Here's a note from a family in Kentucky:
Dear Bro and Sister Johnson, Just to let you know how much we enjoy having your daughter in our area. She and her Companion Sister Thulasidass have been having dinner with on Sundays. Our daughter Shalee is leaving for the MTC April 3 for LA, CA. We currently have a daughter serving in San Diego. Shalee is one of the many missionaries taking advantage of the lowered age. Next sunday we are singing in Sacrament meeting and Sis. Johnson will be playing for us. The Sisters are very busy with inactives and bringing investigators to church. You should be proud. The young man is a friend of our daughters. He is deaf so dinner was very animated. He served his mission in New York. Thank you for sharing her with us. The Harrison Family
And, from Alicia:
Hello, hello everyone!!!
How was everyone's week?! From the emails, it sounds like everyone is doing great! There is so much going on and all very good, exciting things :) I love that! I love your emails so much and I am so glad that I have such an amazing family who looks out for me! Y'all are the absolute best ever!!! (You should try y'all sometime. Turns out it is easier to just conform in the end ;))
Guess who is here with me?! Joe Baker!!! I have taken more pictures because Joe is so photogenic. Man, I sure love him! He really isn't a very obedient missionary though... he hangs out in an apartment with girls, he always sleeps in and he doesn't actually leave the apartment very much.... naughty, naughty Joe! That is probably why he isn't seeing much success as far as missionary work goes. We are working on it though. He watches me study. So that's good ;) I love Joe Baker!!! I'm sorry you miss him, Mel. Once he sees the world a little bit, I will send him back to you. He needs some Bar-T-5 pictures, you know? I love his little missionary outfit though. I just love him.
I am so excited for the wedding and for Italy and all of your adventures coming up! Dad and Mom, it sounds like the trip you planned will be so fun! I hope that someday I will get to go to. And Hawaii!!! What?! I bet it is almost as great as Kentucky ;)
So today has been fun. You know how on pdays you have like a million things you need to get done? Well, it was raining and lightning like crazy this morning and it knocked out the power for like 45 minutes... the power on all of the streets and at the Walmart. Bad news. I needed a haircut real bad too so after waiting half an hour to get it cut, it took another hour to actually cut it (yay for thick hair!). So it is now 1:40pm and pday is half over. Plus we have to get an oil change in our car. There is just so much to do all of the time!!
Besides that, this week has been really super stellar. We have been seeing miracles like crazy all of a sudden!! My companion and I still have major differences... we both get frustrated with each other... but the Lord is blessing us for working through it- and I truly do love her. "Pray with all energy of heart" for the gift of charity. That is what I have to do. It is cool to see the growth within myself. It seems that it is more apparent this week for some reason. 4 weeks ago, I could hardly cope. I didn't know how to handle the situation. I didn't know how to love my companion. I didn't know how to love the area. Then, after mighty prayer and continued diligence, I have seen within myself a love develop for this area that is so immense. And my companion, I love her too. You know how they say I love you, but I don't have to like you? I think that can apply to missionary work. And relationships in general. President McKee taught at a training that we must love all people, but we don't have to love their behavior. That is the truth. Sister Thulasidass is a very wonderful person. She is very giving and loving. Our personalities are just incredibly different! I have come to peace with it and have enjoyed that peace this week.
And, like I said, there have been so many miracles!! It is great! We had three baptismal dates set for March 30th. We have run into some problems with two of them, but D is ready to go! It is so exciting! She is progressing beautifully. She accepts the commitments. She has been reading from the Book of Mormon- and every time she does she feels the Spirit. She came to church yesterday. She doesn't have any Word of Wisdom problems- she is a true miracle!
Other than that, this week we taught 30 lessons and got 10 new investigators! Cool, huh?! A less-active couple has come to church two times in a row. The members are feeding us almost every night now. We are talking to so many people! We had a miracle last night as well. About a week and a half ago we went to a less-active's home. They weren't there so we decided to stay and work the area. We started knocking doors and after about 10 minutes with no success we headed to the car to leave. Right as we were climbing in, a car pulled up about 4 houses down. We took that as our opportunity and went over there to talk to them. It was two guys probably mid-20s. We started talking to them and found out that one has had the missionary lessons before and that his mom and brother are members. We happened to be there at a point in his life when he is feeling like it might be something he needs. We were able to give him a Book of Mormon and got his phone number. We tried to call several times during the week with no success... my companion decided to call him again yesterday. He answered back with a text. He is wanting to start going to church! What?! This morning it hit me. I feel so blessed to be a part of these people's lives and to see the changes that they are making. This is life changing! He will have the blessing of eventually being able to be sealed to his family in the temple. And I KNOW that his family has been praying for him. It is an absolute miracle!
We have talked to so many people. Whenever we tract or contact, we find that there has already been seeds planted and people have been prepared left and right. Now is the time to harvest. We expect to see many more baptisms in the next few weeks. In fact, one of the Assistants to the President was here this week and he told us that President McKee's vision is that Bowling Green with be the highest baptizing district in the mission.... What?! Awesome!! I get to be a part of that! And the Spirit has truly been working through me this week. How long have I been out on a mission? It is finally starting to click! I am turning into someone who will be weird when they get home! Yay! Haha :) During lunch and dinner- whenever I have free time, I read the Book of Mormon. When you dedicate everything, ALL that you have to the Lord, he sees fit to strengthen and bless you. And the most beautiful thing is the peace in my heart. Every day I enjoy my mission more. Every day I feel blessed with the peace that the Savior and the Spirit bring. I am becoming the missionary I want to be and that is making me SO happy :)
After all is said and done, I know that none of this would be possible without the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We read Helaman 5:12 to many people: "And now, my sons [and daughters], remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo because of the rock upon which ye are built; which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
I testify that if we build our foundation upon our Savior Jesus Christ, we will be able to withstand any storm that can come our way. The Lord will stand with us as we obey His word and do what he asks. And what is it that he asks? He asks that we pray. He asks that we feast upon his word. He asks that we attend church. Simple as that. "By very small means doth the Lord confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls". I have seen the blessings in my own life. I have seen these simple principles change the lives of those around me. This is a gospel of truth. I love it. I am so blessed to be a missionary at this time. I am so blessed to have the wonderful family I do that taught me in the ways of truth and righteousness. You are going to see a different person when I get home- a person who is better and striving to be more like the Savior. I can't even believe it! The Lord knows us personally. He loves each of us individually.
I pray that you all have an amazing week. I love you all so much! Thank you for being you :) You are always in my prayers :)
LOL (lots of love),
Yours truly,
Sister Alicia Johnson
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