MOORABBIN - Week 33 - June 13, 2017

Family and Friends,

We just had transfers and I am staying in Moorabbin!! ! I am follow up training Sister Zhang (yes my chinese name is also Zhang... so we are BOTH zhang jiemei!) We have the exact same birthday so we are pretty much the same person. :) She is from North China and has been a member for 2 years. She is so cute and this transfer is going to be awesome! 

Last Sunday was such a MIRACLE day for Sister Fong and I. We had 2 of our investigators come to church which was a huge blessing. This entire transfer it has been so hard to help investigators come to church because they haven't been able/willing to make the hour train ride to our branch in the city. BUT this Sunday we had 2 come with us and it was so special! 

Then after church we had a few lessons set up with some potentials and with an investigator. Well long story short, we were able to find 6 new investigators on Sunday and it was honestly a HUGE miracle! We had lessons set up with 4 potentials, and all of their lessons went great. They all seem pretty keen and want to meet again which is amazing.

We were supposed to have a lesson with our investigator Dan on Sunday evening but he didn't end up coming. We were sad but because he didn't come, but we able to have another miracle. We were sitting at the table waiting for Dan when we saw our friend Joseph. We always see Joseph when we are at the library because he swims at the pool right next door, and we have been trying to meet with him this entire transfer and he never would. But by some miracle we saw him on Sunday and he came and sat down at our table. We asked if we could share a message about God and he said yes and invited his friend to come listen too!! So it was awesome and we are meeting with them both again this week! IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE DAY and it was an awesome last day with Sister Fong. 

side note--I am so grateful for Sister Fong and the opportunity we had to serve together! She taught me so much and this past transfer was amazing. I am sad to see her go to another area, but being in the Chinese program is awesome because there aren't too many areas for us to go, she is never too far. 

One of our investigators we have right now is Victor. He is so keen and so prepared. He came to church with us on Sunday and after church told me that he had a really special experience and really likes our church! He finishes his tests this week so we will be able to meet with him more and I am so excited :) he is awesome. 

Also, I burned my hand this week which was a bummer. Our super old heater (we have had so many problems with this dumb thing...) but it is a gas heater and the whole metal part gets really hot. It was Saturday night and I was going to turn it off for the night, and my hand slipped on the rope and I hit the hot metal part. hurt pretty bad but it is good now (don't worry mom & dad, I have seen the mission nurse and she said it’s all good.) Chinese people are super nice and they have all given me some weird Chinese medicine that they say will help. So, I am taken care of no worries.

This week we had to say goodbye to Sister Dobberfuhl as she was sent home to get hip surgery. I got to serve with Sister Dobberfuhl a few transfers ago, and she became one of my closest friends. Being in the Chinese program here in Australia is really special because there are only a handful of sisters, so we pretty much get to serve with every sister. This means that we all know each other really well and we are all super close! BUT the downside is that when someone leaves, it is SO hard. but all the sisters came to a final goodbye tim tam slam party and it was so fun. I love the sisters I serve with!

I also had to say goodbye to Sister Guan (my trainer) as she finished her mission this transfer and is going home. Good thing she will come to America and I will be able to see her again.

We got locked out of our flat twice this week. This first time was Wednesday night and we were walking to our lesson and I realized that the keys were not in my hand. Worst feeling ever, but what was worse was that we had to call our Zone Leaders because they are the only ones that have a copy. They had to come and let us in but they live AN HOUR away.. so that was hard.  The second time was only 2 days later and I have never felt so dumb in my life. My heart dropped into my stomach when I realized I wasn't holding the keys in my hand. That I had left them on the table. haha luckily the office was able to help us out so our zone leaders didn't have to drive all the way down to us AGAIN, man I have a problem.  Locked out twice this week which brings us to a total of 5. FIVE TIMES I have locked the keys in our flat. I really should learn by now.

This week has been awesome and I am excited for this upcoming transfer. I know that this church is true and I am so grateful to be able to see the Lord's hand in my life and in my mission. This work is the greatest work!

love and miss you all! thanks for the prayers and the support. I wouldn't be able to do it without yous. have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Enjoying a nice American meal at the end of a
great Transfer with Sister Fong.

Burnt my hand on the dumb heater

Our District doing the Dab - some better at it than others.

Zone Leaders - Elder Feigleson and Elder Young

Lock out of our flat FIVE times in the past 6 months -
I need to work on remembering the keys.

"Remember the keys, remember the keys and remember
the keys"

MOORABBIN - Week 32 - June 7, 2017

Quick shout out to my amazing companion Sister Fong because today is her 6 month mark on her mission. you go girl.

Well this week has been super long and a little rough. All of our investigators have their finals right now so they are too busy to meet. it has been discouraging that we haven't been able to meet with them, but it has given us time to GQ and meet new people so I guess that is cool. Also this week we have been GQing by Monash Campus, and it is awesome because we are lucky and usually run into our investigators who have been dodging our calls. haha they can run.. but they can't hide!

