Last week we were knocking and I opened and walked through a gate in order to get to someone’s house. There was no “beware of dog” sign so I thought I was fine, but of course, once I was inside the yard I heard the jingling sound of a loose collar and I saw a black dog racing across the yard bearing the look of death. I screamed and ran back through the gate. Missionary work is dangerous. I could hear a conversation I had had with my dad years early. We were walking down the street and a friendly black dog came running up to lick me to and I flipped out. My dad asked, “I thought you liked dogs?” And I responded, “Not big, black ones!!!” So I guess I’ve never overcome that fear. Fortunately the dog I saw last week wasn’t the biggest black dog I’d ever seen. He was more like a medium black dog, but I don’t really like those either.
Then this week Sister Kleisler and I were knocking again and we walked up to someone’s house and under their big dodge truck was a big scary dog, unchained (because country folks are crazy), and ready to eat us. We slowly started backing away and then two more dogs ran up barking something terrible. There we were standing face to face with three missionary-eaters and all we could do was back up. We were trying to decide if we should run or just act casual. “Hey dogs, good to see ya, sorry we disturbed your nap, what fine fur you have, and what large teeth…” Needless to say, we made it back to our car in one piece which is lucky because our district leader got a pretty bad bite from a dog a few weeks ago.
I went on exchanges this week with Sister Dodge who was Sister Kleisler’s old companion. We had tons of fun. I went up to central San An which was nice. They share a ward with elders so we spent a lot of time with them. I love being with other missionaries! Sister Kleisler hardly ever get to see other missionaries which stinks. AS missionaries we are always a separate identity from everyone else. From the people we talk to everyday, to our investigators, even the members in our ward: we are just different. So it is so nice to be around missionaries who are the same…the same as people who aren’t different. Anyways, it was fun. We helped a member family move. One of the kids, an eight year old, was helping and by the time we got there he was dripping with sweat. The kids love the Elders so one of the missionaries started playing around with the eight year old and then jokingly asked pointing to a sweat bead, “Dude, what’s that?” The eight year old snapped back, “I HAVE SWEAT PROBLEMS, OKAY!!!!” I almost died laughing. It was hilarious. I don’t know what that kid’s medical history is like, but when you live in south Texas, everyone has sweat problems.
Yesterday was the best day this week. We didn’t have anyone at church. Bummer. But we did find a girl named, Alyssa. She had seen us before because everyone has seen us before. Because Pleasanton is so small I almost feel omnipresent. Anyways, we taught her and her friend the restoration. She liked it, her friend…not so much. But that was really cool for us. Then that night we taught Rebecca again (the science teacher). She’s so cool and we asked her about coming to church and she said she didn’t like to go to church because she always cried and it was embarrassing. “Hey! Our church is the perfect for people who cry a lot! Everyone cries.” We told her about the spirit and how sometimes you get overwhelmed by it and all you can do is cry and then she started to cry. It’s really sad that we were excited she cried. We don’t necessarily like it when people cry, but we do like it when they feel something as a result of the thing we teach. Booyah.
Thanks for your prayers and support. Have a great day!
~sister johnson

Mon, Aug 3, 2009

Have I told you about Fritz and Kline? I met them the first time we went running. I was running down the street thinking, “I love running! I love being a missionary! What a beautiful tree! La La La!” When suddenly from across the street I heard a rattling chain and Fritz comes tearing across his yard towards me: “Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff!” (Ruff’s are barked as eighth notes). Ahhh! I almost fell over. I stopped jogging and decided to walk very carefully while in sight of Fritz—But then suddenly I heard another rattling chain as Kline barreled right up to the chain link fence—the only thing standing in the way of me and the jaws of death: “Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff!” I started to do some breathing exercises and tried not to make eye contact with them as I passed by the fortress (a simple brick home on a two acre lot) that they guarded so well. So every morning we run past their home and keep running until the end of the street and then we turn around and run past the house of Fritz and Kline again. And every single stinking morning and every single stinking time we run in front of their house the same thing happens: the two German Shepherds come out to bark us out of their sight. You would think that after six weeks they’d lay off a bit, but no. Every morning they come running out with as much furry as they did the first day—they have a lot of pride for where they live and they know their duty. One day I was running back home with Sister Kleisler behind me. We had already been barked out of sight so I was waiting for round two. As I ran in front of their yard I saw Kline (alright. I actually don’t know which dog it was. And I don’t even know their real names, but I personally I believe Fritz and Kline should be their real names) licking and sniffing a cat. He was so distracted that he didn’t see me pass by. I thought it was hilarious and I almost called out, “Stop flirting with your girlfriend!” Of course I didn’t say that because I knew he would eat me. But he must have heard my thoughts because he all the sudden snapped out of lala land and came chasing after me. Ahhh! Gets me every time.
We ate over at the Scotts house this week. They are an older couple who have been in the ward forever and they know everything about everyone. While we were over there they had a sign on their wall that read: “When I die I want to be buried in the Wal-Mart parking lot so my wife will come and visit me every day.” Then they showed me another sign that they found. This sign was located underneath a handicapped parking sign. It read: “Stupidity is not considered to be a handicap. Park somewhere else!” Haha.
Then my favorite thing that happened this week was during testimony meeting. We had some investigators visiting so of course we were super paranoid about what is said during the church meetings. Someone in the ward went up and bore a beautiful testimony, and in the middle of it they testified of the importance of learning all different kinds of skills. “Who would have thought that learning how to belly dance could save someone’s life?” We heard “belly dance” and about fainted. Then the person recounted how one of their relatives was choking and they would have died if they had not been taught a belly dancing move that acted as a self Heimlich maneuver. So there you go. Belly dancing can save your life.
As far as missionary work goes, I don’t really know what to say. This has been one of the most memorable weeks of my entire mission. It was up then down then up then down. But we found a bunch of people to teach so it was all worth it!
Hope you have a great week! Talk to ya later!
Sister Johnson

Mon, Aug 10, 2009

Well, I forgot my planner so I can’t really remember what happened this week. Oh yeah! Zone Conference!!! That was good. We had to do role plays with President which was TERRIFYING! Role plays in and of themselves are no fun, but with President…We knocked on President’s door ( the pulpit in the chapel) and he answered it. Our objective was to get into the house. Afterwards he told us that sister’s are good teachers, but we’re not very bold door approachers…surprise, surprise. This week we tried to apply what we learned. So we started knocking and at the first door (where someone actually came to the door) we basically said, “We’re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We’re sharing a message about Jesus Christ that brings a lot peace and happiness. Do you have time for us to come in (bad bad bad thing to ask, but don’t worry we recovered.” “Well, I’m leaving.” “This message is very important. Will you allow us to come into your home and share this message with you? It will take five minutes.” And then the miraculous happened…she said, “Alright” and then let us in. Okay, maybe that door approach seems lame to you and uncreative, but it works a ton better than us going on and on about what a prophet is and the history of the Book of Mormon. It’s weird how willing people are to let you into their home if you just ask. Sad it took me this long to learn that, but oh well.
Other things that happened this week…hmmmm…I got to see Sister Denison at Zone conference which was cool. She was transferred down to San Antonio. We played a song for President during our interviews. It’s a song all about Pleasanton and our inside jokes. Sister Kleisler came up with the ideas and I wrote the lyrics and played the guitar. She has a guitar so I get to play it. It’s fun.
I don’t have a whole lot to say this week so I guess I’ll sign off. Hope everyone is doing well. I love you all and I really appreciate all your support! Welcome Home Grandma and Grandpa Johnson (on Friday)!!!!
~Sister Johnson