Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Lesson Got Turned Around...

Note from Thomas' Parents:  
We moved on Thomas' p-day.  When we left Logan, we did not know where we would be living in Laie, Hawaii.  Thus, Thomas didn't know where to send mail.  Also, in a hand-written letter last week, Thomas talked a lot about the abundance of Blackberries.  Thus, the photos this week.

From Thomas:  
The week has been good. I was going to send a letter... but I don't know where to send it.. haha. I have a few stories in that letter but here is another.

There is this family in our ward, the Wee's.  They are a very active older couple who has a grandchild who is about 25 who's not a member and has investigated the church before. It always ended up with him kicking the missionaries out of the home.

They came up to us this past week saying they wanted us to talk to there grandchild again (Jeremy).  Not knowing what was going to happen Elder Anderson and Kleine sent me and Elder Reidhead over. We got in to his home he was very defensive and not the most happy we were there. But we were able to sit down and invite the spirit and the lesson got turned around. All went well and we left the house with him asking if we could come back another time to learn more!


















Monday, August 18, 2014

Take It Day By Day...

We have a weekly conference call in which the whole mission is in a chat room over our cell phones. This past week we started recording how many people we talk to while we just walk on the streets. As a mission we talked to over 8000 people outside our knocking session and lessons. That is 8000 strangers a week we offer ever- lasting happiness to. 

In our area we have a goal of 8 baptisms this month. Right now we have 6 on date. Of those 6 only 1 is a progressing investigator. More or less, it is very easy to put people on date but it's hard to have people keep commitments. It gets very frustrating when we have stuff lined up and it all falls through. I can see how much baptism would do for them... that our Heavenly Father loves them and they need this gospel. But they're holding themselves back and it just hurts to see that happen. 

Yesterday  after we attended youth Sunday school, a young women came up to us and explained how she had been coming to church with her boyfriend for the past while and would like to be baptized.. So yah,... that happened. She's going to be baptized on Friday and we could not be more exited. Friday will be my one month mark of being in the mission field also. 

Days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days is a true statement for the mission. While it feels like I just came out on my mission, it's already been more then a month. It's incredible. i don't like to think of a mission being 2 years long because that hurts. It seems like I won't make it 2 years. But, as I take it day by day, it makes time go by fast. 

Thank you to my friends who have supported me. I love reading letters/emails. They strengthen and help me keep going. I miss you all very much.

Silverdale Zone Conference August 12, 2014

One of the great things about technology is the ability to share.  Thank you to President and Sister Blatter for sharing photos of activities around the mission, especially when those photos include Thomas Elder Johnson.  Check out their full blog at: http://calledtoservewa-tac.blogspot.com/









Monday, August 11, 2014

Better and Better...

The weeks get better and better. I don't even know where to start. The week goes by so fast. A normal day starts at 6:30 when I go work out for a half hour then eat, shower, and get ready for the day. Then we study from 8-11 (that's my favorite time of the day). I enjoy learning from the scriptures and my companions. I feel the spirit so much during that time.

We eat from 11-12 then go see investigators, former investigators, or referrals from 12-4. From 4-5 we eat dinner then we knock doors from 5-7. We just go door to door to door seeing if anyone wants to feel the spirit and know about the one and only true church. Those two hours are always an adventure. They are always very fun but tiring. From 7-9 we do the same thing we did before knocking.

My companions, Elder Kleine, Anderson, and Reidhead are all incredible!  Elder Kleine and I get along very well. He is from Germany and was huge into kite surfing (something i want to get into once i get home). He has been able to help me through some hard times. He's very blunt and honest. When I present a problem he gives a simple answer. He's showing me how to make this mission my life and I love it.

Thank you for the letter and package and email. it's nice to know what's going on back home. I miss my friends but I am making new ones. I've been reading from John lately and it's giving me a lot of strength . I love letters. Packages are great to but letters are nice. I love you.

John 15: 18-21
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  
19 If ye were of the world , the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 
View from Thomas' apartment

Hey Sister Johnson...

An very nice email received from Elder Kleine, one of the 4 missionaries in Thomas Elder Johnson's companionship...
I'm Elder Kleine, your son's German companion :) 
Just wanted to let you know how great your son is!  He is way ahead of the other "Greenies" and rocks! We're having so much fun together and experience some great miracles every day :) 
He misses home and talks about you guys from time to time and that makes me want to get to know you. :) Thank you so much for sending him out here/letting him come out here! He touches so many hearts and testifies of our Savior so sincerely :) He was described by a Sister missionary as an "orange Marigold" haha! 
I also went running with him. It was no fun... way too fast for me. Haha anyway, hope you are doing fine and the move to Hawaii is all working out :)
Lots of German love from Washington! 
Elder Kleine

Monday, August 4, 2014

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words...

It's been a good, hot week.  It is humid here and the heat doesn't seem to stop coming. I'm learning to love all who I am with.  I have been put into a companionship with 4 elders... 2 zone leaders, me and another kid. The zone leaders are Elder Anderson and Elder Kleine, both phenomenal missionaries.  They are very loving and patient with me. The other one is Elder Reidhead. We have a great time and are working hard. Things get easier each and everyday.

Washington is beautiful. There are so many trees! It's unbelievable. Missionary work here is far from what I thought it would be. We knock doors most all days. We teach around 5 lessons a day but I have only had one lesson so far that we've sat on a couch inside a home. The rest are just on door steps.

(As an added bonus, Thomas Elder Johnson sent a bunch of photos!)...

MTC Photos
MTC Bedroom

MTC Zone Leaders, Elder Clark & Elder Johnson

MTC Companions, Elder Clark & Elder Johnson

MTC District at Provo Temple

MTC Branch President?

MTC District

MTC: Not sure about the face

MTC Classroom

That face again

MTC District

In Tacoma

1st Companion, Elder Anderson (from Tremonton)

Overlooking the Puget Sound

?

Bremerton: Port Washington Narrows

Bremerton: View from apartment

Friday, August 1, 2014

Parents...

We just received a hand-written letter from Thomas.  Wahoooo!
Parents-  
Thank you for your package.  It was very nice.  I loved the photos!  The food is very yummy.  I have 3 companions, 2 zone leaders and 1 normal one.  The 2 zone leaders are Elder Anderson & Elder Kliene.  Elder Kliene is from Germany.  Elder Anderson is from Tremonton.  He's a beet farmer.  Both are good men.  I get along with them well.  All of my companions are 20 or older.  I feel like I'm being babysat! 
Ther is a kid in my district that is from Hawaii.  He lives in one fo the small towns by Laie.  He's one of the nicest kids I've ever met!
Bremerton has a bunch of crazy homes here and we are told not to talk to the people that are talking to themselves.  Its a scary place.  We live by the pit and I hear gunshots every other night. At least satan has a firm grip here. It's the most awful feeling I've ever felt.
-Elder Johnson
So... if you have a spare minute, send Elder Johnson a package or letter.  He loves hearing from friends and family.  Plus, it sounds like he could use the encouragement.  His address(es) are listed on the right side of this blog.