Cyclone Delays Christmas

Cyclone Winston has cancelled flights in Fiji,

delaying transfers until next Monday.

Elder Johnson is Transferring from Tarawa to Christmas Island
This is about the distance from California to Illinois.

 

Dear Mom,

Well, my flight for Kiritimati was supposed to be today.... buuuut since there was a cyclone that hit Fiji this last week my flight got pushed to next week on Monday.  At first I was a little disappointed, but now I just think I get one more week to work with our people!! I am going to try my hardest to be 100 percent obedient and work as hard as I possibly can to get the most out of this next week.

(An Elder from Kiribati will be going into the MTC.  We will be picking him up from the Airport, feeding him and taking him to the MTC.  We are really excited about this!)

Elder Nabaruru is flying out on the 7th and with the date line I think flying in at Utah on the 7th his day for the MTC is March 8th, but the Senior Couples the Jenks will shoot you an email with more details.  He's a little nervous cause I showed him a picture of dad with the primary kids and his beard and he said "e un" he's angry! (I made my primary kids fake beards in our last class of the year to match mine and we were posing with our "tough faces") hahah But he is one of my closest Kiribati friends, he doesn't speak a ton of English, but knows the basics. 

I decided it was okay if I gain weight while I'm here I know I'll have more time later to take care of it, even though it sucks, I just have to worry about what is most important; studies, and teaching with the spirit. I'm still going to try to eat less and work out but, a lot of elders and sisters gain weight. From what I hear, if you are used to working out everyday, you will gain, if you didn't workout you will lose soooooo yeah.

I definitely do believe that we are planting seeds wherever we are going, and I have definitely seen the Lord's hand in all of our work!

I am safe I'm working hard, and Love this work, I love you and Pray for you!

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

I was supposed to leave for Christmas today with Elder Miller who is finishing up his time out there but because of the Cyclone I have to wait until next Monday... I was a little sad because we essentially had a day and a half long p-day to do whatever we want in Fiji.  I was going to spend a night in a 3 and a half star hotel, and meet my new companion, but now I'm good! I get one more week in Ambo with Carrington!!

(I asked Jeff about Cyclone Winston)

The only bad thing is it has messed with transfers but we are all safe and good!

(From my letter to Jeff- I am like a fanboy following my favorite sports team, the Kiribati Missionaries!  I am tempted to make playing cards and team shirts!  (Only half joking!))

Please do make shirts and cards and send them, Everyone would LOVE them!! hahah

I'm not going to lie I miss swim and polo, I'm losing my muscle and continuing to see a difference in my face, but I know that this is just one of my trials, and as long as I work hard now, trust in the Lord, and then work hard later, the Lord will help me make up for it.  I know he is good for his word!

(I asked for new pictures, we have not received any new ones since he has been companions with Elder Carrington.)

I'm sending a package home with my full SD card so you will get all my pictures up until last Saturday.  Patience it a virtue! ;D

The most spiritual experience so far was probably yesterday.  We got to go to the Suva Fiji temple re-dedication, and we went to the first two sessions, the talks were all super spiritual, and just felt good. The second session was focused on eternal families, and the Plan of Salvation.  It really strengthened my testimony, and made me think how my mission now is preparing me for that time when I will be a dad.  That gave me the fuel to work hard and learn as much as I can!!

Coolest thing is after the 1st session I found another Kiribati tie, but this one is even more rare! It's blue!!! I asked where the guy bought it, but he said eh it's old we can just trade! sooo cool!!

Anyway, I love you, you're in my prayers, remember the importance of temple work and go as much as you can!

Love your missionary,

Elder Johnson

Upcoming Transfers- Going to Christmas Island

 

MOM,

Haha no they don't celebrate Valentines here. They mostly celebrate 1st birthdays, 21st birthdays, Christmas, and that is about it! haha Long weekends are really nice, but we don't get any here, P-days are our "long weekend!"

So I'm not too worried now about the gaining weight, I started working out a little harder in the morning and have been putting on some muscle.  Let me tell you, pushups with a bag full of rocks and books does a lot in a short amount of time! 

