July 22, 2013
Dear Friends & Family,
This first
week out in the field has been the hardest week of my life but also a
great experience. First off I got assigned to Olive Branch, Mississippi
(about 5 miles from Memphis, Tennessee). My address is 9400 Goodman Rd.
Apt. 2920 Olive Branch, MS 38654 if you want to write me. So much has
happened this past week. One thing I have learned is that when something
good is about to happen then satan tries his hardest to ruin that. The
night before I left the MTC I received a letter from my family and I
guess I read the wrong one first. I read that some bad news that
something had happened to someone in my family and I later found out
that they were in a coma. I received a blessing from two of the elders
in my district and I instantly felt comforted. I know that right as I
was about to go out and do something amazing that satan has to keep
butting into my life. Right before my mission I felt so weak and satan
kept putting doubts in my head and putting things in my path that could
potentially stop me from going. Obviously I still decided to serve a
mission. I know that what I am doing is right because satan is trying so
hard to get me to go home. Thankfully when things are tough the Lord
sends some help. I firmly believe that the Lord put people in my life to
help me through the hard times. If those elders weren't there to give
me that blessing I wouldn't have felt like things would be okay. I made
it to Arkansas and they assigned me to serve in Mississippi. Olive
Branch is very poverty striken and I guess the Lord sent me here to
humble me. I have learned to be so grateful to have grown up where I
did. Olive Branch is a scary area but I don't feel scared at all. There
are some of the most amazing people here and I will write more about our
investigators next week and send pictures. I am about out of time. Keep
your chin up and remember that everything is going to be alright. The
mission may seem hard but things will always improve.
Love y'all and hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Hermana Larissa Johnson