Our Trip to the Consulate in San Fransico

Happy as a clam!

This week was mind blowing. I feel like I was just waterhosed with every good thing and feeling in the world. I really don't think that I've ever had so much capacity to love in my entire life. My heart and brain feel like they are going to explode. I am already to the point where I could not imagine my life if I hadn't have come on this mission. I have learned SO MUCH in these two weeks. I feel like I've doubled my understanding of the REALITY of the Savior and His Atonement, the REALITY of His gospel, and the REALITY of the need for the ordinances and covenants we make in this life to prepare us for the world to come. It is confirmed to me EVERYDAY that I am supposed to be here. I couldn't picture myself anywhere else, and I don't want to be!! AHHH I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Okay, AUBS. Way to go on the track meet. THAT'S MY GIRL!!!!

Rins! I cannot wait to see you! It will literally be the reunion of the century! I'm going to tackle you. Get stoked.

Ogletrees!!! THANK YOU DOESN'T EVEN CUT IT! Y'all are the greatest people in the whole world. I love you so much...and so does my companion:)

San Fransisco was as good as it gets!! Here's a breif summary: So we wake up at 5AM and get in a shuttle to the airport. They made me the group leader because everyone here thinks I'm responsible or something (fattest joke in America) so I got a cell phone and had to coordinate all of the tickets, so that was fun and really weird to have. We get to the airport 2.5 hours before our plane departs...and I thought JS Johns was bad...and everyone decides to start calling their families on the pay phones in the airport. I was SO tempted to call you, but then I realized that it was A) not super kosher and B) counterproductive, so sorry. I didn't. But I know I've been blessed because of it. So then we get to San Fransisco and get a driver (Edgar, best person alive...gave him the BOM no worries) and went to the consulate which took maybe 30 mins. So we had all day in San Fran to just play!!!! We went to Pier 39, ate at Boudins (HEAVEN), got Sundaes at Ghiriadellis, walked down lombard, and walked the Golden Gate!! We were technically in a red zone, so we couldn't really teach, but it was such a cool experience to see people watching us!! I am so lucky to wear Christ's name and represent Him!! Ahh it was so fun! I loved it.

Then it was back to MTC life, which I still love love love!!! French is coming along really well! I love this language! It is beautiful! Everything is really starting to click and I feel like I can actually conjugate right most of the time, finally! I memorized the First Vision and the first 4 articles of Faith this week in French! Y'ALL THIS IS NOT HAPPENING BY MYSELF. The LORD has blessed my language abilities SO much. Here is my testimony (a short one) in French: Je suis missionarie pour l'Eglise de Jesus-Christ des Saints des Dernier Jours!! Nous avons l'Evagile de Jesus-Christ! Je aime Jesus Christ, mon Savior!! Je ressentir le amour lui, tout le jour! Je sais que grace au sacrifice expiatiore du Christ nous pouvons retourner a Dieu dans Ciel! C'est une belle verite!! Je veux partager cette veretie avec tout le monde! L'evangile est vrai! Le Livre de Mormon est Vrai! L'eglise de Jesus Christ est vrai!! Les prophetes sont vrai!!! C'est tout vrai!!! Je sais que Jesus Christ aime vous beaucoup!! Au nom de Jesus Christ, Amen!!!

Ahhh the CHURCH IS TRUE!

My companion is still amazing! She helps me so much and is an ANGEL. She is such a huge blessing! I also LOVE my district! We laugh so hard together and that is just the thing you need to keep yourself sane during these 16 hour work days! They are all incredible people! There is not a single person who I don't like.

Okay, 7 mins left...ahhhhhh. hate this stupid timer.

I've also been blessed with the best devotionals! M. Russel Ballard was here on Tuesday and I've never heard a more humbling and powerful witness of Christ. So pure. Then we had a devotional on Sunday with the Provo temple President Robert Daines. CHANGED MY LIFE and my view of everything that happens in the temple. This is the only place where such sacred topics could be disscussed so openly. I was on the edge of my seat. The whole basis of it was to find Christ in the temple because he is there. He is in everything we do in the temple. My favorite quote from it, "We take upon us the Name of Christ in the most perfect and complete sense in the temple." Amazing, sacred, beautiful stuff. Then on Sunday night we watched David A. Bednars MTC talk called the Character of Christ! IVE NEVER BEEN MORE INFLUENCED BY THE WORDS OF AN APOSTLE IN MY LIFE. I wish I could tell you every word he said. But I only have 2 minutes. I walked away from that talk vowing to myself that this mission is not about me AT ALL. It is not designed to make me better, and there is nothing I need to go looking for on it for myself. The mission is about the people I serve. Bottom line. That's it. It's all about others and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Okay time is up! I love you all more than I can say!! Thank you for the love and support you have given me through your letters! I am so blessed to know you amazing incredible people!!!!!

Avec Amour,

Soeur Johns

P.S: I see Lauren...uhhh I mean Sister Petersen EVERYDAY!!! And we watched Bednar's talk together!! I have the BEST bestie. Love her to death!!