Hey all you people! 

This week was pretty good, filled with cleaning, which will be what today mostly consists of as well! Ya for cleaning in the cold!!! It`ll be great once it actually is clean. Anyways, this week we went to district meeting and it was awesome we learned about being the best missionary we could be and we took the Christ like attribute test which was SUCH an eye opener. If your a missionary or not a missionary go to the PMG chapter 6 to the end and it has like a Christ-like attributes test. It is interesting to check the results. I sure learned a lot. This week was mostly spend doing the regular things such as finding, planning, and our various activities. And we had a few miracles and challenges as well.

We taught one of our investigators who used to have a baptismal date and last week challenged him to pray if God was there or not. He said he did and didn`t get an answer but it was okay because he already knew God was there. Then after the lesson he said he actually didn`t ask because he was afraid he wouldn`t get an answer. So we will have to see how that goes. 

And our other investigator wasn`t able to meet because she got sick. But she said she is reading the Book of Mormon little by little.

Then we had a cool miracle yesterday we were out dendouing, we took a train to go visit a less active and shared a short message and he didn`t want to pray at the end. Which was a bit awkward then I prayed in English (because he is American) and that prayer was awkward too because I forgot how to pray in english! Haha! So we started to dendo and it was WAY cold and rainy, but we talked to everyone, and we met this way cool girl named Mao. She was 14 (she looked 20) and we shared a quick message about the purpose of life and made a return appointment, she was way cool! Overall it was a pretty good week. Nothing too out of the crazy and normal, which is nice sometimes. 

I hope you are all having a great January, time is flying by so quickly!!!

Love,

Sister Johnson

A member (Nakagawa shimai) cut Lai shimais hair after church on Sunday

Shout out to hermana debuck, and all you other Star Wars fans!!

We found this good English sign and took a junkai picture! Me and whitworth shimai. I am pretty sure this quote is from mulan.

Hello everybody!
This week was way busy and so great! And as usual I only remember the
second half of it, haha! Let's see on Monday we went to visit Brian
who didn't end up being there, but then we housed the rest of his
apartment and talked to like 10 more foreigners some said they might
come to church, it was really weird. I'm not used to foreigners. Then
we dropped off some presents to the people who invited us over to eat
at their house and share a message and I could really feel that their
felt our appreciation even though as missionaries we cant do much for
them.
Then we had another lesson with our investigator yuuji-san. And we
asked him if he has ever prayed and asked if there was a God before.
He said he hasn't and said he will try it. So we will see how that
goes.
Then we got to go up to Sasebo and junkai with the sisters up there
which was awesome! We talked to some pretty awesome people and taught
a lesson to their investigator who is getting baptized next week! She
was so cool, super ready! Then we started to house. And in Sasebo the
hills are pretty intense, but we just kept going from door to door,
and soon we found ourselves at the top of this mountain, and we just
looked out and it was beautiful! We found the ocean too! It was so
pretty! Then as we were climbing down we ran into this 91 year old
woman climbing down this ridiculous mountain. So we talked and climbed
down with her. Gave her a pamphlet on the gospel of Jesus Christ told
her to share it with her family and we parted ways.
#thingsyouonlyexperienceinJapan
And we met some awesome families and made return appointments.
Then we had our activity on Saturday which was way fun, I was just
mostly just playing ping pong with the kodomo eikaiwa kids while
Sister Lai taught her Chinese class. Then that night we knocked that
last door and made a return appointment, went back the next day and it
was kind of a weird visit so not sure if we are going back. But so
blessed that a member came with us!
Then on Sunday Miyuki-san came to church with Hara-shimai! And we got
to teach her a lesson! The whole thing went down kind of weird.
Hara-shimai got injured from work because a child threw a toy at her
face. So she couldn't see out of her left eye. So she asked Miyuki to
drive her to church. We taught her and she still wants baptism, but
maybe doesn't want to become Christian yet, but she wants to try and
read the book or Mormon. And she has been praying and feeling like
when she prays someone is coming closer to her and watching over her.
She is so amazing!! Please pray for her whenever you have the chance!
Or right now! Then we had the opportunity to help a member clean her
house and man we cleaned it good. It looked completely different after
we were done. It was such a good week!! And today emailing is a little
late, i apologize, but we had a huge mochi suki (where you make rice
cakes) with the ward so that was awesome!
I love Japan and the mission! It is so great! I know this church is
true and that we can receive revelation through scripture reading!

