Sister Sarah Johnson: Transfer #8

Hello Family!!

Transfer Results: I'M STAYING IN INWOOD WITH SISTER BALLEY!!!! Wahoo!! I'm so glad I get to stay! I love it here and I love Sister Balley:)

We went to the temple today and it was beautiful and wonderful:)

One crazy thing that happened this week is that randomly a pipe burst in our apartment complex right above our study room, so we came home one day and my desk was soaking wet... but it's okay! Sister Balley and Sister Egbert saved most of it (we were on a split) so only a few books got wet. And I actually love crinkly paper when it's warped and dried, so it's all good. We had to rearrange our room and we had a few bowls on the floor catching water haha! It's fixed now, but it was just a crazy 24 hours!

Funnies of the week:

- One night we were walking down the street and a guy was singing numbers at the tops of his lungs "Forty-fiivvveeee... Twenty-Twoooo..." We walked past and he said, You like my voice? Yeah!! Tell Jesus I say hi!!! Haha!

- Sister Balley basically got proposed to by an Egyptian man selling fruit.

So there's a quote in Preach My Gospel: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.” This is 100% true! We have a wonderful, obedient, hardworking mission because President and Sister Smith teach us pure doctrine. They teach us the WHY (the doctrine) not just the HOW (the application). It definitely has changed our mission and changed us individually. And it's not a temporary change, it's a lasting change! So I've really realized how important it is to know the doctrine. Anyways, I realized that so often as humans when we want to improve we hammer ourselves with application. I need to do this and this and this. That's all the application, so even if I were to change my actions, I feel like it's more of a temporary change rather than a lasting change where we've changed our nature not just our behavior (take New Year's resolution goals for example. Most the time they are application goals which eventually fizzle out if you don't understand the why!). So, seeing where you are now and where you want to be, what doctrine of the Gospel, or what gospel truth do you need to better understand in order to get to that point? I hope this makes sense:) It's made a huge difference for me and in my studies!! I've been studying the gospel and the discussions as if it's just for me and Heavenly Father is the one teaching me! It's been so enlightening to learn from Him and learn His pure doctrine!:) Cause it's only with His help that I can get from where I am now to what He knows I'm capable of!

I love you all! Make it a great week!

Love, Sister Johnson