Sister Johnson at a zone conference Christmas party in Scotland. Obviously chocolate is involved. She said she moved up from Cadbury to nicer chocolate but it gives her a stomach ache due to her lactose intolerance.

Merry Christmas!!

So such GOOD NEWS!! FRANK GOT BAPTIZED YESTURDAY!  I'm so happy for him. He had to quit smoking for a week before he could be baptized so on the 10th we started him on 15 Steps which is a Scotland/Ireland quitting smoking program. It's such a miracle that he hasn't smoked since that day, he's been smoking his entire life and he's 50 something years old now. I'm just a bit sad as well because I couldn't be at his Baptism, I have to try and get photo's from Sister Truman...

Besides from that I'm doing well, I'm in Ayr Ward right now and it's such a beautiful place. The area I cover is huge, we take trains to go to the different towns and it's all along the seashore. It covers from Alloway to Troon, look it up on Google maps it's huge! There is about 60 members that attend this ward, so it's not very big and about 300 in-active/less-active members. Compared to the other Wards/branch I've been in the welcoming in this wards wasn't very open and friendly. Especially during Christmas time I don't feel very comfortable, hopefully over time I'll feel differently. Ary is a pretty decent sized city and has alot of people to talk to that are walking around in the streets. I got to meet a few of the investigators Sister Lawson and Sister Kim were working with and they seems so friendly and nice! But since it's the holidays we won't get to see some of them again until the new year. In the street we ran into a lady names Susan who can't meet with us until later, She had a massive dog!! Seriously it was huge, I'll send a photo of him for you to see but it doesn't do the dog justice. Apparently they only need to feed him a pound of meat a day, because they're only are suppose to walk a mile a day. I think he's called a Mastif. 

There is so much to Write about this area but we don't get long to email since Christmas is next week... our goal for this mission is 360 baptisms, last year the mission got 150ish but now to reach our goal after Frank's Baptism be got 4 left to reach 360!!
​

Hope everyone is going to have a Merry Christmas!! and Happy New Year

26th November 2016

How everyone had a Merry Christmas! 

This week has been kind of a waste. Everyone is Ayr was so busy and distracted by Christmas that no one had a moment to talk to us, we also had a hurricane they called it Storm Barbara. It wasn't even that bad here, the winds were suppose to be 90 mph on Friday. I think that because they called it a hurricane a lot of people used it as an excuse to stay inside. I think it must've hit harder some where else in Scotland, don't get me wrong this week it's been really really windy, but isn't much rain and not that cold. Even though everyone was busy we still have to try and keep ourselves busy as missionaries so we walked ALOT, going by less/in-active members and trying to GQ on the streets. It's been getting dark really early at 3 o'clock it's almost pitch black.

We had a lot of Christmas Festivities this week! On Tuesday we had All-Scotland and we celebrate Christmas together by watching Brave, the Scottish themed Disney Princess Movie. Had a "Snow Ball" fight, Sung Christmas Carols and a Christmas devotional. It was so much fun!! 

On the 24th Saturday, Sister Lawson had a South African Family that lives in Motherwell now take us out to Lunch. We went to Mr. Brasie which is a Buffet with lots of different kinds of food. They had a really good selection of Indian Curry which I call me Christmas Eve Feast. For the rest of the day we tried to make ourselves productive by GQing till 5pm because we had to but literally everyone was too busy to talk to us and the weather was terrible. Then... YIPPY!! we got to go back to the flat, pack up a bunch of DVDs we burrowed from members and make a movie theatre in the Church for the night and eat chocolate. 😸

Sunday morning Sister Lawson got me out of bed exactly at 6:29am so we could open our Presents together. We already had some of the member's gifts given to us earlier that week, once we got to church we were given each a huge heavy bag of presents and cards from Members. So much presents, I was spoiled, a lot of chocolate and spa stuff. Graham an investigator of ours even came to church (though I wasn't particularly happy to see him because the last time we taught him be was being flirtatious with me, touched my face, attempted to hug me multiple times, and asked if I cared for him 😨) I want to drop him immediately but Sister Lawson is hesitant. He was upset at us at church for being cold to him, but we both were like it's Christmas Day and we have a lot on our minds...

After Church the Langs took us to their wonderful home and we spent the rest of the day with them!! They're the best it felt kinda like I was at home home, we watched some more movies and got to Skype our families for a few minutes. I didn't cry very much while I was skyping them but after we left the Langs that evening I cried... I MISS YOU GUYS 😘

We also got the classic Christmas Dinner too with Turkey, veggies, gravy, cranberry sauce and then a trifle for desert.  It was the best day I've ever had on my mission!! Last night I may have done a little marathon of a tv series... but turned it off earlier that I expected I would but couldn't sleep anyway because it was really windy and loud outside. Today I also get off too and we are going to the Stake President's home. 😁

Hope to hear for all of you some time!!

Love,

Sister Johnson

Train station in Glasgow, Scotland andEmpty Streets of Ayr the week before Christmas

Missionaries in the ward at the University of St. Andres.

December 12, 2016 Transfer day

Transfer fro Dundee Scotland to Paisley.

December 5th, 2016

Hello!

This week at the beginning was absolutely fantastic, but I may have pushed myself too hard when I feel like I was getting sick. So for the last part of last week I've had a cold. 😰 Which was super duper annoying because we planned on having an awesome week. So last week we got a message from a unknown number and it was a man named Nicolas who met sister missionaries 6 months ago but didn't hear from them since, but he had their number. He then messaged that number 6 months later and really wants to met up. We taught him at the beginning of this week, he's a recovered drug addict and wants to be baptised. Unfortunately he lives in the other wards boundaries, right next to the border. So next week we'll be passing him over to the other missionaries. 

