Short Christmas Letters and Lots of Pictures from Tarawa

Mom,

Well This will be short because we have a lot planned today, but I had to get on to wish you guys MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you soo sooo sooo much! Seeing you guys was exactly what I needed.  And seeing Amy was amazing! Thank you so much for setting that up!!!

It was awesome to see everyone! Yesterday we went and had sacrament, ate lunch, people gave each other presents and opened the ones from home, and then we had a devotional for the light of the world.  I got asked last minute to do a duet with a sister so I sang in the choir and sang a solo in front of the President of Kiribati and even got a picture with him! It is way fun, but I am ready for it to get back to normal, our house is a mess, and we don't get to bed on time and there are a lot of elders who like to do their own thing! XD''

hahahahahahahah Oh my gosh that picture is absolutely the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XD

So I talked to president and he really helped me out, I am going to be working on a few things that should help with everything!

any way I love you mom,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Dad,

Christmas was really awesome!!!! But I am so glad that it does not snow! I absolutely HATE THE COLD!!! It gets anything lower than 80 I'm freezing!!!!! hahah

Christmas was awesome!!! We had sacrament combined with 3 wards, we ate lunch together, American food!!!!!!!!!! But I waaaaay over ate! hahahah I am worried about that for when I get home! XD hahaha way tasty!!! Everyone talked and opened presents, and just hung out until the devotional.  The devotional was so spiritual. I already told mom,but I got to sing.  The spirit was so strong just singing about the savior! Amazing!!!! I even got a picture with the President of Kiribati! Me in the bow tie standing next to a Kiribati guy XD how cool is that!!!! It's great to see everyone!

The 70 doesn't come until Friday! I am pretty excited!

Are you serious about that tree??? that is so cool!!!!!

Sorry it is short, I want to get to the P-day fun!!! XD hahah

My new companions name is Elder Taylor and is from Minnesota! That is about all I know about him! hahahah We are going to Abemama. I am way pumped and we leave next week!

I got way lucky with internet! The internet cafe is closed and the Store called I-mart has a back office.  We explained how today is Christmas in America, so they let us use their office computers!!! So awesome!

I love you dad,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson with President Taneti Mamau, President of Kiribati

Preparing For Christmas and Transfers on Tarawa

Dear mom,

Well, I cannot believe that it is Christmas time again!!!!! That weirds me out so much!!!! It turns out that because there are so many Elders and Sisters coming in from the outer Islands, I will be skyping on Saturday this week.  Which means it will be Friday for you guys.  9 o clock our time 2pm your time.  I'm pretty dang excited!!!! I just can't believe that it has been 7 months since the last skype call!!! hahaha

That is way cool! There is a chance that I get my package today!!!! Maybe.... hahahah so we will see! Don't worry too much about the key chain thing it's all good I found one that I could use for now!

It's been rough the last little bit.... I have so much on my plate that I am so stressed and overwhelmed that I am not enjoying myself.... I am not having as much fun and not being my goofy self.... It is pretty difficult.   But I know that it will all work out for the best!!! I just have to work around it!.  I am in a threesome with a Kirabati visa waiter and Elder Sagapolu.  It is pretty over bearing at times but like they always say, you can't grow if it is easy!!

I haven't had time to finish the Plan of Salvation stuff yet... I really want to find time for it!!!

I am way glad that the APs are back it doesn't make it quite as stressful!! ahahah

Oona has been gone so we don't really know how she has been doing recently....

Well this week there were a lot of great days I wanted to write about but I chose one that stuck out the most.  Wednesday December 14

"Overall today went really fast, but was really good!  I woke up and only did a little bit of working out because my body hurt pretty bad from wrestling on Monday.  I feel so bad for doing that.... It wasn't till after I already wrestled that I was reminded that it was in the white handbook to not do that kind of stuff......... hahaha I am NOT going to be doing it again! I got dressed then started writing in my journal.  

I got a good way in when I got told that we were not going to be able to get a full personal study.... Dang it!!  All that I had time for today was Book of Mormon reading but that is okay,.  As I was reading I got so much out of the study to help me with my goals.  I am reading about the wars that are going on with the stripling warriors.  They are very helpful to try to figure out how to reach goals.  

