them to our teaching pool last Friday on exchanges. Their mom is Teresa, a lady we've been trying to meet with and her other son Luis, who is a member but inactive. Anyway, the three boys loved church and Alberto learned a lot. They all even stayed for choir practice! It was so fun to have them there.

 We went to the Temple this morning and all I can say is that I hope you are all saving your money, because some day I'm going to get married there and I'd like you all to be able to attend. It's so beautiful!! It was really good to go through the Temple again after 2 months.

Thanks again for the package! It was so great. Much needed. I'm going to send some pictures home this week.

So a man came in last Friday and told Sister Young and I all about the guns, ammunition, cartridges, and then told us all about the cannon and everything we could have ever wanted to know about that. And he brought some more information for me to read about the Battalion because I was so interested. So dad and Uncle Jeff- you'll be proud to know that I can make a cartridge for an 1816 flint-lock musket, or I can fire a cannon, or I can just tell people all about

Love you all and I hope you have a great week.

 Con Amor,

Hna Johnson