August 26, 2013

1. our little home
2. sports on p-day
3. our awesome investigator we found this week

Family,

What a week right? I'm so happy for Jake! I sent him an email today! I know the last time I was in the MTC it was hard to send pics through email and we couldn't print pics any where so I will be excited to see pics of him eventually! He's going to be a BOSS! I'm sure he's just loving it! the MTC food is great (although he's there longer than I was so he will prob get sick of it) and I have full confidence that the Lord has blessed him with a fantastic companion.

All of the pics were lovely! thank you for sending them. i love the one of dad and the boys! they are all about the same height! jord has grown like a weed! I think hugging him when I get back is going to freak me right out haha he's changed so much! sounds like everyone is staying busy with school and work!

 

Sis Dougal and I had a fantastic week! We are teaching some amazing people! We were blessed to have 4 investigators in sacrament this Sunday and its only our second Sunday here! Getting them to church was a wild time! We are working in an appt complex which has been really nice. On sun morning we went to get two bros (about the same age as Jake and Jared). As soon as we got to the door it started pouring rain. Their ride from a member was a good block and a half away..... so we ran in the rain with them to the members car. I'm sure you are wondering, "Why didn't the member just get them from their appt?" Well.... its a gated community and we have to 'sneak' in every time so we don't have a password for the gate so theres no way we could get a member in there. Anyways... we run them to the car in the rain and go back for another investigator. We get him (hes prob in his 40s) and start running back to the car. It was quite the scene. haha. Two sisters running through the rain with their investigators. It was great and a huge miracle and blessing at that! Then after church we went and ate at the Oaks for dinner! It was the BEST! they are an amazing family. They actually met on their mission haha it was a great story I loved it. She made homemade bread with a bouche and it made me think of your mom! She makes it the same way you do!  That made me feel right at home. We were there for a while. We helped with dinner then after we ate, Sis Dougal sang while Sis Oaks played the piano (she graduated from BYU in the piano performance program) so needless to say I got my own little amazing concert on Sunday. and I love music so I was in heaven! It was very enjoyable to be at their home. Our new ward here is pretty grand! I thought my last ward was awesome but this one might top it off ;) okay truth is I love everywhere I go!  I went on exchanges with my trainee this week! it actually went really well! We were able to have a fun time. She said she feels more comfortable around me now and that shes not afraid of me anymore... that's a plus! That training experience for me is something that I learned a lot from and something that I will never forget!

I hope as a family you can feel the blessings that come through Jake's and I service. I know I have felt the blessings this past week from Jake's service. The lord has promised our family specific blessings through missionary service. This past week my comp and I have strived to have an attitude of gratitude and its made all the difference! I invite you to do the same. Pay attention to the small and big blessings that God is giving our family, then immediately offer a prayer of gratitude in your heart as you see the blessing! I know we feel the spirit more often as we show the Lord that we see His hand in our every day lives!
 

Feel free to send Jake and I the same email if you want or what ever works... I'm not too picky. as long as I hear how everyone is I'm a happy camper! He needs the mail more than I do! I'm sending him a package today as well so I hope that makes him happy!

I  hope you all have a great week! I love you to the moon and back! I am so grateful for each one of you and all you do for me! I have the best family ever! and of course I let everyone here know it!

I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS NO MATTER WHAT!

love sis johnson

August 19, 2013

Bye bye temple, its no longer in my area

 With Sis Anderson after transfers

In our back yard on Sunday

Family,

Are you ready for my update? yay! I'm now serving the Wellington East Area! Its north of where I've been majority of my mission. Its actually just west of where I trained and opened an area in Palm Beach. I'm with Sister Dougal- I lived with her a few months ago! We both came up into this area to white wash. Which means they took the sisters that were here out and put both of us in. The area actually hasn't been opened that long either so is FRESH! We are excited and a little over whelmed as well. This transfer for sister training leaders we are only over 6 companionship's instead of 9 which helps so so much. There were two new sister training leaders called! a fun time for them! Now there is a total of 8 sister training leaders! I am grateful for this opportunity! With great opportunity comes great responsibility! Sis Dougal my new amazing comp is from Battle Ground, Washington! She is SO talented! Every night she sings me a song! So far its been, tangled, hercules, tarzan, my fav church song.... shes amazing. She also wrote a dating book called "Austins guide to girls" I think you can find it on the internet. Her name is Kelli Dougal. She's also on a Mormon message called "power of god". Basically shes famous haha. nah but I am really grateful for her. Living together previously, we know how one another is. We have our differences but, I know we are going to be able to get through them and work hard together. We have the same family line up as well. Her brother is serving in Guatemala right now. Our new area has a lot of rich areas. Its similar to the area of Pines that I just left. We've been praying hard to know where to go to find those who have been prepared!

