March 13th, 2017 Welcoming a new companion, Sister Parker from Utah

Hello!

I'm getting a new companion and staying in Ayr this transfer. I get Sister Parker, who was previously in Glasgow so she doesn't have to move very far. She'll also be going home in 4.5 months. I hope that I don't get too bored of the Area, this will be the longest I've ever stayed in a Area this coming transfer. I'm really nervous and excited to have a new companion though. Sister Lawson was really upset to leave Ayr, she was crying the whole day on Sunday. She's going to Oban which I seen pictures people have showed her of the town, it's a beautiful place, she's going to fall inlove with that town as well. 

So this week we taught two new people. James and Robert. They are both recovering Heroin Addicts, well... one is the other one is still taking Heroin. It's disappointing because James wants to stop but he keeps taking it and he's been to mental hospitals, rehab and prison. We were suppose to teach him yesterday but he took it just when he left his flat to meet us, and showed up to the appointment higher than the moon. Robert is taking Methadone which is a medicated form of Heroin, it last longer in the system and the pharmacist controls the dosage. Robert was taught by missionaries a few months ago, but they suddenly stopped teaching him. He's a really nice guy and sincere about God, he's been going to a Catholic church for a few months now. 

We had like 3 new people we were suppose to teach this last week, but they cancelled and rescheduled to this week. So hopefully Sister Parker and I will be teaching a lot more people soon. We were suppose to see Naomi Lee this weekend, the mother that lives in Cumnock but when we called her home her partner answered and said she wasn't home. I hope that we'll find out from her whether or not she wants to meet again.

Isabella and Hope Kerr, we saw on Friday night and they seem to both be doing alright, Isabel made it to Church on Sunday but Hope has only been once. The less active family that lives next to the Church, the Kennady's had us over for dinner on Thursday night didn't make it to church as well. Sandra Burns is another less active that usually has us for lunch didn't come too. It's really a test of patience to work with Less actives, because they commit to do things and they just don't do it. The key to it I think is to figure out what will motivated them to come.

On Thursday we went around Dalmiling, chapping on Less Active, and in-active members houses. We got some they don't live here any more and I don't want anything more to do with the Church! If people don't want anything more to do with they church why are they still a member? It doesn't make sense to me... In order for some one to not be a member anymore, they need to write a letter to the bishop and request to no longer be on the records. But if they just leave it be, they'll keep getting visits from us. We chapped one door and a lady named Maggie, let us in, she's a member but suffers from Anxiety so it's hard for her to go to church with a large group of people she doesn't know very well. She wants to quit smoking so we'll see if we can help her with that. 

That was my week, not very interesting and full of finding. The weather was pretty good didn't get a lot of rain, it's starting to look like spring.  

Photos of a Scottish Home.

This is one of the Scottish homes we visited.

May 6th, 2017

This has been another long week of finding, but fortunately we are beginning to see more success in stopping people and getting their contact details, when this happens be call them a Potential Investigator. I'm been feeling a bit more positive about Ayr since the Sister Training Leaders went on exchanges with us and I'm ready to stay here another transfer. We have moves call this Saturday 12th of March. I'm expecting Sister Lawson to move, probably back to Ireland. I predicting that I might stay in Ayr, which would be the longest time I've ever stayed in a Area. We can never know for sure though, because it's all dependent on where the Lord wants us to be. We had a really cool experience this week on Wednesday, where in the morning Sister Lawson prayed that we would be able to speak to some people previously taught by missionaries and give them to opportunity to learn again. That day we spoke to so many people that were once taught by missionaries, they shared their experience and we met one young woman named Teej that wouldn't mind meeting up again. I think I could count 5 people that day that took the time to speak to us and had been taught previously, which is really unusual to happen in one day. We also had a some what scary experience this week.  

On Thursday night we stopped by the church on our way home to maybe do some cleaning, it was really dark and about half past seven. We got there and saw that the gate was unlocked and two lights were left on. It was really strange and we felt too uncomfortable to enter into the church, so we just locked the gate and called Bishop to let him know. Sister Lawson and I both grew a little paranoid and scared, so we decided to go to high street to GQ till 9pm. On the way there we walk past our flat which is fortunate because of the event which after took place. We were walking down a street up a hill, when behind us a man that didn't sound quite right (he sounded like he was on drugs or drunk) as he called  out. we looked around us and there were no one else that he could be calling too. We crossed the road, and he immediately crossed the road as well. I looked at Sister Lawson and we speed up our pace, behind us the man increased speed as well. We walked even faster, I was ahead of Sister Lawson now because I wanted to walk faster than the current pace we were on. Sister Lawson later tells me that she couldn't walk the speed I was going, at the time though I just wanted to get out of there never mind that my companion was too slow. (I had the strongest will survive mentality at the time) I looked behind me at Sister Lawson and saw that the man was literally 6 paces behind her now. When we got to the end of the street we turned left and ran across the road to our Flat. We entered behind the flat so he couldn't see where we went, the rest of the night we refused to leave our flat. After that I can't decided if we were just paranoid or the man was actually trying to approach us. I don't want to know for sure... One thing I learnt for sure is that working out is important, for the moments you need to walk faster than your companion. Hahaha!! I'm so mean... I told her that I was planning on running at him and punching him in the face if he did catch up to her, but she won't forgive me. 

