MOORABBIN - Week 40 - August 1, 2017

So this past weekend we were asked last minute to help in yet ANOTHER mini mission. This one was actually out in Deer Park which was about an hour and a half drive away from our area. They needed more sister missionaries to help, and we were excited to do another one. This mini mission was AWESOME because we were in a Tongan ward!!! Man it was seriously so much fun. We were with 2 sisters and because they have really long and hard names to say they said we could call them Sister T#1 and Sister T#2. It was funny but really helpful because I couldn't even say their names so there was no way my poor companion could either! They were so sweet.

But we went out GQing with the mini's and oh my gosh it was soo windy. Like honestly the BIGGEST wind storm I have ever been in. BUT (because we were with the mini missionaries) that was no excuse to not get out and GQ. It was fun and we actually had success and found some keen and prepared people for the missionaries in that area!

After we went GQing, the Tongan ward we were serving in had a baptism and after a baptism in the ward they always have a HUGE feed. Wow I have never eaten like that before. I don't think I have ever eaten so much food. It was soo fun. Their ward is really close and it was so cool to see how they treat everyone like family. Before we ate, they gave a no joke, an 8 minute family prayer!!! Because it was all in tongan I thought they were blessing the food but it was actually just a family prayer! It  made me wish a little that I was serving my mission in Tonga!

Then as we were leaving to go back to the chapel to end the mini mission, the cutest lady gave me a huge basket of fruit. Everyone calls her Momma M something (forgot her name too) because she is the mom of the ward. I tried to say that I was alright because I was extremely full, but she insisted so we now have HEAPS of fruit!

As far as our investigators go, Sister Zhang and I have really been trying to figure out new ways to help the investigators in our area. When we did weekly planning this week it took a little over 6 hours (we had to do it on multiple days because it took so long haha) because the entire time during planning we were thinking of every single investigator we have one at a time. We would just look at their progress record and pray and pray and then pray some more to try and figure out what this particular investigator needs. We feel as though we have been hitting a brick wall the past couple weeks and can't seem to get over it. Most of our investigators right now are not progressing nor declining so we are just kind of at a standstill. We have been fasting, praying and constantly look for an answer of something to do in order to help our investigators start to make the steps forward and toward baptism.

As much as I would like to say that we have gotten an answer to our prayers on how to help our investigators.. we still feel that we haven't found an answer that will help us immediately. BUT Sister Zhang and I have thought of a couple different things that we are going to try and going to start doing. And the coolest part, is that I actually HAVE gotten an answer to my prayers. It was a different answer than I thought and definitely not something that I was expecting. HOWEVER, it did teach me a really important lesson. This really taught me about patience and trusting God. I know that it is selfish of me to want all of our investigators to start to progress rapidly and immediately. I have come to realize that I need to trust God and trust in HIS TIMING. I need to see my investigators through God's eyes. As my dad said (and I echo), "personally, I'm so grateful for God's patience with me. Sometimes I imagine Him shaking his head wondering if I'll ever "come willingly" and receive His many blessings, rather than what I sometimes do." So I know this is the same for my investigators. Even though sometimes I feel like our investigators are taking 2 steps forward and 2 steps back, if I can have patience and love for them, it will all work out. I know that in God's timing they will indeed get baptized and make those sacred covenants with Him.

This was a really special learning experience and growing time for me. I am so grateful for times like this when I get to learn and grow and become more like Jesus Christ. I mean sometimes I wish my mission were easier and we were able to see more success right away, but in the end I really am so grateful for the hard times that push me and allow me to grow. 

thanks for the constant love and support.
I am too blessed to be stressed. :)
love you all. have a good week!

xoxo

张姐妹
Sister Johnson

Mini Mission with Sister T#1 and Sister T#2
from the Tongan Ward

Big basket of fruit given to us by Momma M from
the Tongan Ward.

