Mon, Mar 2, 2009
Hello.
I just want to first start off by telling my family that Sister Davenport is a very big Stargate fan which obviously makes her very cool. She mostly has a crush on Jack, but who wouldn't, right?
This week was...spaztasic. First, the weather was crazy. Going from 90 degrees down to 35 degrees in one night is not normal. Inconsistency in weather is the only constant right now, but I love it. I love the weather!!!!!!!! I don't know how you did it Anna, but I am so glad I didn't get sent to North eastern Europe...or anywhere North for that matter. If it's warm I'm really good at going out of my way to talk to everyone I can see, but when it's cold I can only think about one thing: "get warm, get warm, must get warm NOW." You'd think that I'd be a little less whimpy here in Texas because I grew up in Idaho, but no. If it's below 60, I'm chilly.
Okay, missionary work: The other day we met a lady in the parking lot. We introduced ourselves and she immediately gave us the look that says, "Stay away."
"Oh, you're Mormons...Well, I'm going through a crisis right now and I don't want to talk." I don't remember what we said. All I could remember was how sad she looked. She told us that she had been a Jehovah's Witness for 20 years, but now she's decided that all organized religion is wrong. "I don't think anyone knows the truth and I don't think anyone can know the truth." We tried to offer comforting words, but what I remember most was how she looked at us. You could tell she was a kind person and that she meant nothing towards us personally, but as she looked at us, everything that we represented to her (organized religion, I guess) brought her so much pain and anger. All I wanted to do was give her a hug and tell her everything was going to be okay, but of course I couldn't then. The anger that people have had with religion is sometimes thrust on us because of who we are to them. I know I'm not the cause of their pain, but it hurts to have people look at you like that.
That whole day was bad. All the investigators we taught were having tough days. Unbeknown to us, one of our investigators was having a very difficult time financially and it all came to a head the day we decided to teach tithing. But you know what? That investigator is still getting baptized and is still going to pay tithing because they knelt down after we left and asked if it was what the Lord wanted them to do. They received the answer they needed and they are pressing forward. Very cool.
The day after the bad day was amazing...I'm telling you, these weeks are like rollercoasters. We met a lot of people that listened to us and want us to come back to teach. One lady in particular just shown so bright as we talked to her. I'm excited to see what happens with her and her family.
We met another lady getting out of her car. She smiled warmly and I said, "Hi! we're missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm sister-" All of the sudden she stuck a huge cross in my face. "Um...yeah...I'm sister Johnson.........." Then Sister Davenport piped in, "And I'm Sister Davenport. What's that?" I was sure she was going to say it was her relic to ward off vampires, but she explained that she was a lay nun for some catholic order so she was showing us that she was a sister too. I started into our message, but she suddenly waved her hands to cut us off and then pulled us both into a big double hug. Sweet...But then she held us there and started praying out loud. It was a beautiful prayer... a little awkward :) Great lady
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Dude, you're crazy
Mon, Feb 23, 2009
I love my Life! I love my life! I love my life!!!!!!! (pretend like I'm singing in my operatic voice cause I am, but actually not really cause I'm in the library, but I'm singing opera in my head which is a common occurrence when I'm happy…too much information)
Joshua is getting baptized on March 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So this is the guy who read 80 pages of the Book of Mormon in two days. At our next appointment we taught the Plan of Salvation and really enjoyed it. We asked about his Book of Mormon reading and he said that he had hit some trouble in 2 Nephi. He said that it just wasn't as exciting as 1 Nephi. We told him that 2 Nephi was hard for everyone and that if he wanted to he could skip it. At the next appointment he said, "I didn't feel good about skipping 2 Nephi so I decided to read it anyways and after the third time I really started understanding it." "You read 2 Nephi 3 times?" "Yeah." The member who was with us turned to Joshua and said, "Dude, you're crazy." This guy is awesome!!!! He's one of the nicest people in the world and all of his friends think he's crazy for "going Mormon" on them, but he doesn't care cause he knows it's true.
This week when we were knocking these two kittens started following us around. They were annoying at first, but then after a while they started to grow on me…literally…hahahaha okay, not literally, but that would be funny. Anyways, back to stuff that really matters: these kittens apparently thought we were awesome so they followed us and then started showing us really good tips on how to get into homes when you are out knocking. Just run as fast as you can through the owners' legs into the house and then hide. Genius. So they followed us all the way home and waited for us on our front porch while we ate lunch. We found them curled up in a ball on the front porch and we realized we were going to have to drive them back home cause if we walked them back they would just keep following us. But then the battery in our car died so we walked them home which ended up being providential because as we were walking we saw Carlos (who had stood us up for an appointment). "Carlos!" We pointed out how strange it was that we kept running into him (He's the guy who was running past our house and I kinda ran him down to give him a card). But he let us teach him a lesson which was super good. He's a really honest, sincere man who is trying to find truth and isn't necessarily satisfied with his own church even though he loves the youth that he works with (youth minister).
We finally got Lauren to the singles ward by introducing her to a girl that she felt comfortable enough with to take her. Good. She was feeling out of place with all the babies and diamond rings. However, she was worried when we said we were taking her to a singles ward. "I'm not single!" She's got this amazing boyfriend who lost both legs in Iraq and is now a professional skier and was just in Europe competing where he was announced 10th in the world. Yes Lauren, you can keep your boyfriend. But he's in Idaho right now and he will be until April and we want her to have friends cause she sits at home all day.
