Week 2-Southworth/Peninsula YSA

Well, this week has been great, but long! We have a YSA named Scott that was supposed to get baptized tomorrow, but during sacrament meeting, the ward mission leader got up and announced that his baptismal date got pushed back to July 2nd. We didn't even know about it. It's because of his work schedule, but we're still worried that Satan will get in the way. So...we're going to try to convince him to push it forward. He's solid, and ready to be baptized, it's just the calendar getting in the way

-WE FOUND A FAMILY! Yeah, a mom dad and 2 little kids! We simply knocked on their door one day and she said that she was curious enough to read the Book of Mormon! We went back a week later, she welcomed us in, fed us cake, and said that she had tons of questions. She's had read all of 3 Nephi, had Googled what important scriptures were in teh Book of Mormon, had read all of the Articles of Faith, believed that answers come by faith, not by proving things through the Bible, and she totally believed that Joseph Smith saw the first vision and feels exactly like him. She said that they just can't seem to find a church that meets their needs. The family came to church on Sunday and seemed a bit overwhelmed. I have never cared about anyone SO much before! I want to see this famly be baptized and find eternal salvation. I love them SO much!

-We're teaching Margo, the older RLDS lady. She's progressing, and came to church on SUnday and just radiated with the SPirit. On Sunday, Sister Brown and I had to teach the gospel principles class in the YSA ward and family ward. I've never seen a gos0pel principles manual in my life, but the lessons went really well! I'm SO excited to have people that are actually interested in the church! We're teaching, and hopefully baptisms will follow.

-We also met this man named Ron, who is completely commited to Christ and finds truth in the Bible, but said that if we have more truth, he's willing to accept it :) He's read the BOM D&C and practially every other relgious text out there, and he wants to come to church! We'll work with him this week! This ALL came from walking around and knocking on people's doors, which in Wawshingtoin, means walking up large hills and long dir driveways, all overlooking the water. It's absolutely GORGEOUS!

-Last P-day, we got to ride a ferry across the sound to the other part of my zone. It was SO cool!

-This week, I've been experimenting with my testimony. As I was studying one day, I realized,  that I needed to know if these things were true, or I should probably just go home. So I've been studying it out, and praying for an answer. And I KNOW KNOW KNOW that this is the true church, that we have a living prophet, and that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. If you don't know that, please pray about it. Your testimony, a pure and sure one, will change your life :)

Week 1--Southworth/Peninsula YSA

I'm in Washington-- wohoo! I absolutely LOVE it here! Time to get out your map: I'm in Port Orchard, Washington North of Tacoma and RIGHT ON THE PUGET SOUND! Right before we walked into the library to e-mail, my companion and I walked out on the dock to look at the Sound and all of the boats. It's AMAZING!

My first area is Port Orchard. It's North of Tacoma, and is a little town nestled in the woods along the Puget Sound. I'm serving in two wards, the Southworth ward and the Penninsula YSA ward. How cool is that? A YSA ward! My first day, the plane ride went smoothly and we arrived to President and Sister Weaver welcoming us with open arms. I got to ride with President Weaver to see the Puget Sound, so I got to know him quite well my first day. We were assigned new companions and went to our areas on the first day. It was tiring, and sad to say goodbye to everyone I loved from the MTC. It's especially hard because so many of us will become part of the Federal Way mission in July, meaning that I won't see my MTC companion (Sister Martin) until after the mission.

So, funny story. We're all sitting in the Relief Society room waiting to find out what area we'll be going to and who our new companion will be. President Weaver says, "Sister Johnston, Southworth/YSA ward with Sister Brown"! Sister Brown, my trainer, runs in the room and I shout: "you know Trent Poulson!" She stared at me funny and said "yeah, I do!" Then President Weaver was confused because he thought that we knew each other. Turns out, that Trent, who's friend, Sister Brown, has been serving in Tacoma, became my trainer. And Trent only joked that it would happen. Well, it's true :D She's from Springville, UT and this is her last transfer. She's been serving in the Gig Harbor area for the past 8 months, so Port Orchard is a totally new area for her too. We had fun trying to find our house (which is along a long dirt road in the middle of the woods). We're living above a member's garage in an AMAZING flat--there's a huge living area, small kitchen stip along the wall, and then a bathroom. There's also a baby grand piano! How lucky are we?!

