Hello,

 

It's funny that you asked if I have been sick on my mission because I AM SICK. I feel like I got hit by a bus. It started at the beginning of the week and just got worse. Friday night I couldn't sleep or breathe I thought I wasn't going to make it through the night. As always morning and night are always the hardest. Yesterday after church I slept all day. I am grateful that today is p-day so I can get more rest. I had a fever of 102 yesterday. Its gone down a lot today. My body aches every where, my cough has gone down but I am just drained. It's even hard to sit here and email..... but at least I'm alive! I loved your email today mom! It was very informational and the pictures were great :) I love them! Bris outfit was adorable! I had a list of things I wanted to share with you but of course I forgot it at the house and my memory is struggling right now. I am so happy for Jacob! That's great that he is an elder now! He's making progress toward the mission! We taught Chris and Talakia this week with Pres Anderson! It was an incredible lesson. They need to get married before they are baptized but she is having a hard time committing to a day to get married.... President just taught the doctrine of marriage, the spirit was really strong and it was a blessing to be able to be there. Hopefully this week we can get them married! your birthday is on Sunday mom :) that's exciting! I love birthdays! Next year I will be there to celebrate it with you! woohoo! I sure do love you mom! Well to answer to question about my roomies.... Sis Clayton and I get along really well. She is from Utah and she went to school at Utah State. Every night we chat about life and we give each other back rubs-that's a huge plus. Our muscles are always so tense! Her comp Sis Houghton is from California she is tall and really nice. I guess her and my comp get a long pretty well and talk at night. Sis Ellett is doing better! She's learning and growing and trying to take it all in. I don't mean this in a bad way, but she has really helped me see all that I have been blessed with. Communication is one of them. She has a really hard time talking to people..... and I could talk someones ear off all day. I don't know which is worse haha. She's been really good to me though. I can just hear Chase laughing about it haha tell him he needs to write me! He's been terrible! I at least wrote him every now and then! He's in trouble with me! We have transfers in three weeks on the 10th I am anxious to see what happens! There are so many changes going on you never know whats going to be next. We have 10 new Sisters coming in on that day. It will be exciting to see what happens! on Thurs we had to wake up at 5:30 to teach seminary which started at 6. It went really well I loved it! I am also SO grateful that I had seminary as part of my reg schedule! I honestly don't know if I could do early morning every day! They get the greater blessings for sure! Well I cant think of anything else to share. This week has been good! I'm hoping if I stay in all day today that by tomorrow I can get out and work! At least for some of the day! I didn't take a lot of pics this week. I will see what I have to send. I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers and love! I can feel it! You mean so much to me! I show our family picture to EVERYONE! you can ask my comp. haha you are my pride and joy! I hope you have another great week like this past one! I cant wait to hear from you next week! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

 

love xoxoxox sis brooke johnson

 

1. this is chris and talakias youngest girl. shes 4. crazy right?

2. swamp truck

3. my pink shirt

 

LOVE YOU MISS YOU! XOXOXO

 

 

 

 

1. Talakia and Chris at church! PARTY!

2. my life

3. thank you so much! i love you!

4. my new navy top! love it! this is Sis Ramirez. she feeds us every wed at 12. she is the sweetest old lady and talks about 100mpi

 

Hellllooooo Family,

 

Thank you so much for your email!  Just so you know this past week was much better than the one before! For the most part I am back on track! I LOVED the package you sent! Sis Ellett says thank you for the cup and candy! The shirts are sooo cute and go really well with a lot of the cardigans that I have! Getting flip flops was fun :) thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! I honestly loved my spring package! The weather this week was perfect! It was in the 70's and it felt like home in the summer time haha. There was a breeze that was just right! I suppose that it had an affect on how I felt! It seems like every day I feel every emotion. Some last longer than others, I try to make sure the happiness sicks around! I have had a massive head ache this week... maybe its the weather or season change? I'm not sure. I have used the eye heater that Sheryl made it has come in handy this week!

 

This week we went to a less actives home. We were in here area and had not yet met her so we stopped by her house. As we got to talking with her we found out that she hasn't been for years. She was really happy to see sisters though. She has a small desire to come to church due to difficultly walking around. As we sat there talking to her she reminded me of grandma Judy and I couldn't figure out why at first. Then I realized, she was clicking her fake nails together the whole lesson! I just smiled and remembered grandma for a moment. For the most I have handled her passing very well, thanks to Heavenly Father but, if I ever stop to think about it, it become very difficult for me to think that the last time I saw her was the day before I left for my mission. I miss her and I know you do too. I am thankful that our family is forever and I really look forward to the day that her and grandpa are sealed in the temple! What a blessing that will be! How great the love of our Heavenly Father that he has given us a way to not only return to him but to return to him with our family and loved ones.

 

