Missionary Work Continues after the Mission

Hey there friends!

So I have now been home about 4 days. What a great 4 days it has been! Saying goodbye to President and Sister Andersen and the other missionaries was really sad and difficult. Thankfully I had an opportunity to share the Book of Mormon with George who sat next to me on the plane. It was hard to think that type of experience was about to change within a few hours. But it was SO good to see my family. It felt weird being around them with my nametag still on. Wednesday evening at 5pm I was released by my Stake President.

What a beautiful interview. He sat me across from him and asked me questions about my mission. What about the people? What about your areas? Which do you feel was your favorite area?

After allowing me time to tell him all about the Nashville Tennessee Mission and how much it changed my life, he counseled me. He gave me two things to do and one thing to not do. He said to pay my tithing. There are many blessings that come from paying our tithing. Second he counseled me to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. Then he counseled me to not view pornography. Avoid it like the plague. He had me promise to do all these things. President Andersen had counseled me to study my scriptures every day, to read until I felt the spirit. And they both counseled me to keep a current temple recommend. All the bases were covered between the two of them. And then of course, they both counseled me to find my eternal companion. Date, court, get engaged and get married.

After the counsel was given, President Hanks had me stand and bear my testimony to my family. What an impressive spirit that filled me and helped me to see how much I had grown from my experience as a missionary. I know that Christ lives. I know His Atonement is real. I know that Heavenly Father lives and that He loves each of us personally. I know that the Plan of Salvation is real. I know that families can be together forever. I have a testimony of the Spirit world. I have blessed with an incredible family that has helped me to feel and know the love of my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I know the Book of Mormon is true. My darkest and lowest moments when every other doubt surfaced, I could not deny the Book of Mormon. It comes from God and it will bring us closer to God. I know that we have a living prophet today and that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration. This is a true church! And it is Christ’s church. How I love it!

When I sat down, President Hanks looked me in the eye. He thanked me for my service, released me and asked me to take my tag off. Immediately, I began crying… It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I did as I was asked. I received a blessing from President Hanks and then went home to put on my jeans.

Missionary work does not end when you get home! I have been in contact with a friend that was baptized while I was on my mission and have been able to get in touch with friends I have not seen in years. The beautiful thing is the ease and the happiness that fills me. Life already has thrown me some curveballs. I don’t have a job and my program in school has changed their requirements. But I feel so at peace that everything will work out. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” 3 Nephi 13:33. 

I have actively been trying to do that. I have woken up early every day and continued my studies. Yesterday and today we had Stake and Regional Conference. Both the sessions were entirely focused on Hastening the Work. This is our life!!! I hope you know that being a missionary is one of the most important things you will ever do. The MOST important thing we can do (after our missions) is get married. President Hanks said the statistics of young people going on missions was 7% for our converts, but our families have an 80% for our children to serve missions. Live each moment and learn what you need to- and REMEMBER, these experiences are NOT just for you!

I am excited to see what life has in store for me here. What missionary opportunities are all around me? Everywhere we go is our mission field. Today, I contacted the local missionaries! Never before do I remember have missionaries assigned specifically to my ward in Utah. But here in the Young Single Adult ward, they do have missionaries assigned. What an enormous blessing!

“Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.” D&C 88:73. The Lord is not just hastening His work- He is HASTENING HIS COMING. Let us all press forward, work harder, pray more fervently and trust the Lord more deeply. He will lead you. I know He will.

I am so grateful to you all for your dedicated and blessed service. I love you and I know Heavenly Father loves you! I am praying for you all! You are amazing Elders and Sisters of the Tennessee Nashville Mission!

Please send me your emails at aliciajohnson123@gmail.com. I SO look forward to hearing about the miracles that are occurring in your areas.

Love you always,

(Sister) Alicia Johnson

Alicia final Email! 4/21/14 Franklin, TN

 This is it!

My beloved family:

I can hardly believe that my mission in Tennessee is truly coming to a close! The Lord has truly poured out his blessings and miracles on me. I just can't stop thinking how grateful I am! I am so grateful! Every trial and experience, every miracle, every investigator, every companion was planned and prepared before this life. I know that. I know that Heavenly Father truly knows me. I know he understands what is going to help me to grow and change the most in this life and during this brief time that I was able to serve Him with all that I have. There is no greater blessing than serving my Heavenly Father! 

It is hard to remember everything that happened this week. It feels like it went so fast! We spent a lot of our time with James helping him to prepare for his baptism. It is so interesting to see how the work has changed since we have been here. We came in with nothing. Literally. Not a single investigator. So we spent many days knocking doors and trying to visit members to inspire them and help them with the work. And miracles have occurred. There is a new feeling in the air concerning missionary work in Franklin. And now, after a two year dry spell, they have a recent convert. James is phenomenal! 

