June 26, 2017 - Grizzly bear!!!!

Hello people!

This week was super exciting!

Starting with Monday, we had a lesson with Gaviny. He is the cutest little 9year old ever! I love that family!!!! His mom was baptized about a year and a half ago and has gone through the temple and goes every week. His dad is taking the lessons now I and is getting baptized the first week of July. And now Gavin is taking the lessons and is so excited to be baptized! I love them!!!  We also stopped by a less active family in the Mount Baldy Ward. It's always crazy when we go over there but we managed to squeeze in a little video message. Their 17 year old said

she needed to come back to church. So we are going to help her with that!

President Nelson

Tuesday we helped out at the food bank. Steve and Betty are still some of my favorite people. We also read the Book of Mormon  with another less active family in the Mount Baldy Ward. Wednesday we did service for a lady in Mount Baldy Ward as well. She is working to go to the temple! We also met with a sister in the Eagle River Valley Ward. She is the cutest! She keeps telling us we are bringing back in a lost sheep. She's so cute and super sincere! We also had a lesson with another sister again. She is doing super great, but sadly moving soon :(

This is Sherri Polling

Thursday we did service at the nature center. We filled holes and fixed a bridge (rather we watched Brent fix a bridge while we cheered him on and gave him moral support).  We also had another lesson with Gavin. I sure love that kid!

Friday we went to the senior center and played bowling with them. Robert won... Again! He always wins haha then Friday night we went tracting. Now this is a cool story! It had been a pretty rough day. Persecution was stronger then normal and we were tired of not being treated like humans, it had just been rough. Well after all that fun

stuff we had now planned on going tracting. I didn't have the best attitude about it. I have never been a fan of tracting even on a good day. Sis. Anderson and I were being Laman and Lemuel and we had a murmur session.

Well we went tracting  anyways. Luckily the street was full of nice people. We got to the second to last house and this super nice catholic lady comes out and asks what she can do to help us. And it was a genuine question, she really wanted to help. She said she had a Mormon friend who had a missionary son. She took out pictures and sent them to our parents. She wasn't interested but just a nice person, really gave me an attitude adjustment.

Then we knocked on the next door, the last one of the street. And we asked if we could share a message about the Book of Mormon  and Jesus Christ. She said she loves talking about Jesus and invited us in. She gave us water and had so many questions! We were able to give her a Book of Mormon  she loved it, she said it made sense, it was the connection of the Bible to our day. We were like yes! We shared the restoration with her and talked about the church. It was awesome!

Even when your natural man tried to take over the Lord will still bless you so much just for trying and pushing through. That is what enduring to the end and the atonement do for us. No matter what we are going through, keep trying, use the atonement, and the Lord will bless you. He knows each of us and hears us, even if we don't necessarily pray for that things, he knows all about it!

Also we got transfer calls this week. I'm staying here in Eagle River with my new comp Sis. Dunlop and Sis. Anderson is going to Palmer in the Lazy Mountain Ward!

The view from the Young's mountain

Anyways I love you all! Have a great week!

Sis. Johnson

P.s. Oh ya and I saw a Grizzly bear on Sunday! We were eating with the Youngs (a couple in the ward) and it was nice outside so we went out to eat. They live in the mountains, and have this nice little tented gazebo type area a ways from their house, so we had a picnic. Well a little while through a Grizzly popped his head out of the grass not too far from where we were and stared us down. It was exciting! Don't worry we made it to the car safely, no one was hurt ;)

The bear, he's closer in real life, the pic doesn't do him justice!

5. A bee attacked us last Monday...

June 19, 2017 - Hi!

This week was good! We were able to help out a few of our members with service. Summer is rough cuz our members disappear to go do fun things! Like what the heck? Haha that sums up a summer in Alaska for you lol but it's ok, the few who stay behind are awesome and let us do things for them.