Love,
Sister Johnson

These weird industrial houses we found housing. Yes, those boxes are homes.

Us at the top of the mountain!!!

We found the ocean too! It looks like Christ descending from the heavens!!

Making the mochi

Using the Hammer. Look at Lai shimai, workin' so hard.

Kurume primary mochi suki!!!! (nakazono, adachi family, maki family, kamakura family, hiyama kyoudai, akiyama kyoudai, kawanami family, mimaki shimai, ogata-shimais friend)!!!!!

Here is a cute extra picture for you. Hana-chan and Sa-chan making
mochi :) So cute!

Blog: New Year Part 2

Hello everybody! I feel like it has been so long since I have had the
opportunity to sit down and tell you about things that are happening
right now in the mission. But I actually do have some time today. So
sit down, get some hot chocolate. It's been a good week.
First of all I would like to thank all the members, friends, and
family that sent me letters, packages, prayers, love and faith. It is
always nice to get a touch of home away from home during the holidays.
And with every letter that I read I truly did feel the love and spirit
from each one of you. So this is a little shout out for all you
wonderful children of God! Thank you so much!
As I have reflected on this last year I think a lot of thoughts spun
through my mind since it will be the only entire year of my life being
a full time missionary. And I thought about all the people I had the
opportunity to meet, befriend, and love. And oh how the love of God
filled my soul. Every doubt that Satan tries to put into the heads of
God's faithful servants seemed to vanish as I felt probably what was
just a small fraction of the love Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus
Christ have for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. It's 2016!!!!
I can't even believe it!!!! It's literally beyond my comprehension.
Anyways, this week was really good. Even though I just emailed last
Friday, it was kind of a short bara bara email (I can't think of the
English word). But basically this week we ate... and ate and ate and
ate, SO MUCH FOOD!!!! It was very delicious, but I think I will need
to be doing some more biking for a while. As some of you may not know
in Japan new years is like Christmas. People are not super inclined to
listen to us very often. So the ward members got together and made an
eating schedule for us so we wouldn't have to be out so often. And
some of them fell through which gave us some time to go out and
dendou, which I was actually grateful for since it had been what I was
praying for. But eventually we found ourselves having time to dendou
on New Years Day night. Literally nobody listened to us. But we kept
knocking doors, praying, knowing God would lead us to someone who
would hear our message. We were walking around having no idea nor
promptings on where to knock. When we found ourselves right back where
we started so I looked at the apartment and noticed some lights on so
we started up the stairs to the first door. We knock and wait and hear
footsteps coming. And who comes out of the door, but lo and behold
Brian (we're pretty sure that's his name). An american guy from Iowa.
Who was also very surprised to see us. Said his past girlfriend was
Mormon and after talking with him for a bit said we could come back
and talk with him on Monday. He said he probably won't change
religions, but maybe the Lord has other plans. But it was such a
beautiful night where we were able to feel the blessings of God. It
was amazing!
Then this last Saturday we had another amazing miracle. A member had
invited her friend to have a New Year party with us at the church.
When they came over we just chatted and things and got talking about
prayer. The previous day the two of them went to visit her friend,
Miyuki-sans, grandma. They got lost and didn't know where to go. So
Hara-shimai stopped and suggested that they say a prayer. They prayed
and literally a few minutes later found the house. As we talked about
this experience my companion, in all her awesomeness, shared her
experience about her brother and grandma who had passed away and the
great blessings about the temple. Then Miyuki-san opened up about her
grandpa and how she felt she had been selfish towards him her whole
life and how much she loved him. The spirit was so strong. She was
crying, I was crying, my companion was crying. Not that the spirit is
indicated by crying, but it was so amazing to see the spirit help her
open up so she could hear and accept the message. We all looked
fantastic. And we taught her about baptism, eternal families, and she
said she wants to learn more about our church and that she had been
studying religion lately. Hara-shimai was shocked and had no idea. It
is amazing to see the Lord prepare people to hear this message! She is
so prepared by the Lord, and I can feel the Lords love for her and her
grandpas love for her as well. I know she felt the spirit so strongly
and that God really needs her to hear this message. Because it CAN
help people and it WILL bless their lives if they only let it.
The gospel is so true and I can see it changing me and those around me
everyday. Glad we have the knowledge that we do and the opportunity to
share it. I love my Savior and am getting to know Him better day by
day.
Hope you had a happy new year and a merry Christmas!!!!

Love,

Sister Johnson

Blog: Happy New Year 2016

I have like no time today! It is new years in Japan and we are going
to go to this giant shrine with a friend of ours and it is gonna be
crazy crowded! Just want to let you know that Christmas was so fun and
new years has been such a blessing.
One of the things I have appreciated most this Christmas season is I
think it is the Christmas where I have felt closest to the Savior in
my entire life. I am not sure a year ago if I knew what my life was
going to be like at the end of 2015, but it is far better than
anything I could've imagined.
I love Japan. I love being on a mission. And I love my Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
On Christmas Eve I read some of the experiences from the quorum of the
12 apostles on the LDS website. And as I was reading one in particular
touched me. I really felt that the Lord was talking to and watching
over me that Christmas Eve as I was trying to watch over His children
in Kurume Japan.
The Lord never forgets nor forsakes us. In good times and in bad. He
merely prompts us to find happiness and joy in the only way we really
can. I am so grateful I can know about this church. And have had an
opportunity to serve for the year 2015, it was a great one. I met so
many wonderful people. And have received so many wonderful blessings.
Merry Christmas でした
。そうして Happy New Years!!!!!
I love you all and hope you had a wonderful holiday season!!!
Sister Johnson

Spent new years eve with this great kid! Jenga to the next level! (Kamakura Itsuki)

We went to an old shrine in Kurume. These trees are 800 years old! (Me, Iida-shimai, and Lai shimai)

Lai shimai and I on Christmas!! Yay malls!

Not sure if I sent this picture or not. But we ate at the dendou shuunins house for Christmas. His family is adorable!

Their baby whom I love :)

The concert we went to on Christmas Day!! Ogata shimai!

Blog: Merry Christmas

So this week we get to email at a seven eleven because the wifi t our
church isn't working. Yay! Haha well anyways this week was kind of
crazy because it's transfer week and the week before Christmas and
just so much craziness! but last week on pday we ended up going to
like a zoo where you could go in and pet some of the animals which was
way fun! I will attach some pictures. Then on Tuesday we had district
meeting and some dendou. Then I don't remember much about the rest of
the week honestly. These last couple of days have been so crAzy that I
just can't remember. So you ar probably wondering what happened this
week, alright I will tell you. It is transfer week and I am
staying!!!! Yay!! however, Kurume is becoming a two man so we are
shutting down the other area! We were so surprised! We found out on
Saturday and on Sunday I just felt so stressed out! But I was able to
feel the peace of my Savior who overcame all things. And I am still
depending on Him so much now, but I know that He loves me and that I
can do all things through Christ. The King of kings, Lord of lords. He
who overcame death both spiritually and physically. And I feel so
comforted to have someone like that by my side. When things feel
overwhelming or that we need strengthening we always know there is
somebody we can depend on. And I am so glad I have never had to go a
time without that comfort.
And on Monday we had a really cool experience where we helped a member
move. And she was telling us about her conversion story. Basically she
was the daughter of a monk who found the church while training to be a
priestess and she joined and was disowned by her family. But she
worked hard and served a mission! She is seriously such an example to
me. We went to her families shrine to help pack her things to move her
closer to the city, and we met her dad who was once so hantai (opposed) and he
has accepted the church as a good thing and loves members and
missionaries and brought us in for tea and was showing us his cool
books and took some pictures in the shrines. She herself cannot
believe how much her father and family have changed. Once demanding
she come home from the MTC, now inviting missionaries into his home. I
know this church really changes lives and that we can find them and
help them.
We also had a cool experience with meeting this girl named haruna at
the train station. She had met bair shimai on splits, and the STL
accidentally called her, but set up an appointment with us, and we met
her and she was so cool!! we have another meeting with her to give her
a tour of the church. I hope she feels that this gospel can bless and
help her life. I am so excited! Thank you for all your prayers. I hope
you have a merry Christmas!!!! My next pday will be Christmas and I
will be spending it skyping my family! So I hope you all have a great
time with your families!!! Think of Christ and ponder, like d. Todd
christofferson said, as if you were there that silent, holy night
standing next to the baby Jesus. What gift would you bring? What would
you say if you stood next to the Savior of the world? I think that on
that night even for just five seconds the whole world was silent. I
hope I am here for when he comes again, my Savior and King.
I love you all so much!!! Happy 2016 Christmas!!! Make it more
meaningful than last year!!!