Well, mission life is amazing. Although it does have his challenges. I left the MTC with a cold which only got worse when I came to Washington. For the frist 5 days of my mission, I almost lost my voice,  and every time I did talk, it was really scratchy and hurt. I learned to sit through lessons without sniffling or coughing. I'm just starting to get better, which is a huge blessing. My companion doesn't know what my normal voice sounds like :D

The first door I ever knocked on while tracting, the man started screaming at us about polygamy and the lies that we preached :D We tract every day from 5 to 7 in the most beautiful area. The houses are pretty spread apart and are all up long dirt roads, right along Long Lake. We've had somenoe threaten us with a paintball gun, possibly have a new family to teach when a lady came out, accepted a Book of Mormon, and prayed on their doorstep, and got invited into a home that turned out to be a member who has a stuffed taxadermy lion and zebra in her living room that we got to pet. We've had some amazing experiences, and some not so great ones, but that's how we find people to teach.

I am SO grateful that I'm from Toledo, Ohio. The Lord put me here for a reason. I know that. I know I'm supposed to be in this mission, and in Southworth. Our first night, we went to a member's home, Sister Eischen, who's basically the missionary mom (we do our laundry at her place) She was NOT happy about having sister missionaries at ALL. But, as we got talking, she found out I'm from Toledo. And her son lives in Oregon and works for the Toledo Police force. She's been thinking about moving back to Toledo  for a while now, and took it as a sign that maybe that's what the Lord wants her to do. She's called the Toledo II missionaries, who have appartently talked to Bishop Hiniman? IDK, but it's a small world!

One day while we were tracting, we came across 3 guys drinking around a bonfire. We were scared to go talk to them, but we did. One guy was not interested, and starting shooting down everything we had to say. I started talking to another guy, Mark, who said that he's from Toledo. He lived off of Bancroft and Holland Sylvania (right by Kroger), so about 4 minutes away from home until he got a divorce about a year ago. After that, he totally opened up and we talked about Christ, his faith in Christ, and how tough his life has been since his divorce. They let us pray with them, and Mark stopped me to pray that he will find a job. He gave me a huge hug (which isn't allowed but what could I do?!) and he totally felt the Spirit. He said that he WANTS to remember his faith in Christ. It was a miracle!

The last blessing of Toledo, Ohio is that I've been exposed to the RLDS church. My second day, we taught our first lesson with a lady named Margo. She was raised in the backwoods of West Virgina with 32 kids in the house (she had 17 brothers) in the RLDS church. I was able to answer a lot of her questions because of watching that video so many times at the Kirtland temple. She knows the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. I absolultely LOVE her and defnitely think that she's ready to accept the gospel. We invited her to be baptized and she said yes (once she knows more) but one big problem: she's deathly afraid of water and hyperventalates every time it touches her face. Well, the Lord can work miracles, can't he? :)

We have a baptism on the 11th- wohoo! His name is Scott and he's SO ready. He's in the YSA ward, and has been friends with members his whole life. He's just finally ready!

I absolutely LOVE the people. Everyone I meet just blesses my life. The wards are SO supportive- we have two amazing BIshops, an amazing ward mission leader that makes us call him every night to tell him that we're home safe, and members that go out of their way to love us. We had one lady stop on the side of the road to ask us if we had dinner for that night :D

Always have a prayer in your heart. Always look for opportunities to share the gospel. EVERYONE needs the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to share this gift that we have with those that are searching! I love you all- have a great week-- I know that I will :)

Missionary Training Center (12 Days)

Continuing on with posting my mission e-mails, this is my e-mail from the MTC! To see why I'm posting my mission e-mails, visit here. 

HELLO! I'm alive and doing SO well! I am having an absolutely WONDERFUL time in the MTC. Being a missionary is, by far, the most incredible experience of my life so far. The Spirit is SO strong all the time, and I am learning to overcome my weaknesses in order to be of the greatest good to all those around me.

The day that I got here was absolutely crazy, but amazing. My district is composed of 6 sisters and 6 elders. All of us 6 sisters are in the same room, which means we've all grown super close. There are 30 missionaries total going to Tacoma on May 28th, and there's a whole other district in our zone composed of entirely Tacoma missionaries. Us two Tacoma districts are super close--we eat every meal together and practice teaching together. I absolutely LOVE everyone that I'm with- they are such a great example to me and are definitely spiritually prepared.

