Dear mother,
I am doing fantastic! So I am getting transferred on March 25th! It was the biggest shock ever. I thought for sure I was staying and Elder Rose would leave but its the other way around. I am special so I get to know where I am going. I am training again but in an all spanish branch in the Fayetteville stake. I have stayed in this stake for more than half of the Lord's mission (Clinton and Dunn). My first all Spanish branch. When I first got the news I was a little upset because we have 5-7 people who will get baptized right after I leave! Yazmin and Karla will be baptized on the 29th, only four days after I get transferred. Then shortly after that Montrelle and Kendra two of our investigators will get married and then baptized! Then Lidia and Tania will get baptized in April! So I was super upset about all this because I have worked super hard to get the area up and running and this will be the 4th on up baptism that will have happened right after I get transferred. I call it the Elder Johnson curse. Right after I get transferred at least two of the people I set baptismal dates/ taught will get baptized! I have only been able to have one baptism happen while I was in the area. I was thinking about all this and how much I have had to go through this last transfer when I realized that every area I have ever been in was a rough area. The area was down in the dumps you could say. Not a lot was happening. In each area it had been months to a year since the last baptism. Every area I have served, in right when everything is going great, the area is up and running, the work is progressing, people will be baptized, less-actives are returning, we have a huge teaching pool... God decides to transfer me to a new area that needs a boost. I realized a few things this week:
1. This is not my mission but the Lord's and he will send me where ever He darn well pleases! I am here to do His will not mine! When I got the news I was going to be transferred I was disappointed but I knelt down and humbled myself and asked God if it was His will that I go to this area? And why? As I did that I got a reaffirming sensation that it was His will but did not understand the why.
Well the next day I learned why from a member who is in the Stake High council that this branch was about to be dissolved a month ago and an Area 70 said not to. They had a meeting about it in which the stake president and the mission president were there ... and discussed what to do. I realize now, this is why I am going there because ...The Lord needs to get some work done! A miracle will happen in that area. I know it will.
2. As long as The Lord sends me to find the people and I invite them to return to God or be baptized ...then who cares if I am there for the baptism or not? They will remember me on the other side and it will be a glorious reunion! This time I have had to serve the Lord's mission ... It has meant EVERTHING to me! I have learned so much! I feel so sad for those who reject this opportunity because of the cares of the world. I love serving and would not give up this opportunity for any thing in the world! Love y'all!
-Elder Johnson
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