On Sunday we had dinner with Sister Met San Soh, Singapourian lady who's married to a non-member that's an Australian. They built their dream house in the middle of nowhere and it's a beautiful home. The outside looks like a old barn, with the unpolished grey wood. But inside it's like a Asian explores home, with old worn wooden pieces and art from Asia and United Kingdom. She and her husband has lived all over the world, and their children with them. I has disappointed that her husband is rude about missionaries, he refuses to eat with the missionaries when they come over and won't talk to us. I'm grateful that my father is tolerant to the beliefs my family has and isn't disrespectful to guest that come to our home from our church. 

 Hope every thing is well, 

Bye!

Aren't they so beautiful !! - our girls serving together and got new hair cuts — with Kathleen Jeanette Lawson

A fresh new look for these Sister Missionaries, instead of the wind blown and wet look.  

February 27th, 2017

Hello everyone!! 

It's been a long long week, I pushed through it and now we are here it's Monday once again.  Sister Lawson and I got our hair done on Monday, a member in Ayr paid for it and it was at a pretty alright beauty salon. I felt kinda like a rough hard mountain hiker that just walked into a doll house, when I walked in. My hair a complete mess from the rain and wind. The hair dresser washed me hair and I got it cut pretty short once again and layered, Sister Lawson got highlights. i know you guys are all sooo interested to know this. Hahaha so I'm going to stop right there and continue on with the rest of my week.

Tuesday. Boring wet and cold day.

Wednesday, in the morning we left for GLASGOW! We had exchanges with the Glasgow STLs. In the SIM we have I think 4 sets of STLs. STLs in Dublin, Belfast, Dundee, and Glasgow and the STLTs in Edinburgh. So much! (Sister Training Leaders, go on exchanges with other sisters and assist the President in training them) I was with Sister Esplin, who's from Alaska, but her parents are originally from Utah. It's so great to be back in a city where there is alot of people to stop and talk to on the street. They seem so much more polite and open than people in Ayr. Most of the GQing missionaries do in Glasgow seem to be on Byers Street and near the University there. We met with an investigator of the STL's named Ian at the Fraser Building. He's a Malaysian guy, studying something to do with Genetics. It was really funny teaching because he wrote down all these questions he's had while studying the Book of Mormon, he said that he's going in to so much Depth because his grandfather appeared to him in a dream and said "Read the Book and the truth will be revealed" I'm laughing right now because I'm imagining his grandfather saying this in the funky Malaysian accent, that sounds kinda Indian if you don't know what their accent sounds like. Anyway... It's really cool how invested he is to find out the truth.

After Dinner I met the STL's recent converts, two young women in University. They were super nice, I felt weird though teaching females close to my age. That never happens. We also taught a gay guy that evening that's a balding ginger and unusually sweaty, he's pretty nice and seems interested. I'm curious to see how far he'll go. He works every Sunday and is really busy so that's a problem. 

Thursday we taught a pretty swell lady that Sister Lawson was teaching before I came, but since Susan got her eye surgery that didn't go so well she hasn't been able to met with us. Susan is a freaking rock star! She's in her 50s I believe and is so active her whole life. She works for the queen untill recently she retired. She also was training to be an Olympic athelete and also was a trainer, she worked with Usain Bolt and knows him personally. Oh my goodness Susan is so cool. She's definately a mum to and talked about her son so much! I hope that she's still met with missionaries after Sister Lawson leaves in a few weeks probably. Besides from teaching Susan it was just a really long day in the rain and wind, trying to find.

Friday We did whatever we could to find people to teach. When we were heading to the university and walking between building, we did the usual greeting people with Hi, How are You? trying to get people to start a conversation with us, when we called out to a guy and he yelled at us while walking quickly, "I'm not in the mood for Mormons!" we just said "Hope you have a good day." and then kept walking. The man a short while later returned and apologies and said, "that was really rude of me, I've just been having a bad day sorry." We told him it was fine. I think this is the first time some one has actually apologised for being rude, it was nice for a change. 

Saturday We travelled to Cumnock with some kind members to follow up on a online referral. It's about a half an hour car ride there from Ayr. We taught this wonderful woman Naomi, she was an exchange student in Lehi Utah 20 years ago and has kept  intouch with a woman there. Her mum was recently diagnosed with terrminal oral cancer, and wanted to be reminded about the Plan of Salvation. We unexpectedly dropped by on Saturday morning and when she opened the door she looked so relieved and happy to see us. She quickly invited us in and we had a beautiful lesson with her. When we gave her a new Book of Mormon she started crying, and thanked us for coming over, she said that speaking about the Plan of Salvation has made her feel so much calm and peace about life. Naomi is also a special needs teacher and she said that this also gave her comfort for the children she is teaching. Her son also has a genetic disorder. I loved the moment we had to speak to her, hopefully we'll see her again on the 11th of March to talk to her more. 

