Hello! I'm at the Apple store emailing before we go to the temple.

That sure is an exciting subject line if I do say so myself.

Let's see what's new...

I got to skype with the family for Mother's Day! That was legit =)

It's crazy to think that in a few more months I'll see them in 3D. I think that was a crazy thought for the other sister missionaries who were with me because they have been out 1 transfer, 2 transfers, 3 transfers, and then you have me who is at 11 transfers! lol

But I've served my time and it's sad to know it's coming to an end. But I know there is a time and a season for everything.

I'm trying to make the most of these final months as a missionary. I know Heavenly Father has been training me this whole time to be the very best missionary that I can be right here at this time.

The members have been coming out to appointments with us recently and they are so funny! I especially love having the ones around our age come out with us because we always have a great time being spiritual and laughing a lot!

The work wouldn't be the same without them and I appreciate all the effort they make to be available to help us.

The talk I gave on Sunday went really well =) it was a lovely sacrament meeting. The talks were on happiness/motherhood (that one was mine), gratitude, and opportunity. I definitely needed a refresher on all of those topics.  One of my goals right now is to be more grateful. I have so many blessings in my life that I sometimes don't acknowledge or recognize. However, I know Heavenly Father appreciates when we show our appreciation for all the many ways he has blessed us. In addition to recognizing that trials or hardships give us opportunities, opportunities to use our free agency and do our best to face it with faith in Jesus Christ.

There was more I liked about that talk but I don't remember what it was! haha but I remember how I felt! I felt the spirit encouraging me =)

This past week our bishop put together a beautiful mother's day dinner. We helped a little bit with the set up and preparation. It was a little last minute planning wise so we werereally worried no one would show up. We started texting everyone in our phones lol and it actually turned out really nice! It had been raining really hard earlier that day but it was a very nice gathering.

Our investigator Jeff even came with his friend Trevor (who is a member) and Trevor's grandma. It was so exciting to see him there! He really liked it and got to meet a lot of the members. Sister Crawford and I were floating in the clouds knowing that Jeff came. Then he came the following day to church =)  

We also had a lesson with him last night and we discussed the first half of the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, and baptism). The spirit was definitely there and he's going to work toward June 8th for his baptism =)

I love teaching Jeff. He is awesome. Some of the other missionaries said they were jealous that we get to teach Jeff haha. That's just how solid he is as an investigator. He's even coming to the baptism that's happening this Thursday (the elders investigators Jeannie 16 and Joy 14). Then we're meeting again on Friday.

We're going to the temple right after I finish emailing. It's going to be a much needed spiritual boost =)  

I got some wonderful mail from Janice and Jill yesterday and it really lifted me up =) I am grateful for such amazing friends! 

Transfers are in two weeks. That's crazy. I hope things stay pretty much the same in the zone. But I don't know if they will. In fact I feel like a lot might change. Oh well I guess we'll see what the Lord wants and we'll just accordingly.

Well I want all of you to know I love you!  You are amazing individuals and I am grateful to know you so well.  I know the Lord is waiting to draw nearer unto us as we draw nearer unto Him. We just got our General Conference Ensign and I am so excited to feast upon the different talks! I invite you to pick one of the talks to study and apply into your life this week. I know the words of the prophet and members of the quorum of the 12 are inspired for you and for me. I started reading Elder Eyrings talk this morning and I have felt a great sense of peace in my heart as I reflect on his words.  The Lord is reaching out to us in love through the words of His servants.  Are we listening? Are we searching? Are we seeking Him? I hope that this week you will feel that you are doing your best to put Him first. I promise you that as you do you will feel refreshed and the Lord will begin to soothe and heal the wounds of daily mortal life. He has the power and the love to do so.

I pray that you will use your agency in a way that you may take full advantage of the blessings available to you.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our redeemer, Amen.

Love,

Sister Emily Johnson

Today is my 15 month mark!

Where does time go?! =) Serving the Lord obviously.

I look forward to writing to you each week. Wednesdays can be very crazy, but also reflective during the 45 minutes to an hour that I have to write. 

It's nice being able to reflect on this marvelous work and wonder that I am experiencing as an instrument in the hand of the Lord.

These final months as I try my hardest to do my very best I have truly felt the Lord doing more with me than I would be able to do by myself. That in itself is a miracle!

Yesterday (Tuesday the 7th) we had Zone Conference and we were spiritually nourished and instructed on how to help our investigators progress in their learning so they will truly be learning. Since our last conference we have been focusing on teaching shorter lessons with the pamphlets. Since then we have been teaching a lot more, but now to help assist us with these lessons we focused on helping those we teach learn and actually understand so they too can feel the spirit working within them! 

