Just Soothing...

There is always so much going on here I don't know what to write about all the time. Things are going well. We are teaching a boy (16) whose name is Topaz and he’s a really good kid growing up in a bad neighborhood.  He has been reading the Book of Mormon and says he has really good feelings about it.  But he has some question about it so I asked what they were. He just said that it’s nothing I could answer… just soothing. He understands he has to work out for himself.  So keep your fingers crossed that all goes well with that. 

The mission set some really high goals this week when it comes to numbers.  President said if we made those goals we would be able to go to transfer meeting even if we weren't being transferred. Luckily the mission were all able to go to transfer meeting! These meeting might be the most spiritual meetings I’ve been to. The power of 250+ missionary's coming together is out of this world! 

Elder Kleine bore his final testimony and it was heart wrenching to have to say goodbye to him.  What a great man who taught me so much in 6 weeks. I hope to be able to see him after the mission. The version of amazing grace that is sung in those meetings is something I would like everyone to hear and experience. So powerful. 

For Thanksgiving tomorrow we will be going over to a recent convert’s home named George and Alice Twigs, an older couple.  So I don’t feel bad intruding on their Thanksgiving dinner. We are having a turkey bowl tomorrow between our zone (Tacoma East) and Tacoma West zone. I am exited for a fun day tomorrow and giving thanks to the new friends I’ve made these past 4 months.

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving and stays warm. Tacoma is a beautiful place right now… always wet. haha Love you all.

-Elder Johnson

Tacoma (Stadium Area) Elders

I have really big hope...

The weather warmed up this week. Thankfully we were on foot so we appreciated it very much. This past week not much happened. With it being the end of a transfer we had a lot of set lessons and a lot less time spent towards finding people.

I really enjoy teaching people but when the lessons fall through it can be frustrating because then we have an hour of empty space that we need to find out how to fill. But when we have all the lessons filled in and they all work out, it is the best feeling in the world.

Loti did not get baptized. Her sister is still missing and she was having some medical problems. So pray that happens this weekend. She really is such a sweet women but it seems like Satan is just trying to get in her way.

There are a few families we are teaching right now and I have never had the opportunity to teach a family. It is really cool because I feel that we do less teaching and more of just directing a discussion and keeping people on topic. I have really big hope for the two families. I don't know if I will be able to see them become converted but I think in time they will.

Yesterday we were in Walmart shopping for the week and this big black lady come up to me.  She starts telling me thank you and how much I helped her.  I felt so bad… I had no idea who the heck she was. I looked like an idiot!  I got talking to her and she was someone who I gave a blessing to in the hospital over a month ago. She had just had open heart surgery and asked for the elders to give a blessing. So I showed up with elder Larson. It was really cool to have her recognize me and thank me a month later.  

Anyways, I am doing well. Transfer calls are this Saturday and I’ve been really praying to stay here so I can hopefully see some fruits. Christmas is this next transfer and I’d like to be somewhere where I’m familiar with it all.
                                     
-Elder Johnson

The mission is more for me than my investigators

The weather here is starting to cool down it seems like the world knows its time for fall. We are very blessed to have a car. I do enjoy the cooler weather compared to the heat though.

Unfortunately we did not have the baptism on Sunday. Loti’s sister went missing Saturday so Loti didn't make it to church. Still no sign of Loti’s sister yet. We did meet a really cool family this week who we are visiting today and really hoping to put on date soon. The first lesson went really well. The mom of the family is named April and she really reminded me of my mom… but not nearly as great. We have 2 baptisms this weekend so I hope they go through. They should, no reason why they wouldn't.

As for yesterday, we had zone conference. There were 4 zones that came together. We had a training from the AP's, President Blotter, then Elder Snow who is the church historian. It was really good. What I was really able to take is that I need to be more bold asking my investigators for commitments and I need to show and tell them how these commitments will help them. The moment Elder Snow walked into the room the spirit hit me hard. What a blessing to be addressed by him.

I am very blessed to be here on a mission. I often think the mission is more for me than my investigators. I know through all the trials I endure on a daily basis I will grow and I would not be able to grow this much any other way. I know as soon as things get easy here I will stop growing and that is the last thing I want. This church is true no other church has the fullness of church therefore does not have the authority. I know not all will be well till Christ comes again. I know it’s not far away. I often joke about how I hope Christ comes soon so we don’t have to endure any longer. This is all worth it. Every moment is. Every moment I want to come home is still worth is. I love Christ. He died for me. His atonement is infinite and I choose to use it.

-Elder Johnson

rain rain rain rain...

rain rain rain rain... It won't stop raining here. I've never been this wet in my life. It was the 3rd week of the transfer and things have gone well. For Halloween they lock up the missionaries and we have a zone meeting. Then it is followed up by a movie! We watched The Best 2 Years and I realized how much I really don't miss movies. It was odd.

This past week I have been reading Joseph Smith’s journal. It has been really cool to read into the daily life of this great prophet. What inspired me to read it was a talk given in general conference about how there will be more and more rumors about Joseph Smith. So I decided to read it and learn for myself about his life through his own eyes.  It’s a really cool experience.

As for investigators, it’s been really discouraging to see so many potentials fall through. Elder Lacasse is really discouraged with having no baptisms yet in his mission. But, I know that the mission isn’t about baptisms but planting seeds. If I see them grow into trees and produce fruit then all the sweeter for me. But I know I am out here to invite others to come unto Christ. It’s hard to not see the results sometimes. I got word of another investigator I taught in Bremerton being baptized this week so that’s nice to hear.

There is someone here. Her name is Loti and she is supposed to be baptized on Sunday. But the ward will be using the font so we are going to see if we can baptize her in the Puget Sound. It should be a really cool thing. I hope it works out. Loti really needs the gospel and she’s worthy to have it. I don’t think she realizes how much she needs it. I hope it all works out.

We got word of Elder Snow, former church historian and now part of the First Quorum of the 70 will come talk to us (Wa-Ta mission). I am really exited. We have been told by President Blotter to prepare as though Christ is coming. So I am really looking forward to it.

I will hopefully have pictures next week. I love you all and hope you are all well.

- Elder Johnson