GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 67 - February 6, 2018

g'day g'day. 你好

it has been another solid week!

to be honest, everything kinda blends together now and I can't even remember what we did. 

BUT I will try and give you some highlights.

Every Saturday they have a free 5K park run. President Vidmar said that he wants the people in the community to see the missionaries more, so he wants our zone to do it every Saturday. There are about 200 people that run it every week and then we have the 20ish missionaries that serve around our area there as well, getting to know people. We aren't technically there to proselyte, but we just get to talk to heaps of people and let them see that missionaries are human too. haha SO fun!! (and it is helping me get into shape...so win-win!).

Mio got confirmed on Sunday and she is just glowing now! She also had her interview with our Bishop to get a temple recommend. Sister Chen and I went to the interview with her and Bishop to help translate, and it was so cool. We were able to hear her share her testimony of the simple truths of the gospel and how much this has already changed her life for the better. She is incredible!

We also had interviews with President this week! I love (love love) meeting with him and talking to him about my mission, my life and everything in between. He is the most amazing person and has helped me heaps. Him and Sister Vidmar are the biggest blessing!! <3

OH! We had dinner at the Wilson's this week and can I just say, that I NEVER know what is in store when we go over to their house?! Some of you may remember the stories I have shared about their feeds (cat hair in the food, the chickens running around the house pooping everywhere, and the cake that I am pretty sure was actually dirt??) haha so this Sunday.. we had another crazy experience!!

So we went over on Sunday night and when I walked in the door, I saw that the table was already set for dinner (how nice) and just smiled when I noticed that the cat was also ON the table. It isn't unusual to see the cats in the house because they (the cats) usually eat dinner with us. :):):)):) (Sister Wilson shares her food with them.) As I walk to the table to sit down, I see that THE CAT is LICKING the food that was on MY PLATE. yum. Cat hair in my food was one thing.. now I have to eat slobbery cat licked food?? I'm pretty sure I will get rabies from this lol. RIP me.

As we were finishing dinner Sister Wilson told us that she had prepared the spiritual thought and we could tell she was SO excited. We were so scared.

She shared 1 Samuel 16:7 and starts talking about how we can't judge something by what it looks like. Instead, we need to look on the inside and see that it really can and will help us. She had a "special surprise" for us as a part of her lesson, and went to the fridge to get it. She comes over to the table holding a plate of food(?) and her exact words were, "this looks disgusting.. but it is really good for your body and you have to eat it".. (are you kidding me?!?!?!). How am I supposed to respond?

The mystery food was kind of like deviled eggs? The inside mixture was the egg with some weird mustard, chia seeds, heaps of different herbs, spices and sauces and then a layer of charcoal power on top. (side note- I was looking on the charcoal powder container while we were cleaning up and the directions specifically say that it needs to be mixed with water and used on an empty stomach or 2 hours after you eat...? uhh it is safe to say I thought we were going to die that night. Haha but we didn't...yet) And on top of all that were nice, yellow dandelions picked right from the front yard! (can you even eat those?).

We all had to eat one and I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Brother Wilson (who was sitting right across from me) eat this nasty egg. hahaha safe to say it was really gross and Sister Wilson was the only one that could eat it without gagging. But Sister Wilson insured me that this surprise helped my kidneys, bones and cleaned out my blood? So it is true, you really can't judge something by what it looks like. haha

We also went over to the Wilson's another day to do some service with the elders in our ward and it was hilarious. They really do care about the missionaries soo much and try their best to take care of us, so we wanted to try and give back/show our appreciation. We did some yard work for them and it was all good. Right as we were finishing up, Sister Wilson told us that she made us all lunch and to come in and eat before we left. Well I must have been EXTRA hungry or something because spaghetti mixed with baked beans on toast has never tasted so good before. It was unreal! haha 

Well, that is about it because all of our investos are either back in China right now or are too busy to meet with us. :/:/://:/ 

So we have had heaps of time to GQ this week which is always good. Except for the fact that it has been super hot this week.
But I love being outside so I can't complain.

Thanks for the love and support.

