February 26, 2013

 

 

 

1. husking my own coconut that I found

2. lunch at Friendlys

3. cupcake stuff from Lani for Valentines Day

 

Hello family,

 

Well another week down! Can you believe it? I sure cant! Time is starting to pick back up for me which is really nice! Last week I got an email from Ty with all the updates. I need to write him back-I have become terrible at writing! This week I have been practicing the piano! I can play hymn 142 Sweet Hour of Prayer. My left hand is having a hard time following- you would think that it would be the other way around! still wish I would of stuck it out! Dads never going to let me live that one down ha. This week I asked for a priesthood blessing- I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood! Elder Turek gave me a great blessing through the spirit that has offered me much comfort and strength this week! There is a quote I heard the other day that has taken true meaning in my life it is, "Be where your feet are." I realized a lot of the time my mind was all over the place. Home, at Nova, thinking about p-day.... I have really been striving to stay focused on where I am at! On missionary work and on my investigators. We have two investigators, Chris and Talakia they have five kids and have been together for 19 years but.... they are not married. No big deal right?! We are working on helping them prepare for to be married so that they can continue to prepare for baptism. When I pray it takes up the majority of my conversation with God. I love their family and I pray with all my heart that we can be the instruments in Gods hands that he needs us to be for them right now. This is my first transfer not baptizing. It has been hard because I feel like I know what it takes to help someone prepare for baptism. I know that there are people in this area who are just WAITING! And here I am still trying to work through things so that I can be worthy of the spirit to find them. I know that the only fruit of our labor isn't baptism but, it doesn't mean that it hasn't been challenging to accept that. I cant believe that I am almost half way done with my mission. I really have to make every second count! I am striving to surrender and submit to the will of the Lord. I am giving him all of my heart and mind. ALL of it. That includes EVERYTHING! Its been hard I didn't realize all of the things I was holding onto but, as I have let go and given everything to Him, I have been much happier this week and I have had a more positive out look on all that I do each day. "Change will help people conquer challenges." This is what I am doing. I am making changes!

 

So funny story... we were knocking doors the other day (I'm sure you are wonder which day since we do that every day all day) haha. it was Thursday. and we were knocking doors and an older women opens the door but leaves the screen door closed still. We pray with her and while my comp is praying I hear something scratching on the door. So I peak and its a cat so I was like what ev. Then we get done praying and are having small talk with her and as I leaned towards the door so I could hear what she was saying I could smell cats. So in my mind I was like "great a cat lady" then we continue to talk to her (about the cat) and she leans in to the door and whispers "there 14 more that live here) I about died! 14 flipping cats! Are you serious?! We finished our convo and were on our way. As we were leaving I noticed she had 5 dogs in the backyard. And she lived with her husband her  daughter.  Talk about full house!

 

I realized on the 23 of Feb that on that date a year ago I opened my call! That was an exciting day! I still remember when you called dad! I'm so grateful that you all drove down and that I was able to open my call with all my loved ones! I will never forget that! Its exciting that its grandmas bday today! I can't believe shes 80! They have been holding the mail at the office because of transfers tomorrow. I found out that Sis Holyan is training and going to a new area just like me. I hope she comes up here to my area so I can see her more often ha. Sis Andrus goes home in April! I cant believe it. She will be going back to BYU-I. I cant wait til we are all at school together. Its going to be a blast! 

 

FOOD- my fav right?! on Sunday a member and her son in law and daughter fed all six of us missionaries that are in the ward. It was so good. Its the first steak I've had since I left! MMMMM! was it good! and then we had ice cream cake-even better. Then yesterday we went to lunch with the same 4 elders because one of them is going home tomorrow. We ate a place called Friendlys. Its like a really big ice shop/home town cooking place. But here's my favorite part, they were playing the BEST music ever. dad, any of your fav 80s songs they played it! I was in heaven! Honestly they were playing all of my fav oldies! it was great! oh and on Sunday all 6 of us missionaries sang in sacrament. It actually was really spiritual. The whole ward was crying! Now I just hope we get a lot of referrals haha. 

 

There was a day this week that I got super irritated with my comp. Longest day of my life! idk what my deal was but everything she did just KILLED me! aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. Sometimes I just want to scream. Is that bad? holy cow!  But every things great now. We are going to city place mall today! I am really excited! Sis Ellette and I do get along don't get me wrong. and she is teaching me a lot. Like how to learn how to get along with someone. How to work through trials together. its good! Everything is all good! :) Mom thank you for making me go canning with you! They are really pushing that here in RS and I feel like I know quite a bit. You are a really good example for that! You have done a lot for our family (dad you too) to help our family have a supply of food to be prepared! THANK YOU!

