Six Sisters Sharing One Room!

Another Day Another Dollar

FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Hi! So this week has been really normal MTC life. Which I still love, don't get me wrong, but I am getting to the point where I am REALLY excited to get to PARIS and teach real people about all of this! Which is a tender mercy in and of itself because the past two weeks anytime I would think about actually being in Paris and teaching I would break into hives, okay dramatic not really, but I would get super anxious and worried about my French, but this week I hit the point where I am comfortable enough to just be like THROW ME IN THERE IM READY TO GO. I am so grateful to have these next three weeks here at the MTC though. I still have bundles to learn and I really do LOVE this place. I have never been able to recognize the Spirit so constantly in my life. It is amazing.

Okay also, I started the Book of Mormon over again. Kay, confession I always loved reading my scriptures before the mission, but it was really hard for me to just sit down and take them striaight (chapter by chapter). I think that is pretty normal. Right? Well this week I have started it over again looking specifically for Missionary Work, Faith Building Principles, Promised Blessings, and Christlike Characteristics. Y'all that book is the word of God. I can testify completely of that. I have never loved reading it more in my life. My faith and testimony of Christ grows every single day as I read it. So COOL. Ahh.

Hmm what else? Oh yeah our district started speaking only French on Monday, Wednesday, Fridays and next week we will go all in and speak only French for the two weeks before we leave. It really is amazing how much better my French gets when we speak it all day. I am constantly amazed by how fast my district is picking it up. GOT babyyyyyyy. But really the Lord is so in this it's unreal. Work out time is a tender mercy when we are speaking it all day though cause your brain just hurts so bad by 7. Its nice to just run it off and not think about it. Oh p.s. one of the girls in my district is a big runner and we are still going strong. Her name is Soeur Holmes. Easily one of my favorite people on the planet. I'm SOOOO SOOO glad we are in the same district. Oh, also we had our first TRC this week. Which is basically where you teach a member of the church a lesson on any gospel principle. It's really nice because they aren't pretending to be an investigator, its just them. So basically you just go and give a spiritual thought in French. Easy enough. The spirit was really powerful in one of our lessons which was GREAT. The girl we were teaching and my companion both cried. I just smiled as usual, but hey I've just come to accept that that is my way of feeling things. Still not the most emotional person in the world. haha.

Oh yeah and I think I had Bronchitus this week. hahaha. It was not fun. AT ALL. Really miserable actually. Ain't nobody got time for that. But. hey I made it through. My wonderful companion's Mom had Bronchitus the week before she left, and then on day two she got it, and since then everyone in our district was just dropping like flies. I went to the doctor here and they told me to gargle salt water.......my throat wasn't even sore.....so dumb. So I just bummed meds off of everyone in my district and slept all day on Friday, which I hated cause I would have much rather been in class. But I am all better now. I still occasionally cough up a lung in the middle of Sacrament meeting when it is dead silent, but no biggie. REALLY.

BON ANNIVERSAIRE this week Kenz. The Big 1-8. I CANNOT BELEIVE IT. Watch out world.

Also Rachel! I hope you have the most wonderful wedding day!!! I wish I could be there! AHH you are going to be the most beautiful bride in the WORLD.

Well that's all I have time for today!! Keep it classy people. I love all of the letters I get. They put a smile on my face toujours, chaque jour (all day, everyday).

LOVE Y'ALL MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY! L'EGLISE EST VRAI!

Beaucoup amour,

Soeur Johns

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!!

My District and Companion Soeur Judd

First Week in the MTC

OH MY GOODNESS. OH MY GOODNESS. OH MY GOODNESS.

 

My heart is SO full it feels like it is going to pop straight out of my chest.

 

KENZIE YOU GOT INTO BYU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been thinking about it SO much this week and I absolutely freaked out when I read your letter!!! I was dancing and screaming up and down the residence hall when I read it!! Everyone in my district says congrats!! They all think you are so precious and I have had about a million of the Elders tell me to tell you to write them. Haha. You're a gem.