Exchanges

Anyways we had a sisters meeting this week so I got to go to Anchorage and all the sisters in the mission were there. Except the ones in fbx, Juneau, and soldotna, they were over pbc (a Skype type system) it was nice to see everyone! It was the last time I would see President Robinson in Alaska though.. so it was awesome to be able to hear his departing testimony. We get a new mission president within the next few weeks so that'll be exciting.

#alaskapride  house we found while tracting

We also had exchanges this week! I went with sis. Johnson in the colony Ward out in Palmer. Biggest tender mercy of my life! While doing service at the bishop's storehouse I saw two of my favorite families ever from the Memory Lake Ward!!!!! It was awesome! It was also fun to be the johnson twins for a day. Haha 

Johnson &Johnson

Anyways that sums up my week love you all!!

June 12, 2017 - All the things

Ssssoooooooooooo much has happened this week!!!! Hopefully I remember it all! Starting with Monday my district went hiking!!! It was super fun! It rained a little so we got muddy but it was a blast! Pictures will

follow, don't worry! We hiked up to Symphony Lake where there was this random little check like cabin and one of the elders brought a hammock so we hammocked and chilled there awhile. It was fantastic!

1,2,3- jumping pics on a rock, this is my district...

Tuesday we did service at the food pantry. Steve and Betty are the cute little old family that have to put us to work, poor things. But no worries, we don't cause too much trouble :) and we finally got in with a less active family we have been trying for ever. Most families are gone now a days cuz its summer time, so everyone is out camping or fishing and no one is home!!! It's makes my job a tad bit complicated. But anyways these guys were finally home and we are going to start reading the Book of Mormon  with them :)

Wednesday we did service for a less active member. We helped clean her house. Then we went to try another less active in Eagle River Valley Ward and she was home and let us in! She sat us down and said "alright, start from the beginning" like she was waiting for us or something. It was sweet! We are going to start teaching her the discussions. Then we tried to contact a former investigator, she's awesome! Then we had a lesson with another investigator. We watched the restoration (can I just say I love that movie!!! Like a lot!!!!!!) the spirit was super strong and we were able to talk about why she was dragging her feet to be baptized. She's a gem!

4. Hammocking

5. Me and sis. Anderson

Thursday we volunteered at the nature center. Now, I want everyone reading this to pay super close attention! In the 16 almost 17 months I have been on my mission in Alaska, never have I seen a bear................ but guess what! I SAW A BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so cool! Before we left the apartment this morning I said the prayer. Then as an after thought at the end I threw in that we would really like to see a bear, from a safe distance. Well everyone, no matter how silly or little or insignificant our requests may be, if they are important

to us, they are important to the Lord. He hears and answers prayers. I prayed to see a bear, and I saw a bear!!!!!!!!! It was in a tree near one of the trails. It was amazing! 

8.can you see the bear?????

But even more amazing was what happened Friday. Friday an apostle of the Lord visited Alaska. President Nelson  came up to speak to the youth at their youth conference. And while he was here he wanted to meet with the missionaries. It was amazing! I got to shake his hand!!!!!!!!!!! With him was his wife, Sis. Nelson, Elder Gong of the 70 and his wife, and Elder Murray in the  area 70. It was cool. The spirit was so strong! I have never been so close to an apostle before!!!! They each spoke on different things but the over all message I got was how important my calling is. And I need to treat it as such. There was one point I even cried! President Nelson was speaking to us, he introduced his body guards to us, one of them was the father of the best friend of my companion. That would be like Bro. Hanks or Bishop Torrie coming to my mission with an apostle.... So that was cool for Sis. Anderson to see him. 

7. Future home

When President Nelson introduced him, he invited him to come and share his experience as he prepares to send his daughter on a mission. It was so cool to hear his testimony. It was cool to see, even in this big burley body guard the sacredness and the tenderness he has for the gospel and for his family. It was a good reminder that the missionaries aren't the only ones sacrificing, our families are too..... So family, I'm super sorry I suck at writing letters, but I love you!!! And will try to do better haha

6. Symphony lake

After that awesome revelatory experience we went to the assisted living home and played games with them.