The new ward seems to be great! there are a lot of families here that used to live in Utah. its a very white ward with a little color! there is a man here who owns McDonald's so we again get free McDonald's... It is a great blessing to be able to  grab it when we need it! When we are on the go its nice! We ate a members home yesterday and she made Hawaiian hay stacks! I couldn't believe it! I was like, "did you talk to my mom? these are my favorite!" it was a tender mercy for sure!

We live with two other sisters! Sis Sablan and Moody. Let me tell you, its a crazy home! haha  We have so much fun! oh ya, We live in a little cute home! Sis Dougal and I park our car in a garage! crazy right? Sis Sablan is so much fun! She has energy and she keeps it lively in the home! Sis Moody had night terrors! they freak me out. all four of us sleep in the same room. she started screaming the other night and i didn't sleep the rest of the night. She's had two since I got here. I'm starting to get used to it though so hopefully it doesn't continue to effect me. It doesn't help that our walls are painted blood red and it drips. I will show you pics next time. They wont let us change the color either. When the lease is up they are moving missionaries out of the home. 

 

I cant believe Jake leaves for his mission on wed. I feel like he just got his call. It sounds like a lot of people came to support him at his farewell! that's a plus! I'm so excited for him and I'm proud of him for getting out on his mission! mom and dad you must me doing something right to have two missionaries out :) OF COURSE YOU ARE! i love you so much and I'm grateful for all you do for me! i wouldn't have it any other way!

 I will have more updates and info next week! I'm still just trying to get into a routine here and get used to this big change! I am forever grateful for your support, love and advice! thank you for taking the time to write me! i love you family! FOREVER! i hope this week goes well for you! i know it will be a little hard with dropping Jake off but it will be great :) just have faith and keep moving forward! talk to you next week!

love love love love sis brooke johnson

August 13, 2013

 

1. bon fire

2. roasty roasty

Family,

 

Today I write you with my heart! The Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I feel my faith increase each day and my heart fills with gratitude for all the great blessings I have been given. I've been pondering a lot about who I am and who I want to become. I've learned that I do what I can, and what I can't do, I let go of. A talk called The Fourth Missionary has caused me to reflect upon who I am becoming through the atonement of Jesus Christ. "For the most part, your life is yet ahead of you. What will you do with it? What will be your greatest work? What will be your most important creation? Your greatest work your most important creation is and will ever be you." I've come to a deep realization that one of the most important creations I will make is to make something of myself. Of this spiritual and physical gift that God has so freely given me. I know that as I do this, as I experience personal conversion, I will be able to then help others experience conversion through the atonement of Christ. As I "turn all of my desires, dreams, and wants over to the Lord and give of myself to Him he will make of me a new self in His image." And that is my purpose here in life is to become like my Savior Jesus Christ. He will make of me more than I can ever make of myself. This is something that I have been striving for my entire mission. That is to submit my will to His will for me. Its something I will strive for the rest of my life! When all is said and done, who will I be when I stand alone? What will my personality be, my heart, my thoughts, who will I be?

 

I found out that I am getting transferred which means.... NEW area and companion! I am excited to find out where iI am going! because I am in leadership I only have three option. kind of only two. Theres YSA in Miami (which is where I want to go) or opening a new area up north. The third one is to be with Sis Steg again in Fort Lauderdale but because we have already been together before  and so recent I don't think we will be together again. We will see what the Lord has in store for me this time! Its always good though! Sis Tuai and I have had a great week. We were blessed with that family that came to church last week. Its a mom, dad, and three kids. They are amazing. Its the first whole family I have ever taught. They are so welcoming and are so willing to learn more about the restored gospel.

 

It sounds like it what quite the fananza this past week! I'm proud of Jordan for selling the lamb that's great! I will always remember the fair parade and fair time as well. They are good uplifting memories and times that shaped my life. I can't believe how fast everyone is growing up and how fast life just keeps on going. It doesn't stop for anything. That's why we have to make time for the things that matter most. If we don't, they just fly by with the winds of life. Jacob is going to be a great missionary! I'm so happy for him! He's changed a lot since I left for my mission. His eyes have been opened and he's grown a lot! He will continue to do so the moment he steps foot into that MTC. The moment I got there I never looked back. Had I, it would of been much more difficult for me.The Lord is always aware of what we need and He send angels to bear us up during those times of change.

