Going Out With a Bang

August 18, 2014

Bueno.  Here we are folks!  It has been a pleasure doing business with God.  As it will be my whole life.  

God has stretched my heart.

I know God loves His children.  He is so involved in our lives.  He wants us to know how much He loves us.  He sent His precious son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die so that He could be our Dad forever.  And how are we going to know that?  We know that because He talks to us.  We can pray, but also listen.  He has called a prophet to speak to us with.  His name is Thomas S. Monson.  He has had a book written to prove it and to give us answers and help us know that what the Bible says is true.  It’s the Book of Mormon.  He appeared to a young boy to be able to restore His church that was taken off the Earth when everyone killed Christ and the apostles, so that we would always have direction and not need to be confused.  That young boy’s name is Joseph Smith, and that church is called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know it’s hard to believe, because everything in the world seems to lead us to not want to try or believe, but just even if there is something of a desire, just try.  What will it hurt?  Just ask God.  And try it.  And you can know.  Just like I have seen my whole mission.  It’s real.  God is real.  And YOU CAN know it.  

I love you all.  I love God.  I love Christ.  I love what He did for us and what He can make of us.  I love being His.  I love Peru, I love these people.  I love eating rice and being all bitten by mosquitoes and speaking Spanish and kissing people on the cheek and seeing all the horrible drunks.  I love being a missionary most of all.  And luckily, I can take that with me. I wrote this in my journal when I was leaving Talara, and it applies just so well right now:  ´´So blessed to have been here.  So excited for what’s to come.  And so trying to not focus on the heart piece that’s not coming with me.”  That sums up my feelings.  

It’s true.  I know it.  I am His disciple, and I will not deny Him.  Forever.  Isn’t that so comforting to know? And now, I can go to the temple!!  YAYY!!!

Love you.  

Hna Johnson

PS, Fun thing: Last night, the drunk uncle of Eduardo came out to greet us, and when he shook my hand he put it to his forehead and called me his queen.  Said a lot more things, so we left.  Lots of weird things like that happen, but then we got a text from Eduardo saying that his uncle wouldn’t stop talking about me, so Eduardo had to be like, calm down, she is leaving the country this week.  And the drunk uncle left the house and went to this bridge that is in the area and tried to jump off it.  They got to him before he did anything, and he got home safely.  Anyway, going out with a bang!

Baptism of Maricarmen (I'm on the front row)

          How I feel about Peru

       How Peru feels about me

                  maybe?  haha