Sunday was a really rewarding day! I shared my testimony in sacrament meeting and I felt the spirit take over.  I love when that happens. Then I taught the lesson in Gospel Doctrine because the teacher was out of town. I loved teaching that class because in the preparation for it (lesson 17 about tithing and fast offerings) there was a lot of material that I could read to expand my knowledge. During my mission as I've served in Gospel Principles its focused more on the what, but I really liked reading about the why.  I've been studying other chapters from the manual just for fun. I actually learned a lot about spiritual gifts from lesson 15! It's something I've been trying to understand better for a while now, so it was perfect.

This upcoming Sunday I'm giving a talk in Sacrament meeting about Happiness. I asked the bishop if he would like me to also tie it into Mother's Day. Luckily I just got the idea that I could connect the two by talking about what brings true happiness (living the gospel) and then explain how it was my mom that taught me that! Anyhow I haven't started writing it yet, so it'll take more time and reflection.  I am happy I get to speak about happiness. For those who know me, I'd say I'm a pretty happy person! lol

Well I am short on time. We started emailing at the library today. After we leave here we are going to the church to have a picnic and games. We were going to go to the park but it's been raining today.

I love you very much! I am so humbled by the opportunity to be a missionary and serve the Lord. Please pray that I may be fully invested in the work here.  I am doing pretty good, but I want to continue to finish strong! I know Jesus Christ lives. I know the spirit can teach, inspire, and guide our lives. I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us very much. I invite you to have a heart to heart with Him today =)

Love,

Sister Emily Johnson

May 1st

Hello again! I have to say I always look forward to emailing on Wednesdays! Well more so reading emails, but writing them is good too.  What a week! The weather has warmed up a lot. Despite putting on sunscreen I still manage to get a little pink each day. That's what happens though when you are a Svenskafleka =) Oh well it's always gone by the next day.

Last week, after emailing we went back to our apartment with two of the English sisters and we played games for a few hours. We had a lot of fun playing apples to apples. One of the highlights was the fact that while cleaning a junk missionary closet I found a working type writer!!! It was like finding buried treasure! Literally it was buried under junk haha. It was my prize for cleaning out the closet of abandoned missionary items. I've already typed up a few letters so anyone who writes me on a regular basis has a very high chance of getting a typed letter! Maybe that can be incentive to write me haha. 

When we were playing Apples to Apples Sister Lee (my favorite sister from Taiwan) had to choose a card that was awkward! Out of all the choices we were explaining what each one was. After we had explained all the choices she chose Barney as the best match for awkward. We were all laughing about how Barney could be awkward. Then in her cute Asian voice she said, "Yea, Dinosaurs aren't purple and green!" haha it was a priceless moment =)

Our correlation meetings are getting a lot better. No one argued this last week and we all discussed wanting the ward and the missionaries to work together. We even talked about what we want to include on the ward mission plan. This is a big deal for us! =)

A less active family that we've been working with came to church this week! They are so solid and we need them in our ward. It was great to have them there and for them to be able to partake of the sacrament! Renewing that covenant is so important in us feeling the atonement cleanse us =)

If we live our lives in a way that we are able to partake of the sacrament each week we will always be prepared to meet our maker. Our loving Heavenly Father has provided us the opportunity to renew our covenants every week to help us endure to the end! We can always be ready =)

I also got a blessing of comfort and council from one of the Elders I serve with because there were a few things that were weighing on my mind. Heavenly Father didn't council me in the way I necessarily expected Him to, but He did in a way that was even better. He gave me things to think about and ponder. I know that God's plan for us is perfect. I know He loves us and everything that happens is for the immortality and eternal life of man.

Yesterday was a really good day! We've been pushing ourselves and trying to rely on the Lord to achieve the standard of excellence. It was one of our best days yet! A lot of it had to do with the senior couple being willing to drive us between look ups. Senior couples are the best! Every senior couple should serve a mission =)

Anyways we had a total of 8 lessons! 5 others (not members), 2 less active, 1 active. 2 of the 5 others became new investigators because we were able to set return appointments! It was sweet! 