On Saturday Sis. Nelson and Sis. Gong held a women's conference for all the women, two of our investigators went and both loved it! Both went with members who had invited them themselves! I love this ward! They are so good at sacking in and enveloping the people we bring to church!

Anyways that was my week! Hope you all had a great week too!!!! Love you!!!

Sis. Johnson

😊

9. Meet koda (what movie is that from??

June 5, 2015 - Tank Armor

Hello everyone!

This week was awesome! As of Wednesday we taught an awesome lesson with our investigator Sherri! She's the coolest! She is also moving...so that's sad... so we also helped her pack some things 😥 

1. Meet Gavin. He's a cute kid!! Always protect yourself with tank

armor.... Aka the armor of God!

We did service at the senior center. I love those people! The workers are just so funny! And it's been so nice, we got to take everyone out side. Robert is my favorite! He's this cute little guy in a wheel chair. He wins at everything!! Since we were outside the workers were spraying us with water guns. Robert was the only one who would let them spray him. He loved it! Those people are my favorite!

2. The nature center

Then we got to do service at the nature center. Now this is a tender mercy! We do trail maintenance and any other task they need to get done! The people who work here love the missionaries! Anyone riding or walking by always stops to talk to us! I love it! Now I'm sure I'll see a bear!!!! 🤗

We have also been doing lots of finding! We are hoping to pass out 40 bond this transfer, that's an entire box!  We have done pretty good so far.

3. Meet Elaine, she's the best!

I also finally met a recent convert that got baptized right before I got here. He's 10 and the funniest kid ever! His family is so cute! We also found a new investigator, I guess we didn't really find her, she was a potential in our area Book from Sis.Slaughter and Kunz. But she is so prepared. As we were teaching her we focused very much on the fact that God is our Heavenly Father. Then in my studies I was reading about how we need to teach people who they are. I found it super interesting that the very first thing we teach in the restoration is that God is our loving Heavenly Father. In a sense we are teaching them who they are. Then I got to asking myself, why does it matter if we know who we are? What difference does that make? Well it makes all the difference!!!!! In a mission perspective, I know I came from Hyrum Utah, I know my parents and my family. And because of that I'm motivated to make them proud and then to return home to them. It's the same for the people we are teaching. Once they know where they came from and who their family is, they will be more motivated to live in such a way that will make their Heavenly parents proud and they will want to return to him. An identity is super important when in comes to any aspect of life, especially eternal life.

4. Alaska

Anyways I love you all!!!!

😊sis. Johnson

5. My crew

1. Meet Gavin. He's a cute kid!! Always protect yourself with tank

armor.... Aka the armor of god!

May 31, 2015 - I survived!

Don't worry everyone I am alive! All is well!

This week was exciting! We have had lots of lessons in the two wards we cover. The members keep us busy, which is sssoooo amazing!

We also had zone conference this week. A representative from Salt Lake spoke to us. No it wasn't an apostle or a 70, but the car guy! And let me tell you, it was a very spiritual discussion. The only down side to it all is we now have tiwis, or upside, depending on how you look at it. Our mission was the last one in the states to get a tiwi. There has been a rumor about them my whole mission and I almost made it the whole way without one. But it's fine. Our cars name is Sammy Kingsford (short for king salmon, she's a red Alaskan jeep you see) , so now she

just has a side seat driving voice. She talks to me more then I would like but it's fine. I'm a good driver!

For the past few days a Mama moose and her baby have been chilling out by our house. I named her Bertha and little Timmy. This morning they were out by our car so we almost didn't make it to the temple. But prayer is real and we prayed them away so all it well!

For the first time on my mission I missed a Monday email, all for good reason though! So you see the mission department changed our temple days to our pdays, but the Alaska temple is closed on Monday, so if it is our zones turn to got to the temple, our pday is moved to Wednesday! So today is actually my pday. They were supposed to send my mom an email, but I guess that didn't end up happening ;)

Anyways hope y'all had a good Memorial Day! Love you!!!!

😊Sis. Johnson