Sunday was a long day as well, but we were able to sit down with Aairon's mum and organise his baptism on the 12th of March. He'll be baptised before church and then in that sacrament meeting he'll recieve the Gift of the Holy Ghost and be confirmed as a member. I'm so excited for him!

Hope everyone is doing well, 

                                                                                           

February 20, 2017

Hello everyone!

The week as been a very positive week over what has been happening this month. The people seemed to become more open now that the year has begun to get back to normal and it's getting warmer too! Remember when I say warmer it's not warm, it's just not as freezing.

We worked so hard lately and I know the Lord knows our sacrifices, the blessings have been coming to us abundantly lately. Aairon the 10 year old boy we've been teaching forever, now has a date for the 11th of March!! I'm so excited for him, he's excited too. I don't think it's just the Baptism part that he's excited about maybe the massive Costco Cake that Sister Sharky promised him, after he agreed to be baptised of course. We don't bribe people to make convanents. 

Graham has been consistantly a pain these past few months and we came to the concultion that we need to drop him. I can't say I'm that disappointed and sad, he's made missionary work here unenjoyable, stressful and unhappy. I don't like dropping people, but if they refuse to keep commitments and progress there is nothing more that can be done for him.

There is another old man Patrick that has been texting us every day non-stop demanding that we see him and met with him. He text stuff like "Where are you?", even at 9 o'clock at night he sends "Meet me now". And then he accuses us for not having faith. Patrick was only taught by us once, we told him finally that he makes us feel uncomfortable with his messages and that we would still welcome him at our church services if he's interested. He continued to message us with increasingly abusive messages until we blocked his number. I'm a little bit concerned to see him again in the street, but it'll only be in public so he can't do anything.

Really besides from those two men, the people in Ayr were mostly pretty nice this week. We had long spiritual conversations with people on the street, where they told us about their struggles in life and we spoke to them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then ended with a Prayer with them. Most of the people weren't interested with meeting up with us, but at least they had a positive up-lifiting experience with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint Missionaries. 

We finally saw the Kennedy's this week, they are the less active family that lives next door to the Church. They are moving soon because of the abuse they recieve from their neighbours. Sister Lawson knows them well and she said that their is a difference in their home. The Spirit is present. Brother Kennedy has been starting to read and study the book of Mormon lately. They said the prompting to just move away came from God while they were praying about their problems.

On Saturday the Edinburgh STLSTL Sister Paxman came with the Glasgow STL Sister Esplin and had exchanges with us in our area. I got to be with Sister Paxman and she's my favourite Sister Missionary in this mission. I really enjoyed spending the day with her, I drove the Glasgow STL's car around. Funny thing about that car is that it's the same car that I had in Perth but got moved to the Glasgow STL's car. So yeah I drove my old car around and we got lost and ended up going to Annesland on our way back from Barassie. I felt so bad for wasting time, I'm really appreciative now for not having a car in this area. We had lunch with Sister Kerr, while Sister Lawson and Esplin were at lunch with Sister Burn. I love the Family! Hope and Isabel was there and we taught them the Plan of Salvation, they are less active so re-learning the lessons and asking deeper questions about it really helps them strengthen their testimony. It was a precious moment talking about Eternal Families, Isabel has been through two rough marriage. She's grateful for them though because of her children she received. In order to be sealed to her children, she need to be sealed also to her children's father. The daughter Hope, testified to her that even though she needs to be sealed to her father only if the father is worthy enough to stand besided them they don't need to be with him also for all eternity. Hope has found in her heart a belief that if he is worthy to be beside her mother he must have changed mightly through the atonement. Isabel agreed that even though it's hard to forgive him of the abuse he's caused her, it's nor her place to with hold temple blessings from him. Only the Lord can judge.

I loved this week and hope for better weeks to come.

Hope that everyone else is doing well,

Cya

Letter to Mum.

Hello Mum,

I'll be looking forward to reading a new book. Mum you have NO IDEA how much I long to pick up a book and read it. It's seriously killing me just being able to read lds books. 😥 First thing I'm going to do when I get home, after sleeping and talking to you guys. Is find a place of solitude and warmth, and read a whole entire novel. I'm itiching to read Lord of the Rings or Fablehaven, because it's opposite to what I've been reading for the last 18 months. I really didn't appreciate reading that much before my mission and didn't really understand how important it was to me. After I read that novel, I'm going to get my Biology textbook and study it. Then I'm grab my trumpet and practice, then I'll go for a run alone, then I'll  listen to music or go to a concert with Chantel, then I'll go to a Mexican restrauant with the family, then I'm going fishing with Dad, then I'm going to diet like none other, then I'll get a job, then I'll sort out how to do math and school again. And during some point I'm going to some how get to St George and bask in the sunlight, aborbing so much Vitimine c and d

Is it bad that I already have a ton of stuff I'm itching to do when I get home?

Besides from missing all of those things it's been a good week, as you saw from my email. I'll write a letter to you again some time, but I don't have that much more to say. I hope that you'll listen to my thoughts and ideas, that you didn't just brush everything aside that I thought long and hard about. I hope you take me seriously like the adult I'm becoming, know that I do see the world as well and has some wisdom and experience of my own, no matter how small it may be.

Love you

Sister Johnson,