So after we talked to him about baptism on Sunday, we had a lesson with him on Monday. I was praying for a confirmation from the spirit to know that he truly was ready to take this step. We read a passage from the BOM and he stopped. He stared at the page for a minute and then he said, "I think The Lord has been preparing me for this for about a year now. I was really happy in my church, but about a year ago something happened and I felt uncomfortable in my church. I started looking around but everything else was uncomfortable too. So I just kept going. When I went to the LDS church for the first time, I felt so comfortable. It just felt right. And the BOM- it just makes sense! It is so clear!" At that moment, the spirit confirmed to me that James is ready. And he is willing. We went through the baptismal interview questions with him and he readily committed to all of them. When we asked about him knowing if Joseph Smith was called as a prophet he replied, "There is no way he could have written the BOM. And the BOM came from God. So he must be." Therefore, President Thomas S. Monson is also a prophet of God! He connected the dots and he breezed through the interview with flying colors! It was such a beautiful way to spend my last week: preparing one of The Lord's beloved sons to enter the gate and begin his journey as a disciple of Christ! 

The baptism was beautiful as well. We held to after church yesterday. James was baptized on Easter Sunday! What a beautiful way to celebrate the blessings and the resurrection of our Savior! The room was filled with wonderful members who stayed to support James in his decision. I have never seen a room that full! Brother Huggins, a member of our ward who is in the same MBA program as James, was the one who baptized James. Bishop Johnson confirmed him a member and gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost. He blessing he offered talked about how James would help many others to come to the truth. 

That is the incredible thing too! Already he has talked to one of his friends about the restored gospel. We had a lesson with another family that really just wanted to bible bash. James was so excited to encourage us and give us pointers on what would help them. He is so great! Pretty much another convert to the church that I know I was meant to be apart of his conversion story. I love him dearly. There is just this special connection to those that we help bring to Christ through baptism... I feel so grateful! It was sad to say goodbye to everyone after the baptism as I recognized that that was my last Sunday as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But I am grateful and excited for the future missionary opportunities that The Lord will provide. I know He will! 

Not only did The Lord pour out his blessings with James's baptism but singing in the choir yesterday was such a blessing too! Especially that morning- the final song, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives," was so powerful.... The spirit was incredible!! I definitely started to cry because of the sweet power of the spirit. I truly do KNOW that MY REDEEMER LIVES. I know it. 

I love being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have been shaped and molded and changed. Also, during last evening's choir performance, I was looking around at all the missionaries that I have been privileged to serve alongside and I could picture us- 50 years down the road- and I could feel, this is not the end. This is only the beginning. 

How grateful I am for a Heavenly Father who loves me and who loves all of His children! My life has been changed forever! And to all my beloved friends and family in Nashville Tennessee, this is not goodbye- but until we meet again. 

And to those back home, I love you. 

1. 1. Oh, what songs of the heart
   We shall sing all the day,
   When again we assemble at home,
   When we meet ne'er to part
   With the blest o'er the way,
   There no more from our loved ones to roam!
   When we meet ne'er to part,
   Oh, what songs of the heart
   We shall sing in our beautiful home.
2. 2. Tho our rapture and bliss
   There's no song can express,
   We will shout, we will sing o'er and o'er,
   As we greet with a kiss,
   And with joy we caress
   All our loved ones that passed on before;
   As we greet with a kiss,
   In our rapture and bliss,
   All our loved ones that passed on before.
3. 3. Oh, the visions we'll see
   In that home of the blest,
   There's no word, there's no thought can impart,
   But our rapture will be
   All the soul can attest,
   In the heavenly songs of the heart;
   But our rapture will be
   In the vision we'll see
   Best expressed in the songs of the heart.
4. 4. Oh, what songs we'll employ!
   Oh, what welcome we'll hear!
   While our transports of love are complete,
   As the heart swells with joy
   In embraces most dear
   When our heavenly parents we meet!
   As the heart swells with joy,
   Oh, what songs we'll employ,
   When our heavenly parents we meet!

I am so excited to give you all a big hug in just a couple of days!! Until then, I will continue on serving my God. I love you!

Love, 

Sister Alicia Johnson

Alicia! Second to last email! 04-14-14 Franklin, TN

(This is it)

Where do I even begin? I feel that this is my last email. I know that
I have one more, but everything is drawing to a close. I can feel it.
I can see it happening. Even with investigators in this area-- we have
been going through this process of "cleanup". They are dropping us or
we have made the choice to put them in the area book until they are
ready.

But miracles are continuing to happen. My Heavenly Father loves me and
He loves all of His children! James Whitfield is getting baptized on
April 19th.

