February 6th, 2017

Hello!

So next time I email I would've hit my 9 MONTH mark, half way through. Goodness, it feels like I've been on my mission forever now. That's okay though I'm glad I still have a lot of time left to make a difference and if I did have less than 9 months left I would be really sad because I have so much more I need to improve, change and some how make a impact. This week has felt unusually long because it's been filled with a lot of ups and downs. On Monday we went to a ton of different places to grocery shop because we can, and didn't actually need to buy any food because we get a dinner appointment every night. After resting in the flat I felt an ich to run, for exercise everyday we have a bike in the flat and I cycle for an hour in the evenings, morning exercise I do sit-ups, push-ups, lunges and squats. Just in case if you wanted to know... So we went to Barassie  earlier and I ran laps along the beach while Sister Lawson wrote letters. 

Tuesday was a day full of GQing (Stopping and talking to people on the streets) and members bought us lunch at a restaurant called the Treehouse. And then that evening we taught Aairon, the 10 year old boy with Sister Cairns. Aairon suprisingly knew alot of the stuff because he remembered us teaching him about it before! He seems to be actually learning and remembering the stuff we are teaching him. I'm so happy for him and know that he'll be ready to be baptized soon.

Wednesday Sister Lawson had her foot checked again and has more exercises to do on her foot.  We taught Cameron with Jack, Cameron is a guy we met on the street last week and he's super nice. He loves his family so much and always looks after the younger children. While we were teaching him he was very intereactive in asking questions and putting in his own input and understanding, it was very refreashing. Cameron is only 17 but will be turning 18 this month. 

Jack also helped us teach Daniel, another young guy. Sister Lawson has been teaching him for a few months now and we don't know what more we can do to help him progress. He's struggling to keep a lot of the commandments like the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom, this coming week we are going to have the Bishop help us teach him. Does anyone have a suggestion on what we can do to help him move forward?

Thursday was ALL SCOTLAND!!! We had to wake up at 4 am to take the train to Edinburgh, which is always a pain. But besides from that is was a good day, Elder Johnson from the Seventy came and spoke to us about the Broadcast, instead of him giving a talk for an hour. He asked us missionaries questions and had those who put up their hand stand up answering it. I both liked it an disliked it, some of the comments/discussions went on forever about the exact some thing. But it was amazing to hear the testimonies and knowledge some of these missionaries had. We talked about how Success is actually a gift, we cannot earn success. In Missionary work and life we sometimes say to God, Okay if I do this then you will do this. But that's not how it's suppose to work, we should do all that we must and have faith that God understands our sacrifice and loves us. I've been working on a lot lately having trust in God, I have a really tough time trusting people and Heavenly Father as well. I know that this is a flaw I have and I must try my best to understand that my Heavenly Father does love me and knows me. As a result I need to trust him to do what's best for me. It's not a matter of not holding on and letting him catch me when I fall. But knowing that if I don't make it up that he's right there behind me ready to hold on to me if anything happens and not have that great fear looming over me. 

Friday was a really crazy busy day. Through out last week when ever we scheduled an appointment with less actives we said Friday will be good. So now we have 4 appointments all over town to get too. In the morning we saw Graham. For the whole of this last week, he's been getting really annoyed at us and sent really rude responses. He emailed our Ward Mission Leader that he no longer wants any contact with members of the Church and wants nothing to do with the Church. On Thursday night he called us and says that he want to talk to us in person because we deserved to know? It's fine, I still confused but I'm not going to hold anything against him. He wants to change his date to March 4th... his choice to move it back again. We then went to Sister Burn's house (a less active) for lunch and we had a really spiritual discussion over reading the scriptures with her. She is really progressing in the gospel and read quite a few chapters since last week. Sister Burns even had a moment when she prayed for comfort this week and felt the Holy Ghost tell her everything is going to be okay. I'm so happy to see her moving forward and changing!! Afterwards we had our companion study in the Library. I liked it so much better than in the morning or at night. We also went to the Tuesdale's home Moraag and Nan. Moraag is Nan's daughter and is struggling healthwise. It's really sad to see both of them being so unwell, missionaries has visited them often in the past. Sister Lawson shared a really powerful testimony and the sweet spirit filled the room. I hope that as we visit them more and talk about the goal of the temple, they'll have an increase desire to go to the temple.