So living with the Zone Leaders you hear things aaaaand they also have pictures of the transfer board which I may or may not have taken pictures of them...... hahahah, but I am leaving next Monday for Kiritimati... Christmas Island.  I get to stay overnight in a hotel in Fiji.  My new companion is Elder Darm and I get to see my MTC companion Elder Osborne, and Elder Berends!!!! I am so excited I have also been told that they go fishing on the Ocean every p-day!  I am sooo excited!!
(Amber sent Jeff a few quotes and scriptures from the youth theme on Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ from her calling in the Young Women's)

Lately I have read a lot about fear and faith and how they are completely opposite, so that is really cool how you shared that I really needed to hear that.  I really like the story of Peter walking on the water. It shows that as we focus on Christ we can do amazing things, but as soon as we lose focus that is when we will sink!  I love you so much mom!!

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

So I told mom this but living with the zone Leaders you hear things aaaaand they also have pictures of the transfer board which I may or may not have taken pictures of them...... hahahah.  (The punk didn't send a picture of the board!)  but I am leaving next Monday for Kiritimati... Christmas Island, and I get to stay overnight in a hotel in Fiji.  My new companion is Darm and I get to see my MTC companion Osborne, and Elder Berends!!!! I am so excited I have also been told that they go fishing on the Ocean every p day I am sooo excited!!
(Jeff asked us to pray for some of his investigators.)

You know what those people have not once come to church even when the zone leaders taught them, but they came yesterday, and seemed really into it. Everyone was shocked that they came, that strengthens my testimony that this church is true!! I love you so much, thank you for doing that!

Yesterday, we were asked to pass the sacrament in our ward and when I stood up at the table and they showed the bread, I felt the spirit overwhelm me that partaking of the sacrament really does help us in this life.  I know that this church really does help us become clean enough to enter into the kingdom of God.

The funniest thing that happened this last week was there was this HUGE spider on the wall and Carrington has silly string so we sprayed the thing and it dropped and we freaked out like little girls and we caught it all on camera! hahahah

We just had a baptism last Saturday, her name is Ramaua, and she is so solid. She is already asking about the temple and getting her husband reactivated so they can have the priesthood in the home! amazing!!

Anyway that's all I have time for today, I'm going to get my drivers license printed!  (I put my occupation as Jedi Knight! XD) hahah I love you!

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Broken Promises, but... Building Faith

Elders Carrington, Hilliard, Kennedy and Johnson



WWII Bullet Found on the Beach

Dear Everyone!

This last week was amazing!  I'm pretty sure there wasn't a single day where it didn't rain or was cloudy, but it was super nice because it wasn't so blasted hot! haha

I have had a lot of amazing spiritual experiences this last week.  One being with my companion.  The other day, he expressed to me that he was having doubts on if he has been an effective missionary. I started by telling him of all of the amazingly prepared people we are finding in the midst of those who are rejecting us through excuses and lies.  Then I reminded him that an effective missionary isn't one who gets good numbers, but is one who calls others to repentance and helps people make and keep commitments in preparation for more sacred covenants such as baptism, and the temple.  I then bore my testimony about how things suck at times, but for those who are faithful and listen/follow Christ, his commandments, and his example blessings do come.  I then shared a talk that has really helped me, An High Priest of Good Things to Come by Jeffrey R. Holland.  In it, it talks about how blessings come no matter what, some come now, some come later, and some not until heaven, but for those who are faithful they do come.  I suggest to all to read this talk.  The spirit was so strong that I cried.

Our investigators and lessons are doing really well, and we continues to find amazingly prepared people.

There have been a couple of times where we had to walk home after dinner, which is pretty far, and I have had 3 times where I have prayed to get a car so we could get home on time.  Two of the times within a minute of me closing my prayer a car showed up.  Yesterday was my other time, I didn't want to pay for a bus so I prayed for a truck that we didn't have to pay, and a car showed up.  It is my testimony God hears and answers prayers, and if you don't believe it, put it to the test.