I love being a missionary.

and I love you all!!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

                                                             

"The Dinner I 'shared' with the Wilson's cat"

The scripture Sister Wilson shared to before we ate

the "yummy" deviled eggs

Mystery Eggs

Poor Elder Tolman is not too sure about lunch -

Spaghetti with pork and beans over toast

"Found a MASSIVE cockroach in my drawer 

and destroyed our study room trying to kill it

 (those little buggers are sooo fast!!!!)"

Nice tan line Sister Johnson

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 66 - January 30, 2018

g'day g'day!

Where does time even go?! what the heck. Time is flying and I really don't like it!!!

I am the worst and got my poor companion sick. It really has been a long couple weeks for the 2 of us because this is the sickness that never ends. With Sister Chen being sick it has been reallllly quiet again this week. We weren't able to go out too much which was a bummer. :( 

But I did take advantage of the down time and had some awesome personal studies again this week. I have been trying to read everything I can about Christ recently and I LOVE reading anything and everything about Him and what He did for me. One of my favourite things I came across was a quote that said, "Christ chose to become like us, so we can choose to become like Him".

As I read it this week, it really hit me hard that Christ loves us soo much. He lived a perfect life and had no sin, but He chose to take all of our (my) sins upon Himself to help us (me). He chose to do that so that we (I) can now choose to turn to Him and become better and be happier. How incredible is that?!

Also I was going a bit stir crazy being in our flat all day, so I decided to deep clean our kitchen. Well 5 hours, 8 (massive) spiders, and an entire bottle of cleaning spray later... our kitchen looks great! hahah it was much needed.

OH, and Mio got baptised on Sunday!!!!!! That was the highlight of my week for sure. It was soo perfect and she is honestly the sweetest thing. She has the most simple and sincere testimony and absolutely loves this church. She is going to be confirmed on Sunday and is soo excited. (me too!) 

I love my mission because I get to meet and teach people like Mio. I get to help others come to know about Jesus Christ and what He has done for them. I LOVE telling others about Him and how He can help them.  I have learned SO much about Jesus Christ the past 15 months and I am forever grateful. I not only know about Him, I know Him. I know and love my Saviour Jesus Christ. Coming to know Him has completely changed my life (for the better).

Lastly, we had our zone pday today in the city and it was soo fun to be back in the city, even if just for a day. I love Melbourne soo much! Haha it did rain today (of course) so we ended up playing sport in the rain.. but it was still fun :) also got to go to the shrine of remembrance which was cool.

well that is about it.

hope you all have a good week.

love and miss yous.

cheers,

xoxo

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Mio on her Baptism Day - January 28, 2018

Mio made these for Sister Johnson (Zhang-her Chinese name) 

and Sister Chen

Baptism of Mio

Zone P-Day in the  City

Deep cleaning the kitchen because Sister Chen was sick and 

they couldn't go out visiting.

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 65 - January 24, 2018

I have been really sick this week so that is a bummer. 😷 but all goods. the nasty cough/cold has been going around.. and it got me good. I guess my immune system is garbage because I got the brunt of it. With a sore throat, cough, cold and ear infections it turned into quite a long week. 

The whole time I was sick, Sister Chen just kept saying "wow you are soo quiet. This is the first time that you have ever been quiet.." haha so yeah I guess it was a little weird for all of us that I was sick.

As I got sick, my voice was completely gone and I wasn't able to speak louder than a whisper. In all of our lessons I was forced to sit there and watch as my companion taught and testified. We usually teach in a public place with people talking all around us, so it was very hard if I wanted to say anything. I would add my testimony or a thought, but our investigators were never able to hear what I wanted to say. Sister Chen would just end up having to speak for me... which was a first. haha

On Sunday, the elders in our ward gave me a blessing and it has been helping heaps. I am starting to feel a ton better and I know that it is because I finally went to God for help. :) The power of God is real and I am so grateful for the priesthood!

BUT we do have some happy news from this week!!! Our investigator Mio passed her baptismal interview and will be getting baptized this upcoming Sunday!! :):)):) She is the sweetest and I am so excited for her. Teaching her has been soo amazing and so I want to share just a few things about her and from teaching her:

--We always meet her at the Chapel (we usually meet with investos at the college campus because it is more convenient for them) but she told us that she wants to meet at the church instead. She said that she likes the good feelings she has when she comes to the Chapel. 