We attempted to go to Sister O'Pray's home that night but took the wrong route and spent forever on the bus...

Saturday, I felt impressed to buy flowers for Isabel Kerr. When I gave them to her at our lunch appointment she was so happy about it! She doesn't have a husband and hasn't received flowers in a long time. I'm glad she loved them. Any advice to people, give a lady flowers and you'll make her day!! We then helped Betty another single sister Paint more of her flat again for just a little bit, but she really appreciated the help. 

Sister Kerr and her daughter made it to Church on Sunday which was AWESOME!!

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Sister Johnson

January 30th 2017

Good Day!! 

Well, what to say about this week. We did ALOT of finding, the muscles on my legs felt sore at the end of every day this week. I mean we tore up the pavements all over Ayr, talking to people and then chapping some houses past the college. I think it was a great start to the transfer, and I hope that our sacrifice and hard work results in some blessings.

Soon P-day last week Sister Lawson wanted to go to some charity shops to find some clothes, I just kinda bored but it's all right. I hope that maybe today we can do something interesting, but it takes forever to go somewhere and there aren't any missionaries nearby that we can do activities with. We had a lesson with John and it fell through AGAIN, so the night we spent GQing on the streets.

Tuesday, we usually start out day walking to the college and university trying to catch some students who are arriving late to their class. The walk is pretty nice because there's a trail that runs beside the college and behind the college is the university, next to the trail is the river. Across the bank on the river, however, this morning was two boys drinking and throwing sticks into the water.... It wasn't even lunch yet.

Once we had our lunch we decided to chap some of the houses that are past the college and started knocking. The first door we knocked on was a really nice catholic woman and she spoke to us a while about life where we are from. The next few houses were people saying they're too busy and then a few we don't believe in that stuff. We got to this abandoned-looking home... We knocked and waited a moment, talking to each other. Suddenly the door opened slowly to a little crack and the man that opened the door exclaimed Oh My ***!! he jumped back as if he was shocked that someone who knocked on the door was there. He peered through the crack in the door again and looked at me, he couldn't see Sister Lawson because she was next to me and the door wasn't opened wide enough. The man had a bald head and curly black hair on the sides of his head. He smelt terrible. We told him that we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and were sharing a message about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked to him about prophets and basically taught the Restoration to him. He talked so much about the strangest things, like the Germans, Italians, Arabs, and Jews. He said to us that Jesus was a part of the Aryan Race and had blonde hair and blue eyes. And Said that in his world the only flag flying over the white house was the Union Jack, he spoke about Empire and stuff like that. In the middle of the conversation, his neighbor walked up to his own home and as the neighbor did so the man hid further in him home and peeped at his neighbor silently until he went inside. Then the man returned to his stream of words and ideas, In between it all I was trying to teach him the Restoration, in the end, we gave him the pamphlet and he stared at it like a child being given a new toy. He flicked through the pages commenting and admiring the different pictures, calling out what different races the men looked like in the pictures. After Several attempts to have him be quite enough for us to say a prayer, we eventually succeeded. I don't know if I want to go back again, but it was certainly an experience. We had a successful Co-ordination meeting this week and was able to make some decisions, ideas about what we can do.

Wednesday Had a lesson with Graham and Sister Cairns went with us, she was such a good joint teach and we talked to him about Temples and Family history. He wanted at the lesson to be baptized next week, I don't feel too sure about it, though. Sister Lawson had her Physico Appointment afterward, because her foot has been bothering her forever. They gave her a few stretches and stuff to do to help, she needs to come back next week to get checked on again. Our Mission President felt the need to come down and visit us. He took us out to lunch and spoke to us for a bit. He also checked out our flat because we have a few problems with it and the landlord is being very slack with us. President said that Sister Lawson and I will be staying together in Ayr for another transfer, I will try my best to make this transfer better than the last.

