Another week down. This one actually flew by, which was an answer to my prayers! I can't believe how much progress I have made with the German language in three and a half weeks. My vocab is super subpar (aka only church lingo) but I learn more every day. I had a really cool experience with the language this week. In class, they have us do role plays with certain gospel principles that we will teach. We had the German Chief (boss) come in and teach us for an hour. He had us all find a scripture in the Book of Mormon that has strengthened our bekherung (conversion (totally spelled wrong)... I chose Alma 26:12. He had us turn to our mittarbeiter (companion) and bear testimony of the strength that passage has given us. So, of course, he decides to sit and listen to me bear testimony. I was really praying for the Spirit to help me speak because I did n't want to make a fool of myself infront of the head teacher, and as I bore what I knew to be true, the german just came to my mouth. I know that my grammar wasn't perfect, but I spoke Einfach und Machtful (Simply and Powerfully). After I finished, he looked at me and said "Sister Johnson, your german is so good." and then continued to congratulate me. That was kind of crazy and cool. 

Since then, I have had so much more confidence opening up my mouth and speaking what I know to be true in a language I really don't know. Das Ist SUPER COOl!

On Sunday, a Nashville Tribute band did the devotional. It was so cool because we all haven't listened to music in weeks and then we got to sit down and listen to some contemporary Christian for an hour! It made me realize, just like anytime I go to a concert, how badly I want to pursue music in some form, because of the profound influence it has on all of us. 

I want to thank all of you for your support and love for me. You have no idea the amount of power it gives me to know that so many of you are cheering me on as I consecrate a year and a half of my life to the Lord. So thank you:).

SO I guess instead of 18 missionaries going to Frankfurt this transfer, we have 30. 12 are in the England MTC (slightly jealous) and 3 arrived this past week. They all already know German fluently, so they're on the fast track. One of them actually grew up in Frankfurt. Listening to him speak fluent german really motivates me to be so much better than I am, and to lean more upon God to help me use german as a tool rather than a barrier to help people.

You know that you're weird and not cool when you can't sleep because you are so excited to go to Germany in two weeks. Our teacher finally told us about all of the attacks in Europe. So many people have no hope, and we're being sent out like a literal army of God to help them find hope. It's pretty amazing if you step back and realize everything God does for his children.

Last thing! We learned this week about being accountable. Something that really stuck out to me in this lesson is that Christ died not just for our sins, but for our weaknesses, too. Whatever we are weak in, that is God given, and through our reliance on him we can overcome ( uberwinden-- they say this in soccer when they cross the ball here at the MTC, it's hilarious) all of them. Our amazing teacher, Sister Ahlm, who I absolutely love, challenged us to get on our knees every night, and instead of simply repenting for what we’ve done wrong, give an account of everything we’ve done that  day and to ask God how we can do better, and then to really think about and ponder what our best looks like. Then, as we go throughout the next day, try to be just a little bit better than the day before, and then rinse and repeat. This has helped me so much. When I do this I see where my weaknesses are and then I can better improve. There's a scripture that says something along the lines of "blessed is  he who seeth his weakness, for I will make that weakness a strength unto him". So poorly paraphrased, but I know this to be true. We cannot become better if we don't know how we aren't perfect. I hope this gives you encouragement, and I pray that it blesses your life as it has mine.

I love all of you, and please keep me updated on your lives, even if you think I won't care. Because, surprise,I do.:)

Mit Liebe,

Sister Johnson

P.S. 

So elder Webb closed lined himself playing volleyball (like ran into the black string that holds the net to the pole) and he got a concussion and a wicked red line all across his neck. So, what do we learn from this? I can get hurt at anytime anywhere. I am in just as much danger in the MTC as I am in any other country, so please don't worry about me. I am on the Lord's errand and he will protect me. Just in case you were being those worrisome parents.

2 weeks and I will be in Deutschland!!!!!!!!  I seriously can't wait.

Of course Cambria is making a funny face!

Cambria broke the bathroom door!

