Christmas Day

Sisters Martineau, Johnson, & Daw sitting in our front yard

Sitting in the library where we volunteer

Hello Everyone!

The rest of my Christmas day went pretty good. We didn't end up getting back home till almost 9 o'clock, so we opened our presents then. That's the latest I've ever opened Christmas presents! We lit a fire in our little fireplace - that made me so happy! Sitting next to a real wood fire again! And then we opened out presents and then we ate some mashed potatoes and green beans (we had a really late lunch instead of dinner so we got hungry) and then stayed up a lot later than we should have playing trivial pursuit.... We had a lot of fun. The rest of the day was all full of visiting the members and recent converts that had us over to eat and driving in between - we have a HUGE area. I think if we tried to drive from one end to another at once it would take about 2 hours. And I loved my presents. I think there must have been a sale on General Conference DVDs.... :) And I love all the Burt's bee's stuff....ummmm......I love all the pictures of Christmas, too. My family is so awesome. I love them. It was kind of sad to see the normal Christmas pictures with just Kristi in them... But I liked her hair in the picture with the sugar cookies, it was really cute. And you can tell the Hollanders they can put me on their membership plan at the rock gym, too, when I get home :)

I'm pretty sure I remembered to tell Grandma Happy Birthday, but just in case make sure she knows I remembered and love her! And I got her card!

You can tell Rick that I got to have some Tamales for Christmas, too! Well, I had them a couple days after Christmas, but it was the family from Honduras that gave them to us. These ones were wrapped in Banana leaves instead of corn husks, I thought it was interesting, I guess that makes them more moist. Sister Martineau has been cooking for us a lot when we don't have dinner appointments and it's been fun. She made us potato tacos today, they were really good! The other day we had spaghetti squash lasagna.

But anyway, we are teaching a whole family that speaks Spanish, they understand some English, and the kids all speak English well, so we can help teach them a little. But they are close to baptism we feel, so that's really exciting. We are going over there on New Year's Eve. They are so excited about it they wanted to make sure that we would still teach a lesson even though it was New Year's. There is another lady here that is being baptized next week. And at first her husband was not really pleased and didn't want to go to the baptism, but we have been praying and fasting a lot, and guess what? She told us the other day that he said he would come! Her son already joined the church a few months ago and is a really awesome kid. Reminds me of Rick :)

But trying to schedule things depending on which city we'll be closest to is kind of a pain. I still have no clue where I am half the time and I get Galax and Wytheville all mixed up. And the members here seem to have it in their head that I'm really here just temporarily, so no one really bothers to get to know me yet :) I hope President just leaves me here the rest of my mission. That way I can pick up a little Spanish, be really busy, have a lot of fun with my companions (because, as we say, two is a companionship, three is a party), and maybe lose some of the weight I've gained since we have bikes here that we can ride when we're going to places close by - my dreams have come true! I can ride a bike on my mission!

I'm sure there's a lot more I could say, but I'm drawing a blank right now, so I'll just have to write more next week.

~Melissa

My Testimony/Conversion

As a Christmas gift to my family and friends - here is my testimony and the story of my conversion:

I truly have been blessed to have been born into the family that I was, and as my patriarchal blessing says, to have been taught the principles of the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ has always been an inseparable part of our lives even though we, of course, aren’t perfect. But I am grateful for a family that has continually tried to progress and change and become better and better.

Growing up, my life was happy and not filled with many trials and challenges, at least none that stick out to me now. But I’ve wondered if that in itself was a challenge. Tests and trials are what make us learn and grow, and be strong. Maybe part of my test is to still learn to be strong without anything forcing me to do so. Looking back, I can see this reflected in my testimony as well. It was never really challenged. I was blessed to be of quiet understanding and I’ve never doubted any of the principles of the gospel – they’ve always just made sense to me. But because that knowledge came so simply, I’ve taken it for granted. And like any strength, if not used correctly, my quick understanding became a weakness. Because I felt I already understood the gospel, I did not ask, seek or knock the way we are taught to in the scriptures. My faith and testimony did not grow, my understanding did not deepen. The gospel was in my head and not in my heart.

Although I never doubted the teachings of the church, I did, however, begin to doubt my ability and even sometimes my desire to live up to them. I began to think I could do things my own way and everything would still turn out all right. Of course, I knew in the back of my head that something was lacking and that things weren’t all right, and I slowly began to realized how important the small, seemingly unimportant things really were (like studying the scriptures every day and praying every morning and night), and that God’s ways really were better than mine. I was reading a book once that said something about not being too quick to understand – and it hit me and I realized that that was a lot of my problem. I had become lazy. As I started seeking true understanding and my testimony began to truly grow, I was amazed at how much I hadn’t really understood. I started seeing the picture grow bigger and bigger and more and more clear.

Like most things in life, my conversion was so gradual it’s hard to put a finger on it, but a definite turning point in my life was working out in the wilderness, especially Anasazi. I’ve found that I seem to learn things the best when I learn the same thing in different places and from different perspectives. Being among God’s creations, away from the distractions of the world, serving others and seeing them change as they realize what is really important in life – and then relating all those lessons and experiences to the gospel and seeing how similar they are, my understanding of gospel principles deepened more than it ever had. The blessings and healing of the Atonement was so clear to me. That there really is only one path, one way, one gate, to eternal life – whether you like it or not. And from my adventures hiking, I’d learned many lessons about the importance of staying on the right path.