The reason we had to go so early is because we had zone conference.  This is where both zones come together for a training given by President Larkin.  It was a really awesome training.  The main message that stuck out to me was that our missions help us with all other things in our lives after the mission.  We talked about things that we wast to take home from our missions.  We listed a multitude of characteristics, goals , and attributes.  President Larkin then explained something that really stuck out to me.  He said "when we work on these things, and pray for them the Lord will give us things or difficulties to help work on those desired things."  He went on to explain how "if we find ourselves getting frustrated that means God is answering our prayer to work on that thing."  It was an outstanding meeting.  

After we finished we got fed and President started interviews.  As he interviewed Elder Dinsdale, Elder Christensen, Elder Parry and I worked on our song we are going to sing for when President Haleck comes.  I am so out of practice XD  My interview with President pretty much went like this  "how are you doing? how is the work? how is training?  When are you going to leave.  Well it is now official that I now have to give him a date of when I need to go home.  

Well by the time we were done it was 4 p.m.   So we only got in 3 lessons.... DANG IT! hahah oh well.  Kinta and his sister are progressing well.  We are going to fast with them so we can get a way for him to get to church.  He can't walk.  Taungare, our recent convert's Teaoueatara's sister, is an outstanding investigator.  She accepted baptism and is ready to make changes in her life.  Mauteiti.... well let's just say we turned a really bad situation into a potentially good one,  We sat down and immediately knew something was off... Baka was crying , the kids were huddled in a corner and mauteiti was no where to be see.  He walked in a explained to us that he beat his kid worse than he ever had before... We tried out best to follow the spirit.  We told them the best way for kids to be obedient is to talk it out and show an increase of love.  We talked about how close they are to baptism and Satan sees that and doesn't like it.....We told them that we loved them and we set up a time to teach them how to do a family home evening for this Monday!!! I am so excited!  

When we got out of the lesson I had a great idea.  Because they don't have a lot of money they struggle to get food, so Monday we are going to pay for food, cook it and bring it for the family home evening ! I am really excited!!! 

Dinner Elder Kaibakia taught me kiribati bancing! Xd Amazing day!!!! "

I love you mom,

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

Oh I love the simple Christmas, the only thing to think about is the birth of our savior! I absolutely love it!!

I cannot believe some people I do not understand why they would ever do that!

That is way cool how close the missionaries are with you guys. If there is one thing that I've learned while being here is that when you are good friends with the members your job as a missionary is so much easier!

Yes, I am training both...... so stressful... I feel like I can't be myself..... I feel burnt out! Elder Kaibakia is waiting on his visa.  Well, I now know that I am going to finally have my time at outer Island life, and it is for sure this time.  Because we are going to have 10 missionaries per house here on Tarawa, the AP's logically thought it out and put the elders in the area that they are going to actually work on when transfers come around.  So guess who is replacing me????? MY MTC COMP ELDER OSBORNE!!!!! well they only told him that I was leaving and are officially announcing transfers on Wednesday, but forgot to tel

l Elder Osborne that we don't know.... so he spilled the beans.... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahah I have been ready for this for so long.

I love you dad, 

Skype is your time friday at 2 pm since we have so many Elders in for skype I am skyping on Saturday here.  Whooo! 3 day Christmas Celebration!!!!!!!!!hahahah

Love you dad, 

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Elders Kaibakia, Johnson, and Sagapolu

Fish Head Soup, Jeff wants to cook this for us when he gets home.  Mom says no way.

Eita is a Busy Place for Missionary Work

Dear mom,

It is so true about the whole following the spirit thing.  I know that as we allow for the spirit to teach, he does a lot better job than we could ever do.  Heavenly Father knows his children on such a personal level that when he sends that member of the Godhead to do the teaching.  Along with God, the spirit knows each of us on such a level that what he could be teaching us could be completely different than what the actual lesson is.  That is how you know that you are being a successful teacher. 

That freaks me out how fast time is going.  I really hate it....... ugh.............................

I am glad that everything is happening the way they are to make the best of all the situations.