Thursday

That morning we watched the Missionary Broadcast, it was so inspiring. I really enjoyed the messages shared to us and the changes to the schedule is very interesting. We have 30mins extra time in the morning and 30 mins extra in the evening, I don't know how our mission is going to do the schedule, but I guess we'll find out this coming week at All Scotland. Guess what the rest of the day installed? you got it GQing!

Friday, Taught a guy named Andrew, who is doing research of his own into the Church. After the lesson with him, he's been texting us Anti-Mormon stuff, telling us that our faith is wrong and he was sent to help us know that. He asks us questions about Joseph Smith and the Bible vs. Book of Mormon and we answer his questions but the way the Anti-Mormon literature presents the information is so miss leading and out of context that none of our answers are good enough for him. We won't let us met up with him in person again and content now to be done with us. I run into this sort of junk for most of my mission. I know when people start reading it if they don't walk up the steps but instead try to skip some most of the time they fall and get confused. There would be so much more baptisms in this stuff wasn't online, yes people have the right to know a different point of view but it's like propaganda and not presented in a clear factual way, information and facts get manipulated by interpretation. None of the things I've learned from the anti-Mormon literature has weakened my faith because I know that the Church is true, from God is the only way be can understand and know these things of the Spirit.

Saturday did the usual and also got to help a member Paint her house. She's a single woman that lives alone. I painted her ceiling and it was pretty relaxing to just focus on one thing.

Sunday, I think it was one of the best Sunday of my mission, the church service was pretty good. During most of it I was texting Andrew a paper that a member gave me of his research to support the argument. But at the same time, I listened to the lessons, the first hour was about home and visiting teaching and the second about Joseph Smith his younger years, and the last was a really good sacrament meeting. After church we went GQing along the beach, it was an unusually sunny day. We spoke to two people for a really long time and it was really nice. Then had the Donaldson's (members in our ward) Brother Donaldson made a curry and they invited a less-active friend of their's to dinner and we had a good time getting to know her and will be visiting her and her family later next week.

Hope Everyone is doing well!

Pictures are of the crazy man's house, and of the river that we GQ along near the college and university

January 23, 2017 Ary, Scotland

Hiya!!

So this week has been quite slow, thankfully the weather hasn't been that bad. Graham finally told his wife about the baptism even though we've been telling him to talk to her about it for weeks! She was not happy that he was getting baptized, she convinced him that he's rushing it and needs to wait a few more weeks/months before he can be baptized. Thankfully he's still able to join the church eventually. We had Sister's Conference this week which was awesome!! I got to see all of the Sisters in the mission for the first time ever, Sister Fisher, Six and Sly my MTC Buddies were there and it was the first time I've seen Sister Sly for months I feel like. The workshops and talks in the Conference were all really beneficial for Sisters and I got to learn some new things that I can apply to my work. We talked about our identity of Royal Daughters of a Heavenly Father, Communication Skills, Healthy Eating, Confidence, Exercise, Get-to-Know-you Games, and Women of the Restoration.  I met some sisters I've never seen before and say hello to sisters I've served around.😃 This week we also taught an investigator named Daniel this week who Sister Lawson and Sister Kim were teaching. He's now also looking into the Catholic Church that he's a baptized member of, 😒because the Sisters were teaching him about God. But he loves what we're teaching him and says it's improving his life since they first started teaching him.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to find anyone new to teach...😿 this week. Sister Kerr, the mother of the less-active family, she went to church!!! YAY!!! She's wonderful, on Saturday we went over just to teach her but instead, she fed us dinner and told us she already arranged for a ride to church. And after church, she asked us what day we're coming over for a meal this next week. Hahaha!! 😆 I love her, hopefully, next week we can see her 18-year-old daughter at church as well. Most of my mission I've hated working with fewer actives, but she's awesome and her family has so much potential. Sunday night Sister Sharky came out with us again and taught Aairon (10-year-old boy) about the Plan of Salvation. It went well, hopefully soon his mum will let him have a date set. 

