Bonjour family & friends!
Wow, I have never seen it rain quite like it rained here last week! We were already outside when it started raining so we got caught right in the storm. We only had one umbrella so half our bodies were kinda dry and the other half of us was totally drenched. It rained so much that everything started flooding. We walked down into the mettro and it had about 2 inches of standing water. Let's just say it wasn't the best day for street contacting but there were lots of opportunities for service! There were people slipping, grocery bags breaking, and umbrellas flying everywhere! It wasn't so fun the next morning when we woke up sick but it definitely was fun in the moment!!
We had another lesson with Bertrand & Frederick! (The ones that are getting baptized) We taught them about the 10 commandments and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. I walked out of the lesson just feeling so grateful that I have the opportunity to teach them. They were telling us how they want to make their baptism the beginning of a "new life." They said that after they come up out of the water they don't want to touch a pack of cigarettes again. They said they want to have a changed life. They really just have the sweetest testimonies! I have noticed that as their testimonies begin to grown and strengthen that Satan has began to work twice as hard. They have had a lot of challenges come up in the last couple weeks but they continue to have such great attitudes. On Sunday they were supposed to come to church but their car broke down. They usually drop off their 18 month old son at their parents house so that they can watch him during church. They didn't have any way to get him there so Frederick (the mom) stayed home with him but Bertrand decided not to let anything stop him from coming to church. He took the mettro and came for sacrament. It ended up being fast and testimony meeting! It couldn't have been more perfect. He said he was really touched by people's sincerity. A lot of people bore their testimonies about trials and how the gospel has helped them get through hard times! The scriptures promise us that if we.."Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good." We can be reassured that God will not always remove our burdens from us but he will always make them be for our benefit.
We had the absolute coolest experience "porting!" We went to visit one of the Amis but she ended up not being home. We had extra time so we just decided to go porting at one of the streets by her house. We were at a house that was about half way down the street and a woman answered the door. We started explaining who we were and why we were there. Her response was, "I know, I actually talked with your other colleagues last week." Apparently, the other sisters contacted her and her husband on the street the week before! They talked to them for like 30 minutes and then gave them a brochure. I asked her what she thought and she said she actually really liked it and wants us to come back! There is no way that could be just by "coincidence" that of all the people we talk with and all the doors we knock on we happen to come across her within a week of her being introduced to the gospel on the street. I'm excited to have a lesson with her and meet her family!
This week we also started teaching an Ami who is from Ecuador. She has two young girls and an older son. I was sitting in the lesson wishing that I had paid attention in high school Spanish class... She was trying to speak French but it was definitely a mix of Spanish as well. We brought them all Books of Mormon and started teaching them about the restoration. I just thought about what an amazing blessing the gospel is for families as we all sat around in a circle with our Books of Mormon in all different languages opened!
We had such a cool miracle happen at church. At the end of church some random lady came walking into the building. Some members starting talking to her and realized she wasn't a member so they introduced her to us. She explained to us that 35 years ago she met the missionaries and they gave her a Book of Mormon. She started reading a little bit of it and realized that it had the "same spirit as the Bible." She said that she studies languages and has gone to Jerusalem a couple times. She said that the writing in the Book of Mormon is very similar to other ancient writings she has read there. We explained that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets in the Americas. She said, "There is no doubt that this book is sacred so I knew I couldn't get rid of it. It has been on my shelf all these years because I have never known what to do with it." She doesn't live very far away from the church and she always thought the building was beautiful but had never gone in. She was cleaning out her house because she is moving and came across the Book of Mormon. She decided that she didn't have space for it but didn't want to just throw it away so she brought it to the church to return it. We tried so many times to get her to keep it or trade us for a newer version but she wouldn't! We also tried to get her number or address but she said she wasn't interested right now but maybe in a "couple of years." The ending of the story is pretty sad but it still was a really cool experience! I pray that missionaries will one day knock on her door again and that then she will be prepared to hear the gospel.