We met a lady named Blanca in a parking lot. We've been meeting a lot of people in parking lots. Gold mines I suppose. She has an infant and a three-year-old. As we taught the first lesson the explanation about the apostasy and why there are so many Christian churches today really clicked for her. She says she's been looking for a church for her children, so we'll see.
Saturday was full of really powerful lessons. Sister Davenport and I had started noticing how our lesson weren't really filled with the spirit. They were interesting, but they weren't like when we taught Monica and Antonio the first few weeks I was here (By the way, they're taking a break from Mormonism right now. Not sure if I told you.) So we tried to simplify our lessons, testify more, and ask more questions. At the McFarlanes I shared my own experiences with Brother McFarlane (who's not a member, his wife is) about how I know that there is God. It's scary sharing things that are that important to me, but we've known the Mcfarlanes for a while and I finally felt comfortable sharing. He feels awkward praying outload and I would too if I didn't think someone was listening. We also think he may not want to acknowledge a supreme being who would allow the death of their unborn baby. Life is full of contradictions. The Lord says have children and build a family, and then you can't have kids. Seems cruel.
We were going to invite Joshua and Bonnie (who is also getting baptized eventually) to an eight year old baptism, but they both cancelled. Probably a good thing. We walked in and there was this glamour shot of this eight year old placed on a table-clothed table next to a pretty center piece and guest book. The room was filled to capacity with ward members and family—standing room only. I have no idea why so many people showed up, but this is a really supportive ward I guess. The lady teaching the baptism lesson told the girl to stand up and look around and see all the people that were supporting her. I laughed cause when she got up she had this funny smug grin that seemed to say, "They're mine, all mine…bahahahaha!" It was cute and funny comparing our baptismal services with that one. Our investigators may have been a little disappointed in the baptismal service we would put together for them had they attended the eight-year-old's.
This week I was reading in Ether and found a really interesting scripture. So in Ether 12 we all know the scripture that talks about how we have weaknesses that can become strengths. Well, in verse 37 it says, "And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong" but it doesn't end there, "even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father." By acknowledging our weaknesses we will become strong and essentially be saved one day. Now I don't think that means moping around all day drowning in the knowledge of you inadequacies, but I think it means that part of being saved or part of becoming perfect is recognizing that you are not perfect. Recognizing your challenges so that you know what you have to work on. Since I've been out here I have been made very aware of my weaknesses, but for some reason I'm not super discouraged by them. I think it's a blessing from my family's prayers…I don't know. But if we don't have anything to work on then why are we here. In verse 28 the Lord tells us that showing us our weaknesses is tied to Him showing us that faith, hope, and charity brings us closer to Christ.
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I love my Life! I love my life! I love my life!!!!!!! (pretend like I'm singing in my operatic voice cause I am, but actually not really cause I'm in the library, but I'm singing opera in my head which is a common occurrence when I'm happy…too much information)
Joshua is getting baptized on March 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So this is the guy who read 80 pages of the Book of Mormon in two days. At our next appointment we taught the Plan of Salvation and really enjoyed it. We asked about his Book of Mormon reading and he said that he had hit some trouble in 2 Nephi. He said that it just wasn't as exciting as 1 Nephi. We told him that 2 Nephi was hard for everyone and that if he wanted to he could skip it. At the next appointment he said, "I didn't feel good about skipping 2 Nephi so I decided to read it anyways and after the third time I really started understanding it." "You read 2 Nephi 3 times?" "Yeah." The member who was with us turned to Joshua and said, "Dude, you're crazy." This guy is awesome!!!! He's one of the nicest people in the world and all of his friends think he's crazy for "going Mormon" on them, but he doesn't care cause he knows it's true.
This week when we were knocking these two kittens started following us around. They were annoying at first, but then after a while they started to grow on me…literally…hahahaha okay, not literally, but that would be funny. Anyways, back to stuff that really matters: these kittens apparently thought we were awesome so they followed us and then started showing us really good tips on how to get into homes when you are out knocking. Just run as fast as you can through the owners' legs into the house and then hide. Genius. So they followed us all the way home and waited for us on our front porch while we ate lunch. We found them curled up in a ball on the front porch and we realized we were going to have to drive them back home cause if we walked them back they would just keep following us. But then the battery in our car died so we walked them home which ended up being providential because as we were walking we saw Carlos (who had stood us up for an appointment). "Carlos!" We pointed out how strange it was that we kept running into him (He's the guy who was running past our house and I kinda ran him down to give him a card). But he let us teach him a lesson which was super good. He's a really honest, sincere man who is trying to find truth and isn't necessarily satisfied with his own church even though he loves the youth that he works with (youth minister).
We finally got Lauren to the singles ward by introducing her to a girl that she felt comfortable enough with to take her. Good. She was feeling out of place with all the babies and diamond rings. However, she was worried when we said we were taking her to a singles ward. "I'm not single!" She's got this amazing boyfriend who lost both legs in Iraq and is now a professional skier and was just in Europe competing where he was announced 10th in the world. Yes Lauren, you can keep your boyfriend. But he's in Idaho right now and he will be until April and we want her to have friends cause she sits at home all day.
