The Last One

November 25, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

This will be my last email before I am home. I can't believe how fast the last 18 months have flown by. I learned faith this week. As I believed that the Lord could lead us to people who are ready to hear the gospel after multiple rejections and doors slamming in our faces we were lead to Maria. We knock on her door and she told us she had met with missionaries years ago and has a Book of Mormon. We talked to her and had the most spiritual lesson I have had here in Little Rock. We talked with her and tied the gospel into the things that she was saying. It was so incredible. We are going to go back today if we have time. 

     We had specialized training on Tuesday and I gave my departing testimony and then I sit down and like 2 minutes later it hit me that I am actually going home and I started to cry. Just like when I was leaving on my mission and I didn't think it could get any better than that it did. I came here and it did get better and I know that after my mission that as I am thrown these changes that it WILL get better. Change is part of God's plan and sometimes we do have to make those changes for the better even if it is difficult in the moment. 

     We went and tried this less active family in North Little Rock and they answered the door. First time in the last 6 months I have been here that they answered the door and the first thing he says is "What a miracle." I guess for the past year missionaries haven't gone by when they were not working and they thought the missionaries were mad at them. I have never seen people so excited to see missionaries. The Castillo family is so sweet. We have an appointment with them tonight and I can't wait to see how their BOM reading is going. 

     We went and taught this investigator Erica and she has been reading in the Book of Mormon and she is so elect. I wish I could be here to see the baptism. Saturday we went to the activity and got to learn to decorate cakes. It was super fun. We made little owls. Yesterday was the temple trip for the departing missionaries and as soon as we crossed the bridge into Tennessee I felt at home. 

     The temple was sooo amazing I hadn't done a session in over a year and have really missed it. You truly can receive revelation in the temple. As I sat in the Celestial Room I could just feel so much of God's love for me. I know that when we truly do the Lord's will he will bless us for it. After serving the Lord for 18 months I could finally ask him the questions of my soul. I know that the temple is a tremendous blessing and if you do not go regularly I strongly encourage it. Going to the temple every week before my mission I could leave all my cares for a few hours and enjoy the tranquility and peaceful solace of the temple. If you look to the temple you will never be lost. You will know where you can go to find peace in your life. You will receive revelation for those next stages of life and as you do service at the temple you will feel God's love. 

     This mission has changed my life and I came out here to give back to the Lord and now I am even more in his debt. I have been blessed beyond measure. I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and his infinite and atoning sacrifice that allows us to truly start over and make those changes in our life that will ultimately lead us to eternal happiness and joy. 

     I am so grateful for the wonderful temples that we have close by and the opportunity we have to go to that one place where Heaven and Earth meet. I am so grateful for my family and I am so grateful that I get to be sealed to them for eternity. That is one of the greatest blessings of a temple marriage. They are never lost to you. I am so grateful for this gospel and it has truly changed my life... I have never felt so much peace and joy and I KNOW that that only comes from living this gospel. Estoy muy agradecido por la oportunidad para aprender espanol. 

     There is a lot to be grateful for and less keep this attitude of gratitude as we start this Christmas season. Remember those things that you are grateful for. Remember Christ and the gift that he has given each one of us. I love yall and I will see ya next week.

 

Sincerely, 

~Hermana Larissa Johnson

P-Day, Miracles and Store Contacting

November 17, 2014

Dear Family and Friends, 

     Finally got to get to work this week and for the last few weeks of my mission. It's starting to get pretty cold here in the south. We saw some miracles from having shorter P-days... just goes to prove that when you make sacrifices for the work and also step out of your comfort zone the Lord blesses you. 

     We met this woman named Blair and at first she was not interested but as we talked with her she opened up and asked us a question that no one had been able to answer... which is exactly what our message is about. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she agreed to read it. It was an amazing day with lots of miracles. 

     We met a lot of people that we wouldn't have met had we still been enjoying P-day. We went on exchanges and I went to Bryant for the day. It was a completely different ball game to go from Spanish and going from poorer than poor to people who are more well off or from the back woods of Arkansas with goats and 10 dogs and deer meat in their freezer. 

