Jan 3, 2011

Dearest Family!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! It’s 2012. . . .PARTY!! Ha ha, This last week has been a little less eventful than usual. We did A LOT of tracting! We were running low on miles so we stayed in Chelsea most of the week and got to know people here a little more. One house we knocked on we were talking to the lady and her friend came out. As we were getting to know him we found out that he is gay. He started telling us that we needed to tell our “Elders” in the church to stop persecuting the gay population. He was really bitter that we had spent so much money in California to put a stop to gay rights. (I’m assuming that he was talking about prop 8.) Anyways we tried to explain that we don’t persecute gays and that we treat them as God’s children just like everybody else! We told him that we were even teaching a gay person. Once he heard that he lost his top! He was like, “Oh yeah, you are teaching them to NOT be gay??” Then slammed he slammed the door in our faces. Ha ha, these people! It’s so interesting like I said in my snail mail letter—you never know what is waiting behind that door!

We were going to see Martha today and we were really excited to invite her to be baptized, but we called her last night and she has to go to Jury duty in Detroit! L I was so sad!! She said if she was put on the jury she would be gone for like 2 weeks atleast. We are praying that she DOESN”T get put on the jury! I just love this woman SO much!! She works hard, loves her family so much and is very level headed. She said she had been so busy that she hadn’t had much time to read the Book of Mormon, but that she has spent a lot of time the last few weeks praying! She has an uncle that she calls whenever she has religious questions and she said that she has spent more time in the phone with him the last few months than she EVER has! Ha ha, It’s good that she is thinking, asking questions and has someone to talk to that is open minded about all of this! Sometimes I really wonder if I hadn’t been born into the church and the missionaries knocked on my door if I would listen? Some of the things sound pretty out there. . . . God appearing to a 14 year old boy!!! Angels visiting the earth to give men some special power??  I am just very thankful for my testimony! I am glad that I was raised in the gospel and that I know if I ever have any doubts that I can ask my Heavenly father and I can know for myself! Prayer is such a powerful tool and the Holy ghost is so AWESOME!!  I’m grateful for the tools we have been blessed with! They are the only way that young people can touch the hearts of so many people throughout the world! J It’s amazing!! I was reading D&C section 20 (I think) and in there it talks about how the weak and simple things of the earth will go forth with power and great glory to share the glorious news of the gospel. . .  well let me tell ya! If I’m not fulfilling that prophecy then I don’t know what is!! I am definitely weak and simple, but I am protected by the armor of God! I have so many powerful tools at my side and I know that the lord is guiding me! J This is so great!!

There were other miracles that happened this week, but I wrote about them in my other letter so I won’t make you read it twice. I am SO glad that the holiday season it over!!!! Now we can get back to normal life and people will be staying home more (Hopefully!)  I am so excited to start a new year and find the people that the lord has prepared to receive the gospel. It’s gonna be a good year, I am so excited!

So, of course I miss you all like crazy, but I am getting caught up in this work! I have so many people to think about all of the time and we stay so busy; I am just very grateful to be here as a missionary. The lord really does have people prepared for me! There are more Martha’s waiting out there I just have to find them! J I’m doing great and loving this!

I love you all the BESTEST!! Choose the right and all the important things!

Love,

Lisa

P.S.  I got an e-mail from Aunt Kaye and Grandpa and Grandma Johnson! Tell them thanks! It was SO good to hear from them! I hope that they are all doing well. Tell them I love them and thanks for the prayers! It really makes a difference. The power of prayer is REAL, I can feel all of your prayers for me every day!

P.P.S Thanks everybody else for the e-mails that you send too! I LOVE them! I just don't have enough time to e-mail all of you back. :)