Hello my beautiful FRIENDS. Autumn Vibes are going strong here ❤ This week has been INSANE, just insanely busy & eventful!!! So. Much. Happened. I’ll just dive on in & give you all a little rundown of the highlights 🙂
☆ Instagram madness – this past week consisted of a massive focus on Instagram for us. Elder Brinkman & I gave a training to all the missionaries currently using the app (there’s about 20 right now). There were also a few new missionaries that were able to get it as we start to expand to all zone leaders & sister training leaders & eventually the whole mission 🙂 Crazy story—I had to make a new account because Instagram was being rude & wouldn’t let me change my profile to a professional account, which is necessary for how we track the work. SO I finally decided to just make a new one—if you’re wondering why there’s now 2 Sister Johnson Instagram accounts. Check out my newest account at camille.d.johnson ❤
Sister Pinheiro & I did our first ever Instagram live on Friday night…and it was a blast & also quite the adventure. We are planning on doing them every Friday night & I’ll post them onto my igtv afterwards so you can go back & watch them if you feel so inclined. We have seen so much recent success on Instagram. Being able to reach out to students at the local university here & talk to them has been wonderful. Instagram is a great tool to be able to target the rising generation & help them discover God for themselves.
And finally, a very exciting meeting took place this week: a couple of us from the tech team met with two tech Elders from the New Hampshire Manchester Mission in the good ol USA!! Which of course was super fun because MANCHESTER missions represent 🙂 Basically these two Elders are gathering information about Instagram from all the missions that are currently using it in their proselyting efforts. It was so interesting to be able to present to these two Elders all the work we had been doing on this platform & explaining the ins and outs of something that we completely built from the bottom up. Now, things are most definitely still in the works, but these Elders were overly impressed with how the EMM has been utilizing Instagram. They even went so far as to say that of all the missions they have spoken to so far, the EMM is the most on top of their Instagram game. They are eager to share this information with Salt Lake headquarters to get a better idea of how missionaries are using Instagram & how we can best begin to roll out the usage of this particular social media to ALL missionaries around the world! Crazy times we are living in, eh??? Truly speaking, this little meeting was an answer to many of my silent personal prayers. Sometimes it feels like all the time, work, effort, and energy I am putting into all of the online proselyting avenues can be for naught. But this was a gentle reminder from God that it does matter, my efforts are noticed, and they are making a difference ❤ It definitely gave me the added boost & motivation I needed this week.
☆ A week of deliveries – Sister Pinheiro & I got a new microwave (RIP the old one, burnt popcorn :’), a wifi router, computer mouse, and a laptop case! They are taking good care of the social media sisters ❤
☆ Member work – it has been a blessing that Sister Pinheiro enjoys working with members just as much as I do! It’s been our focus since being together. I had a cute little connection this week with the Custode family when one of the daughters also got a white ukulele during lockdown as a fun little quarantine activity. Our moms were definitely on the same wavelength 🙂 We got to know some more amazing YSA we have in this ward as well as another super fun family who then brought us some tea to enjoy during general conference…Blessings !!!
☆ Nelson & Ana – we had a lesson with our friend Nelson & the sweet member Ana who referred him. To be honest, it is hard to tell how super interested he is in meeting with us, but we enjoy one another’s friendship & Ana continues to inspire me with her member missionary work. He did also say he would read the Book of Mormon we gave him so we will not give up hope!
☆ Interviews – we got to have in person interviews for the first time since the beginning of MARCH! like what??? I know, so crazy right. and it was also the first time I got to go to the Preston chapel, so I was quite happy. Although we aren’t having in person church at the moment, I continue to hope & pray that we can soon return. There was a little brick in the chapel with a plaque stating that it was a piece taken from the first ever meeting house of the church congregation in Europe! Sister Johnson and Sis. Pinheiro and myself OF COURSE had to touch it for good luck 😉 Interviews were incredible as always. President Johnson is so powerfully filled with spirit & inspires me beyond belief every time we talk. The Johnsons are also just the sweetest ever and brought all the missionaries little mini boxes of cereal as a little interview gift. Cutest thing ever, I know!
☆ Sister Bingham, the General Relief Society president of the church, joined the EMM – Thursday night was SO AMAZING. Sister & Brother Bingham were invited by President & Sister Johnson to come onto one of our mission zoom calls & talk to us. It was so incredibly special…I could feel so much of their love & appreciation for missionaries during this time even if just through a screen!! They were wonderful & both gave us some stellar advice that I will apply to the rest of my life.
☆ Sister Pinheiro & I got to film a new Ad for the Church of Jesus Christ in Preston Facebook page! This round of ads is focused more on being ‘5 second ads’ aka lightning speed to capture people’s attention. We are excited to see who reaches out to us because of it! 🙂 Check it out! https://touch.facebook.com/profile.php?id=115857853440372&ref=content_filter
☆ October 3rd – 15 MONTHS AS A MISSIONARY…what? :”’)))) Sister Pinheiro made me cupcakes to celebrate, how CUTE I know !!
☆ General Conference marathons – October 2020 General Conference was yet again another historic event for us all! Sister Pinheiro and I enjoyed ourselves– aka we made alllllll the good Brazilian food/desserts. I was in heaven & we were both stuffed by the end of conference weekend. BUT it was well worth it. My new favourite treat is called Brigadeiro…she taught me how to perfect this Brazilian delicacy & I’m seriously obsessed. I’ll make it for you all one day 😉 BUT along with the literal feast, I was also so filled by the spiritual feast we received through the inspiration of our prophet & apostles & other general authorities. The Lord teaches us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it, so let’s all Be One & Be Prepared & let God prevail because Christ is coming!
☆ Work Work Work – Sister Pinheiro & I are busy bees all day long. Working in the area along with the social media assignment keeps me fully engaged in the Lord’s work 24/7. As preach my gospel says, “work work work–there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.” (President Benson) We have seen this to be true as the Lord has given us the miracle of finding 6 new friends to teach this past week! Work. It WORKS !! ❤
☆ Let’s Get Real Segment – throughout the past few weeks there have certainly been a ton of ups & downs, but it has also been accompanied by a huge sort of spiritual renewal. I’m feeling like I’m coming out on the other side of a lot of things. I know this is vague, but I just wanted to remind you all of the amount of infinite hope we all can attain. It is because of Jesus Christ. He gives us EVERY reason to Hope.
☆ Last but not least – meanwhile back in Bolton big things are happening…Naila got BAPTISED!!! A day for rejoicing I’ll tell ya, I’ve never met a more prepared daughter of God. Blessed day!
Alrighty folks, I think that’ll do it for this week. SO sorry there has been a delay in these letters…what can I say, life has been sooo CRAZY. But I continue to remind myself that amidst the hectic-ness there can always be stillness & peace found through Jesus Christ.
Okay I love you all forever & I love England FOREVER.
“We care more about being His [Jesus Christ] followers than being “liked” by our own followers.”
– Neil L. Andersen
All my love always,
Sister Johnson
Week 65 October 5, 2020
Called to Serve... 