Sending Mom a Happy Birthday

Mom,
I am happy I am here for a little while longer as well! I transfer not
this Wednesday but next! My companions name is Elder Gilbert!

I am good on everything I have plenty of  clothes the only
thing that would be nice is that drive but if it is too expensive
don't worry about it! XD

Last Thursday in district meeting the lesson was on
personal revelation and a statement an elder said really hit me hard
"The lord at times gives us an answer then doesn't answer as if to say
I've given you the answer do you have the faith to do something about
it."

I love you mom,
Love your elder,
Elder Johnson

SO I JUST WANTED TO WRITE YOU TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED AND

APPRECIATE YOU AND HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME TO GET ME TO THIS POINT IN MY LIFE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST MOTHER A KID COULD EVER ASK FOR!!!

Mom,

I love you so much and I just wanted to let you know that I love and

appreciate you and all that you do for me and all  of us in the

family!

Dad!

That is pretty rough their situation they went through... but I know
that the Lord gave it to them because they could handle it!!! It was
there to help them draw closer unto Christ and become more Christ
like!

I love the talk you gave that is soooo funny! I love that you finally
smarted up enough to accept and even love pokemon! XD  hahahah

Most spiritual, probably when we took the sacrament to this old lady
Tinia (senia) we opened in song gave a little lesson and gave the
sacrament.  She was so grateful and happy and we probably sand 10
different songs before we finally left! The spirit was so strong!

The funniest is when we taught this kid named Timwaeta! he is so
funny! so any time we teach him his cousins who are from the church
sit in to get them to pay attention we have to be very
animated and make lots of jokes so are Lessons are just full of little
animations to get them laughing but really stick in their heads and
invite the spirit.  At times I've pretended to climb a coconut tree,
made faces or just acted goofy! I have a great time!

Heat at times still sucks but now I am pretty much used to it! I now
get cold if the wind is strong enough and I sleep with a blanket every
night! XD

I will try to send pictures if not I will send some home on a flash on Thursday!

Our investigators are solid!  They read, pray and know it is true.  It is
just hard to get over the culture of sleeping... so they don't come to
church but this last week was a night and day difference from the week
before!

I love you dad,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

The Longer He is Out, The Shorter His Letters Become!

Dad,
SOOOOOOOOOO I actually got my package last Wednesday! hahahaha Last
week we went to the air port since EVERYONE was in London for the
Festivities and it came! hahahah so yeah it had everything I needed!!!
I do have have a bubuti from my Kiribati family here though... (a
question) They saw my waterproof cards and were wondering if they
could get a deck? if not they said it was okay.. this is the family
that put together my birthday party! XD

I am so glad that everything is going well with all the kids that
makes me happy! 

So I am leaving Banana, but I am not leaving Kiritimati quite yet...
President Larkin made some pretty big changes!!! hahah I am working in
London doing follow up training with Elder Gilbert. Senior couples and sisters
are coming anaaaand I am white washing London.. meaning that Elders
that were there before left today for an outer island of Kiritimati
and no one will be working in London for 2 weeks.... hahah

Things are definitely getting easier! Language is coming, I can understand people but have a hard time
communicating at times...

I am waaaay happy, Banana is in a rough patch with the Holiday but it is great!

Please pray for Kakirei, she has a very strong addiction to smoking, but we are starting to see a difference they just need a little push!

I love you dad,
love your son,
Elder Johnson



Mom,

So I actually did get the pictures, just so you know! XD haha
I am healthy, no problems I honestly just forget to tell you that
every week my bad!!! hahaha

I also got my package last Wednesday.  The airport is in Banana so we
picked it up there! Everything you guys sent is perfect!!! Thank you so
much!!! XD

President Larkin doesn't come to Kiritimati until September so there
is a slight chance that I may not even get to meet him for a while! haha

Mom, I will be praying for you, but I promise you that as you read
your scriptures faithfully every single day that you will receive that
comfort and counsel and help you need for your time at Girls camp.

That is so crazy that Ally is leaving soon! I am just freaking out
that it has almost been a year since I've been gone it sucks!!!!!!

I love you mom,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Happy and Healthy on Christmas

Dad,

Sounds like things are going good but are a little rough back home!! hahah but I know you, I know that you will be able to work it out all right!!

I love all that family history stuff, that makes me so happy to hear all of those amazing stories!! XD

I'll try to be quick so other missionaries can email..

Ellis' full name is Ezrym Haaka Ellis and he is from Hamilton New Zealand.  We have been comps since the 22 and we get along great.  Him and I both agree however that my time for outie life is drawing nearer and nearer!

The work is going pretty well... I have a hard time sometimes because he is so good at the language and people often struggle to hear me... but our investigators are pretty awesome! I think I want to start working on teaching more less actives because there are a lot of those! XD

Funniest moment.... Meeting and teaching this 10 year old kid Tekooki and the way we remember his name is thinking of coke... hahah we just mess around and joke with him but he gets everything in our lessons! I love it

Most spiritual.... that is rough.... but I think it was yesterday, we met this guy Owen, who elders haven't been able to have lessons with him for a while.. Elder Ellis came in and just taught restoration.. and at first this guy was extremely intimidating but as we keep going he almost cried with how spiritual the lesson was.... he didn't want us to come back, but we know that he felt the spirit so it is only a matter of time! XD

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Mom!

First off I love you sooo much, and I too am going to try to send something today in hopes that it will reach you for your birthday on the 27th.... so hopefully, but knowing the mail here you probably won't get it until like January!! XD did Kaleb get his picture????

Me, having no temple is really rough.... but my testimony skyrocketed when I got to go in FIJI... I guess the saying is really true... You don't know what you don't have until you don't have it.... I know that building is the house of the lord! We can receive personal revelation, we can feel the promptings of the spirit, and most importantly it draws us closer to the lord.. I like to challenge you and the family to go together at least 2 times a month to do baptisms, now that most of the family can go!

No worries I am healthy and happy.

Mom, I love you more than you know!!! XD

Hang in there and keep being amazing! XD

Love your son,

Elder Johnson