Video chat with Alicia! So much fun:)! Love that girl!!♥
Mom and Dad and family:
I love you so much! It was so good to see your faces again. It was really hard to hear Mel crying over the phone... I miss that girl so much.... And sometimes I just wish I could get a hug from Mom and Dad.... Even Zach and Jare! Just being able to run up and hug em! I miss it. I love our family. I have truly come to appreciate what a great family we have. There is so much love and support. All of us have been loved equally and treated in the best way. Mom you are beautiful and amazing. Thank you for always laughing and smiling- even through the hard times. And Daddy thanks for your cute, silly ways and the sweet, sensitivity to support and care for us. I have the best parents in the world! And I wish I could just express it! We have so many amazing memories together- especially in the little moments. Family dinners, family-made-videos, laughing with the cousins, running around in the yard, throwing Easter eggs, playing board games, Car Wash... And then as we got older, being able to call whenever we need advice or help or just when you need to know about another boy. I love you so much!! I hope you can feel it- cause it sure is hard to express it in words. It was a hard day as a missionary, but a very blessed day. Thank you for being there :)
And a shout-out to my siblings! I don't know if I have said it enough- but I love you! Zachy, you saw me through some hard times too. You always make me laugh- even when I am so mad I want to cry. You brighten up the room with your big smile and your radiant spirit. You will forever be counted as one of my angels. And Jare, we have gone down quite the road. I am so grateful that you are my big brother and my friend. Thank you for loving me through everything and doing everything you could to turn to the Savior so that our family could be one again. I love and trust you. And Mel... man I love you so much! You make me laugh ALL of the time- even when we aren't together. I can't even count the memories that I have with you from infancy to now: playing pretend, and sharing secrets and just being there when no one else could understand. I love you all so much. Please never forget that.
I love hearing about the going-ons at home! It sounds like everyone is being guided to where they are meant to be. Thanks again for being so great. So missionary life! Today I am going to be singing the national anthem in a choir of about 30 missionaries at a Sounds Baseball game. We have an investigator and a less-active member coming to support us. That is pretty cool :) I am really excited and unsure about the whole Sister Trainer Leader thing. I know that my primary responsibility is to help the sisters within my Zone. That, coupled with the regular duties of missionary work. I know that the Lord expects a lot of missionaries- and it never ceases to amaze me how much trust he puts in youth! How many prophets were called at young ages to lead and serve and share God's word? Captain Moroni, Samuel, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Nephi... so many! Their strength is just outstanding! I have come to learn a lot about the Spirit this week and about the power of the restored gospel. My studies have been very focused on that. What is the gospel? What is the RESTORED gospel? What is the fulness of the truth? Why the Book of Mormon? Why Joseph Smith?
My testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith have grown immensely. Any hard question can be answered by the Book of Mormon. It is so powerful! And it changes lives by the very nature of it. I am incredibly amazed by the power. I was reflecting upon my own testimony as a 14 year old girl and how I came to understand the Book of Mormon was the word of God. I knew that my parents had taught me, but at the time I could not feel God's influence in my life. I was angry. I was hurt. And I was lonely. At 15, the prophet challenged the world to read the Book of Mormon. I took the challenge. I read often- probably not every night, but often. I don't even think I took anything in. Until I came to Alma chapter 36. I could feel the pain and the anguish of Alma. I could feel it. I could understand it. I was living it. In agony, I got on my knees. I began to pour out the desires of my heart. I cried for peace! Heavenly Father, I can't go another day like this! In the depths of my humility and pain, a force washed over me that I had never felt before. The power of peace. For a moment, my heart felt love. I began to cry tears of deep gratitude to know that God was finally there. He was with me.... You are never alone.
That mighty change of heart has led me to understand the healing power of the Atonement. This week, as I came to reflect upon my own witness of the Savior and his peace, I took a different approach to missionary work. No longer was it, "This is the Book of Mormon. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is a great book that will change your life and will bring you peace." Instead, I found myself bearing, powerful, sincere testimony about the lasting peace that the Book of Mormon can and WILL bring to your life. I found myself learning about WHO the prophet Joseph Smith really is and the impact that he has made on my life and millions of lives throughout the world. I discovered the relationship that God has with each of his sons and daughters and how that should impact each one of them.
Probably one of the most powerful lessons we taught this week was to a young boy- 14 years of age. He was walking the street with his head down. My companion, who was very inspired, said, "We need to talk to him." We began to talk to him of faith. We began to share with him the story of a 14 year old boy who had questions in his heart about the Church of Jesus Christ. The Spirit bore powerful witness as together with my companion we talked about a miracle in our day. God has called a prophet! We no longer have to live in the darkness of the unknown for our loving Heavenly Father has reached out to His children. The boy was so humble. He took the Book of Mormon. He walked away and began to share it with the children around him. I know that God will guide him to the truth and he will be instrumental in bringing many souls unto Christ because of his faith. The faith of a 14 year old.
Now, I am almost 22 years old. Many who read my emails are older. What does the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ mean to you? Let that testimony penetrate your soul! Only when we come to realize our full potential can we recognize the joy that our Heavenly Father has in store for us. There is more peace and happiness that awaits us- and it all begins with simple, sincere prayer and reading from a simple, pure book. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that God knows you. He knows me. I promise that as you do those small and simple things, that God will not forsake you. You will come to see and feel the power of the Atonement as you obediently strive to follow God's plan. He is so good! He is so merciful! And he trusts us to "come follow Him."
Will you read from the Book of Mormon everyday this week and ask again if it truly is the word of God?
My dearest, beloved family, I love you. I love this great work. Miracles are happening all around us. This week we saw an enormous increase in our numbers and met many people who have been prepared to receive the truth. The Lord is hastening his work and he is calling ALL of us to be a part of it. Live so that those who do not know Christ will come to know Him through you. You are amazing. I am so blessed to be in a family with such strong and faithful, all-around good people. Keep the faith!
Transfer calls will be coming this Saturday. This is anything-can-happen-land so whatever comes, we will be ready :) "I will go and do what the Lord commands for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing which he hath commanded." I know that you will trust the Lord for whatever he has planned for each of you individually. You can do whatever he requires. I love you all and pray that you will have a blessed week.
And now that my novel is written, I bid you goodbye for another week!
Love you always,
Sister Alicia Johnson
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