Aussie American BBQ at a ward function

Hey Guys!

So first of all I'm going to apologise if this email sounds depressing, every missionary I feel like has one of these weeks in the mission.

So a whole bunch of people that we've been teaching about 80% of them has dropped us this week, just stopped answering the phone or the door. The girl Isabella that was suppose to be baptised just disappeared off the map. It's kinda frustrating that people don't understand that we are only here for them, not for us. So we continue to have hope and feel concern for people when they don't answer the phone. I think it's just they might be too scared to tell us upfront that they are not interested anymore.

What my companion and I are doing right now if to doing right now is finding new people to teach, It's really difficult but we will succeed. You haven't failed until you've given up. Those are words I'm living by right now.

One positive thing that has strengthened me and given me smiles is the Members, they are so great in inviting us over for dinner and inviting us to a BBQ they has this Saturday. I helped with the BBQ in the beginning because no one knew what they were doing. HAHA!! fortunately a Polish man came later and did a much better job than what I was doing. A member took photos, I'll try and get them. It's fun getting to know the members and I hope I'll be able to help them get closer to one another. I never realised till this week that for some people having friendships in the ward is so important for them to remain active in the church. It's kinda sad to me when people don't get fellow-shipped or someone offends them and they just stop going. I didn't think some people's salvation would be so lenient of those they attend church with. Don't get me wrong though, it's really fantastic when a group of people join together and strengthen one another in the sharing of testimonies, friendships and the strength of the Spirit it combined. I hope that this Branch will be able to come closer to one another and enjoy lasting friendships, and not have barriers between themselves. The biggest barrier I think for us missionaries in this area is for people to feel comfortable and have friendships so once they are baptised they stay active. Let me know if any of you have tips or ideas for things that I as a missionary can help.

Last P-day we went to a trail and saw this awesome waterfall/river thing. The drive out there was amazing, so many trees and greenery I loved it!

We also did some adventuring to, we decided to drive out of a random village near Newburgh but on the way we came upon a CASTLE, well it might not have been a castle but an entrance of a wall. It still looked super cool. So sneakly we climbed over a gate and ran across a field. It was very lumpy with some mud and tall scratchy plants; picture us doing this in our skirts wearing tights and flats, Running as fast as we can aswell. When we got to the "Castle" it was pretty epic looking, with a river going underneath it and plants growing all around it. We took pictures next to it and then ran across the field again. Jumped over the gate and drove off as fast as we could. When we got to the Village it took us 5 seconds to drive through it... So we just drove back to Newburgh to continue finding. Some times you just need something to lift you up after a depressing day.

The weather here is so weird, some days we had it's been hot and sunny but other's it rains on and off. Lately it's been crazy every day, I feel so fortunate to have a car. Also I haven't seen the sun in a month so enjoy it if you have it. It doesn't feel like summer at all here.

Hope you all are enjoying the sunshine!

Love, Sister Johnson

Ireland's countryside

Dublin, Ireland

July 18, 2016 Perth, Scotland

Hello!

This week has been pretty alright. We have a few awesome lesons this week, one of which was with this wonderful Catholic Couple. They are both very active in their faith, but are still so open and friendly to us missionaries. Sister Stein and I were invited into their house and gave the 1st lesson with then about the Restoration. It was so scary talking about Joseph Smith and both me and Sister Stein were so flushed from the excitement and fear. I really felt the spirit with us when I recited the First Vision, we even invited them to be Baptised! They said that if they read the Book of Mormon and Pray about it and recieve an answer from God that this is true then they will be Baptised into the LDS Church!! Sister Stein and I just need to have Faith in the converting power of the BOM and the Holy Ghost.

There are so many different Christian Churches around here it gets annoying when people just answer to us saying, As missionaries we teach people about Jesus Christ and his Gospel and then people reply, I already have my church BYE. Or I already believe in Christ, so NOT INTERESTED, then slam the door shut. 
I guess people are not wanting more in their lives. I think it's funny though when people invite us to come inside for some coffee or tea, and also say they are comfortable in their own church and don't want to change, it wastes our time... Yesturday though we did come inside because she seemed like she really needed to talk about some things that have been bothering her. I shared some spiritual thoughts and we also talked alittle bit of the 1st lesson to her and her friend and even said a closing prayer. What was also awkward about that converstation is how defensive she got about her Bible and didn't like the King James Bible. And when we talked about Joseph it got really upset and her firend changed the converstation and said SO AUSTRALIA... HAHAHAHAHA! Don't get me wrong I liked them both and I really think I helped them, but as Missionaries we need to be bold and share the Gospel to everyone.  It was a really powerful moment when I shared what I believed about our purpose in life and why we go through trials. In the end Sister Stein said the prayer and we left our number with ther. Even though we won't baptise them or never see them again for that matter, we got them to know about what the LDS Church believes and left a good impression on them of what LDS Missionaires are like. I love those kinda conversations some times, when I really want to put myself in Christ's point of view, of loving and caring for people I don't even know. I want to fullfill my purpose as a Missionary and Help people come closer to Jesus Christ. 