     We contacted a former investigator Ericka and we have helped her to start to read the Book of Mormon. It is amazing what you find as you follow the spirit.... you find those people that are ready. On Thursday we were freezing cold and all our appointments fell through so we decided to go store contacting... the only store Hispanics go to is Walmart and usually on weekends between 5 and 8. It was 3 in the afternoon and we weren't thinking there were gonna be any Hispanics there but as we put our faith to the test we taught 5 lessons to different Hispanic families. 

     We reset a baptismal date with Daisy and overcame concerns with Luis. Looks like we are going to be baptizing on my last P-day.... what an incredible experience that will be. This week we have seen lots of miracles and as we serve the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength we are starting to see the Lord prepare people to receive the gospel.

I love yall and hope you have a good week... only 2 more.

Con Amor,

  

~Hermana Larissa Johnson

Halloween

November 3, 2014

Friends and Family,

     We got to carve pumpkins on p-day with all the sisters in our area. The weather here is wonderful and thank goodness it hasn't gotten too cold yet. This week we were still trying to pass the kidney stone and we got to celebrate my birthday... the big 22! 

     I didn't have any pain so that was definitely a blessing.. on Halloween I had surgery and we have been stuck in the apartment ever since... well me at least... my companion gets to go on splits and get out every once in a while. She is taking good care of me. We had the mission Presidents wife come to the hospital with us while I had my surgery. It was nice to have someone there when your mom can't be so it was the next best thing. It was great to talk to her and get to know her better. I go back in for another surgery on Wednesday morning but after that I should be fine and back to normal. I finally be able to finish my mission strong. 

     On the bright side we have gotten to study a lot and we got 2 investigators to church so that was definitely a huge blessing! We taught the most amazing lesson on my birthday. We contacted a referral, Diana and she was awesome. She agreed to be baptized on November 29th and as we taught the first lesson you could feel that she is honestly seeking for the truth. It is amazing how the Lord puts people in your path and also leads you to specific people. Everyone we talked to that day I got to share something I had learned during studies that day with each of them. I know the Lord is always preparing people to hear the gospel we just have to look for them, put our fears aside and go talk to them. As Jeffrey R. Holland says: "An invitation that is born out of love will never be seen as offensive or judgmental."

     I have learned through this challenge that the Lord does bless us even in our trials. There are things he wants us to learn but he is still going to provide us with comfort and help through it. He loves us and he will not abandon us... we just can't abandon him. I KNOW that to be true. I am so excited to finish this month strong. We have seen miracles this last transfer and we are going to continue to see miracles until I leave. This church IS a church of miracles. I KNOW that the Lord does bless us for our efforts even though it may not always be in the form of a baptism. I LOVE this gospel and I LOVE our savior and how through his matchless gift we can reach our divine potential. We have him here to help lift, encourage, inspire, and bless us.

Love,

~Hermana Larissa Johnson

See ya in a month.

This Too Shall Pass

October 27, 2014

Dear Family and Friends, 

     Last P-day we went to the "Big Dam Bridge" it was really pretty. This is going to be one of our last long pdays until I come home... they are cutting our pday in half so it ends at 2 now and we go out and proselyte for longer. You should have seen everyones faces when the ZLs announced the invitation. Me and Hermana Warner decided to accept the invitation and finish our missions with the spiritual experiences that will come from it.

    This week has been eventful we started off the new transfer with kidney stones and a really bad cold. Me and Hermana Warner looked like death this week. I woke up Wednesday morning with back pain and it kept getting worse and before ya know it we are at the doctors getting a cat scan. Pretty much been cooped up in the apartment all week trying to pass the stone... no luck... day 6 and one hospital visit later and still nothing yet. We got out and taught when I don't have any pain. 

