Puzzle Pieces

Hi Daddy!

Happy Father's day on Sunday! And I can't forget to wish Brian a Happy Birthday on Sunday, too! And Happy Coming-to-Earth-Day to Stetson! That reminds me how I taught the Plan of Salvation lesson a gazillion times last week. But you know, you'd think I'd get tired of teaching the same things over and over again, but it never gets old because it ends up being really different every time and I learn or at least have my own testimony of the plan strengthened. It makes a huge difference in how we live our lives if we just know that we have a goal and a purpose - a reason for doing the things we do; that there is so much more to life than just this world and that we lived before we came here and will live on after. When you take this life all by itself, it really doesn't make much sense, just like one piece to a puzzle doesn't make much of a picture, but when you put it in context of the rest of the Plan of Salvation, an amazing picture comes into focus.

So, this week we finally got some beds to sleep on - and an air conditioner! It's really not all that hot, so I don't get it when people say it is, it's just pretty humid so it makes it kind of miserable when you're out in it - they don't know what heat is... But it was funny because the Assistants to the President were down and so we got them to help us install the AC - I started to do it myself but all I had was my Leatherman and we had an appointment, so we left them in the apartment to handle it. Elders.... they're a funny breed. When we got home, they had ended up taking out one of the entire window panes (it was a double window) and it was sitting in our living room... But hey, our AC works, so I guess I can't complain :) We still don't have any pots and pans, so we've been surviving on cereal and pb & j for breakfast and lunch (that's all we had since we didn't get a chance to go to the store last Wednesday with trying to get moved in). But don't worry, we've been fed dinner every night. The ward here is so good with everything.

There was a baptism on Saturday and we had an investigator come and - figures, I somehow got roped into playing the piano. I really need to somehow practice more if people are going to keep asking me to play at the last minute, because I really can't play many hymns well enough for people to sing along with. I guess I should have been practicing more all my life... I didn't use my time for preparation very well... Speaking of the piano, we volunteer at the nursing home here as well, and after the activity time, we sometimes stay and visit and what not with the residents. Well, they have a piano in this little library area, and this old man asked me if I play and so I felt I should play for him what I could, and he sung along as I played "Sweet By and By" and some hymns, I enjoyed it, and it made his day as well. It's those little things in life that really make the best memories.

Oh, I had the most amazing thing happen to us on Sunday. So we were talking to some people before church started and a member comes up to us and tells us we need to come meet his friend, so he introduces us to a lady that he works with that is interested in the Church and in the course of talking with her, we find out that she has been at Sacrament meeting for the last 5 weeks and nobody had really realized that she wasn't a member, and she was already in 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. So of course we asked if she wanted us to come teach her more and she was more than happy to give us her contact info. I mean, that's like a missionary's dream, to have an investigator dropped into your lap at church. Just Heavenly Father's way of reminding us that he really is in control of His work here and He is preparing people to hear the gospel.

On Tuesday we went to a little cottage meeting out in Floyd County, which is part of our ward boundaries but is really far away and so the members out there have a hard time always getting to church, especially with the gas prices. They asked us at the last minute to give the little lesson, and so, well, what else do missionaries teach but the restoration, so that's what we talked about. How we really do have just one message to the world and we need to have our own testimonies of it.

Speaking of gas prices, I'd been wondering what it was in Phoenix, so thanks, Dad. Mom, probably never would have bothered to tell me that :) Thank you so much for writing me even though I know it's not easy for you :) You make me laugh. You're the best Dad ever. How'd Mom's trip go? Well, I gotta get going. We have milk in the trunk. (Not for me, mind you, I still don't drink that stuff...) Love you all!

~Sister Johnson