We met a lady named Blanca in a parking lot. We've been meeting a lot of people in parking lots. Gold mines I suppose. She has an infant and a three-year-old. As we taught the first lesson the explanation about the apostasy and why there are so many Christian churches today really clicked for her. She says she's been looking for a church for her children, so we'll see.
Saturday was full of really powerful lessons. Sister Davenport and I had started noticing how our lesson weren't really filled with the spirit. They were interesting, but they weren't like when we taught Monica and Antonio the first few weeks I was here (By the way, they're taking a break from Mormonism right now. Not sure if I told you.) So we tried to simplify our lessons, testify more, and ask more questions. At the McFarlanes I shared my own experiences with Brother McFarlane (who's not a member, his wife is) about how I know that there is God. It's scary sharing things that are that important to me, but we've known the Mcfarlanes for a while and I finally felt comfortable sharing. He feels awkward praying outload and I would too if I didn't think someone was listening. We also think he may not want to acknowledge a supreme being who would allow the death of their unborn baby. Life is full of contradictions. The Lord says have children and build a family, and then you can't have kids. Seems cruel.
We were going to invite Joshua and Bonnie (who is also getting baptized eventually) to an eight year old baptism, but they both cancelled. Probably a good thing. We walked in and there was this glamour shot of this eight year old placed on a table-clothed table next to a pretty center piece and guest book. The room was filled to capacity with ward members and family—standing room only. I have no idea why so many people showed up, but this is a really supportive ward I guess. The lady teaching the baptism lesson told the girl to stand up and look around and see all the people that were supporting her. I laughed cause when she got up she had this funny smug grin that seemed to say, "They're mine, all mine…bahahahaha!" It was cute and funny comparing our baptismal services with that one. Our investigators may have been a little disappointed in the baptismal service we would put together for them had they attended the eight-year-old's.
This week I was reading in Ether and found a really interesting scripture. So in Ether 12 we all know the scripture that talks about how we have weaknesses that can become strengths. Well, in verse 37 it says, "And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong" but it doesn't end there, "even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father." By acknowledging our weaknesses we will become strong and essentially be saved one day. Now I don't think that means moping around all day drowning in the knowledge of you inadequacies, but I think it means that part of being saved or part of becoming perfect is recognizing that you are not perfect. Recognizing your challenges so that you know what you have to work on. Since I've been out here I have been made very aware of my weaknesses, but for some reason I'm not super discouraged by them. I think it's a blessing from my family's prayers…I don't know. But if we don't have anything to work on then why are we here. In verse 28 the Lord tells us that showing us our weaknesses is tied to Him showing us that faith, hope, and charity brings us closer to Christ.
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Monday, February 16, 2009
It's all there
Mon, Feb 16, 2009
Sldjfkdjfldkfjd I don’t know where to start. I'll tell my favorite story from this week.
Joshua:
We met Joshua in a parking lot. He’s 33 and got shoulder length hair that he wears in a ponytail, he plays the guitar in a bunch of different bands, and he has his own recording studio, and is pretty easy going and nice. He looks like my little brother Clint and his mannerisms are similar to Clint’s. We offered him a card and introduced ourselves. He said that he has a friend who is Buddhist so he’s open to stuff and agreed for us to come over and teach him. So the next day we came over and taught him the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. He asked questions and was nice, but didn’t seem incredibly interested but he promised he’d read 3 Nephi 11 and we made an appointment for a few days later (Feb. 14). Valentine’s Day was not exactly the best day of my life. All of our appointments fell through and we were pretty discouraged, at least I was. But Joshua didn’t cancel. We walked in for our appointment and Joshua was super happy to see us. He said, “I got you a card, and some flowers, and some chocolates for Valentine’s Day.” Oh great.
But then we read the card: “Sisters, I’m so glad I met you! You’ve shown me what I’ve been missing, and what I didn’t know I wanted! And that I’m not alone. God bless you. Joshua”
What? Where did this enthusiasm come from? He didn’t seem that interested before. In his excitement he explained that he had read the pamphlet we left him and he read 3 Nephi 11 and loved it so much that he started the Book of Mormon at the beginning and read 80 pages in two days. He told us how he had heard people his whole life telling him good things, but he didn’t know where they came from. He read the bible and he didn’t see them there, but he pointed to the Book of Mormon and said, “It’s all there!” I can’t describe to you how happy I was at that moment. My mouth hurt because I was smiling so hard. He was bearing his testimony about the Book of Mormon! Also, the last time we talked to him we asked for a referral and he told us about his next door neighbor that he had just met. After telling us about how much he loved the Book of Mormon he told us that he invited his neighbor to come over and listen to the lesson. So his friend, 26-year-old Zach, comes over. Unfortunately he came over during the middle of our lesson about the Plan of Salvation. We tried to summarize, but he was mostly still stuck on “Whose Joseph Smith?”
Joshua came to church and the ward members were so awesome! They made him feel warm and welcome. Unfortunately all the talks were about Zion and I didn’t even understand what half of the people were saying, but it doesn’t matter cause he felt the spirit. Then in Sunday school the discussion went from prophets to the three Nephites to the priesthood to the temple and then finally on to a debate on whether we should learn things from those who are not LDS. The whole time I was sweating bullets thinking, “What are these people doing in the basic gospel principles class. Send them back to the high priests' class” I stress too much. It was fine, although Joshua was super confused, nonetheless, he felt the spirit. After elders quorum he told us that they learned about missionary work and he told us ways he was going to improve. Who is this guy? He’s great, and the ward loves him. Cross your fingers.