I love you all,
Love your friend, grandson, brother, son and Servant of the Lord
Elder Johnson


Mom,
Dang that package was super fast!!! hahaha I'm glad that you guys like the stuff I sent, and tell Josh he better wear that tie, they are super hard to find and I haven't found one for me yet!! hahah

This week was pretty rough a couple times... I have gained a ton of weight and I hate it, I'm starting to see it in my face and stuff.... I just miss being able to exercise more than thirty minutes, and nothing here is healthy so it's been really rough.  We've had an amazing week with our investigators, we found this couple and we teach them in their little store. Their names are Matthew and Nardia.  Every time we teach them I feel the spirit really strong!  My favorite was our restoration lesson, I finally memorized the first vision, and when I said it the spirit testified of what I was saying.  Just yesterday we had a lesson with them and when we asked them if they prayed they said yes and they said they felt an answer!!! I am so excited for them!

Still living with the zone leaders, we find out transfers next week, but you start to hear some rumors living with them since they know all that's going on, so I think I have a pretty good idea where I am going! haha  but technically I am not supposed to know so.... shhhh hahah

We were just messing around with the dance but I think we might get to do it today!! hahah XD

Mom, I love you and what you said helped me so much as it always does, I love you sooooo much!

Love your son,
Elder Johnson






DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy freaking birthday you old man!!! you better not be shoveling snow too much or you might break your back for real!!! hahahah

I'm glad that you guys got your stuff and you all enjoyed the pictures and the stuff I sent you all.  I'm also glad that your big project went well, I have been praying for you to have a successful time.  I love you so much dad!

Yes I have heard about transfers... but technically I'm not supposed to.  But living with the zone leaders they say/discuss things and you start to put things together so I have an idea were I am going but I can't say anything yet because it hasn't been announced officially! haha

 We've had an amazing week with our investigators, we found this couple and we teach them in their little store. Their names are Matthew and Nardia, and every time we teach them I feel the spirit
really strong!  My favorite was our Restoration lesson, I finally memorized the first vision, and when I said it the spirit testified of what I was saying.  Just yesterday we had a lesson with them and when we asked them if they prayed they said yes and they said they felt an answer!!! I am so excited for them! will You pray for Taake and Bobo and Mauri.  Taake has word of wisdom problems and is trying to stop smoking and Bobo and Mauri have Marriage complications... so if you wouldn't mind praying for them!

Funniest is probably dinner the other night, I spent the entire night sneaking food on Elder Carrington's plate, and if there is food on your plate you have to eat it!  hahah!  I just kept loading it on there! He even asked for a refill and he told me stop when it got half way but I kept pouring! hahahXD

I love you dad!
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Staying Upbeat in Ambo

This week was another week that went waaaay to fast, except this time not a whole lot happened that was really note worthy.  It rained a lot, a lot of our lessons and back up plans fell through... but I was able to keep a pretty good attitude about it!

Two funny/cool stories, last Tuesday we went to an Elder's birthday in Betio, and I got up in the middle of a performance and started the party! XD aaaaahhhhh yeah! 

Wednesday, we had zone meeting and I slammed open the doors while I was singing frozen, tell the guards to open up the gates!!! hahah

Our investigators are doing really well, some make up excuses as to why they don't want or why they missed a lesson, because they are busy all the time.  It just makes me sad because they don't know what they are trying to get out of....

I know that the lord loves each and everyone of us, and he looks after all of us, we just have to turn to him and it will be all right! 

I love you all I don't have a ton of time but know I love and miss you all. You are all in my prayers!!

Love,

Elder Johnson

Dad,

Ah man, I am enjoying the nice warm sun, with that nice ocean breeze, not missing the snow one. little. bit.  hahahah By the time I'm the designated shoveler, I will probably have forgotten what snow even is!! hahaha (Jeff is a punk, truth be told.)

