Hanover 9/26/16

Hey there!

So we had some MIRACLES this week!

1) One night, we had to talk to a few more people to reach our TWE
(talk with everyone) goal. The one place in Hanover that actually has
people is the gas station. Because everyone needs gas. And massive
styrofoam cups of soda. Anyways, it was Sister Shepherd's turn and she
approached this car with a couple college students who weren't
interested. We asked if they had any buddies who would be. One of the
guys gave us the name and number of one of his friends. We texted this
guy assuming he was probably atheist and would think we were prank
texting him (what happened last time we got a referral like this). The
kid however, seemed super excited, asked if we could meet in a few
days, and asked which friend we got his number from so he could thank
him. We met with this guy, and he is absolutely gold.

2) We were planning one night, and had about an hour of time in
between activities that we weren't sure what to do with. So the next
morning we prayed and asked for inspiration to know where to go during
that time. Sister Shepherd had the idea to contact this potential who
didn't have a real address. I tried not to question which spirit she
was listening to...haha kidding, I was like LETS DO IT! So at that
time we went to the road the potential was supposedly on and started
looking. We saw this older gentleman out by his car so we started
talking to him. It was interesting because he had met with
missionaries before, but we could tell he felt the spirit as we were
talking...and he decided to act on it this time and meet with us.
Turns out, he's related to this potential we were looking for! We had
a really good lesson with him and he felt and recognized the spirit
very powerfully.

Someone told me an awesome analogy this week. When Christ performed
the atonement for us he gave us each a donut. If eaten, this donut
would allow us to reach eternal life and live with our Heavenly Father
again. The atonement is the center of the plan, so without Christ and
the donut provided, there is no other way to reach eternal life. We in
no way can EARN the donut, but we do CHOOSE to eat it or not.
In the scriptures we are instructed to eat the donut, which represents
the gospel of Jesus Christ: having faith in Christ and his atonement,
repenting of our sins, being baptized by priesthood authority,
receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We must
do all of these things in order to eat the donut or we are just
holding it.
When people say we must only confess Christ to be saved, it is like
holding the donut and giving thanks to Christ that he gave you the
donut, AND THEN NOT EATING THE DONUT. So many people worship the
donut, wear it on necklaces, have pictures of it in their house, read
about the donut, praise the donut, but don't ever actually eat it.
They are spiritually hungry and they don't even know it!
As members of Christ's church we are spiritually full because not only
have we eaten the donut, but we eat a new one every week when we
partake of the sacrament.
We are surrounded by those who have been told that just recognizing
that they have a donut is enough to get them into heaven, which is
partially true, they will still receive the free gift of immortality,
but it will not get them eternal life. It is our responsibility to
show others that they can eat the donut, so that they too can be
spiritually full and receive eternal life.

Have a blessed week!
Sister Johns

P-Day, doing laundry at a member's home, writing a letter

Had ward coordination in the middle of the woods. Best ward mission leader everrrrr

exchanges with the sister training leaders!

Hanover 9/19/16

Hey all!

Highlights of the week:

When our Catholic college professor told us that thinking about
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as two separate Beings has been
"revolutionary" for his faith.

We met this young mother on Sister Shepherd's first day here. We came
back for a second appointment and she told us that she had prayed for
help with a bill and received the money she needed and she took that
as a sign that she's on the right track by meeting with us.

We had a church tour with her and when she walked into the chapel she
stopped and said "Whoa. I can feel it already. It feels really calm. I
like it."

When our hot water heater was fixed and both of us have a new found
appreciation for the conveniences of modern living. (God is currently
teaching us to appreciate light more as the one lightbulb in the
bedroom burnt out. Haha)

Getting fresh APPLES all the way from IDAHO!

I've been studying faith all week. We really feel like we're going to
have to have more trust in the Savior and HIS work if we're going to
baptize next month! God shows His power when we have faith.

Take the brother of Jared for example. He had many years of stagnation
because he wasn't obeying God. So he needed to repent. Then God told
him to "Go to work." He worked HARD. Sometimes God gives us specific,
clear revelation. Sometimes He tells us to study and work and figure
it out. Something that stood out to me is verse 25 where God says "I
prepare you...ye cannot cross the great deep save I prepare
you...Therefore, what will ye that I should prepare...?" God does the
preparing. He is the one who breaks hearts, prepares hearts, changes
hearts. All I can do is pray for His power and work hard, will full
expectation that God keeps His promises. And miracles do happen.

