Life in the Corner

Hey everybody! It's me again, Sister Johanson. That title might as well be called life in the growth zone, or life out of the comfort zone. 

I am down in Moncks Corner (it's about 30 miles from Charleston), whitewash training. Meaning I know nothing about the area or the people here or my companion. Well actually I do know about her now. Her name is Sister Goettsche (pronounced get chee). Ha she is so cute. She is from Alpine Utah and she likes singing and loves being a missionary and loves South Carolina. So all pluses. We've had a pretty good week, met lots of good people. 

We went to book of mormon class on thursday and had a good study with all the old timers in the ward. My favorite part was when there was a mosquito flying around and everyone was trying to smash it. Brother Singer stands up and starts smacking the table, it's getting all the way down the table so he's just slapping as hard as he can all the way down til he's almost on top of the table smacking on the opposite end. But he got it so that's all that matters. 

It's definitely been a roller coaster week, lots of ups and downs. But we're slowly getting the hang of things. Had a ward trunk or treat on saturday so that was a good chance to get to know some members and get some candy. 

There is so much work here to do! We had a lesson on saturday with a less active and his wife and we taught the restoration. He wants to come back to church and she wants to get baptized so you know, we're good with both of those things. 

I dunno, I'm just excited to be here. It's amazing to see how my hope has grown throughout my mission. I just have a lot of hope for the good things to come and know that the Lord is just going to bless us and the members here in this area. Still love being a missionary. 

If you have missionaries that you can see or help, go reach out and help them. They prolly need it ;) 

Love you all! Hope you have a good week!!

Sister Johanson

Keep your eyes to the Son, and everything else will fall into the shadows.

Hey there pals! What a week! Are yall tired? I am

It's been a really good week! The week of meetings. But the great thing about this week is that even though we had lots of meetings, we were still able to go out and teach and find a lot. Which is always really good because when I get trapped inside all day I get really mopey. I asked Sister Hill if that would wear off when I go home. Just having to go out and share the gospel otherwise I feel lummy. Hopefully it does somewhat but not to the effect of taking the pressure off to share the gospel. I hope that stays.

We met lots of cool people this week, had some cool experiences. But it was all trumped when President called and told me I was getting transferred. You would think that since I have been here forever it wouldn't have been a surprise but yet it was. I am leaving Spartanburg to go whitewash train somewhere in a distant land. I don't know where yet, I find out tomorrow so I'll let yall know next week :) but I am excited! As well as sad, I was convinced I was going to die here. All of my Hmongs will just get baptized without me here. Allen didn't even show me his headspin :/ although, we went to have a lesson with Bao and Seng on Friday and they showed us a video of all 3 of the Lor brothers doing breakdancing. While we were watching it a giant black cockroach crawled next to me on the couch. I tried to shove it off but it crawled behind sister Hill. So all of us besides Sister Hill ran into the kitchen. She stood up and it just is crawling down her back. Man oh man, I think we all had a heart attack. She just swatted her body til it flew into the kitchen and Seng kicked into the other room. Fun fun times. It's bug country over here. Hate that. We also found a bunch of baby cockroaches crawling all over our bedroom floor. Bleh. Luckily leaving that apartment before I have to find the momma.

So that's my fun story of the week.

The work is so good in South Carolina. Who would've thought that it would just be the best place on earth? I'm excited for all the things in store the next several weeks. I hope you all are doing well and continue seeing miracles in your own lives. God is just such a good Father who wants to give good gifts. I'm glad I'm able to see them in my life and lives of those around me. Being a missionary is just the greatest! Hope you all have a good week!

Love ya!

Sister Johanson

A positive anything is worth more than a negative nothing.

You know, I'm not exactly sure what that title means, but it sounds like it could be profound..?

I hope you all have had a great week and are enjoying the wonderful fall weather. It's been really nice the past week due to the hurricane on the coast. Us upper state people only benefit from the hurricanes, which sounds really shallow to say (was that a pun?). But we're all safe and dry and everything is ok. Hope tay han is surviving down in Florida? Prayers are definitely needed though for the residents of SC as well as the other places Matthew hit.

But the work is going really well as always. Continuing forward, which is what we like here. Our friends Allen and Chue are cleared to baptize their family members at the of the month. Allen will be ordained to be a priest either next sunday or the following. Woo hoo!!

Highlights of the week include: food. Got fed legit, the fanciest meal I've ever eaten in my entire existence. We were fed lobster, lamb, and greek salad for dinner on Wednesday. Holy cow, I felt so fancy. And then yesterday the Hmong people invited us over for a party and they just know how to eat. We had fried chicken, meatloaf, lasagna, yummy noodle stuff, complete with 6 different kinds of cake. (6 different people had birthdays recently, they all have to have their own cake!)

Other than that, I'm just still excited to be a missionary. Does it ever get old? No it doesn't! Never! That's not saying there aren't things that I won't miss when I go home but being a missionary and teaching the gospel is just the most rewarding thing you will ever do. We're just line in line with God. Our purposes are the same! Hope yall heard Elder Oaks and Anderson's talk at conference last week. Time to get on with member missionary work ;)

How many times have you heard that from a missionary.

But I really I hope yall know how much I love you and appreciate you. Oh oh!! I forgot! Jannie finally got enough money so her partner can get divorced, they can get married and she can get baptized! Woo hoo! Haha good stuff.

Anyways, I hope you each have a good week and try to find a miracle in each day. Even if it's small, but God is constantly pouring out good gifts on His children. When we take time to recognize them, He will give us even more.

Have a good week!

(this email is kinda long!! :D)

sorry these ones are kinda blurry, our picture taker wasn't so hot

He Lives!

Hey everyone!

Did you all just love General Conference! Ah I just loved it so much! I don't know if it was just because I'm a missionary or what but I just feel like they chose almost all of their topics out of preach my gospel. Just focused so directly on the basic doctrines of the church: restoration, plan of salvation, gospel of Jesus Christ. Man oh man. It was really neat because the whole time I just kept getting feelings like, "You know this is true!" and I felt like I could just be up there with them. Just the fact that they all knew of their testimony and were able to declare it to the world. I just feel that way. I know my testimony is sure and I know this gospel is true! It was cool just to feel like I was on the same team as the general authorities. That these aren't things that just the missionaries are going out and teaching, this is what the apostles and Prophet of the Lord is teaching. We teach the same things! Because that's what is going to help us the most :)

It was a good week, full of lots of exchanges. I didn't really get to be in my area a whole lot this week so it was interesting. Still good. I love the sisters, I just learn so much!

Got to be with my greenie again, Sister Smith. Love that lady!

I hope you are all feeling the joy that comes from living the gospel. When everything else seems to be going wrong, we can rejoice in the fact that we have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ filling our lives.

Love you all! Hope you have a good week!!

Sister Johanson

Pictures! Me and sister smith, evidence of sister hill's and my grocery list each week, my failed attempt at hootenanny's in the south.

They turned out last conference I don't know what happened :(