Barcelona Mission: (Zaragoza) Week-05 2012

Here is my letter to the president it has a lot of good stuff! Hopefully you understand it all!

Dear President,

This week we had good and bad news. Our solid fecha Rodrigo, who was the one who invited all of his friends to take the discussions, had to buckle down on his classes so we couldn´t meet with him at all during the week! He did come to church though but he is not able to get baptized this weekend BUT we have high hopes for the following weekend.  His friend Alfonso disappeared and stood us up a few times because he is looking or found a new piso so we were not able to meet with him as he never answered his phone. Another friend and fecha named Raul is living in the Elder’s area so we gave him over to them. Our other solid fecha, Felix, who cried during that one lesson that I shared when I bore my testimony, he just moved to Peru. He gave us his address of his family in Peru and he really wants the Missionaries to find them there.  It was a bitter sweet good bye. We had a little get together for him with other investigators and some recent converts. We sang "God be with you till we meet again" and the Spirit was so strong. He was recording it on his camera and he started crying. He is incredible. He said that he will most likely be returning to Zaragoza in October and he´s bringing his 17 year old son with him. He wanted to know all about the requirements to serve a mission! He wants his son to be a missionary when he´s 19!!! Felix is incredible!! We are happy that he is going back to be with his family but sad to see him go, because he was SO prepared to be baptized this weekend. BUT, the Missionaries there in Peru will be receiving one amazing and prepared man.

Then a miracle happened on top of that amazing despedida. Sunday, Raul told us that he talked to Felix on the phone. He said that Felix told him that he already visited the temple there in Peru!! He just went there and walked around and talked to some people there!! How amazing!!! Felix is so great and I am so excited for his future with his family and with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his life!!! At the despedida we asked him to say the closing prayer. He started stuttering a little and tearing up during the prayer. Afterwards he was telling us how calm and happy he felt and how grateful he was for great friends. In the prayer he thanked Heavenly Father for us Sister Missionaries who helped teach him. It was amazing. I am happy for him to move forward and will miss him.

So Felix and our experience with him was in and of itself a miracle. The other fechas-Alfonso and Rodrigo we are still teaching. It´s tougher to get a hold of Alfonso, but we will not give up. It is a lot easier with Rodrigo and he is continuing to bring us more of his friends. He is ready and will set a date for baptism.

A few of the recent converts in the Branch are doing a little Missionary work themselves. They are telling their friends about the Gospel and are inviting them to church. It´s a wonderful thing and slowly we are making progress.

This week we have been visiting members and trying to teach lessons and get advice from them on how to better do Missionary work in this area. They have given us a lot of advice, especially President Wolfart. We took some of his advice into action this past Sunday. It was Missionary Sunday and we asked a member to share an experience she had with us during the week and to bear her testimony. It was wonderful!!! She is the Primary President and it was so great to hear about her experience and how she felt helping the Missionaries. Then Hermana Wilson got up and read some from Predicad Mi Evangelio about La importancia de los miembros. Then I got up and gave suggestions for the members to prepare for this upcoming month of Invitations! Then our ward mission leader got up and shared some experiences and feelings he has had as he has been coming out with us and helping us. It was such a good Sacrament Meeting!!! It made a difference because after Sacrament people were complimenting and thanking us. Some people asked when they can go out with us!  Pres. Gomez said thank you and we talked to him for a short time. That is wonderful improvement!! Things are starting to look up and I am very excited for this next month-the month of invitations!!

Another miracle was when we were looking through the Branch list of members. We split up the list into our two different areas between us two companionships and we started calling the people on our list. It was pretty rough for the first five calls or so until a less active man named Hillen picked up. He´s a JAS and only 27 years old. He was so nice and immediately invited us over. We went over there and had a great lesson with him and his nonmember girlfriend. They are both from Nicaragua and he was telling us all about the church over there. His uncle is the current Bishop in his home Ward back there. It was obvious that Hillen hadn´t been to church in a while with his hair style a little wild and a tongue piercing. But he was so nice and really lit up telling us about his experience with the church.