I’m not good at dodge ball. I hate it actually, but once a month we play it and the sisters are forced to stand there looking like idiots as super fast rubber balls go whizzing past our heads. Sister Davenport’s good cause she can catch the ball. It's torture cause Elders want to get back at all those sisters who called them immature (not me, I don't say it to there face. haha, okay really I respect them)...or I think the Elders are hoping for a Sister Waiwa-miracle. This sister named Waiwa was the last one left in her zone during a tri-zone dodge ball tournament. It was her against like 50 billion elders, but she single handedly caught (okay she probably used two hands) a bunch of balls and her zone ended up winning the tournament. We are all judged against the legendary Sister Waiwa. I can’t handle that kind of stress! Thus, dodge ball is dumb.
I love you all very very very very much. Happy V-day and I hope you got lots of chocolate!
Sister AJ
Sldjfkdjfldkfjd I don’t know where to start. I'll tell my favorite story from this week.
Joshua:
We met Joshua in a parking lot. He’s 33 and got shoulder length hair that he wears in a ponytail, he plays the guitar in a bunch of different bands, and he has his own recording studio, and is pretty easy going and nice. He looks like my little brother Clint and his mannerisms are similar to Clint’s. We offered him a card and introduced ourselves. He said that he has a friend who is Buddhist so he’s open to stuff and agreed for us to come over and teach him. So the next day we came over and taught him the restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. He asked questions and was nice, but didn’t seem incredibly interested but he promised he’d read 3 Nephi 11 and we made an appointment for a few days later (Feb. 14). Valentine’s Day was not exactly the best day of my life. All of our appointments fell through and we were pretty discouraged, at least I was. But Joshua didn’t cancel. We walked in for our appointment and Joshua was super happy to see us. He said, “I got you a card, and some flowers, and some chocolates for Valentine’s Day.” Oh great.
But then we read the card: “Sisters, I’m so glad I met you! You’ve shown me what I’ve been missing, and what I didn’t know I wanted! And that I’m not alone. God bless you. Joshua”
What? Where did this enthusiasm come from? He didn’t seem that interested before. In his excitement he explained that he had read the pamphlet we left him and he read 3 Nephi 11 and loved it so much that he started the Book of Mormon at the beginning and read 80 pages in two days. He told us how he had heard people his whole life telling him good things, but he didn’t know where they came from. He read the bible and he didn’t see them there, but he pointed to the Book of Mormon and said, “It’s all there!” I can’t describe to you how happy I was at that moment. My mouth hurt because I was smiling so hard. He was bearing his testimony about the Book of Mormon! Also, the last time we talked to him we asked for a referral and he told us about his next door neighbor that he had just met. After telling us about how much he loved the Book of Mormon he told us that he invited his neighbor to come over and listen to the lesson. So his friend, 26-year-old Zach, comes over. Unfortunately he came over during the middle of our lesson about the Plan of Salvation. We tried to summarize, but he was mostly still stuck on “Whose Joseph Smith?”
Joshua came to church and the ward members were so awesome! They made him feel warm and welcome. Unfortunately all the talks were about Zion and I didn’t even understand what half of the people were saying, but it doesn’t matter cause he felt the spirit. Then in Sunday school the discussion went from prophets to the three Nephites to the priesthood to the temple and then finally on to a debate on whether we should learn things from those who are not LDS. The whole time I was sweating bullets thinking, “What are these people doing in the basic gospel principles class. Send them back to the high priests' class” I stress too much. It was fine, although Joshua was super confused, nonetheless, he felt the spirit. After elders quorum he told us that they learned about missionary work and he told us ways he was going to improve. Who is this guy? He’s great, and the ward loves him. Cross your fingers.
I’m not good at dodge ball. I hate it actually, but once a month we play it and the sisters are forced to stand there looking like idiots as super fast rubber balls go whizzing past our heads. Sister Davenport’s good cause she can catch the ball. It's torture cause Elders want to get back at all those sisters who called them immature (not me, I don't say it to there face. haha, okay really I respect them)...or I think the Elders are hoping for a Sister Waiwa-miracle. This sister named Waiwa was the last one left in her zone during a tri-zone dodge ball tournament. It was her against like 50 billion elders, but she single handedly caught (okay she probably used two hands) a bunch of balls and her zone ended up winning the tournament. We are all judged against the legendary Sister Waiwa. I can’t handle that kind of stress! Thus, dodge ball is dumb.
I love you all very very very very much. Happy V-day and I hope you got lots of chocolate!
Sister AJ
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Every breath we take is a gift
Feb 9, 2009
So Sister Davenport has been on one this week. We were sitting on the couch at Colleen’s house (recent convert) waiting for the family to come in. She found a fluffy stuffed jack-o-lantern that said, “Haha Happy Halloween!” Sister Davenport apparently decided that I needed a lesson in patience so she took the fluffy pumpkin and stuffed it into my face while it sang, “haha! Happy Halloween.” “You’re so funny Sister Davenport,” I said rolling my eyes. And then again the pumpkin was in my face, “Haha! Happy Halloween.” So I realized that this was only the beginning. I sat there stone-faced as the pumpkin danced in my face, on my shoulder, around my neck all the while shouting “Haha! Happy Halloween! Haha! Happy Halloween! Haha! Haha! Haha!” My fuse blew and I started attacking her sister-style. You know: punches and karate kicks and all that.