The plan of Salvation cut outs are things I've drawn and used to teach the Plan of Salvation.  I've done them 3 times now because just as my companion leaves I have given them to him.  I haven't finished these ones yet unfortunately.... but I am hoping to do so this week. 

The Ap's are back and are staying here the rest of the year... Thank goodness!!!! hahah

Tooti has a mental disability that makes him think everyone is judging him.  Plus his wife is not very nice to him and calls him bad names so that doesn't help much....

Anyway this week's Journal entry:  December 10

"Well,  normal routine, hahah I bet you didn't see that one coming huh??? hahahaha  Well I had a nice workout, nice breakfast of oats, then a pretty great study.  I am really trying to get Elder Sagapolu where he needs so be, but we are still working on a few things.  At the end of my studies I went into the back room and prayed to specifically know what I needed to do in order to best help him.  My answer was pretty simple: listen  better to what he had to say and just play around with him.  (not prank him)  During companion study I tried to just listening to what he had to say, and I saw a huge difference.  And when he asked me if I want to wrestle I took off my badge, we both stood up and we made sumo stances.  It was so funny! XD  

The spirit just testified to me that THAT is what it is all about LOVE.  Companion study we role played Plan of Salvation in English to help him get down the order of what needs to be taught.  After today I decided I love role-plays.  As he taught he honestly explained to me what he didn't understand.  Most of the time if I casually ask him if he understands , He says he does.  sometimes I feel he just says that because I think he is worried about me thinking down on him for not knowing.  which I don't at all!!!  We got on the road and left to get my split companion for the day.  The AP's had a lot of office work to get caught up on, so they found me a split companion.  His name was Kaotan.  Great kid, but did not help me teach whatsoever!!! hahahah  

All of our lessons today were really focused on the atonement and repentance.  Even when that was not the scheduled lesson.  That is just what we seemed to teach on.  I almost wonder if it is something that Kaotan needed to hear.  Of all of our lessons today, the one that stood out the most was oona.  She is trying to quit smoking.  She is such an amazing old lady  She started praying on her own to quit smoking.  She reads, and has an amazingly beautiful testimony, and she wants to do what is right.  I made her a very cool promise, that I made sure I confirmed by the spirit.  I told her that if she came to church, that her smoking would stop.  The spirit was so overwhelmingly strong as I told her this.  

After the lesson I really had to pee.  Kaotan told me to go behind this certain tree, so I walked over there and at the same time a group of kids just stopped in amazement at the White guy peeing like a Kiribati person......  Well we then drove the car to Bwaewa's house where we had an awesome lesson on the Atonement.  We explained  how the lord's Atonement could help him over come the desire to smoke.  As we ended I gave him a picture of Jesus looking over a flock of sheep.  I explained the job of the shepherd and how we are all the savior's sheep.  He loved that.  

When  we got in the car I had the feeling not to back up a certain way.... I thought and pondered the idea and decided that just a couple days before Elder Christensen backed up the same way and that it would be a waste of time to back out a different way.  Again same thought... I took 5 minutes to think about it.... but backed up that way anyway..... and the van got stuck.... WHY DO I HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME LISTENING?????  If you have to think about it and the worst thing that could happen by doing it is just losing a few minutes DO IT!!  Dinner was ridiculous .  We had two kiribati people and Elder Sagapolu.  All of whom eat a ton!  Overall, a great day!"

Any way I love you mom,

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

Well, I'm glad to hear that your humor hasn't changed over the past year or so! hahahahah you crack me up!!!!! well, I'll send a picture of something that we were given in the ward that I am working for the Christmas time. 

I too love Joseph.  Just this morning I read about him in the New Testament.  This is what I wrote.  Matthew 1 and 2 Joseph had so much faith and courage.  To imagine what he must have been going through... Mary Pregnant with child, he not knowing whose baby it was.  He must have had such a personal battle.  The Lord allowed for him to make his decision on what he would do.  Even struggle a little bit.  He then sent an angel of the Lord to him to explain the sacredness of the entire event.  As soon as he was given instruction to take Mary to be his wife, he did not hesitate.  Joseph, an example to us all.  When the command came to act in the name of Mary and the sake of the Babe and savior of the world, he was obedient.  He didn't hesitate to follow through with what the lord wanted and required of him.  He knew that the message came from God. 