Hillen asked us how we found out about him and how we got his number. I told him about the Branch list and everything. He thought it was so interesting and then went on to explain that he was randomly thinking about the church and how he was wanting to return and then he received a call from the Sister Missionaries. He didn´t answer it at first because he thought it was such a coincidence. Then he called us back and that´s when I talked to him. After relating this experience, I felt moved by the Spirit to tell him that it was a senal de Dios. It was meant to be and it was the perfect moment that I needed to be calling him and that he needed to be reminded of the church. It was incredible to talk about it.

His girlfriend knows everything about the church and has had discussions with the Missionaries before. She is so nice and even asked us if we could come back soon. She even suggested having a picnic together! Then Hillen told us about how he knew so many inactive members of the church from Nicaragua. He said if he went to church they would probably start going back also. He gave us a name and a number and said he will find out about the others. It was great!! I asked him if he could help us further the Missionary work in this area and he said he would think about it. He told us that he finished all of his Mission papers back when he was 19 years old in Nicaragua but that his Dad (even though he is a member) would basically disown him if he went on a mission.

Anyway, it was a very interesting experience and wonderful at the same time! It was also neat because when we went to the JAS meeting the next morning we were able to share some of this information and now for the first time we are working with the JAS and everyone is excited about the future!!

It´s been a great week. Especially when our District Leader felt inspired for us Sisters to do intercambios. For a day and a half I was with Hermana Wilson and Hermanas. Moulton and Stephenson were together. It was great working with Hermana Wilson. She is a huge example to me and I learned a TON from her. It was perfect timing and really worked out well.

Poco a poco we are doing better. There are ups and there are downs but overall I, personally, have faith for a bright future ahead.

Love,
Hermana Johnson

We are finding out about transfer info this week!! Everyone thinks Hermana Stephenson is leaving and that I might train...I don´t know though because there is only 1 new Sister coming in this transfer and a bunch of Elders so I know that there are a lot better qualified Sisters to train...we will see!!! I like changes.

Also, I like teaching the English class and it's going very well.

June 10, President & Sister Hinckley are coming to the Branch for a special Mission Conference, we're excited.

I got an email from an investigator from Salt Lake (Rose Park). It was the Arbizu family from Guatemala. They still haven't gotten baptized, but it was great to hear from them.

Zaragoza, Spain - Mission Zone Conference

Laura at Zone Conference with Mission President & Sister Hinkley

Elders with investigators - Zaragoza, Spain

Helen's baptism - May 2012 Zaragoza, Spain

Aquiorin Sculputure, Zaragoza Spain

Barcelona Mission: (Zaragoza) Week-04 2012

Sent: Mon, May 14, 2012 8:30 am
Subject: copied and pasted letter for the President

Sorry, I didn't have time to write a separate letter.....

Dear President,

We had another miracle this week when two of our fechas came to a couple of baptisms that were going on in the capilla on Saturday.  They had no idea what a baptism was like, and they really liked what they saw.  They asked many questions and I did my best to answer them.  It was a miracle that they came (wish all four came, though).  The Spirit was so strong and it was just so special to witness the baptisms and they could feel it. Truly a neat experience!

We have four fechas but two of them will be going to the Elders because they do not live in our area.
Rodrigo from Colombia really has the missionary spirit.  He is an antiguo that we always run into randomly on the street. He knows everything and knows it´s true. He wants all of his friends to know as well so he invited these other men to listen to the discussions also.

Alfonso from Colombia has been here a few years and is trying to find a new place to live so it´s been tough getting a hold of him to visit. Raul from Peru is a friend of Rodrigo´s. He just wants to be baptized!  But as soon as he started learning more and more about the church he realized it´s more than just getting in the water and coming out a new person. He is realizing that he has to make changes and I am not quite sure if he is willing yet to fully commit himself even though he knows this is something special and he tells us he can feel the Spirit every time we are with him.