This week has no other magic in it to mention, I think the real lesson I've learnt this week was inside myself. That we can change who we are isn't set in stone. To believe that you can't change or you refuse to change is to deny the Plan of Salvation. If we couldn't change then the whole reason why we were sent to earth was for naught. I'm trying to ask my Heavenly Father what I must change within myself in order to become who he wants me to be and help in apply the Atonement to make that change happen.

Hope everyone is doing well, I heard in the street that studies show that the third Monday of January is the lowest point of the year for most people. Not sure how true that is... If you're happy or not feeling too bad then you're better off than a lot of people apparently. If you do feel down, know that there is always hope and happiness around the corner.

Sister Miranda Johnson,

Ayr Ward Scotland January 2017

Our lovely missionary sisters joined us for Sunday lunch after church. Sister Lawson & Sister Johnson. 

Ayr, Scotland

January 16th 2017

This week has been quite busy, and now that it's P-day I'm probably going to spend most of my time sleeping because I'm just soooo tired.

Tuesday

My First District Meeting in Ayr, I enjoyed finally meeting my district and I'm excited to work and learn from everyone. I gave my first devotional in District Meeting and I was very nervous, I did it on Sacrifice. I talked about how man has always been asked to sacrifice.
Adam was told by an angel, "This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begottenof the Father, which is full of grace and truth." (Moses 5:5-7) In the next scripture we are told why in ancient times they were asked to follow the Law of Moses in the sacrificing of animals. 16 Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hopethrough faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come. It was in symbolism of Christ sacrifice, but not only that but to help strengthen their faith. Even though the law of Moses has been fullfilled we are still asked to sacrifice, 2 Nephi 9:19-20 we are asked to offer up a broken heart and contrite spirit. We follow a higher law instead of putting an animal on the alter we place the animal inside of us upon the alter and allow it to be consumed. The difinition of the word sacrifice means literally to make sacred or to render sacred. As we place the sacrifice of the animal inside of us we make ourselves sacred, be become godly. The amount of ourselves that is ungodly is told to us in Matthew 22:3, "Love the lord thy God with all they heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind." The more we sacrifice the more we love him and our testimonies are strengthened. We become more pure more holy and eventually we can become like God himself.

Afterwards we had lunch and then taught Jason, he really wants to be baptised but it's going to be tough because he's Autistic and doesn't really have much motivation to leave his flat some days. He's a really nice guy but struggles with alot of things. We had the Dickson's for dinner and afterwards Sister Sharky picked us up and we taught Aairon (10 year old boy). Sister Sharky is a primary teacher and basically taught the whole lesson. It was on the Word of Wisdom, she brought her 4 year old grandson who was very helpful and Aairon enjoyed playing with him. The rest of the night we went GQing. Sister Lawson and I talked to a guy who said he died last week... okay...

Wednesday

It was a very very very long day. A few lessons fell through and we ended up GQing in the hail and wind.

Thursday

Woke upand my eyes were hurting. We traveled to Kilmarnock to pass Steven over to the Elders. It was really snowing in Kilmarnock, not as thick as Utah but it was sticking around abit and there was about 5cm of snow on the ground. I'm not sure how successful the lesson was with passing Steven over to the Elders, but Elder Wall and Elder Augestine are really nice guys. Steven seemed to be more open about himself in this lesson than he was in the past. When we got back to Ayr some Sister Missionaries were leaving their doctor's appointment and we were able to sit and have lunch with them. Afterwards I decided that I should see if the Pharmacy had anything for my eye because it was still bothering me. They suggested to go to the Optomitrist, I ask how much it was and they said it was free. Apparently they didn't realize that I wasn't from here... It's was all good though because when the Optomitrist looked at it she said I have an alcer in my eye and need to get antibiotic drops and synthetic tear gel thing. I spent the rest of the day putting the gel in my eye every hour and the antibiotic drops every 2 hours... 😥 Why is there always some thing wrong with me!!!!