     We went to the Halloween ward activity at the church on Saturday and we got to judge the trunks for the trunk or treat. One was the Arkansas Razorbacks themed and they even had a baby pig... we may not be able to hold babies as missionaries but we can hold pigs…  

That's about it for this week. We weren't able to do a lot but hopefully we will get better soon. 

~Hermana Larissa Johnson

Last Week of Transfers

October 20, 2014

Family and Friends,

     It's transfer time again.... my last transfer until I come home. I am staying here in Little Rock with Hermana Warner. Last P-day it was pouring rain so our trip to the Fair was cancelled. We went to find a less active and she was not there and we saw this guy/girl (i'm not sure which it was). Anyways... we were walking by and he asked who we are... we say missionaries and just walked by and I felt so guilty... I turned around and apologized and proceeded to talk to him about the gospel... he let us talk with his family and we found out his uncle recently died and we talked to their family about the Plan of Salvation...I know if we don't take those opportunities to talk with everyone they might miss the gospel because of us. 

     Tuesday we went on exchanges with the south hermanas and every appointment fell through so we found some new people. Wednesday we had dinner with Sister Culwell and she told us she would find out on Thursday what the doctor says about her cancer. Thursday we went and visited with sister Culwell and she told us she is going in for surgery and they are going to be able to get all the cancer. She was super relieved. She just keeps giving and giving until she has nothing left.... she is well into her 80s and she still is inviting people over to her home to be taught by the missionaries, and she also feeds 10 missionaries every single week including the night before Thanksgiving when all her family is there. She is definitely an example to me of diligence and how she keeps on going and serving even when she isn't in the best situation. 

     Friday we had specialized training... the last meeting I am going to have with everyone on the Arkansas side. It was super sad to say goodbye to a lot of the friends I have made on the mission and knowing I probably won't see most of them again. Saturday our appointment fell through and we went spiritual harvesting and talked to this woman named Edi. We talked with her and her husband about the Plan of Salvation and her husband totally understands the Atonement. He was astonished that we gave him all the information not just part of the truth like other churches. As missionaries we are here to inform people of the truth and invite them to change. A perfect example of this change is the Montes family. We had done everything we could as missionaries to invite them to change... but it wasn't until they made that decision for themselves was when the change really took place... they have been to church for the last 4 weeks and haven't missed a Sunday... they are praying and studying their scriptures and putting their trust in God. I love seeing this change in people.... this is why I am here!!!! 

     I KNOW that this IS the truth. I am so grateful to my family for all the sacrifices they have made to help me on my mission... I am so grateful for all the service of all those member doctors in Jackson who have helped provide some relief for my back so that I could finish my mission. I am grateful for my companion who has helped me learned diligence and to give this work my all for these last few weeks. I am so grateful for this gospel and I know that the joy that this gospel brings doesn't even compare. I have learned so many lessons from my mission and for that I am eternally grateful and forever changed. I KNOW that a mission does change people.... I have seen that mighty change in myself as well as that change in those people I have worked with.

Love,

~Hermana Larissa Johnson

Meet the Mormons

October 13, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

     We went to downtown Little Rock last week and went to the old state house and we taught some guys sitting on the sidewalk a lesson... Who says you can't teach while you are on break. We taught Daisy and she passed her baptismal interview... She was supposed to be baptized on Sunday but her dad has started to harden his heart and doesn't want to be baptized until December and this is the third time he has reset his date. Hopefully the Lord will hear our prayers and he will set a solid date and not deny his daughter those blessings that come from baptism. 

     We had the most amazing lesson with Aracleis kids Abigail and David… we watched the Restoration movie with them and you could tell they didn't really understand then when we went back they said they watched it a few more times once with their mom and another time with their dad and they understand it now... they both have that testimony that Joseph Smith restored Christ's true church once again on the earth. We taught them the plan of salvation and they just loved it!!!!!!!!!!! I have never seen people so eager to learn more and I haven't really met people so ready to receive this gospel. They asked so many wonderful questions about what if their family is in the Terrestrial kingdom and they are in the Celestial... could they go visit their family? We invited them to come to church and their mom wouldn't let them....parents can be so frustrating when they are the ones denying their children the greatest blessings that their family could receive. 