Frank is doing well as well. He has a baptism date for the 18th of December but it's conditional if he can keep the word of wisdom for two weeks or not. He even went to church this Sunday! Michael went to church this Sunday as well, he shared a fantastic experience that he had this week when he felt like he said the first sincere prayer. He said that he asked the basic question are you there and then shortly after he felt this strange comforting peace come over him! He says that he wants to feel that way again. I love it when you can really tell that someone is changing their lives to follow Christ!! He then asked this week why we call members of the church members and not fellow Jesus Followers or something like that???? Some how he thinks Members isn't an appropriate word. What do you guys think?

Apparently there is a live feed of Dundee City Centre online, Sister Truman's mum found it online some where. So if you guys want to be creepy and try to spot the missionaries GQing in City Centre you may. 😂 There is a Christmas market in the City Square and a huge Christmas tree, so much Christmas everywhere and it doesn't really feel like Christmas for us missionaries. Sister Truman and I decorated a 2 ft Christmas tree in our flat and we've had lights up since the end of September. We have as much Christmas and we can get. What makes me most excited about Christmas is to Skype my family and watch those G and PG 13 movies all night!! Missionary work right now seems very slow at the moment because the university students have finals and then are going home for the holidays. Every one else is just stressed about parties and presents. No time for the true meaning of Christmas. 

The Light the World advent calendar is a really awesome way to bring the Christmas Spirit into the holiday season this year. I've been thinking a lot about charity in my mission and I've been trying to find more ways to develop and show Charity to others. Christmas is definitely the time of the year where people show the most charity towards their fellow men. Christ is the best example to showing love to others. He served, blessed, loved, taught, healed and cared for others we can do all of these things in our own way no matter where we are in life. Some times the opportunities to help others and show love come unexpectedly, we must always be praying and be watchful for these moments to come by. It can be towards anyone at any moment, even a small act can make a big difference. I invited everyone to check out light the world calendar and follow in the example of Jesus Christ.

See ya later!

Sister Miranda Johnson

December 11, 2016 Miranda's mom got some more photos.

This is Sister Johnson and her companion Sister Truman from St. George, Utah

More fun photos.

Thanksgiving 2016 Dundee Scotland

The missionaries spent Thanksgiving with one of their newly baptized members at her home.  They had a lot of fun. "And ye must give thanks unto God in the spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with" (D&C) 🇺🇸🍁🍂

Missionary Mom

Some of the members on facebook Miranda's mom and gave her some photos.  Colleen Brown was recently baptized and here are all the missionaries.  

November 28th 2016

Hiya! This has been a pretty dry week in Dundee, it didn't seem to rain at all when we were out and about. It was so nice. But also it was pretty cold about 0 degrees Celsius or I think 32 degrees Fahrenheit... They say that it doesn't get colder than this in Dundee it just gets wetter... great. 

Last Monday we did the usual P-day stuff shopping, emailing and just needed to relax in the flat for once. That evening there was a ward activity of watching a lds movie, the Cokeville Miracle. It's about this guy that tries to blow up an elementary school with a hundred students in it, and how miracles that happen prevents there being any more deaths than the two perpetrators when the boom goes off. I highly recommend watching it. We were able to bring Frank (an investigator of ours) to the movie and it was really uplifting yet creepy movie. I felt super strange watching a movie when you're a missionary... 

On Tuesday  we had district meeting, in our district this transfer we have the Elders that share the Liff/Dundee 2nd Ward, Elder Wang (District leader) and Elder Charlesworth. Also in our district now we have the Perth Sisters, Sister Dahl and Sister May. Since I followed up trained Sister Dahl she's my step Daughter and Sister May is my step Granddaughter and then the Zone Leaders that are in the Bingham/Dundee 1st Ward. Elder Wang is from Beijing China, and is very Chinese in his mannerisms which made district meeting very interesting... He had us write down our actual key indicators for the previous week on the white board in front of everyone and talk about why they aren't better. I didn't like having everyone's numbers on the board next to each others. Elder Wang keeps talking about Belfast, the last and only area he has served in. He constantly compares the two areas to each other and tells us how much better the missionaries and the work was in Belfast.

That evening we taught Frank in a members home and the spirit was so strong and it felt right having Frank talking to other members and getting out of his tiny flat. If it wasn't for his addictions I believe he could get baptised in two weeks, this coming week Sister Truman and I are going to put all we have into getting him to stop drinking and smoking.

Wednesday was a busy day, saw Micheal, dropped by a less active Michelle and saw the Gilmores. 

Thursday Frank went to lunch with us at Hazel's house and I had my first taste of Haggies. She got it from the butchers on Perth Road and boiled it. It's something made in a sheep's stomach with lungs, intestines and other fun things and mixed in it is oats. I have to say it isn't that bad, she served it with Raddish, Potatos and Gravy. Personally I wouldn't go oh man I want to eat Haggis today! probably never actually, but if some one placed haggis infront of me and it wasn't from a can. I would just eat it. I can't think of anything to compare haggis to but it's just doesn't taste bad. We then saw Micheal again and he says that he believes in god now. He doesn't know how it happened but it's really weird because he feels like he's constantly being watched and it freaks him out. I guess for some one that didn't believe in God before, knowing that some one always has and does watch you is a creepy concept. It makes one have an increase in integrity. I just remembered we had Thanksgiving!! A recent convert in the Bingham Ward Colleen and another guy Kyle hosted a thanksgiving dinner for all of the Missionaries in Dundee. It was really sweet and Colleen attempted to make a thanksgiving feast. She tired her best and that's what counts. Besides from that it didn't really feel like thanksgiving.That evening we were GQing in the dark, and ran into two girls. We taught them about the Holy Ghost in McDonalds and one of them seems really interested in learning about Christianity. Hopefully we'll be able to see them next week. 

