I Love Being a Black
Missionary!
You know how there's a lot of
black people here? Well, we are teaching all of them. Less than 15%
of our investigators are white. I would be lying if I said I didn't love
that statistic. I say, "I'm Sister Johnson," and these great
people respond by saying, "Johnson? We are Johnsons! Come in
and have some purple drink!" We are anxiously awaiting the day we
get invited in for fried chicken.
The members here are
so incredible!!! Oh my gosh, it's the coolest thing. We just
discovered this thing called the 21-day promise
that was given to the members in the Las Vegas Mission. If they
write 10 names of people they know, and then pray morning and night for them by
name, and read the specified verse as written on the sheet, and follow the
promptings they receive, at least one of those people will be ready to receive
the gospel either for the first time, or again if inactive. How cool?!
So we commenced it, along with the fast for personal missionary
experiences, and people proceeded to say how excited they were about it in
front of everyone during the third hour of church.
The feeling in this
ward is so cool!! It is becoming a missionary ward, and it's amazing to
be a part of. The members seriously are the best. I love them so dearly.
They take such good care of us, and are always anxious to help us.
We are doing all we can to get them excited about inviting their friends
to things and stuff. But yea, it would comfort my mother to know I have
the people in this ward taking care of me. Nicki and Lisa and Alycia and
Jake and Billy and Tui and Colton and Dallin and Courtney and Kalli and Ciara.
Oh man, they are the best. We want everyone to meet them.
Ann!! Oh my
gosh. She is so incredible. The hugest blessing ever. She
came to a lesson on Saturday telling us that she left the barbeque on the 4th (oh yea, the
4th was super fun! barbeque at a member’s house for shishkabobs with three
of our investigators) deciding that she's getting baptized. How cool is that?! We are so incredibly
blessed to have met her. She told us how grateful she was for us, and how
happy she was that I didn't get my visa. So she is getting baptized in
Lake Mead as soon as she tells her family :) The lesson with her was so
power punch of the Spirit, it was awesome.
This lady came running
out of her house yesterday to grab us and tell us she wanted to go to church.
We had given a card to her son, and she called us, and chased us down.
Can you believe that? People are out there, and ready, and willing.
They just have to be given the option.
Derrik and Theran both
have temple recommends now. And they are so excited. We had them at
a lesson with us, and they impromptu testified of the temple and how excited
they were to go. And I just beamed like mad crazy. They get it!!!!
They get it, team!! They are converted! And they both bore
their testimonies in sacrament. They are making this missionary so happy
and proud :)
I love my companion.
She's a dream. She's such a good missionary, and so devoted to the
work, and so hilarious, and a great cook to boot. Anyway, I am so
grateful for her. She's going to train next transfer probably, which is a
bummer because I want to stay with her, but I have to share I guess.
So I was thinking
about something: comfort vs. improving.
Because really comfortable is dangerous unless you are comfortable only
in reaching. I had to ask myself this morning, "Do I want to be
better or do I want o be comfortable?" And basically, what I want is
to serve, and be the best tool in the Lord's hands I possibly can be. So,
that's the challenge. Let's all be ok trying to find growth as opposed to
comfort. As Sister Elaine S. Dalton once told me, "Do not avoid
trials, for that is where we truly grow." (love name-dropping)
Anyway, I love you
all. I love being a missionary. I love my companion. I love
my family and friends. I love Las Vegas and when it makes sweat drip down
places you didn't know sweated. I love the people we get to meet every
day and especially the people we get to see more than once. Most of all,
I love the Lord who is so incredibly patient with me and loving and good.
He is in the details of my life. So thank you for the prayers.
I know without them, I wouldn't be having the experience I am. So
thanks. I love you. For real. A lot.
Sister Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment