Warmest Winter I've Ever Had

First Christmas on the mission, check! I loved it and I loved being
able to see your faces through skype, and I wish I could have seen all
of you, but unfortunately time does not allow for that. But it was
wonderful to get to talk to you...only 5 more months till the next
time! 

So Christmas Eve is big for Hispanics, they don't really
celebrate on Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve is an all night fiesta.
Unfortunately as missionaries our fiesta only lasts till 9:30, but it
was still awesome. We went over to the Flores's house, a family in our
ward that is amazing. Hna. Flores is like an adopted mother to me. So
she had us come over early to help her cook, which is not very often
that she'll let you help her cook, and she is an amazing chef so that was
fun, and then we just ate these amazing sandwiches con pollo, way
better than your normal sandwich, and just talked with people up until
we went. It was so much fun just because of the spirit of family and
festivities that was there. 

Then Christmas Day we were with the mission most of the day.  We watched 

Inside Out as a mission, and funny story about that, so there had been a rumor 

going around that we would watch Star Wars, but President had put an end to that. 

Then as we're all sitting there in the theater room in the Visitors Center, the Star
Wars theme music comes on, and the opening credits start rolling. I
almost started crying I was so excited, but then the screen came on
saying "just kidding" and I don't think I've been so let down before
in my life hahaha.

But I've had so many wonderful experiences this week, and I'll share
one with you really quick. On Christmas Eve. I was lying there in bed
just thinking, and I thought about the night, over 2000 years ago,
that a star appeared. I can not imagine the amount of excitement that
surrounded that sign. Or for the Nephites who had suffered persecution
for years, the night was as bright as day. Finally, the sign of the
Savior of the world came. I wondered how I would have felt on that
night. How excited, grateful, amazed, etc, I would have felt. I know
that our Savior did come, and that He came and was crucified so that
we can live again with our families and with Him for eternity. I am
grateful everyday for Him and all that He did and does for me
everyday. Sé que El vive. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas,
and have an amazing new year! Set some nice goals for yourself!

Les quiero mucho,

Hna. Johnson

 Hna Pacheco, yo and Hna Flores on Christmas Eve

 Skype call with the family on Christmas Day!

Christmas is Full of Surprises

Man this week I've learned that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor.
So we're sitting there in transfer meeting and they're announcing all
the companionships in my zone and they get to Glenmont, and they
announce, "Hna. Luna-Chico and Hna. Minguito...and they will be
receiving Hna. Acosta" I'm very certain my "what?!?" was audible to
the entire room. So backtracking a little bit. Hna. Acosta and I were
told by president that we would be staying together for a while, at
least another transfer (6 weeks). We knew we were moving apartments
cause that's what they had told us when we got the phone call on
Saturday night. "Hna Acosta and Johnson you will be moving but staying
in the same ward." No big deal. So we have all our stuff packed and
ready, but no major changes. Literally everyone thought we were
staying together, the ward, the missionaries, ourselves. So needless
to say, we were both incredibly shocked. But...long story short, I
have a new companion!! Her name is Hna. Pacheco and we both came out
together so we are definitely struggling making it through right now.
She and I both finished training, so it's kind of like being a really
nice warm cocoon and then being thrown into Arctic Ocean without a
life vest. A little intimidating, but we'll make it through. She's an
awesome teacher, so I have so much to learn from her.
So I am still in the same area, and funny enough, Hna. Acosta is one of my roommates.
The ward is very confused because we're still both there but not
companions anymore. I hope they catch on soon.


So this week has been a little crazy with moving, and transfers and
all that, but I guess one of my favorite experiences happened
yesterday. Cynthia is the daughter of one of our members and she just
got home this week from her mission. She is amazing, and such an
example to me of being committed to the work. So yesterday she had a
fireside and asked me to bear my testimony. I was sitting there
listening to her as she bore her testimony of this work and it really
hit me in that moment, that this is it. This is the only chance I get
to be a missionary, at least in this sort of way. It was probably the
most motivating thought and experience I've ever had. I want to be
able to stand at that pulpit at the end of these amazing 18 months and
say I tried as hard as I could. I'll be working hard to get there.