Friday was the same old stuff and so was Saturday. It was funny that there was all of these Black Friday Sales things but no thanksgiving. They don't sell pumpkin after Halloween so to make fake pumpkin pie they use sweet potato and it doesn't taste bad at all.

Sunday was church and we were at the building for a total of 6 hours that day. We had ward co-ordination before church and a master teacher class that evening. Micheal didn't make it to church because he felt nervous... he sent us a really troubling text and we thought he decided not to meet with us anymore. Later that day he called and said he wanted to speak to us. We met up with him and as we were walking to where we were going to see him Sister Truman said, that she felt like she was on her way to her boy friend's house and we were about to have 'the talk' to determine if we are going to break up or not. HAHA! It's all good he just apologies for not coming to church. We also taught Frank once again with Tiffany and Josh this time. 

This week was all about expressing and looking for gratitude, I need to be more aware of the blessing the lords as given me. The very fact that I live and have to ability to be happy and sad is something to be grateful for. Despite the trials we experience in this life we are able to endure through many of them with the lord's help. I am grateful for the ways he has provided for me to endure and follow his commandments. I know that he has given me more than I know. Like it says in Alma 34:38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessingswhich he doth bestow upon you.

I need to strive to live in thanksgiving daily for all that he has given me and I invite everyone that reads this to be express gratitude for all that you have and are. He has blessed you abundantly, search for these blessing and love what you are so fortunate to have available to you.

I had a fantastic week and hope that everyone else is doing well.

November 21, 2016

Hello EVERYONE!!

This week I have to say was the best week I've had in Dundee! Lots of different stuff happened all at once this week and it felt good to mix things up. I must mention though, it's FREEZING COLD. Right now there is frost all over the place, I thought when I saw it that it snowed while I was inside. It didn't... there is just a lot of moister and really really cold. I can't believe that it isn't even winter yet, It rained till about Wednesday I think and then after that it was just really really cold. I have no idea how I'm going to survive winter. To let you know of the complexities of trying to stay warm in Scotland as a Sister Missionary I'll write down some steps in the morning I do.

How to Say Warm in Scotland

1. Wear Cotton/Polyester Under Clothes

2. Place on Knitted tights

3. Tuck in a undershirt into the tights

4. Put on Thick long socks over tights

5. Pull on insulated leggings over socks and tights.

6. Wear a Blouse over undershirt and tuck it into leggings

7. Grab a skirt that's missionary appropriate

8. Wear a sweater over Blouse

9. Put on the heaviest coat you own

10. A beanie

11. Gloves with hand warmers

12. Over your neck wear a blanket scarf or a woollen scarf

13. Pull over the hood of the Coat and tuck hands into pockets

14. And finally put on your winter boots!!

After all of this you'll still be cold and your hands, feet and face will be numb!!! 😂 

Please if anyone has any suggestions on what else I could try out to stay warm I'm open to suggestions. One of these suggestions cannot be however staying inside, because we have a requirement of 22 hours of finding a week. And I hear it's winter here for 4 months...

So what did we do this week? Hummm...

Well on Monday we had P-day, We just did the usual nothing too special. Except!! I finally got my hair cut, it's been a really long time since I've gotten it done and it felt so good to get it trimmed. I also decided to keep my fringe/Bangs even though it's a struggle to manage in this weather. Sister Truman got her second coat to wear underneath her other one. After P-day ended we had dinner with Tiffany a recent convert and Cottage Evening once again. This time I didn't hurt my foot and we had a huge turnout of recent converts. It's so important here to try to strengthen those that are struggling changing their lives to live the Gospel Standards. 

The next day we had a lot of finding to we went and met up with Michael. With him we talked about Alma 36:26-end speaking about faith and such. He still doesn't feel ready to set a baptism date, and is leaving back to Jersey on December 15th I think. Hopefully he'll feel ready soon, but I really don't think he would until after like 6 months of investigating... 😖 We also stopped by a less active member Michelle, she's really cheeky she requests Sister Truman and I sing a song to her. So next week we are going to have something prepared for her. hehehe On the way down the stairs from her flat I saw a dog that looks so much like Oscar!! only Oscar is much older, fatter and larger in size. This dog was a Staffy with the same prints on his fur and was just standing under the stairs panting waiting to come inside to his flat. I felt a little bit emotional seeing that dog standing there, and gave it a good rub before leaving. I miss Oscar so much... 

Wednesday we had Zone Interview Training, it's like a meeting thing we do as a zone with the Mission President, his wife, STLs, APs and other speakers. It was pretty uplifting and gave us some awesome ideas to try out. I especially liked the 101 Ways To Do Missionary Work, pamphlet to give to Members when we visit their homes. We also challenge the members to do one thing that week and follow up on that thing later. While their I finally got some letters that were waiting for me at the mission home, YAY!! It was really nice. After ZIT we were surpose to meet up with Michael but he didn't show up, slacker!! We ended up walking back to city centre from Baxter Park and it was really cold walking after 4 o'clock it was already pitch black. It gets night time looking at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 

Thursday was a normal day of finding really hard, in the evening we tried this new thing we want to start in the ward called reach out night. It's when we get two sisters and two brothers in the ward going on Splits with missionaries. I thought it's pretty awesome, we just do it for an hour and a half going with a member teaching a investigator or visiting formers or seeing in-active members. The night before I was thinking about who I could visit and felt like giving Frank a call. He's a investigator that kinda dropped off the grid at the beginning of last transfer. He answered the phone and on Thursday Becky and I taught him. I re-committed him to be baptised and he agreed. Frank has had a really hard life and really wants to change things around through Christ. He found his friend dead two days ago and I taught him in more detail about what happens in the Spirit World, the spirit was so strong in the lesson. 