 

Well fam, I sure do love you! Thank you for everything! I can't ever express how grateful I am for each one of you. Have a great week in the cold for me please! I actually miss it. Its been 90 here a few days. So hott! Summers on its way. I will talk to you next Monday! I LOVE YOU!

 

love sister johnson xoxoxox

 LOVE YOU FAMILY

 

February 19, 2013

 

 

 

 

family,

 

Hey hey! Katie sent me a few pics of Bri and I LOVE THEM! Shes so cute! I cant wait to see and hear more! Well here's a run down of my last week- it went by so fast!

 

Monday for p-day we went and played sand volleyball and basketball at the park! It was a lot of fun! I also get to chat with Jacob every Monday and that's a good time! much needed! it helps me out a lot!

 

Tues we had a new missionary training to see the progress of all the new missionaries. I went back to my home in Fort Lauderdale! It was bitter sweet. It felt so good to be back but it also was really hard because I just wanted to go to work there! We went to yogurt land after! I sure have missed that place! They don't have one in my new area!

 

Wed we had a member take us out for pizza at pizza hut. They are on older couple. They made us laugh the whole time so that was nice.

 

Thurs was my favorite day last week! We had another specialized training and Elder Hakeck (of the 2nd quorum of 70) and his wife were here. I got to see Sis Holyan, Shayna! Talk about amazing day! I love seeing them! ahhh I love them and it was so refreshing to see them! It turned out to be a pretty good Valentines Day :) after that I went on exchanges to Port St Lucie with Sis Jackson. It is more north than my new area now. It was rainy up there. Actually it was pouring! We didn't have a whole lot of time to work that night because we drove there and it took us two hours. Then we had a recent convert dinner to go to. It was a great dinner and I had a ton of fun getting to know all of their recent converts and talking with them!

 

Fri I was still on the exchange. We went and ate at Olive Garden! it was much needed! That is my fav place and it was so yummy! every time I go there I am reminded of the time that the family went there for my 18th bday! great memory! On the drive back to my area I saw a bunch of cows... something I haven't seen in 8 months! The area I was in for exchanges is half tropical half low key small town. Its really weird ha.

 

Weekend was normal. Just trying to get people to church. Working hard! All day Sat I just thought about Bri's baptism and wondered how it went! I also got a package from Lani! She is so thoughtful! and the toffee she sent was super good! and this weekend I got 7 letters! yep 7. They had been holding the mail because our box was broken. It was SO good to hear from everyone that wrote me. I love receiving mail. As I read letter I feel like I'm with them! Its the best! I also got to see Shayna again on Sunday because she had to come up to my area to do something so she come to church. That was a tender mercy to see her again! Twice in one week! I almost felt like I was in my old area haha.

 

Yesterday I went on exchanges again. I went to Boynton which is about 20miles south of my area now with Sister Aloi. We had a blast! It was just a good time! I love going on exchanges! I always learn so much. Sorry this email is kinda crazy but that's how my week was- crazy!

 

Everything is going great! I'm praying really hard and working hard! I know that there are people in this area who need the gospel! They need what I have and I know how to find them! I just need to give it my all and keep searching!

 

I will write a lot more next week! I have to write an extra email to president today all about exchanges so my time to email today was cut short! I love you all so much! Every day I am reminded of how great of a family I have and what I blessing I've been given to have great friends as well! You are all so incredible! When I take the time to step back and think about what you all have individually done for me my heart is filled with gratitude! I am who I am today because of you! I hope you have a fun week! I will email again on Tues next week because of transfers! I look forward to hear from you all next week! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

 

xoxoxxo sister johnson

February 11, 2013

I am so excited for Bri's baptism this weekend! I can't believe that it is already here. Please tell Bri thank you for the cards and the bracelet! I love them! The package was a great surprise! Thank you so so so much! I loved the "smile" quote! Its super cute and its on my dresser! I look at it every day! We e-mail at a comp college that a Bishop here owns. Its really nice! I really hope we get to chat next week! whooo! If they are closed here we will just go somewhere else!

This week has been better. The email dad sent me last week was really humbling and it helped me have a better perspective about the challenges that I am facing right now. As I was driving the other day I looked over at a billboard and in bold lettering it said "LOVE WHAT YOU DO!" I realized in that moment that I just need to love what I am doing right now, love where I am at, love my companion, love the ward, the work, I just need to love everything! As I took that and strived to apply it I noticed that things went a lot better for the rest of the week! One of the homes we went into this week to bless had our couches! It was crazy- I walked in and we went to kneel in the living room to pray and they have both of the couches we have and the pillows too! It took me back home just for a bit and it was refreshing! I am grateful for tender mercies!

