Happy Thanksgiving:) 11/22/21

Happy early Thanksgiving from your favorite missionary!;) 

We visited an older lady this week who is less active in church attendance and it was so much fun! Once we knocked she let us right in. She was so excited to see us (especially her dog...it was going crazy lol) We sat and visited for a bit and after she invited us to come back over for a luncheon on Sunday! 

Last Saturday we visited Alisha and Anna! Sister Munroe and Alisha are pretty good friends so we all met at Alisha's house and had a lesson! The lesson went really well, we talked about the Bible and how it goes hand in hand with the Book of Mormon. Alisha has such a strong testimony of both the Book of Mormon and Bible. Saturday evening we then went over to Sister Oliver's home and Anna came with us! We all ate dinner together then we had a mini Gospel lesson. Anna is just so awesome, she is the sweetest. Sister Oliver was teach us all about her "Southern Ways" hahahah! I seriously was laughing so hard. After she would say something she would look at Sister Johnson and I and wait for us to repeat in her accent. All of us thought it was the funniest thing ever! (no I will not have an accent by the time I'm back)

This week we also found a new friend to teach! She reached out to us wanting to learn more about prayer. We had a mini lesson getting to know her and it went really well and we set up a return appointment for another lesson! At the end of the encounter we shared the scripture Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" 

I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers! Just like this scripture says, we must ask AND seek. We must act in faith. We can't expect to have an answer to a question by sitting on the couch watching TV. We really need to seek in prayer and in scriptures, then will he reveal the answer to unto us. I know that we can have answers to all of our problems if we truly have the desire then seek and act in faith.

 I love you all and so does Heavenly Father. I hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving and I'm sending my love from Georgia! 

Pics:

-Downtown Newnan GA had a community event going on so we stopped by during our dinner hour to check it out

-Downtown with the other sister missionaries

-Sister Johnson and I got locked out of the apartment while walking in the morning

And Then There Were 2 11/08/21

This was one of the longest weeks ever for me! We had transfers and Sister Ginn left our area so now it is just Sister Johnson and I in Summer Grove.  

Thursday night we had dinner with Jesus and Ruby! It was so good, Jesus really opened up and started talking more to us. We have transportation set up for them to get to church regularly now so we are really excited for them. 

We also went and visited a part member family, the Fanias! We stopped by and they let us right in, we got to know them pretty well and they are very kind. Heather Fania was present as we shared a spiritual thought with them and she told us she wants to be taught missionary lessons about  the restored Gospel of Christ too. They love the missionaries and have visited with a lot of different missionaries in the past. We set up a time to go back over on Friday to start teaching her! God really does work in mysterious ways because before we decided to go over to there home, a couple of our lessons were canceled, then Bishop had told us about them so we went and now we have the opportunity to teach Heather! 

Sorry for the short email! I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Pics:

- Taking a picture during lunch time while we walked around

- Hermano Sanchez stopped by to say bye to Sister Ginn and brought us some treats he made lol...

- "Hiking for Hope" a hike we did with our friends we are teaching, some members, and Sisters from a different area

- A house in Downtown Newnan GA was DECKED OUT in Christmas stuff so of course we had to get a picture 

- At transfer meeting I saw Sister Golightly and Sister Watson!!!

   

Side Note: Yes if you look close, I am wearing Sister Johnsons name tag and no it was not on purpose hahaha

The Dynamic Trio 11/01/21

What a week! Lots of things happened. We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders (STLs) and I stayed in Summer Grove. We went and visited a lady who called us and asked to study the Gospel with her. We went by her house and she wasn't home. Another lady was though and we got to talk to her! We set up a return appointment and it is in Spanish so it was so fun! During exchanges we got a referral (someone replied to a free Bible and Book of Mormon ad) We went to the address they filled out and it was at a different church. Sadly, no one was there so we had to leave it at the door, but it was interesting!

We had interviews this week. It is always so good to talk with President Needs! During interviews President was telling me how we are getting a lot of new missionaries this transfer and how I am one of the oldest missionaries. Our mission is getting really young and I am only 8 months in! Sadly, We already knew that the trio is coming to an end this week on Wednesday. Sister Ginn is leaving the area and then Sister Johnson and I are staying together as companions in the Summer Grove area. The 3 of us have gotten along really well so it will be sad to have us break up but it's a new adventure! 

On Sunday we sang in church. I about pee'd my pants I was so nervous. Don't ask whose ideas it was to sing in Sacrament Meeting because I would be lying if I said it wasn't me. We sang the song called A Child's Prayer. Sister Ginn sang the first verse in English then Sister Johnson and I sang the second verse in Spanish. For the third verse we sang together in English and in Spanish at the same time. Everyone loved it, it threw them for a loop when we started singing in Spanish. Lol.

I love you all and DON'T FORGET TO PRAY! 

Pics:

- Weekly planning with shakes and fries!

- A cool wall in Downtown Newnan 

- Ward Halloween Party

- Hermanita Johnson and I

- The pumpkin I carved! 

Super Latino 10/25/21

 WOW! What a week!

Our friend Anna is still doing great! In one of our lessons we just had she brought up baptism and that she has a desire to be baptized and follow Christ. She is so ready and we are super excited for her. We also had another lesson with Jesus and Ruby this week and it went great.

We found three new people this week to teach about Jesus Christ. One was through facebook and we have a lesson set up this week. One was a media referral which means they reached out to us (the local missionaries) through the media. One was through a member, a coworker that she works with. The Summer Grove Ward has been doing good and we just pray it continues to grow. Especially the Spanish because we want to turn this Spanish group into a branch!!!  