Well I hope you are feeling the Lord in your life.  If you are not, have you considered getting a priesthood blessing?  The Lord is there. He wants to speak to us, he wants to guide and counsel us. Why can't we hear Him? Do we not want to know the answer? Let us be strong and of good courage and open our hearts to the Lord. He has not put the pavillion there. He will see us through. I know this is the Lord's kingdom on the earth and as we seek His help he will strengthen and protect our families. I love the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. He called His prophet Thomas S. Monson, and the prophet is the reason I am in New York today! As of next week it'll be for 15 months! I love the Lord and I'm thankful for the refining process this has been. I only have three months left to serve in this way and I'm going all out. I invite you to strengthen your commitment to the Lord. Whether by: spending more time in the scriptures, or doing gospel related activities with your family, or going out with the missionaries, or investing my time and attention into your calling. I testify that it is through our families and the gospel of Jesus Christ we will find lasting happiness! I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Sister Emily Johnson

p.s. Mother's day is just around the corner! More details on our call home soon = )

What a long week!

Today is April 24th and as you know last week I didn't have much time, energy, or strength to write anything amazing. So here it is something amazing! lol 

The last few days I spent in Yonkers were great but very busy because there was a lot I was trying to accomplish and prepare for the upcoming transfer. Honestly, it feels like that was just a dream (serving in Yonkers) because now that I'm back in the city it's hard to picture me anywhere else. However, I know the things I learned upstate were fundamental to my growth and my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

Sister Crawford, my new companion, is from South Central (Rye) Colorado and is a wonderful missionary! She loves riding horses and working on the farm. She has been well trained and I'm impressed at how much she is on top of things here. We have had some wonderful teaching experiences together so far. The very first lesson we had together was Wednesday night visiting a recently activated woman named Sister Crespo. We retaught the Law of Tithing and Fast Offerings. Although we had never taught together before it felt natural and smooth. It reminded me of the time I spent serving with Sister Maldarizzi. Our first teaching appointment together was very smooth and natural. 

The ward I'm in now is the Olmstead second ward. They have their fair share of problems but the improvements they've been making in the past few weeks are tremendous. I am so excited to be a part of the process in strengthening as they continue to improve.  We are helping them function and become more unified. A lot of members who move into this area feel that it is not as tight as their previous wards and they feel disappointed and stop coming. 

However, as we've been working this week with less active members we have focused on two main things: 

1. They are exactly what we need! Pretty much all of our members are converts and we need strong leadership and people with ideas to help make it what it needs to be. Be patient with the ward and help it become what it is capable of being. As the famous quote says, "Be the Change you wish to see in your Ward!" hahaha  ok obviously it's the change you wish to see in the world. But when we were at a dinner/lesson with a less active women, she had that quote on her wall and I changed it and said ward. =P 

2. Remember the real reason we come to church! To take the sacrament and remember our promises to our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Saturday we went to this fire safety training that was taking place at the church. It was informative and enjoyable. Our Bishop had asked us to come so we did. The retired fireman who talked to us was a joy!  So that was random... but moving forward to Sunday I was excited to see for myself what condition the ward was in. Sacrament meeting was interesting but good. One woman who was giving a talk spoke for about 5 minutes top! 

Anyways what I want you to know about our sacrament meeting is that at the very end as we had five minutes left the fire alarm went off! After we all moved outside and then made our way back inside once we got the ok our Bishop got up and announced that he had tripped the alarm! haha. He went on the talk about fire safety and how in an emergency we need to be prepared. He also said the reason why he did it during sacrament meeting is because a lot of people leave after that. So he invited everyone to use family home evening this week to make an emergency exit plan. 

As missionaries we have been asked to take turns switching around and going to all the different classes each Sunday (R.S., YW, Elders Q. Gospel Principles, Gospel Doctrine,, Primary, etc). I went to Gospel Principles which was really good. Sister White (another missionary) taught the lesson. We had about ten people in the class. A lot of them were recent converts. 

Later I went to senior primary with Sister Lee and we taught about the restoration.  We didn't end up having time to go back to Relief Society.

I have a lot of wonderful things to say about the ward and I know they will only continue to improve from here.

I'm doing my best to jump into the work in this area. It's really nice being back in an area where one companion already has the inside scoop on what's going on. My legs are having a hard time adjusting to being back in the city! haha they are sore and tight everyday. I'm walking around like an old person. We are also working out every morning at the park near our home. It's so nice to get outside and moving around now that the weather has warmed up!  I think I walked more this week then I did the whole time I was in Yonkers! lol

It's really good though. I want to get back in shape.

As for missionary work, it's so nice being in the city where there is so many people for you to talk to! Opening my mouth and sharing the gospel with the people here is coming naturally. Which I am grateful for because when I was upstate it was harder for me to connect with people. 

