Hello!!! How is the family doing?! Thanks for your emails! You are all amazing!
So I guess I will start with technical stuff while I am thinking about it. I am no longer a Facebook Missionary. After attempting (kind of) to like Facebook and be a successful missionary with it, I decided it really wasn't for me. I don't know why I thought I would like it when I don't even like Facebook anyways! So I reactivated my old account and you can just keep updating it and using it like you did before. Is there any way that I could get a copy of the General Conference ensign for my own personal use? I love Conference! Speaking of conference, their is a worldwide leadership broadcast that is happening live on June 23. They have invited all of the missionaries around the world and all the ward councils! I imagine there will be some great insights as to how the work is going to move forward. Exciting!
Sounds like everything is just peachy back at home! I am jealous you will be able to go visit Mel in Jackson this weekend! I sprayed some bug spray on myself the other day and thought of summer and camping in the mountains. It was very nostalgic... I think I just might end up there again after the mission.
That is exciting about Trek! Our ward is having Trek this week. I loved Trek so much! Totally changed my life. Also there is a Nauvoo Pagent coming up in July. I want to do that too. I am going to have quite the bucket list of things to do when I get home.
This week was good. Things are changing in the ward. I am changing a lot too. I have become WAY more bold than I used to be. It is an empowering feeling. I can feel the fire and passion and I just want to see the ward get involved! We have some that are working very diligently on finding and setting up appointments for us to teach at. We are teaching a returning member and her nonmember boyfriend. In the past three weeks they have made astounding progress and I know that it is due to the members that are involved. We have been teaching in their home and the Spirit there is absolutely incredible! The lessons are so focused on the power of the Savior and it has led K and M to really start searching and reading from the Book of Mormon. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It holds the key to the converting Spirit. Once people recognize that power, they will want to make changes in their lives to live in harmony with the restored gospel. M was saying that she hadn't read her Book of Mormon for two days and she could FEEL the difference. Once we open the book with K in the room, he can't stop reading it. There is such a power in that book! The promise of drawing nearer to God is so real and the peace is indescribable. K is working towards baptism- and he will be a strong member of the church. I am grateful for member-missionaries.
We also got to go to a Bible Study yesterday with another one of our investigators, Robert. That was quite the experience. There were about 7 of us in this little room. We were studying a chapter from Isaiah and having a doctrinal discussion on what is contained in that chapter. Many of the things that were taught were right on. They were true and correct doctrinally. There just seems to be a lack of understanding in HOW to apply the principles and doctrines of the gospel. Isn't that incredible? The Bible teaches us the what and why, then the Lord provided the HOW with the Book of Mormon. Needless to say, we were bold and shared some verses from the Book of Mormon with the study group. They really enjoyed it and we were able to give out 2 copies of the Book of Mormon while we were there.
The Bible belt is SO interesting. And what is particularly interesting is the fact that most everyone we talk to accepts and believes our message- they just don't act on it. Oh man! And we are teaching some incredibly hilarious people! There is this older lady that LOVES to talk our ear off. It is so hard to get a word in edgewise sometimes and so we are trying to learn the art of tactfully cutting people off. It is great! A skill in life I never thought I would need. ;) People here are just so friendly! They love to talk and particularly they love to talk about Jesus. We are still praying to find the person who will be baptized in June. We need to find that person who is searching for truth and willing to act upon the truth they hear. The Lord will help us- I know he will! Everyone else seems to have a solid baptismal date- except for us at the moment... I am not discouraged because I know that a large part of my purpose in this area is getting the members involved. I can see that once the members are actively finding people, the number of convert baptisms will increase dramatically. There is hope!
The work is still moving forward :) I still love my companion. And I still know that the gospel is true. I was reading back through my old study journals and some of the entries in my regular journal too. I have seen many miracles since I have been out here. Do you remember when President Hanks said that there was one person specifically that I came on my mission for? That has been a driving force for working hard and becoming the best I can be. I know that that person is very special- I love them very much. I am grateful to be serving.
I love you all! Have a good week and enjoy Jackson!!!
LOVE YOU LOTS!!
Sister Alicia Johnson the Tennessee Nashville Missionary
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