HOW IS THIS FOR PERSPECTIVE
The picture was painted by a wonderful senior sister in our mission. Her name is Sister Prause. She and her husband are from Arizona. They have had a medical emergency just in the past few days and had to return to their home for a couple of weeks in hopes of getting well. Hoping that you will pray with us for them and their healthy return to the mission field. We have had lots of thoughts about the picture. Here is just one of those thoughts.
We all have a PERSPECTIVE. Right? However you view the world, our prayer is that you consider that we (meaning all 7 billion of earths inhabitants) may see it just a little bigger. A little differently. So here is a thought experiment to challenge your own PERSPECTIVE:
Our life experience, our upbringing and parentage, our family circumstance, our traumatic experiences, our sexual orientation, our faith or lack of faith in a supreme being, our culture, our politics, our nationality and even our relationship with ourself. All of that impacts your PERSPECTIVE. Now ask yourself. What about God? "what is Gods PERSPECTIVE"? Is it possible to understand Gods PERSPECTIVE on an issue? Should we try? Should we care?
Consider Fathers Day which we had earlier this month. Maybe this view of "father" will allow some of us a broader PERSPECTIVE:
This last 2 weeks in our faith study (in our church it is called Come Follow Me) we are at the end of the Gospels. For those of us who have studied the last 72 hours of Jesus mortal life, we have been reminded of love from a new PERSPECTIVE. (Jesus teaching his apostles "a new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you"). So take that and add this thoughts: God, our Father, loves his children! Let me say it again. God, the Father, loves his children! He loves you, he loves me, he loves Jesus. He loves Peter, but he also loves Judas. He loves the Pharisees and Sadducees who hated his Son. He loves the Romans who mocked Jesus and then crucified him. He loves Mary the mother of Jesus and he loves John who would take care of her. But he also loves the Jews who were screaming 'crucify him, crucify him' when His first born Son was already in unbelievable agony. He loves Pilate who finally allowed the crucifixion to happen. Those examples suggest to me that the love of God has absolutely nothing to do with actions, behaviors, or even a return of that love. How wonderous is the love of God.
My own PERSPECTIVE of life and of you and even on myself is changed when I consider the love of God as the love of a Father. My Father. Your Father.
Can you see from a little bigger PERSPECTIVE why we are asked not to judge each other?
I thank God for being my Father in all of the new ways I now see the word 'Father'. It makes me think of that song:
"there ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy, there's only you and me and we just disagree"
Ok, enough preaching. Just hoping we could think a little bit about dads from a new perspective.
IN THE PAST MONTH
A picture update of the past month in the mission life of Scott and Valerie Johnson
In the month since our last newsletter, our missionary lives have been transformed. It's all good, but they have been transformed.
It began with a mission wide tour by Elder Gary Sabin of the 70. He is in our area presidency and spent time with the missionaries, the saints, and in the temple with us. Those of you who have served missions know the power that seems to flow throughout the entire mission when the general authorities travel to share love and to teach the missionaries. He reminded the missionaries who had just been to the temple the day before, why wording like 'who is dead' are now gone from our temple ceremonies. Just a reminder for all of us that life is eternal. We are dealing every day with eternal beings. Anyway, if you have not been for awhile, we think it would be an enlightening experience.
From there we did a bunch of the regular stuff. Checking missionary apartments and cars, setting up a new apartment in the far north of Vancouver Island (port McNeil if you want to look at a map). Attending district councils with the missionaries, new missionaries coming into the field, the return home of some others. Teaching a temple preparation class for some young single adults. Lunches and dinners with saints as well as non members. We have missionaries over to feed them as well as feeding them at zone councils once each month. We attended funerals and engagement gatherings. We have been allowed into peoples homes that have not seen missionaries for years. The mission created a 2nd zone on the island and so it provided more leadership opportunities for Elders and Sisters. All good things. We had a ward party turn into a surprise 'goodbye' party for us. Songs sung, tears shed, hands shook and hugs given.
The best part of the last month was children and grandchildren coming to Canada to visit. Our daughter Kristen came to visit us with her 2 children. You all know that there is nothing like family! They were with us for nearly a week and got to see and do many of the fun things that make this island special. Our grandson Aiden is a gamer and he had a great experience meeting with some of the folks he had only met online. (friends from Canada for years but never actually been with them other than on a screen). Our granddaughter Regan enjoyed the outdoor parts of what surrounds Victoria. Even the freezing cold water from the waterfall, didn't keep her from having a great time. Most important, they went home with tons and tons of ketchup chips. (if you have not had ketchup chips, you haven't experienced Canada!) While they were here we did the "Malahat Skywalk" which we had not seen yet. The beauty of this island is just enhanced by that view and the thrill of getting down by a 'slide' just makes it worth walking back up to do it again.
The temple in Vancouver is a huge blessing for Canada. But for years, the saints on Vancouver Island have been praying for as well as working for a temple on Vancouver island. The cost and the time to get on a ferry to get to the temple near Vancouver is a real hinderance. And yet we have more people from the Island working every week at the temple in Vancouver than there are from some of those that are right next to the temple itself. So lots of sacrifices being made. We continue to pray. Hope you will join us.
