OUR MISSIONARIES: SISTER SARAH JOHNSON - 2/19

It's been another week!

Last week we played a fantastic round of volleyball on Pday. It was so fun to not even hesitate or worry about jumping and running and ducking and things. I think I'm back to 100% since my surgery, and that is just the coolest thing!

This week we also got a lot of snow off and on, and I'm over it. The problem with Spokane snow.... is that it snows, turns to slush, and then freezes that way, and permanently glazes all the roads. I'm glad I have some rubber muck boots I bought, because they have fantastic traction. I haven't fallen yet.... but we did have a fantastically frightening drift around a corner the other day that looked clear of ice.... but was apparently not. Good thing I practiced handling the car in snow and ice last winter in Moscow.... haha. ;)

We also got to have Zone Conference with President and Sister Dymock this week. It was way cool! President again exploded our brains talking about the Urim and Thummim, including theories of what it looks like and how it relates to all these different parts of our culture. It's too hard to explain over an email, but for real it's worth looking into. It was way cool. And Sister Dymock gave us a great training on "Open Systems vs. Closed Systems" of communication, and how in our lives we are so much happier if we council together and are all open with each other, than if we close down and one person just dominates direction. It was so good :). I love zone conference so much.

OH on Tuesday, I had one of the coolest experiences. We got to go to a lesson with a man who has lost his testimony over time and through the really hard things he's had to seen and go through. He told us he used to share the Gospel with all of his friends, and saw many of them baptized, but he isn't so sure anymore that God exists, because there's just so much horror out there. We had a great discussion with him about the scriptures and the Holy Ghost, and prayer.... and towards the end, I just felt like my heart would burst over the testimony in my heart. I was able to bear a testimony to him of the reality of God's love, and that all those things he used to know so well, and used to feel and love, could all come back for him. I have never felt so sure of anything in my life! But I know that Heavenly Father is anxiously waiting for that guy, and each of us, to reach back out to Him and ask the questions in our hearts. He'll answer all of our concerns, if we are willing to hunt down the answers. It was incredible, I wish words did the moment justice!

Lent started on Wednesday, so I gave up sugar again this year. I always feel much better about myself when I'm not eating sugar... And I've been really good about eating fruits and vegetables too! It's such a challenge to eat healthy sometimes, but it's empowering to know I can do it :).

And on Friday, I was able to go on exchanges with our STL, Sister Douglas. She is way awesome! We had so much fun talking and getting to know each other. She's been all over the world, and maybe someday we'll get to go on a trip together, because that would be way sweet! I could learn a lot from that lady, I just love her. All the same.... exchanges always make me grateful for my own companion. Shoutout to Sister Cardon for being fantastic! It's so easy to communicate with her, and we get good stuff done together too :). It felt good to be able to report great things to the STL :).

Hm.... well, other than all that, this week was pretty basic. The two Spanish hermanas are moving into our apartment today, because our apartment is bigger I guess. It'll be an adventure. We'll get to have the Spokane Valley zone at our Pday later though to play volleyball and dodgeball, so that'll be awesome.

I hope you're all reading your scriptures and saying your prayers!! It works ;) I promise!

Love you all!

Sister Johnson

Here are some pictures from this week!

One is of the play doh whale I made at church. Best Gospel Principles lesson on the creation ever!

Oh and I got to see my cute trainee, Sister Blake, at zone conference! She's adorable. And all grown up now!

And I attached a whole bunch of pictures of our adventure on Tuesday with all the sisters in the zone. We made crepes! Sister Cardon is a pro crepe maker, and she taught Sis Douglas how to flip them (that's Sis Douglas at the stove).