Felix from Peru is a good friend of Raul.  Rodrigo invited Raul who invited Felix!  Felix was very quiet during our lesson about the Restoration. Then I asked him what he was thinking and he said he felt something different, something unique and special, and something calm and warm.  We then testified of the Spirit.  It was incredible to share this experience with him. He´s been offered a few little jobs here and there so again, unfortunately, we have struggled getting a hold of him and he didn´t go to the baptism nor church on Sunday... :(

We just need to help these men keep their commitments.  We know they want to have more discussions, but it is a challenge for us to get into their schedules. They all have committed to be baptized on May 26th.

Our most recent convert, John is doing really well!  He told us he teaches his friends about the gospel, and invited a friend to church, who really liked it.  We had a great lesson with him this week in the park where we taught him about the priesthood.  He can´t wait to receive the Aaronic priesthood.  We explained it and lovingly reminded him that he had to take his earrings out and wear his best dress on Sunday if he wants to pass the sacrament. He took it well because the Spirit was so strong in the park that day. It was so neat and he said he wants to be worthy and do his best to look his best too, and please God.  On Sunday, his earrings were out, he looked great, and stood in line to meet President Gomez. :)

Some things we are repenting of is trying to be more effective during the day.  We need to be better at making back up plans so that when people cancel out on us we have something to do.

This week we watched the "Impressions of Missionaries" on the District and we discussed how the Branch members might view us.  We talked about being better representatives of Jesus Christ and taking our callings more seriously so the Branch members can rely on us more.  The discussions were interesting and we still have a lot of work to do.

We are slowly doing better each week.

Love,
Hermana Johnson

Barcelona Mission: (Zaragoza) Week-03 2012

Here is part of the letter to the president......

Dear President,

We searched for someone to teach this week and a miracle happened!  We met a man named Rodrigo in a park. Our Ward Mission Leader was there and said he had invited another man. The lesson was incredible as we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They both want to get baptized for the 26th.  Then at church, Rodrigo came in a little late to Sacrament meeting with 2 more friends who were interested!  They are both from Peru and they love the Church. One of them, Raul, asked me what he had to do to get baptized. I said well you can ask Rodrigo and then Rodrigo interrupted me and said "Si, voy a bautizarme el 26 de mayo" then Raul said that he wanted to also be baptized with him on the 26th. "juntos. Rodrigo y yo juntos el 26 de mayo." All of the members welcomed them and it was incredible! We have a big noche de hogar planned tonight with them, their friends, our Ward Mission Leader, and our Ward Missionaries. UN MILAGRO!!!!!

I admire that my companion is so calm, and such a good listener, and is very great at encouraging people.

We have 2 fechas – Rodrigo de Colombia who is quite the missionary himself because he has already brought/referred 5 friends to listen to the discussions!  He is probably in his 30s lives alone here, and is taking some classes.  He has been an investigator for a while but now is his time to be a member!  Alfonso de Colombia, his friend, is taking some classes, also. He is in his 30s and doesn´t have any family around. He has heard the missionaries before as well.  Rodrigo and Alfonso are both "Catholic" but are not practicing.  Rodrigo has been taught a lot of the discussions especially recently and he has attended church more than 3 times. Alfonso has heard the Missionaries before but it has been a while. He hasn´t been to church in a while and didn´t make it to church yesterday.¨:(

It was really neat visiting the recent converts from the list. We really had wonderful experiences finding them and getting to know them, even though it was tough because we didn´t quite find everyone. But it really was a neat opportunity to have the Spirit be brought back into their lives, hopefully, and to invite them to church.

This week we watched the District video "Teach People Not Lessons: Jynx" .  It really helped us because lately we have been too focused on just getting through the lessons and trying to get every point across.  It has really helped to get a better perspective and to get the help that we need.  We saw an improvement on our lessons with Rodrigo as we focused more on him and we were able to ask more inspired questions to help solve his dudas.

This week really was a wonderful week with many miracles!!!  Especially when I found out that my former investigator from Sabadell got baptized!!!! (The man from Africa: Modibo!)  Now we have fechas and people who are really interested and we taught an English class for the first time this weekend and found a couple new investigators!  It´s been a WONDERFUL WEEK!!! :)

Things are just getting better. Obedience is really the key and faith is the power. We have to rely on Heavenly Father and obey the small things and other things will fall into place.

