Hermana Annie Jo: GET PUMPED FOR THE WEEKEND

Hola Mi Familia!

I'm at my half way point in the MTC and this might come as a shock...but I don't want to leave. I need a lot more time here. Turns out that becoming the missionary I want to be isn't going to happen over night! We have a progressing investigator that we are working with and our first few lessons went well...but we couldn't get the guy to smile or really connect. I was getting so discouraged. I was studying so hard to figure out what to do differently and we finally just gave up and walked into our 3rd lesson just relying on the spirit. We started talking about our families and making jokes and Melvin (the investigator) totally opened up. We had a great lesson and the spirit was so strong. I don't know how God does it...but he does. After in our "lesson review" with the teacher he told us we were doing well and that he knows I have given up a lot, and God knows, and that he will help me. It sounds simple but it was a breakthrough for me.

Okay this week was great...food was lame...I miss running and biking mucho...me and my comp got called as Sister Training Leaders for the zone....we are teaching lots of lessons....my district is crazy...blah blah blah. I want to update everyone on the stuff going on here but what I really want to talk about is what is happening THIS WEEKEND. Probably the most important thing happening in the entire world this week. General Conference!

We have been practicing like crazy to be ready in time for the Saturday afternoon session. For those of you who don't know, tune in at 2:00 to General Conference THIS SATURDAY (it should be on a local channel) to hear some great messages.

We are singing some inspired songs, and I just want to take a second to share my feelings about them.

We will open with "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I am so excited to testify of the restoration in this song. I can't tell you how strong the spirit is even in practices. If the first vision is being spoken of, the spirit will come and testify of it. Members, if you want to skip this part it's fine...but I really feel like telling a little overview of how the church was restored for those of you who haven't heard.

Christ's established His church on the earth way back in the times of the Bible, and we learn about it in the Bible. In His church he called apostles with the authority of God (the priesthood) to represent Christ and direct His church. After Christ atoned for our sins and was crucified the apostles were eventually killed as well. With their death, that direct power from God- the priesthood- was lost. As time went on the church broke apart as doctrine and truth were distorted and changed. Without the priesthood, nobody had the authority to direct the true church right? A lot of time passed (like a couple thousand years) and in that time many many churches began. People wanted to be close to God and to know his truth. In the reformation great people like Martin Luther made the Bible available to people and paved the way for religious freedom. It was all in God's plan to prepare the world for His gospel to be restored to the earth again.

In 1820, in New York, a 14 year old boy named Joseph Smith (if you haven't heard this story I bet you have heard the name) wanted to know which church to join. There were many churches in his area, and his family was very religious, but he wanted to know which was the one that God saw as the right one. He was reading in James 1:5 where it reads "if any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God." He went into the woods near his house where he could be alone, and knelt down to pray out loud. He had one question: Which church is true. In his own words he described what happened next:

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, who's brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-- "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

God the Father and His son Jesus Christ came to the earth and told Joseph that none of the churches were right. Through Joseph Smith God restored the fullness of the gospel. He restored Christ's true church with all the doctrine and truthfulness with God's own power.

It might sound crazy to some that God the Father and Jesus Christ came to earth and restored their true church through Joseph Smith. But I know without a doubt that it happened because the spirit has testified of it to me. I asked God in prayer just like Joseph Smith asked for wisdom, and the spirit whispered to me, through a good feeling in my heart, that it is true. We all can do the same. Ask sincerely, and the spirit will answer you.

Thanks for putting up with that. I know that some people who read my letters don't know how this all came about and I really felt like sharing it. I want people to know what we are testifying of and why it is so so so important. As we have practiced I have realized that the gospel is either the true gospel of Christ on the earth today, or it's not. There is no in between. We either have the fullness of God's priesthood and prophet's who speak His will...or we don't The Book of Mormon is either the true word of God, or it is the false words of man. The work we do in temples is either of God, or it's not. There is no in between...and it is up to us to find out. If any of you have a real desire to know if this church is true, if God really restored the Church of Jesus Christ today, then you can find out for yourself. Ask in prayer with a pure heart- willing to listen to whatever the spirit wants to teach- and you will know. I know it is true, and I know that the other thousand missionaries who will be singing with me know it is true, and that all the men on the stand know it's true. I am so excited to hear from the apostles of God! I believe that they are called of God to lead this church. I can't imagine those men being part of some conspiracy or being confused...I know they KNOW God and His Son.

