Happy March!
Kia Ora!
How are you all?
Let's all hope this email doesn't get erased somehow this week. It's been
a good week but a crazy one. I feel like time is on fast forward and I
can just barely keep up. Last Monday we left at four to go to
Hamilton. I think I told you last week that I went with Sister Flake from
Bellblock and Sister Watson stayed here with Sister Katene because she was
sick. But I just adore Sister Flake! We had the greatest
times. I kind of live off of singing and harmonizing and really, really
good conversations. We had plenty of both on the way to and from
Hamilton. It was just the kind of trip that is good for the soul.
But that night we stayed
with Sister Asiata and Sister Likuborebore in Claudeland! They both came
from Taranaki in the last two transfers. It was great to see
them! Also I got to talk to the Hamilton East Elders. They said
that everyone asks about me all the time and misses me. That really made
my day! I miss those Hamilton Easterners!
MLC (Mission Leadership
Counsel) was so fun! It was at President Rudd's house. It was
interesting because there were 22 Zone Leaders there from the eleven Zones and
only seven Sister Training Leaders. We all stuck together a lot because
we were all companionless. But it was great. I just felt the Spirit
so strong during the meeting. I loved how it wasn't so much a training,
but a counsel. President Rudd gave us notes to take back to our zones and
then he brought up different goals/concerns/etc. and we all just talked about
how we could help the mission. I just felt so much appreciation and love
for President Rudd! He is just a normal, good guy but he is doing
everything he possibly can to do the will of Lord here. He has such a big
responsibility and he does great! We talked a lot about the protocols
(extra mission rules specific to our mission) and he said that if they have
helped facilitate the salvation of even one missionary then he is glad we have
them. In the missionary handbook (it's not the white handbook . . .
according to President Rudd because it teaches us how to be missionaries not
how to be white), but anyway, it says that your loyalty is "first to the
Lord, then to your mission president, then to the missionaries." I
love that! I've also liked going to branch council here in New Plymouth,
even though it is sooo long. It's good to see all the leaders just doing
their best to magnify their callings and serve!
On Thursday we had Zone
Meeting. I helped the Zone Leaders plan it. I gave a training that
I changed about a million times in two days, but I think it ended up going
really well. I talked about using time wisely and remembering the urgency
and greatness of our calling. I also talked about Abinadi like I did in
my email a few weeks ago. I made Sister Sterzer cry. I just
really, really love our zone. Then last night we had a zone leadership
meeting with the Zone Leaders, the two district leaders, and me. We
talked about what it means to be a good leader. Someone said that a good
leader is a good follower. . . of Jesus Christ! I want to be like that.
Our area has been really
interesting this week. The Sterzers (the Senior Couple here) are going
through the branch list that is like 20 years out of date and we're visiting
all these old inactive people and seeing if they still live there or where they
live now. I've been amazed at how many are so cranky and don't want
anything to do with the church. They just really don't know what they are
missing!
But we have two great
investigators right now. One is in a part member family. I think I've
told about them before. Freedim is a 14 year old member and her brother
Ainsley is our investigator! They are so great! The other is
Maureen. She broke up with her partner and is now living at . . . the
Malilis!!!!! Isn't that perfect! They are our Samoan family that
feeds us and we love them. It's an islander thing. They feed you
every time you go over no matter what. I always feel so bad and try to
say no but they don't care! So we are getting fed a bit more and Maureen
(who is also Samoan) has some amazing fellowship! The only hard thing
with her is that she works at Countdown (a grocery store) really long, random
hours so she is often working during church. Pray for her to have Sundays
off! :D
My new companion, Sister
Watson, is doing great! She is good and really good at validating and
supporting me. She has such a strong testimony.
Finally, I know I say
this a lot, but I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! It is getting easier and
easier to understand and I just fly through it sometimes. Other times
I'll have a certain scripture that just helps me so much and I'll spend the
whole time just studying that couple of verses. In Preach My Gospel
one of the headings is, "The Book of Mormon answers the questions of the
soul". That is definitely true!
Arohanui,
Sister Clarissa Johnson
P.S. Remember me
talking about Kira Brown from Utah who married a Maori and lives here
now. Well she is the seminary teacher now and she is going to have a
baby!!!!! :D Isn't that great!
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