Johnson shimai

Us at Riyo shimais house! Ozaki shimai, me, Bair, mccuen, Ali, keiko,
parmley, and Riyo in front!!! Chilling at her new bachelorette pad!!!

We found this little guy housing. Yes, we did pet him... With a piece of paper.

Our district with the Kangaroos

The cute little monkeys that climb all over you!! And steal your things!!

Bair shimai and I wish a capybara

Blog : No Time

This week don't have a lot of time to email because we are going to a bio park in sasebo :)

I will send pictures next week!

This last week we had some miracles!

One of our investigators Yuuji made a baptismal date! For Valentine's Day.

He was an investigator that came up to us in eikaiwa and asked if we could teach hi how to pray. And he has been praying! His prayers have gotten so much better! He is so awesome! He is stressed about his test and is having a hard time right now, but I know the gospel can help him! We also had another investigator who was struggling with prayer working his way up, so that's good. The power of prayer is so important! I a currently working on prayers of mighty faith, like alma. Haha, key word, working on it. But I am so grateful for this time to really exercise my faith!

One of the really cool experiences I had was that we were getting ready for our activity and I felt that should do some phone dendou. I said a prayer and felt like I should look up a specific name, Akira, it wasn't there, but as I was looking in the A's I kept coming back to this one name. And they answered and we were able to set up a return appointment! It was so cool! 

The power of prayer works!

Sorry no time this week!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

SISTER JONSON

Blog:Thanks

This week was pretty crazy and interesting. It was also THANKSGIVING!!! Yay, I hope you all stuffed yourselves with turkey and gave so much thanks for all the many blessings that we have. To start off I would like to say somethings I am thankful for.

1. I am thankful for this opportunity to be on a mission and grow and learn in ways that I never could`ve at home.

2. I am thankful to be part of a ward. Both on the mission and at home. Everyone is so loving towards me and each other and it is great to see the hand of God work through the people around us. And also giving us a change to serve those around us.

3. I am thankful for all my companions up until now. Each teaching me such great things, and each being such a friend to me. I can never thank God enough for giving me great companions to help me both learn and to learn so much from. And people who became some of my greatest friends :)

4. I am grateful for the Christmas season. How lights just warm up any kind of atmosphere. The light of Christ is evident even in the small things.

5. I am grateful for friends who care, including my best friend and Savior Jesus Christ. Who whether I'm in a good mood or a crummy one is always willing to listen to every complaint and cry I have. And all my joy and pleas as well. And to all my other wonderful friends who do the same :)

6. I am grateful for every good influence through leaders, friends, and family that has been such a great example to me. FromSunday school teachers, to district leaders. Your effort was not wasted on this one.

