HNY,
God bless you President Monson! What an incredible man! I hope you will each take the time to remember his life and example. "Well done thou good and faithful servant."
Over the past couple of weeks I have seen first hand how missionaries are "set apart" from the world. The New year didn't effect me that much. It came and went just like any other day. One reason being that we went to bed at our usual time of 10:30, I don't remember having a countdown in my dream as the time finally came, that would've been really cool though. Second reason there's not much change is that missionaries already evaluate and set goals on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis to build character and talents. Third reason being the fact that it was transfers night so the excitement for New Years was overshadowed by the news (Elder Martin and I are staying together another transfer, I am very excited to finish training him). No party, no fireworks, no justification to drink to the point that you forget the last year completely haha. That might sound lame and boring but it's really not. Don't get me wrong, life needs to be celebrated, imagine the celebrations that go on in heaven! It's good to celebrate all the mountains we climbed last year and look forward to the ones ahead. However fun and memorable celebrations are, they really aren't that important. This next year is probably going to be the best year of my life and I didn't even start it off with a New Year celebration. 2018 is the first year of the rest of our lives. I am very grateful that I get to spend it as a full-time servant for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I'd like to share some recent testimony building experiences:
A member named Brother Coates called us up on Saturday and said he sold a rug the other day to a lady who met with LDS missionaries in the past. As Brother Coates talked with her, she expressed to him that her 10 week old baby was born with very serious heart defects and the doctors didn't notice the issues until a couple of weeks after birth. The doctors said the child will eventually require at least 2 open heart surgeries and he may or may not make it to age 30. She told Brother Coates that the missionaries randomly called her just after she learned of her baby's health complications and asked if she wanted to meet. In her heart she wanted to meet but she told the missionary she wasn't interested at the time (there was too much going on). She said she regretted declining the offer afterward. Time passed and she crossed paths with Brother Coates who taught her about priesthood blessings and offered to come back another time with the missionaries (my companion and I) to bless her baby. She is a very faithful women, she accepted the offer. When Brother Coates told us about this lady, I realized that I was the missionary who called her a few weeks back. I found her name through our record of people who've met with missionaries in the past. When I first called her and she declined, I didn't think much of it at the time, most people say no thank you anyway. But in hindsight, I'm glad I followed the prompting to call her because it strengthened her knowledge that God is reaching out to her and guiding her back to the fullness of the Gospel.
We saw her today with Brother Coates and his nephew. We'll call her Terri and her husband Walter. Terri has 4 kids and she had 2 of them with Walter, one of those being the 10 week old baby named Gallant. They are definitely older than most couples who have kids, one might say her ability to have a child at her age is a miracle. We shared the restoration lesson with them and answered their questions about Faith and other topics. Terri especially, accepted everything we taught. The spirit was very strong. Terri is very prepared, she is filled with faith but feels she has not found her church yet. Walter believes in God and that He created all things, but he is unsure what it all means for him. Terri knows that baby Gallant--and all of the complications attached to him--is a gift from God; Walter on the other hand, is more confused and discouraged than anything. I agree with Terri, baby Gallant was sent from above at this time, and through his ailments and his triumphs, God will unify this family and guide them back to him.
After our gospel discussion, Brother Coates administered the blessing to the baby, I gave a blessing to Terri and Elder Martin to Walter. We are going to see them again, and hopefully see them at church soon.
Missionary experiences like these are thrilling. I know this is the Lords work! There is no possible way the source of this goodness and power comes from a man. Divine power is real, there is divine love and by its power families can be united for eternity. There is nothing more rewarding than doing what is pleasing to your Father in Heaven and your family. I love my family, I hope they have an amazing year in 2018.
I hope you all have an awesome New Year!
Elder Johnson
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