Sister Riana Johnson: Life as a Michiganary: isolation ain't so bad

March 23, 2020

Update: sad news everyone! i am leaving sturgis and going to lansing! i don't know when i am going but will update y’all next pday!

good afternoon friends and family!

all is well here in good ole sturgis. this week is transfer week and we still have not been told what is happening with us but i may be doing a 6th transfer here! we shall see, haha. lots has changed in the past week so i’ll do what i can do keep y’all informed. here’s the week:

• so! we had a usual monday night of working but woke up tuesday morning to the counsel that we need to self isolate and work from our apartment. it is definitely an adjustment and hard to stay inside for hours on end, but we are making it work and having a fun time!

district p-day, hours before being told to self isolate

• truly been so blessed to have sister neuenswander to be stuck with. i love that gal and i’m prayin’ we stay together another 6 weeks haha.

sorry we are makin sure yall stay updated with us each day of the week

• we have been doing a ton of member lessons over video calls which has been really cool! we have been discussing how we should be preparing for general conference and how important it is for us to have a testimony of Joseph Smith and the first vision.

• we had a cool lesson with pat over zoom and it was so sweet! she really is learning to love the gospel and recognize the spirit that it brings to her life.

• we have also been able to teach sue over the phone and it is so powerful to see the impact that scripture study has in day to day living. read your scriptures my friends!

• also so rude, it is almost april and it decided to snow last night. just thought i'd let you know how offended i am at the weather.

• we have many missionaries returning home this week because of the virus which has been so hard to see but i am so grateful to know that they are going to be healthy and safe at home! we had a mission-wide devotional zoom meeting where each of them were able to bear their testimonies and i am so grateful for the peace the gospel has brought to me! i know that this work is so important, and i want to do everything in my power to help others recognize and feel the peace it brings.

Something that was mentioned by our Mission President was that we have been prepared to be here, "for such a time as this." The scripture Esther 4:14, says, "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" It is so crazy to believe that we have been prepared and reserved to be here at this time to work. The Lord trusts us to work through this and bring as many as we can to the knowledge of the gospel. I am so lucky to have been blessed with the health and the mission that allows me to work and stay here. I know there is work for me to do and that I am where the Lord needs me to be.

PLEASE GO HERE { HearHim.org }

I love you all, and so happy to be serving the Lord,

Sister Johnson

riana.johnson@missionary.org

Sister Johnson

195 Memorial Dr Apt B 21

Sturgis, MI 49091