Dear Family and Friends,
I am writing this email
from the mortuary.... No no one died. A member owns a mortuary and is
letting us use the computers here.... Still makes me a little queasy
knowing theirs dead bodies in the back room.... Literally. She actually
offered to let me see someone get embalmed.... I think I'll pass
though.
So this week was transfers and I was saying goodbye
to all the members of the branch. 7 months in the branch and I was sooo
sad to leave. I LOVE the branch. I just knew I was going to be
transferred and on Monday I got that dreaded phone call from the
Assistants that I was leaving. I said goodbye to the members for the
next two days and I seriously cried so much.... But thank goodness The
Lord comforted me as I said goodbye to them. I just bawled as soon as I
got home. Transfers came and I packed up my life and left my family
and the place that has become my home for the past 7 months. We got to
transfers meeting and I was almost positive I was going to Arkansas. The
last name president called was mine and I was confused because that
meant I was staying in Tennessee........ President announced where I was
going And like Johnny cash says..... I'm going to Jackson!!!!
So I wasn't entirely thrilled to be a zebra again
and half English and Spanish. In fact I had a really hard time with it
the first day but I realized that I can't let it interfere with the
work. I am training again... Sort of. I'm just teaching sister Baird, my
new companion, Spanish. Sister baird is amazing and is just like sister
hogan, my trainer.... Probably cuz sister hogan trained her too. Sister
Baird is adorable and seriously has a way with people. She says she
doesn't have charity but I just laugh because she tells everyone and
let's everyone know how much she loves and cares about them. Love this
girl! I am the only Spanish speaker here in Jackson and when we teach
Spanish investigators I am on my own until I get sister Baird up to
speed with Spanish. We are in an English ward so if we have any Spanish
investigators to church I have to do the translation.... Kinda crazy but
in church on Sunday I started translating the whole meeting in my head
into Spanish.... You can bet The Lord is preparing me to translate for
the Hispanic people here in Jackson.
I LOVE jackson. Memphis is still where my heart is
but I am learning to love Jackson and the people here. The members here
are so sweet. Sister Yarbrough helps us with anything we need. She takes
us out to this restaurant don panchos every Monday, and takes us out to
eat multiple times each week. I'm gonna get fat! The members here are
sooo sweet! Just like the members in Memphis. The ward has some problems
and I've been praying to know what to do to help the ward and the only
thing that keeps coming to mind is visiting teaching. So that is going
to be my focus this transfer besides baptizing, getting GiGi to the
temple, and getting more Spanish missionaries here in Jackson.
There's
so much work to be done and I am so excited to get started and help this
area and help this ward. I know that by helping out with visiting
teaching we will create more unity in the ward and bring the 200 less
actives back to the gospel. I have been so blessed to be placed in
wonderful areas with wonderful people my entire mission. It hasn't been
easy at times but I KNOW without a doubt that I am meant to be here
right now and I have been brought so much happiness from serving others.
I am grateful for this opportunity to serve The Lord and be an
instrument in his hands to bring to pass the immortality and eternal
life of man.
Love you all,
Hermana Larissa Johnson