Teaching Sister Zhang how to make Fruit Pizza -
but all my fruit slid off

Twinners

A sign that reminded me of what my
zone leaders would do whenever they heard me
speaking English instead of Mandarin.

MOORABBIN - Week 39 - July 25, 2017

So first off, we had transfers this week and I am staying in Moorabbin with Sister Zhang!! I am soo happy and we are really excited for another transfer together! She is one of the funniest, sassiest, most caring and cutest people I have ever met. She has taught me so much and I am so happy to serve with her and learn more from her this transfer. She is honestly one of my closest friends AND this transfer is our birthday (if you don't remember, we have the exact same birthday) so we get to celebrate together!! What a blessing.

This week has been really good and also really busy!! 

This week we met with our new investigator APPLE! she is soo cute and so keen. She is so interested to learn and the whole time we were teaching her about prayer and about God she was saying "wow this is really cool. yeah this makes sense!" so it was so fun and I love her soo much! 

We were also able to help with the mini mission in our stake this past weekend and it was really fun. We had 2 mini missionaries with us and we were able to GQ with them, teach with them and do all the other things missionaries do. They were both so excited and we had a lot of fun this weekend together! They both only spoke English so it was kind of fun to teach in English and made me a little jealous of all the English missionaries!! Nonetheless it was a good weekend.

Also because this week was transfers, we had to say goodbye to some of the elders in our zone who finished their missions this week. I have said it before and I will say it again.. but being in this mission is SOO special. There aren't very many Chinese missionaries here, so we all know each other pretty well and get to serve together almost the entire time on our missions. It is such a blessing and it really does make us more of a family, but that means that goodbyes are still super hard. BUT I really do know that the friendships I am making here will last forever (ew sorry that was super cheesy. but its true. ew. ok im done) but anyways... I love the missionaries I serve with!! 

I have a testimony that Heavenly Father knows each and every one of us soo personally and has a specific plan for us. He knows what we need in order to grow and become more like Him. He knows how much we can handle and never gives us more than we can take. I am so grateful for the trails and hard times I have had in my life because they have made me stronger and honestly are the reason I am where I am today. But most importantly I am so grateful for the hard times because they have help me come to know my Savior Jesus Christ better.

I love you all and hope you have a good week!

thanks for the love, support and prayers.

xoxo

张姐妹
Sister Johnson

Helped with a Mini Mission in the Stake

Was able to attend a session in the Melbourne
Temple last week.

Transfers this week, Elder Feigleson going home, but
it looks like he wants to stay.

Still trying to teach the Asian missionaries how to
do the Dab, some still aren't quite getting it.

This entire transfer whenever my district would hear me
speaking English they would do this and in Chinese say
"Speak Chinese".  So this pretty much sums up the last six
weeks in one picture.  No more English for me. 

Sister Zhang went and put her jacket on backwards,
so I asked her if she was cold and she said "No, I am
just really hungry."  Then she put a bag of popcorn in
her jacket hood and ate like this for the rest of the evening.
Man how can you not love her?!?!

MOORABBIN - Week 38 - July 18, 2017

Hello Family :)

This week was really good (and also a little hard because no phone.. but we will get there) and it is the last week of the transfer! We find out on Sunday about transfers and I am super excited to see what happens!

So Friday night we had a lesson and game night in the city. We went to the city like normal... but soon realized when we got there that we didn't have our phone. I suddenly remembered that I used the phone on the train and had set it on the seat next to us because we were watching videos and looking at pictures on my camera while we waited. Well when we got to the branch and realized that we had left the phone, our awesome zone leaders quickly went down to the train station to see if someone had turned it in. Turns out the lost property station is closed on the weekends (you're joking me..). So we had no choice but to wait until it opened on Monday to go back and see if our phone had been turned in. SO we had no phone Friday-Monday. SO we weren't able to text our potentials to confirm our lessons on the weekend so they all bailed. SO we got to GQ for hours on hours this weekend because no lessons. SO we went to the church early Sunday morning for choir because we hadn't gotten the text saying that we didn't have choir this week. SO we weren't able to call any of our investigators which means no lessons and no one at church :( SO we were very out of the loop and alone all the way out in Moorabbin. 