All these miracles made me think about the scripture in Alma 26:30... "30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some. 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us." In missionary work and in life, we don't always immediately see the "fruits of our labor." Sometimes it's hard to know if the things we are doing actually matter or are making a difference. Most of the time we will never know how big of a difference we have made or how many lives we have touched. God asks each of us to be his "instrument" and to follow the promptings of the spirit. Sometimes we may never know why we were prompted to do certain things because the results aren't immediate. I think sometimes parents who have children who have "wandered" may feel that the "fruits of their labors" were few. However, He promises that if you,"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." When it comes to saving souls; whether it is missionary work, raising kids, or reaching out to those who have wandered, our labors are never wasted! Have a wonderful week.
Love, Soeur Johnson
Wow, I have never seen it rain quite like it rained here last week! We were already outside when it started raining so we got caught right in the storm. We only had one umbrella so half our bodies were kinda dry and the other half of us was totally drenched. It rained so much that everything started flooding. We walked down into the mettro and it had about 2 inches of standing water. Let's just say it wasn't the best day for street contacting but there were lots of opportunities for service! There were people slipping, grocery bags breaking, and umbrellas flying everywhere! It wasn't so fun the next morning when we woke up sick but it definitely was fun in the moment!!
We had another lesson with Bertrand & Frederick! (The ones that are getting baptized) We taught them about the 10 commandments and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. I walked out of the lesson just feeling so grateful that I have the opportunity to teach them. They were telling us how they want to make their baptism the beginning of a "new life." They said that after they come up out of the water they don't want to touch a pack of cigarettes again. They said they want to have a changed life. They really just have the sweetest testimonies! I have noticed that as their testimonies begin to grown and strengthen that Satan has began to work twice as hard. They have had a lot of challenges come up in the last couple weeks but they continue to have such great attitudes. On Sunday they were supposed to come to church but their car broke down. They usually drop off their 18 month old son at their parents house so that they can watch him during church. They didn't have any way to get him there so Frederick (the mom) stayed home with him but Bertrand decided not to let anything stop him from coming to church. He took the mettro and came for sacrament. It ended up being fast and testimony meeting! It couldn't have been more perfect. He said he was really touched by people's sincerity. A lot of people bore their testimonies about trials and how the gospel has helped them get through hard times! The scriptures promise us that if we.."Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good." We can be reassured that God will not always remove our burdens from us but he will always make them be for our benefit.
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| ice cream is always a good idea! |
This week we also started teaching an Ami who is from Ecuador. She has two young girls and an older son. I was sitting in the lesson wishing that I had paid attention in high school Spanish class... She was trying to speak French but it was definitely a mix of Spanish as well. We brought them all Books of Mormon and started teaching them about the restoration. I just thought about what an amazing blessing the gospel is for families as we all sat around in a circle with our Books of Mormon in all different languages opened!
We had such a cool miracle happen at church. At the end of church some random lady came walking into the building. Some members starting talking to her and realized she wasn't a member so they introduced her to us. She explained to us that 35 years ago she met the missionaries and they gave her a Book of Mormon. She started reading a little bit of it and realized that it had the "same spirit as the Bible." She said that she studies languages and has gone to Jerusalem a couple times. She said that the writing in the Book of Mormon is very similar to other ancient writings she has read there. We explained that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets in the Americas. She said, "There is no doubt that this book is sacred so I knew I couldn't get rid of it. It has been on my shelf all these years because I have never known what to do with it." She doesn't live very far away from the church and she always thought the building was beautiful but had never gone in. She was cleaning out her house because she is moving and came across the Book of Mormon. She decided that she didn't have space for it but didn't want to just throw it away so she brought it to the church to return it. We tried so many times to get her to keep it or trade us for a newer version but she wouldn't! We also tried to get her number or address but she said she wasn't interested right now but maybe in a "couple of years." The ending of the story is pretty sad but it still was a really cool experience! I pray that missionaries will one day knock on her door again and that then she will be prepared to hear the gospel.
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| 35 year old Livre de Mormon! |
Love, Soeur Johnson
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