Monday, February 15, 2016

Mission:Complete

Welp folks, this is it. The last silly weekly email from Sister Johanson the ancient.

What do you say to sum up an entire mission? The best I can do is leave you with my testimony (what a missionary I am..). I am so grateful for my mission. I have truly loved being here. I am so grateful for the incredible people that I got to meet, the relationships I got to build, and the miracles I was allowed to see. 
I know that this is Heavenly Father's work. He lives. He lives and He loves us. In fact, He loves us so much that He sent us our Savior. I love my Savior. He's the reason that I've been out here as long as I have, doing what I've been doing every day. How blessed I am for my knowledge of Him!
The spirit of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is powerful. I believe in modern prophets, and I believe that this is the church of the Lord. We are on the right path, my friends. :) God does speak to His children today, there are miracles to be seen, The Book of Mormon is true, and families can be together forever. And this is all possible because of Jesus Christ. :) 
I know that my Redeemer lives.

I can't thank you enough for the endless love and support that you have constantly and consistently shown to me throughout this adventure. Your prayers worked! I made it, and I loved it. I can't wait to come home and hug your faces off! Love is so much better close up than from far away. :) I hope you have a blessed week, and uh, see ya soon!

Love from the Netherlands,

Sister Johanson






Monday, February 8, 2016

Success!

Welcome to the second to last weekly email of Sister Johanson the very old!

Don't worry, I didn't skip a couple of weeks, plans have just changed a little, but God's plan hasn't. He knew what was up all along. :)

My lovely greenie Sister Maughan came to us this week. She has been slowly recovering from pneumonia, so physically she's got it rough, but emotionally she is incredible. She's a fun girl to be around, with lots of missionary fire and I'm grateful to have her here. We practice teaching lessons in Dutch to the chairs in the living room and constantly talk about missionary work, when she's not briefing me on how to be a normal person back in America. :) I'm really grateful for this last opportunity to help a fellow missionary and help set her up to have a successful mission, although I feel like she's doing more for me than I am for her.

It's been a rougher week here in Deventer, but there are still missionary experiences aplenty. Every time we go outside, there's someone cool to talk to. :) God is certainly mindful of us. I was able to feel His love a lot this week as I communed with Him to see what His plan is for me. I'm so grateful that He has let me be on a mission and see so many miracles and meet so many wonderful people. I am so grateful for the faithful and steadfast support group that He's given me and I won't be able to thank all of you enough for what you have done for me, and continue to do for me. I hope that in this last week and a half of wearing a nametag that I can give my all and still cram in a couple of conversion moments every day. ;) Name tags come off, but missionary work never ends.

I love you all a lot, I appreciate you more than you know, and I continue to pray for you.

Sister Johanson the 1st

Alma 29:9


Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The Deventer Rehab Center

Welcome to the 6th to last weekly email of Sister Johanson the old

I am still here in Deventer with the wonderful, wonderful Hills. They are some of the kindest, most generous people I have ever met and I sure do love them. Guess what. They're going to send me a companion! The poor dear is a greenie who just came in and got pneumonia on the way over, so they're bringing her to our little Deventer rehab center and I'm going to sit inside and train her. Sounds like fun times to me. :) I really have been able to see blessings and reasons for being here with the senior couple in this city. I've made several new friends, including missionaries, recent converts, and investigators, and I am still able to have missionary opportunities.
The other day, Sister Hill and I walked across the street to get hair cuts. We started talking to this darling 17 year old girl who is planning a graduation trip to America. I began telling her cool places to go in America and asking her all kinds of questions, and she asked if we could exchange numbers and talk more. Awkwardly, I am the girl without phone or home, so we did the email thing. She will probably get baptized someday, don't you think? ;) I love new friends.

I truly am doing a lot better. I thank you all sooo much for your prayers in my behalf. God really listens to those. I've received a lot of love from a lot of people, and I know that means that God loves me. Thanks for being a part of His plan and giving me the help I need. :)

Since I'll be here a while longer, here is my address:
 Nieuwstraat 124    7411 LP    Deventer   Netherlands

Remember kids, God made you special, and He loves you very much. (thanks Veggie Tales)
Love to you all from the Neverlands,
Sister Jo


Alice, our cute Chinese friend, made yummy Chinese food for us.