--We taught her the Word of Wisdom and at first she had a few concerns about it and was worried because she drinks tea everyday and she occasionally will drink alcohol. After teaching her and explaining more about it, she was willing to commit to live it for the week and see how it goes. When we met with her again to review how it went, she said that she was able to follow it with no problems (jaw drop..). We asked her more about it and she said that after our lesson about the Word of Wisdom, she went home and prayed to ask Heavenly Father for help. She felt that it was true and wanted to follow it, but knew it would be hard for her so she asked God for help. (insert my tears..) She then went on to say that the whole week she didn't have a desire to drink it at all and felt really good and happy all week (insert me almost falling off my seat..) So she said that God answered her prayer and helped her not want to drink tea or alcohol. (I am dead..)

--She gave us all the tea bags that were in her flat because she couldn't drink them but they were expensive so she couldn't throw them away. (so we threw them away for her haha)

--She came to church again this week (she is awesome and comes to church every week!!) but this week she had been up really late on Saturday studying so she only had 2 hours of sleep. After Sacrament meeting we could tell she was extremely tired and I asked if she was going to go home.. but she said she wanted to stay for all 3 hours of church!!!

So yes pretty much these are only a few things, but she is incredible! She is soo prepared and I am so excited for her to take this next step. She is amazing and I have learned soo much as we have met with her and taught her. Truthfully, she has actually been teaching me all this time. hah

So yeah that was pretty much my week.

I am SO ready to have my voice and energy back so we can get back out and smash the work again.

being sick is no fun - except I did have some bomb as personal studies this past week.. so I guess that is a plus? haha 

but I am just happy to be here and to be able to be a missionary. 

I love this gospel and I love the opportunity to share it with others. 

I hope you have a good week.

love and miss you 

xoxo

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

 "Our investigators are so nice and gave us heaps of these 

weird Chinese herb medicine drinks. They were nasty.. 

and I don't think it really helped"

Roommates:  Sister Outar and Sister Marlowe

It's been really hot the past few weeks:  113 Fahrenheit

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 64 - January 16, 2018

This week has been awesome!

I love Melbourne and I love my mission.

We are emailing really late because today we got permission to go to the Australian Open! We spent all morning there and it was AWESOME. It was so cool to see a few of the tennis matches and to spend the day in the city again. (I love Melbourne soo much!! <3) The Open is constantly on back home in Utah, but it was even better seeing it in person this time. We went with the 4 other missionaries in our ward and it was soo much fun! :)

We had our zone conference this week which was awesome! We talked a ton about goals and what we want to accomplish in 2018. I only have a couple months left on my mission (side note- I am actually super sad and starting to freak out about it because I swear I just got here....) but I was able to think of things that I want to do before I go home and then for the rest of 2018 (wherever I may be). 

Also we got to watch President Monson's funeral as a part of the zone conference and it was soo amazing. I sobbed like a baby :):)):). I love President Monson SO much and I am so grateful for his example, his council and his love for this gospel. He lived an incredible life and touched so many lives. I hope to live my life in a similar way and will miss him dearly. 

However, I do know that this work must go on. In the most recent General Conference, I was overwhelmed with the Spirit as President Nelson spoke and again when he spoke at President Monson's Funeral. I know that he will continue to lead and guide us with this love for the Savior. 

All of our investigators are doing great. We are meeting with a handful of peopel right now that are progressing really well. We have been soo blessed these past couple transfers with people to teach. God is soo good. 

OH! Heavenly Father has been teaching me patience this weekend because on Friday our car started making this super annoying beeping noise. It would beep twice every second no matter what we are doing. It beeps when we are parked, when we are driving forwards or backwards and right when we put the keys in. It is honestly horrible. We had our mission vehicle man check it out and see what was wrong.. but no one has ANY idea. (don't worry mom and dad.. it is safe. just likes to beep. :) haha) Well long story short, we just drive with the windows down and the music playing so we can't hear it (and to keep me sane) and we are taking it to the shop this week to get it checked out.