Something I loved from my studies this week was a scripture in 1 Nephi
15:11. It says, "if ye will harden not your hearts, and ask me in
faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my
commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you." This
applies to so many aspects of our lives, whether it's growing our own
testimony, answering doubts, learning where we need to go next in
life, or simply who to help that day, I know that if we have anything
that we wish to know, and we have the faith that God will answer us,
He will. He listens to and answers every prayer. So this week I
challenge you to take your concerns to the Lord first. He is the one
who can guide us in the direction we need to go, and He is more than
happy to, we simply need to ask first.


Les quiero muchísimo! Tengan una buena semana y Feliz Navidad!

Hna. Johnson

The Week Everyone Answered Their Phones

Okay so I know it's not quite Christmas yet, but it seems like it'll
be here before we know it. So wow, what a great week. I can't begin to
describe how tired I am, partly because when we serve in the Visitor's
Center our sleeping schedule gets shifted an hour later, so my
internal clock is all messed up right now. But we have been so busy
with the Festival, the time we do have in our area is very limited so
we try to pack in as much as we can, but we have seen so many
miracles in this past week. It seems as if Heavenly Father has just
been handing people into our lap to teach and it's very humbling to
see that. I know that He hears and answers our prayers as we align our
will with His and then look for those answers. We had Stake Conference
this weekend, and so many of the leaders spoke about the importance of
not just DOING what is right, but really letting the Atonement shape
who we are and BECOMING someone better. I've always seen this
principle taught by the Savior in His ministry. We must become
something else. I love this principle of the gospel, and I know that
through Christ and His atonement we can accomplish that little by
little. So in other news, summary of the week: we got a lot of new
investigators, and all of the people we haven't been able to contact
answered their phones! It's really those little miracles that just
make my day. Also we have transfers this week, and Hna Acosta are
staying together! I'm super pumped, one because I get to work with her
for another transfer, and also because I really love the area I'm in
and people I am serving with. We are moving apartments though, so
we've spent a solid amount of the day packing and cleaning! Yah for
P-days haha! But I hope you all have a wonderful week and are enjoying
the Christmas season. It's a chilling 70 degrees over here in
Maryland! I'm not even sure what winter is anymore haha. We'll have a
wonderful week and look for opportunities to serve others in this
wonderful time of year!

Hna Johnson

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Where to begin...this week I have learned so many things, and just a
little background, the past two or three weeks have been very, very
slow in missionary work in our area. Our days have consisted of hours
of tracting and then not being able to find the people again the next
day. Our numbers have been really low and it's been a little
discouraging. Then our two progressing investigators went MIA... So,
We decided to fast on Tuesday so that we could find new people to
teach. It wasn't until this weekend that we really saw the blessings
of that fast and those prayers. Yesterday, Denora, one of our
investigators came to church!! She's been invited so many times by us
and the elders before and she has never come until this week, and she
even went up and bore an amazing testimony of the love that Heavenly
Father has for each of us. Also, one of the less active families we
work a lot with all came! It's the first time one of the daughters has
been in church for a long, long time. We also had a part member family
that just moved in come to church and they are in our area! And the
wife is super interested.


Then the Festival of Lights started. So we are at the Visitors Center
3 nights a week and man it is crazy. There are so many people there
from all around the world every night. I've spoken Russian every
single night I've been there and of course Spanish. I love being in
there. It's such an amazing experience because the people are
literally coming to you, all you have to do is ask the right questions
and follow the Spirit. I've really realized just how much I've learned
in these past 4 months. Since the VC is so crazy, I'm not with Hna.
Acosta half the time. You're with other sisters all the time cause it's
kinda just whoever is available in the moment, and I've really seen
how the Lord qualifies those he calls. I wouldn't be able to do this
on my own if it were not for Jesucristo and His atonement.


Also Ambassador Night was really neat! The wife of he Russian
ambassador loves me and required that I tell her my first name. It was
such an honor to be around so many leaders, and just have the chance to
represent the church to so many countries. I love this mission!


Well my challenge this week is to share the new video that the church
has put out, A Savior is Born. It reminds us that He came and gave His
life for all of us. He is everything. I know that He lives with all my
heart and I love being able to testify of that every day. Well, enjoy
the snow for me!

Hermana Johnson

Lights!

 Our Christmas decorations.  Hna Acosta hasn't put up a stocking yet.

The Olympic runner from Sri Lanka I met last night.

A Savior is Born