April 24, 2017 - Quarantined

Hello everyone!

This week has been a good week! We got to go on exchanges this week. Sis. Kunz and I tracked up a storm in Ocean view. Cool story though! You know that referral we have been doing family history work for that

we haven't met, but that the 2nd councilor in the presidency is having us do it for? Well Sis. Kunz and I tracted into her. It was really funny! And she is so nice! She let us in and we talked for a good 20 min. She wouldn't let us show her what we found cuz she wanted to wait for President Smith, but it was cool!

Thursday we met with our new investigator. He is so funny! And so sincere about everything. He loves meeting with us, he said he always feels better after leaving. He carries his Book of Mormon  we gave in his pocket and takes it with him everywhere he goes! And he calls us on a daily basis so he is doing great! One of our bush investigators  set her baptismal date for July 15, she will be in Washington at that time so  all her kids can be there. The branch president will be flying to go preside.

We went on more exchanges at the end of the week, Sis. Oliver joined me in Ocean View as well. She is he cutest! (She's my twin) We got to do a lot of service on that exchange. We helped set up for the heart run race they do every year. It was fun and made me want to go running! So Sis. Oliver and I ran circles around the tents they were

setting up, lol. One of the elders timed us..... Let's just say I'm out of shape....

Sunday was an exciting but uneventful day. Sis. Jackson got the flu so we were quarantined in our apartment all the day long. We didn't get to go to Ocean View ward at all, but we did get to go to all of the

meetings in the Bush branch. Having church over the phone makes it

a lot easier!!! In Ocean View though, I guess there were tons of

visitors. And someone we had tracted into a few weeks ago left us a

note that one of the elders had on the church door telling us he would like to meet with us! That was definitly a miracle! We are going to start meeting with him Wednesday!

Anyways that was my week! Hope you are all doing well! Love and miss you!

😊Sister Johnson

April 17 2017 - Hoppy Easter!

Happy easter everyone!!!!

This week was pretty fantastic! So on Monday we had a lesson with oneof our investigators
in the Bush over Skype!!!! It's always nice toput a name with a Face! We also had another 
lesson with the H family! They are progressing well! They even payed their tithing and have 
seen alot of the miracles of paying their tithing so that was awesome!!!!

Best picture of us jumping with the young women!

On Tuesday we had zone conference all the day long. But I loved it! The Soldotna Zone 
joined our zone and we heard lots of amazing trainings and felt the spirit super strong. 
I love these meetings cuz it's like spiritual exercise! By the end of them I feel like I understand 
Ammon and King Limhi a bit better in the Book of Mormon when they pass out when they 
are overcome with the spirit, cuz that's how I felt! It's tiring stuff but so good!!!! Zone conference 
was all based off of President Monson talk on the power of the  Book of Mormon. We talked 
about how to use it in our teaching, how it can answer everyone's questions, and how we need 
to be reading it everyday.

Me and sis. Jackson under the magical rainbow

On Wednesday we had another meeting! It was missionary leadership council, another all day 
meeting, but again so good for my soul!!!!! I loved every second of it! :)

The relief society birthday was this week, we helped Sis. Heckel decorate for it, they did such a 
great job! There were balloons everywhere! They even had a balloon arch! 

 Selfy with sister and brother heckel

Good bye to my favorite senior couple and next door neighbors

We have been able to go to the family history center to do family history for one of our potential 

investigators, we have never met her before but the member who is referring us (who also 
happens to be the second councilor in the mission presidency, who also happened to serve his 
mission in Alaska who also happened to teach this referral when he was on His mission..... here... In Alaska) 
he said we will get to meether and present this family history work to her. We found alot of cool stuff!

Katie bensons baptism

We found a new investigator for the Ocean View ward.
We met with him in Carrs (a grocery store the equivalent of 
Smith's Marketplace). The meeting started out with him 
saying he has no faith and he's not  ready or willing to do 
any of this, but as we continued to talk with him he told us 
he wanted more faith and he wanted to change his life, so 
it was a 180 turn, but he agreed to meet with us once a week! 
So we are excited!

Look at who I ran into at mlc!!!!

I also got to attend the baptism of someone I got to teach with Sis. Rose in the Inlet View ward

(my first area) it was awesome! She's doing so good!!!!

