Country Roads

Hey, How you? (As they say here)

My week has been improving as it goes on, last week was so frustrating with appointments falling through all over the place, but we're getting more investigators with all the tracting we've been doing, so we're staying busier and that helps keep your mind off other things. I still can't believe I'm actually knocking on stranger's doors and talking about the gospel and trying to make conversation. It's so awkward sometimes! Oh well, good thing we talk to some really nice people sometimes to make up for it. Yesterday we were talking to a 15 year-old boy and I've never been called "ma'am" so much in my life! The country folk have their manners :) We took two of the students with us tracting yesterday. There's so many of the students who are returned missionaries or prospective missionaries that want to come with us, so we took them along and covered more ground (and it gave me a nice reprieve from Sis. Taylor). There is so much rural part of our area that has never been tracted as far as we have records, so we're walking down a lot of country roads. (Just like the song, except I'm not in West Virginia).

You're going to laugh, but I've reverted to doing trail things… For example the other day we were walking along and I saw the perfect piece of wood for carving a spoon, so I sawed it down with my Leatherman and then when we got back to the apartment I split it with some of our kitchen knives (I broke them both), and I've been carving away at it since. I just need to find some sandpaper to finish it. The funny part was a couple in the ward drove by while I was off the side of the road in the forest in my skirt sawing down a branch – they were probably wondering what in the heck I was doing. I've also started trying to find wood that will work for making me a fire set. The Elders wanted me to teach them how to make fire without matches. They also asked me the other day if I knew how to brain tan a squirrel (apparently they had acquired one that they had skinned). I told them I couldn't help them on that one because I did have someone that was going to teach me, but I came on my mission before I learned that skill.

There's also a great grass hill near our apartment for rolling down, except it makes me really dizzy and next time I should change out of my skirt and suit coat. But I have to do something to keep my mind off how much my companion annoys me. No, it actually hasn't been too bad; she really is a good missionary. Speaking of companions, I confessed to President Cowley the other day that I've talked to Sister Andersen on the phone a couple times. It's not my fault, Gay will be on the phone with her and then she'll hand the phone to me and what am I supposed to do! But she's doing really well, working like crazy and feeling lost, like most returned missionaries. As soon as she sends me a CD with all the pictures we took on her camera, I'll send it to you.

You know how we work at Habitat for Humanity every Saturday? Well, on Monday they had a dedication ceremony for the 4 houses we've been working on and presented the homeowners with their keys and what not and had a barbeque and the mayor was there and various prominent people from different organizations and the various families' preachers came and dedicated the houses. I also noticed that only one of the preachers (the Pentecostal one) prayed properly, addressing our Father in Heaven and closing in the name of Jesus Christ. And it turns out that he's actually a former member of our church, in fact he still technically is since his name is still on record. And he's related to Gay. It's all funny over here how everyone is connected somehow. Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I walked all through the houses and I was able to point out the parts that I had done. I was quite proud of myself :) They're starting a new house now, so I'll get more experience with the beginning work instead of the finishing. My hands were sore from the bolt cutters last Saturday when I was cutting wire shelving to install.

But back to missionary work, I have another favorite scripture we came across this week. Alma 26:22. Alma 26 is a really great joyful chapter anyway, all about how Ammon and his brothers are rejoicing and praising God for their many blessings and how they were instruments in God's hands to bring thousands of the Lamanites to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And in verse 22 he gives us the secret to being a good missionary and having the power to bring that many people into the gospel. And it's just 4 simple things (though they are often easier said than done) but really, it makes missionary work not so overwhelming. They are: repent yourself, exercise faith, bring forth good works, and pray continually without ceasing. And if you do those simple things, you can know the mysteries of God and be able to help thousands come unto Christ. Amazing, huh? So, I guess I need some more work in all those areas… Why does everything always seem more complicated than it really is? Life is actually really simple when it comes down to it. We just make it more complicated than it has to be. Silly us.

Love you all. Love, Sister Johnson