New Glasses and High Spirits

Jeff with his new glasses.

Dear mom,

First off I did get the package and I LOVE the frames that you guys picked out I love them so much!!! I am also glad that most of the stuff that was in there was for other people and not me! Just a question, did you guys send some rules to some magic tricks to do with cards??

Thank you so much for the fruit, I love that so much!!!! It is perfect!!!

Okay I decided that something that I am going to do from this point on is pick a day from my journal from the last week and write it out for you guys.

'Today was a super awesome day! I just cannot believe how unbelievably fast everything is going! Woke us and did a normal routine then Elder Gilbert told me his idea was for the new oven we just got..... cinnamon rolls!  XD So we went for it, but we studied first, which went really well, Elder Gilbert wanted to study asking inspired
questions, which turned out really well, we really need to work on that.... We endeed up making two big cinnamon rolls, but they turned out a littles solid... we gave 1/2 to the Pilkington's who said the same thing, but they also told us they were Tasty!!  After, we got out and our first lesson was with Monekiti!!! So awesome!  We sang I am a
child of God together then we taught Restioration, which was a little rough because the people next doorweree playing thir music very loudly... but when I tried Sister Pilkington's advice to sing (I sang Joseph Smith's first prayer in kiribati)  The music next door stopped it was so cool!  When that was done we taught Meetin, who was very
distracted... we then taught Konono. I sang there as well, I am seeing some good stuff coming out of that.  After I sang they participated very well.  The only thing is sometimes in lessons they get very distracted.  After the Lesson we went out to get our bikes and Elder Gilbert's bike was stolen!!!!!!!!! Then Bwatirio, one of our investigators started laughing... He just hid it!!!! ON the way to Tennessee I 'raced' Bwatirio he was on his motorcycle and I was on my bike... I was crusing, winning even, I left Elder Gilbert in the dust!! XD but then he kicked it into gear.... Kaibeariki, the kid we were going to teach wasn't home, but the house next door was a less-actives house and they were home.. The guys name is Tannako and I forgot his wife's name.... the wife converted him and when they got
married he dropped drinking!!! Funny side note, Tannako was talking about sharing their pumpkin to families around them and he said the reasoning for them giving hem away is because if they ate them all you would have to poop a ton!!!! hahaha He then reenacted going to the toilet!!! XD any way, when we actually got into the  teaching part, they told us that they have been trying to have kids, but haven't been able to ... and the only reason they told us they haven't been to church is because they sleep in... When we shared our scriptures I felt prompted to promise them that if they start doing those things to please the Lord, he would bless them with kids.  The rest of the day went great!!! Our last lesson of the day was with Ereateata, we just sang together.  We taught her a new song, and we found out The KUC church is using  Count Your Blessings from our hymn book!! hahaha  So
amazing After we went to confirm our dinner, and they gave us freshly cut Karewe a kiribati drink which I absolutely LOVE.  Dinner was amazing it was with a less active family NANA who made banana cake battered fish, steamed fish, grilled fish fish fish fish XD... We played cards with the kids before it was all ready and 2 of them were twins so I kept joking to them that they should play rock paper scissors to see who was really born first!  I also joked with them saying whoa there are two of you!!! hahahah At the end of the dinner they made us take all the cake......... wow, it's just the culture to eat a lot I guess!  Oh I forgot in the middle of dinner a lizard fell
on my head it scared me so bad!!!

Anyway hope you liked that!

You can never to do much when it comes to helping others... I just wish the people here would trust us enough to let us do more!!

I love you mom,
I am doing a lot better now, I asked Elder Gilbert for a blessing and it really helped!!!

Love you mom,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Goofing off with the kids!

Dad,
Got the package and I love it!!!!!! thank you guys so much it is all I needed and then some!!! No word yet on transfers..... I'm thinking we might be told today!!

I don't remember saying anything about outer island traning... you're getting too old ol' man! XD hahhaah
I know, I just was praying last week and asked what I needed to work on, and one of it was send better emails to your family, so I am trying to make them a little longer... it's a little hard though! XD

Well I am glad that everything is going well back home, I have been praying for you guys and even asked the other Elders in the district to do so as well!!