Love,
Hermana Johnson

I HAVE SO MANY TH INGS TO TELL YOU!!! As you can see this has been a wonderful week!!!!

First of all, please write me at my own address:

c/ clara campoamor 18, 8 B

Zaragoza, Spain 50018

Second of all," thank you" Lake Poway Ward Relief Society for the card you sent! I LOVED IT!!!

Thank you for your emails.

A little about my week super-fast:

District Meeting was great. Afterwards we had a BBQ outside the capilla and Hermana Moulton and I sang a duet to "Mas Cerca Dios De Ti "(Nearer My God To Thee") and Elder Galan, our District Leader played the guitar.

One day I found a guy with a Padres jacket on and introduced myself and gave him a pass along card and took a picture. It was a fun reminder of home

We cleaned the chapel and scrubbed every crack in the tile floors --- took forever but grateful to do it and learned some neat dance moves (break dancing?)afterwards from our Canary Island District Leader, Elder Marcos.

I got a letter from one of my recent converts from Salt Lake City, Rose Park. Sister Mayberry. She is doing so well and bore her testimony. She is just blossoming in the church and has given a talk and is going to the temple to do baptisms and confirmations.  WONDERFUL news!  What a great opportunity I had to have possibly been a part of helping her get to where she is!!!!  What a blessing and a privilege it is to be a Missionary.

An 8 year old girl named Helen, is getting baptized this weekend!  All 4 of us Hermanas are so excited. She is wonderful and has been a joy to teach. Esther, her mother is so strong and is just coming back to the church because of Helen´s example. At church on Sunday she bore her testimony in Sacrament Meeting and said that she was having a conversation with a friend and bore her testimony about the Joseph Smith story. That night she prayed hard to Heavenly Father for a confirmation answer that Joseph Smith actually saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The next night, us Missionaries went over to teach. I randomly packed "The Restoration" video and the Spirit told me that we HAD to watch it.  We watched it and bore our testimonies of the truthfulness of it. Esther was amazed and said it was a direct answer to her prayers. Joseph Smith was a Prophet and he did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father knows us personally and does answer our prayers.  He is very mindful of us and our needs. How incredible of a story/experience is that!!! :)

The month of May as a mission has been labeled the month for miracles. 3Ms- el mes de may de milagros. Miracles have already started happening for Hermana Stephenson and I.  We have people who want to get baptized. We had that incredible experience at church with Raul. "Hermanas, quiero ser bautizado! Como? Que es lo que necesito saber para ser bautizado el 26 de mayo con el Rodrigo?" That is a hallelujah chorus in the ears of a missionary. It was a MIRACLE.

For the month of June for the Branches in Zaragoza, the members are encouraged from the Area President of Seventy of Spain to invite everyone they can to church every Sunday.  I am so excited to see what will happen. The members are nervous but also preparing themselves to do it. Miracles will happen-I can´t wait!

We taught an English class for the first time on Saturday. What a humbling experience. I consider myself so lucky to be native English speaking and learning this new language. What a blessing and privilege I have to be here and in this position as Missionary. Not to mention we have new investigators from this class!!! :)

We are gaining the trust of the members. Slowly we are repairing whatever damages and bad images that the missionaries in the past have had with these members in this area.  I am so excited for the future. I have a lot of faith that things are looking up.

I love you all have a good week. Am looking forward to talking to you, family, on Mother's Day.

Love,

Laura

Laura at a church BBQ singing a duet

Laura's Mission District (missing 2 Elders)

Laura's view of Zaragoza, Spain from her 8th floor apartment

Hermana Johnson after buying some delicious fresh bread from popular bakery - people waiting in line to get some.

Hermana Laura exhausted!