My companion, Sister Chelsea Martin, is from Orem, Utah. She's a hair stylist and served a trial mission for 2 months in Salt Lake City. I am SO blessed to have her as my companion because she's already taught before! She's worked with real investigators in the field. We are VERY unified as a companionship and teach together very well. There's only been one time we were feeling a bit of contention, and so we found an empty classroom and taught each other about the atonement. The Spirit was SO strong as we taught, and by the end, there was absolutely NO contention and we loved each other even more. We definitely are very different though-- she has turned her life around. Our teachers and branch presidency were really worried about our companionship at first because we are so different, but we really do love each other. This really isn't about us- it's about putting our own problems aside so that we can keep the Spirit with us at all times and teach effectively. Oh, and what's really cool is that her companion in SLC was Sister Sarah Jane Pratt from our Stake! We also share the similarities of being only children, not liking root beer, action movies, or ice in our water :) 

The most important lesson that I've learned here in the MTC is how important it is to internalize my purpose as a missionary. My purpose for the next 18 months is NOT about me! I am inviting OTHERS to come unto Christ, and that means, as Elder Bednar taught in an MTC devotional The Character of Christ, whenever we are experiencing frustrations and difficulties, we should turn outward. I have completely given myself up to the will of the Lord and am focusing more on others than myself. I have never been happier in my entire life. This was the lesson that I was waiting for, and my chance to completely give myself up in service.

I absolutely LOVE teaching! We are working with our progressing investigator named Rob (who really is our teacher Brother Felsted). Rob hit a tough point in his life when he lost his job and his two sons, Jonathan and Robert, had to go live with his grandmother. Our first lesson, he wasn't really sure if he wanted us to teach him, but on the 2nd lesson, we committed him to be baptized and pray daily. He's keeping his commitments, and he is now reading the Book of Mormon daily.

We also taught an investigator in the TRC named Ivelisee from Venezuela, who is such a positive example! She is grateful for EVERYTHING, everything from buying groceries to doing laundry. She prays, but doesn't feel like her prayers are being answered. We are going to teach her again on Thursday about prayer and how much her Heavenly Father loves her.

The most important lesson I've learned, which is the key to missionary work, is just how important the Spirit is. Without it, we can do NOTHING! Everything I do throughout the day is done so that I can keep the Spirit with me at all times. Before we teach, we pray alone and as a companionship for the Spirit to be the real teacher. And it always is. The first time before we began teaching, I was really nervous. Sister Marin said, "why would you be nervous to teach someone that you love about something that you love?" I internalized that, and ever since, from lesson 1, I have not been nervous while teaching. This is the Lord's work, and I am simply a conduit for the Spirit to teach through. It's so cool because during lessons, the Spirit will bring to remembrance scriptures I had studied or tell me to listen, not speak. Sister Martin and I are led by the Spirit, and are each given a portion of the words that need to be said. It's amazing. Again, this isn't about me, it's about me being worthy to have the Spirit so the Spirit can teach. 

We have our flight plans! We leave the MTC next Tuesday, May 28th flying out of the SLC airport at 8:32 a.m.

Funny mission stories:

I called a band friend Sister Weber instead of Elder.

I walked into the wrong classroom while missionaries were praying.

I spilled chocolate milk all over my district leader while shaking his hand.

My branch president told an elder who has a weak handshake that he should take lessons from me "Sister Johnston has a good missionary handshake". He told me when he interviewed me that I look like a missionary, smile like a missionary, and shake hands like a missionary. Embarrassing :D

I love you both so much and will write a letter today! I can't wait to call you from the airport, so be ready for the call!

Love,

Sister Kaylyn Marie Johnston

Welcome to the Provo Missionary Training Center

During my LDS mission (May 2013-November 2014), I had every intention of using my blog as a mission blog and having my mom update it each week. Since I wasn't always consistent in writing home a letter for everyone's eyes and since my mom isn't the most technologically savvy, that never exactly happened :D

Recently, I've been going back through my mission e-mails and have felt prompted by the Spirit to share them on my blog. So, below are my adventures in the Washington Tacoma mission!