(Note from Dad- I asked Jeff what most people did for a living in London.)

Well, most people here work in the government building since it is in London, but there are members like Rodney who sells Lobster to Hawaii and the rest of America, and every sunday we eat with him and every sunday we have Lobster... and yes I am bragging... and yes it is fresh... Others sell small fish to people in America fro their fish
tanks..

Oh and FYI i am getting really good at cooking fish, the other day I made fish head soup! I am learning some great skills from Elder Gilbert, his dad was a chef back in the day!!!

Most spiritual experience we had this week would These investigators Daisy and Norma, who are a family that we have been teaching,  the first thing that we did was teach them to make a custard tart, which they were very happy about... we then had an amazing lesson on prayer where I found out that they do things differently than I thought (here they are roman Catholics they praise and pray to mary/ statues) but they only do that at church when they are home they pray normally... any way, I bore my testimony on prayer and the spirit was so strong I shared a couple of examples like Joshy and how I've been praying for him and then praying for rain when we were out of rain water.  at the end Daisy, who wants to be a nun, closed in prayer, she called us their friends and prayed for us
and asked that we would have the strength through the times we are persecuted... and when she ended the spirit was so amazing!!

The funniest was probably the less active in mom's email who enacted out pooping XD

(Note from Dad- I asked Jeff what he has learned from each of his companions.)

Elder Vula How to have fun and work hard
Elder Seguine I learned that the Atonement is not just for sins
Elder Kennedy I learned how to be happy though everything and working your hardest to accomplish your goals
Elder Carrington the true meaning of missionary work
Elder Miller, how to make lessons specific to investigators, and how to connect/imbrace the culture
Elder Darm how to forget and forgive and see the best of people
Elder Hunter how to be humble
Elder Ellis the improtance of helping others and showing your love for them
Elder Gilbert how to cook, how to accept the Lord's timing and howthink positive

Love you dad,
Love your son,
Elder johnson

Elder Ellis, Elder Johnson and Sister Wamura celebrating 1 year in the field!

Using the CB Radio

Elder Johnson and Elder Baker

Elder Johnson and Elder Baker

The Christmas Island District

PDay on Christmas Island.

Burned Feet and The Walking Dead

Dear mom,

First off I want to apologize for being horrible at writing letters the last few weeks, from this point on I am going to try my very best to give you guys better emails!! ahahah so little by little!!! That is a saying they have here they use all the time teutanna mwiin teutanna!

Transfers are not official yet and they happen on the 6th of October, but I have heard rumors that I am going to an outer Island training, not sure who, or where of even if that is the plan but if that is the case I am white washing an entire Island! so we will see! 

Honestly the work is going so well and I am loving every single minute of it!!!! It really does help that I am getting along with my companion. He speaks exactly what is on his mind and I love it because it really helps me to know what I need to work on! He is a great kid, and He is doing Amazing!! hahah As for the object lessons we've been using anything to everything we can think of, we are having a lot of fun making up different object lessons for each lesson we teach.. We find with the culture here it really helps them to remember what is taught and to have a lot more fun with the lessons!       

I am glad to hear that the package is on it's way, my glasses are on the last legs and my backups are too blurry to get much use out of them, they just give me a headache!  I want to thank you guys so much for always being willing to send me the things that I need! I really appreciate it!!! 

The Area is great we are getting more and more people every week and are really seeing some great things happen!! 

I definitely agree that you need the right balance of fun and hard work!! For if you have to much of one and not enough of the other you will have regrets later on in life!

 

Will you get me Ally and Lucas' emails please I would like to talk to them!

When exactly is your anniversary? 

I love you mom, 

Hopefully it is a little better than before! My email that is. 

Love your son,

Elder Johnson 

Dear dad, 

So I made A promise to mom that I would be a little better at emailing so I am going to give it a shot.  It's not like I don't like emailing its just that I just got into things pretty good, and I feel like it is all old news! but I know it's not so I am going to try a little harder.  

