July 5, 2013
Dear Family and Friends,
This week has been
sooo busy. I had the best 4th of july ive ever had. Class was really
hard but everything after that made the day spectacular. but I will tell
you about it at the end of this email. During some of the devotionals
this week our branch presidents wife mentioned something that has stayed
with me. Here at the MTC there is a saying: obedience brings about
blessings but exact obedience brings about miracles. She said that when
we are making a decision and don't know whether it is right of wrong
just ask yourself... Am I putting my recommend up for sale by doing
this?? Will it lead me to putting my recommend up for sale. Will I be
risking being sent home by doing this? It made me think of how much fun
it is here and how easy iti is to make a mistake by doing something
stupidthat could risk you being sent home. It made me realize that
although it is great to have fun I should take my mission call more
seriously.
My goal this week is to try and be a better missionary, work
harder and take my mission call more seriously. This week has been
extremely hard but one thing that helped me was the sunday devotional.
Robert P. Swensen said a mission sets the course for the rest of your
life. It determines who you will be. I know I will grow so much in the
next 17 months and I know I have already grown so much in the past
month. I have been humbled by my inability to learn spanish as quickly
as everyone else. I realize I can;t learn spanish without the lord's
help. I hate to have to rely on someone else and the Lord has taught me
that I need to rely on him if I expect to get anywhere. I have never
felt so weak but when I have the lord helping me I know I can be strong.
During a talk from Elder Bednar I learned that having a testimony in
this life is not enough. People that have had testimonies have fallen
away. If you are truly converted to the lord you will never fall away. I
have also learned that a mission is the best 2 years for your life. I
know this is true. It is helping to refine me in ways that I could not
ahve been refined If I had decided not to serve a mission.
On Wednesday I
got to be a host and greet all the new missionaries. I met an Sister
Hayes going to the temple square mission so if you see her in 3 weeks
tell her hi for me. Last night for the 4th of July we watched the movie
17 miracles and I hadn't ever seen it before. I was fine until the point
where it got to the part where they buried all the saints in a mass
shallow grave at rock creek. That is when I bawled. When I was 14 I went
on trek and we went to rock creek. That night as we had a devotional by
the mass grave I gained a testimony of the pioneers. That night as we
were singing the last verse of come come ye saints you could feel the
spirits of the pioneers singing with us. I can't explain it but I have
never felt the spirit so strong in my life. That movie was amazing and
when I was living in Salt Lake I had the opportunity to meet the actor
that played Albert (the short man who was on crutches). The movie last
night reminded me of the testimony I gained almost 7 years ago that
night at Rock Creek. It strengthened my testimony of how merciful god
is and how he does not abandon us in our time of need. When the pioneers
were about to die they were rescued by the Saints that had already made
it to Salt Lake. Like the primary song says: God will lead us, guide
us, walk beside us. IN all of the pioneers stories you can tell that god
was helping them and walking beside them and helping them push their
carts. I testify that if you are struggling that if you pray with a
sincere heart God WILL help you!!! I love you all and hope to hear from
you soon.
Love,
Hermana Larissa Johnson