ZAGREB, Croatia — Through a series of what they see as miracles, two biological sisters — Teresa Draper and Janice Johnson, who spent most of their lives on opposite sides of the United States — are now reunited as senior missionary companions in the Adriatic North Mission in Zagreb, Croatia.
Their path to serving together wasn’t easy.
In 2019, Sister Draper and her husband, Elder Duane Draper, were serving a senior mission in the former Adriatic South Mission when tragedy struck. Elder Draper was diagnosed with cancer and passed away unexpectedly from a blood clot during their emergency flight home to Manila, Utah, in northeastern Utah. The Drapers had lived in Alaska, Arizona and Minnesota before moving to Utah.
Six months later, Sister Draper felt prompted to return to the mission field — this time alone.
“The Spirit confirmed to me that’s what I was supposed to do,” she recalled. “Once I felt that impression, I immediately started the process to return.”
She spent a total of 26 months in Albania, describing it as a sacred time of healing and growth. Sister Draper remembers someone telling her the Spirit would carry her as she grew into her responsibilities. “And that is what happened.”
Back home, she settled into life in Manila, but after hearing Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speak in the October 2023 general conference encouraging senior missionary service, the familiar tug of the Spirit returned. “It just niggled at me,” she said. “So, I began looking at mission opportunities and filling out the paperwork.”
When she was called to handle finances in the Adriatic North Mission, which includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, she was thrilled, returning to a region she already loved.
A few months into her service, a senior couple assigned to the mission office was unable to come due to a medical emergency. As Sister Draper left the office that day, she said, an impression came: “We need a single sister in the office.” The name came clearly to her, “Janice.” She texted her sister immediately: “I hope you’re sitting down for this.”
For Sister Johnson from Farmington, Utah, the idea of serving a senior mission had long felt out of reach. She had served as a young missionary in California, but now, in her later years, financial worries and other logistics made it seem impossible.
“When Teresa texted, I had every reason to say ‘no,’” Sister Johnson admitted. “But then she said, ‘There are a lot of reasons why you couldn’t — but you need to think about how you could.’”
Sister Johnson had been praying for direction in her life.
“I had this strong feeling come over me that the Lord had just answered my prayer by dropping this opportunity into my lap,” she said.
Her response? “I’ll start the process. If it’s right, it will happen. If not, it won’t.”
And then the miracles began.
She discovered an IRA that could fund her mission. A family member offered to rent her home, easing her financial concerns. Medical and dental issues were resolved. What seemed like logistical roadblocks vanished — one after another.
With the support of her bishop, her stake president and President Brian Cordray of the Adriatic North Mission, Sister Johnson submitted her application on a Monday. Ten days later, she received her call. Just seven weeks after her sister’s initial text, she arrived in Croatia.
“For me, it’s been one miracle after another,” Sister Johnson said. “It all happened in the Lord’s time — which was much faster than I thought possible.”
President Cordray reflected: “I was impressed with her faith. She said, ‘If the Lord opens the doors, I’ll go.’ And He did. Her role is critical to the success of our mission. I think the Lord knew that and helped us get her here in record time.”
Sister Johnson joins an all-single senior missionary team in the mission office, which includes Elder Paul Newton — the first single senior male missionary called in the Church.
President Cordray added: “We are one of the missions Elder Rasband was referencing when he said mission fields are pleading for help. We couldn’t do all that we do without our senior missionaries. We are so grateful for those who heed the call to serve.”
— Sister Laurie Snow Turner is a senior missionary in the Adriatic North Mission and an assistant communications director.