These upcoming two weeks, I have been asked to go on exchanges! I will be going to Stuart which is north of where I am at. It will be fun to see what its like up there! I will also be going to Boyton Beach which is about 20 min south of me. I love exchanges because I always learn so much about missionary work and about myself as a missionary. I also love being with other sisters and just trying to help them learn and grow as well. I remember looking up to Sis Andrus so much! She was always going on exchanges, everyone always said I had the best trainer, and she was just the ultimate example to me. I always told myself if I could just be like Sis Andrus I'll have it made! Well, now I am having the privileges that she had when I was with her. It's humbling, and it is stretching me but I am so grateful for these opportunities. "The cultivation of Christlike qualities is a demanding and relentless task-it is not for the seasonal worker or for those who will not stretch themselves, again and again."

The meaning of love has begun to take on a new meaning for me. I don't feel like I've every really had to "learn" how to love someone. It is something that I feel like should and normally does come natural for me. But, I am having to learn how to love my companion. She is really great and we get along. Its just going above and beyond that and truly loving her. Multiple times throughout the day I just run through my head "love her Brooke, just love her" I have also realized that love sometimes requires us to do things we don't want to do or to really search deep for ways we can help the person we are trying to love. Again, its been a humbling experience. If you cant tell from my emails- I am being humbled! and I` am forever grateful for it!

There are beggars all over here, and one came up to our window the other day and he was saying "please, please anything will help. please, please, please...." I usually just do the typical "act like you don't see them" but he really caught my attention. All I could hear as he stood at my window was "please, please anything will help." I reached into the cup holder where I put change and gave him prob a total of 50 cents. But what I took from him was worth more than that. I am like him. I am pouring out my heart to my Savior saying "please, please anything will help. Please, please offer me the guidance and direction from the spirit that I am desperately in need of. Please, please...." In life, there are many lessons to be learned. They are every where. all day every day. That experience was something simple. Something I see and hear every day. But when I take the time to step back and allow my spirit to be taught, I learn a great lesson!

Last week for p-day Sister Ellett and I went over to the island and then we walked over the drawbridge and around the water way. It was so beautiful! I loved it. I miss taking my thought provoking walks. Or just walking and chatting with you and Bri, and friends. It was relaxing! I hope you enjoy the pics I took for all of you!

Family, I love you! So much! I am so grateful for you. I know I say that every week but I hope you can feel it as I tell you! have so much fun at Bris baptism and being with family this weekend! I will be thinking and praying for you all as always!

with all my love,

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo Sister Johnson

February 4, 2013

 

 

 

 

1. sunset

2. streets we drive down

3. Sis Ellett and I on our porch

4. nerd :)

 

 

 

Sweet family of mine,

 

Well another great week has come and gone. I know everyone is talking about time going by fast but, I feel like I hit a brick wall. Time has stopped. It has been a challenging week and I know that there are even greater challenges up ahead. But oh how grateful I am for these challenges because they are helping me become who I need to be. Sis Ellett is 24. She has a generals associates (same as me). She is quiet, very very quiet. She is having a very hard time adjusting to the mission life. And I have had a very hard time knowing how to help her. I have never prayed so hard and so fervently in my life. I pour my heart out to my Father in Heaven multiple times a day. One of the things I am going to be working on this week is really serving her. I want her to feel at home, feel comfortable, and to start to see the fun and joy that comes to serving the Lord in the Florida Fort Lauderdale mission! Today I am going to go get her ice cream :) and take her some where fun for p-day. I don't really know how to tell you about my area. We spend most of our time in an apt complex called Malibu Bay. We are teaching mostly Haitians. Our area is very small but for opening an area its great! On Tues we went to the island. There is a small island right off of the coast. There is a member of the other sisters ward that lives there and cleans the mansion that she lives near. She invited us all over for lunch. It was really fun! I will send pictures. I think I am going to start to send my photos because it will help you see more of my area and my companion. Sis Clayton (a roomie) and I were talking the other night and looking at all the pictures we brought. I am starting to feel the weight of training and opening an area. When I got here I was thinking to myself that I can do this- I got it. Well of course the Lord is humbling me and I don't have it. And I can't do this without His help! This past week when I got home we planned, and I passed out on the floor twice because I am just ssooo tired when we get home.  