The implications of this are so huge. This area has not seen a baptism
in two years. Here is a man who is totally prepared and it will be the
weekend before I go home. I feel so grateful. I feel so grateful! I
look back and see how The Lord has blessed me and watched over me for
the past eighteen months and I can hardly believe it. The
relationships that I have been able to build and the friendships and
the lives that have been changed. My life especially has been changed
forever.

I want you to know that my mission means everything to me. It has
shaped me and built me to become a little more like our Savior. I have
come to a greater understanding of our purpose in this life. I have
seen the power of Heavenly Father's love. I have felt powerful
witnesses of the spirit. I have watched as others lives have changed
in the process of time. I love my mission so so much! I love these
people and I love the other missionaries that I have been able to
serve with. I love this gospel and the happiness that it brings. I am
so blessed.....

One of the most incredible things about James is that like other
investigators, I know that I needed to be here to teach him. We will
always have a special bond like the other wonderful members that have
recently been baptized. Look! The Johnson family in Rock Springs,
Denisa and Cheryl in Bowling Green, James in Bellevue, Liz in Fort
Campbell and now James in Franklin. That is not even including the
members that we saw reactivated-- the Driskells in Bowling Green and
Jannie Lawrence in Bellevue. And hundreds, maybe thousands of others
that I have been able to share my testimony with as a representative
of Jesus Christ. Like Ammon, I feel not to boast of myself but to
boast of my wonderful, loving Father in Heaven. How great shall be
your joy in bringing one soul unto him! And how great will be your joy
with many souls that you have brought unto him! I know that The Lord
has blessed me so immensely... I am so grateful!

This week will be a beautiful, spirit-filled week. We will be
preparing James for his baptism. We have many investigators that we
have planned to see. I know The Lord will provide miracles for us this
week as we continue to work diligently to the end.

I love Him.

I also feel so grateful for the good companions that I have been able
to associate with. Some of the most remarkable individuals. They have
impacted my life for the better. I am sad to leave one of my new best
friends Sister Gillespie. I love her so much. Just as I love all my
sweet companions: Sister Bauer, Sister Thatcher, Sister Hill, Sister
Thulassidass, Sister Allphin, Sister Munafo, Sister Vandenberg, Sister
Hadfield, Sister Hulme, Sister Roberts and Sister Gillespie. How
incredible to go home with 10 new best friends!

And to my most incredible and wonderful family: my mission has taught
me how truly blessed I am to have a family like you. I know that
families are forever. I know that our family has a purpose and a plan
and that Heavenly Father knows and loves us. We have been so blessed!
After walking into many homes, I know that ours is a home that has the
spirit of love and happiness. The foundation being the gospel of Jesus
Christ. I will be a better mother because of this. Thank you for being
so amazing!

I just want you all to know how much I love you. The Savior lives. I
know He lives. I know He loves us. In one week I will report to you
about the baptism and about the final choir performances. Thank you
for taking care of school and BarT5 and housing for me. It allows me
to focus to the end. Please have an incredible week and just know that
I love you all so much! 9 days and I will be giving you all big hugs

:)

I love you always,
Sister Alicia Johnson

A shared link for Easter

Hello from Tennessee

Hi Johnson Family!

Just a quick update from TN!
Sis Johnson is wonderful!  So happy she came to our ward!  I am so impressed with her selflessness!  Sometimes missionaries egos get in the way of teaching, but not Sis. Johnson!  She is very talented and secure in her abilities! and this allows her to be an awesome trainer! She has helped and allowed her companion to blossom! I think that is the trait of a missionary who is truly  Christ-like!  They work very hard together - in fact I think we have had more investigators attend church In the last 3 months that the whole last year! You should be very proud!  She had used her time wisely.  I really enjoy the times I get to drive them to teaching appointments! We try not to think of it yet, but we will truly miss her when she ends her mission!

This picture was taken last week as I had the opportunity to take them to dinner when my husband was out of town : )

Thanks again for sharing your lovely daughter with us here in TN!

Vicky Scott

Alicia! 4-7-14 Franklin, TN 2 weeks!

Ok so General Conference was totally amazing! We always write
questions before we go in and this week has just been so spirit-filled
and spirit led! So much inspiration!

After my email last week I was pondering very deeply about what this
area needs and how we could improve the work here. We have received
revelation after revelation about what we need to do. Our answer: it
is all about the members! This is an area that has not had a lot of
convert baptisms and members are not accustomed to inviting their
friends and neighbors to hear about the gospel. They are wonderful
people, they are just busy. So missionary work is not at the forefront
of their minds. Through my studies and thinking about members several
things became very clear. Then yesterday during conference, Elder
Ballard addressed exactly what I had been studying all week! It was
amazing! It felt so great to know that the spirit truly had been
directing my studies and the things I needed to know were confirmed by
an apostle of The Lord! That was a unique and exciting experience. I
invite you to study his talk again. What is really neat about it, is I
feel like The Lord is giving me this focus right at the end so that I
can go home and be a great member missionary. I have all the tools I
need and now I know what direction I need to take with it. Revelation
and inspiration are amazing!!

