Goodbyes & Airport Drop Off Pictures

First picture - rare hug from brother Aidan
#2:  family selfie in airport parking lot before we have to put masks on
#3:  entering security at San Diego Airport
#4: showing off giant backpack
#5:  last picture as Megan walks into security
#6: arriving safely in Louisiana

Update About My Life

¡Hola!

So this morning I just received a call from my Stake President giving me my reassignment to the....*drum roll please*..... LOUISIANA BATON ROUGE MISSION!! I leave May 26 and I couldn’t be more excited to get out there! That’s only 2 weeks from today!! I don’t really know what to expect, but I’m ready for my next adventure, no matter what challenges are in store for me! :)

Also here’s an email I wrote Saturday night, but never sent out:

I just wanted to send out a quick email about the rest of my week and an update about my life. I was just released as a missionary, over the phone! Usually it is done in person, but due to the current circumstances my Stake President (a Church leader for the Escondido Stake Area) just FaceTimed me, releasing me and thanking me for my service as a missionary in the MTC. I have had a crazy experience in the online MTC and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

I have absolutely loved my wonderful district (group of 11 other missionaries learning Spanish) and it was so sad to say goodbye to all of them, but I cannot wait to someday meet them in person! I don’t know what it was about this being our last few days as missionaries in the MTC, but we all completely opened up so much more and we have really grown so close as a district and as friends. Both of my teachers were also the best teachers I could have asked for. They were kind, patient and loving during this difficult process. I seriously love all the people I’ve met on my little MTC online journey so much. I didn’t think it was possible to love people that I’ve never met in person and in the beginning I thought this would be a horrible experience, but boy was I wrong. 

I have grown so much in my Spanish, but also in my testimony of the gospel. I know that I am doing what the Lord wants me to be doing and that I have a purpose in these chaotic times. I can testify that during our challenges and trials is when we can feel the love of God the most if we turn to Him and rely on His help. I know that this life is part of God’s plan for us, with the end goal of receiving eternal joy and everlasting happiness. I know that this gospel is one of joy and love. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and wants us to find peace and joy in this life. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity to share His light with the world and cannot wait to enter the mission field. In the meantime, I’ll try to get used to the feeling of not wearing my missionary tag everyday. Remember that I love each one of you and would love to hear how you are doing! Stay safe and healthy during this crazy time. 

Love, 

    Megan (soon to be Hermana again) Johnson

P.S. Here’s some pictures of my district!

1. My district with our morning teacher Hermano Valdez!

2. My district with our evening teacher Hermano Chavez!

Change Assignment: Johnson, Megan Elizabeth #800860

Please see the attached notice concerning changes for the following missionary:


Missionary: Johnson, Megan Elizabeth 
Missionary Type: Sister 
Missionary ID: #800860 
Action: Change Assignment (Assignment Change)

Temporary Missionary Reassignment

Um, Um, Um….Last Week In The MTC 3

¡Hola!

Alrighty folks I am in Semana Seis (week six) of my CCM en línea (online MTC [Missionary Training Center])! It is seriously so crazy how fast time flies here in the MTC because I feel like I was just getting set apart as a missionary yesterday even though that was a month ago! That’s actually insane! Also I still have no idea what is happening to me other that I have class for the next 3 days, but my last class is on Saturday night and I will most likely be released as a missionary [meaning I will basically become a normal person in quarantine, I won’t have to wake up at 6:30AM, wear church dress everyday, live by the missionary standards and will be able to talk to y’all on days other than just Wednesdays through email. After I am released as a missionary, I will wait to be reassigned somewhere here in the States. Also I will probably send out a little email on Saturday night, if I get released, updating you guys with any more information I get about my reassignment. 

Now onto my week! On Thursday not much happened, but I did some Duolingo and got into third place that day in our District Duolingo competition that ended on Sunday (May 3)...so how do you think the competition ended??? You’ll just have to keep reading to see hahaha. Also I learned that in Spanish “hahaha” is “jajaja” because in Spanish the letter “H” is silent, but the letter “J” in Spanish makes the English “H” sound! That kinda blew my mind when I figured that out. 