Friday was really really really cold, and that night it was suppose to get negative two degrees Celsius. The Christmas Lights were getting turned on that night and city centre looked like one big carvival. No one would talk to us and we felt invisible. And all of the crazy things going on were kinda distracting. We had to take a train to Edinburgh that night so things were just weird.

Saturday in Edinburgh I was with Sister Sams and we rocked it finding 9 Potential Investigators!! in 3 hours. I love GQing in Edinburgh you meet the coolest people and the city is beautiful. On the way back on the train that night, Sister Truman had a conversation with a drunk guy and she told him about what we do as missionaries. His name is Blair and he works on a oil rig. Some other drunk people were sitting behind us, they were all pretty nice and happy. The conversations they had to each other were really deep. Dundee when we arrived was all lighted up with Christmas lights and a huge Christmas tree!

Sunday we had Stake Conference, and one of the Seventy Elder Alan Phillips gave a talk, so did two members, Pres. Donaldson and Sister Donaldson and President Snee. It seemed to me be all about Member Missionary Work and reaching out to other people. I liked Elder Alan Phillips talk the best, it was all about how we should react to the promptings we receive to reach out to others and help them. God is trying to reach out to many of his children through his followers, we must be the light in the darkness to guild others. And how in Missionary work, there is away for everyone of us to participate in this work.

It's a really long email this week but it's been an awesome week and I just wanted to share. 

Stay warm!!

Sister Miranda Johnson,

November 13th 2016

Well what do I say about this week... It's been a really awful week in reality, I'm not going to exaggerate anything but tell it how it was. Last week I just had to usual P-day because Sister Truman and I are staying together in the same area this transfer. It's the first normal non different moves call I've ever had on my mission. I'm really glad to be staying here in Dundee with Sister Truman and I know that the both of us can still learn and grow together this transfer. It's a shorter transfer by a week and now I only have 4 more weeks left of this transfer before Christmas. Anyway, that wasn't the bad part of this week. Last Monday we had Cottage Evening, that's when the recent converts and investigators get together with the missionaries and some members in a members home and play games. We had a really good time but on the way there Sister Truman and I ran down a hill because we were running late, and I crushed my left foot in a strange way. It was super painful but I had to keep going and limped to the activity. The next morning at 1 am, I woke up to an ache in my left foot and couldn't walk on it. The pain intensified and I started to shivered from the pain. I called to Sister Truman and she was kinda freaking out, we called our leaders and they said just to elevate it and ice it until the morning. I was starting to think that I broke my foot or ankle. In the morning we went to the Hospital and they x-rayed it. It's fortunately not broken but I tore some of the ligaments in my foot. Great...

Tuesday was just going to the Hospital and Elevating my foot, Kyle and Colleen went to the doorway of our flat and kept us company. Wednesday I tried to walk on it but ended up limping/hopping a lot so we had some of the Keogh girls, help us. Sister Truman and one of them went GQing all day and another one would go with me and attempt to GQ and rested a lot. Because of that my foot got really big and the next day Thursday I tried to do a similar thing but it was a struggle so I was with Colleen in her flat. Friday it felt really weird not being with Sister Truman for almost 2 days in a row, so we spent the day GQing with each other and visiting a recent convert. Saturday I was falling unconscious because of exhaustion so in the late afternoon I ended up falling asleep at the Keogh's home while another girl went with Sister Truman. This week I felt so broken, sore, frustrated and tired. I will NEVER get sick or hurt EVER AGAIN!! it's the worst on your mission, I rather be outside in the freezing cold rain and getting rejected than not being able to do anything but be locked up in a flat for almost a whole week. I taught Michael, Patrick and Roisin this week and that was it.

We also got a new Zone Leader and District Leader. Elder Gibbs and Elder Wang. Gibbs is from Canada, haven't actually met him yet. Elder Wang is Elder Charlesworth's Companion in the Liff Ward, he's from Beijing China.  They have the District and Zone leaders call us every night. Personally I find it a bit annoying, they call us after 10 o'clock at night and I'm trying to get ready for bed. When they call us they just ask for our numbers (hours finding/teaching/potential investigators). 

I've decided that this next week is going to be awesome, nothing in Dundee is going to stop me! If I hurt my right foot, I'm going to just get crutches and keep going. (knocking on wood) 

Anyway, sorry that this email was lame.

Bye!

Guy Fox Night November 5th

Hello! 

I hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

This week was really strange and kinda sad, we had Halloween, Bon Fire night and terribly depressing weather. A lot of appointments fell through and some people that are recent converts cancelled or didn't show up multiple times this week. I'm doing okay though, just a little bit stressed out. For Halloween we had to be inside at 6 and the same for Bon fire night. Monday we went to a family home evening at the Keogh's home, they're a really big friendly family. They really adore Sister Truman so always want to have her over. Bon fire night was on Saturday evening, it's a celebration of Guy Fox, the man who tried to blow up the parliament building. The people here make huge bon fires and put a fake person in the fire on a stake in the middle of it. I would think that it would look kind of eerie but I never got to see it. They also set off a bunch of huge fireworks and play music along with it. It's seems to be just as big as fourth of July only most of it is the government lighting fireworks. People are allowed to buy fireworks here too but It seems to be much better to watch the concert like ones in the park. I hope that after my mission I'd be able to see bon fire night... 😕

We met a woman a week ago who approached us in the street about doing family history work and we said that we can definitely help her. We met up with her again at the Family History class and the members helped her out. She told us that it was very eye opening and she got emotional when she found out the names of her great grandparents . We asked her if she wanted to learn more about our church and she said yes. Unfortunately she had to cancel because she got sick, but we have her address and phone number so she won't get away HAHAH! Jk we don't stalk people... Family history is such a great missionary tool because when people know who their ancestors are they feel a closer relationship with them and we call that the Spirit of Elijah. 