There are so many times in the scriptures where something positively
miraculous happens. That miracle usually causes a huge reaction. Some
people instantly believe. Other people search for a logical
explanation. Still others try to attribute the power to Satan himself.
So to answer Mormon's question "has the day of miracles ceased?" I
would answer no. Miracles have never stopped happening. We just lose
the "eyes and ears of faith." Our ability to SEE manifestations of
God's hand in our lives and to attribute it to GOD. So let's open our
ears to hear and our eyes to see and our hearts to understand. Because
it's only through faith that we can begin to comprehend who God is.

Love you all!
Sistah Johns


Sent from my iPad

Hanover 9/12/16

Dearest people,

Got my new one! Sister Shepherd from San Jose, Cali. She's extremely
sweet and very teachable. She's so very different from Sister Vaughn!
As these two conversations illustrate:

Two Weeks Ago
*Sister Vaughn shows me 2 spider bites on her legs about as big as the
palm of my hand*
Me: Oh my goodness! (Runs and grabs medical book) Do you feel okay?
Feverish or achy?
Sister Vaughn: Oh my GOSH yes! I'm FINE!
Me: At least can you show the mission nurse??

Today
*Sister Shepherd discovers a tiny red mark on her leg*
Her: What is this?!?
Me: Mm looks like a chigger bite.
Her: What about THIS?!
Me: Nah, that's just a regular mosquito bite.
Her: Am I going to die?!
Me: You're fine. Promise.

Hahaha. Top it off, our hot water heater decided to break her first
morning here. So we've been taking ice cold showers India style for
the past week. It's great😂

Our zone has issued a challenge for all of us to work on being
positive. So I've been studying the doctrine of positivity lately. We
often talk about how being 'positive' or 'optimistic' is seeing
everything through a bright happy lens instead of the lens of reality.
Positivity is knowing that bright happiness IS reality. That God is
our Father, the people around us are our brothers and sisters, that we
are children of God, and the world is a place for us to learn how to
become like Father. The more we repent truly and deeply, the more
we'll be able to see the world, others, God, and ourselves in the real
way. The real, happy way.

We have a lot of investigators who are on date to be baptized! We just
need to help them progress and come to church.

Something really amazing that happened this week is Brother Elliott
contacted me via Facebook. I got permission from my leaders and was
able to call him. He's on his way back to Shepherdsville and back to
church. He's been through a lot in the past few months, but he said
reading the Book of Mormon has saved his life and he's going to endure
to the end. I can't explain how incredibly happy that made me!

Love you all!
Sister Johns


Sent from my iPad

Hanover 9/5/16

Dearest people,

Transfer calls again. I'm staying in Hanover aaaand training again! I
guess I didn't do it right the first time so God is giving me round 2.
Like reincarnation or something. Haha just kidding, I'm super excited!
Sister Vaughn is going way down south to Somerset. *sniff* my baby's
growin up so big!

Hanover is really small. So the idea of being here for another three
months made me feel really claustrophobic. I felt like we should ask
the ward mission leader for a priesthood blessing on Sunday. It was
incredibly powerful, and I feel like I received very clear instruction
that Heavenly Father has something specific I need to do here. I just
need to find out what that is.

This week, Sister Vaughn and I felt like we should go visit a less
active couple who live in the boonies. We drove out there that evening
and met with them. Both of them opened up to the reason why church is
a struggle for them. As we taught the truths of the Atonement,
something happened that happens in the scriptures sometimes. "And when
they heard this, they were pricked in their heart." It was like a
massive light turn on in their minds and the darkness and haziness was
dispelled. They understood. Truly, deeply understood.

What I've learned so much in the past three months is how
understanding is so important. "Faith must be based on correct
knowledge in order to produce desired results" (BD). True doctrine,
UNDERSTOOD, changes attitudes and behavior. Why do we need a latter
day prophet? Why do we need to study the scriptures? Why do we have
three hours of classes on Sunday? Because we need exposure to and an
understanding of undefiled truth. That's how faith is kindled. That's
how we are "pricked" and feel the need to change--repent. So study and
learn and apply. Tie everything back to the Atonement because that's
the only way it's going to sink into your heart.

Love,
Sister Johns