Right now, I am really stressed, overwhelmed and depressed.  I haven't had quite an enthusiasm for the work for some reason this past week.  I am feeling burnt out with all the load that has been put on me.  Training 2 people, having to issue splits, keeping the area up, going and being in charge of ward counsel.  I have been losing my temper and have been having some depressing thoughts.  Just pray for me okay?

I love the work and there is no way I am going to give up now, I just need some help from above. Training is so hard! hahaha

I love you dad,

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

No Shortage of Work in Eita

Dear Mom,

This week has been amazing! Really crazy however..... The APs get to travel to the different outer islands this week, and due to the break for school the flights were booked.  They had to stay in an outer Island called Onotoa for an entire week...... It made for a pretty stressful week, but we pushed through it and it turned out to be very successful!  This past week I have been trying to really focus on following the spirit on asking inspired questions.  At first it was really awkward because you have to have long pauses in the lesson to try to understand what the spirit is telling you to say.  I have seen some amazing things come from it, even when the questions catch me by surprise when I ask them. For example, we Just started teaching this new lady named Roata.  She is amazingly prepared to hear the gospel.  Anyway, during our lesson with her on Saturday, I paused and asked her a question that caught me by surprise.  "what are you thinking about?" To which her response was.... I just was thinking about where I was going after this life.   If I hadn't been following the spirit I would have never have known this is what she was thinking about!!!! It was so amazing!!!! At the end of the Lesson We asked her if she had any questions she asked how she could increase her faith..... SHE IS SO PREPARED FOR THE GOSPEL!!!!!!!

Do you want to know something cool about that Talk you read? I was literally JUST about to read it before I got on! hahah That's just a sign that I actually have to read it!!! hahah I'm way excited now!!!

That wall looks so cool!!! I love it you are so talented!!!!

So I don't know if you already sent my package or not but someone stole my exercise bands from my house when Elders came in for transfers.... so if you haven't sent it or if you know of anyone sending a package that would be something I would like.... I was so upset....

Anyway Journal Entry for the week Saturday December 3

"Holy lightning batman!  This week came and went in a blink of an eye.  I really hate how everything just just  flies by now... It felt like yesterday I was in Christmas and only a matter of days that I just started my mission.  Now I am one of the old guys!!  When did that happen?????? Personally I hate it so bad... Well any way, Great workout today.  I am putting more and more weight in my bag to do push ups and stuff.  

Personal Study was good.  I am trying to work on my new plan of salvation cut outs  ... They are really taking a really long time.  I might take some time on P day to finish them.  Anyway,  companion study was lame, but 12-week was really good!!!  Now that we have a portable dvd player we are able to watch district videos.  I am learning a ton from those things!  

Language was cut short so that we could go find myself a split companion.  I didn't get to work with my real companion all week because we have so many people.  We left to check on a few people.  Eibwati was at work and everyone else we tried to call were either busy or didn't pick up the phone.  Our last stop we tried Teveavea, who wasn't doing anything!!!  He told us he was happy to help.  XD  

When he got dressed and ready to go, we hopped in the car and dropped off Elders Sagapolu and Kaibakia.  Soon after we took off in direction of the airport since we had to pick up Elder Hunter and Elder Christensen.  It felt like a matter of moments that we were dropping them off!  Anyway we got them to the house and got to our lesson pretty quickly.  We were a little behind schedule.  Luckily the doctrines we were teaching were simple enough that we were at four lessons.  We taught a less-active family today on the Restoration.  They all have a testimony but the problem is, the mom is really sick and her legs are either infected or broken so she can't walk.  As I recited the first vision, I recognized the spirit in a different way than I usually do..  I just felt an overwhelming sense of Happiness.  Amazing outcome!  Roata is so prepared to hear the gospel!  While teaching her prophets I tried asking an inspired question.  What I asked her surprised me, but the result of me asking her was beautiful.  (I asked her "what are you thinking right now?"  To which her response was "I was asking myself what happens after this life?"  I was able to bear testimony that Latter-day prophets revealed the plan of Salvation to us.  Tokanuea was a great lesson, I just kept joking around and making everyone laught until it came time to be serious.  She told us she keeps forgetting to pray.  The reasoning behind that is because she is afraid of Ghosts... I told her the story of me driving home alone one night late in the evening after watching a scary movie.  I  told her I was afraid of what I didn't see.  I explained how I prayed and everything worked out, I felt a calmness in my heart.  

