I wake up every morning just happy to be doing what I’m doing...

Skyping home for the last time was very odd. The thought that the next time I will see you guys will be in person is a bitter sweet thing. I’ve became quite accustomed to missionary life and don’t know how I feel about my time to go home coming quicker then I thought it would. 

Anyway… along with Skyping home, things are going well. I am looking forward to this next week. We will have a lot of time to be outside talking to people. We don't have too many missionary meeting planned. But the week after will be really nice. We get to go to the temple and have a missionary musical fireside down in Gig Harbor! I am looking forward to it.
I don’t know if I want to compare what I’ve been doing for almost the past 2 years to an everyday normal job. What I am doing is so much more sacred than any job. But people always talk about loving a job so much that you wake up in the morning you can’t wait to get started. That’s exactly how I feel about missionary life. . I would never want to be doing what I’m doing for money. I think it would take a lot of the satisfaction away. But if I could do this for a living I think I would. I love the feeling that comes from helping people for a living and learning everyday because of it. 

I have so many experiences I can’t wait to share with all my loved ones when I get home. I love you all and hope you all are safe. :)

-Elder Thomas Johnson 

Two for one..

A note from Elder Johnson's parents....

We have been negligent getting email messages posted from the last two weeks.  Thus, you get a bonus this week.  Two weeks worth of messages.

April 25, 2016

Well, I’m sorry but yet again I don’t feel much has changed this past week besides the weather. Ha-ha! It was super sunny at the beginning of the week but as time went on it got a little more cloudy and gloomy. But I didn’t email you to tell you the weather. You would have gone to another website for that huh.

Its been a wonderful week in the Wa-Tac. I feel so blessed this week for many things, but two in particular. First, the blessing I have to be on a mission. My whole life I’ve wanted this! I’m so happy to finally make it here. : ) I always find myself telling Elder Simkins that I can’t believe how real this is! It’s so remarkable!

The second thing is that I’m so blessed to be in THIS mission! holy smokes I honestly would have had been so happy to be anywhere on a mission but I get to be here! this place I’m serving in is so beautiful. It really isn’t the geographical land that makes this place so wonderful. It’s the people here! I love the people. I get to serve. I came out here for my investigators. I wanted to help others that didn't know this gospel. But as I’ve been here I’ve found that it is not just them, it’s about everyone I’m around… church leaders to people I pass on the street. But most importantly it’s about serving God and letting him serve you to the fullest.

-Elder Thomas Johnson

P.S.- I am staying with Elder Simkins I am happy about that.

May 2, 2016

Well this week I get to talk to you (Mother’s Day) so I don’t know how much I have to share!  But yet again its been a wonderful week.  I have no particular reason its been so good. It just that it is always a good week when your serving God in any position you are in.

I suppose since I don’t have much to say I will talk a little about what we really do everyday. I’ve told you before my daily schedule but in my current areas the schedule is the same. We are doing more teaching now then perhaps my whole mission which means is a result a lot more planning! Planning is something I’ve learned to love on my mission. We have to plan not only when and where we will be but also about those we teach. When we teach someone we get to plan very specifically what we will teach and how we will teach. I love planning for that very specifically. It’s so satisfying getting counseled by the Holy Ghost what to talk about. And when you finally get to teach them you really realize it is exactly what they needed to hear at that time. 

The week for you seems to always to be an adventure it always comforting to me to see you safe and happy. 

-Elder Thomas Johnson

Well again I don’t have anything for the blog...

Well again I don’t have anything for the blog, I don’t have anything new to tell everyone.

My favorite talk was probably Elder Nelson’s in priesthood session… he talked about living worthy to exercise the priesthood and learning how to exercise it. I just hope to always be able to resist the devil and be worthy to use the priesthood when the spirit calls me to. I could really go on all day about all the talks. But the only other one I will mention is Elder Holland’s. I was watching that session with an investigator and right when Uchtdorf got up to announce the last speaker I said another prayer for the investigator that he might receive and act on a spiritual prompting. Well, you can probably guess how the rest of the story goes. Elder Holland hit a home run and the investigator will soon be in the waters of baptism.

Elder Holland’s talk spoke to me maybe in a different way than others. The feelings he described come along with conference weekend are many of the feelings that come along with a mission. While Elder Holland helped people understand how to keep those same feelings for the next 6 months till conference, he was telling me how to keep the feelings of the last 2 years for eternity. It is possible and I will rely on the Lord in all things. I will continue to council with Him.

Seattle

It's a weird feeling being so tired but not wanting to sleep...

