Letter #2 MTC 5/16/13

Dearest Family,

I love you guys so much. Mom, your letters are inspiring, and I love that envelope/ envelopes.

Alida, it was a rubber duck, and it is sitting on my desk. Eliza, send me a picture of you in that hat, cause I can just imagine you with your attitude and my hat. Bruce, I am taking very good care of the lego guy. Zac, It is hecka hard to write letters, and I too am not really sure what to say, but thanks for writing. I kind of like handwritten letters better, because I can look at them all of the time and treasure them, but email is way faster and cheaper, so either way is fine. I'm not actually supposed to write letters any other time than p-day, so I got thirty minutes to get what I'm thinking on to the letter. 

The MTC is amazing. Truly amazing. It's also rather hard. 6:30 a.m. is the devils time. If the spirit goes to bed at midnight, it doesn't wake up till 8, cause I haven't heard a peep out of it till then. I leave this place on Monday, which is just shocking, because I feel like I just got here. You guys, sending me beano, was absolutely hilarious. 

My first day here I walked to my class and met my companions, Elder Heidinger and Elder Alsdorf. Elder Heidinger is from Canada, or as he likes to say "Sow-thern Alberta." He says things like "Raymen Noodles" (which I don't even think is a Canadian thing) and washroom. Elder Alsdorf is from South Dakota, and I was quite disappointed to say that he had no accent at all. During the first couple days we were waiting to be called as leadership, and Elder Alsdorf kept laughing and saying "Elder Johnson, we all know it's you!" I just smiled, because I know how callings in the church actually work. Elder Alsdorf was called as our District leader an hour after, and has been losing sleep since. 

These people are quite humor starved. I got them to cry telling them my story about getting my tooth pulled by papa. Pretty much all of lunch was spent by them rocking back and forth and letting out strange shrieks. We have a Sister Lane in our district. She told us that someone had once complimented her on her eyelids, and so I started going like "Hello! I am down here!" and closing my eyes and doing my best Zac impression "Is this what you want? Huh? Is it?" I showed everyone Bruce's Lego, I told everyone about "I got the looks for the moves!" I am constantly using Mom's lessons.  I showed everyone Zac's selfies, and I read aloud Alida's letter. And of course, I used Dad's mission stories (particularly the ones about the grenades and such). 

Russel M Nelson came here. That was amazing. Absolutely amazing. But what really got me was Sister Nelsons five minute talk before hand. I have been so excited here, and I didn't even write down her name when all of a sudden, the spirit hit me like a watermelon smashed on the highway. Whoa. It was powerful. She said to ask for our ancestors to help us, and they will come, and I cried a little. Out of nowhere. It must of been important, because I wasn't contemplating my ancestors at all. They said that the family history guy is one of the missionaries best friends, which I had never considered. 

I am learning so much. We talked to an investigator (sort of) named Javier. I have found that my previous experiences with getting to know people is one of my best assets as a missionary, because once people open up, they listen. Javier is a professor at UVU and wanted to investigate mormonism, so we agreed to meet him. I am sorry to say that I was pretty much the only one talking. Anyways, we talked to him about the need to have a restoration, and priesthood authority. He said that we were so right. Then he flipped to Matthew 24.22, or around that area, and said the restoration would happen in the second coming. Our faces fell almost as fast as our wits. I went through the topical guide and he wanted only new testament, so we went through. Elder Hiedinger said he was about to stop me when he felt the spirit say no. He said "One more scripture only." and we flipped to Revalations 14.6 and it was amazing. He wanted to read the scriptures. 

Mom,  What is next on the list of books?

Alida, don't follow my example as a procrastinator! You've got the moves like me (I used one of them today) and the good taste in books, but don't follow my worst habit! Go elder!

Buce, I love you. Don't miss me. I am on a huge adventure! I only get two years!

Eliza, you are the bomb diggitdy. I love you. Alpha and Omega!

Zac, you rock. Write me about how corey is reading the book of mormon (jk).

Dad, I love you. Would you write me your testimony of the savior?

I love you, All the elders really want me to get off the computer so they can write.

Colton.

ps, Mom, that Invictus touched me. Thank you. I need more books. I am reading Jesus the Christ because I need to read. lol.