Last Email from MTC!

Hey!!! I'm just going to send this to you and have you send the best parts on to the rest of the world because I don't have that much time.  But I read everyone's emails and LOVED them.  They are literally the BEST.  PLEASE tell everyone to keep emailing and writing.  I need it.  And tell them I read their emails and I loved them all. (my email is clarissa.johnson@myldsmail.net)  I just really don't have a lot of time.

But I'll try to say less stereotypical missionary things (cough, cough Deseret)!  :P  But I am learning so much!  I feel like I know how to recognize the Spirit more than ever before.  It's amazing! Sister Ye and I taught Sunday School to our district about trusting the Lord. We all cried.  I just love connecting with people and having real conversations, especially about really important life stuff and the gospel.  There's really nothing better.  That's why I love being a missionary.  I love my district! Then our district sang "Nearer My God to Thee" at the fireside.  We had each companionship sing one line then we split the Elders and Sisters to each sing half of the second verse and we all sang the second verse.  All through, the harmony was amazing!!!! The Jacobites (we're the Jacob District) sing all the time and it's so fun.  I've become a pro at making up high harmony.  Everyone sings low so I harmonize above.  And on Sunday I was asked to speak at the fireside about the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I've also become a pro at playing the piano on the spot.  And they always ask me about 45 seconds in advance.  I had to play True to the Faith (please appreciate my struggle!) and I kind of slaughtered it, but we got through it.  Also, we sing this song that I love.  It's #259 in the hymnbook but it's to a different tune that's only in the Tongan Hymnbook but I said I wanted the sheet music and Sister Gibson got it for me!  So all you Nevadans (and BYUans) be ready to learn a fun new song when I get home!!! 

The temple was amazing!  It's small but so beautiful!  It felt so familiar and at home, even though I was still in a foreign country, it felt wonderful.  It was so humbling and wonderful to be the escort for Sister Santos in the temple.  She is so sweet and good and she loved the temple.  I recognized Sister Rudd right away and hugged her in the celestial room.  I just started crying and she was so nice and wonderful.  I feel like it's such a blessing.  She said that Grandma Jaynes would be proud.  It was so exciting.  I felt SO much love for her.  It was so cool that she just happened to be on our same session.  She didn't realize she would be.  It was inspiration. 

Sunday night we also had the opportunity to watch Elder Perry's funeral.  It was so uplifting and awesome.  Like, instead of feeling sad at the end I felt hopeful and excited for the future.  I want to be like Elder Perry.  He's my new role model.  He said that he'd never had a bad day in his life.  He was bold and direct and warm and friendly and enthusiastic.  The wife of one of the counselors in the presidency calls me Sister Johnson Perry because she thinks I'm enthusiastic like him.  Some people think my name is hard to pronounce (which is kind of crazy).  It comes out as Sister Szjohszon.  Most people can say it though, but I've also been called Sister Bubbly and Sister Happy.  I need to live up to that better. :) 

But I had two goals for the MTC.  I wanted to be exactly obedient and I did my best at least.  Also, I finally learned everyone's names!!!!  I LOVE knowing everyone.  I talk to everyone and it's so fun. :) 

The last time we taught Veronica was amazing.  We really listened to her needs and then waited to be guided by the Spirit.  She didn't know for sure if the priesthood authority was really real in our church or not, so Sister Ye asked if she minded kneeling down and praying right then to ask.  We hadn't talked about that at all, but it was PERFECT and the Spirit was so strong.  Then later she said how her family was Catholic and how she was scared to tell them she was looking into this church.  I had the idea to tell her about Kayla and her similar experience.  I started crying and so did Sister Ye and Veronica.  Then at the end of the lesson she committed to be baptized! 

I really can't wait to teach real, live people.  I feel like we have so much knowledge and power and spirituality here and now we're going to explode it out to the world.  I've already cried saying goodbye to two members of our district this morning and last night.  The rest of us leave tomorrow.  I'm SO glad Sister Ye is also going to Hamilton. We would NOT be able to handle it if we had to separate!  I love her so, so, so much.  She is the perfect companion for me. 

I know leaving the MTC tomorrow will be a huge beginning of my real mission in the field, but it also really feels like an ending. I've really loved it here.  I've loved the full days of spiritual learning, the fun, the people, the singing, the basketball during exercise time, and . . . .yeah, mainly the people!

But I know we will meet again.  We are going to do amazing things!

I love you all SO much!!!!  The church is true!  The book is blue!

TONS OF LOVE,

Sister Johnson

P.S. This picture is of Sister Rudd, Clarissa's Mission President's wife who is also my mom's cousin who she just happened to run into at the temple!