你好我的朋友s
wow this week has been awesome.. and very busy!
This past week I had my LAST EVER zone conference. It is still soo crazy and surreal to me that this is my last transfer. The weeks are honestly flying by and I don't like it.
Also, President Vidmar makes all the missionaries that are leaving share their testimonies in their last zone conference, so Sister Cahoon and I had to do that this week. :( It was soo hard to get up in front of everyone and talk about how much my testimony has grown and how much I have learned on my mission. I was smashed with the Spirit and couldn't hold back the tears (in other words, I was a mess haha)
Sister Cahoon and I got our flight plans this week.. which makes me want to throw up. They sent us what they call, our "death letter". This is just our flight plans and information on the next couple weeks. ewwwwww. I don't want this to end soo soon.
BUT, we have been teaching heaps lately!! We have some solid investos right now which is such a blessing. Also most of our lessons this week have been SO powerful and some of the best lessons of my entire mission. The Spirit has been soo strong in our lessons recently and it is such an incredible feeling to have the Holy Ghost working through us to help these people.
This past week has been awesome in the branch as well! All the members just came back, which means there were finally people at church again! We had 80 people at church this week, which is the most we have ever had!!! Not to mention all the members that come right now are soo solid and are doing great. The branch is finally coming alive again!!
We also ate rabbit head this week...uhhh? One of the Chinese elders had a rabbit head and made us try it! haha nothing better than eating a rabbit head, the tongue, the eyeball and the brain ;):)):).. yum?
I have been having some bomb personal studies this week too! This week I read in the Book of Mormon in Jacob 5, where it talks about the vineyard. It let me reflect on my mission and what I have done here in this vineyard (Melbourne) and what I have done to change myself. I love the chapter, but verse 71 hit me pretty hard.
71.And the Lord of the vineyar
This hit me hard this week, and even though my time as a missionary is coming to a close.. I am so beyond grateful for the opportunity to represent my Saviour Jesus Christ and to serve Him with all my heart, might, mind and strength.
There are no words to express how grateful I am and how much I have learned about Christ (and also about myself) through thismission experience. I know Him in such a personal way and for that, I am forever grateful. I am soo blessed.
I am soo happy where I am. I am soo happy to be a missionary. I am so completely exhausted.. but so excited to get out and smash the work. :)
xoxo,
张姐妹
Sister Johnson
Sister Johnson
MELBOURNE CENTRAL CHINESE ZONE (MCC)
Zone Leaders and STL's (and Elder Blackhurst, a new missionary)
A chinese zone lead by Americans ;)
Dinner at our investos home with Evonne (a member)
"Death Letters" - just information they get from
mission office before heading home
Alyssa eating more weird food - This week it was a Rabbit Head
Why I ask????
The rabbit tongue and rabbit eye
I have to comment IMMEDIATELY!! Rabbit head, brain, tongue and eyeball?? Seriously?? I could not even HOLD any of that, let alone eat it!!! I can't believe the things you have been brave enough to try over there, Alyssa. Wow.
ReplyDeleteand your last Zone Conference. :(
Your description was perfect:
"I was smashed with the Spirit and couldn't hold back the tears". I've had that experience a few times, great way to describe it.
I'm reading in Helaman 5 now. such a great chapter on missionary work, and planting the 'seed'.
You remember that Lehi and Nephi decide to devote the rest of their lives to preaching the gospel. They go from Nephite city to Nephite city, although at this time, there are more wicked than righteous. then they go to Zarahemla...that great Nephite capital that is now a Lamanite city. They are arrested and when they come in to execute them, Lehi and Nephi are encircled by fire and the Lord's voice is heard. the Lamanites were so afraid they couldn't move.
And then a Nephite, that had joined the Lamanites, remembered the lessons he had been taught in his past. And when his fellow Lamanites asked for an explanation, this Aminadab was able to tell them Nephi and Lehi were conversing with Angels of God. the Lamanites asked him what they must do to release the cloud of darkness around them and Aminadab told them about repentance and prayer. 300 of them were converted...they in turn then went out and converted most all the Lamanites! who in turn laid down their weapons of war and returned the Nephite cities back to them.
so here we are after over 20 chapters of War....and this ONE man accomplished what Captain Moroni had tried to do for 20 years. converted a whole people...and ended the war. All because Aminadab remembered the teachings of his youth.
You never know the extent of the influence you are having Alyssa. Keep planting those seeds!!!
Love, Aunt Evelyn