Moves call was this Saturday and I'll be staying here with Sister Truman for another transfer whoop whoop! I'm happy that things will be staying the same, and I can really work this area out and we can make things actually MOVE this transfer. Next moves call is just before Christmas and I have a feeling that I might be the one to leave, who knows?

Bye for now!

Address for Letters

12 Dock Street Flat 5

Dundee, Scotland DD1 4BT

United Kingdom

Happy Halloween Everyone,

So I emailed more at the beginning of my P-day so nothing worth mentioning happened today.  We ran out of money this week so we were living off meal appointments bread, milk, eggs and oatmeal. Yummm... Amazingly we got offered to be feed 8 times this week, the members, recent converts and some of the investigators are awesome. I've been struggling to find miracles this week in the mission field, I really want to improve my finding efforts and try to be the best missionary I can be. Work in progress....

We finally saw Patrick and Rosin this week and they are doing well moving into their new house. I feel bad that it's taken us so long to see them, but they've been having a crazy schedule. I pray for a them to be baptized soon, because being investigators for over a year is getting really dangerous.

We also saw Michael like 4 times this week, we meet up with him in town, then on Friday we gave him a tour of the church because he was nervous about coming to Colleen's Baptism, he then went to the Baptism and went to Church this Sunday!! And said that he'll come next week too!! He's such a great guy, he's been keeping the Word of Wisdom ever since we taught him about it, except for a few times he accidently forgot. Michael is really nervous about telling his family about what he's been doing in his own words he said, "It'll be easier to say that I'm gay than to tell them that I'm a Mormon." Ouch... It's really sad to say though that in this day and age parents disown their adult children for joining the church. I always admire the dedication that people have for doing what they believe is right despite the consequences. 

On Tuesday President Donaldson, the Scotland Ireland Mission President, came to Dundee Zone and talked to us. He spoke about Ether 1 and 2, about the brother of Jared and prayer. He spoke about the way God requires us to be sincere in our Prayers and the ways God answers prayers, he then told us about his vision is to have Dundee Zone have 20 baptisms before the end of the year, which is a substantial amount in Europe. I know that President is a man of God and that we can accomplish this Goal with the help of our God. That would mean that for this Zone every companionship with have to baptize 2 souls and them some would need to bring another 6 souls. 

Colleen was baptized this week, she's an amazing girl about the same age as me. She's been introduced to the church about a year ago and was investigating with missionaries for 3 months. Elder Martin was the Missionary that really helped her have to desire to be baptized, he skyped into the baptism because he's home now. It was like three in the morning in Utah. It was the perfect baptism, she was well prepared for it. Afterwards we had lunch with her at Nando's for the tradition.

The brother of the Girl (Jon Schmidt's from the Piano Guys) that went missing is apparently in our mission, I admire him for continuing his service despite what is happening at home. So many missionaries have crazy stuff happening at home and yet they continue to do the work that their Heavenly Father has assigned them to do.

I hope that everyone is doing well.

October 24th, 2016

Hiya!

This week was kind of a drag, because I got the stomach flu right in the middle of it. We had to stay in the flat for a day and a half, so I wouldn't get any worst and it would be over quickly. I'm really noticing my weaknesses this transfer with myself in missionary work and regular stuff that I need to improve my skills at in life. One of which is organisation, I really need to be more organised and remember things to do. It doesn't help writing it down because when you actually need do be doing it I'm out in and about not looking at something all the time. I also need to work on team work, especially being a leader directing the team work. I need to be helping my companion know what she needs to be doing to help the effort, I shouldn't just expect that she'll know what to do and how to do it. I also need be a WAY better a GQing, Oh how I wished we learnt how to have a conversation with random people on the street. It's just been a week of humility and learning for me. This is basically how my days went this week:

Monday: Cleaning flat then GQing at night

Tuesday: Assistants to the President or APs, came to our zone and we had a Zone Conference on the big 5, and role playing them in our District meetings. Which are things that our mission has, but are in Preach My Gospel only simpler. We role played the Holy Ghost Principle, Sister Truman rocked it! I'm so proud of her. But none of it was me, she's an awesome missionary. Afterwards all of us Sisters in the Zone went out and ate McDonalds... yumm. It wasn't that bad, they have these wraps now or they are just in Europe, but they taste pretty good and cheap. I also love their Cadbury McFurry Flavours. ANYWAY! We then were suppose to see a Recent convert but she never showed up. and the rest of the day was alright. Ended with Ward Council and Ward Co-ordination. I love going to these meetings because it helps me get to know the ward better, helps me give the Ward opportunities to help us and we can help them as well in their missionary work. 

Wednesday: I woke up at 4am feeling sick and then spent the morning wandering around town like a zombie till the Elders were able to give me a blessing which told me I should stay in the flat and rest. 

Thursday: Couldn't leave the flat all day...

FRIDAY: SO MUCH FINDING! and went to the wards Curry and Desert Night. Only in the UK you would have something called a Curry and Desert Night. Sister Truman was blessed to have her first curry. I could not believe that I've had two companions that had their first curry with me.

Saturday: MORE FINDING, a few appointments fell through again. In the Evening we went to Sister Cavin's, she's a mother of 7 boys!!! 30ish to 20ish now. It's starting to get dark at 5pm now, so it's scary to be out and about talking to people on the street when it's pitch black.

Sunday: Church, and had a Baptism this evening of a young man called Sam. He was a former investigator that an Elder found a few months ago and then the Elder returned to the same area. Randomly met Sam on the street again and started to teach him. He then had a change of heart and wanted to get Baptised. It had a powerful spirit at his Baptism, I love watching people come unto Christ. I can't wait to have my own investigators enter the gate of Eternal Life.

Monday/Today: We went shopping for Sister Truman's backpack. Yeah we are allowed those in this mission, I wish I knew before I left. :P And then doing some finding tonight.