On Friday it was my official one month in the Johnson MTC mark! Also we had our last ever workshop with another district (group of missionaries) which was sad to say goodbye to them and our workshop teacher. BUT on a happier note, when we practiced that day in the workshop I was able to say everything I wanted to say in Spanish!! It made me feel so good to know that my Spanish is improving! Then in the Duolingo competition I got second place that night! Wow Friday was a good day… :)

On Saturday my morning class teacher, Hermano Valdez, literally called on me for everything! I had to pretend to be an investigator again like that one time I pretended to be Maria, even though only 3 other people in my district have ever done it before. It was a little frustrating, but then I realized that it was actually a good thing because I got to practice my Spanish. It reminds me of what someone said in our Missionary Devotional last Tuesday about the Substitution game. The Substitution game is where you try replacing negative thoughts with good thoughts, or junk food for a healthier option, or talking to people in person for talking with them through Zoom, safely in your house. I have been trying to apply that this week and it has really helped my perspective on everything, so I would encourage you guys to try the Substitution game as well!

On Sunday we had a pretty cool church at home experience. On the first Sunday of each month, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has Fast and Testimony Meeting during Sacrament Meeting at Church where we fast (when you sacrifice food for 24 hours or 2 meals or if you can’t sacrifice food you can make a sacrifice of something else like your phone for that period of time) for specific things or for specific people. Then in Church we have the opportunity to share our testimony, an experience or just something we came to believe. It is an awesome time to share thoughts about the gospel and we had one with my family at home! What was so cool about it was that I shared part of my testimony in Spanish! It wasn’t perfect and only my dad could understand what I was saying, but I spoke with the Spirit, something everyone in the room could feel and understand. Aidan (my younger brother) did point out how many times I said “um” as I tried to conjugate my verbs, but I know I will get better eventually. Then my dad also shared part of his testimony in Spanish! I was able to understand almost everything and translate it for the rest of my family. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Also Sunday was the last day for our District Duolingo competition and the winner was…*drum roll please*.... ME! So that was also fun to find out :)

On Monday my morning teacher, Hermano Valdez, gave me a “desafío” (challenge) to memorize a scripture in Spanish everyday this week on top of finishing Extended Core, which I thought was challenging enough. But I have slowly learned that is the goal of the MTC; to push yourself past what you think you can do and then some, forcing you to rely on Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father for help and guidance. That is probably the most important thing I have learned from my MTC experience so far; to completely put my trust in God’s plan for me and turn to Christ for comfort and direction. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I testify that He loves every single one of His children here on Earth because I can feel His love for all of you. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, who has felt every single one of my problems, bad days and tough moments. I testify that He lives and He wants to help you and is always there for us, we just need to look for His light. 

On Tuesday my companion and I were reflecting on our progress since the beginning of the MTC. I told her about how Aidan was counting how many times I said “um” during my testimony on Sunday or when I say a prayer in Spanish. She then shared with me that during our first time teaching together I literally said “um” in between EVERY SINGLE WORD I said in Spanish!!! That was crazy for me to hear! So I guess I HAVE made some progress with my Spanish since I only say “um” in between every sentence! Jajaja

Overall, I have learned that the online MTC can be whatever YOU make it. I feel like I have learned so much and grown so much in my Spanish and in the gospel. I don’t know where or when my next step will be on my mission journey, but I have faith in God’s plan for me. Right now I can only hold on to the surety of these next 3 days as I finish up the online MTC and wait for what’s to come. I have met so many amazing people in my district and truly cannot wait for the day I can finally meet them all in person. I love you all so much and hope you know how much your Father in Heaven loves you too. 

Until next time,

Hermana Johnson

Pictures!!!

1. My companion and I with our matching 501 Spanish Verbs book! Aren’t we so cool?

2. Here is Elder Cameron’s (missionary in my district) drawing of the Duolingo results.

3. This week we had to make a short video for one of my classes entitled “Gracias a Él…” which means “Thanks to Him…” so I just wanted to share it with y’all. In the video I say “Gracias a Él tengo la oportunidad para empezar de nuevo y sin Su Expiación, mis pecados, mis dolores, mis culpas serían permanentes pero gracias a Él, puedo sentir paz y consuelo y esperanza” which in English I hope means “Thanks to Him (Christ) I have the opportunity to start anew and without His Atonement, my sins, my pains, my guilt, would be permanent, but thanks to Him, I can feel peace and comfort and hope” Please don’t judge my Spanish too much I’m still working on it jajaja