January 20, 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
First of all
my companion is a fire hazard. She burnt toast and we come into the
kitchen and there is smoke everywhere.... the next day I smell some
smoke and she goes into the kitchen to check it out and all I hear
is.... "Hermana... we have a problem and I am sooo sorry." I walk into
the kitchen and I'm thinking she put dish soap into the dishwasher again
and the dishwasher had flooded... but no. I walk in there and she had
turned the stove on and she turned the wrong one on and burnt through
our metal pan.... there was ash on the stove.... I am pretty sure my
companion is a fire hazard... needless to say I will probably be doing
all the cooking from now on.
On and side note this week has been so crazy!!!! My back isn't
getting any better and we might try physical therapy. Hermana Hunt
kicked us out of english class. We are officially banned from teaching
because one of the men in the class we were teaching has a crush on
us.... that is what happens... you smile at someone and help them learn
spanish and all of a sudden they have a crush on you. So glad we have a
companion to keep us safe. Thursday we had specialized trianing and me
and Hermana Millington did a musical number... she sang I played. We
pulled it together in 3 days and it sounded terrific. The Cancino
familia is progressing and we invited them to see a baptism and they
didn't come. So frustrating. There is a lot of problems going on with
the ward we are in but us as missionaries are trying to resolve it. A
lot of frustration this week.
But on the bright side we have L. Tom
Perry coming to Memphis on the 31st to speak to the missionaries and
ward council members in our branches about member and missionary work. I
am sooo excited for this!! I KNOW that in Utah it isn't that big of a
deal to meet an apostle but here in Memphis people cry just getting a
chance to see a broadcast with an apostle in it. The people here
understand how blessed we truly are to have a prophet and apostles. I'm
sad to say this but you don't get that in Utah. Along with L. Tom Perry
we will also have 5 other members from the 70 coming to this fireside. I
am so blessed to get to serve in Memphis where I will actually get to
shake hands with an apostle of the Lord.
We have been working with a members Fiancee who is less active
and we have been getting him to read the book of mormon and I can't tell
you how big of a miracle it is that he is reading this book. He also
came to church on Sunday.... we have seen miracles with him and
everytime we teach him I end up sharing some experience that makes the
both of us cry. I KNOW that this gospel is true and I KNOW that the book
of mormon is true and changes lives. I KNOW that Satan is real and he
tries so very hard to confuse people and lead them into darkness. I know
that Lies that satan tells us to get us to justify in commiting sin. I
KNOW Satan is real and he tries to stop people from progressing in the
gospel. I have seen that as we tried to get the Cancinos to that
baptism. Satan did everything in his power to stop it.... it almost
included some near death experiences but the Lord definitely protects
us. I KNOW that this work is true. I LOVe this work and I LOVE all that
he has blessed me with.
Love,
Hermana Larissa Johnson