April 15th 2013

Hey wasn't General Conference great?!? :) We just got to watch it this weekend and we even got to see priesthood too. I would have to say President Uchtdorf's talks in both priesthood and on sunday were my favorites. I also loved the themes of missionary work and the light, love, and comfort that comes from the Savior. I can feel how desperately Samara needs that light. So many people are blind and deaf to the greatness that could be theirs if they would just open their heart and listen to what we have to say. It's such a joy to walk down the street and feel the love of the Savior for each person that walks by but then when they reject it's quite sad, heavy even. But then there's always the hope and peace in knowing that since He loves them, He has a plan for them. There is no need to be down hearted, especially when the Lord is beside me. I have definitely felt His presence this week. It's funny how He uses my humanity and my frailties to bring me closer to Him. These past couple weeks my knees have been acting up. All the walking has been wearing on them, especially my right one, the crippled one. It was kind of getting to the point where it was getting in the way of the work so I decided to get a blessing. I wanted to make sure I'd done everything I could to make it better before I called Sister Sartori. So my district leader blessed me that my knee would "not have pain", that health would not be a problem for me, and many other things that I knew the Lord himself wanted me to hear. After that and now my knee still feels funny but there's essentially no pain. That's my miracle for this week, among many others.
Olga, the investigator we found on the streets a couple weeks ago set a baptismal date for the second week in May!! We're pretty excited but things have been weird lately. We invited her to general conference and were going to meet together at the metro to go together. We called her when we got there and she said she was on her way. Then we waited for a half hour, called her again and her phone wasn't working. So we got on the metro and just as it pulls away she calls us. We tell her we'll wait at the next stop. We wait there for another half hour and her phones not working again. We didn't hear from her for the next 24 hours until we're knocking doors and get a call from one of the zone leaders. He said that he was teaching a lesson at the chapel when Olga walks in and asks for us, wanting to talk because she had had a bad day. So we run over there (we were close so it only took us 5 min tops) and the elders say she's there but she's not. She's like a phantom! We're not sure what to do and we're concerned about her. Many of our other investigators have been very ellusive this week. No one's answered their phones or have been able to meet, which has been a tad frustrating but oh well, patience, patience. It's hard when I'm so invested in these people and their welfare but I only get to see them like once a week for an hour and even then my communication is limited. That's getting better though--the whole language thing. :) I'm starting to understand what the Russians are saying to me, even on the streets!!! and it only took me a month haha... it's been four weeks and my first cycle is over! It was a short cycle this time since the new kids are coming in today/tomorrow. My whole district is staying here in Bezi, except for Elder Jenkins. He was supposed to stay but then something happened in Ingles. Elder Farnsworth, my four-square buddy at the MTC, and his companion Elder McClure accidentally walked onto a secret military base so they're being deported. !!!!! They may never get to come back to Russia again and will probably be sent out to the Baltics to finish out their mission. So Elder Jenkins and I finally have to part as he is sent down to Ingles. I'm gunna miss that guy but it also means that we get a new elder in our district straight out of the MTC so that means I'm not the newbie anymore!
That's basically everything around here!
Oh wait! I almost forgot the best thing that has ever happened to me. So. We contacted an old lady the other day and she invited us over to her house. She is short, has big eyes and reminds me of a variety of pixar characters, just so cute, nice and full of life. We stopped by the other night. She sat us down on her couch in the a dome full of piled things, rugs hung on the wall, tea and cookies on the table. I couldn't understand a word so I just enjoyed myself watching her interact with Sister Clyde. Then, she pulls out the tiniest accordian you've ever seen and starts to accompany herself as she sings us a traditional Russian folk song I've heard the elders sing at the MTC. Oh how I wish you could have been there. I will always remember that evening. Soooo great.

Anyway, love you all sooo much.
с любовю, сестра джонсон

P.S. I saw Tom Rowley in general conference just like every one else in the ENTIRE WORLD--even here on the other side of the globe. THAT was weird, seeing Tom's smiling face blown up on the wall of the little chapel in Avrora.