 

Thank you Mom, Dad, and Aubs for your letters. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! Letters are gold.

 

LO!!!! You get here this week!!! A) you have NOTHING to worry about. I danced my way right in (and I was like owwwwwwww) and a smile hasn't left my face since then. This is the best place to be and the best time to be here! B) We will FOR SURE see eachother. I've seen everyone I know in here already. But just in case, I live in 3M and have class in 8M and my p-day is on Tuesday! FIND ME. I have already warned my companion about how embarrassing it will be for her when we see eachother and cause a SCENE. Love it. C) GO KISS YOUR ENGLISH MISSION CALL RIGHT NOW. You too Rinners.  

 

Rins!!! I heard your talk was great! Can't wait to see you too!!! Ahhhhh. So much excitement in the WOOMER FAMILY!!! Made my day!

 

Okay so,

 

I LOVE THE MTC. I was so nervous because I've heard that it is a hard adjustment, but it has been SO EASY. I think that is due to the fact that my companion and district are AMAZING. Seriously. My companion's name is Soeur Judd. She is from Draper UT. SHE IS PRECIOUS. We both have an undying love for DDP, the Bachelor, and movie quotes. I was so glad I didn't end up with someone who thought I was a sinner for loving those things. Don't worry though we follow the rules! We are really trying to be exactly obediant because I know that I need every single blessing the Lord can offer me in order to learn this language. Soeur Judd took French for like 7 YEARS before coming here, so she is really good and helps me so much. When we taught our first lesson I just sat there and smiled and said oui! And then I said,  "through faith I can feel the spirit", but when we got our Soeur Judd told me that I had actually said "through the Sprit we can touch the liver". Ohhhhhhhhhhh so that's why the investigator made that face.... great.

 

Honestly the language is so hard, but I am loving it!!! I know KNOW KNOWWWWWWW that I am not learning this language by myself. I have been so blessed and enabled already to speak. At this point, I can understand everything our investigator is saying...and I can respond, I just probably sound like a caveman. Haha.

 

So mom, you asked about food and workout time. hahahah. why am I not suprised?! The food is Canon center food, so It's nothing I haven't had before. GYM TIME IS THE BEST TIME. I love it. My whole district loves to run!!! Such a tender mercy!! Everyone is really determined to eat well and stay in shape. Just another reason why I KNOW I was put with them for a reason! :)

 

BTW, I love my district so much. We are all BFF's already. Mostly everyone is from UT, but we have one kid from Canada who graduated high school early to go on his mission! He is only 1 month older than KENZIE. hahaha. I feel so old.

 

Okay AHHHHH I have so much I want to tell you, but I just don't have enough TIME!!!

 

OH YEAH!!!! I'm GOING TO SAN FRANSISCO TOMORROW!!!!! In order to get a visa for France you have to make an in person appearance at the consulate!!!! How crazy is that! So basically we have to wake up tomorrow at 5:00AM and get on an airplane then go to the consulate, THEN they let us go get lunch and take 2 hours to TEACH PEOPLE ON THE STREETS! I am so so so so sooooooo excited. Literally the best suprise of my life. I love that city. Lo and Mikey, I will be thinking of both of you!!!

 

EVERYONE. The gospel is true. The spirit is real and if you live your life worthy you will ALWAYS have it with you. I have had the amazing experience to have this the whole week and I can testify that I have never been happier in MY WHOLE LIFE. I know that I am supposed to be on this mission at this time, to this place for a reason!!! I have never been more aware of how much God loves all of us, his children! 

OK. I kinda need you to send me a lot of things:

1) PLEASE DDP. PLEASEEEEEEEEEE. worth a shot.

2) I really need a blanket. I have woken up EVERY single night here freezing cause they give you like a scrap of fabric to sleep with.

3) A sweatshirt. I didn't bring one which was really stupid cause for cleaning time and p-day that would be the best thing EVER.