Hope every has a good week!

October 17th, 2016 University of St.Andrews

Hiya!! People say that a lot here.

So this week has flown by way too quickly, it's hard when you feel like you've done nothing and time just trickle through your fingers. We had so many appointments scheduled this week but yet again they fell through. I still don't know what happened to Frank, I hope that he's okay. This week was the week of Recent converts that needs to be watched over, Rayann and Shirley. We saw them it feels like 3 times this week, Shirley was moving out and she's a single mum. Thankfully she had a lot of friends around, the Elders came down for an hour and carried some heavy stuff. It brought me back to when my family and I, moved to America and had a big container and boxes to unpack but the members of Mountainville 2nd Ward showed up and helped us out. I think Shirley could've received help from members but she didn't have a ton of stuff. We had ward coordination this Tuesday, the Elders didn't come because one of them hasn't been feeling well for the past few weeks, now he's in Edinburgh and may or may not be coming back to Dundee. I'm glad that he isn't going home and toughing it out, but it's sad that we won't be seeing him any more in Dundee.

Meng took us out to a Chinese Buffet for his farewell dinner, he said that the place was 70% Chinese and that the food looked Chinese but didn't taste Chinese. He said that he'll find me a Chinese cookbook in English because he thinks I have good potential to be a good Chinese cook. Hahaha! It was alright, but I think meng is right, it doesn't taste Chinese. People here have a very plain pallet of taste, they don't like spicy food or anything too weird. The Chinese Buffet didn't even have chop-sticks on the table!! I asked for some and showed off to Meng my chop stick skills, I have to say they've vastly improved over the years. Thank you Nam!! One day I will go to China and try chicken feet, Cow tonged, guts, feet, pig ears and all of that yummy stuff! I'm really sad to see Meng go back to China, and I hope he emails all of his Missionary friends soon. Later on that day we saw Michael, he seems to be almost done reading the Book of Mormon, he's really sincere about finding an answer for himself and I admire that so much. We hope to give him a tour of the chapel later this week so he'd feel more comfortable about going to church. 

Thursday was ALL-SCOTLAND!!! Whooop! I love seeing all of the missionaries that you never see and hearing the incoming missionaries and the going home missionaries testimonies. I forgot to tell Sister Truman that she was giving her testimony in-front of all the missionaries in Scotland. Opps. I don't regret not telling her because then she has less time to be nervous about it. She and the other missionaries gave lovely testimonies. Sister Muller, the STL (sister training leader) from Germany is going home at the end of this transfer. I'm sad to see her go and she seems to be not too excited to leave either. She kinda let go of home and absorb mission life and it'll be like loosing her home and family going back to Germany. I feel like I might get that way, I'm starting to love mission life and get used to how things run. I don't think I would ever want to imagine what it's like going home early from your mission. At All-Scotland we were re-taught all of the basics from the Big Five(My Conversion Formula, how to get a 2nd Appointment, How can I have a Model area, 4 Steps to Qualifying Appointments and The Holy Ghost Principle), to Missionary Handbooks Always and Nevers, ironing Shirts and other such things. It was good to do it I think because most of the people in the mission now are really new and most haven't been out more than 9 months. 

On Friday we had dinner with Lawrence and Ann Sophie, they are awesome! We had a German dinner with a fantastic potato salad (I need to get the recipe) and 

Schnitzel. They are also great Ward Missionaries! Lawrence served his mission in Germany and Ann Sophie is German. Wow I have a lot about germans in this weeks email... Anyway Lawrence is helping us out by going through the member list marking the active, less active and part member families. I'm planning to get the members in the Liff Ward more involved with missionary work or start to get them more involved, hopefully... 

Saturday was like a blink in the eye, we traveled to Kriton and while we were staring at the bus schedule map, a voice behind us said, So where are we going? turning around we saw THE APS behind us!! (AP, assistants to the president) it was so strange to see them in Dundee I was so confused for a second. We asked them about the bus schedule, realize we were at the wrong stop and need to go the other direction and ran away. We also ended up being 30 minutes late to a dinner appointment that night with the Manuels but it didn't see to bother them that much thankfully. They made a FANTASTIC Banoffee pie, I suggest everyone at home to try making Banoffee pie, you don't need digestives, gram crackers would work just as well. and also you don't need pre-made caramel, just cook sweet and condense milk, with Brown sugar and butter. Google it. Basically you crush gram crackers, mix melted butter cover the mixer at the bottom of a tray, place it in the fridge to harden, then you get sliced bananas lay them over the gram crackers, make caramel with the sweet and condensed milk, pour it over the bananas, then whip some cream, cover everything with cream, crush some chocolate (they have a chocolate bar called flakes here, that is really light and has a different texture) What I think you can do is grate a block of chocolate over the cream, being generous and wala!! You have Banoffee!! It's so good and so easy!! 

Men and Sister Miranda Johnson

Sunday I walk for 4 miles to church and then 4 mile back to the flat in the rain...

something but we wanted to keep the Sabbath day holy so we walked. It was a REALLY LONG walk. it was all up hill to church and super cold on the way back. Sister Truman and I were silent almost the whole way home, it was kinda miserable. But hey now we have something to say in a lesson if some one is complaining about how hard it is to keep the Sabbath day holy, IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO NO GO SHOPPING! TRY WALKING 8 MILES IN THE RAIN! 

We got a ride from Sister Keogh to the dinner appointment with her family thankfully and the Calvins gave us a ride to the missionary class we had that night.

And now we are on today, didn't do anything exciting this P-day because the flat desperately needed to be cleaned. So many ELDER SOCKS! And we've started to decorate for Christmas, I'm really excited to start listening to Christmas music. And October isn't even over yet... can we please skip Halloween and just have Christmas now? 

