OUR MISSIONARIES: SISTER SARAH JOHNSON - 4/24

So... this week was pretty basic. It's rained every day.... but it's alright at least it's not snow!

Here's the rundown of the more interesting things we did this week.

Monday: Pday, played Marshmallow Dodge ball and miraculously didn't get hit in the face, then went to the FHE activity for the YSA ward - it was this super cool scavenger hunt all over Moscow, but we only had 30 minutes to do it. Our Relief society president and her boyfriend called us for their team, and we almost won, it was fantastic. Wish I had pictures to show you all....

Tuesday: Started cleaning up the YSA less-active member list, and pretty much did that all day unless we were eating....

Wednesday: Worked at the food bank! They had a whole bunch of avocados, so we got to take like 6 home. Chips and dip are coming this week, woot! Also saw Dawn, our favorite 82 year old. :)

Thursday: We were so busy! We saw Ezra at the campus library where he basically bashed with us for an hour about how the Word of Wisdom is stupid.... we're considering dropping him as an investigator, because every time we meet up with him it turns into an almost argument.... he's not really looking, he's just asking his friends for anti-Mormon questions to debate with us about. It was the worst. But it contrasted in a really cool way to Jim's lesson right afterwards, which was about the Word of Wisdom too! We were talking about the things God asks us not to put in our bodies, and when we got to coffee, Jim was all "I'm not giving up my coffee guys!" and the members we brought, Bro and Sis Vandehey, were on it and they encouraged him and explained why it's important, and it was so awesome. By the end of the lesson, Jim said "I'll give up coffee when I'm refreshed" (meaning when he's baptized). And when we told him he had to at least give it up 2 weeks before, he agreed. Even though he didn't totally understand why coffee was so bad, he was willing to try and give it up so that he could follow God's commandments. I loved having the stark contrast between someone who's really searching for the truth and repentance, and someone who is just using missionaries to debate word play.

Friday: We had district meeting! Sister Mitchell gave a fantastic training about how to teach with your companion in unity. She is a powerhouse, and I learned a lot from her! I love one of the scriptures she used, Luke 22:32, and she talked about how our teaching isn't a power struggle, because we should be strengthening our companions no matter what. It was awesome to watch her teach, and it made me so grateful that I always trust that Sis Mitchell has my back in every situation. Ah! She's just the best. And then after district meeting, we worked on Orphan Acres again. Then we met with Isabeau and taught her the first part of the Plan of Salvation :) and she was really nice to us again!

Saturday: we had our weekly planning for 3 hours. it's so hard to stay focused the whole time.... but it was good. We took a little break to read ancient Ensigns from the 90s, and I found this really cute story! It was by James E. Faust, I'll copy and paste it for you all....

Now, some of you older sisters may ask, “Haven’t I heard every Relief Society lesson? What point is there for me to go to Relief Society each week?” The answer to those questions may best be given by relating the story of a young piano student. His mother, wishing to encourage him, “bought tickets for a performance of the great Polish pianist, Paderewski. The night of the concert arrived and the mother and son found their seats near the front of the concert hall. While the mother visited with friends, the boy slipped quietly away.

“Suddenly, it was time for the performance to begin and a single spotlight cut through the darkness of the concert hall to illuminate the grand piano on stage. Only then did the audience notice the little boy on the bench, innocently picking out ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’

“His mother gasped, but before she could move, Paderewski appeared on stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And then, leaning over, the master reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around the other side, encircling the child, to add a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.

“In our lives, unpolished though we may be, it is the Master who surrounds us and whispers in our ear, time and time again, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And as we do, He augments and supplements until a work of amazing beauty is created. He is right there with all of us, telling us over and over, ‘Keep playing.’”

Isn't it so cute? I gave me a lot of hope and encouragement, and it was a good reminder that Jesus Christ will take whatever I have, and make it enough, as long as I keep playing :).

Sunday: We got to go to Potlatch finally! Every time we go to their branch, we remember why we love it so much. The Vandeheys had us over to a beautiful french toast brunch, and we got to see Jim and talk to him a bit :). He wants us to look for "manly" curtains for him.... haha so we'll probably look for something plaid. The rest of the evening we looked for more of the YSA less actives - it's a good way for Sis Mitchell to learn all the Moscow streets, driving back and forth all evening.
Aaaaaaaaand, that's about it folks. Until Next week! :))
I love you all!
Sister Johnson

Aaaaand turns out I have pictures to send too! Didn't think I took any... guess I did!
We made s'mores out of Easter goods, it's tradition!

Also chips and dip.

Also Elder Brunt and Elder Klunker brought us the cookies I won out of Elder Brunt. They were pretty good! They said if there weren't enough chocolate chips, we could microwave more on top haha.