So after a very long weekend, we went to the train station on Monday to ask about our phone and no one had turned a phone in yet. We were crushed (mostly me because I am dumb and feel soooo bad). We had to call the office and it they had to give us another phone. Luckily we have the same number and everything, but we lost all of our contacts and old text messages! I have never been so grateful for our area book (that has all of our investigators and potentials names & numbers in it) before. It has been so hard as we have contacted everyone saying sorry they hadn't heard from us in a while, but we are finally back on our feet and still plugging along doing the the Lord's work. :) also happy to finally have a phone again because I had no idea how hard it is to do missionary work without a phone.. I don't know how they did it back in the olden days! 

I mean you could say after all this that I learned a lesson--you know to not leave the phone on the train and to be more responsible...but I thought I had learned that the first time I left the phone on the train back when Sister Fong and I were companions!...also yes I feel even more guilty/dumb because this is the SECOND time I have left the phone on the train. AND this time it is so much worse because no one turned it in. 

BUT after all this and not being able to contact anyone, we still had 2 miracle lessons. Two of our potentials that we had contacted earlier in the week, came and met with us even though they hadn't heard from us! They were both awesome lessons and both want to learn more and continue to meet! (but of course the girl we taught, Christine (who is super keen!!!) lives in the city so we have to refer her to the other missionaries.. bummer!) but all is well and this truly showed me that Heavenly Father is aware and is always there to help us when we are doing His work :) 

Today one of the couples from our branch invited all the missionaries that serve in the branch (our entire zone.. haha) to come to their house for lunch! It was so fun to spend the afternoon with our zone, especially because 3 elders finish their mission this transfer! Elder Feng and Elder Yang (2 elders from China) taught me how to eat a chicken wing the Chinese way. so pretty much you just eat the entire wing.. you can eat the bone too if you want. Chinese people are awesome :)

I am so grateful to be here in Australia as a missionary. I love everything about this place, these people and my mission. 

thank you all for the constant love and support. I love you all :) hope you have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Teaching Sister Zhang to the play the piano,
funny thing is Sister Johnson also doesn't know how
to play the piano - small detail

Lunch at a member's home - the whole Zone.

Sister Zhang made Sister Johnson an Oreo
Shake, one of her favorites.

Selfie of the week

From Nikky:  I added a few pictures of a Book of Mormon that Sister Johnson marked, with answers to common questions that the Book of Mormon can answer.

MOORABBIN - Week 37 - July 11, 2017

Hello family and friendssss!

This week has gone by super fast and I honestly can't really remember what we did. We got to go to the temple this morning and it was incredible. I haven't been able to go to the temple in awhile and so being able to go today was really special.

I have been really sick this week which has been a real bummer. I came down with a nasty cold and cough and felt like I was dying for most of the week. 

We had a great lesson with our investigator Victor on Tuesday. He is a miracle. I love him so much and I love teaching him. He is progressing so much and so quickly. We had a lesson with him, it was a super powerful and awesome lesson. The spirit was so strong the entire time right until the end. At the end of the lesson as we were closing I was testifying and because I have been sick, I started coughing. I had a huge coughing fit and I seriously couldn't breath. I was dying and everyone in the library was looking at me. After a solid 4 minutes of dying.. I was able to breath long enough to testify really quick and close. I was really bummed because we had to end this awesome lesson in such a quick and weird way.. BUT he is the nicest person and gave me some Chinese medicine and has been calling and checking up on me. He is the best. 

The senior couple in our branch (the Wildings) left this week. It was really sad to see them go and see them finish their mission. They have taught me soo much and I love them both. We had a farewell for them at FHE and got to say goodbye. :) I love serving in this mission soo much.

Sorry I have no time and nothing else really happened. The church is true. Being a missionary is the best.