Hope everyone is doing well at home and getting excited about Halloween, they seem to have an Americanized Halloween here, there are Halloween stores, orange pumpkins and candy everywhere. I'm excited to see what it's like. I love walking into the grave yards here because they are from the 18th century cemeteries, There is a lot of huge grave stones too. One night when we were walking at 7pm, it was pitch black I saw that there were paper crane looking chain of lights hung in the tree is a really old grave yard, with creepy music playing. Sister Truman and I walked through it. I though it was really cool, I think it's a temporary art piece that's called the luminous birds, you can probably look it up. It reminded me of the Asian horror games, that are spooky and strange.

I just want to end this email on a spiritual note but I'm not sure how to now, this has turned into a really weird weekly letter... 

I'll just end with talking about the sacrament, I wish that we can all make sacrament meeting more of a spiritual experience, when we partake of this amazing ordinance we have the opportunity to become more Christ-like to use the atonement of Jesus Christ. It's the number 1 most important moment in our week that the sacrifice that our Savior has made can have full effect in our life. Before the meeting the whole chapel hall must be quite and peaceful to allow those who wish to contemplate the repentance processes they've participated in that week and to feel the love of God come over them. I miss having more peaceful, and quiet alone time moments with my God. Personal Prayers are another one of my favourite parts of missionary work, I used to find praying such a bother and waste of time. But now I love them because I feel a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father and feel like I'm coming to know him better. I've been working on identifying the moments when my prayers are answered and also asking for the right things in my prayers. 

Praying for all of you! Feel free to email me!

University of St. Andrews Oct 10, 2016

First of all every need to wish my mum a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! She's an amazing person and deserves the best birthday ever!

This week as gone by way to quickly. White washing has been very difficult experience especially when you're a trainee, I don't know what's productive and who is who or what's the best time to call people and I keep forgetting to call and remind people about appointments and the Bus schedule is some times really hard to understand especially when it's in 24 hour time. I would come back to the flat every single night exhausted and it's difficult to be obedient when you feel sick and it's a trainee and they don't really understand what is right and what's wrong. Last Monday we went to St Andrews, ate some famous ice-cream, walked on the beach, and ate at Nandos. Apparently St Andrews is a famous place but I knew nothing about it before my mission... Now I know a lot. St Andrews now has their own missionaries, because the Mission President want to try out some areas around the mission, I wonder how receptive the University of St. Andrews students are to the Gospel... It'll be interesting to see what happens. 

On Thursday we had exchanges with the STL's (Sister Training Leaders) in Edinburgh, Sister Sams is a brand new STL and Sister Muller is a friend of mine and is going home at the end of this transfer, back to Germany. I got to be with her for the whole day and it was too much fun. Sister Muller and I was wearing matching Bratwurst Coats. I felt like a sausage, the night before Sister Truman and I did a really hard work-out and all of my limbs ached and felt like jelly. It's was also funny because all of the Scottish people were wearing T-Shirts and/or Shorts and we were in these huge coat freezing! It was a pretty sunny day but the temperature was low and it was kinda windy.

Then on Friday we went back to Dundee and felt utterly exhausted... That evening the Gilmores ordered us pizza and we had a pizza party in our bedroom and watch a movie about the Book of Mormon. I'm turning into such a boring person now, that anything I can watch is super entertaining now. I'm getting really excited for Christmas because we get to have a G or PG, movie marathon to celebrate Christmas. WHOOOHOOO!! 

Sister Truman (from St. George, Utah) and Sister Johnson

On Saturday we went to the Pancake house with our investigator Michael, and Sister Turman and I shared a plate, and let me just say, the pancakes were super disappointing. The Pancake House doesn't deserve it's name Pancake house, it's more like house of disappointment. 

Sunday was an alright day we went to Church and met some of the members. I forgot what normal Utah Church was like and didn't feel weird about it, until Sister Truman whispered to me Church in Scotland is very different than home, as we sat in 

Sister Muller from Germany and Sister Johnson

Relief Society meeting listening to the Sister's sing in their Scottish accents. Yes, Yes it is. But I've gotten so used to it. Poor Sister Truman has to get used to so many different things here in the Mission. I pray for her every night. That night we ran around in the dark, because it was super cold and the buses don't work very well on Sunday, they come like once and hour or not at all at some times of the day. It's starting to get pitch black at 7 o'clock now. I'm not looking forward for it to get dark at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 

Miss you all!

Sister Johnson,

October 3rd, 2016

Greeting Everyone!

So I have a brand new companion Sister Truman she's from St George Utah and is the cutest lit' Trainee ever! I'm so excited to be training her in Dundee. White Washing for the second time is exhausting I don't know who I should talk to, where I should go and what I'm suppose to be doing. I think this mission White Washes more than other missions but I don't really know. For those who don't know what White Washing is, it's when both Missionaries in a companionship weren't in the area before the transfer and don't know anything about the area. I guess this isn't entirely white washing since I did GQ and teach here a few times before, but Sister Six organised everything and I wasn't in this area that much.

We ended up moving flats as well. So we spent the first day in this area moving to a different flat that the Elders were in originally. It's a REALLY nice flat, We had quite large rooms with high ceilings and big windows. Big Queen Size Beds, clean and the kitchen is fine enough. It's address is Flat 5 12 Dock Street. I don't know the Zip code so don't mail letters to this address yet. The flat is right in City Centre and would have an excellent view of Tay Bridge if not for the giant construction sight. One minus is that the window are old and doesn't keep out the air of outside and the sound, but we managed to work out how to turn on the heating so it's really warm in the bedroom.

