Hanover 7/25/16

Greetings!

Whenever we step outside, it feels like we're being microwaved in a
Tupperware container. It's been so humid this week! We're keeping the
recycling company in business--people always give us water bottles
when we're outside walking. We've collected approximately 1,748 of
them.

It seems like whenever we meet with amazing people who want to learn
the truth, their lives instantly spiral down into a chaotic mess. We
have two investigators who we haven't seen in two weeks due to an
extended stay in the hospital, several others who are currently MIA,
and more still who have decided to ask Satan (aka anti rubbish on the
Internet) to know if "the Mormon is true." Funnily enough, Satan's
answer is usually no.

As Hanover is a college town, we often meet with professors who
epitomize Jacob's statement "when they are learned they think they are
wise..." One professor adamantly told us that God is a figment of our
imaginations and the Big Bang Theory is a "proven fact." We had a nice
exchange and I think he was a bit softened by the time we left. He
even said, "I'll pray for you....scientific prayers." I died. Haha.

I feel like I had to make sacrifices this week. I wanted things to
happen a certain way and they didn't. And the alternative was NOT
attractive and was NOT what I wanted. But I learned that as soon as I
gave up my desire for God's--no matter how unpalatable His will
seemed--suddenly a barrier between me and God was lifted. His love
penetrated even more deeply in my heart. And sometimes God's love
hurts. It's uncomfortable and vulnerable and terrifying. But the more
childlike we become, the more like God we become. So let's stop being
"comf" (As Lydia would say) and start allowing God's love into our
lives so we can change.

Love,
Sister Johns

The District

Hanover 7/18/16

Hey hey!

Every week just keeps getting better and better. I feel like things are finally picking up and we're finding real people! (...as opposed to...you know, fake people?)

I'm gaining a testimony of how powerful the first vision is. Something we've noticed is that 95% of the time when one of us is saying the first vision, someone or something always interrupts. A neighbor starts chain sawing trees. Someone barges into the room. A car with super loud music pulls up. This week, we were teaching a lady and her husband who was half listening actually interrupted with, "Look, we believe in God okay?!" The force that almost stopped Joseph Smith from receiving the vision still opposes it now. It's so powerful, Satan tries every means possible to disrupt and make us disbelieve it.

One day this week all of our five appointments fell through one after another. So we talked to people in 95 degree weather all day. We walked 10 miles. We put in the action and God is showing us His power this week. We met with a less active who tried to cancel on us but we just showed up anyway. We ended up teaching her and her 18 year old son and his girlfriend who now wants to meet with us and they are going to come back to church! There's another lady with a 9 year old son who has been chatting with missionaries online via mormon.org and requested us and a Book of Mormon. She and her son came to church this week! 

This morning we marched out of the apartment into the pouring rain and ran to the car. Then I realized I had no car keys OR house keys. Well, shoot. So Sister Johns had a brilliant idea. We walked around to the back of the building, and I boosted Sister Vaughn up to our little window which was mercifully unlocked. About halfway through this maneuver it occurred to me how ridiculous we looked--one girl in a skirt squeezing into a second story window while the other one lifts her up laughing hysterically...in a downpour. Knew that minute window was good for something.

Have a wonderful week!

Sister Johns

Sent from my iPad

Hanover 7/11/16

Greetings, all!

Once upon a time, we were told to knock on a door of a person who was really struggling. So we did. A lady opened up, yelled "NO!" gesturing wildly for us to leave, and slammed the door. We then heard, "It's the g---d--- church people!" Among other words. We turned to leave and walked down a street by the home of a former investigator. I heard indistinct yelling, then a massive BANG! For a split second, I thought tomorrow's headlines would include, "Disgruntled Ex-investigator Shoots Mormon Missionaries." Then we realized they were just messing around with fireworks. Haha.

Something I've been studying a lot is conversion. We're here to change from imperfect mortal beings to celestial material comfortable in God's presence. In order to truly change, we have to understand not just the what and the how but the why. The doctrine. That's something that we NEED to teach in this church! We had two slightly shocking experiences on Saturday that solidified that truth.

We have been teaching a sweet lady who has always fluctuated in activity in the church. This week we taught about covenants. Her entire life, she thought covenants was another way to say commandments. Thing we need to do. What she wanted to know is where she can find a list of what she needed to do and not do. So we taught the doctrine--we follow the gospel so our hearts can change, not just our behavior. I felt like the cloud of confusion which had been blocking her progress for so long was lifted. 

As we left, she requested we go visit another lady in our ward who had fallen away from the church a few years ago. So that night we went to that family's home. They were very surprised we were there, but eventually let us in. She and her husband sat down and began unloading all the reasons why they'd left. Many of their main issues were related to anti material they'd come across that they felt like "the church" was hiding from them. We listened, shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and left them with a prayer. It broke my heart a little because I know they're giving up Celestial happiness for the Terrestrial kind.

We have to change. We have to know the doctrine and rely on the Savior. Scripture study, prayer, church--those are the things help us to continuously repent based on increased knowledge and progression. We cannot be stagnant.And that's how we're converted to Christ. Those scripture masteries? Those are battle scriptures, people! We have GOT to know this stuff! Not just live it, but be able to articulate and defend it. 

Have a fabulous week!

Love, Sister Johns

Hanover 7/5/16

Happy post fourth, everyone!

This week I learned what it means to be bold. This is something that
I've been working on this whole time. It's difficult to say hard
things to people. But as my sister training leader told me, "You can
say anything you want as long as it's true." The other day, we were
led to a less active couple who had stopped coming to church because
they were offended. I'm telling you, the spirit did some serious
throwing down in that lesson--through us.

It is so important to speak the TRUTH. Sometimes, we'll be contacting
a random person on the street and one of us will testify, "You are a
son of God, and He loves you." And you can physically see a little
more light in that person's eyes as those words are said. Conversely,
we stopped into a person's home this week and they were telling us
what they believed--they were saying things that weren't true. And the
spirit was not there at all.

One day, we had two solid appointments set up that we were excited
for. Then both people contacted us and cancelled. One of the ladies
actually dropped us too. We were finding in an area and not having
much success at all. I felt like something big was about to happen,
but we would have to ask for it first. So we stopped in the middle of
the road and the words came out of my mouth, "help us find someone to
baptize." We walked down another street and knocked on a door. A
younger man opened it who has moved here recently from Rwanda with his
wife and child. We taught the restoration right then and there! Next,
we went to track down a referral. On our way, we stopped a lady and
had a lesson with her. She accepted a baptismal date. Then we taught
the referral, a lady whose husband recently died in a tragic accident.
She was so receptive. And THAT'S how we came to get three new
investigators in one day!

We have the best Ward mission leader ever! He teaches Gospel
Principles, and this week he got up and said, "Sister Vaughn and
Sister Johns, will you give us a musical number?" Next thing I know, I
have a hymn book in my hands and Sister Vaughn is playing the 17
Miracles version of "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul." So I just went for
it. Brother Kinman actually got really emotional. It made me realize
that I need to work on my talents more so I can feel prepared for
moments like that, and help others feel the Spirit.

Hope this rambling email made sense!

Love you,
Sister Johns