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Hallo:)

2.5 weeks down, 3 weeks to go. We leave for Germany on the 15th, so I'm still in the states. I'm absolutely hating being confined in this 1,000 sq. ft. training center, but on Monday Sister Moeller had to go to the beloved BYU Health Center (Where I spent second semester) so we got a little field trip. We're working on seeing if she is eligible for a Temple Sq. Trip on August 5th because she's international. Sister Griffin got an email that she could go because she's international... but Sister Moeller's from Canada... and that's international, right?:P

On Sunday, Elder Bednar came to speak with us. HE has an amazing MTC devotional called "The Character of Christ". I don't know if you have access to it, but if you can find it, WATCH IT! He held an open question and answer session that was really inspiring. He basically told us to stop worrying about all the small things, like if we are feeling the Spirit or not, and to simply focus on being good boys and girls. He promised us that if we did that, then we would have nothing to worry about.

On Tuesday, we had an emeritus seventy speak to us. Elder Hunt?? I don't remember, but he bluntly spoke on obedience, and I loved it. He posed the idea that we cannot ask any of our investigators to follow the law of chastity or the Word of Wisdom if we can't even abide by the rules in the White Handbook. Of course, missionaries are still imperfect, and while that inspired many, people still wear maxi skirts and eat in the classrooms. I guess select obedience is a bigger problem than I realized. Like why can you do something that small, right after you have been inspired by the Spirit to do otherwise?!? I'm guilty of it too, but I'm glad that I recognized this in myself and others, and can therefore strive to be better. 

Our district has been having a hard time getting along. We all love each other, but Elder Harman and Allan learn differently (and by that I mean a lot of breaks/games/singing secular songs) while others, like the pair of elders and the other Sisters, get really annoyed by this. Sister Moeller and I have no side. We just go outside when we can't focus and we love them all, but the tension needed to stop. We had District inventory and since then it's been a little better.

The gym finally opened, so we don't have to burn our feet on the volleyball court outside, but now Moeller wants to play basketball. Her and Sister Farner get along really well, and they've taught me how to play a little. Sister Moeller is seriously a baller. After our first day playing a bunch of elders came up to her and drooled about her ball skills, it was hilarious. At the Tuesday devotional, the speaker said basketball is the celestial sport, so she really likes talking about that whenever I don't want to play.

Back to our district. Despite their insanity, Elder Harman and Allan actually are super fun and cool. They made up this ridiculous song to the first verse of D&C 4, it's super catchy. Everyone else in the building was trying to memorize, and needless to say we had so many teachers come to tell us to be quiet (our teacher was in a meeting).

This week, Sister Ahlm held personal interviews to check up on us. I was honestly doing absolutely fine until she sat me down and stared at me until I spoke about a problem. It took me forever to think of one and then I just got  all introspective as I do. She seemed really impressed with the fact that the biggest thing I'm struggling with is the fact that I am the only thing that defines me now. I don't have my family, friends, music, TV, or school. I literally only have myself to define me. I told her that I was basically just learning exactly who I am and who I want to be, and that that was the hardest part. I think she was expecting something like "german is hard" or "I'm homesick", but I don't really worry about those things because I know God is on my side, and that he will bless me with the Gift of Tongues as I continue to work on the language so that I can help and love the people in Germany.

Funniest thing - we teach Sister Ahlm, but she plays the role of an investigator she had on her mission. So, for us, her name is Frau Hoffman, an 82 year old woman. Every time we knock on the door for a lesson, she just sits in her chair and doesn't answer. We knock again. She gets up, and moves out of the view of the peephole. Then we knock again, and you just hear her quietly laughing. Then we bang on the door, and Frau Hoffman opens it slightly and says "You have to knock louder, my hearing's bad!"... but in German. We committed her to baptism this week:). The biggest lesson I've learned is that you need to focus on your investigator, and where he/she needs the lesson to go if you want to have the Spirit with you and if you truly want to help them. I'm trying really hard to get rid of this idea that I have to teach the investigators a lesson. All I have to do is be there to help them and listen to their problems, and then listen to the Spirit to help them find a solution.

I really miss normal life. Like a lot. I kind of can't wait to leave the MTC. I love being a missionary, but I don't love the MTC. It's too much like BYU and it makes me sad. 