7. I am so grateful for my family. Sometimes we`re crazy, or incredibly lazy. But we always stick together, and we`ve had a good time doing it. I know they will always be there for me and support me in my righteous decisions, and sometimes even in my dumb ones. I know that families are eternal, that my family was given to me for a specific reason. And I love them so very much. 

8. I am so grateful for a knowledge of this gospel. Without it I now I would be lost. Even with it we can get lost. But Christ will always come to get us, and take us back into his loving arms. This gospel changes lives, as it has with everyone that`s out on a mission, and everyone that is back home. Past, present, future. He loves us all and I know that I am incredibly blessed to know even what I know and have the opportunity through prayer, scripture study, church, temples to learn more about his eternal purpose to bring me joy and eternal life.

This Gospel is so true, and I see it in all the things the Lord does for me daily. So grateful, but I can never be grateful enough to my Lord and Savior who cares so much for me and for everyone that I see. I can never count the infinite blessings I have, but I am glad God gave me the chance to at least feel as grateful as I can. It brings me so much joy. I hope you can all feel so now as well, especially in this holiday season, but most importantly year round.

LOVE YOU ALL HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Felt like I was going to end it there, then I forgot I never said anything about this week, haha! So every day kind of felt like a separate week. We started off p-day with an investigator who took us to some really cool shrines. Then he had a problem with work so he was driving us around places. We prayed and his problem was solved. The power of prayer works.

Then on Tuesday we had a surprise birthday party for one of the members in our ward. She seemed really happy, and a lot of members showed up to be supportive it was awesome!

Then On Wednesday we had a pretty awesome miracle. One of our previous investigators who was too busy to meet called and asked us to meet at the church. So we went and gave her a present from a previous missionary who just finished her mission. And she told us she was coming to church on Sunday!!! It was such a miracle! And on Sunday she came and we had such a spiritual lesson about baptism and preparing her for baptism. She said she wants to try and learn more, so we are excited to help her!

Then on Thursday we had an awesome meeting with our mission president who talked about faith. And this morning I was reading about Alma and the Zoramites and what great faith Alma had. He prayed with such great faith and saw miracles. Sometimes I forget that the Lord can do all. I`m pretty sure you all know what I am talking about. And everytime I repent and think that I have limited myself with my lack of faith, it is sometimes painful to think about that I don't always trust in God so willingly. But the mission has taught me so much about faith and trust in God. He truly loves us and will allow miracles to happen by our hands if we trust in Him. And I have seen some awesome miracles because of faith. This week included. 

On Saturday we also had a really fun musical talent show thing. There are some really talented people in our ward. Let me tell ya. It was so fun! We even got to participate and do a cover dance from Hercules. Shout out to Emma, Melissa, Maddie, Hannah, and Jill. High school lip-sync champions! It was so fun, and everyone really enjoyed it.

We had a few people cancel on lessons, but through that we were able to meet some more awesome and prepared people. God prepares people everyday if we but have the faith to go and meet them. I know that God only wants us to see miracles daily. So that we can partake of His joy and blessings. 

So grateful to be grateful!!! So many things to be grateful for!!! Hope you all had the best thanksgiving and can`t even believetomorrow is December and Christmas is coming up!!! Love you all so much! Thanks for all the prayers in my behalf!

Love,

ジョンソン姉妹

Us at the kawanamis, I love this family. They always feed us until
we die, but it's so good!

Us at the kawanamis again. Now you see why I love this family so much!

Best district ever at special training helping Kurume sisters practice for their music number! Bair, me, Parmley, McCuen, Akahori, Ketch, Hunsaker, Hayashi, Means, Seable

Our thanksgiving eikaiwa! Yay tradition! Me, Akiyama, new guy, bair, airi, yasuko, tomo, hatta, ali, Godfather, haiya, kinjou, betty, megumi, masuyaha, parmley, mccuen, me

Us at Megumi's suprise party. after everyone had left, haha! Bair, Imamura-shimai, Megumi, Yamamoto-san, Parmley, Me, and Mccuen shimai