I love you all and am so grateful for your support. have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Being Sick - no fun

Elder and Sister Wilding - Going Home

Alyssa's District at the Melbourne Temple

MOORABBIN - Week 36 - July 5, 2017

This week has been an amazing week but has gone by soo fast. 

Hope you all had a great 4th of July in America! this 4th of July was definitely different here in Australia. It was not your typical day in the pool with family, friends and a good BBQ. This year it was more like sweaters, tights and standing in the rain trying to talk to people on the street.

We moved to a new flat this week!! It is actually more like a house and it is new so it is superrr nice. It was a HUGE move because they are closing the flat we were in so we had to take everything out and to our new flat. Elder and Sister Grey who work in the office helped us and 6 elders who serve around us all came to help as well. They rented a truck and 6 hours later we had our stuff out of the old flat and into our new house :):) We are soooo spoiled in this new house. This house is so big, it HAS A WASHER (no more nasty public washing machine-- @sister fong!!!) and it has CENTRAL heating and air conditioning. It has been soo nice because it is starting to get really cold here in Australia, but now our house is super warm and we don't have a dodgy heater anymore! yeah if you couldn't tell I am super happy.

Also after we moved in, our zone leaders came over and dedicated our house as a house for missionaries and such. Long story short, the power of the priesthood is real and the way prayer invites the Spirit is amazing.

This week we had interviews with President Vidmar and wow I love him so much. I write about him so much in my weekly emails, but he is one of the most encouraging, selfless, coolest, inspirational, spiritual, funniest and happiest people I know. I seriously look up to him soo much!

We met with our investigator Victor again this week and wow he is sooo amazing. Every time we meet with him, I am blown away at his testimony and his desire to learn more. He is such a miracle and I can't even begin to write how incredible it is as a missionary to see someone learn about the gospel and see the change it makes in their lives. It is so amazing. 

Yesterday was one of the funnest days ever! We had sisters' breakfast in the morning with all the sisters in the Chinese program (plus the 2 English sisters that serve in the city) and it was so yummy. We ate and had our little birthday love for the sisters who had/have birthdays this transfer. I love the sisters so much! Then we went hiking at the You Yangs (look it up!!) and it was honestly one of the funnest days on my mission. The whole time we were hiking it felt like we were back in Utah and I was soo happy. (side note--sorry Mom & Dad that I used to complain about hiking before my mission. yesterday my zone leader Elder Feigleson helped me realize that hiking is super cool and is actually fun!) haha but I love my zone so much so it was fun to spend the day together and make so many fun memories. I am so blessed that in the chinese program we don't move around so I get to spend my entire mission with these people! <3

This week my awesome mission president shared a video with me and I LOVE IT.  It is called "The Savior Understands Me" so everyone please go look it up on youtube and watch it!! It is a short video from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and it is soo powerful. I want to add my testimony to Elder Holland's that I know that Jesus Christ's Atonement is for everyone. Jesus Christ is ALWAYS there and I can't explain how, but I KNOW that He understands what we are going though. I know that He is my Savior and Redeemer, and I know that He is yours too!!

Have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Companion Sister Zhang from China

Jumping for Joy to be a Missionary

Nice Selfie

A few Sisters from the Sisters' Breakfast
Sister Cahoon, Sister Patchell, Alyssa and Sister Lee

Happy 4th of July from Australia
Sister Patchell, Alyssa, Sister Pratt, and Sister Lee

Saying Goodbye and Good Riddance to the old flat #3

Community Laundry Room in the old flat

Won't be missing this sink

The bad bad furnace that burnt her hand so badly

Zone on P-day hiking You Yangs

Sister Johnson and Elder Feigleson doing the Dab

Another Jumping Picture with Elder Young - why not

MOORABBIN - Week 35 - June 27, 2017

I hit my 8 month mark this past week and it really opened my eyes that time is seriously flying. Being on a mission like this, is a once in a lifetime experience and I have less than a year left! woah...