Sounds like work is a handful as always, but I know that as you give the time to the Lord first, he will bless you with the patience and help you need for work.. I know that when I feel myself starting to get frustrated, or upset, I sing a song, and it helps me keep a cool head, and it helps me to keep a good attitude when things are not quite going as planned. There have been a couple of times when Elder Carrington and I got a little down because our investigators were making excuses of why they weren't there or why they didn't want lessons, or from our plans falling through pretty fast.  But I prayed on how I could help us stay in a good attitude, and I felt to start singing hymns aloud, and talk to Elder Carrington about my study in Jesus the Christ. 

We were able to talk things out and I was able to share my experience with Temwaiku where I would get frustrated really fast, and how I am quick to anger.  But Elder Kennedy always had a good attitude.  I have tried to apply that to my life and I feel like I have been pretty successful at it, I have noticed when you keep a good attitude about things and if you try your hardest to love others and worry about them you are more in tune with the spirit.  But when you allow yourself to be angry or upset, you miss out on teaching moments from the spirit.  I know that we can apply this to any feelings of frustration, stress or anything bad. 

For p-days we go to the stake center. They have an indoor gym, but nothing like anything back home, it's pretty fun, I pretty much ball people up left and right! haha XD

Elder Carrington is amazing, I have learned so much from him and we click really well!  We are working hard but I am seeing blessings in a different way here, we don't get in a ton lessons, but the lessons that we do get in are all people who are PREPARED for the gospel.  I know that the Lord definitely blesses us as we do our best to turn to him. 

I have noticed when we pray to the lord he guides us to those who are prepared, and are willing to accept the gospel.  When we pray I feel the spirit strongly that we need to go to a specific house, but we have to pray, come up with an option ourselves then listen to the spirit. 

The funniest thing that happened this week happened last Saturday. So there are a lot of dogs here and sometimes they can be pretty mean, so one time one was walking towards us and I lifted my arms to my side, and I wiggled my fingers and made a weird noise, and it bolted sooo fast! It was pretty funny, then Carrington and I came up with what it was thinking.  "oh look what a nice huma... wha what is, what is that??? Is it a transformer????" hahah

I love you dad,

love your son.

Mom!!

I'm doing amazing! I love being in the same house as the zone leaders it's pretty fun, but it can be pretty crazy at times! haha  Now there are five of us, one left for an outer island last Friday, and Elder Bontekai leaves today, he is going to work in Temwaiku until he gets his visa.  This morning we choreographed a dance for a Kiribati song for our next botaki that they ask us to dance... Let's just say I've got some good moves up my sleeves for it... hahah. We are together quite a bit except during lessons and when we have different dinners, but other than that we are together!. 

Mom, I am glad that you sent that quote, because there have been a couple of times where I haven't felt like I was a very successful missionary because I still don't have the language down very well, but I know that as I bear my testimony with meaning and I teach with meaning cause I will invite the spirit, and the language of the spirit is the same with everyone. 

Mom, I love you so much and I know that the Lord will continue to bless you as you continue to turn to him and keep his commandments, it only gets easier!  Remember the Plan of Salvation and if you gain a testimony about that you will know that there is a purpose for everything, and the Lord will never give us anything that wouldn't help us grow. 

I love you,

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

In the Lord's Hands

No pictures this week, but it sounds like Elder Johnson is doing great!


What's up everyone!!!!!!!!

This week has literally gone by in a blink! I cannot believe how fast it has gone!!! I love it though!  It has been a really great time working with Elder Carrington in Ambo!  I just can't believe that I have been in Kiribati for 3 months now!

This last week we had a ton of really solid investigators and lessons. One experience that really stood out this last week was our tracting experience.  One day we had a little extra time so we decided to pray and ask what we should do.  After we prayed we talked it out... "Maybe we should see one of our less actives"... nothing, "or maybe see if we can get a referral"...  nothing "Let's tract a house past the catholic church, we haven't gone past there yet!" As soon as we said that I felt the spirit confirm that is what we needed to do.. We went past the church and I felt strong that we should go to a specific house, and I told Elder Carrington, and he said he felt the same way.  We got there and one of our investigators walked out of the house!! Turns out it was his family that we tracted! sooooo sweet.  It is amazing what the Lord will do if we just pray and ask.  It's my testimony that if we just listen to what the Lord tells us and if we follow his commandments he will give us what we need every time.

