5-28-13

Oh I love my family!

I haven't got any paper letters yet, but oh well. I got to read the emails, and it was fantastic.

I flew in last Monday, which seems like ages. Milena. I found out that I went to Sunday school with Elder Heidinger when I was a kid. He's from Stirling Alberta, and he was born it Barnwell. Is that crazy or what? 

On our last day, we were handed Mormon.org pass along cards, and tasked with the heavy burden to give them out. The one non-LDS man in the plane was sitting next to me. He caught on to me as we were starting to leave, and was hurrying to get earplugs ready as I started telling him about missionaries. He went to sleep, and right before the plane landed, I gave a pathetic attempt at giving him a card. I was all "Would you like a card?" and he was all "No thank you." and I was all "Ohofcourse-thatstotallyunderstandableIjustwantedtoshareamessageyouknow..." So that wasn't my finest hour.  

 We got here at around 10 Pacific time. I came down the elevator and saw President Black and a host of missionaries, illumined by a billboard advertising "Coco's Peepshow!" What a stark contrast. 

We came, left, ate some food, watched 3 hours of training videos, then they shepherded the new missionaries into a partitioned room. The gym was right behind. They called our names individually and then we would go out and the entire mission would watch and clap as each missionary ran out and was hugged in more and more spectacular ways by their new companion. I got Elder Lee.

He's 5'7". He loves sports and is quite the health nut. He has been out for 3 months, just as his trainer was before him. We're in the Sandstone Zone, which is six weeks old and has 10 missionaries. The first thing he said to me (besides where are you from, how are you, etc.) was "We have got such a busy day. We've got dinner, then kickball. This week is going to be great!"

You see, we've got two wards, the YSA and a tiny ward called the Westcliff ward. We have got so many investigators. I asked if we ever tract, and he said we just don't have time. We've got a car, but we use our bikes for our family ward, because the YSA ward uses our allotted miles quickly. My second day out, we met ---- an investigator, and also a ---- and ----. We offered service to ---- (I did, booyah!)

He said no and his wife said yes. We came back on Wednesday and found that this man was a hoarder, and he was being evicted. 

The smell in that place. Oh. Eye hath not seen, nor nose smelled, the abomination we saw.  So it was pretty interesting. :)  It was good to help!

This is in reality a wonderful area.  That ----- bless her heart, is a single mother with --- kids, and her next door neighbors are dealers.  She has it tough.  

There are some really nice things all around here.

We had so many lessons we were going to teach this last week. All of them fell through. All. I felt legitimately sad to miss them, though I knew none of them.

This weekend I went on exchanges with Elder ----- , a young elder from Tonga. I love his accent. I got to know him, and my testimony was really strengthened by him. We spent almost the entire time serving, and the area they live in is very rough. It looks really cool.  I went out contacting referrals with him. It was the best. I got some pot stuck on my shoe. :)  He is a great guy.  Fun adventure.  

I've got 4 minutes left before this stupid computer logs me out.

Brynn, that is so freaking amazing. I am so pumped. Being a missionary is the best.

Mom, I love your emails.

Dad, I really want to see your letter, and I hope it didn't get sent to the MTC.

Everyone, look up ---- on google street view. I'll tell you more about it next time.

That's where I live.  Great place, great people. 

Ever since I've been out on my mission, I have felt this insane love bursting through me. I know I've been called by a prophet of God, and I know this is his work. I am so blessed to be here. I have felt so strongly here that Christ lives, and he is our redeemer. Because of him, all things are fair, and all can be saved. I love you so much. 30 seconds. I Love You.

Elder Johnson