In zone conference something president Robinson talked with us about was how we present the 
Book of Mormon. He asked us what the Book of Mormon  means to us, our answers were 
"it's means alot!"  "It's the corner stone to our religion" "it holds everything together". Then he 
asked what does it actually mean to us personally? I realized that I've been Almost apologetic 
when it comes to sharing the gospel. I love the Book of Mormon , so I need to be more sincere 
in sharing it with people. Cuz it is true, it along with the Bible has he fulness of the gospel. And 
I know I forget that sometimes. It is really an amazing book, and it is why President Monson has 
asked all of us to read it, every single day! So of you aren't, I quote the prophet, "please do so.
" It will change your life!

The Book is blue and the church is true!!!! I love you all!!!!

Sis. Johnson

April 10, 2017 - Break Up Season

Hello everyone!

So this week has been amazing! The sun has been shining and it's been rising lots earlier! It has been up to 40 degrees all week long! I'm down to a small jacket now! The snow has been melting like crazy! There are literally rivers running down the roads and huge lakes everywhere! But it means spring is here so summer is coming, and I am so excited! Alaska summers are so amazing!!!

This week our investigators house flooded because of how fast everything is melting so we helped them try to clean that up, their front porch was sunk in the mud. So it's been the adventure.

We had stake conference In the Anchorage Stake this week. It was seriously so amazing! The adult session was by far my favorite! The theme was the temple and each speaker spoke about their personal story of how they got to the temple. Most of the speakers were converted within the last 5 years. I knew a few of the missionaries who taught them. It was a testimony builder to me to hear their testimonies and a puny part of their stories. The temple is so amazing you guys! It is literally the house of the Lord! Why would anyone procrastinate or avoid going to be in the home of your Heavenly Father? I know the answer to that already. Life happens, but the Lord makes time for you, so make some time for him.

Something I really liked in the conference was what a speaker said about faith, he said "faith isn't a feeling, it's a choice, the The feeling comes by choosing to act on your faith." That phrase really hit me. I guess you could say my faith has been wavering a tad bit, but it's because I'm choosing to let it waver. At the end of the conference the stake president got up and said that you all received a promoting of what you need to do to strengthen your faith and bring yourself to the temple. Whether is is to simply renew your recommend, or overcome things to become temple worthy, he invited everyone to act on those promptings. Since I'm a missionary I can't got to the

temple whenever I want, but I can strengthen my faith in the Lord's plan. So that's what I'm working on.

I love you all! Enjoy Easter next week!

Sis. Johnson

1. Members from the Bush branch visited anchorage!

2. It's coming!!!!

April 3, 2017 - Conference is the best!

Hello everyone!

So this week is transfer week! Sis. Jackson and I are staying in the Ocean View/Bush branch area. This will be my first 6 monther! Which is good cuz I like this area!

This week we did as much finding as possible! We have been brain storming and experimenting with so many different finding ideas and approaches. In district meeting on Tuesday one of the trainings was on working through members, then in conference it talked alot about family history. We talked with President and he also advised us to have as many lessons as possible in the week, whether with less active members, investigators, or even active members, tea change as much as possible. Because missionaries are happiest when they are teaching. So that's the goal this up coming transfer!

We had the amazing opportunity to do a service of cleaning the temple! It was the best! Mom, you prepared me well! I love the temple so much! It has been my mission goal to be able to help someone get there because of how amazing it is! And the blessings that can come from it. It is the house of the Lord!

The afternoon sessions of conference we watched it with our investigators. They are doing pretty good! I love the this family! And their dog! He's so cute!

I have decided that the hardest thing about missionary work is knowing so much of what will help someone. Having the answers to everyone's problems, knowing with all my soul it will help them, but then they don't listen to you, they don't like your answer, they aren't paying attention, or they just don't want to do the things that will bring them that peace the new initiative is talking about. It's painful. I have come to have a better understanding of how our Heavenly Father must feel.

There was a talk in conference I think by L Whitney Clayton where it's the little things that will answer all the struggles, all of the problems, everything! Reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, going to church, fasting, praying as a family, reading as a family, having family home evening. It is these things that strengthen your faith, that give you a connection to Heavenly Father. If you aren't doing them, if you are unwilling to receive, accept, and act on his guidance, then you will be trying to face your troubles by yourself. That is how you make it harder than it needs to be. They are simple but powerful things to do. Who knew it would make such a big difference reading a verse a day? We have been given these commandments for a reason. All that he asks of us will always be for our benefit! Always! And as said in another talk, trust him! He knows the way because He is the way!

I love you all!!!!

😊Sister Johnson

1. Cleaning the temple

2. He wanted to come do missionary work with us, he wouldn't give me

my coat back, and he wouldn't let me take a picture either!

March 20, 2017 - My week was fffuuuuunnnn!

Hello!!

