this week has been really difficult, but it was a sort of difficult that I wasn´t expecting. I told you last week about how Hna. Coloma has problems with her knees and that we went to the hospital and everything. Well, she´s had to rest in the piso every morning, and we don´t get out to work until the last half of the day after mediodía, and then we rely on rides from the members, strategic bus riding, piggyback rides (only when there are stairs) and the occasional taxi. Sounds nice, right? Not so.
The last time she was sick (only for an afternoon), I was able to really study, and I loved it. But being in the piso all morning every morning this week has been tortuous. Why? Because I know all the people in our area that need our help. There are so many less active members that are losing faith and need rescuing, and so many people who are just waiting to hear the good news... and I´ve been trapped in the apartment, unable to do anything. It´s a different sort of anguish than I´ve ever experienced, and one that I don´t want to repeat.
As for Hna. Coloma, President Deere will probably send her to a flatter area for one transfer to see if it will help her knees at all. If not, she might have to go home, which is a shame, because she really wants to serve.
And what will happen to me next transfer, you ask? No guarantees, but I have a fairly good guess. Pres. Deere wrote me today and said he often thinks, "I wish Hna. Johnson could have a 'normal' mission where she has a senior companion that allows her to adjust and learn and grow up in the mission', but it´s not to be." We learn several things here: (1) that I´ll likely be training again, or at least have an equally young companion, and (2) that President Deere wishes I would just adjust and learn and grow up already ;)
Still we´ve seen miracles this week. Since we haven´t been able to get out much, we´ve really learned to treasure the time we can share the gospel with others. We´ve been talking to everyone- bus drivers, the bus passengers as a whole, taxi drivers, construction workers, elderly people in the park... everyone, everyone, everyone, and it feels really good. As of yet, we´ve seen only small results, but I know we´re doing good things. We met a Nigerian named James Bond. That´s pretty miraculous.
I think I´ve talked about Happy a little bit before... but I´m not positive. Anyhow, she´s a beautiful Nigerian woman who has seen more anguish in her 25 years of life than any centurian, I´d wager. We came to church once before, and we taught her one lesson, but then she disappeared for weeks. She reemerged this past week, living at Victoria´s house (Nigerian recent convert), and came to church. We taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ, and before we´d even finished explaining baptism, she asked us if she could be baptized. She tells us each time we see her how much she wants to follow Christ, and how she wants to do it the rest of her life. She´s planning on being baptized the 26th of July, and I´m so excited for her, and excited to keep teaching her because I know she really needs the peace the gospel brings.
I´m excited for the coming week- we´re going to try to find a member Hna. Coloma can stay with in the mornings while I go on intercambios with an Hermana that´s serving in a trio right now (an American that came last transfer). I´m a little worried about the ward split that´s going to happen in the coming month or two, because I´ll be sad to stop working with any of the members and investigators I know. I do know that I´ll love the people wherever I go, and that is a blessing.
I wanted to send recordings for the nieces and nephews that wrote me on my birthday, but I forgot to bring the device with me to the locutorio, so I hope I can do that soon. I got a package from the Blodgetts- thank you so much for all that you sent, and especially for the cards and notes. I also got the pictures and letters from the Cheneys and would write you personally, but I just don´t have time. Oh, and the most recent newsletter was hilarious- keep them coming, pretty please. Know that I loved all you´ve done for me, and that I appreciate it all more than you know.
I miss you family, but I´m grateful I get another week serving the Lord. Take care, and keep me posted.
Love, Hna. Johnson
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