I get it now. I truly understand what President Hansen meant when he spoke to us once about Diligence- he said that until he was done, he was going to work hard, be diligent, rely on the Lord. And when his call was finished, he would drive home, collapse in the driveway and crawl into bed and sleep. Pure exhaustion, and that's what I've felt a lot of this last week.
Enduring to the end is a hard principle of the gospel, it means doing hard things for a long time, and you can't give up or give in, especially as the finish line is in sight.
But at the same time, there really is never a finish line. There is no end until Eternal Life with our Father in Heaven. and that's why i do what i do. That's why I endure to the end. It's why I've waken up at or before 6:30 every day for the last 18 months. Its why i pray and seek guidance and inspiration from the Lord. Its why i sacrifice, even though it really doesn't feel like a sacrifice at all. Its why we let people feed us till we're sick hahaha
its why we knock on doors even when we know they will get slammed in our faces
I love my Savior Jesus Christ and i know He lives. without a shadow of a doubt, because i wouldn't have gotten through these last 18 months without him and my Heavenly Father supporting me the entire time. In the moment you cant feel the help, but i know I'm not strong enough to do this on my own- and by this, it includes my entire life.
Recap of this week, in short :)
Monday was super fun, we had a sisters pday and hung out and watched "Meet the Mormons"- such a good movie, will always remind me of my mission :) the same night we had an AWESOME FHE with the Joneses- we played Pictophone (remind me to explain when i get home!) and showed a mormon message called "Moments that Matter Most"- the spirit was so strong and its amazing how much change we've seen in the last few months we've been teaching them.
Also, this week was gone so fast, i hardly had time to blink. its SCARY...
Tuesday we went on exchanges. It was SO weird to be in the Rose Park apartment- the sketchy one on Redwood Road, and be with Sister Pearson again. But i will always have a special place in my heart for EVERY area i've served in, loved in, grown in, stretched in, cried it, worked in, hurt in, and joyed in. Centerville, Stansbury Park, Lakepoint, Rose Park, Bountiful and North Salt Lake. i've made my way around the mission and seen a lot this past year and a half. But anyways, exchanges- super good! taught lots of lessons, and we still had good unity, even after 4 and 1/2 months of being away :) funny thing- as we were walking down the street in salt lake (closer to the capitol) we found a rose on the ground and it smelt like someone had sprayed the most delicious perfume ever on it. so we carried it around with us all day and it was a good reminder for both of us to LITERALLY stop and smell the roses- which is easy here because they're blooming everywhere :) still got lots of rain this week which has been absolutely WONDERFUL, especially because it reminds me of home AND helps out with the major drought that we've been in. Glad i wont be here for the summer... :)
Wed was s super busy day with visiting Relief Society Presidents, getting and contacting referrals, and we had like 3 lessons, which is great for this area!
Thursday we had a super good district meeting and more lessons, stayed busy and did part of weekly planning. more rain and thunder and lightning!! :)
Friday was more planning and visiting, we also got to practice a song that we sang in the Bridlewood ward this week, we both sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"- tender!!
Saturday was also full of visits and updating, especially with all the info that is in my brain that has to get transferred over to Sister Hano's brain- but she's got this and is rockin the area, i have full confidence in her :)
Sunday was great! we spoke in a ward where we have a few investigators- but none of them were there- super sad :( then we sang our musical number, met with a few bishops, had a stake meeting, made more visits, and got in. When we were driving up the hill to our house, sister Hano looked behind her and out west over the Salt Lake/Antelope Island there were sinister dark clouds and lightning flashing about every 5-10 seconds- and this went on for probably over an hour. When we got home we just sat outside for like 10 minutes watching it. I'm so ga rateful for a Heavenly Father who gives us beauty in nature and is so awe inspiring. It was MAGICAL to say the least :P haha
I honestly don't know what to say in this last email- i'll write next week about my last week as a missionary. its weird i haven't freaked out or anything yet, i think its because I'm still partially in denial, and will probably hit hard when i finish packing and everything on saturday and at church on sunday. But talk to you next week- i'll probably still be a missionary when i email out, i'll just be at home. and depressed. and crying. a lot.
Fight a Good Fight. Keep the Faith. Keep on Keepin on, and Go out and be the answer to someones prayers :)
♥ Sister Johnson
i still will claim the title of sister until the second i'm released, loudly and proudly. its my first name :)
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