Agents for Change!

Hello Family!

This week has been great! Lots of laughs and happiness:) The thing that has helped me this week is something that President Smith has taught us my whole mission. He always says, "BE AN AGENT FOR CHANGE!" If we look in D&C 58:27-28 it says:

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."

President has been teaching me this for a year, and I'm glad he's been persistent because I feel like now I get it! If it's going to be, it's up to me! It's our choice to be happy, to smile, to believe, to find a new solution. If you want to be happy, do it! If you want to change, do it! You are an agent unto yourself:)

I felt like this Women's Conference taught us a lot about being an agent for change as well. In Sister Eubank's talk she talked about finding a new solution, being different, and doing it happily! The way to make a difference in the world is to be an agent for change!:) President Uchtdorf's talk also taught us that we are not victims! Choose to be glad, not sad or mad. You have the power to choose, so don't let experiences make you sad or mad. You can do this!

This Sunday we also had a special little sacrament meeting in the home of one of our members, Sister Rolufs. She broke her leg a month ago and hasn't been able to come to church. Instead of just taking the sacrament to her, we decided to take the whole meeting there! Me and Sister Perkins helped her clean and prepare the day before, and then 8 members and us 4 missionaries were there. It was a wonderful meeting and it was so special to be in her home with faithful saints. I have never experienced such a small sacrament setting growing up in Utah, so it was nice to get a taste of what is was like for early Saints and saints here on the East coast and other parts of the world where it's small. What's amazing too is that it's not about the church building, it's about the priesthood authority. The Spirit was there as we were gathered in her humble home, and I'm so glad I have a chance to serve here in this area:)

Well, General Conference is this weekend! Bring your questions, and prepare to be an agent for change in your life! I love you all! Make it a great week:)

Love, Sister Johnson

Here is after our little Sacrament meeting at Sister Rolufs:)

We have a blind member, Brother Krom, who plays the piano which is amazing! I love our sweet branch:)

Make it happen, Captain!

Hello Family!!

I have a day of miracles to tell you about! It was on Monday, and everything Sister Perkins said happened! We looked up a less active family we've never been able to meet and on our way out Sister Perkins said, "Wouldn't that be cool if we met them in their driveway?" Right then the bus pulled up and out came one of the daughters. We talked to her for a few minutes and as we were leaving again Sister Perkins said, "Now watch the rest of the family drive up." And they did! So we turned around and got to meet them for a second.

Then we went to a different less active family and we had met a neighbor boy walking his dog last time so Sister Perkins said, "What if we see Roger walking his dog again!" We pulled up, and there was Roger walking his dog right in their driveway! We talked to him and the kids cause they were all friends. Then as we were leaving Sister Perkins said, "Now watch Sister Martin drive up." And sure enough, there she was driving down the street! So we turned around and talked to her too! What?! It was crazy! Sister Perkins has so much faith, 4 for 4!! My eyes were big, jaw dropped the whole day and I kept saying, "Nooo waaay, are you serious?!" Sister Perkins kept saying, "God made it happen, capt'n!!"

We have a less active family who is amazing! They have a testimony, but they just aren't acting on it right now. We had a great lesson with Sister Salinas though, and helped her realize her desires and what little things she needs to do now to get started back to activity. We've started calling her every morning to pray with her and sending her a little scripture to read. So far she loves it and she wants to come back!:)

We started an ASL Class (one of the Elders knows sign language), and we invited people from the Branch and lots of students from the SUNY campus. We had two people come last night, one was a returning member and one was a student from the campus! So far so good! 

I hope you all make it a great week! Love you! 

Love, Sister Johnson

p.s. How is your scripture reading going?:)

More pictures from Apple Picking last week!:)

Transfer #11

Hello Family!!

Can you believe it's already a new transfer? I can't! This last transfer went by so fast it's ridiculous! 

Last week we went to the temple which was so great! It was so fun to travel to the city, and so peaceful to be in the temple. I love going there and I'm grateful for the things I'm always able to learn there. Sister Precour from our branch drove us down there:) We have FHE with her and her four kids on Sunday nights, and this week I learned something new about love. She asked a question about how we can love everyone, and if that was really possible. During our conversation I surprised myself by saying something that I definitely feel is true and that the Spirit taught me. As imperfect human beings it's hard to truly love everyone, mistakes and all. But when it is hard to love or appreciate someone, we can trust in God's love. We can trust Him that they really are His children and that He knows and loves them. We can lean on that love until we can gain the love of our own. Trust in God's love, it is perfect and forever. He loves all of His children and when we struggle to love, we can lean on His love.