The rest of the week was full of good lessons and new people.  Today for p-day was a blast, the first thing that we did is go email, and after we went to Betio to see if we could find any cool WWII stuff.
We got to Red beach and took a ton of sweet pictures of us standing on old ships, guns, and cannons.  We looked around with a couple of kids, and they found a bullet!! They let me keep it too! I am pretty excited cause it wasn't in the water so it wasn't all rusted!  On the way back we caught a ride on.... a dump truck!  It was so sweet, we stood on the back and we were way above everything! The only down side about today... sorry mom, but Today was literally the first day in a long time where I forgot to put on sun screen and I got fried..... ha ha. After we caught back up with the missionaries at the Stake Center, and I totally rocked it at basketball, I was definitely on my A-game.  I was stuffing people left and right!! ha ha.

Any way P-day is about over I love you all!  Remember that Ngaira Natina Te Atua ao e tatangirira! (We are all children of God and He really does love us)






Dad,
Sounds like you had a great time shoveling the snow this morning, the only thing I have to worry about is making sure I have enough sun screen on so that I don't burn! haha  (My son is a punk!)

That is so cool that the Provo City Center Temple is getting ready to be dedicated. I wish there was one here so that I could go, but it is really making me appreciate how many we have within a short distance of our house!  I know that the Temple is a house of God, and within it's walls we can perform sacred ordinances that last for eternity. I love the temple so much.

I also love the Atonement. I know I have had to apply it many times within the short time that I have been here! haha I have used it to overcome my faults and short comings, my sins, for comfort, peace, and to expand my happiness.  I know that the savior loves each and every one of us, and he really wants us to apply his atonement. I have been reading the Howard W. Hunter prophet book and in it it said, that we all have to carry a yoke in this life, we all have to carry some kind of load, so why not let it be the Saviors yoke for his yoke is easy and the burden is light.  I love that so much... The Savior literally takes most of it, but that doesn't mean we wont struggle, we wont have pain, or else we won't grow.  He just gives us just enough strength to push through it.

My new zone is amazing!  Most of them are Islanders so it's a pretty wild zone, but tons of fun!!! hahah Our areas include Ambo, Bonraaba, Teaoraereke, Bairiki, and Betio which has three sets of missionaries working there.  I don't know all of their names but I know their faces! XD haha

I love Ambo, all of our investigators are super prepared for the gospel, the only difficulty is a lot of them hate Mormons, but that's okay! We are having a lot of success and a lot of spiritual moments!

The Senior couples are amazing, I don't see them as often as I did in the West Zone since they live at Moroni High School, but they are super nice!!  One couple and the Nurse are getting ready to leave this next month!  I really love Elder and Sister Jenks, they were in the MTC the same time as us, and they are just so inviting and helpful to all the missionaries!

Funniest thing that has happened this last week is we went to this house where we were trying to contact a couple and they weren't home again.... Just their drunk dad... We got up to the house and he is sitting in front of a speaker system jamming to a Christmas song, and we did our Mauri Mauri kain to house to call him to the door, and he didn't hear us, we tried for like ten minutes before he came to the door.  When he finally came to talk to us he started talking and slurring in English... he asked our names and when Elder Carrington said his this was his response... Oh that's a German name! Hail Hitler!"  It was so random and so unexpected we both started busting up laughing! Oh it was so bad!

The scariest was probably yesterday, we were about to drop off two of the Elders at the house but noticed there was a large crowd of people.  They were screaming profanities towards another HUGE guy down the road.  The big guy egged them on and they all took after him with massive rocks, (in the meantime we were parked just a little more than twenty feet away!)  Then they started chucking these boulders in the direction of our car toward this guy.  It was pretty freaky.