That experience also prepared me to serve a mission. And serving a mission has given me the opportunity to further deepen my understanding as my scripture study has been taken up a notch. As I’ve had to teach what I know, and had to know, without any doubt, what I teach is true, the gospel and my testimony of it has not only been written on my heart, it is in the process of being engraved. I have not had any grandiose spiritual experiences, but there is peace. In such an unstable world, that inner peace is worth everything to me. And it is the only witness I need.

~Melissa

Merry Christmas!

I'm in Galax now, but this pictures was taken in our apartment in Marietta.

Hola!

I can really say that now, because we've been teaching a lot of Spanish-speaking people since I've been back in Virginia. One of my companions grew up in Mexico (Sister Martineau - aren't we related to some Martineaus?) and there's a lot of migrant workers here in Galax so we have quite a few (or as they say around here, "a couple-three") Spanish speaking investigators here. I try to understand and sometimes I follow, but I'm mostly lost. So maybe I'll pick up another language on my mission after all! My other companion's name is Sister Daw and she's just from Utah. But they are both really great and I think it's actually going to be a lot of fun and not horrible like I imagined a trio to be. We have lots of investigators here, especially compared to my other areas, so that's really exciting. Our area is really huge, so we're busy all the time, especially with all the driving. We actually cover Wytheville, VA as well and we stay half the week there and half the week in Galax. So I don't think I'll ever really get unpacked....

I just want to make sure you know what a great family I have and I thank our Father in Heaven every night for you. I love you all so much and if I were there right now I'd give you all a great big hug. Have fun doing all the normal Christmas stuff - I don't have to remind mom to take pictures. On a mission, you kind of feel like every season is Christmas because that's who we always talk about! And I think that's the way it should be.

Love you all! ~Sister Johnson

Goin' back to Virginia!

So you want the news? I AM being transferred tomorrow. Back to Virginia :) Still no West Virginia for me! (Besides the little bit that was in my area here).

But the part I'm really not happy about is that I will be in a trio....ughhh. I brought it on myself I think...I made some comment a couple of days ago that I don't think I could ever handle being in a trio - and there I go! But I've met the two other sisters before briefly and I don't think it will be as bad as it could be :) But no, everything will be great! I'm pretty sure Galax is somewhere between Buena Vista and Christiansburg, so I'll be close to my old areas. It was actually pretty funny when we got the news; Sister Reeves seemed positive that she was going to be transferred, and so I laughed when it was me instead. She told me I had to take with me all the leftover mashed potatoes from the ward party on Saturday that they forced us to take home, I told her I don't think I'll be able to fit them in my suitcases or I would. I'll miss Sister Reeves, she actually thinks I'm really funny instead of annoying.

But anyway, we were supposed to have a baptism on Saturday before the ward party, but it didn't work out with her getting married this week after all. Jennifer was pretty bummed (and so were we) but she is still so excited and wants to be baptized, but it probably won't happen until after the holidays. She truly was a joy to teach. I'll miss a lot of people here, but guess I'll just have to come and visit later! Getting to know all the different people really is one of my favorite things about my mission.

Oh, and guess what? I finally met one of those people that think they are the Lord. Crazy. I never thought the Lord would wear a leopard print robe with tassels and a hood.... this guy was actually pretty creepy. We left tracting that area pretty quick.

Did I tell you Sister Reeves and I were roped into playing a flute duet for the ward Christmas party program? Yep, we did. It turned out pretty good, our ward mission leader wrote the music for us, and if we had both stayed we would be playing in sacrament meeting this Sunday as well. Guess I got out of that. But it's been fun playing the flute again and singing with Sister Reeves, I've been practicing singing alto. I think I've finally got several of the Christmas Hymns down. Singing alto is hard for me, my ears are mostly trained to hear the melody and not much else, so it's been good for me.

Ok, you probably won't believe what I did today, but I don't know, I figured what the heck - I permed my hair. But not really small, so it's more like naturally curly hair. I'll send a picture one of these days when I take one. A less active member here owns a salon and did it for free. Plus, I don't really care what I look like on my mission so what better time to experiment. And it will probably come out by the time I get home because of how long and thick my hair is and how much it doesn't like to curl. So all will be well. I actually like it for now, it's different :) I guess I'm trying to be more like my popular little sister.

Did you get conversion stories from everybody so you could make a book? I thought that was a great idea. I'm glad to hear all the news of my awesome family. I meant to write everyone letters again, but I don't think I'll have time now that I have to pack and move and everything. So if you don't get anything from me for Christmas, I'm sorry. I really do love everyone and I'll try to make it up to you all when I get home next year, k? Well, I better get going.

~Melissa

Child of Light

Hello Everybody!

