Sister Sarah Johnson: Remember Him!

Hello Family!!

Surprisingly I'm still here and I haven't melted into a puddle this week:) It's been sooo hot!! It's been in the high 90's these last few days which isn't terrible, but it's the humidity that makes it so hot haha! Especially in the elevators, it's like going into a suana! But being a missionary is literally the coolest thing in the world, so it makes up for all this heat;) I really do love it so much, so it's all good:) And guess what! I've been in New York over a month! Crazy! I made it through my first transfer!! (This transfer was only 5 weeks instead of 6, so next transfer will be 7 weeks).

Honestly though, missionary work is the best! This is a once in a lifetime chance where I get to become a part of so many different people's lives. We connect with and get to know so many different people and it's amazing! We enter their homes, hear about their lives, and become their friends. We get to feel God's love for them and see how the gospel is able to change their life. It's so amazing!

I had a cool little lesson on the street the other night! We had just walked out of an apartment building and guy walked past so we said hi. We were checking our schedule and map and then he walked back a minute later and started talking to us. He thought we were from the church around the corner, so we explained who we were. He asked what we teach so we gave him a Book of Mormon and explained that it's about Christ visiting the ancient Americas. He's pretty interested in history so he talked to us a bit about Columbus and how he was spiritual and had written a few times that he felt God had led him to the Americas. So I explained how coming to America and having religious freedom led to lots of churches, which led a young man in upstate New York to ask God which church was true. I was able to teach and bear testimony of the First Vision and how God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. The fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through Joseph Smith. And it's amazing to see back to Columbus that God was preparing for this wonderful moment. Even before that! God has every little thing planned out! He has a plan for us and he has made it possible for every single one of us to be happy! That happiness comes from our Savior and the sacrifice He made for us:)

I learned a lot about the sacrament this week. Sadly I can't remember it all right now... but basically the sacrament is so wonderful:) We get to celebrate and honor Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us every week! There's a wonderful talk that I learned a lot from - "This Do in Remembrance of Me" Oct. 1995 General Conference. You should read it:) Also it's by Elder Holland, so you should definitely read it;) One part talks about how the perfect resurrected Christ decided to keep the wounds in his hands, side, and feet as a sign that painful things happen to good people. Pain in this world is not a sign that God doesn't love you. It's the wounded Christ who is the captain and Savior of our souls. One request Christ made to his disciples the night he suffered, and that he asks us every week in our Sacrament meeting is, "Could ye not watch with me one hour?" Spend time in that hour as you partake of those sacred emblems that represent his body and blood, and remember the sacrifice He made for you!:)

I love you all and the church is true! Have a wonderful week and enjoy the last little bit of summer!:)

Love, Sister Johnson