That is pretty much my week! It has been good and I am still loving Glen Waverley and being with Sister Chen. She is the nicest human and is soo patient with me. I am so blessed.

have a good week.

love and miss you all.

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

                                                       AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Sister Chen gives Alyssa a hard time, because

she parks SO far away from the gas pump. 

Sister Chen and Sister Johnson

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 63 - January 9, 2018

We had transfers this week and Sister Chen and I will be staying in Glen Waverley! I am so excited to stay here in Waverley and to "kill" Sister Chen!! (meaning that this is her last transfer, so she will be heading home!) We are going to smash this transfer!!

Transfers are also the worst because people move and you have to say goodbye. :( Our 2 flat mates, Sister Lee and Sister Tuu'u, BOTH got transferred this week. They are both in the bush now (so one is 5 hours away and the other is 7 hours away). We got really close these past 2 transfers, so it was extremely hard to see them go.

AND I had to say goodbye to Elder Young, Elder Feng and Sister Li who all finished their missions this week. They have become some of my closest friends and so it is always a bummer to see people leave. I guess this just give me a reason to head to China when I get back to see them all (right dad??)!! 

Well yeah that is enough about the sad goodbyes. Now I can move on and talk more about my week.

So this week started sad when we got a text from President Vidmar saying that our beloved President Thomas S. Monson had passed away. It is hard to lose someone that we look up to and love soo much. BUT I am soo excited for President Russell M. Nelson to continue to lead our church and to see what happens. I truly feel like this could help soften the hearts in China and maybe soon China will open for missionary work. :):)):) 

ALSO I spent ALL NIGHT at the hospital from Wednesday to Thursday so that was cool. Don't worry mum, it was for my flat mate.. NOT ME. haha I am fine. But no joke, we spent 8 hours there and it was horrible!! She had really bad stomach pains and nothing would help so at 10:30pm on Wednesday our mission nurse told us to head to the hospital to have it checked out. Well it was a long night in a freezing cold hospital, on hard and uncomfortable chairs, soo hungry with no sleep. We finally left at 7:30am on Thursday and came home and crashed. We slept for most of the morning and afternoon (with permission of course) and we were complete zombies. Turns out she just had a UTI so she got medication and all it well :) just was a crazy night!

Other than that, we have just been doing heaps of service and meeting with our investigators which is awesome! We are soo blessed and have some amazing people that we are working with.

I love this area & I love working with Sister Chen! 

I am just too blessed to be stressed.

love you all. have a good week.

cheers from down under,

xoxo

张姐妹

Sister Johnson

Night in the hospital with flatmate

Companion, Sister Chen and flatmates, Sister Tuu'u and Sister Lee

Elder Ching and Elder Young

Sister Li

Elder Kaufusi

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 62 - January 2, 2018

This week was good. Nothing too crazy. This is the last week of the transfer, so we will find out on Sunday about next transfer. :)

Right now is what all the Chinese missionaries call "the drought". Pretty much just means that all the Chinese people go back to China for Christmas and the Chinese New Year. BUT Sister Chen and I have been sooo blessed this past transfer. We have 9 solid investos right now that meet with us every week. It is such a miracle!!

Right now we have 3 people on date. We have,

Mio (27 Jan), Michael (3 Feb) and Yu (24 Feb).

They are all doing great and progressing really well. :)

OH! Yesterday, Sister Chen and I had a really cool lesson with Allen! 

During my prayers on Monday night, I was specifically praying for him and to know how to help him. I had a feeling that I needed to fast for Allen, and for the other investigators we were going to meet with the next day. I was NOT planning on fasting when I started my prayer that night, but followed the prompting and opened up my fast.

So we met with Allen and the lesson was sooo good and exactly what he (& we) needed. The coolest part was how the Spirit directed the ENTIRE lesson. Sister Chen and I had the EXACT same thoughts, questions and scriptures to share. It was soo cool and I have never felt the Spirit guide my thoughts, feelings and a lesson like that before.