This week was exciting! I know I start out with that phrase every week but I'm an original person and not very creative. Anyways, we met with a bunch of less active members this week. I love them all! We are trying to file through all the less actives......... Cuz there are sssoooooo many! And most of them neither of us know who they are. So that's a thing. We met with BA, my all time favorite human ever! We meet with him twice a week and he is cruising through the Book of Mormon! He passed me even and I started before him and I read a chapter everyday! So he is awesome!

1. Driving to Soldotna

Also, excitement for the week, the ward mission leader from the Bush Branch flew into Anchorage, so they took us out to dinner and I finally got to see who he is and what looks like! So that was awesome! A, our

investigator, is so awesome! She is on date for baptism in July cuz that's when her kids can be there. Her husband said if I ever come visit, come anytime to go fishing or camping or just to see them, I could stay at there house

and he would take me exploring, so whoot whoot! Trip to galena here I come!

We have started reading the Book of Mormon  with the H family. I love them! They are the best! They have this giant dog named Nanuk (which is polar bear in a native tongue) and trust me, he looks like a polar bear. I look like a rug everytime we leave their house cuz he sheds so much! But he's the cutest.

2.made a pit stop to take a picture, we asked a guy who was parked on

the side of the road to do it, we gave him sis. Jacksons iPad then

realized later he totally could have gotten in his truck and taken off

with it... Luckily he didn't lol. he wasn't interested. But we was

from Boston and likes rocks (he's a geologist)

We also went on exchanges in Soldotna. I have never made it to the actual place, but I can now say I have been half way. We met them half way there and then Sis. Jackson went with Sis. Randall to Soldotna and I had to turn around and come back to Anchorage with Sis. Wilden. It was a fun. We tracked for days! It was a good time.

3. Sis. Wilden and Randall

Anyways, so life's been good! Today is my 14 month click day. Craziness....

I was reading in the Book of Mormon  this morning and I'm in Alma 4. I love the Alma chapters! They were so written for our day it's kinda cray/scary.... But there are so many words of wisdom. Anyways, Alma 4:14 is a good verse! It talks about Christ. I learned recently what the word remission means: for events. So when it talks about the atonement and having a remission of sins, it means a forgiveness of sins, which is why we take the Sacrament each Sunday. That's why it's super important. Anyways, that is what I studied this morning. I really love the Book of Mormon. It is so true! I love it!

4. Accidentally matching #compunity

Anyways love you all!

Sis. Johnson

😊

March 13, 2017 - Cool Things!

Heyo!!!

This week was exciting. There was much exchanging, travel, and tracting whoot whoot!!!! So first off, we went on "exchanges" with the Juneau sisters. By that I mean we Skyped them and talked to them for an hour cuz president didn't let us fly down this time. For all who are wondering, Sis. Ewing and Christian are doing great (those are

the Juneau sisters).

Alaska ski resort on pday

We also had exchanges with the Campbell Park sisters, Sis. Oliver and Kimball!!!! That was super fun! Don't worry we got work done. Sis. Kimball joined me in our area, it was super great. She's a hoot! We put two of our bush investigators kind of on date! So now 3/4 of the bush investigators know what month they want to be baptized in! The struggle is it is winter, so they have to wait for the rivers to not be frozen anymore. The plan is July for 2 of them, and September for the other one. It's a good time.

Exchanges

Me and Sister Kimball

So I've been thinking lots and lots about the priesthood. It is such a great thing! Sis. Jackson and I got blessings this week and the spirit was super strong. I love the priesthood so much and will be forever grateful I grew up with a dad and brother who holds it! It is a gift the Lord has given us to feel peace and be healed. If you have been feeling the need to get one but have been avoiding it, I would like to invite you to repent and get one! Let the Lord bless you, don't deny the blessings. 

Alaska ski resort - I am coming back someday!

Anyways I love you all!

Sis. Johnson

March 6, 2017 - Iditarod part 2

This week was fun! We got to do service for the Iditarod again! It was so fun! But not as fun as last year cuz we were sick (yes I got my companion sick, I'm awful), and we were stuck in an empty bus that was supposed

to be full of VIP people that get to ride on the sleds, but it wasn't. So we became bffs with the bus driver. He wasn't interested but he was super funny.

Other than that we have been teaching all of our awesome investigators, and sleeping cuz we have been sick all week. Please keep us in your prayers that we will get better so that we only share the gospel and not diseases! That would be great!

We had an amazing lesson with my favorite less active. He lives in Chignik Bay out on the penninsula. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and tells us since he started reading it he quit drinking coffee, we  didn't even know he was drank coffee! So that was cool.

Anyways, sorry this is so short! Love you all!!!!