January 27, 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
We found this note on someones door.... I guess maintenance isn't
very smart because they spelt fridge wrong.... only in Memphis.... if
you think the school systems are bad just come to Memphis where every
single school looks like a federal prison.
This week was really good and kind of rough. We dropped a family we
were teaching and I bawled as soon as we got in the car. I almost cried
when I shook hands with each of them because It is probably going to be
the last time I will ever see this family I have come to grow and love.
The gift of charity is rough. You learn to love people and share part
of your soul with them as you testify and they reject it and when you
have to drop them your heart breaks. It is probably one of the most
excruciating things I've ever felt. We also got dropped by this other
family we were teaching and the kids had baptismal dates and the whole
family had come to church. I cried too. I have really come to love the
people out here but sometimes it is too painful to get so attached.
Today is the second day of bike week. We won't get our car back until
after church on Sunday. This Friday we are going to meet L. Tom Perry
and Ulysses S. Soares and 5 other people from the 70. They are all
coming to Memphis. I am SOOOO Excited for it. I know it will be
inspired. This week has probably been one of the hardest on my mission.
We are dealing with investigators and less actives who have a whole lot
of problems mainly with abusive spouses and they can't leave because her
child has a medical condition and needs to be taken to the doctor every
week. Everyone we are teaching has ridiculously dramatic and huge
problems. Sometimes I feel completely incapable of helping anyone. I
KNOW things will improve. I am just praying that I will receive strength
to help these people.
This week I went on exchanges with Hermana Dube, she is from England and
she talks just as much as I do... I don't think there was a single
moment one of us wasn't talking. This week is slightly improving but I
am optimistic that we will find some amazing people to teach. Memphis is
a rough area but he has put the right people here to help teach the
people.
Love,
~Hermana Larissa Johnson