"So what?"...

What a beautiful week it truly has been. The sun has been out and we've enjoyed every moment of it by doing a lot of finding with knocking and walking around talking to everyone.

We have had some really spectacular lessons with the Laxon family and it’s been wonderful to see them grow in knowledge. I just wish they'd realize the many blessings of the spirit could bring in their life if they had it. It’s remarkable how the spirit can bring new information into our lives even if it does not necessarily tell us. It will lead us to answers. It’s the opportunity to go throughout our life with an all-knowing being. What a great blessing.

While learning all these many things in the scriptures this week, I was reminded of a moment during my dad’s defense of his dissertation. After presenting all the information he had gained over his studies, he was asked many questions. One has stuck with me for a long time. It was asked by a dear friend. It was a very profound yet simple question "so what?" Meaning… now my dad has presented all this new information what’s going to happen now? Where is this all going to go? What’s going to happen? My dad proceeded to go on and present how the new information would benefit the people it pertained to.

 This week I was thinking about simple question and asked myself it. So shy am I learning all this stuff? What am I going to do about it? It think this is a question we can ask yourself on many occasions. If we are getting all this knowledge and learning so much but aren’t applying it at all why does it matter? Learning all these many principles is one thing but to apply them all can be the hard part. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more and more but I wish I could apply it better. But I’m still trying.

Thank you all for the support again I’m grateful for all the many incredible influences I’ve had in my life and that I continue to have.

-Elder Johnson

I don't know if people change when the sun comes out or I just do...

Well another week has flown by. The sun has stayed out for most of it.

Recently we have been trying as a mission to go back to the basics of missionary work and focus on our purpose and how we achieve that purpose. It is nice lately. We have been really busy… a lot of set appointments that don't fall through. I don't know if people change when the sun comes out or I just do.

Teaching people is one of my favorite parts of missionary work. It’s all really good, but teaching is especially good. And with having so many appointments our days are full of teaching.

I have really enjoyed teaching one man named Thomas. The man is very smart and needs information for all that we teach. He doesn't necessarily doubt everything we say but he wants proof and is willing to learn. I never feel he attacks our beliefs… just is honestly wondering where these things are coming from. It’s a great testimony building to know that all these questions have had answers.

Sorry for the short email again not a lot of time today next week I will have more

-Elder Johnson

I was able to see how everything counts...

Of course the highlight of this week was talking to my wonderful parents… always brings me comfort. But even besides that, I had an incredible week! We were able to find a lot of solid new investigators. 

One testimony building experience was while knocking a street that's out in the country. The street alone is 2 miles long and there's a home maybe every 150 meters. We got to an open field and there was a home about half a mile away and that was it. Elder MacQueen said we should turn around and start knocking the homes on the other side of the street back to the car. But, it was a sunny day and walking never killed anyone. So we walked to the home and, lucky enough, the people who had just moved into the home had recently gone through a lot of hard times. The father has been less active for many years but the mom isn't and neither are any of the children. So we will start teaching them. I am excited to do that. I was able to see how everything counts. Every home we knock or every person we don't talk to can count. 

I’m sorry to keep it short but since I spend a while talking to my parents yesterday, I’m all talked out. I’m happy to be here and it’s going by faster then I want it to.   

I came to somewhat of a conclusion...

Well, it was a waaaay beautiful week this week. The sun was out almost all week. Since summer is beginning here, it means a lot of people have started logging for firewood this summer. So this week we spent a lot of time chopping down trees and splitting lots of wood. The good news… everyone is safe. One of the more sketchy experiences was being 40 ft. up in a tree, cutting it down from the top down with a chainsaw. At least it is something I won’t forget.

This week I was able to give training to the zone. Usually they go well and such. But, this week was especially enlightening. The topic was "we invite, they commit, we follow up". I was really thinking of how Christ applied this principle and I came to somewhat of a conclusion. I often have a hard time finding that line where we, as missionaries, are. Too bold to the point…we are rude and say things that are not in our place to say. While studying Christ life, I found that he was never condemning of people. He always condemned sin but never condemned people. It’s so hard for me to find the difference sometimes and I think it might just go back to having honest charity for people.

Along with chopping wood, we met a lot of member’s friends… (while being covered in wood chips) So, it was great to be able to help these people out and continue to talk and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was sad to hear this past little bit that one of my former companions went home along with 3 other missionaries. Rumor has it they will be coming back out and I look forward to seeing them again.

It’s great to see summer coming. I sure have missed to sun and it makes everything so beautiful. This area is exactly what I pictured Washington to be. I do love it.

-Elder Johnson