Anyways, I’m pretty sure she’s conducting an experiment to discover all of my buttons and is calculating exactly how often and how many times she can push those buttons before I lose it. Apparently my reactions are that interesting. All week long she’s been doing things like taking a bazzilion pictures right in my eyes so the flash blinds me, she’s been balancing books on my head while I’m trying to tell her something serious, and adding a super high annoying voiceover every time I’m reading from the white handbook. But for some odd reason, right at the moment I’m about to go on a tyrannical tirade my stiffness and stress goes out the window and I’m forced to laugh and relax. She’s good for me.
This week I have become blatantly aware of a lot of my weakness. I always knew they were here but I usually tuck them away to solve at a later date, but I guess that date is here. I’m pretty shy and it takes me a while to feel comfortable around people. I need time to scope them out, to figure what they’re like and I how I relate to them. I can’t be thrown into a friendship, it takes me a LONG time. I also am extremely intimidated with people in authority positions such as those who are older than me, leaders, people in more grown up times of life (aka marriage). I don’t really ever feel completely comfortable around these people. So now let me tell you my job description. I am supposed to go up to total strangers and bear my testimony to them about one of the most personal aspects of my life: the gospel. Most of the people I talk to are older than me. They need to feel comfortable around me in order for them to listen to what I have to say. They have to know that I love them. I have to work with the ward leadership. I am supposed to be an equal with them even though I feel like a little girl.
It’s really rough. Because I feel uncomfortable around these people, they in turn feel uncomfortable around me. I’m super intimidated by them so they are super intimidated by me…and the cycle continues. I’m supposed to just love all these people right off the bat, but I can’t do it. I don’t love people right off the bat because it’s dangerous. I know that I love them somewhere deep inside, but my fears take over and a wall goes up. The spirit can’t go through that kind of a wall. So this is what I’m struggling with. I can be organized, I can study really well, I can memorize the right things to say, but if I can’t truly love the people around me and learn how to show that love, then nothing else I do matters. Blah. But I’m not discouraged. I know that this is something that I can’t change on my own, but I have the gift of the Holy Ghost and He can change me as I do everything I can to overcome my inabilities.
We had sister exchanges this week. I spent the day with Sister Dennison. We rode bikes and taught some lessons. This one guy was so interested in what we had to say that we taught him all three lessons in one sitting. Overload, but he liked it. He’s from Indonesian. I love Southeast Asia. UMM…I DON’T KNOW WHY BUT THE COMPUTER JUST STARTED DOING ALL CAPS AND I DON’T KNOW WHY…AND YES I TRIED PUSHING THE CAPS-LOCK BUTTON…OH WELL. THE SHOW MUST GO ON. ANYWAYS, WE WERE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND THERE WAS THIS GIRL WHO HAD ORANGE HAIR THAT WAS SUPER COOL. WE TOLD HER WHO WE WERE AND SHE SAID, “WHAT? SORRY, I’M PAGAN.” NOW HOW WOULD YOU REPLY TO THIS? NOW THAT SHE’S NOT IN FRONT OF ME I CAN THINK OF A THOUSAND THINGS TO SAY, BUT WHAT DID I SAY? “THAT IS SO COOL!” AND THEN WE WALKED AWAY. WHAT KIND OF MISSIONARY AM I? I THINK I WAS DISTRACTED BY HER COOL HAIR.
SO I’VE BEEN OUT FOR A TRANSFER SO YOU’D THINK I’D HAVE ALL THE BASIC MISSIONARY CONDUCT FIGURED OUT, BUT NO. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I STILL STRUGGLE WITH. WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE MISSIONARY STAND BEHIND THE CAR TO HELP GUIDE THE OTHER MISSIONARY WHEN THEY ARE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. I CAN’T REMEMBER THIS RULE FOR THE LIFE OF ME. EVERY DAY IT SEEMS LIKE I GET INTO THE CAR AND SISTER DAVENPORT HAS TO SAY, “GET OUT OF THE CAR.” UGH. I MUST ASSIMILATE MYSELF INTO THIS CULTURE BUT I THINK PART OF MY SUB-CONSCIENCE SELF IS RESISTING. WOW . THIS CAPS LOCK THING IS ANNOYING.
SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING AT CHURCH THAT FOR SOME REASON HIT ME. I GUESS ITS KINDA CHEESY OR CLICHÉ, BUT FOR SOME REASON I REALLY LIKED IT. (PROBABLY CAUSE I’M CHEESY AND CLICHÉ). WE CAN NEVER FEEL LIKE OUR LIFE IS NOT BLESSED BECAUSE EVERY BREATH WE TAKE IS A GIFT. :)
The people we are teaching are super cool. Bonnie should be getting baptized this week. She is really sweet and insightful.
Lauren had her blessing last week and it was extremely powerful. It was conditional on her sharing her testimony with others. She made a cd for us yesterday of her talking about her testimony and it included a bunch of christian songs.