This week we had a lesson with our new investigator Wu. She is an older lady, probably in her 40's (which is super exciting because all our investigators are usually students so it is exciting to teach someone who isn't!!) but the lesson didn't go too well. It turns out that I am not fluent in Chinese yet and Sister Fong and I stumbled through the entire lesson. The lesson was actually a train wreck, but she wants us to come back and teach her again later this week! (miracle!!!!) We will defiantly need to review because I'm pretty sure we taught her that the Holy Ghost is your soul, that we vote the prophet in, the prophet maybe get paid and is maybe the pope...? BUT it was a learning experience and I am glad because it has really pushed me to study Chinese more intensely and work even harder.

This is the last week of the transfer and I am excited to see what happens. I hope to stay here in Moorabbin (with Sister Fong because I love her!!!) and we do have some pretty keen investos that we are will finally be able to meet with this week! :) But whatever happens I know that it will be for the best. The Lord truly knows what we need to grow and become the person He wants us to be. I love this work.

Missions are a rollercoaster of emotions and it is crazy how fast it goes from a high to a low. I truly love it though and I am grateful for the lows where I am forced to rely on my Savior Jesus Christ. 

I love you all and I am so grateful for your support, prayers and love.

have a good week.

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Great Mother's Day Call

Year Supply of Tim Tams - she has a new favorite treat

They got Tim Tams from their Zone Leaders
for finding 5 new investigators to teach last week.
Elder Young and Elder Feigleson

Her Favorite Candy Ever.

MOORABBIN - Week 31 - May 31, 2017

Man this week has been so long. It’s been over a week since the last p-day and wow it’s been long. but it has been so good and so many miracles. 

  

This week we got our goal of 5 new investigators and it was truly a miracle. Right now all of our investigators are doing their finals so NO ONE wants to meet which is super frustrating. BUT by some miracle we were able to find 5 new people to start teaching this week :):) also bonus is now we get tim-tams from our zone leaders because earlier in the week they said if we got our goal of 5 new investigators this week.. they would get us tim-tams. SO WIN WIN. 

We had interviews with President Vidmar this week and he is such an awesome man. He always knows exactly what to say to help and encourage me. I love talking to him and learning from him! He is inspirational and it is amazing how close he is to the Lord. He is the best example!

Saturday was really special! We did a zone fast from Friday night to Saturday night and holy cow I don't think I have seen such instant blessings come from fasting as I have this week. Our zone was fasting to have more success, find more people to teach and for the investigators we have right now. IT WAS AWESOME. Sister Fong and I were really focused on fasting to find new people to teach and to help our area. On Saturday night it was pretty cold so we were planning on staying in our flat and doing calls and studies, but we both felt that we needed to GQ. We went out and were walking around and I was pretty discouraged. It seemed that no one wanted to talk to us and I was so cold and just wanted to go home. I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father that "I am cold but that I am going to try my best to GQ" and then asked Him to "bless me that I might help someone tonight". Well that simple prayer was answered not once, but TWICE in the 2 hours we were GQing.

#1: I was walking around and I ran into our investigator Victor who I GQ'd into a couple weeks ago, but he has been so busy we have only been able to meet with him once. We talked and holy cow he is amazing. I talked to him on the street for a while about school and what he has been up to but ended talking more about Jesus Christ. It was a great conversation as I testified of our Savior and His love for all of us. Right before he left he said to me, "I am honored to have seen you. I feel so much better and you really helped me tonight."

#2: I started talking to this guy on the street, Kevin. We were talking about school and random things, and then he really opened up to me about his work and his life. Through his tears, he told me about how much he is struggling, feeling so alone and with his work and said, "do you think religion can help me?" with tears in my eyes I was able to testify about how this gospel can help & bless his life and teach him about prayer. It was so amazing. After this incredible street lesson, I didn't think it could get any better, but as he was leaving he said to me, "Thank you so much for talking to me. You really helped me so much tonight." I can't even begin to express how grateful I was to Heavenly Father for answering my prayer not once but twice with almost the exact same wording as my initial prayer. I know that Heavenly Father truly does hear every single one of our prayers.

During our fast, Sister Fong and I really tried to focus on praying as a companionship more often. We decided we were going to pray every 15 minutes as a companionship, so that ended up being over 50 prayers. It was honestly insane how close we were to the Spirit and how much our companionship was strengthened. 

On Sunday after church it was REALLY cold (like no joke I wanted to cry it was so cold, but I knew if I cried my tears would freeze to my face!!) but Sister Fong and I were determined to go out and GQ. We wanted to try and find new people and were praying for a miracle that somehow we would be able to find 2 new investigators. WELL PRAYER IS REAL and we were both able to teach a street lesson and set up times to meet again! I shared a short message on the street with William, and then yesterday we met with him again and he is SO PREPARED. He has great questions and has a real desire which is great! I am so excited to continue meeting with him and teaching him. He is awesome :)

This week has been amazing. I have seen so many answers to my prayers and have been able to feel more than once God's love for me and for the people I am teaching. Heavenly Father is so aware of all of us and what we need. I am so beyond grateful for this gospel in my life and for the opportunity to be a missionary. 

I love you all.

Have a good week!!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Favorite Cereal ever.

Sisters' Breakfast

Selfie for the Week - "Look Mom what I can
do with my eyelashes"

Out GQing in the Fall weather

 My (Alyssa's) Chinese name is zhang. Sister Fong's is fang.
So we always call our companionship the zhang fang.
So when we saw this license plate we about died. It is meant for us! :)

Holy Moly, some big leaves in Australia