s(no)w more snow

November 11, 2019

hello my friends and family!

this week has been a good one and God has really shown his hand in preparing our friends here in Sturgis. here are some highlights:

• we got a referral from a BOMB family in our ward, the Franks. Her name is Sue Franks and she is their step mom. She has come to church several times before and knows she feels so good there! We taught her the restoration and the spirit was so so strong. She shared some powerful experiences and knew that she needed the gospel in her life. We put her on date for Dec 28th and we are SO excited for her!

• we also taught Alida again this week and she’s cute. She still hasn't come to church in the past few weeks so we pushed her baptismal date to Dec 14th. She's the sweetest though and really wants to grow her seed!

alida and her mom!

• we also had some cool experiences finding. After stopping by some formers, we decided to go knocking, but I was a little apprehensive being that the neighborhood was almost mansions on the lake. From my experience, people in nicer neighborhoods are far less kind or interested and I was proven wrong yet again. We met this sweet young mom named Madison who had never actually read the Book of Mormon, but said she would love to! God is always preparing the hearts of people—regardless of their circumstances and I can't judge who is and isn't ready to hear the gospel.

we out here. as always.

• we did splits again with two more sisters in our ward to go visit less active members and while most didn't answer, we got to visit with a sweet family, the Tissues which made it all worth it. 

• we also met Pam, a potential who wasn't very interested at the time missionaries had come by previously but when we stopped by, she said she needed what we had. Her mother had passed away from the last time missionaries visited with her and she was really struggling. There is so much power to a hug and when I hugged her—I felt so overwhelmed to know that she IS a daughter of God and God is SO aware of her, even though she isn't aware. These situations are when I truly know the Plan of Salvation is God's plan for us to return home and I am so grateful that I get to share that plan with the people of Michigan.

• sacrament was such a fun time. We had the primary program and the testimony that little kids have is stronger than any we have. They know these simple truths and are not shy to share them. It was also awesome because so many members of our ward invited friends, coworkers, and teachers to come and see! There's no better Sunday than the primary program to see these children sing about how they know Jesus loves them.

• something else that Sister Nelson and I have worked on as a companionship was President Ballard's instructions to teach a lesson every single day. It did not matter if it's someone being taught or members. He simply wanted us to be teaching every day and it has been so awesome. We have had at least one lesson each day since that instruction and it has really helped us develop our teaching skills and unifying us as a companionship. I guess the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles knows what he's talking about, haha.

• also about the snow, it's been snowing a ton here, and boy do I wish I was in 87° Arizona weather but we are having fun with it! 

i may be smiling but i promise i wasn’t trying to drive through that

we aint in az are we

rip—taken before it was cold

This week I was reading in Luke 18 and it was so cool. There's several stories he teaches: the importuning widow and the unjust judge, the Pharisee and the publican, Christ and the young rich man, and Christ healing the blind man. From what I understood, each of these parables and stories correlate to pride. The unjust judge was too prideful to think about the needs of this widow. In the Publican's prayer, he focuses completely on himself and everything he has done to receive glory. The young rich man was too prideful to give up his belongings to find real joy. Then the blind man had the humility to cry out to Jesus to have mercy on him while others around him rebuked him. With our lives centered on Christ, there is no room for pride. We have to be willing to sacrifice our pride, judgements, and our favorite sins to follow Christ. Once we sacrifice those things, we "shall have treasure in heaven" and "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God." So, leave behind your nets, your pride, your sins. Come, and follow Christ. 

hope you all have a great week :) pray i live through the snow..

sister johnson

riana.johnson@missionary.org

Sister Johnson

195 Memorial Dr Apt B 21

Sturgis, MI 49091