The Johnson family (Colleen and Justin) are the most charitable people I know. Giving to others doesn't empty their bucket, it makes it more full. I want to be like them.
SISTER JOHNSON…
So Sister Davenport has been on one this week. We were sitting on the couch at Colleen’s house (recent convert) waiting for the family to come in. She found a fluffy stuffed jack-o-lantern that said, “Haha Happy Halloween!” Sister Davenport apparently decided that I needed a lesson in patience so she took the fluffy pumpkin and stuffed it into my face while it sang, “haha! Happy Halloween.” “You’re so funny Sister Davenport,” I said rolling my eyes. And then again the pumpkin was in my face, “Haha! Happy Halloween.” So I realized that this was only the beginning. I sat there stone-faced as the pumpkin danced in my face, on my shoulder, around my neck all the while shouting “Haha! Happy Halloween! Haha! Happy Halloween! Haha! Haha! Haha!” My fuse blew and I started attacking her sister-style. You know: punches and karate kicks and all that.
Anyways, I’m pretty sure she’s conducting an experiment to discover all of my buttons and is calculating exactly how often and how many times she can push those buttons before I lose it. Apparently my reactions are that interesting. All week long she’s been doing things like taking a bazzilion pictures right in my eyes so the flash blinds me, she’s been balancing books on my head while I’m trying to tell her something serious, and adding a super high annoying voiceover every time I’m reading from the white handbook. But for some odd reason, right at the moment I’m about to go on a tyrannical tirade my stiffness and stress goes out the window and I’m forced to laugh and relax. She’s good for me.
This week I have become blatantly aware of a lot of my weakness. I always knew they were here but I usually tuck them away to solve at a later date, but I guess that date is here. I’m pretty shy and it takes me a while to feel comfortable around people. I need time to scope them out, to figure what they’re like and I how I relate to them. I can’t be thrown into a friendship, it takes me a LONG time. I also am extremely intimidated with people in authority positions such as those who are older than me, leaders, people in more grown up times of life (aka marriage). I don’t really ever feel completely comfortable around these people. So now let me tell you my job description. I am supposed to go up to total strangers and bear my testimony to them about one of the most personal aspects of my life: the gospel. Most of the people I talk to are older than me. They need to feel comfortable around me in order for them to listen to what I have to say. They have to know that I love them. I have to work with the ward leadership. I am supposed to be an equal with them even though I feel like a little girl.
It’s really rough. Because I feel uncomfortable around these people, they in turn feel uncomfortable around me. I’m super intimidated by them so they are super intimidated by me…and the cycle continues. I’m supposed to just love all these people right off the bat, but I can’t do it. I don’t love people right off the bat because it’s dangerous. I know that I love them somewhere deep inside, but my fears take over and a wall goes up. The spirit can’t go through that kind of a wall. So this is what I’m struggling with. I can be organized, I can study really well, I can memorize the right things to say, but if I can’t truly love the people around me and learn how to show that love, then nothing else I do matters. Blah. But I’m not discouraged. I know that this is something that I can’t change on my own, but I have the gift of the Holy Ghost and He can change me as I do everything I can to overcome my inabilities.
We had sister exchanges this week. I spent the day with Sister Dennison. We rode bikes and taught some lessons. This one guy was so interested in what we had to say that we taught him all three lessons in one sitting. Overload, but he liked it. He’s from Indonesian. I love Southeast Asia. UMM…I DON’T KNOW WHY BUT THE COMPUTER JUST STARTED DOING ALL CAPS AND I DON’T KNOW WHY…AND YES I TRIED PUSHING THE CAPS-LOCK BUTTON…OH WELL. THE SHOW MUST GO ON. ANYWAYS, WE WERE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND THERE WAS THIS GIRL WHO HAD ORANGE HAIR THAT WAS SUPER COOL. WE TOLD HER WHO WE WERE AND SHE SAID, “WHAT? SORRY, I’M PAGAN.” NOW HOW WOULD YOU REPLY TO THIS? NOW THAT SHE’S NOT IN FRONT OF ME I CAN THINK OF A THOUSAND THINGS TO SAY, BUT WHAT DID I SAY? “THAT IS SO COOL!” AND THEN WE WALKED AWAY. WHAT KIND OF MISSIONARY AM I? I THINK I WAS DISTRACTED BY HER COOL HAIR.
SO I’VE BEEN OUT FOR A TRANSFER SO YOU’D THINK I’D HAVE ALL THE BASIC MISSIONARY CONDUCT FIGURED OUT, BUT NO. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I STILL STRUGGLE WITH. WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE MISSIONARY STAND BEHIND THE CAR TO HELP GUIDE THE OTHER MISSIONARY WHEN THEY ARE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. I CAN’T REMEMBER THIS RULE FOR THE LIFE OF ME. EVERY DAY IT SEEMS LIKE I GET INTO THE CAR AND SISTER DAVENPORT HAS TO SAY, “GET OUT OF THE CAR.” UGH. I MUST ASSIMILATE MYSELF INTO THIS CULTURE BUT I THINK PART OF MY SUB-CONSCIENCE SELF IS RESISTING. WOW . THIS CAPS LOCK THING IS ANNOYING.
SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING AT CHURCH THAT FOR SOME REASON HIT ME. I GUESS ITS KINDA CHEESY OR CLICHÉ, BUT FOR SOME REASON I REALLY LIKED IT. (PROBABLY CAUSE I’M CHEESY AND CLICHÉ). WE CAN NEVER FEEL LIKE OUR LIFE IS NOT BLESSED BECAUSE EVERY BREATH WE TAKE IS A GIFT. :)
The people we are teaching are super cool. Bonnie should be getting baptized this week. She is really sweet and insightful.
Lauren had her blessing last week and it was extremely powerful. It was conditional on her sharing her testimony with others. She made a cd for us yesterday of her talking about her testimony and it included a bunch of christian songs.
The Johnson family (Colleen and Justin) are the most charitable people I know. Giving to others doesn't empty their bucket, it makes it more full. I want to be like them.
SISTER JOHNSON…
Thursday, February 5, 2009
you gotta lose some weight to get through the narrow gate
Tue, Feb 3, 2009
It’s my last week as a super green greenie!!! After Thursday I’ll only be a green greenie. Transfers are this week but both me and sister Davenport are staying put. Okay, so this week I decided to carry around a little notebook with me so I could write down all the stuff I wanted to write y’all because before I would sit down at the computer and completely forget everything that happened so now I’m more organized.
Okay, I totally forgot last week to talk about how I got to go out to lunch with my Aunt Ellen, Uncle Mike, and cousin Andrew. It was a lot of fun. We went to an authentic bbq place. Yum. It was cool to see them again cause we reminisced about Mexico. Fun stuff.
The coolest thing that happened this week was that Juliet and Justin were baptized and confirmed. Yay! Juliet is a 5’ Barbie doll. She was taught previously by some missionaries in August, but then stopped returning phone calls. A couple months later Juliet called us after the other sisters had left and said that she still wanted to learn more. We taught her and invited her to be baptized and she accepted. Wow. As soon as that baptism date was set her world went crazy. Her mom had to go to the hospital, she had a haircut disaster—a bunch of bad stuff. She ended up postponing the baptism. For the 31st, but then things were going crazy some more and she started feeling like she wasn’t ready and she was super stressed and wanted to hold off the baptism another week. We told her this was a decision between her and God, but we felt like she was ready if she chose to be baptized. She left a message the night before that said, “Well, I was thinking about it and I’ve decided I want to be baptized…(intense half second pause)…tomorrow. I don’t think I can handle another week of torture.” Yay!!!! It was great. She’s so tiny that she was baptized in a little eight year old dress. She loved it.
Justin is the husband of Colleen who was baptized last month. He wasn’t ready to be baptized when his wife was. We had decided to back off from him for a while and give him some room to decide what he wanted to do. But we were teaching Keeley (Colleen’s 14-year-old daughter and Justin’s step daughter) and she decided that she wanted to be baptized, but she was nervous about what her father would think. We told her that we would fast with her to soften her father’s heart so that he would allow her to make this decision. We invited Colleen and Justin to join us in the fast. Colleen called Justin and was talking to him and then she said, “He said he’ll do it too.” Sister Davenport and I looked at each other and said “Do what?” “He’ll get baptized too…with Keeley.” We almost fell over with shock. It was cool. In the end Keeley decided to wait a little while longer, but her dad has totally changed. Whereas before he wouldn’t even discuss the church with her. Now he’s researching it and says he likes the morals but doesn’t believe in Joseph Smith. Miracle.
Larry the minister came to the baptism and the confirmation and said that he liked it a lot. During the meeting a three year old chucked a balled up program over the bench and it hit Larry in the chest. “I’m being stoned!” he exclaimed. The kid’s parents were mortified. Larry also said something really funny. He was writing a sermon and said, “you gotta lose some weight to get through the narrow gate.” Haha. Good old Larry.
The other day we parked our car on the side of the road and I saw this guy running down the sidewalk and all of the sudden I heard myself saying “I have to talk to this guy.” The next thing I knew I was jumping out of the car and startled the guy. “Hi!” said I. “Oh, hi..” He ran right passed me. Oh no! I was supposed to talk to him. So I yelled after him, “Can I give you a card?” Lame tactic, but it was all I could think of to say. “What? A card for what” “A free book of Mormon.” The guy stopped and listened as we explained who were are. He told us that he was a youth minister for his church but has been very confused about authority and wonder if he really even had authority to be a minister. Then wanted to understand more about being baptized by the Holy Ghost. He said that he had been to Utah and had met a lot of Mormons and he said that they seemed like they were people who were in the world but not of the world. Phew! I always hold my breath when someone says they knew some Mormons cause I’m afraid those Mormons might have left a negative impression, but so far everyone says good things about the Mormons they knew. Anyways, we have an appointment with him tomorrow.
Question: What is going on with the Zoo’s? We hear all this filtered news, but is there really no money to feed the zoo animals? And what is going on with the economy because in Austin things are starting to get bad.
We are getting new elders in this area that will be taking over one of our wards so we will only have two wards. Phew. We were spread too thin. And I don’t care what anyone says, 7 hours of church is a lot of church. But I like it.
We helped a lady yesterday clean out her house. She collects beanie babies. She had 20 boxes full of beanie babies. That’s a lot of beanie babies.
