Only 17 months left????
I can already tell that I'm going to miss this.
My favorite thing about being a missionary is being set apart from the world. You just get to have the Spirit so strongly all the time (you know how I mean) and the MTC is such a safe place, where everyone is trying to do the same thing and do their best and they're just happy you're there.
I had to go in the "real world" a couple times for some medical appointments, and the pressure instantly just jumps on you. In the MTC, fashion, style, hair, make up, weight, popularity, cool experiences and accomplishments - they're not really a factor. Like I said, all that anyone really cares about is you being a good missionary. I love missionaries!
Have you all seen Meet the Mormons?? Well I haven't, so you all should. Apparently it is doing super well and it's really cool and it's a great missionary tool. Go see it and tell me about it.
We learned a lot about technology and missionary work this week, and oh man, it is crazyyy awesome!!! Some of the things the Church has going up around Christmas time...like the Christmas message and the ads....(ya, they might've given us MTC missionaries a sneak peek ;)) Oh, you're gonna love it. Technology is such a cool blessing!!
This week was mostly just mission stuff, nothing over- the-top exciting or eventful.
Sister Fleming is one of my favorites here. We run 3 miles together every other day and spreken (speak?) over our feelings, because we are both feelingy kind of people. God knows me so well :) He also gave me a companion that loves to work super hard with me. Poor Sister Manning has been sick this week, but she just keeps pushin through. I finally made her go to the cold clinic they have here ecuz I was tired of her seeming so miserable and trying to still be a happy hard working missionary.
Which, tell Makayla that I am so happy for essential oils! Man, OnGuard every night. I've had a couple minor symptoms, but it's miraculous that I haven't got a full-fledged yucky cold like everyone else here (especially because my immune system has gotta be shot with all this non-sleeping I do. Actually, I don't even know how I have friends here, because I am probably a tired little skunk all the time. Good thing missionaries are nice).
Ah ah have any of you heard of the story President Monson tells of Peter Maurick?? (I'm guessin on that name spelling; I speak Dutch, not German) Our fantastiche choir guy told us how he met him in the temple the other day! In GC a couple years back, I believe, President Monson told the story of when he went to a temple dedication and suddenly, at the beginning of the dedication, felt prompted to call on Peter Maurick to speak. He found out that Peter Maurick wasn't even at the dedication, he was supposed to come to the second dedicatory session the next day.
Meanwhile, Peter Maurick is the bishop in a council meeting, and he is to be the speaker there. The meeting is about to begin, and Peter feels prompted to go to the temple. He tells his counselors, and they say "um, no, you're the speaker at this meeting, you can't just leave." So he says ok. But then he feels it strongly again. So he says "too bad, I gotta go" and up and leaves.
They drive pretty darn fast to the other side of town to get to the temple, the whole time not knowing why they're going.
President Monson, though he has been told otherwise by his counselors, gets up and announces that Peter Maurick is going to be the next speaker, even though he knows that Peter is not in the temple. Just then, Peter Maurick walks in and walks straight up to the pulpit and says "I'm going to tell you how I got here.."
Can you believe that?? And in the temple the other day, Brother Maurick told our choir director "isn't it scary to think what would've happened if I hadn't listened?" (Brother Maurick was the sealer at the temple that day. So cool)
So that is now a major theme for my mission. I can not afford to not listen!! And neither can anyone else! What if God needs us somewhere, and because it seems illogical, we miss it? How tragic that would be. Another fantastic lesson from President Monson.
The other day in devotional, these elders in front of me told me I had a loud voice. I was embarrassed for a moment, but then I thought, you know what, I'm a missionary. And I am so darn excited to be one and I only get this chance once, so I'm going to sing to my God as loud as I want. And so I do, every time :) They really have you sing some rousing hymns here, like all the battle cry hymns in the book. It is amazing with a bunch of other valiant servants of the Lord in one place. :) How can you not sing out!?
Oh, another thing!! I found out this week that I GET TO CALL HOME WHEN I'M AT THE AIRPORT, WHAATTT? Seriously, nobody told me that. I get my flight plan this Friday, so then I'll know details, but anyway, I don't know how we wanna do that, but there it is. Let me know what you can work out, parentals.
My spiritual thought for this week: Go find the talk "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit," a BYU address by F. Enzio Busche. It has potential to change your life. It did for me this week.
Also, do any of you know why God calls 18-19 year old missionaries? It's kinda crazy. I'd love to hear thoughts on that, because I've been thinking about it a lot. Send me your thoughts. :)
I love you! And I love God! And He loves you too! Go missionary work!
Love,
Sister Johanson