We drove to port McNeil so that we could get an apartment set up for missionaries to move in. Now there are 2 Elders working with this tiny branch. The mission president is actually going there this week. Take a look on a map and get a feel. Quite a trip. After that the president and his wife are taking a 7 hour ferry ride to Haida Qwaii. Those saints have not seen any leadership for over 3 years. They have not taken the sacrament of the Lords supper for over 3 years. Our mission president is trying to provide growth opportunities for 9 people in a distant place. The day may soon come when there would be missionaries in such an area. Then maybe the day will come when we can look for the number to grow to 90 people in that same distant place. These missionaries in British Columbia are willing to make some serious commitments to help people have opportunities to come to Christ.
Look closely at the picture on the left. It is young seal who is "moulting". (one month a year they stay out of the water and shed their fur.) This one is a bit of a rebel and he "climbs" up the stairs and takes a' stroll down the sidewalk' next to the beach. That is why the barriers are on the steps.
Another of our senior birthday lunches. You would never know it but this fellow just turned 95. Jumped on a plane and flew all over the east coast visiting his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. He spent his entire career in the Canadian Forces. A Navy man who lived all over the world, but always came home to Victoria.
The Malahat Skywalk is a new feature above the city of Victoria. Malahat is the name of the road as you leave Victoria and head north up the island. Like many names here, it comes from one of the original First Nation groups or tribes on Vancouver Island
A beautiful walk to a waterfall is something we did together. One of the many beauties of this area that a super easy to get to. The very COLD water was not enough to keep our
granddaughter out. And she set the example for a bunch of others who also went for a swim.
This roots picture is the same waterfall hike. But a whole new view of 'ROOTS'. This one made me consider the roots that I was provided by my progenitors. It is also a reminder of 'roots' that I am hoping to provide for my loved ones. We seem to learn lots of lessons from nature. These roots may not be beautiful but they are deep. Hopefully the same is true with us.
Zone Conference was just a few days ago (June 23) and it was a great opportunity for the Elders and Sisters in 2 zones to get together and be instructed by their leadership and by each other. Sometimes we are blown away to realize that many of these kids were still in primary 6 years ago!!!! (hey, don't you love how the stake center parking lot begins to look like a used car lot for Chevys)
Again, the blessing of family coming to visit is huge for us. Our son Nathan, his wife, Tiffany, and their daughters Hailey and Addy came to visit us. We have visited some wonderful places and will continue to do so until they leave on Tuesday (27th of June) They played pickle ball with the missionaries and ward members, wandered downtown to see what the harbor is all about. Experienced China Town. Played games with grandma and grandpa. Water taxi's in James bay and watching sea planes take off and land. Pretty unique. We even went over to Hatley Castle to see one of the unique castles in all of Canada. The grandkids have also been impressed by the deer who are in Victoria. Most of them are tagged and then tracked. But we have all learned that here, deer are just like any other pedestrian. You go slow and watch out for these little families.
We have previously told you about Reanna and Billy. She is a friend from Sister Johnsons high school days in Alberta. This husband and wife team have spent their lives heavily involved in working for the rights of their people (in Canada we refer to them as First Nations) around the world. He is a member of the Arctic Council. A worthy cause indeed.
We are not sure how it happened, but apparently we have been serving for nearly 18 months! That suggests that we will be released from our mission in a few weeks. We are not sure we are ready for all that means. It is such a privilege to be here doing what we do. We will likely send one more newsletter out before we head south.
Thanks for staying in touch with us and for reading our ramblings. We appreciate you and your families. And we appreciate your prayers for missionaries around the world. It makes a difference, we promise.
Love
Scott and Valerie Johnson
Canada Vancouver
Just a few pics to give you a view of what has become home. and maybe a little different PERSPECTIVE. From the port in Victoria, It is only 22 nautical miles to Port Angeles and the Seattle area. Our last bishop lived on a boat. When he would take his sailboat to see his family in Seattle, he was still in the 'ward boundaries' until he got to the 10 mile point. After that, he was in a Seattle ward and stake. i guess you gotta have the boundaries somewhere. FYI- We had 135 people in sacrament meeting on Sunday. Over 50% of them were guests. Some from Washington, california, Utah, etec. Many from the cruise ships that stop on their way up to Alaska or on the way back.
The trees in British Columbia, some of which are 600 years old, grow very tall and very straight. The roots are super deep and strong. They are often connected with other trees roots. Much like a family they provide super strength. There are forested areas everywhere in the province , including parks right in the middle of the city of Victoria. And yet that sunset picture is of Mt. Douglas which is the highest point in the entire city. It is a park surrounded by massive trees and rocks and boulders the size of large buildings. Yet, it is not high at all. The drive to the top took 8 minutes and then a 5 minute walk. For those who live in the 'mountain west', you would never call this a mountain. Once again, PERSPECTIVE. Consider this: There were indigenous people (what we Americans grew up calling American Indians but who in Canada are referred to as First Nations) on this island at least 500 years before Christ was born! Now, those are deep roots! They have 'family' still on this island. The place of family for these folks is in their 'bones'. Maybe some lessons we can all learn about roots and family and growth. About each other. HAPPY CANADA DAY!
I really enjoyed reading about Canada.
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