We followed up on a refferal from Elder Augestine because he has relatives in our area. It was very awkward...

Friday

Taught Graham with a member. And it was okay, we talked about the Commandments and the Sabbeth day. Then the Optrician looked at my eye again and said it's healing. YAY!! Still have to put drops in my eye and wear glasses. Then as we were hunting down Darryn the ex-convict we ran into a guy that might've been trying to do a drug deal with him. His name is Paul, Paul is an addict of many things. He wants to know God and quit his many addictions.
We also saw him on Saturday too at a Christian Cafe that was playing Piano Guys in the background. Also on Saturday we meet with the Kerr's a wonderful less active family, we gave them some talks to read and it was very spiritual. Sister Lawson and I felt like an answer to many prayers in that meeting.

Sunday just Graham went to Church. 😖 It's okay though. Sister Lawson doesn't want me to say this but hopefully crossing my fingers we'll be having his baptism this week end. Please pray for him. 

It's been a long week but I feel pretty satisfied with how hard I worked which is a good feeling.

Have an awesome week. Bye!!!

Sister Johnson

3rd January 2017

Happy new year everyone!! 

Some people have asked me what my new year goals are this year. Well except for the last month of this year I'll still be on a mission. My goals are the mission goals really, and being an awesome missionary. We accomplished our goal of over 360 baptisms this year and now 2017 goal is 470 Baptisms I believe. It's a huge number compared to the 150 or so of 2015, I'm really excited to participate. Reflecting on 2016 a lot has happened all in one year, next year hopefully will be just as productive. Now I'm just going to go back and look at this previous week. The Christmas celebrations apparently doesn't stop after Christmas. We had a great day on Monday at the Stake Presidents home watching Disney movies, playing games and chatting. On Tuesday the Stake put together an activity for all of the missionaries in the stake, we traveled to Kilmarnock and met up with all of the missionaries at the bus station. One of the companionships was late because an Elder got on the train without his wallet and had to travel back to his flat again to get it. HAHAHA! 

Eventually we all safely made it to the chapel, we had a mini devotional meeting afterwards the fun began. We had lunch, played silly games and then had to leave. Once we got back Sister Lawson and I attempted to do missionary work, but we ended up very soon had to travel to Glasgow that night for exchanges with the STLs. Glasgow is huge! it's like the New York City of Scotland. Wednesday I got to teach one first lesson with a man in Starbucks, then the rest of the day full of GQing on Byees Street, We didn't find much success  because the holiday season seems to be having a strange affect on people. That night we traveled back to Ayr, very tired... Thursday, Friday and Saturday were the hardest, walking around in the rain and wind trying to stop people. New Years is called Mahogany and it's a huge celebration in Glasgow that just spreads out from there, so many people were at Morrison's on Friday and Saturday. They also had Boxing day the day after Christmas and there was so many sales on.  We attempted to call less actives but everyone was busy. New Years Eve we spent watching movies, Sunday we only had church for an hour, amazingly there was a man called Steven who came on his own and we taught him a lesson after Church and this morning. The rest of the day we spent at the Donaldson's they're such a nice family and we got to watch some new movies as well. They have this half staffy called Princess that reminded me of Oscar and I was petting her a ton. Monday we got off all day as well but ended up deep cleaning the flat, and that night visited the Kerr's a wonderful family who's mum is less active. I'm so excited for the coming week we have a lot of appointments set up and the holidays are OVER! never thought I would be happy that the holidays were over. 

Hope you had a great holiday,

Sister Johnson