It sounds like you are staying just as busy as ever back home, I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't recognize a single thing in the house by the time I get back with how much stuff you guys are doing around the house!!! Not only that, I don't even recognize my siblings with the pictures I've seen lately of them!!! hahaha Where did my family go?!?!?!? hahahah jkjk Time does go too fast..... It is really scaring me, I am now at the Point Elder Carrington was at when I started making jokes about him going home and he not wanting to!!!! Now I'm getting the taste of my own medicine with Elder Gilbert making the same kind of jokes!!!!

As for ana just shave her head and make her do her creepy minion laugh!!!! XD that should  keep the boys away! hahah

Kaleb has changed the most from what I've seen he's getting so big!!!! man so crazy what just a year can do!!

I can get my package any time it comes in because the lady you send it to lives in London so I will be able to get it!!

Okay it's been long enough now that I will tell you.............. I AM GOOD NOW DON'T WORRY  At the beginning of August right before the senior couples came we were cleaning out their house and the way you take care of trash here is take it to the back and burn it.... so I was taking the trash out, and lighting it on fire.... well since I thought it was going to be fast I wasn't wearing shoes but I heard the voice 3 times saying put your shoes on, well I didn't listen...."no it'll be quick!" well the wind blew the fire went in the direction of the houses so I ran around with a bucket of water to kill it aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand stepped on a flaming hot tin can that was sitting in the fire...... and it got so swollen I couldn't stand... and so this is the first impression the Senior couples had of me......I couldn't wear shoes and it got 3 giant blisters one that covered my entire foot...... so I was down out of work for 2 days so it wouldn't get infected.... hahah but it was good, I had some good down time with the Senior couples! 

now I have some pretty gnarly scars! XD but it is good now... but now I have fleas, so taking care of that!!

Okay so a crazy fact London literally has more bars than downtown salt lake.... and they are positioned in a circle around our house, so all hours of the night we have drunk people shouting and screaming! Luckily we have a fence and we lock ourselves in at night, I kind of feel like the walking dead! XD 

As for police.... a lot of them are members and are very laid back, I don't know what they do all day because there is absolutely NOTHING that happens here! haah usually they just deal with drunk people, who are a story all themselves... they come up to you and in broken English say "i'm sooory" and grab your hand and do one of two things kiss it or put it to their forehead.... so awesome! hahah

Love you dad,

love 

Elder Johnson  

Exceeding Goals Expecting a Transfer

Mom,

I am doing amazing, the Area is great and is going very well Things in London are going very well, we are seeing great progression with our investigators. Elder Gilbert and I are using more object lessons in our lessons and are seeing some better results. We are trying to make each lesson specific to each investigator in order to not be teaching the same lesson the same exact way, and by doing these things is helping our investigators. Ereateata has fasted 2 Sundays in a row and came to church yesterday, which is the first time that she has been to any sort of church in almost 8 years. We are continuing to see great miracles and help from the Lord.

Elder Gilbert continues to show progression, he is a great missionary! He is making huge improvements on the language and in the missionary work. He is very supportive of the work and is just as willing to give it just that little extra push. We haven't had any problems, except for little arguments here and there, but even then we are able to get over them quickly and realize that Satan is trying to cause contention.

Personally I am doing great, I have been receiving help through prayers and fasting and Elder and Sister Pilkington. I am loving the work here and London and I am excited for whatever adventure the Lord has in store for me 

Living conditions are great!! I love our house we have every cooking thing we would ever need!!! Water we have 24/7 well water, so we filter it and then we boil it.. the house is probably the best house on Kiritimati so it is sick!!!!   

Happy Anniversary by the way!!!!!

Mom, I love you so much and I appreciate everything that you have ever done for me!!! 

Just pray for me and I will pray for you I know that the Lord is looking out for both of us!!

Love your son,

Elder Johnson 

Dad.

Well that sucks that everyone is sick...... how are they now??