I know that it was a direct answer to my prayers and my fast. I know that Heavenly Father really does bless those who try. It was soo cool to feel the Spirit work through us as we met with Allen and to see how our lesson was completely changed for the better. :)

Also, I got to go on exchanges with Sister Cahoon (my mtc buddy/fellow lone peaker/soul sister) this week! It was soo good to be with her again, even if it was only for 24 hours. I was able to go back and serve in the city for the day and it was sooo fun to see all the city missionaries. <3

Well, love you all.

Hope you have a good week!

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister Johno

(my flat mates neverrrr say Johnson. I guess it is too long? haha)

Welcoming in the New Year with Sparklers -

but in the house?????

New Year's Day lunch outside

The Sisters in the Glen Waverley District - 

Sister Chen, Sister Fong, and Sister Zhang

Alyssa has been companions with all 3

On exchanges with Sister Cahoon

"One is Chinese and one is American,

can you tell the difference Mom, because I can't"

With Elder Hu

GLEN WAVERLEY - Week 61 - December 26, 2017

wowow what a week!

First off, thanks to everyone for the emails this week! It was sooo fun to get on and see so many emails for people back home! :) MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This week was honestly a dream for SO many reasons!! I am honestly so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary especially around Christmas time. I don't know how to put into words how special this week was..? but I'll try (this is for you mum)

VICTOR GOT BAPTIZED! Saturday was one of the BEST days on my mission.  It was the greatest Christmas present to see him enter the waters of baptism and to see how this Gospel has changed his life. I met Victor on the street back in March and taught him for 8 months. It has been a long road and it wasn't easy, but it was worth it. I have now seen it multiple times on my mission/in my life, but this gospel really does change lives. I saw it again with Victor this weekend, and that is why this work is so special. I don't know how to describe it, but it is the BEST feeling to see someone you love soo much, come to know and accept Jesus Christ. 

I (&every other missionary) got to Skype my family! It was soo good to talk to and see my family on Christmas. Crazy to think that I will be home in 3 months and will be able to talk to them in person.. woah. But I have the best family ever so it was soo fun to talk to them! (yayayay)

OH, MY MISSION TRAINER is back in Melbourne!!  Sister Guan is doing a working holiday visa here, so she will be in Melbourne for a year! I was able to see her when I was in the city this weekend and it was the best surprise! There was screaming, tears and soo many hugs. I love her and I am so happy she is back!! <3

We have had soo many feeds recently and we have eaten sooo much. A couple Sundays ago, our Bishop was conducting Sacrament meeting and he asked all the missionaries in the ward to stand. We had no idea what was going on.. but he just said, "We have 6 amazing missionaries in our ward. They are doing soo great and helping our ward so much, and we now need to help them. We need to do better about feeding these missionaries and have them in our homes." haha I felt superrr embarrassed.. BUT now we have soo many dinner appointments. haha so that's cool.

This Christmas has been one of the best ones yet. It was so fun to spend it with members and missionaries. The people I have met here have become some of my closest friends. I am so grateful to be surrounded by soo many incredible people. They made Christmas 2017 unforgettable.

​​

As Sister Cahoon (my bff/soul sister/comp 2 times) said in her group email, "I seriously cannot believe that 2017 is coming to an end, and that I've spent this entire year living in Melbourne Australia. Crazy to me how fast the time has gone by. Even crazier to think of the change and growth I have gone through since the start of the year." This was perfectly said and I could not agree more. :):)):) 

xoxo,

张姐妹

Sister John'stain'

(I was at a Christmas party at a members house, and I spilled some RED sauce on my nice WHITE shirt so that is how I got the new name.....some things never change)

Cute Kelsie Stringer doing Alyssa's hair.

Poor Alyssa spilled something on her white shirt - oh boy

Victor - who Alyssa met while GQing on the streets.

All the sister missionaries who taught Victor

Flatmates at the ward Christmas Party

Sister Lee, Sister Johnson, Sister Chen and Sister Tuu'u

Sister Guan - trainer came back to Melbourne for 

a year on a working visa.

Sister Patchell, Sister Chen, Sister Cahoon,

Sister Johnson, Sister Li, Sister Madsen

Little Christmas tree with some interesting decorations

Pipe cleaner Christmas Tree

"The members give us soo much at Christmas time - fruit and lollies -

 what more do you need?"