Alicia! 10-28-13 Bellevue/Greenhills, TN

Hello Family!!!

 

Thanks for the emails this week! I cannot even BEGIN to describe how weird this week has been. So, my companion has been struggling with being a missionary. She is totally awesome and I think if she changed her mind, she could be VERY successful and happy out here in the field. Last Monday, she had pretty much made up her mind that she was leaving. We called the mission president to let him know and he said that he wanted her to talk to her stake president and her mother. So we taught one lesson and then the rest of the night she was on the phone with each of these individuals. There was a lot of emotion... I stepped out of the room because I felt strongly that I needed to read my Book of Mormon. I started to read in Ether 6. It was incredible how the Spirit spoke to me through the situation and I could see and feel how much she needed to stay. Going home would not fix things- serving others would. Everything I was reading in Ether 6 somehow directly correlated to the situation. It was very powerful and pushed me to act.

 

So the next day, we had a leadership meeting. My companion went on an exchange. I had an opportunity to speak to Sister Andersen and my sister training leader companion. We pondered and talked about what we could do and felt that an exchange is what we needed. So we determined that we would have a 5 day or longer exchange where I would be with Sister Vandenberg's companion and she would be with mine. We switched on Wednesday.

 

There has been a lot of drama... and Monday through Wednesday we taught a grand total of about 3 lessons....

 

So NOW I am in Greenhills (again) with Sister Hulme whom I absolutely ADORE!! She is incredible! We get along super well and she is a very motivated, hard-working missionary. Thursday through Sunday we were able to teach 20 lessons and found 8 new investigators!

 

We felt very strongly that this exchange needed to happen and I am fairly positive that I am going to be in Greenhills for the rest of this week until the end of the transfer. My struggling companion seems to be doing a bit better... poor Bellevue area... Please continue to pray for my beloved members and investigators in that area. I know that it is suffering a bit at the moment. But they have been having some very interesting challenges...

 

On Friday we received a call from the Bellevue Sisters... Their apartment is completely infested with cockroaches!!!! I have seen them here and there but didn't think twice about it. I just killed them and moved on. Well, apparently as soon as I left some eggs must have hatched because they are EVERYWHERE! They cleaned all day on Friday and set off a bug bomb the next day. The fumes made them a bit sick and Sister Vandenberg got a toothache on Sunday... Wow, right?! Talk about opposition! This is Sister Vandenberg's last week of her mission... It has been the most interesting series of events. I can see the hand of the Lord in it though. I can't quite figure out what He is doing, but somehow, something has got to give. I know that my companion NEEDS to stay. She would be doing herself a great disservice by leaving.

 

Miraculously though, Sister Vandenberg and my companion are getting along great. They seem to have very similar personalities in a lot of ways and Sister Hulme and I get along great. I have been able to help the Greenhills area get organized again and we are just working hard. So, I am happy :) I wonder what will happen at the transfer though? Who knows! Just enjoy it all day by day.

 

Anyways! This has been a challenging transfer- but I think I have had more difficult transfers already. The difference is the help that we have received. The whole way through, I have been able to get help from many different individuals and it has made all the difference! We don't have to go it alone. We never have to go it alone. We just need to learn to humble ourselves and ask for help.

 

I still can't believe everything though... What a weird week! This week is going to be fun though :) Halloween and meetings and missionary work!

 

Hey I love you all! Thanks again for your emails and prayers. Please continue to pray for my companion. The adversary is working hard on her. And please continue to pray for Bellevue: Cindy, Hal, Mack, Matt, Ethan, Charles, Sister Lawrence, Montan, and Carolyn. Thank you so much!!!

 

 

From President Andersen's email (cool part bolded/also approved Christmas music/info about backpacks):  

 

Sister Andersen and I had an incredible week. Let me tell you about it. First, we had a leadership training on Tuesday. We got to meet with the District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders. The meeting was a spiritual feast for us. We came away with such confidence in the direction the mission is going. The next day we traveled to Atlanta for the Southeast Area mission presidents’ conference. Elder Oaks, Elder Soares, Elder Kopischke, ElderZwick, and Elder Pino and their wives taught us.

 

We learned so much that confirmed some of the things that I have been telling you. Just a couple examples. Elder Soares talked about how prepared the South was to receive the gospel and he confirmed that the Lord has called the best missionaries to serve in the South. He also confirmed just how elect all of you are and that you were foreordained to come to this very mission. We need to recognize how very special this mission is and “elevate our thoughts” to match the work that we are called to do.

 

Each and every one of us have some changes we could make to improve ourselves. Elder Oaks quoted President Packer who said: “If we are willing to change, the Spirit will be with us. If we are not willing to change, the Spirit will not be with us.” As he said that, a flood of things came to my mind that could help me improve. I’m thankful for that insightful moment. I know that through the grace of the Savior, I can progress toward my full potential and I’m committed to keep improving.

One more quote from the conference that I loved, “The law of Sacrifice for missionaries is perfect use of the Lord’s time.” How important it is that we remember that we have consecrated this time to the Lord. It is now His…and we need to use it how He wants us to….in serving those He loves and bringing them His gospel.

A couple questions have been raised that I need to address:

Second – Backpacks. We learned from the missionary department that we are going to have to replace backpacks with shoulder bags. The shoulder bags need to have waist straps so they stay in place. There have been a lot of reasons stated for this change…they look more professional, they are better on your backs, they don’t make you look like students or tourists….I’m not sure what the exact reason is. But I will make you a deal. Talk to mom and dad about getting the proper type of shoulder bag for Christmas, and soon after the first of the year, we may have miniIPads for you to put in them.

Also, Sister Andersen has listened to a couple Christmas Albums that can be approved. The Forgotten Carols, and David Archuleta and Josh Groban’s Christmas albums are approved….along with any of the traditional religious Christmas carols that focus on the Savior’s birth.

I love you all so much!!! Have a great week!! We will know about transfers next week... Crazy! I feel like I might be leaving Nashville. Guess what: only four transfers left.... Weird. Ok love you bye!

Love,
Sister Alicia Johnson