Week 2

Hello my amazing friends and family!

I love you!  Thank you to all those who have sent me things during the week either through dearelder or in the mail.  I can't even explain how much it makes my day.  I'm loving my over all MTC experience, but there are definitely challenging times and days.  Thursday and Friday were so challenging because lessons weren't going to the way we would have liked.  Then you get frustrated with your companion and how you are in unison, but we had long talks to work through our problems.  All in all it has been great for communication building.  It's typically normal problems that you have when you are adjusting to being with other people 24/7! Hah. 

Saturday was very rewarding and we had two very positive experiences.  It made all the week struggles pay off.  Honestly, my district is amazing! I would not have been able to come this far with out their love, support, and friendship! I love that the friendships I'm building now will last for years to come.  The district who came before us is officially gone now.  Today on P-day the new district came in, but we haven't met them yet.  They are all elders. Half of them are going to Germany English speaking and the other half is going to India English speaking! lol. It's been tough having the other district leave but I got their contact info so I'm planning on keeping in touch. 

I am flying to NYC in five days!!! CRAZY!!! I am so excited =) I'm sad about leaving my friends in my district because we have all become such good friends but the fact that I have new adventures and new experiences waiting for me is helping me look forward.  Sister Broderick is our travel leader.  It is the two of us plus six elders flying to New York.  We know two of the NYC elders really well because on the first day one of them got put in the wrong class.  His name is Elder Fabbi.  He's awesome! Or should I say Fab?! JK haha anyways, his host brought him to the wrong classroom on his first day.  They sorted out the matter later that day but I'm glad we had that first day to get to know him since he is actually coming to New York with us.  The other elder going to New York that we know is Elder Matthews and he is currently one of Elder Fabbi's companion (they are in a trio).

Funny moment! In the mornings I like to have life cereal here at the MTC.  The other day the dispenser I got the life cereal out of had the word Eternal written over it. So it read, "Eternal Life" hahaha There's nothing like a bowl of eternal life for breakfast =)

I've been singing with the MTC choir on Sundays and then performing on Tuesdays during the devotional.  It's been a magnificent experience.  I love how spiritually uplifted I am here.  Well I'm running short on time.  In the field I'll have twice the amount of time to email.

I want you to remember how much I love all of you.  I would not be the person I am today with out your influence and love! The person I am today is the one that is growing into the missionary I want to be tomorrow.  Every day I try to recommit to being the best missionary I can.  I love the Savior and what he suffered so that we could return to live with our father in heaven once again.  Furthermore, I love having my understanding pushed and challenged as I learn the basic simple truths of the gospel.

This Friday we have in-feild training with the members from the district videos. Basically what that means is I might be able to take some pictures with some past missionaries that I idolized from the training videos! hahah. Anyways apart from that I'll be enjoying my last Sunday at the MTC and packing up before Tuesday morning.  I can't help but wonder if my neice will be born the day I fly to NYC!!! That's be pretty cool because her big brother was born on my birthday two and a half years ago. It'd lead me to believe they cordinate when my sister in law goes into labor based off of some cool event taking place in my life! ;) lol Just kiddding Jane. I'm just so excited for you! Please send me some pictures when you can.

Love,

Sister Emily Johnson

Hello Loved Ones! Week one as a missionary complete!

Dearest Family and friends,

This is your favorite missionary, Sister Johnson :)

For those of you who are wondering my Preperation Day (P-day) is on Wednesday.  Sorry it has taken you so long to hear from me.  I've made it through my first week.  My oh my have I grown already! This time last week I was being dropped off at the MTC by Tristan, Janice, Jill, Lexi (Tristan's cousin who is going on a mission to London in April).

I don't have a lot of time to email and all my days blend together so chances are I wont be able to break it down by day.  As a result I am going to tell you about the main things that come to my mind.  For starters I am loving it!  The first day or two was weird because I was stressed out by the demanding schedule and it was really hard not having instant communication.  Although, after getting through the first fews days I'm really finding my element. 

My companion's name is Sister Broderick.  She is amazing! She's from Bountiful Utah and just as crazy fun as I am =)  We are so silly, but we also know when to decern when to be spiritual.  Heavenly Father totally put us together for a reason.  It's so nice to be making progress and seeing our growth and how well we get a long while other companionships are struggling.  Also, we always think about how grateful we are to be going English speaking! All the elders and sisters learning English got thrown right into classes where they are speaking the other language on the first and second day, and require you to teach a lesson in that language on your third day.  We've been teaching lessons, but it's fabulous to be able to speak from our heart.  And to think I used to want to go to Sweden! HAh Swedish would kill me.

I also adore the others in my district!  Apart from my companion and I the others are going to the D.C. south mission.  There is Elder Powell and Elder Anderson, Sister Crocket and Sister Hansen, and the last companionship in our district is Elder Braithewaite and Elder Williams.  Elder Williams is our district leader.  Our zone leaders are Elder Summers from Alaska and Elder Hall from England! Elder Hall is awesome! And his district likes to give him a hard time because he looks a lot like Joseph Smith and in their classroom there is a picture of Joseph Smith right above the seat he sits in.

I appreciate all of you who have been writing me on dear elder! Your thoughts make my day. A special shout out to Cj, mom, Tristan, and Lauren (who sent me a post card).  I only have 13 more minutes until I have to log off my email.  We have 30 minutes total to use to write our family.

There are so many hilarious moments I've had with my district.  They are definitely my family here at the MTC.  We spend all day together in classes and we eat meals together.  We are so lucky to have a fabulous district.  Elder Powell is from Cali and has 35 ties with him! He is so sarcastic and funny.  Sis. Broderick and I make requests for what color tie he'll wear the following day.  Elder Anderson, his companion is shyer and enjoys choir, but now that he's getting more comfortable he's opening up more. And you can pretty much count on him to listen to your stories even when the others stop listening. lol. Elder Braithewaite is hilarious! He's so genuine and funny. 

Our class teachers are Brother Page and Sister Lamplugh (pronouced Lamp-Lou). 

We've been learning so much about how to be an effective missionary! It's such a blessing to be here and break the gospel down to the fundamentels.  We are currently teaching four investigators.  Two of them are our class teachers in role plays where we go visit them (Merrit and Karen). As well as Barbara who is from New Jersey and Marlou.  This last week when we taught Marlou the spirit was so strong as we testified of what a blessing the gospel and the atonement brings into our lives and shared personal stories.  Afterward that appointment Sis. Broderick and I were so excited! We felt sooooo good! We gave each other a great big hug and I said, "This is why I came on a mission...I want to feel like this all the time."

I've got less the five minutes left, so I'm going to wrap it up by telling you we've been playing speed basketball with the elders in our district during gym time! We play speed (also called lightening, knock out, elimination, tornado, etc.) It's where you have a line shooting from one spot with two balls and you try to get the person in front of you out by making a basket before them.  I've made quite a few 3 pointers! I'm definitely going to pick up basketball again when I get home.

I'll close by telling you our purpose as missionaries,

"To invite others to come to Christ, by helping them receive the restored Gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

I am so grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ and for the way he is waiting to bless our lives and comfort our sorrows as we turn to him with open arms. 

I love all of you and hope life is treating you well.

Love,

Sister Emily A. Johnson

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