The most spiritual happened yesterday as well, we went to this guy, Beia's, house to teach him the Book of Mormon. When we got there, we were waiting for him to come and we started talking to this other guy who said he was going to sit in on our lesson as well.  SICK!  As we were testifying about the book of Mormon, the spirit was so strong another guy came in and listened to it too! They all had great questions, and the First guy who sat in seemed like he was really interested!  The Book of Mormon is truly the word of God!  As I testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, I felt the spirit testify that it was all true!

I have two other SD cards for my camera and I think sending them back and forth is a good idea!

 I love you love your son,
Elder Johnson




Dear Mom,
My new area is amazing we have a ton of great investigators who are soo prepared for the gospel in their lives.  It is a little harder to get in a lot of lessons however since our area is so big and we walk.  I'd say we have a pretty good routine set in place, but It freaks me out to think this is already my third week working in my new area.... It's going way too fast, It freaks me out cause I still don't have the language quite down, it is so simple that it's hard.  Our house is pretty big, as of right now we have 6 elders living there.  One just got set apart, and one is waiting to go back out to an outer island.  It's a blast, the Zone Leaders are super chill and nice.  I love it.

I am so glad that you are continuing to read in the Book of Mormon. I know the kind of strength that can bring.  Don't quit even when things are going rough, just remember you can always find peace, comfort and happiness in the gospel.  Pray for strength, apply the Atonement, and never let go of the iron rod which is the word of god.

I have been reading from the Howard W. Hunter prophet book lately for personal study, and one thing that has really stood out to me is he constantly talked about fear verses faith, and if we just have faith and follow God and do everything good in his eyes, we have no reason to fear what so ever.  I know this to be true, I have found when I have gotten frustrated, scared, angry, upset or down, I pray, and I sing a hymn in my head, and it helps every time.  Try that the next time you  have any of those feelings, and I promise you it will all be better.


I also love the Atonement. I know I have had to apply it many times within the short time that I have been here! haha I have used it to overcome my faults and short comings, my sins, for comfort, peace, and to expand my happiness.  I know that the savior loves each and every one of us, and he really wants us to apply his atonement. As I read the Howard W. Hunter prophet book it said that we all have to carry a yoke in this life, we all have to carry some kind of load.  So why not let it be the Saviors yoke for his yoke is easy and the burden is light.  I love that so much... The Savior literally takes most of it, but that doesn't mean we wont struggle, we wont have pain, or else we won't grow.  He just gives us just enough strength to push through it.

 I love you mom, and just so yalls know, I am sending home a small little package for you guys, just a few little things pray that it will make it your way!!

I love you so much,
Love your son,
Elder Johnson

Let Your Light So Shine...

Teaching a Lesson by Lantern Light

Hello Everyone,

Well I'm in my new area as of right now, Ambo baby!! It has been a crazy week!! 

Elders Whitehead, Johnson, Carrington and Alixa at a Botaki in Ambo

My new area is amazing, my companion Elder Carrington is great, and I get to live with the West Zone Leaders Elders Alixa and Whitehead.  It has been a blast.  Our area is a walking area and it is literally HUGE.  We barely even put a dent in our area.  We have a lot of super great people that we are teaching, it is going to be an amazing 6 weeks!!

As of right now everyone in our ward, and even some of our investigators think that I am the son of WWE wrestler John Cena, thank you companion and zone leaders you are the best!!  



"Elder Alixa told me I wasn't down to get up
and dance in the middle of a performance so I did...
that's when the party started baby"- Elder Johnson

I don't have a ton of time, but I am doing well.  Not sick yet, working hard and am seeing the Lord's hand in my life like crazy.  

I know that the Lord watches over each and everyone of us, even when we don't necessarily feel like he is there.  Sometimes, we don't receive an answer right away it is because the lord wants to see if we have the faith necessary to keep going and work for everything that he can give us.

I love you all!  

Love  

Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson and Carrington at the Botaki

Dad,

It sounds like things are going really well back home, except for a couple of drama moments!! ha-ha I love that you are having all these cool experiences running into all these missionaries in the airports, having spiritual experiences.  Just remember that as you continue to do everything that you can to serve the Lord first and think of the Lord first everything will work out just fine. 