Funny story! Thursday night la familia Rabadon fed us tacos for dinner. Hermana Rabadon asked if we like Spicy food and I said I love Spicy food! She then pulled out extra sauce to put on it and I naturally put a few extra scoops on the tacos. Time passed and once we were all done eating Hermana Rabadon said surprisingly "wow you really do like Spicy, I saw you put a lot more on and I looked at my husband and said oh no. Then you started eating and were fine and I looked at my husband and he was sweating" she then started laughing so loud and her husband just sat there. Lol it was soooo funny. (Dad I know you're proud of me there, I have upped my game:))

This week I was reading about obedience. President Russell M. Nelson said, "Obedience allows God's blessings to flow without constraint" I love this quote so much. God loves each and every one of us but he doesn't lower his standards for us. He cares for us and will bless us BUT if we want all of God's blessings we must strive to be obedient. Yes we fail and yes we make mistakes but that is why the Savior died for us. We must actively strive to be obedient and there will be continuous blessings without the restraint that we put on ourselves. 

Pictures:

1-2 : a sunset we saw while driving home so of course we had to stop!

3-4 : at my favorite tienda, Super Latino, in Newnan! (A pic of the pupusa and taco I got;))

5 : the Medorios had a día de los muertos party and of course we went! 

6 : a random pic of waiting for our friend to answer our call while eating pretzels 

7 : HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Hermanita Johnson 10/18/21

Wow! What a good week! So much happened! Big one is that we received Sister Johnson! She is so awesome! She is from Saint George Utah, loves to dance, is the second oldest child in her family, and loves sharks MAYBE as much as ME (jk but we do love them haha) 

Not going to lie, I was a little nervous training in a trio with a companion that JUST got out of training but it has been so much fun! We always joke around to make each other smile, even though Sister Ginn and Sister Johnson always team up on me.

This week we had a lesson with our friend Anna and it went so good. She is really progressing and loves going to church. There are a handful of members that are really good friends with her so she is getting great member support. Anna's birthday is today and the members are throwing a party for her! 

I hope you all have a great week and remember, God loves you!!

Pics:

- Sister Ginn and my last pic as just the two of us

- The BEST custard at Whits 

- Sunday Picture with our roommates

- A lunch walk:)

Unexpected News Again 10/11/21

 Just as I thought getting to Summer Grove things would chill out, yet unexpected things would be happening... I am training! President called us last Monday night and said how there is 1 new sister coming in to the mission next week that has a weird MTC track and will be speaking Spanish. President told us how I will be training the new sister in the Summer Grove area and that we will be in a trio until the end of the transfer (for 2 weeks). After the 2 weeks there will be transfers, and Sister Ginn will leave, and I will continue to train the new sister in Summer Grove! I am super excited and a little nervous but I know God really does qualify his children for the things they are called to do! This Thursday we are going to go pick her up at the Mission Home!

On Sunday Ruby came to church with Jesús! Our first lesson together was the week I got here. Ruby is a member and Jesús is interested in learning. They also had their baby’s blessing today! It was really special. After church we had a lesson with Hermano Sanchez and it went really well. We are super excited for the next few lessons, he expressed how he really wants to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Cool little miracle! Since the Elders left and I arrived here, all of the friends that they were teaching were switched over to us to continue teaching. We haven’t been able to get in contact with one guy, then on Sunday at around 5pm we called him and he answered! Not only that but when we asked what day is best to have another phone call he said how about after church this next Sunday in person! (He had come 2 times before) We also told him about English class that we are teaching community members and that the classes are every Sunday at 6:30 pm, then he showed up an hour later!

When we were driving home from a lesson Sister Ginn asked me what is one of the biggest things I have learned from serving a mission so far and I said, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ NEEDS to be central in our lives. Jesus Christ did not just die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. He died so that He can stand by our side knowing the hard things we go through. He died so that we can live with our families and Heavenly Father forever. He died so that we have the opportunity to repent and be better every day. He died so that we can be filled and know of His love. I know that Jesus Christ died for you and me. You are not alone no matter where you are. I hope each and every one of you can try making the atonement more part of your life. I know it has changed mine and it will change yours too! 

Pictures:

- A church classic Georgia sign Sister Ginn and I passed when working out

- Us with our friend Emmalyn who just got baptized, she has goats! :)

- Snow cones that melted faster than I have ever seen

- Fun Service!

God Loves You 10/04/21

Hey everyone! My first full week here in Newnan! I feel like I have been here forever! 

Tuesday night we had dinner with the Garcia Family. They don't speak a lick of English and are less active members. They are so sweet and loving. We got to know them and they said they would love to have us over AGAIN! For our spiritual thought at the end of dinner we shared Alma 37:36-37 which states;  

    36 Yea, and ^acry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy ^bdoings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy ^cthoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

    37 ^aCounsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for ^bgood; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the ^cmorning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

We talked about how prayer has been a part of their life and they shared some humbling experiences with us. We are really excited to go back over and visit with the Garcia Family again soon. 

We got quite a few Spanish calls set up for this next week! We had a call last week with a guy named Irvin and it was so good. It was our first lesson with him and we set up another call later and he said he was wanting to come to church! 

We have English class every Sunday night. Last night Hermano Sanchez started our class for us (we were going to be a little late coming from a dinner). We walked in and he was teaching about the Gospel! There were only 2 people that came to the class but apparently one participant asked about church, so for the whole English class we talked using English (defining words). We invited them to church this next week and so we hopefully they can come! 

I am so grateful for all of you and I pray you all are doing good! Remember that God loves you and he wants to communicate with you! Don't forget to say your prayers!

Pics:

- Sister Ginn and I getting ice cream @ Brusters 

- General Conference with the Olivers and our friend Anna!

- Sister Ginn and I waiting for a friend to answer our FaceTime call