4) DDP. No really please I'm begging you.

5) Please send me dear elders of all of the missionaries who are out in the field! I don't have time to read them off of email! So just copy and paste and we will be good to go.

 

OKAY LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! Keep the faith!

 

LOVE,

Soeur Johns

 

P.S. Brooke THANK you and keep it up. YOU know why! :)

 

 

my why

Goodness gracious. 

Time has FLOWN. It feels like yesterday that I got my mission call. No, I’m not just saying that IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY. Now here I am, leaving in less than 3 days.

I set up this blog so that my mom can post my weekly emails and pictures of my progress, yadda yadda, but I want to write this first post directly from me about why I am LDS (aka Mormon) and why I feel the need to go be a missionary and tell people about my church.

Bottom line: I am a Mormon because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon Church) is His true church restored on the earth today. 

I know this with my whole heart. Nothing could make me deny it.  

However, I wasn't always so sure.  

I was born into the Mormon faith and have grown up with wonderful Mormon parents who have always been wonderfully...Mormon. As I was growing up I always (more or less) followed the rules of the church. But that is how I saw it, as following a list of rules. There were times when I would feel REALLY good at church or have times where I prayed and KNEW my prayers were being answered. But, I'm sad to admit that if my parents and friends had decided to walk away from the church I probably would have followed them right out the door.

It wasn't until I read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it that I knew that this church was exactly what it claims to be. I make it sound like it was a one time read the book, pray to God, and instantly know kind-of a situation, but it wasn't so simple. I had to search the pages of the book for years. I had to continue to turn to the Lord in my hard times, I had to continue having faith, and I had to continue going to church.

Gradually, I became more and more positive that this church holds all of the truth about God and about organized religion. Because of my faith: I know that God is real. I know that He loves every single one of us, His children, equally. I know that God hears and answers our prayers. I know that revelation has not ceased. God has not forgotten us in our modern world. He is the same as He was in Biblical times and has the same amount of magnificent power. I know that Jesus Christ truly died for our sins so that we can have the opportunity to live with God, our Father, again. I know that Jesus Christ lived the perfect life and was the perfect example of how we should act as humans. I know that while he was on the earth He established His Church and gave authority to His 12 apostles to further His work. This authority is called the Priesthood and is the authority by which we should be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, and organize churches. When the 12 apostles died, this authority left the earth for a time. I know that Jesus Christ restored this authority back to the earth through a prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that Joseph Smith was the man He claimed to be and did everything he did through the power of God. He was a prophet, and Christ’s church is still led by a Prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. I also know that Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon in our day and age, not to replace the Bible, but to add precious truths to it. I know that this Book is true with all of my heart.

I am a Mormon because I know it is true. I would never want anyone to be a Mormon for any other reason than that.

I decided to go on a mission because I know how much this Gospel has blessed my life. I know that there are people in the world who are seeking answers. I know that there are people in the world who would be SO blessed by the knowledge, fellowship, and joy that the Gospel holds. I want to share this with them.

I am not going on a mission to force anyone to become LDS or to tell anyone they are going to Hell because they are not.

I am going on a mission to bring people closer to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am going on a mission to serve the people of France in any way that I can and to forget about myself. 

Yes. I am leaving my family. Yes. I am missing my dear friends weddings and babies. Yes. I am pushing my college graduation back a year and a half. Yes. I will be on a very strict schedule of sleeping and scripture study. No. I won’t be able to use Facebook, or Instagram, or a personal cell phone for that matter.

But you know what? It’s all worth it to me. Those wonderful people in France are ALL worth it to me.

As a missionary I will give 18 months to the Lord and strive my hardest to do what Christ would do if he were on the earth today. I am devoting my life 100% to Christianity.

And nothing could wipe this smile off my face.

BIG thanks to Katie Wilson for all of these great photos. And BIG thanks to my mom for convincing me to do the classic sister missionary photo shoot that I vowed I would never do.