This week we had our zone conference and it was with all the missionaries that serve in/around the city. So it was a smaller zone conference but it was AWESOME!!! President Vidmar is such an inspired leader and an inspired man. He knows exactly how to help us, encourage us and support us. I am beyond blessed to have him as my mission president!

The trainings that were given by our zone leaders, and the assistants were so awesome as well! We talked a lot about faith and about how our Savior Jesus Christ is soo involved in this work and is helping us along the way. Zone conference was almost 7 hours long, but it was incredible and I learned so much! 

We have been working with a lot of our investigators this week and they are all awesome! We are still trying to help them continue to progress and set some baptismal dates, but they are heading in the right direction so it is going pretty good!

Teaching is still super hard for me.. you know... asking a question and then sometimes not knowing what they said... Or not being able to fully express in Chinese what I want to when I am teaching. BUT I honestly do love teaching. It is such a humbling experience every time I get to teach someone! I love when I get to tell someone about Jesus Christ and what He has done for THEM. Yesterday, I was listening to a song about missionary work and it said, "we lose sleep so that people can find rest, we shed a few tears so that people can cry less." I loved this because missions really are SO hard and really does push me every day. BUT I get to share a message of peace and happiness and that alone makes all the hard times worth it. 

This week we were out GQing and I talked to a Chinese guy named Water. {side note--when Chinese people choose an English name, they can and literally will choose anything word they want. So it is always fun talking to people and seeing what their name is :) haha} but anyways we were talking on the street and he asked me my favourite question! He said something along the lines of, "what are you doing here?" I actually get asked this question a lot when I talk to people on the street. They always ask why I am learning Chinese & why I left America to come to Australia. I love it because I get to testify about Jesus Christ! I get to testify that I know that I know the message we have is true and will help and bless their life! It is so special to be able to always testify of our Savior. 

I love you all and am so grateful for your love and support. I am so grateful to have the knowledge of this gospel and of our Savior Jesus Christ and for the opportunity to share that with others. I am too blessed to be stressed.

have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

 Sister Johnson

Zone Conference June 2017

One of our investos (Victor) took us out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant. 

We got mango pudding for dessert. He loves it and really wanted me to try it.. 

and it is actually really yummy!

MOORABBIN - Week 34 - June 20, 2017

Well not much to say for this week. this week was a hard week...talk about a rollercoaster, last week was awesome, this week not so much -  but I just that’s what missions are. 

We met with some of our investigators this week but it seems that they are all kind of at a standstill and aren't really progressing or declining. Sister Zhang and I have started to change the way we teach people and are thinking of new ways to help our investigators. :) 

This transfer I am now the only American in my district (other than my zone leader, and this is his last transfer so he is fluent in Chinese.. lol) so yeah no more English. My companion doesn't speak English either so everything is in Chinese now... but 我的中文会进步很快 so yeah it is actually nice... just gives me a headache.    

This week really tested me. There have been many times this week where I have questioned what I am doing and have been wondering what my purpose is here in Melbourne speaking (well trying to speak) Chinese.

This week during one of my personal studies I was reading about Jesus Christ and more about His life. As I read the scriptures I realized that Jesus Christ can understand us perfectly and can help us, because He has been there before. To follow Jesus Christ might not be easy or the popular thing to do, BUT He has promised us that if we do, He will be with us every step of the way.  How amazing is that?!

Before I came on my mission I knew that it wouldn't be a walk in the park, but I have honestly learned so much in the past 8 months about myself and about my Savior Jesus Christ. This week has been one of the harder weeks on the mission.  I was ready to head home (but I know I wouldn’t do that, Dad)...BUT this week has taught me that in desperate times when I truly reach out to Jesus Christ, He is always there reaching out to us. He is there to catch us when we fall and is there to help us. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I am so grateful for His incredible Atonement. 

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

have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Sister Zhang - new companion

Good ol' Highland is never far away
see you next year!