Dear Sister Kaylyn Marie Johnston,

Congratulations on your call to serve!  We are excited about your arrival at the Provo Missionary Training Center next week and are grateful for your decision to serve the Lord.  We would like to share some important information about your stay at the MTC.

If you are planning on driving to the MTC, please be aware that there is construction north of the MTC.  Please approach the MTC from the south by driving east on University Parkway and then turning left (north) onto 900 East in Provo.

This will be your MTC mailing address:

Sister Kaylyn Marie Johnston
MTC Mailbox # 233
WA-TAC 0528
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please share this address with those who may want to write or send packages to you while you are in the MTC.

Also, please pay close attention to the following instructions:

  1. Your service begins the day you check into the MTC.  Remind your family that complete separation from loved ones is part of the sacrifice that families and missionaries contribute to the work.  For this reason, you should ask your family and friends not to attempt to see or visit with you while you are at the MTC, not even during your temple walks or at other places near the MTC.
  2. All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services.  These services should not be used to send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours.  Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.  For security reasons, we cannot accept any items delivered by hand.
  3. Communication with family can be done through your missionary email account on your weekly Preparation Day. We cannot accept telephone calls for missionaries.
  4. Families and friends should not visit missionaries as they depart to their field of labor, whether at the MTC or at the airport.

Please do not reply to this email.  If you need to communicate with the MTC, please call 801-422-2602.

Sincerely,

Provo MTC Presidency

The Washington Tacoma Mission--Silverdale 6th and Bainbridge Island

My sixth/seventh, and final areas, were located in Silverdale and on Bainbridge Island from October to November 2014. I was transferred up to Silverdale with Sister Cassell in October...and then three weeks later, we were called to work in both Silverdale and on Bainbridge with Sister Liao. It was a CRAZY last 3 weeks of my mission, but these were 3 weeks that cemented the love of my Heavenly Father and that He was pleased with my mission.  

From my final report: 

I have learned a lot about attitude on my mission. Days can get tough, but only if you let them. We have to be a visual aid for what we are teaching. I have frequently asked myself, “Am I happy because I have the plan of happiness?” My last two transfers, my mission went on hyper-speed as I spent six weeks in Wollochet, three weeks in Silverdale 6^th, and then three weeks covering both Silverdale and Bainbridge Island. This time solidified an important lesson Heavenly Father had been trying to teach me about attitude: gratitude. I have been overwhelmed with the reality that there is so much to be thankful for, and there is hope smiling brightly before us. A woman battling cancer named Diane and a fourteen year old named Colleen represent that attitude of gratitude and that hope to me. As President Monson says, “the future is as bright as your faith.”

“Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.”-Alma 37:6

Above all, the greatest joy that I have experienced on my mission has come from the small and simple things, those moments when the Spirit has touched my heart in a way that I KNOW that Heavenly Father is aware of me and that His greatest desire is for my happiness. These moments are timeless: laughing to the point of tears at something funny one of my companions said. Driving down the winding roads of Yelm at night with Mt. Rainier lit up by the moon in the background. Feeling the sweet comfort of receiving a priesthood blessing that comes straight from a loving Father. Watching someone moved to tears on a doorstep as they feel God’s love for the first time. Following a prompting of the Spirit that leads you exactly where you need to be. These, and countless other moments, are the molecules that make up my mission, and that I will treasure eternally.

“You will be blessed with an increased testimony of the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, and the priesthood, and a love of Joseph Smith as a prophet” -my setting apart

I have no doubt that Heavenly Father has fulfilled all the promises that He has made to me concerning my mission, and that He will continue to fulfill His promises throughout my life. I know He lives and loves me. Because He loves me, and all of us, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins. I know that our Elder Brother Jesus Christ lives and loves us personally and perfectly. His Atonement is all encompassing, and is a constant source of strength and enabling power. I know that because our Father loves us, He restored the fullness of the plan by which we could make it home to Him. The fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored. We have a prophet on the earth today to lead and guide Jesus Christ’s church. The Book of Mormon stands as another witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. We are truly engaged in the work of most worth. This work is eternal, and we may not fully understand the impact of the small and simple acts that we do, but someday, we will understand how every act plays a part. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to serve and to declare repentance unto this people of the Washington Tacoma Mission and that I never have to cease laboring in this eternal work. I will forevermore stand as a witness of His Amazing Grace. All is truly well. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.