Sister Truman is cold all of the time, I feel bad for her she don't know cold yet. The weather in Dundee has been really nice lately and mild. Hasn't rained at all while we are out and it's just a bit windy. She's having a hard time adjusting to missionary life and felt like these last few days have sucked. For me this week as been pretty alright, we got to meet some people and didn't get lost. Also had some dinner appointments. I hope that she'll get used to things quickly, any tips on what I can do to make things easier for her???? Being a trainer is tough. I feel a lot of stress and pressure. I was used to having a companion to help me with things working together with them, but it's not like that with Sister Truman. I have to step up and do a lot of things on my own. It's especially hard with White washing because I don't know what is happening here too. Ahhh!! I'm not very good at being productive, remembering everything and stepping up. But I'm glad I get this opportunity to grow and have a new experience this transfer to learn. If I can get through this and work hard I know I'm going to become a better Missionary and help with Life skills.

I'm SO excited to be in Dundee this is where things are happening, it's definitely a GQing area so I'm going to have to improve on my GQing skills... 😧

I love the Recent Converts here and there is a lot of investigators that have been investigating for awhile that seems like they are friends with all of the missionaries which is strange... 

Michael is a new investigators we started teaching 2 weeks ago and we've been seeing him way too much that it's over whelming him so we are giving him a break and seeing him on Thursday Morning for Pancakes. Hopefully it'll help him feel less pressure and relax him. He's so funny though, I need to right now some quotes from him...

MangSing, or Meng is a recent convert that got baptised like 4 weeks ago, went to the Temple is Preston this week end!! He had such a good time, he went with the YSA of Dundee 2nd Ward (Liff Ward). Apparently he ran around the area around the temple with Mark (Another Chinese RC) and other new people trying to find food for lunch and was really hungry all day. 

General Conference was this week end and I LOVED IT SO MUCH! Thomas S. Monson and Deter F. Uchtdorf  taught about the Plan of Salvation and I loved the emphasises that we HAVE THE TRUTH, we know where we came from why we are here and where we are going. It's amazing that we've been placed to have this and Uchtdorf talked about how as we become more familiar with some thing no matter how marvellous it is, it becomes common place and seems to loose it's value. Reflect on the significance of the simple doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, one such simple but amazing truth we had is the fact that we are a Child of God, ponder, study and reflect on the great Plan of Happiness and feel the Holy Ghost confirm the truth, and testify of it's significance.  

Love this quote.

Dundee, Scotland Missionaries

3rd October 2016

Greeting Everyone!

So I have a brand new companion Sister Truman she's from St George Utah and is the cutest lit' Trainee ever! I'm so excited to be training her in Dundee. White Washing for the second time is exhausting I don't know who I should talk to, where I should go and what I'm suppose to be doing. I think this mission White Washes more than other missions but I don't really know. For those who don't know what White Washing is, it's when both Missionaries in a companionship weren't in the area before the transfer and don't know anything about the area. I guess this isn't entirely white washing since I did GQ and teach here a few times before, but Sister Six organised everything and I wasn't in this area that much.

We ended up moving flats as well. So we spent the first day in this area moving to a different flat that the Elders were in originally. It's a REALLY nice flat, We had quite large rooms with high ceilings and big windows. Big Queen Size Beds, clean and the kitchen is fine enough. It's address is Flat 5 12 Dock Street. I don't know the Zip code so don't mail letters to this address yet. The flat is right in City Centre and would have an excellent view of Tay Bridge if not for the giant construction sight. One minus is that the window are old and doesn't keep out the air of outside and the sound, but we managed to work out how to turn on the heating so it's really warm in the bedroom.

Sister Truman is cold all of the time, I feel bad for her she don't know cold yet. The weather in Dundee has been really nice lately and mild. Hasn't rained at all while we are out and it's just a bit windy. She's having a hard time adjusting to missionary life and felt like these last few days have sucked. For me this week as been pretty alright, we got to meet some people and didn't get lost. Also had some dinner appointments. I hope that she'll get used to things quickly, any tips on what I can do to make things easier for her???? Being a trainer is tough. I feel a lot of stress and pressure. I was used to having a companion to help me with things working together with them, but it's not like that with Sister Truman. I have to step up and do a lot of things on my own. It's especially hard with White washing because I don't know what is happening here too. Ahhh!! I'm not very good at being productive, remembering everything and stepping up. But I'm glad I get this opportunity to grow and have a new experience this transfer to learn. If I can get through this and work hard I know I'm going to become a better Missionary and help with Life skills.

I'm SO excited to be in Dundee this is where things are happening, it's definitely a GQing area so I'm going to have to improve on my GQing skills... 😧

I love the Recent Converts here and there is a lot of investigators that have been investigating for awhile that seems like they are friends with all of the missionaries which is strange... 

Michael is a new investigators we started teaching 2 weeks ago and we've been seeing him way too much that it's over whelming him so we are giving him a break and seeing him on Thursday Morning for Pancakes. Hopefully it'll help him feel less pressure and relax him. He's so funny though, I need to right now some quotes from him...

MangSing, or Meng is a recent convert that got baptised like 4 weeks ago, went to the Temple is Preston this week end!! He had such a good time, he went with the YSA of Dundee 2nd Ward (Liff Ward). Apparently he ran around the area around the temple with Mark (Another Chinese RC) and other new people trying to find food for lunch and was really hungry all day. 

General Conference was this week end and I LOVED IT SO MUCH! Thomas S. Monson and Deter F. Uchtdorf  taught about the Plan of Salvation and I loved the emphasises that we HAVE THE TRUTH, we know where we came from why we are here and where we are going. It's amazing that we've been placed to have this and Uchtdorf talked about how as we become more familiar with some thing no matter how marvellous it is, it becomes common place and seems to loose it's value. Reflect on the significance of the simple doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, one such simple but amazing truth we had is the fact that we are a Child of God, ponder, study and reflect on the great Plan of Happiness and feel the Holy Ghost confirm the truth, and testify of it's significance.  

Love this quote