I am glad you got my packages! Bri is growing so fast! I cant believe she is 8! She is so pretty and shes growing fast! It takes me a little bit longer to get mail to my apt because I moved farther away from the office. I got a lot of letters this past week from Grandma and Shine and Haile and Crystal... I love hearing from all of them! Mail is great! Its really helping me this transfer! ha.

 

The sky goes on forever here. It is so beautiful. There have been some really great sunsets lately. The other night the sky was pink and purple. I can't help but wonder if our Heavenly Mother gets to paint the sky. And if she places certain flowers, and breezes in our lives just when we need them!

 

The other day when we were having a longer day we stopped to eat at an ice cream shop. I received a tender mercy there when they were playing great music! ha. all 80s. I heard take me home tonight, living on a prayer, we built this city on rock n roll... it was great and it was just what I needed. Its times like that that help me realize that I am only human! Sometimes I try to be super woman and just do everything on my own and think that everything has to be perfect...... but then I wake up and realize that I am just a normal, average person doing amazing things through the atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ. All he asks of us is to do our best. After we do all we can do, he helps us out. Every time. It never fails.

 

How I miss all of you and my last area! I never knew I could love somewhere so much as home but, I love my old area. I think about my recent converts all the time. I miss them! I am grateful that I am able to write them though! On the 14th of Feb (vday yaya) we are having another specialized training. I will get to see Sis Holyan again!  I write Sis Holyan every week ha. I miss her. We had so much fun! I am trying to have that much fun with my new comp. It will come. I have to tell you a funny story about her and I share it with love. Maybe it will help you catch a glimpse of my days. She is huge into recycling. Which i fine. I've never done it but I support it, sure. So she had a card board box with a few milk cans in it. We were taking the garbage out and she had two garbage bags and I had the cardboard box with the milk cartons in it.... we walk to the dumpster, life is great, and we toss the garbage into the dumpster. Then she turns to me and says "Sister that wasn't garbage" and I said what do you mean? ya it was was" then she said no its for recycle and so I was sorry sister it will be okay though. and she said no it wont and started trying to climb into the dumpster to get the cardboard box with the milk cartons in it.... I was dying hahahahahahaha I couldn't believe it. I said, "sister I am sorry I did that. I didn't realize that you had set it aside for a reason. It will be okay in there and next time I will not put it in the dumpster." haha. I hope that brought a laugh to you. I am still laughing as I write you. Last night we ate at a members home it was super good! It was kinda like Hawaiian haystacks... but not at the same time ha. I was just super happy to be in a nice home. I would love to write something for Bris baptism. I will put something together and send it next email because her baptism is on the 16th right?

 

Well I suppose I will end on a spiritual note.

 

3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

    I have been called of him to declare his word among his people,

                      that they might have everlasting life."

 

This past week there have been two experiences where I have realized that I truly am a representative of my Savior Jesus Christ and others see and feel it too. After leaving a harvest blessing with a man he said, "I feel as if you are Jesus Christ reminding me of what I need to do and reminding me that I need to pray to God." Then the day after that we knocked into a women named Samantha. She stepped outside and asked what we wanted. We told her that we were representatives of Jesus Christ and that we would love to leave the Saviors peace and blessing with her. I then asked, " what can the Savior help you with at this time in your life that I can include in the prayer for you?" she started bawling and said she was leaving for rehab and to pray for her kids. I asked if they were home and she said yes. I asked if we could pray with her and her children. She let us in. There was a 10 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. I asked the girl what I could include in the prayer for her and she just looked at me and then to her mom. Her mom said " I told them I was going to rehab." the little 10 year old girl started crying and said I just need help. My heart was filled with emotion at this time as I heard and felt this little girls plea for some kind of peace and normality to her life. As I said the prayer all I could think of was the atonement and how it can heal everything. After the prayer we helped do laundry and dishes and we cleaned the home. I am so grateful for my Savior and for him allowing me to be a representative of him and to do his work. Pres Monson has said "take a hand, reach a heart." This is the purpose of missionary work. The reach the hearts of Heavenly Fathers children. To invite them to come unto Christ.

 

I love being a missionary. I love the things I am learning and the growth I am experiencing. I love you! Thank you for all that you do for me! Your support, love, advice, and words help so much! I hope you have a great week! I look forward to writing next week and hearing about your week! I still always get on an email from around 10_11:30ish depending on when we get here but maybe I will get on later one day so we can chat! I chatted with Jake today and it was great! I will tell you about it next week! LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

 

xoxoxox sister brooke johnson