No word on transfers yet, but I am thinking this week or next week we will know for sure!!! President Larkin wasn't able to make it to Kiritimati so I  may never be able to ever meet him! hahah XD 

Goals last week we exceeded 45 lessons........ we hit 48!! this week we were just short, it was a hard week as well for us a lot of wandering around and stuff! London is completely different culture wise, everyone is busy it is so weird!!

Funniest thing of the week is We went to an investigators house last night and when he told us to come in we told him that the door was locked, and instead of unlocking it just there he walked out the back door came to the front, checked the door just to check we weren't lying, then walked back in and unlocked it! He just disappeared in front of our eyes it seemed like! It was crazy!!! hahah

Most spiritual, We started teaching a new investigator who told us on our first visit that he already prayed about Joseph smith and knew he is true! He is a little deaf so we have to shout our lessons at him!! XD also our investigator Ereateata came to church yesterday! She even participated in sunday school!!!! XD 

Happy Wedding Anniversary!!!!!

Cannot believe how fast time is going I hate it!!! XD

Love you dad,

Love your son,

Elder Johnson 

The Work Continues in London, Kiritimati

Dear Mom,

Please send everything food wise and and to Tarawa... I am just worried that I won't get any of it... like my flash... maybe for this package, just send the tools and everything else in the next package... I am just worried.  I just need shaving cream and deodorant.  My Glasses work until next month!

Lessons are amazing the area is on fire right now!!! Well we did it!! Elder Gilbert and I along with the lord were able to reach our goal of 45 lessons and even exceeded it a little bit! The area is going well, we are continuing to find new people, getting more member presents and trying our best to get this area as good as we can. It is hard work but I am loving the challenge. The branch president just decided to move church to an area that is going to make it a little more difficult for our investigators to come to church since it is a little farther away, but we will find a way around that! I am loving the work here in London, the members are helpful and very nice, it is a little difficult through the week since everyone is moving around... but we found out Saturday's are our days!! We have been starting work earlier on Saturday's and it has been really helpful!

Elder Gilbert is continuing to make huge improvements, not only in confidence, but spiritually and mentally. We make a great companionship. He is all for being 100% obedient and for me pushing him a little bit. I am having him lead as much as possible and speaking as much as possible as well. He is an amazing person!! I love working with Elder Gilbert!

I'm doing great, I had a rough spot last week where I was thinking a little too much about future events that don't matter but I managed to get through it! I am loving the work and enjoying working hard. Our investigator I told you about last week, Ereateata didn't come to church, but did fast and didn't smoke all day we are so happy for her.
As for our other investigators most of them are showing great progression!!!

I knew that you would be amazing at your talk!!! I know that Heavenly Father helped you and guided you in what you needed to say!!! At times Satan wants to drag us down as much as possible especially right before we are about to do something amazing and full of the spirit!

I love you mom,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Dear Dad,

OH MY GOSH I DON'T THINK I LAUGHED THAT HARD IN A LONG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahah that is so funny!!!!!!

I was about to say that the whole AC thing is I HAVEN'T HAD IT FOR LIKE A YEAR NOW!!  hahahahah

Elder Gilbert and I are getting a long great!!! We are kicking but at the cooking, We exceeded our goal of 45 by 3 lessons, and I am loving being a mom, (follow up trainer)

Most spiritual moment this week  Our investigator I told you about last week, Ereateata didn't come to church, but did fast and didn't smoke all day we are so happy for her. As for our other investigators most of them are showing great progression!!!

Funniest moment, We had an investigator who can literally teleport. We told him to stay put, we were gone for 2 minutes to confirm dinner and when we came back he was gone.... we then busted a move to his house which is like a 5 minute bike ride and he was there laying down WHAT!?!?!?!? hahah

Language I feel a lot better about it!! I just have to keep working on learning new words!! My accent is better then before.  I am loving everything!!

sorry it is short we don't have a lot of time..

FYI Please only send the tools here I don't even want to risk it,
because packages that come here don't go back to tarawa... it is too
expensive

I love you dad,
Love your son,
Elder JOhnson