HIYA MY LOVES. How is everyone doing?!!! I hope y’all have been appreciating the weather back home because Bolton can’t make up its mind. Today it’s been pouring rain & we’ve been walking around shopping so it’s been crazy. BUT it’s honestly good for the soul after being stuck inside all day every day for 100+ days. Seeing people roam the streets in town centre again is the strangest thing. Just more of an apocalyptic vibe. But I must say that walking into every shop and having a mandatory hand washing station is a Camille Johnson dream come true, let me tell ya! Also my favorite English bakery to buy pastries opened up so I was living it UP today in town with my chicken bake. The end 🙂
This week has been kind of crazy, but so fun. It has flown by! On Tuesday we were asked to give a training for district council all about finding on social media. Throughout the mission, we are supporting each other in navigating the world of Facebook as missionaries. Then on Friday we were asked to give a training for our zone meeting all about…..you guessed it….finding on Facebook 🙂 So it has definitely been a week of trainings I’ll tell ya. ALL good stuff. The person giving the training always gets the most out if it. I’ve been super grateful.
We have had a fun week on Facebook, making videos to share onto our Church of Jesus Christ in Bolton page! If you’re not following it already, I invite you to please follow us! 🙂 Being able to coordinate posts and create content with the Elders also in the ward has been such a blessing and such a GOOD TIME!
As far as the work this week, it went great! We made a few new friends and we were able to teach a ton of lessons to various members and friends. We were even able to meet with a member and a couple of her children in a nearby park and oh boy was that refreshing! I loved being able to connect with members again in person, especially these new members in Bolton. Oh how I have missed working face-to-face with members. It’s been crazy adjusting to what feels like a new way of communicating with people….in person, without the delay of a video call! What a concept haha 🙂
I have loved learning recently about something my brother, Ben, taught me:
Consistency + Time = Progress
I have seen that statement be so true when it comes to online missionary work. Especially when it comes to working on our Facebook page. When consistency is maintained, with added patience and diligence over a period of time, then the progress and success in our online efforts will eventually come. And how rewarding that hard-work & dedication has been, and will continue to be!
Sisters Ramana, Keily, and I had another Facebook live devotional this past week called Book of Mormon Stories in Bolton!!!! It went SO well, like SO WELL. It has about 5.6k views already….like what?!?!?!?!!!! The Lord REALLY wanted His people hearing all about the Book of Mormon, so that was most definitely a highlight.
Sister Keily, being from Australia, LOVES Pavlova. SO in honor of her 17-month mark on her mission she made us a delicious Pavlova! And then the sweetest member made one for us the day after so we were in Pavlova heaven this week.
So turns out when our mission started our whole endeavor of studying the Christ-like attributes together, we never properly studied FAITH in Jesus Christ! Naturally we made up for it by all studying the wonderful gift of faith all week. And then on Sunday I was asked to speak for our morning mission devotional, along with 3 other Elders! You always have a feeling when you’re going to be chosen randomly, & I was right on this. I’ve loved studying & immersing myself in this Christ-like attribute. It has always been so special to me and throughout the course of my mission I have come to understand the importance and necessity of cultivating such a precious & marvelous gift. Most of the thoughts that I shared when I spoke came from the talk, “But if Not” by Dennis E. Simmons. If you haven’t taken up any of my recommendations so far, this is the one to read 🙂 Link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/but-if-not?lang=eng
BIG NEWS!!!! So it turns out the 4th of July isn’t just Independence Day for all you Americans :)) Starting July 4th there will be many lockdown restrictions lifted in the UK, allowing us to be able to do many, MANY things again. Initially we were told that marriages & baptisms were going to be allowed again. And I straight up started CRYING thinking about Alice & Shane finally having the chance to be married and then enter the waters of baptism. And my mind went to the three little boys we are teaching right now who are preparing to be baptized for as soon as they can to follow the example of their Saviour, Jesus Christ. I was ECSTATIC. But it turns out the Lord is continuing to teach us patience. The government basically changed their minds and said that baptisms by immersion are still not allowed until they feel the risk of transmitting the virus has decreased. SAD, HEARTBREAKING. But nonetheless, we continue to have faith & trust in the Lord & HIS timing. All I know is that there is going to be a FLOOD over here in the EMM as soon as they give baptisms the A-OKAY! And I cannot wait for that day ❤
FURTHER NEWS….due to travel restrictions & Visa complications we are going to be having the McReynolds a bit longer and the Johnson’s arrival into the mission is going to be a bit delayed. Just an all-around crazy time. When President announced this to the mission he said, “well, we learn what we learn when we learn it.” ….couldn’t have said it better myself President. I love the McReynolds ❤
WOO I know this was a long one but I just had so much to say! Last but not least I just wanted to share a couple thoughts I had. We were privileged enough to be able to hear, over a zoom call on Sunday night, President Nelson’s address to all the new mission Presidents called, “The Divine Tutoring of Joseph Smith”. It was so powerful & so insightful of course. I was reminded once again that we are never ALONE in this work. We are constantly being upheld by angels on the other side of the veil cheering us on. Worldly knowledge is limited, but spiritual knowledge is unlimited. We can always be growing, learning, and improving in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How blessed are we?! Joseph Smith is not the only one that has been or can be divinely tutored through his callings. WE CAN TOO! If we let the Lord & His heavenly messengers instruct us and show us the way, we too can be divinely tutored through our mortal journey.
Okay, Amen. I LOVE YOU ALL ❤
All my love always,
Sister Johnson
“The Lord has given us agency, the right and the responsibility to decide. He tests us by allowing us to be challenged. He assures us that He will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our ability to withstand. But we must understand that great challenges make great men. We don’t seek tribulation, but if we respond in faith, the Lord strengthens us.
The “but if nots” can become remarkable blessings.”
~ Dennis E. Simmons
Called to Serve... 