The german is actually going pretty well. I can speak. The hardest thing about it is the articles. All nouns have an article that is masc, fem, neuter, or plural. This article can then be changed into a different one to change it from meaning, in the genitive case Das Buch Mormon (The book of Mormon) to Des Buches Mormon (of the Book of Mormon. There's also different ones for Accusative (direct object) and Dative (indirect object). But, in order to know what to change it to, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THE ARTICLE FOR THE WORD ORIGINALLY WAS. That's the hardest part, haha.

I love German though. I've also picked up a little bit of Armenian - Barevsevs is hello (but they have a different alphabet, so that's just phonetic spelling). 

I got the package. Thank you for the Breakfast food! Breakfast is the worst meal of the day here, especially on Sunday. All they have is cereal, with massive lines, and it's gross cereal!

I have to go do laundry -

Ich Liebe sie!!!

Sister Johnson

-- 

Cambria Johnson

Cambria & her cousin, Addison (in the middle)

Halo Alas!

Whoever said the days are long but the weeks are fast was lying. Everything is long, but that's not a bad thing. Apparently now that we have made it past our first Sunday in the MTC, the entire mission is supposed to just fly by.... nope. People exaggerate too much.

This past week has been absolutely amazing. The sisters in my residence are absolutely hilarious. We all get along so well and do everything together. Sister Weiler makes my life better. She is just always doing something really weird, haha:). 

My companion, Sister Moeller, and I are still doing amazing. I have absolutely nothing to rant or complain about. We are both dedicated to being the best missionaries we can, but we also have tons of fun together. Last night, all of our zone was a little stir crazy because it was P-day Eve, so instead of studying German (again), we decided to talk to the Elders in our zone. We talked to Elder Bringhurst, Hunt, Winder, and Skidmore, and I think we were laughing for an hour straight. These Elders have no chill because they are all straight out of high school. Elder Bringhurst is like Hunter on crack, it's hilarious. We play volleyball with them every day, so that is fun as well.

Speaking of, I jammed my finger, because my volleyball skills are so good, so now it is purple and blue and twice the size of it's twin, so that's fun.

There is no music in the MTC. So, last Sunday when there was a piano solo in church, I broke out in tears, but I wasn't the only one. I really miss music. There is no time to even think about song writing or anything. P-day is so full here that there is no time then either.

Sister Moeller is a gigantic paradox. She is 5'6'' except super tiny, but she is a hard core basketball player, used to carry knives in her boots in Canada, sleeps like an angel (her sheets are in the exact same position as before she fell asleep when she wakes up, while the rest of ours find their way to the floor). She sews, like seriously, but also bear hunts? The more I learn about her the more confused I get.

We finished up teaching our first "investigator" who is now our second teacher. On Tuesday, during our lesson with him, all of my German books just kept falling off my lap, it was really embarrassing. Next week we will be teaching both of our teachers who will be playing investigators from their missions.

Sister Ahlm, our main teacher, is absolutely incredible!! (does it discredit the absolutely if I use it too often?) We talked to her in German just about life for probably an hour yesterday. She goes to BYU too. Sister Moeller and her both have decided that they are going to die Spinsters. She just has such a strong testimony and conviction to this gospel, I love it. Every time she speaks I feel the Spirit. I still can't imagine being an RM like her though. I swear I'm never coming home. (that's just what it feels like).

German is coming along, thanks to the Lord. They told us that in order to receive the gift of tongues, we needed to pray for it specifically for the purpose of using it as a tool to help the people of Germany. I have really strived to make that the focus of my learning.

The best word this week was Schlossst. I think it means sacrifice... I forget, but it has three s's and I have no idea how to truly pronounce it. 

I love it here, and I am having such an amazing time. God is definitely helping me to keep my mind focused. Just 4.5 more weeks and I will be in Germany.

Spiritual thought!: The devotional this week talked about how Charity is not something we can develop, it is a gift from God. In order to get it, we need to pray for it and be worthy of it. I challenge you to do this!!1 It has definitely changed my perspective on everyone I meet. 

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! PLEASE UPDATE ME ON YOUR LIVES!