     We went out to teach with our mission president's wife and bless her heart she didn't realize we were Spanish... all of our appointments fell through and we had nothing to do and no one to see for 2 hours with her... we prayed that we would be led to the people that needed us..... with nothing to do we went to go meet with Sister Wakolo and prayed that we would be led where to go and who to see. Everything that could go wrong did but as we put our faith in the Lord everything worked out perfectly. We went to an apartment complex and the gate closed after we got in and the code we gave Sister Wakolo wasn't working… we're like oh shoot lets go help her out... as we were walking to the gate we see this lady who was able to help us and we ended up teaching her. Turns out every single person we found or ran into were all English… 

     We met this guy that was going off for 10 minutes about how Joseph Smith is a false prophet and all this other crap and I remembered what was said in conference about how the persecution about Joseph Smith is going to get worse before the Second Coming and I just testified of how I came to know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and he was shocked...completely silent.... I testified and we gave him a pass along card and walked away… you knew he wasn't going to accept it but that testimony is forever going to be stained on the walls and windows of his home. It truly was an amazing day. I realized that it isn't just fun and games being a mission presidents wife and I realized how hard it truly is for their family to leave Fiji, come to a whole other continent, speak a different language and go to school where the education is completely different from what you have been raised with your entire life… I gained so much more respect for them and how they put all their worries and fears aside and trusted in the lord that he would take care of everything.

     We got to see Meet the Mormons on Thursday.... such an incredible movie, it seriously answers a lot of questions people have about Mormons.... people assume we are polygamists, can't dance, we don't have black people in our church, we don't celebrate holidays, we don't believe in the same Christ that is in the bible, and other stuff, we have our bible, etc... I've heard these concerns thousands and thousands of times but the movie answers it by helping people realize that Mormons are normal people. We have pasts... we aren't perfect… we have goals, hopes and dreams and most importantly the gospel blesses our lives. I loved how it ended with the woman who was sending off her son on a mission. She was a convert and guess what she met the missionaries in ARKANSAS.... she completely changed her life around and now she is sending her son on a mission. The part where they were saying goodbye made all the missionaries in our zone cry... we all miss our families so much. It is amazing to see how much of a difference one person makes... if that one missionary talks to someone it affects their life forever. I love that movie and encourage everyone to watch it. That is about it for this week.

Love,

Hermana Larissa Johnson

Week of Miracles Part 2

October 6, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

     This week we were inspired by a member Sister Barrientos. She keeps BOMs in her car so she can give them out to homeless people she meets in hopes that they will read it and change their life.... so we already had BOMs in our car but this homeless lady was asking for money... as missionaries we don't have money so we gave her a granola bar and a book of Mormon.... she then asked us if we were planning on going to the "Rainbow event".... I've been called just about everything on my mission but Lesbian was not one of them.   

     This week was really fun. We went to downtown little rock and rode the little trolley around and went to these fun thrift shops. We did all the sightseeing and the best thing is we didn't pay a thing. We went out teaching with a member on Tuesday night and we talked with EVERYONE. We went to this neighbor and the member we were with decided to do the next door approach on his own. It was a neat experience to see how members can be missionaries too. 

     That entire night the Lord put people in our path. We ended the night taking this member to a recent converts and he shared the most amazing testimony about temples and you could feel the spirit soooo strong. Yep... we are getting Luis to the temple. I am super excited this is what it is all about. I'm not just here to baptize all nations but help people prepare for the temple. The joy you feel when help someone prepare for the temple and they get there is soooo much greater than it is when you baptize someone.... I can't explain how much greater the joy is.... My very first convert I baptized on my mission passed away last year. The most exciting part isn't that she was baptized but the exciting part is that even after her death a month later her husband is preparing to be worthy so that he can take her name to the temple and see her work be done.... I can't fully express how much joy that brings to me to know that she will get her temple work done and will help her husband get to the temple in the  process.

