Sister Alyssa Johnson: MOORABBIN - Week 43

wow what a week!!!

So to start off, last week I finally got to go to the Melbourne Aquarium! I have wanted to go ever since I got to Australia (I don't know why.. I just love aquariums..) but we went with 2 other sisters and it was so fun.

This week we met with our investigator Louis and had an amazing lesson. so last week we had an interview with the AP's and we talked a lot about teaching and really studying Preach My Gospel Chapter 3. They both testified that if we study PMG chapter 3 everyday, we will be able to know what we specifically need to teach in order to help our investigators. So the day of Louis' lesson we both felt in our personal study that we needed to go back and reteach faith and repentance from the third lesson. So we had our lesson and it was amazing. When we taught him that day, it was exactly what he needed to finally take the next step and (finally!!!!!) accept a baptismal date. He knows that he needs to change a lot before he can get baptized and that it won't be easy, BUT he is so excited and so ready. It was incredible!!!

We also had a few miracles this past week and were able to get our weekly goal of 5 new investigators! All of our investos are pretty busy right now because mid term tests are coming up so that gave us heaps of time to find new prepared people to start teaching. :) Also, now we get tim tams from the zone leaders so YAY.

The past couple weeks I have kind of been in a rut. It really hit me that we do the same thing every single day and I felt that we were getting nowhere. I think I officially hit my "mid-mission crisis" haha. I had a lot of questions and didn't really feel like I knew what I was doing (even though I have been out for over 9 months..) BUT after many prayers I was able to get through it and things are starting to pick up again. I really have such a testimony of prayer and the power that comes with it. I know that Satan is always tyring to discourage and tear me down, especially as a missionary! He knows that I am trying to go about doing good and that is the exact opposite of what he is trying to do. I have come to know that the power of prayer and the power that comes from being a disciple of Jesus Christ will ALWAYS be stronger than Satan's influence. I am so blessed to have a Savior who will not only fight for me, but who will fight WITH me.

We had our zone p-day yesterday and holy cow it was soo much fun. We did a zone road trip to the Great Ocean Road!! We left the city around 6 am and got back a little before 8pm. Our zone leaders had gotten permission to use the 2 big vans (a 13 seater and an 8 seater) from the office. Those vans were packed with missionaries :) If any of you have been to Hawaii, the Great Ocean Road is like the Road to Hana.. but worse. So on the way there I was in the very back of the 13 seater van and after the windy roads and the bouncy car I was pretty car sick. We stopped a couple times to see the ocean (and mostly to let us who felt sick out to get some fresh air). I was close to throwing up so I (along with a couple others) switched to the smaller van and sitting in the front of that car did the trick. I was able to feel so much better and actually enjoy the great ocean road. We took heaps of pictures and had so much fun. Unfortunately it was raining yesterday and it was really windy. The wind was making the rain worse so we all got soaked and it was a little cold, but it was a blast. I love my zone so much and I am so grateful for the amazing missionaries that I get to serve and have fun with.

I was listening to a MTC devotional from Elder Holland this week and it was incredible. He was talking about how to help convert our investigators. He was talking about what we need to do as missionaries and he said something like (not the exact words but along the lines of) "we (the missionaries) need to go where our investigator is in in their life. we need to know where they are and go there with them, and THEN we can invite them to come with us to the Sacred Grove, THEN we can invite them to come with us to Garden of Gethsemane and THEN, ultimately, we can invite them to come with us to Calvary." This really changed my perspective of teaching. Sometimes when we teach a lesson it is easy to just start teaching and go into overdrive. Then we start teaching a lesson that doesn't really mean anything to our investigator. When we are able to teach to their needs and teach to them personally, it actually makes it easier and makes it better and more fulfilling for everyone!

Love you all. thanks for the support and love.

also I got all the birthday letters from my family and friends this week and oh my gosh they were perfect. thank you so much for all you do for me! I love you all so much!!!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

THE MELBOURNE AQUARIUM