Sister Johnson

cambria.johnson@myldsmail.net

Hello:),

So the MTC is amazing. I really don't remember what life was like before I got here... like at all, even though it's only been three days. 

My companion's name is Sister Moeller. She is from Calgary, Alberta and is awesome. She and I get along very well, which I am super happy about. There are two other girls in our district, Sister Griffen from New Zealand and Sister Weiler from Salt Lake City. We have a lot of fun together.

On the first night, Sister Griffen woke up at 3 a.m. and threw up, so that was really... interesting. Shout out to Madison Harman for never waking me up by throwing up in the middle of the night. Sister Griffen had been on a 20 hour flight and had only slept about 3 hours the night before, plus the nasty MTC food. The only thing that is saving Sister Moeller and I is the wrap bar at lunch.

Sister Moeller is a German citizen. Her dad is full German and she went to German school in Canada for about ten years, so she is really helping me learn the German. I have actually learned a lot in three days. I memorized Moses 1:39, probably about 100 words, maybe 10 phrases, and the alphabet and most of the numbers.

On the first day, I walked into the classroom and our teacher, Sister Ahlm, just spoke German. She only speaks english when she is defining a word, which is rare. Usually we as a district have to define it by trial and error. For the first two days, I felt really helpless. I knew I could do it because thousands, perhaps millions, have done it before me, but I really couldn't figure out how. 

We still haven't been given a formal lesson on German, but we did already teach our first lesson to a german "investigator". I had memorized a ton of phrases like "wie Gehts" und "Wir sind missionarinen fur der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der letzeten Tage", but I forgot all of them when i walked in. The teaching went okay, I just think we need to prepare better formatted lessons, which is hard when you don't know the language or any grammar, and so you're just throwing words together hoping they make sense. 

It's insane how many times I have prayed, and most of the prayers are in German now, which is cool. I think we prayed 20 times yesterday for the Spirit so we could have the Gift of Tongues and say what our investigator needed to hear about the Gospel.

Also, side note, I broke the handicap bathroom door in our hall. Like it just fell off. I have a picture, so I'll send it when I figure out how to.

Our zone is all German, Berlin or Frankfurt people and the Armenians. It seems like it's going to be a really fun group. 

I prepared a talk in German already as well.

Also, they found out that I'm one of four people in the zone who knows how to lead music, so I'll be doing that as well.

I haven't had anytime to be homesick or to even think about anything other than the mission, which is good. I thought about the sacrifices I was making for ten-seconds yesterday and almost had a panic attack, but then I remembered why I'm doing this. I know that God strengthens those who sacrifice their lives for him. I know that he is already helping me and my district so much. Sister Moeller says that we are picking up German at an exponential rate, faster than anyone she has ever been in class with has, so that gives me great hope. Plus, half of the german language sounds super similar to english, just spelled funny.

On the first night, we did this activity with all of the new missionaries where we taught 3 "investigators" as a large group. I didn't know they were actors at the time, but nevertheless, the spirit that I felt while we taught people simple truths about the gospel like the Atonement and forgiveness of our sins, eternal families, etc., was undeniable. I'm really, really, really excited to get out of the MTC and go to Germany to help and love those who need it.

I know that I am called of God to do this work, and that's what is going to get me through the next 18 months.

I'm having tons of fun and working and studying from 6:30 am until 10:30 at night, so that's insane. Somehow I wake up every morning though.

I love you all!

Sister Johnson

First Email:  

Hey mom and Dad! so, I made it here in one piece, but my suitcases didn't. More to come later. Saturdays are my P-days, so I will write you a longer one tomorrow. They just want the parents to stop calling the MTC asking if their kids are alright.

I love you, and this is probably one of the most difficult things I will ever do, but I'm already loving it, and I've learned a few phrases in german, though they haven't started teaching that yet. Sister Moeller, my companion, is pretty fluent, so I'm learning a lot.

Love you so much!!

-Sister Johnson

July 6, 2016

At Grandpa & Grandma Farner's, Draper, UT

Cambria & Addison are ready to serve!

Last In-N-Out for awhile.

Pic with the Grandparents and Cousin, Addison

They're off on their adventure!