Perthshire is so Beautiful and there is about 3 castles that are near us that I really want to see, and SO MANY CATHEDALS. Really old ones, even in the really tiny villages that have at least one. It's both a good and bad thing, good they look awesome, bad everyone thinks they already have their religion. Aparently I heard from Sister Anderson, some of Outlander is filmed here. I really wished I saw Brave Heart before I got hear because the Scottish seem to be obsessed with that movie. The weather has been okay, for Scotland but still rains a little everyday. Fortunately we have a car, but it makes it harder to go GQing (finding in the streets) when it's pouring. 

BYE!!

SISTER JOHNSON,

The missionaries in Perth, Scotland

First Week in Perth, Scotland

It's been a pretty strange week, as you all know my companion and I were transferred together to Perth, Scotland area. It's a huge area we cover and full of little Villages and Farms. Kinda like getting called to the middle of no-where. Luckily we have a car so we aren't stuck with taking busses or stuck in Perth. Perth is a pretty small town/city place... But it has enough people to find potential investigators, it's just we only really meet Scottish people. Unlike in Dublin, we got a huge mix of people from different countries, races and cultures. It makes it a lot harder because we meet people from a similar crop, who aren't open to new religious beliefs and also some who don't like religions at all. This is definitely more like the mission I expected to go on when I was called to Scotland/Ireland, So it hasn't been that hard for me. You can definitely tell though the differences between Scottish and Irish, some of the Irish are more polite to your face but then rude behind your back. A few times we would receive fake phone numbers and addresses or they would set up an appointment with us and then never get back to us or block our phone number. It makes me really frustrated when people are not honest to your face. Here they just tell you NOPE, right in your face and a really mean, but it's better that way in my opinion, I don't want people wasting my time. 

I know this sounds really depressing what I'm talking about but that is just what finding is like on any mission I think. It can be a bit hurtful what people say, but you can choose what hurts you, you can take it personally or just brush it off your shoulders because their opinion means nothing to you. That's how it's been for me, I don't get hurt by what people say to me because I'm here for my Savior, I'm here because the message I share is about the salvation of all mankind. I'm giving people an opportunity to receive the message, it's for them, not for me so if they don't accept it and I can't do anything more than what the Lord has instructed me to do then I've done my part. (1 Nephi 3:7) He never gives me a command for something I cannot do without preparing a way to accomplish the thing which he has commandeth me to do. I trust that the Lord has sent me here for a reason, that there is people prepared somewhere to receive the gospel. 

It's been a really weird week though, as you know on P-day I had a really stressful day. After I emailed my District and we went to Boogums, then Me and Sister Stein ran around like crazy chickens with our heads chopped off trying to find everything we need in Dubin. Afterwards we tried to get to the Chapel as fast as we could to say good bye to those that could come by. Adam, our investigator that just got Baptised on the 8th of July came by and said goodbye, it was so sweet, apparently his baptism went well, and then Eric who got baptised 2 months ago said goodbye as well. He's this really cool dude from Congo, and it super social, but an awesome member of the church he never misses a Sunday and just received the Aaronic Priesthood 3 weeks ago. There was some other random missionaires at the Chapel as well so we spent some time there trying to print off tickets and said goodbyes and headed back to our flat, but that time it was getting late and we still needed to go to another recent converts house and shower at the Pettit's and also PACK. We had no electricity so at 11:00pm we started to pack by candle light, Sister Stein said that that is the most romantic and weirdest thing she has ever done on her mission. I just begun mine and I think it definitely can get weirder

Moves day (5th July) we spent the whole day traveling, woke up at 4:30 went to the bus stop at 6 said goodbye to our fellow missionaries and Babs came by as well. A few other missionaries travelled with us until we got to Edinburgh and had to take a train to Dundee, meet with some Elders there they dropped us off at our car and we drove, well I DROVE to Perth. I must say I am having a little bit of trouble driving I feel really bad for Sister Stein. The roads are tiny and the round-a-bouts are ridiculous. Very different rules about some things, and I feel uncomfortable driving on the opposite side of the road. Sister Stein and I are trading every week with who's driving. I like it that way so I get used to the traffic here before she leaves me and I have no-idea what would happen to me after she leaves. 

We met some of the people the Elders are working with and they are mostly men again... Isabella was suppose to be baptised on Saturday but it went wrong, she had a family emergency and we had to cancel it at the last minute. What a great first impression on the Members, I feel like the Elders will be upset when they find out that it didn't happen... It's nothing anyone can control. The Members in this Branch are really friendly and excited to have Sister Missionaries in their area, apparently it's been awhile. On our first day we had lunch with the Bishop and Relief Society President, went to the Branch Mission Leader's house, meet with David (Recent Convert), then went shopping for food and cleaning supplies. Almost every day since we got here we've meet with a member and received so many dinner appointments. I'm so grateful for how welcoming the Branch has been it really makes White-washing* easier. 

*when both companions weren't previously in the area before the transfer

So much driving this week it's been crazy, everything is like 30 minutes away. It's so different from Dublin. The scenery is beautiful. Really green every day was like an adventure to new towns and people. ​