I had two experiences this week that have really strengthened my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and his divine guidance and direction in our lives through the spirit. The first was is we have an investigator, Pixie, who is hard to get in touch with. She called us last Sunday and said she was out of town and would not be able to come to church. I called her on Tues to see if we could come see her and she said she had company in town and that the next week would be best and that she would call us. That's not a good sign when the say "I'll call you". Yeah right. So I was pretty bummed because I was worried that this investigator was slipping away. On Wed I got a thought that we should stop by on Thurs to see her. I was wondering if that was me or the spirit. It came again that night as I was thinking about how we could help her progress and what we could do to help her have an increased desire. Thurs came around and we were planning the thought came again. So I told Sis Ellett, we got ready, and we headed to Pixies. Sure enough she was sitting outside in the regular spot. She let us talk with her and we had an amazing lesson. She said, "God inspired you to come here and I am glad you did" as soon as we left I offered up a prayer of thanksgiving for that spiritual prompting to go to see Pixie. The second one happened just yesterday. In the morning about two hours before church every Sunday we go to all of the potentials to basically wake them up so they can get ready for church and continue to prepare for baptism. as we made our stops in the morning no one was coming to the door. (im cutting some slack because it was daylight saving time). we have church at 11 and have a meeting at 10. so the stops are done starting at 9. we made about 5 stops and talked to no one. disappointing ... a little. then we start calling people after our meeting. Talakia (didn't answer her door) but she answered the phone and said she was coming. I felt a little better. As sacrament meeting started we had no investigators there. I was feeling pretty down. We had done all we could do I didn't know what else we could of done. As the sacrament was going around I directed my thoughts to the Savior and then I started reading Mosiah 14, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief..." "Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows..." "he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." How grateful I am for my Savior and his sacrifice. I felt the peace of the spirit come over me. My heart was comforted. As the meeting went on I began to think of what I could do to help Sister Ellett. As I was thinking about what to do for her and our investigators the peace and comfort kept coming in greater abundance. About half way through sacrament meeting we had to scoot down because someone came and sat by Sis Ellett I looked over (did a double take) and there sit Talakia and Chris. I couldn't believe it! That was the cherry on top! Again my heart was full! I was so happy to see them there! I know that everything is done according to Gods time and will. I need to have patience. " we cannot insist on our own time table when Christ has his own..." (Pres Eyring) that experience really helped me this week. There is a children's hymn that I love " my Heavenly Father loves me" in my favorite verse it says, " He gave me my life, my mind, my heart; I thank Him reverently, For all his creations, of which I'm a part. Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me." I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. He loves me, he loves you, he loves all of His children. He loves us so much that he sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to suffer, bleed and die for us that through him we might live again, together, forever. The mission life is challenging at times but, I am grateful for the things that I am learning and the ways that I am growing. I wouldn't trade these challenges and experiences for anything!

 

My heart swells as I think of each one of you. How grateful I am for the love and support that you offer me. I love you more than words will ever describe! I look forward to hearing from you each week! It is so good to feel connected to you as a read your thoughts and feelings! I hope that this week is a good one! Hopefully I will be planning a wedding for Talakia and Chris this week! WooHOO! I sure do love you and keep you in my prayers! I hope you can feel my love for you all the way over in the west :) take care and talk to you next week!

 xoxoxxoxo sis brooke johnson

 

1. candy store at the city place mall.

2. this is a view of the island. there is a member that invited us over to eat who lives right next to the water way. we went on top of their club house area and this is the view! SO SO SO pretty!

3. heart wall! so fun!

4. smiles

hello family,

What a week it has been for me. Fast and testimony meetings are a little different for me out here. I sit on the edge of my seat and pray with all my heart that there won't be a crazy testimony or that our investigators won't be paying attention when there is one. haha. Yesterday we had three investigators at church- it was a huge blessing! One that the Lord literally just dropped in front of us. There were a lot of testimonies about baptism for the dead... which is fine for people who know what that is and have a testimony of it. Afterwards one of our investigators was like, I don't believe that. That's not true.... well all I could do is testify and try to simply explain what it was. We have a apt with him tomorrow so... hopefully it goes well! I love Bri's necklace hangers! How adorable! I love chatting with Jake its really nice. I always hope I can be a support to him. I got the pics and letter about Bri's baptism! I show the pics to our investigators! I love sharing my family with others. I show almost everyone our family pic which is on my scripture case. I really enjoy hearing from you! I really appreciate it! Its always good to hear from your friends. I am so happy that you got the see Matt and Shine and Walmart! What a nice surprise! Tyler is going to BYU-I! whooo! I wrote him back this morning trying to convince him of it and then e-mails today he told me he is going to transfer! He will have a blast with all the other guys being there. Star Valley is going to over run BYU-I. ha just kidding. 

This past week was one of my hardest weeks in the mission. I struggled big time. I haven't cried that much in quite a long time. Nor have i felt so alone for a while either.

On a happy note I am feeling much better today. Happiness is a choice that we must choose each and everyday of our lives. Its not a expression only, its a way of life, a state of mind. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who is patient and full of mercy. I know that this week is going to be a good one! We are going to find someone to baptize! I know they are here! Its driving me crazy that I haven't found them yet but its coming. I can feel it. We are so close!

There is a verse of scripture that really changed the way I was looking at things. Isaiah 49:16 "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." I thought about my hands. how I feel with my hands, the things I can do with my hands.... I know when my hands are dirty- I can feel it. I know when there is something on my hand that isn't normally there because I can feel it. After I wash my hands they feel clean and I'm good to go again.

Our Savior feels us. He feels us on "the palm of his hands" he knows when we've sinned. He feels when we are sad and at discomfort. He stood in place of us so that we would not have to suffer. The atonement helps us become more pure. Though our Savior we can find relief, comfort, strength, healing, etc. The atonement washes us clean. I am forever grateful for the atonement of my Savior. This past week it is what kept me going. D&C 6:36-37 "Look unto me in every though; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. amen." what a promise, to "inherit the kingdom of heaven." that's what I want. That's what I'm working for. I know that through the atonement of Christ all things can be made right.

Family, oh how I love you! thank you for all that you do for me. I know you are busy busy through out the week but I would love some letters :) they always help. You can even just tell me stories. childhood stories, mission stories, anything. I am just happy to hear from you! Its what keeps me going sometimes! I am excited to get the package you sent! :) I didn't know you sent another one! thank you thank you! Well I hope you all have a great week! I am looking forward to writing and hearing from you next Monday! I LOVE YOU FOREVER!

xoxoxxo sister johnson

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK FAMILY! LOVE YOU MUCH MUCH!