     Wednesday night. We had dinner with sister Culwell again... and this time Jamie (Sister Culwell's nonmember friend that has come over for dinner every week for the past 10 years) asked the elders for a blessing.... this is the closest she has ever come to accepting the gospel and it is the first time she got a blessing.... she told us that she has back pains and had that first steroid injection and that her pains are getting worse. .... SHE HAS THE SAME THING I HAVE. When she said that I'm like "This is crazy, she is sitting right across the table from somebody who literally feels her pain." I talked to her about it for a minute and it is crazy because considering that we have the same thing wrong with our backs I KNOW that I should be in more pain and I KNOW that the Lord is helping me to do his work. 

     I am forever grateful for this experience to serve a mission. I get to relate with people in ways I never thought I could. I get to help people and I actually feel like I am accomplishing my purpose here on this earth... to help bring others to the celestial kingdom with me. It was one of the sweetest blessings... both sets of elders didn't have oil and fortunately one of the sister missionaries was prepared and had some... so all of you priesthood holders remember that scout motto and: "BE PREPARED" with some oil so that you can help people when they need a blessing and most importantly live your life so that you can be worthy to use that priesthood whenever someone needs it.  

     Thursday night we had an interesting experience. We were at a members house and it started raining and getting windy... like it always does in Little Rock.... we are helping this member's son do homework because the mom doesn't understand English and doesn't have higher than a 2nd grade education herself.... it broke my heart so we offered to help. As we are helping him we hear the tornado sirens go off.... keep in mind this is 8 at night and they only test them in the mornings so you knew it was a legit tornado. We got a text on our phone that there was a warning and we needed to find shelter immediately... we stayed with that member and after about 45 minutes of hearing the tornado sirens and talking with our mission leaders the weather started to calm down and it was safe to return home... they definitely make sure the missionaries are safe on the mission... we had our district leader, sister training leaders, the zone leaders, the ASL sisters, and all of our other leaders making sure everyone was safe.  Although the Arkansans here think we are crazy for taking such precautions we always know that we are safe and are going to be safe if we listen to our leaders voices. 

     We had absolutely no people to teach for 2 days.... we were booked out completely for the past few weeks and now we had absolutely no appointments... we prayed for guidance and found some addresses we could go visit. We went and visited them and were getting in the car and we saw this black woman sitting outside... we felt like we needed to go talk to her. We talked up and introduced ourselves and you could see her head had a huge goose egg on it and although she was wearing sunglasses in the dark you could see her eye was swollen shut. She had been beaten up by her husband. We talked to her and she just started crying. She told us just moments before we walked up she was praying for guidance and help and then we walked up. She just broke down into tears and told us her story. We talked to her and she told us her and her children all want to be baptized... we're specifically Spanish missionaries but hey Elder Zwick said we can teach in English too so why not baptize an English family. It was seriously amazing. Live your life so you can always be in the right place at the right time for the Lord to work his miracles through you.

     I love this work and I know that as we follow the counsel of our leaders (just like we did during the tornado) we will be kept spiritually safe from all the spiritual whirlwinds. I know that as you men always strive to be prepared and worthy to use your priesthood that you will have unplanned opportunities to help others and use that priesthood. I know that as we prepare to go to the temple or help prepare someone else to go to the temple that it is one of the most sacred responsibilities that we have on this earth. To not only work towards exaltation but helping all those we love and care about get there as well. It is not God's plan for us to just be there but to help us bring our family and friends there as well. I am so glad they talked about the temple in the women's session. It is such an incredible blessing and the Lord desires all to partake of it. In Lehi's dream of the tree of life he partakes of the fruit or exaltation and desires his family to partake as well. As we share the gospel with our friends and family they too can have part of those incredible blessings that the Lord has in store for us.  I love y'all and hope y'all have a good week.

Love, 

~Hermana Larissa Johnson