Hermanas English Class - Zaragoza, Spain

Laura found a guy with a Padres jacket

Church BBQ in Zaragoza, Spain

Barcelona Mission: (Zaragoza) Week-02 2012

Here is a copy of some of my letter to the president.  I don´t have a ton of time to type and tell you about things

Dear President,

A miracle story happened this week at a mediodia lunch with a member family. This family for the past year or so has been inactive and they just started going to church again because their little girls wanted to go.  While the mom was talking to us, she looked like she was about to cry.  I shared with her 2 Nephi 31:20 and talked about persevering. She then continued on to tell us about how they were inactive and how they are starting to come back because of the girls. I asked her if she liked going to church and she said she did now and that her girls are good examples to her.  She has always had a testimony.  Then she said how crazy life has been lately and how overwhelmed she has been. She shared a little miracle story that really helped her put things into perspective. She and her family were riding on the bus to church last Sunday. Then she saw us get on the bus. She said as soon as we got on the bus a lady that was sitting behind her, leaned over to her teenage daughter and told her, "Look you see those girls right there? Those girls are Missionaries.  You see how happy they are?  It is because of their faith that they are so happy. Their faith is what keeps them going-that´s what makes them happy."  After Sashy(members name) heard the lady, it made her smile and realize how blessed she was to have the gospel in her life. We had no idea this was happening while we were talking to her and her family and she never told us anything about it until this lunch we had with her!  She didn´t turn around and say anything to the lady either.

It was a special moment for all of us to hear her story. It has always been tough to contact and talk to people on the bus for me. This was a huge confidence builder for me as I realized how much people do notice us whether or not we are talking to them specifically.  And also the importance that we should try to talk to everyone and share the message that we carry!

I admire that my companion is so calm and says things will turn out. Our fecha lost her fecha.  We have been calling her and passing by her piso every day this week...and last week. She disappeared and we cannot find her. We will keep trying because we are worried and care about her.

Our most recent convert John Willems is doing well. The language is a challenge at church because he speaks English and everything is in Spanish. I don´t know how some of these members do it. But he is not afraid to comment in class and made a great comment yesterday in Gospel Principles class about the priesthood and then he offered the closing prayer.  We asked him for referrals and he said he would see about his family if they would like to hear the gospel. He met with the Branch President and hopefully will be getting some home teachers and a calling soon and ordained to the Priesthood.

Some things I have been repenting of and trying to work harder at are: taking out the trash and sweeping every night, avoiding sloppy language, and starting my personal study on time in the mornings. I have really felt like the small things do make a huge difference. A clean environment welcomes the spirit. You feel happier when you know you are doing the little things.

This week in training we watched the District videos about how to work with our leaders. We really needed this training. We don´t know a lot of people and since we split the area in two, the number of people we know has decreased.  We are so grateful to have an assigned list of things to do and people to visit before May 7th, because contacting is tough and our investigators are struggling. Our numbers are low and we have been visiting with less actives and trying to visit and get to know the members.

We had our first meeting with the Branch President at the Branch council meeting and were able to introduce ourselves and talk about some things. The counsel was so surprised to know that we were visiting some of the people that they were concerned about.  I feel it will really help increase our success here in this area. We met with our Ward Mission Leader for a long time, too. We made some progress and just need to keep being present so the members and the leaders will get to know us.

There is a lot of work to be done here and we are just taking it a day at a time...it´s slow and hard but I really feel like it will get better. We are going to make a difference in this area and get these members spirits up. The transition has been a challenge. More than anything I know that my Heavenly Father knows me and that He cares. That He is aware of my potential and He knows what needs to be done in this area and I need to turn my will over to Him because His plan and our plans need to be the same in order to leave this area better than it was before.

Love, Hermana Johnson

I love the other Hermanas that live in our piso and I love the elders in our district. I love being with them because they are all native speakers and of course, I love speaking in Spanish with them and hearing about their lives and their stories and their testimonies...just different worlds from my own little bubble in the United States you know?

Here´s some pictures of us.

I still love being a missionary.

Thank you for your prayers and your support and for your love. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Again, please read your scriptures, pray and go to church.  These 3 things mean so much and are so important. Your life will be blessed and you will be happier. It is so simple. Just do it.

I love you all and pray for you all the time.

Love, Laura

Zaragoza, Spain - District Meeting

Laura Johnson on Preparation Day in Zaragoza Spain in front of San Diego Street sign