This is another tidbit of information that I have been thinking about
this week. So probably Tuesday morning I woke up and I could not stop
thinking about Jackson Hole. I kept getting all of these warm feelings
and impressions about my experiences there in the past and what The
Lord has in store for me in the future. I kept thinking about the
missionary opportunities that I had in Jackson. I wondered if that
meant something. So throughout the week I have been wondering what I
should do with these thoughts and impressions. I have had a myriad of
feelings- good and bad- about going back to the BarT5 and had not made
up my mind if I wanted to try and go back. Then yesterday during Elder
Perry's talk the spirit tugged at my heart again. He started talking
about driving a team of horses and I could no longer focus. I know
that I need to go back to the BarT5. I have prayed about it. I have
weighed the pros and cons. And ultimately it has come to the spirit
told me I need to go, so I will do it. Can you please give Jeff and
Cindy a call and ask them if they have any positions available? I will
take any job they can offer me. Wrangler, office girl, cook, anything.
Also please let them know that I will be available to work May 17th-
right after Disneyland.

I have had just a roller coaster of emotion about coming to this
conclusion. I can see so many pros to it- especially in regards to the
structure (I can study my scriptures every morning and go to church
every Sunday. I can also go to the temple and go out with missionaries
on my days off). And the cons.... All social. I have so much anxiety
about being in a house with a variety of colorful people who probably
are not as close to the spirit as I have been for the past 17 months.
But I also remember the impact that those return sister missionaries
had on me while I was there. Stephanie Brady especially. There was one
night in particular that had such an impact on me. I am so grateful
that she was thoughtful enough and in tune with the spirit enough to
help me. So for whatever reason, The Lord needs me to transfer to my
next area in Jackson Hole. I feel that he is preparing someone for me
to work with there.

I feel sad about not being able to spend more time at home- but I also
think this is probably the best thing for me right now. I will have
two weeks at home with mom and dad and Mel. One week of Disneyland.
And then I will be just a few short hours away and always available to
call, text or skype. And you better believe that calling my wonderful
mom and dad are definitely going to be a priority.

If there is a chance you could also arrange some things for me when I
get back in town. I really need to get my teeth cleaned! I am going to
need to buy some new undershirts. And I would so so appreciate if I
could have a massage or a chiropractor visit before I head out
again... My poor aching body... I have had this crazy shoulder pain
with the bags I have had to carry and I think I need to be readjusted
again to help my back out.

I am starting to pack today. I need to mail some things home. I keep
waking up stressing and thinking about being prepared for the next
transfer... So it is better that I get everything done now and be
prepared rather than stress myself out right at the end. This is real.
I am on my way in only about two weeks.

As far as the work, as I said we are shifting focus. We are focusing
on working with the members and helping the people that we have
already found to progress. So lots of member visits this week and
connecting all of our investigators to solid members. We had one
member family invite one of our investigators to their home for
conference. They said it was a wonderful experience. We had one
investigator watch at least three sessions of conference from his
computer at home. We had one investigator come to the church for one
session of conference.

Our most promising investigator is still James. His fellowshipper
called us the other day and told us that he is saying he wants to jump
all in! We are thinking that means baptism? And President Andersen
said that we can teach him over Skype if we need to! So we might be
seeing a baptism right before I go home! :)

Things are going. I am happy! I have never experienced so many roller
coaster emotions before and I have never cried so much. I am grateful
that Heavenly Father has a plan. I trust him and know that I am in his
hands as long as I do my best to obey and follow his spirit. I am
nervous and excited about these changes that are about to come. But I
am praying fervently to be able to still see miracles and stay ever
focused on the work. This work is incredible! There is nothing like it
in the whole world! It has changed me. It has made me so much better
as a person and as a member of the church. I will never look at church
callings or relationships within the church the same again. I will be
a missionary forever.

I love my mission! I love you all! You are amazing! Thank you for your
love and support and for your prayers. You have no idea how much you
all mean to me. Mom and Dad, I love you so much and really appreciate
how diligent you are in emailing and your constant love. Thank you so
much.

I love you always,
Sister Alicia Johnson

PS- I don't know how much money I have in my account. With mailing
things home, we probably just need to be sure to keep at least $100 in
there for right before I leave. Just in case. Thank you so much!!