Hey again! I don’t think I have a blog post this week. It’s been a really good week but I don’t feel I have anything new to put up on the blog. I don’t just want to say something I’ve already said before.

My Easter was really good… super busy had a 4 dinners. 3 of them were with non-members. We had 6 investigators at church yesterday which might be a record for me (not counting families). We had a few families give us baskets for Easter. Most all full of candy but the Bishop of the Bainbridge Island ward’s Easter basket was full of candy along with a Izze and a nice journal. We are definitely taken care of well here.

I sure have loved serving with Elder Simkins… super super easy to get along with! I love him. He is from the same small town Elder Porter is from. I don’t remember if I had already told you that? Enterprise is the town. I’m going to have to go visit both Simkin’s and Porter's family before they get home.

This next week is full of appointments. We have zone conference tomorrow. I’m exited I don’t have to give any trainings or direct it. (I’m not a zone leader) :). Then my favorite part of the week… General Conference!! Awe man! I’m looking forward to it so very much.

It’s funny how fast time goes. I wish it would just stop. I have so much I need to do out here but time is moving faster and faster. It's a weird feeling being so tired but not wanting to sleep. Haha.

-Elder Thomas Johnson

PS (from Elder Johnson's Parents)...
We received several emails with photos this week.  Included was the following photo and explanation...  Love it!!!!

Elder Johnson helping out in Primary!

I do know that this week was really pretty...

Well… weeks are mush now and I don’t know what was this week and what was last week. But, I do know that this week was really pretty! The sun was out all week and that can honestly make my week no matter how bad everything else was.

This week consisted of

• Meeting many less actives 
•  Helping an older guy with his home 
• Meetings in both wards leadership. 
• Splits with the EQ presidents 
• Having a great WOW (word of wisdom) lesson.

I don’t have much to put up on the blog this week but please remember the true meaning of Easter. Enjoy time with family remember Christ is rising to raise us up as well.

-Elder Thomas Johnson

The past 2 weeks is kind of what I expected a mission to be like...

Holy smokes, I don’t know about this week. It’s felt really long and really short at the same time. Although we are not allowed to swim on our mission, I don’t believe that there was a difference between being outside for half an hour or being in a swimming pool. It dumped all week! It was craazzy.

I feel sooo busy all the time. There is always something to do, always someone to help. It is wonderful! The past 2 weeks is kind of what I expected a mission to be like when I left home. A lot of really great times and a lot of really hard times as a result of other people’s agency. It’s been a good 2 weeks. I’ve been very happy.

Sundays as always are super crazy and hectic but this Sunday in particular was nuts. First off… all week we had been hearing warnings of a big storm coming in on Sunday so people didn't know if church was even going to happen because power might be out. But Sunday came rolling around and we had church. I got to speak in both sacrament meetings we attended. I really do enjoy speaking. It’s nice to be able to prepare a talk and learn from that preparation. Maybe that’s another thing that has changed on my mission. I sure do like moving my jaw up and down all the time now. It’s actually turned into a bad thing how much I talk.

But anyways, I kind of got off subject there, Sunday turned out to be a great day! I love being in that church building. I find it to be one of the few places where I am able sit down for a long enough time to gather all my thoughts and just ponder everything that is going on. I find myself just giving thanks for all the great things God has given me.

My friends… I love you very much. Thank you for the prayers and support.

-Elder Thomas Johnson

I love what I am doing in my life right now...

Heyo! Well, it’s been a really big week I guess. It’s been odd getting into a new area that hasn't had elders for 4 years. Although it does mean there is never a dull moment or I’m wondering what to do next. There are many great families I have met this past week from both the Bainbridge Island Ward and the Poulsbo 2nd Ward.

I’m loving my new companion. His name is Elder Simkins from Enterprise, Utah. He played baseball as well as ran XC in school. We get along really well. I’m happy to be able to serve with him. He has been in the Poulsbo 2nd Ward for the past 6 weeks and has done a very good job with it. So it’s not like we are completely blind in 2 new areas.

We are seeing a few baptisms this weekend that I’m looking forward to. One is a particular lady who we had a really great lesson with this week on the Word of Wisdom. It was one of the most spirit filled lessons I’ve had on my mission. After the lesson we then were able to give her a blessing to help her overcome her addictions and be ready to enter the waters of baptism this weekend. I love what I am doing in my life right now. It’s the most fulfilling I’ve experienced.

I’ve never been so excited to do stuff in my life. I have to keep telling Elder Simkins that this is so cool! What we are doing is so cool! Being a missionary is the coolest thing on this planet. If you haven’t had a chance to do missionary work in your life, try it out! It’s so fulfilling!

-Elder Thomas Johnson