I love listening to little kid's prayers. They always say, “thank you for this day. Thank you for the sisters.” I love being a “sister.” It was weird at first, but it’s growing on me. I like being Sister Johnson. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I just really like it when people here call me Sister Johnson.
The other day I decided that being a kid is so cool and I miss it. There were kids climbing into the sewer and I just sighed thinking about when Kirsten and I would play by the sewer singing songs to the alligator that lived there. Only we could see him.
Okay. That’s everything on my list. Next week I’ll work on an organized flow of ideas. Welcome to the brain of me.
sj
It’s my last week as a super green greenie!!! After Thursday I’ll only be a green greenie. Transfers are this week but both me and sister Davenport are staying put. Okay, so this week I decided to carry around a little notebook with me so I could write down all the stuff I wanted to write y’all because before I would sit down at the computer and completely forget everything that happened so now I’m more organized.
Okay, I totally forgot last week to talk about how I got to go out to lunch with my Aunt Ellen, Uncle Mike, and cousin Andrew. It was a lot of fun. We went to an authentic bbq place. Yum. It was cool to see them again cause we reminisced about Mexico. Fun stuff.
The coolest thing that happened this week was that Juliet and Justin were baptized and confirmed. Yay! Juliet is a 5’ Barbie doll. She was taught previously by some missionaries in August, but then stopped returning phone calls. A couple months later Juliet called us after the other sisters had left and said that she still wanted to learn more. We taught her and invited her to be baptized and she accepted. Wow. As soon as that baptism date was set her world went crazy. Her mom had to go to the hospital, she had a haircut disaster—a bunch of bad stuff. She ended up postponing the baptism. For the 31st, but then things were going crazy some more and she started feeling like she wasn’t ready and she was super stressed and wanted to hold off the baptism another week. We told her this was a decision between her and God, but we felt like she was ready if she chose to be baptized. She left a message the night before that said, “Well, I was thinking about it and I’ve decided I want to be baptized…(intense half second pause)…tomorrow. I don’t think I can handle another week of torture.” Yay!!!! It was great. She’s so tiny that she was baptized in a little eight year old dress. She loved it.
Justin is the husband of Colleen who was baptized last month. He wasn’t ready to be baptized when his wife was. We had decided to back off from him for a while and give him some room to decide what he wanted to do. But we were teaching Keeley (Colleen’s 14-year-old daughter and Justin’s step daughter) and she decided that she wanted to be baptized, but she was nervous about what her father would think. We told her that we would fast with her to soften her father’s heart so that he would allow her to make this decision. We invited Colleen and Justin to join us in the fast. Colleen called Justin and was talking to him and then she said, “He said he’ll do it too.” Sister Davenport and I looked at each other and said “Do what?” “He’ll get baptized too…with Keeley.” We almost fell over with shock. It was cool. In the end Keeley decided to wait a little while longer, but her dad has totally changed. Whereas before he wouldn’t even discuss the church with her. Now he’s researching it and says he likes the morals but doesn’t believe in Joseph Smith. Miracle.
Larry the minister came to the baptism and the confirmation and said that he liked it a lot. During the meeting a three year old chucked a balled up program over the bench and it hit Larry in the chest. “I’m being stoned!” he exclaimed. The kid’s parents were mortified. Larry also said something really funny. He was writing a sermon and said, “you gotta lose some weight to get through the narrow gate.” Haha. Good old Larry.
The other day we parked our car on the side of the road and I saw this guy running down the sidewalk and all of the sudden I heard myself saying “I have to talk to this guy.” The next thing I knew I was jumping out of the car and startled the guy. “Hi!” said I. “Oh, hi..” He ran right passed me. Oh no! I was supposed to talk to him. So I yelled after him, “Can I give you a card?” Lame tactic, but it was all I could think of to say. “What? A card for what” “A free book of Mormon.” The guy stopped and listened as we explained who were are. He told us that he was a youth minister for his church but has been very confused about authority and wonder if he really even had authority to be a minister. Then wanted to understand more about being baptized by the Holy Ghost. He said that he had been to Utah and had met a lot of Mormons and he said that they seemed like they were people who were in the world but not of the world. Phew! I always hold my breath when someone says they knew some Mormons cause I’m afraid those Mormons might have left a negative impression, but so far everyone says good things about the Mormons they knew. Anyways, we have an appointment with him tomorrow.
Question: What is going on with the Zoo’s? We hear all this filtered news, but is there really no money to feed the zoo animals? And what is going on with the economy because in Austin things are starting to get bad.
We are getting new elders in this area that will be taking over one of our wards so we will only have two wards. Phew. We were spread too thin. And I don’t care what anyone says, 7 hours of church is a lot of church. But I like it.
We helped a lady yesterday clean out her house. She collects beanie babies. She had 20 boxes full of beanie babies. That’s a lot of beanie babies.
I love listening to little kid's prayers. They always say, “thank you for this day. Thank you for the sisters.” I love being a “sister.” It was weird at first, but it’s growing on me. I like being Sister Johnson. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I just really like it when people here call me Sister Johnson.
The other day I decided that being a kid is so cool and I miss it. There were kids climbing into the sewer and I just sighed thinking about when Kirsten and I would play by the sewer singing songs to the alligator that lived there. Only we could see him.
Okay. That’s everything on my list. Next week I’ll work on an organized flow of ideas. Welcome to the brain of me.
sj
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