 

Last night we had dinner and a bon fire at the parents home. The mom and her two boys are recent converts. The father and older son are not members. WE LOVE THEM. The dad and I were trying to see who could make the best smore... we both were bad haha the fire hadn't died down yet but I knew we had to go soon so I was trying to make a perfectly gold marshmallow. I've seen a great change take place as we have shown are love to this family. To care about what they care about and to love what they love. As we were waiting for dinner to be finished we tossed the football with the boys. It reminded me of my brothers and how much I love them! Today I will be packing once again. It's crazy to think there's only 36 weeks of my mission left! I wonder if this will be my last area.... we will see! Packing is such a pain. Every time I start I just want to throw away everything I have! I definitely have not been a pack rat cuz I don't have room for anything extra. I would love to get Jakes MTC address asap as well as his email, hopefully you were able to figure that out. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help with him preparing! I am praying for him like crazy! I love that kid! He's in for an adventure that's for sure. No more back packing and biking this is the real deal ha. I'm stoked for him!

 

I have been a failure at writing people and as such, I have gotten no mail lately. You reap what you sow right? Thank you for the package mom! I just got it today! the mail has been slow! I look forward to reading through the BOMs and the journal that you sent! I LOVE YOU MOM DAD JAKE JARED JORD AND BRI! Don't tell Jake this but man I cant wait to have my room back! haha just teasing. Well kinda I definitely call dibs on it! I'm the oldest- its only fair!

 

Please enjoy the pics! This is my life! and I love it! I hope you all have a FANTASTIC week! I can't wait to tell you where I am next Monday! I love you all so much! Enjoy taking Jake to the MTC give him a big ol hug for me! Take care! Until next week!

 

all my love, sister brooke johnson

 

August 5, 2013

Hola,

Oh boy, Jake doesn't have to much time left! That is crazy and exciting all at the same time! He is going to love Mexico! I enjoyed the emails mom and dad as well as the pics that were sent! It is always a great thing to see your smiling faces! Next week is transfers so I will be emailing on Tues. the weeks are going by way to fast!

For the bulk of my e-mail I would like to share details about the miracle day we had yesterday as it will be one of the most memorable days on my mission. Our church attendance each week has been very low here. We've managed to get 1 maybe 2 people to church each week. The last two weeks we had 0, it can be discouraging because really we can't baptize if we don't get people to church. So Saturday, was a long long day. No one was home, no one was showing signs of repentance, no one was committing to church, we didn't know what to do half the day.... IT WAS LONG! At the end of the night for the last hour we felt like we should knock doors. So there we were, sitting in the car, getting ready to go out. Out of no where this grandma and her two grand children walk by. Both Sis Tuai and I were prompted to get out and talk to them but we hadn't prayed yet so we pushed it aside (don't ever push promptings 'aside') then we went about our evening knocking on doors. We were getting ready to leave (and had seen where the family lived) and we turned to each other and said lets go knock their door. Let me remind you its 8ish at night on Saturday. Needless to say we knock, they accept baptism and church. We found them a ride and all three of them were at church yesterday. It gets better. We saw that miracle, said a pray of gratitude and asked for another miracle. And what do you know, the SOLID family we met at the beginning of the week(who was never home through out the week) was home Sunday morning when we knocked on their door to invite them to church. The mom said they would be a little late but that they would come. Sure enough this family of 5 was at sacrament meeting. So what did we do? We saw a miracle, offered a prayer of gratitude and asked for another miracle. We called the Ramirez family at 9:45, church starts at 10 (who we stopped teaching because they weren't really progressing) just to invite them in hopes they would come and Carmen's response was "we actually just pulled into the parking lot we are coming to church today." I about died! So of course we saw a miracle, prayed with gratitude and asked for another miracle. After sacrament, we saw two faces we didn't know, we went up to them and what do you know, they just walked into church that day. They stayed for all three meetings too. At this point I feel like I'm in a daze I've never seen so many miracles in a row! Long story short, we had 12 non members in church yesterday through the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. Yesterday I had a huge increase in my testimony concerning fasting and prayer. I know that they Lord hears and answers our prayers and that according to our faith he will answer them!  Also, two of our recent converts bore powerful testimony and the ones non member dad Omar was there! It was beautiful! Also a less active we have been working with bore pure simple testimony and many of the members went up to him afterwards and thanked him!  

After church we ate at the Anderson families home it was really yummy and it felt like home. It was amazing! What a Sunday! This week will go by fast with transfers being next week! I am looking forward to seeing what will happen! Due to me not feeling well right now I'm going to end my email! I hope you enjoyed the miracles we saw as well as the pictures! I love you all so much! More than words can explain! I hope you have a fabulous week! Take care! Love you forever!

xoxoxxo sister johnson