This transfer I will be staying in New Paltz and my new companion is Sister Perkins. She is from Florida and is wonderful! I'm excited to get to know her better and work with her more. She can be quiet, but it's a strong kind of quiet. She's super funny though, and I love her already! We have great plans and goals on how to help our little branch:) 

As I have been reading the Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ I have learned so much about Jesus Christ. He loves us so much, I know that. It's amazing to learn more about His life, upbringing, situations and how he handled them, and his infinite patience and love for all of us. I'm sorry to be sending this so late, but I wanted to send our mission Book of Mormon reading challenge home. You can start now, you don't have to follow the exact day or try to catch up, but I invite you to read with us and focus on learning more about Jesus Christ and his atonement!

I love you all! Make it a great week:)

President Nelson

Hello Family!

What a powerful and amazing week! On Saturday we were blessed to hear from a prophet of God:) President Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, came to our mission for a mission conference. It was such a powerful experience to have our whole mission grouped together singing We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet when President Nelson walked in. The Spirit filled the room and I know that he is a prophet, seer, and revelator called of God. He enjoyed his 93rd birthday there with us:) We were blessed to hear from President and Sister Nelson, Bishop and Sister Waddell (from the Presiding Bishopric), Elder and Sister Gong (For the Presidency of the Seventy), and Elder and Sister Buckner (from the Seventy). 

That morning we traveled two hours to get to the city earlier so we could hear from Sister Wendy Nelson and other sisters at the 87th street chapel in Manhattan. One thing I loved so much about Sister Nelson's talk was that she talked about the importance of having a question for General Conference and even just questions in general that we pray about. What stuck out to me the most was when she said, "You can't pray 'lead me, guide me' and then say just kidding." We have to be ready for the guidance and inspiration He WILL send. I loved that sisters meeting so much. All the messages shared were powerful and inspiring.

Then we traveled down the rest of the Manhattan to get to the Lincoln Square Chapel. Hearing from these men and women called of God was amazing. Bishop Waddell talked about something that stuck with me. In the examples of Nephi and his family, the Broher of Jared, and Moses and his people, they all had a journey or a mission, and they allhad a physical thing to help guide them (Liahona, 16 lighted stones, and the cloud and pillar of fire). In our journey today (whether we think of it in smaller terms of school, work, or bigger terms of making it back to Heavenly Father), we have a physical tool to help and guide us. That tool is the Book of Mormon. That is our Liahona (Alma 37:44-45)! 

President Nelson is so wonderful, optimistic, and cheerful! He really is a Special Witness of Jesus Christ. He talked about our calling as missionaries and about the blessings of serving from D&C 31, but one thing that stood out to me the most was just a little side comment he made that meant a lot. He said "We're all human, we all make mistakes. Don't spend 10 minutes feeling bad about something silly you did in the past. Just forget about it and move on." That's truth! Repentance is cool. Let it go! It was so inspiring and amazing to shake hands with a prophet of God and to hear what he saw in us. To hear the potential that a prophet and seer of God sees in each one of us, and to feel the power from his message and from the blessings he left upon us. I will remember this experience forever:)

I invite you to start preparing for General Conference now, for when we all get to hear from these great men and women again. Come with a question, and be prepared to be led and guided:) I love you all!!

Love, Sister Johnson

P.S. Just for the family:) President Nelson wanted us to email you and tell you thank you so much for sending me out here! Thank you for your prayers, and thank you for your love and support!! I love you, and I love being here:)

1-2. Me and Sister Ho at the church

3-4. Temple Trip with Sister Precour

5. Our car battery died twice this week. Our nice neighbor jump started our car. Then the Elders got a recharger box thing from a member just in case, and it came in handy after district meeting cause we had to jump start our car. The Elders stood by to make sure we knew how to do it haha! So here's the picture. We did it successfully though:)

6-7. Poughkeepsie Zone

8. Me, Sister Ho, and Sister Israelsen

9. Me and Sister Perkins!