I guess I better answer your questions first. I did already get my present from Amazon. It came really fast! I did open it, but I'll wrap it back up and put it under the tree :) I had to peek at it; it's the coolest book ever! (Strong’s Concordance to the Bible) It has a Hebrew and Aramaic and Greek dictionary as well so you can look up nuances in the original words! I love reference books! Maybe I'm just really strange. You're the best Santa ever. Oh, and I mailed my conversion story to you, I think it turned out kind of jumbled because it's hard for me to organize my thoughts without a computer to move words around and edit and see all at once, but oh well, I guess.

So you liked my rant about not being comfortable? I learn my ranting skills from my mother. And it sounds like my family is just turning into a bunch of member missionaries! Now that's what I like to hear! As soon as the general membership of the church gets it through their heads that missionary work is THEIR job and the full time missionaries are there to HELP then the work will move forward like never before. That's when things will really get going. I think I've told you this before, but I think that's one of the reasons I had to come on a mission, so I would be a better member missionary when I get home. I would have gone along not really realizing the importance had I not come. And Dad's in the Choir? I don't know if I'll even know my family anymore when I get home!

The fake tree looks pretty good - but no more Styrofoam cranberries? Now that's going too far! :) I showed the pictures you sent to my companion and Sister Roylance and they seem to think there's something wrong with so much greenery in December. I told them I don't really know anything different :) We had a big snow storm this weekend, and it got down to 9 degrees! Aghhh. And they cancelled church even because the road up to the church is pretty hilly and gets really icy. So that was weird. Missing church has really thrown me off. I don't like not having church, I've decided. It seems to keep you centered. And we're really anxious because the baptism this weekend might not happen, well, it will still happen, just not this weekend. There have been some complications with getting married, so we're praying that things will still work out. But really not much else interesting has been happening around here. Its Christmas time and everyone is too busy to talk to us, including a lot of the members... the ironies of Christmas.... But I love it anyway.

I feel like Pres. Uchtdorf when he said in the First Presidency Devotional that his favorite part was the lights. I've found I'm really sensitive to light and it's very important to me - in more ways than one. Sis. Reeves was laughing at me because some light bulbs went out in our apartment and it drove me nuts until I could change them. I just told her it was because I am a child of Light and not a child of the darkness.

Well, I need to go. Love you all! ~Melissa

Not Comfortable

Sorry I never got around to writing a real letter last week either...but I'll try to remember what I wrote. Nothing really too exciting. But most important things first - where to mail my Christmas package :) Yeah, transfers are on Dec. 17. I don't know if I'll be transferred or not (I kind of don't think I will), but you never know until the day before really, so I guess it'd just be best to mail it to the office (888 Oakwood Rd., ste 310, Charleston, WV 25314). We have our Christmas Zone Conference on the 22nd or something so if it gets there before then they can just bring it to us.

Well, on with my week. We had Thanksgiving at the Roylances. We just love them; they are the greatest little family. She's the one that reminds me so much of you and likes to hear your rantings about Relief Society. We helped her finish up all her preparations and we made the pies and we had a nice little dinner just us and the kids (Bro. Roylance had to work). I beat the oldest boy (10) at Chess and Checkers and had a grand time. I didn't think to take any pictures though. Sis. Roylance is one of those people that you can spend hours talking to her before you even realize it.

But so far we're still planning on a baptism on the 13th right before our ward Christmas party. Jennifer is so awesome; she is just the highlight of my week. It's good to know that there really are people out there that are just looking for and hungering for the gospel. Hopefully her fiancé comes along as well. She thinks he's secretly reading the Book of Mormon when she's not looking. But he isn't quite as prepared as Jennifer is.

But really not a whole lot has been happening here in Marietta, it keeps getting colder and colder, and people get busier and busier and don't want to talk to us. It really amuses me the responses we get sometimes while tracting. If people only realized what they were saying! This one guy told us that sorry, he wasn't fertile ground - I mean should that be a red flag to him! My personal favorite is the one we get where the people are nice and say they're not interested, but "they appreciate what we're doing". They'd appreciate it a lot more if they actually listened to what we have to offer them! But something really hit me the other day as we were tracting when a lady told us she was comfortable in her church. After walking away from her door in the snow I wanted to yell "Comfortable!! I'M NOT COMFORTABLE! Do you think I LIKE walking around in the freezing cold and snow knocking on people's doors who I don't know and being rejected left and right? I am definitely NOT comfortable in my church!" But I don't think we're supposed to be comfortable; when we get too comfortable we stop learning and growing and stretching. I don't think Heavenly Father ever really wants us to be too COMFORTABLE in the church. So I may not be comfortable, but I'm in the right place, exactly where I should be.

I've also been very grateful recently for modern revelation. Especially as I've been reading the Bible more, I really don't understand how people don't feel more that something is missing. I would be completely lost without the added insight and explanations of modern revelation.

I'm glad Hayden's birthday went so well and that you had such a good Thanksgiving. You all seem soo busy! And Mom, I haven't forgotten about my testimony, I'll try to remember to get that to you this week. It snowed again last night and everything is looking and feeling more like Christmas. We even got a little Christmas tree from a member and I decorated it with the 5 ornaments I collected last year and my Santa hat and some other random things I found around the apartment and it looks pretty good :) But I better go, time's out. I love you all!

~Melissa