The main people we're teaching right, the people I feel is a big part of why I could be here right now, is Trevor and Jeffrey. Trevor is a less active member who is 13 but definitely mature and focused in coming back to church and strengthening his testimony. Jeffrey is his friend (20) who lives in his building. They are friends and play basketball together! Jeffrey is originally from Africa but has been here since he was eight years old. We taught them last night and they are so easy to talk to and both are really receptive to what we teach. We focused a lot on the Book of Mormon (what it is, why we should read it, likening to ourselves, and finding out if it's true) and the spirit was there so strong! Jeffrey is preparing to be baptized on May 25th. He is definitely on the right track for that to happen.  We also talked about the importance of going to church. It's going to be difficult for him to work it out with his mom but he's going to make it happen.

So I have a Eisenhower Silver Dollar that the stake president (Ballard) asked me to give to someone on my mission for them to start their mission fund. When I was in Yonkers it was starting to stress me out because I knew the time was coming and I didn't have any prospects of who I would give it to. Elder Ballard also told me that I would know who to give it to and that he wants to hear about it when I get home. I'm happy to report though that there are two individuals in this area that I feel could be who the Lord wants me to give it to.

The first person that I thought about is a seven year old girl named Madison. Her family is strong in the church but hasn't been coming as much because the mom wishes the relief society was stronger. After visiting with them they committed to come back to church (and they came this Sunday)! Madison is so smart! Apparently she reads her bible all the time. When we asked at the end of our lesson if there was anything else we could do for them she asked if we could read more scriptures. We asked her what she wanted to read. She said either Genesis or the story of Ester! Keep in mind she is seven years old. So we had her read some of Ester to us and we talked about it. She was able to tell us a lot about the story before she even read any of it. She even pronounced all the names right! I asked her when her birthday is (it's in October). and we talked about what she can do this year (BAPTISM!) She said she wanted to be baptized. I asked her why we get baptized. She told me to repent. I am so impressed with how smart she is. We talked a little bit about her serving a mission... or she's definitely a possibility.

The other person I have in mind is Trevor. He's such a great guy/kid (13) and he's really putting his heart into learning more about the gospel and I think he'd be a great missionary one day!

I am grateful to be serving the Lord. The mission experience is so intense and hard to explain. But in the midst of all of it I've come closer to my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. They have been with me through each phase.  I know that I have been called by a prophet of God to teach repentance to all people. I know that repentance and humility to accept the will of our loving Heavenly Father is truly the only way to having lasting happiness. We need to trust Him because he knows better and he will help us succeed!

I know that we all have mountains to climb. But I also know that when we talk the path that the Lord has layed out we will be able to not only learn, grow, and cherish our experiences, we will also find ourselves returning to the presence of our Loving Heavenly Father. This I know with all my heart because of how many times the spirit has impressed it upon my heart with urgency while teaching Heavenly Father's children. My deepest hope and desire is that you will read these words and let them stir you up to remember the goodness of our God. That you may not be complacent, but compelled to act, to serve, to love, to obey, to listen, to experience, to taste the sweet joy and endure to the end. This is my humble prayer and I leave it with you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Sincerely,

Sister Emily Johnson

Upcoming:

Miriam Ortega is coming out to NY in a week and I am soooo excited!

Mother's Day is right around the corner and I'll get to talk to my family!

Pictures:

 My short hair

 Mary (Recent convert)

 Sister Awerkamp's new missionary

Sister Crawford and I

A special Taiwanese message from Sister Lee and Sister Johnson!

if you don't have a Chinese program on your computer it might not show but for now enjoy a picture of us!

2013/4/24 Emily Johnson <johnson.emily@myldsmail.net>

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Sister Johnson is awesome!!!!!

Love Sister Lee

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We are crazy!

A little more information

Hello Friends and Family,

 

I am so tired right now and feel kind of sick. I've been super busy and stressed most of today but it's coming together. I just endured a nasty bus ride down to the Bronx on a charter bus from Ossining. We still have another 20-30 minute bus ride to the other side of the Bronx. I have a lot to do in a limited about of time.  I'm not going to take the time right now to fill you in because I need to get food and unpack before our appointments tonight. But we have two appointments tonight and it seems like the work in this area is legit! Also I'm companions with Sister Crawford. She came in the same group as Sister Awerkamp. I miss Sister Awerkamp but I know she is going to do great. Sister Awerkamp's new missionary seems wonderful as well.

I am excited for the change and to do what the Lord needs me to do.

I will send pictures next week as well. I wish you the very best.

 

Love,

Sister Emily Johnson

Update on Transfers

I am going to Olmstead in the Bronx! The East side, last time I was in the West (kingsbridge)

Well I love you and I'll write later today.

Sister Johnson