Oh gosh I just love that message. That's why I'm out here...because once people understand that Christ want's them to have his gospel they can come unto Him and have happiness. He wants us to have peace, joy, eternal life, to be with our families forever....and so much more. If any time in conference this weekend you feel that good feeling of the Holy Ghost in your heart, act on it. That is the spirit letting you know for yourself that this is the restored gospel and that God wants you to have all of the blessings of it.

The second song we sing is "Baptism". I love that we get to sing about this because through baptism we commit to follow Christ and strive to be close to Him. It goes right along with the missionary purpose: We invite others to Christ through faith, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Good stuff. Plus, when we are baptized we are that much closer to eternal life with our families! How cool is that?

Then we will sing "I'll Go Where You Want me To Go". This one really get's me because giving my will to God is something I'm working on...every single missionary who will be singing is working on this. We all left families and loved ones, hobbies, opportunities, personal time...seriously it feels like a lot some times. In our district we have a 29 year old sister who left her life as a 4th grade teacher because she felt she should come. She, like me, went back and forth for the first few weeks to know if she should really be here. Trust me the MTC isn't always a pleasant place...you want to make sure you heard the Lord right if you are going to endure 6 weeks of this;). We have an elder who left his girlfriend when she was already really struggling. He gets some tough e-mails from her and wants to go home to help her so bad...but he is trusting God and knows he is here to help others learn of God's plan for them...and that if he does that the Lord will take care of his girl. There are so many other amazing people out here who have left A LOT. It's so inspiring. The words say "I'll go where you want me to go... I'll say what you want be to say...I'll be what you want me to be..." That's hard stuff. It sounds simple... I guess it is simple... but the humans in us think we know better when really all we have to do is trust the Lord and He will lead us on the right path.

"Hope of Israel" is the last one. When I was a little kid, my Sunday School teachers would teach about the last days. I got ideas in my head about going off to battle to fight the forces of Satan and standing next to Jesus fighting with Him. I've always kept that image in my head...kind of silly...but maybe more real than I thought. The other night after we practiced the song our director said something like "Do you know who the Hope of Israel is in this song? Do you know what the battle is?" I looked around....we are all God's army (the Hope of Israel), and we are here in training so that we can go fight for Him. I know it sounds dramatic...but when you hear the song you will get it. I know we aren't in this crazy place for no reason because the spirit is here working closer to all of us than ever before. We are getting ready to go to the battle front and work hard! Pretty sure Satan hates all of us for that reason...and that's why it hasn't (and won't) be easy. He hates us, and the prophets, and the apostles, and every person who has a testimony...or even wants a testimony. Don't let him discourage you. Don't let the protesters at conference deter you from the message. We know it is of God because where God's work is going forward, Satan will be there fighting it. I'm willing to put money on who I think will win....hehe. I have a testimony that this is the work of the Lord and that this is the generation that will not end in apostasy!

Dang I used to hate it when missionaries did this in their e-mails....just tell me about the food and your companion and make me laugh. Geeze..... That's all I ever wanted out of a mission update. But I'm a missionary on a mission...so sorry but not sorry. I really have nothing else to say right now other than that I'm feeling SO much love and SO many prayers. I love you all and I can't wait to see you this weekend through the TV screen!!!

Love,

Hermana Johnson xoxo

P.S. I'm going to be wearing a turquoise blue shirt...up in the top area cause i'm one of the tallest. Watch all the sessions....but just don't turn off the choir for the Saturday afternoon ;)