These last couple of days I have read things about families, and understanding the plan of salvation.  I think it is something that you would really like.  They are in the young women section in the April conference of last year.  It was really interesting what they talked about, and they both said stuff along the lines of preparing your family and teaching the family now in order to prepare them for when trials come later, I just wanted to let you know that I am very grateful that you have raised this family right, and you have taught me to hold to the rod.  The one thing I got out of this was just to make sure that you are doing those things to help strengthen the family spiritually, family home evening, prayer and scripture study.  I have learned while being here that those things will help strengthen the family so much, that when the storms come, nothing will knock them over!!

Family that believes Elder Johnson is the son of John Cena!

So I am going to start with the funniest story, so we are living with the West Zone Leaders, Elder Whitehead and Alixa, and they are super fun and funny!  Except they like to mess with people.  So everywhere I go they tell people that my dad is John Cena the WWE wrestler, and these poor people believe them!  Someone yesterday even went as far as to ask me to train him.  I'm just nervous cause some of these guys are really big! ha-ha  So now the whole ward thinks I am John Cena's kid thanks to my Lovely companion and Zone Leaders... 

 Okay now for my spiritual, So this last Saturday we had our first baptism and our investigator,whose name is Betero.  I had to baptize him 3 times because he wouldn't bend his knees and the water was really low.  After the baptism he bore his testimony, he's probably like in his late sixties, and he started to cry.  In our lesson with him yesterday he asked us why he cried, and I bore my testimony that crying is one of the signs of the Holy Ghost.  I said that there are times when I have felt the Holy Ghost so strong that I have cried, and as I was testifying the spirit filled the buiaa (there little hut/house things)  It was a really cool lesson, plus we got to teach by lantern light sooo sick! ha-ha 

Book of Mormon stories: I know that the Book of Mormon is the true word of god, everything that we teach as missionaries are within the pages of that book, and if anyone is confused about our teachings I know that they will be able to receive the truthfulness of all of our messages if they just read.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the most perfect book on the earth right now!

I love you dad,

Love your Elder,

Elder Johnson

Mom!

The kids love the Elders!

Things are going amazing right now!! I have loved every minute of working as a missionary even though at times it has seemed super tough.  I know that I am doing the Lord's work and he is guiding all that I do.  My new companion is really cool, we hung out every p-day back in our old areas so we already had a pretty great bond going.  His first name is Scot and his birthday is the same day as Dad's, February 8, sick huh??   He has been out for about a year and a half so he is like pro at everything and he has already taught me so much! 

Our area is HUGE!!!  I've been here a week and we haven't even begun to scratch the surface. It looks completely different than my old area, and it's a walking area.  That's cool because I get a lot more time to talk with my companion.  Our area is right by the government building which is a really cool building!  

Kids of Ambo

Your experience about the work is so cool!  It is amazing what the Lord will do if we just let him, I know that you have been receiving your answers because you are doing what the Lord wants you do be doing first, reading the Book of Mormon.  Now just imagine what the Lord will do if you try to be exactly obedient, doing everything that you can to serve him, remember him, and stand for him with all of your heart might mind and strength.  I know that the Lord has countless blessings that he is just waiting to give us.  All we have to do is work for them and ask for them.  I love that you are reading everyday, because I know I have taken enjoyment out of reading and I have had many prayers, questions answered through reading the Book of Mormon.  

I loved Trek so much!  (Amber and I have been asked to go on Trek with the youth of our area.  It is a re-enactment of the Mormon Pioneers crossing the plains to Utah.) You guys are going to have a blast, two of the activities I really enjoyed were making the flag with the family and making comfy seat covers for the buckets!  

I love you so much mom, 

Love your son,

Elder Johnson

Elders Kennedy, Kaakau, and Johnson- Elder Kaakau heading to New Mexico

Saying Goodbye to Temwaiku

First baptism in new area- Elders Johnson, Carrington, Whitehead and Alixa with Betero

Elder Carrington and Johnson writing home.

Large Bowl of Rice at the Botaki