Toti was our last lesson.  I had a very hard time concentrating at first and could barely feel the spirit.  As we were trying to teach repentance a bunch of naked children were running around screaming and smacking each other!  As we continued to teach they calmed down and we had an amazing discussion.  Tooti is amazing he just has a fear of people.....  He Looked so good! He got a haircut and shaved, he looked so clean!  I really think he is going to come to church.  As we got up to leave he thanked us for helping him feel the spirit.  We walked out and I remembered I had to to talk to Elder Kaibakia's family and explain to them that we couldn't eat with them since he is set apart as a missionary.  The spirit was present as we explained this to them... Then came the best/worst part of the day..... Dinner.... The food was amazing every time we go to Merika's house they feed us Americanized meals!!! coleslaw bbq chicken sausage, spaghetti and noodles and meatballs!!! cake and ice cream for dessert.  But the problem is since I haven't eaten it in so long... I over eat...................... I hate it I have no self-control!!!!!. Overall an amazing day!!!!"  

Any way Love you mom,

Have a great week!!!

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

hahahahahahahahahahahah First off, that is the funniest story of my life!!!!!!!!! I was laughing so hard that I just had to show Elder Larson and Elder Hunter sitting right by me.  I used up a good 5 minutes of my email time trying to get a hold of myself I was laughing so hard!!!! hahahahahahah Oh man that poor kid....... hahahahah what has the world come to????? hahahah

That nativity scene turned out sooo good!!! Everyone is way impressed! Maybe you should start selling them!  Everyone I showed them to told me they looked just like the cartoon!

Elder Sagapolu, Elder Kaibakia and I are doing great... but I just wish that I had more time to work with them.  Ever since coming and working on Tarawa, things have been a lot different.  They are a lot more stressful, but I am learning that I really need to work on being a little more patient with myself and others.  I find my self getting frustrated so easily just because I have so much on my plate.  He's a great kid and I love him.  The work is on fire right now, amazing people so many are prepared to hear the Gospel.  I love Eita!! 

Please pray for Rerei and her mom Tirine.  They both want to be baptized but their dad/husband forbids it.  The culture here, whatever religion the man of the house is, that is your religion.  Well, yesterday they both wanted to come to church but the husband didn't allow it.  So when he was asleep, his daughter Rerei snuck out to come to church.  When she came home he beat both of them..... they really want to get baptized but are scared of him....

That would be the scariest thing.  We got a weird text from our member present right before we went to go teach them.  It said that we were not supposed to go to their house and go to her house first.  We tried that, but our member present wasn't home... so we went to Rerei and Tirine's house. As we are about to go up to the house we get a call telling us to go straight to the road.  Teretia (our member present) told us the whole situation.  The reasoning for them telling us to not go there is he told his daughter and wife that "if the mormon missionaries came to his house than it wasn't his sin!"

So we just about got beat but luckily God is on our side... hahahah I wouldn't mind, I've got angels on my back! I'd like to see what he could do! hahaha

My favorite spiritual  moment happend when we taught out investigator Taai.  HIs lesson was by far the most powerful of all our lessons this last week!.  We started off teaching book of Mormon, but it didn't seem right ... somehow by the power of the spirit we found ourselves on the restoration,.  Taai had made a moment that he was confused about which church was true and that he wanted to know.  I recited the first vision.... I can't even put to words how firm that spirit was.  It was as if I were completely surrounded by angels joined in one voice testifying of what I said by the spirit of the Lord.  I know  that God the Father and his son appeared to Joseph Smith.  I would be lying if I said I didn't believe it.  At the End he bore his testimony about the truthfulness of that lesson.  It was such a beautiful lesson!  

I love you dad!

love your son,

Elder JOhnson