February 15, 2016

I did get the package! I loved it! The Rubik's cube has stumped my companion, so it's funny to watch him try it. Because about 6 months ago I was the exact same way. So it's really funny to watch him with it now! haha I know exactly what he thinks every time I try to show him something! haha It's pretty funny! I also recorded me solving it in under 1 minute and 20 seconds. I figured I needed video proof for dad to be able to believe I did it. Otherwise I have been pretty good! Elder Pitts asked why I had so many packages of Oreo's... he finally found out why I loved Oreo's so much when he saw that you sent me two more packs hahaha It was quite funny!  (We sent Michael the Red Velvet Oreo's that are only out around Valentine's Day.  Red Velvet is his favorite cake.)

This week we did lots of fun things, as well as lots of teaching, as well as found some pretty good people to teach. We found a less active that we have been trying to track down for a few months now, she seems pretty genuine about coming back, she is 28 and wants to serve a mission so we will see what we can do there. So we have started teaching her, but she has a really bad WOW (word of wisdom) problem, but hopefully we can take care of that. We just don't want her coming to church for a hand out.. We were also able to teach Kim twice this week. She told us recently that she has found that she is related to some big name kings in England. Then she told us she has now gone back to the BC era - in family history work - so that's pretty freaking cool! So she is very excited about going to the Temple now with Jeremy, her husband, to do baptisms! So we're excited to see them heading in the right direction! I cant wait to be there for their sealing after I get home from my mission! So she is doing great! We also taught the Webbers and they're also doing amazing! The father is NOT a member so we have been working hard with him. After church we went to their grandparents house to get him to sign some paper work from the baptism, and the grandma told us that Wilson, the 10 year old, had told her that he is now going to preach at school because he loves church so much. So we will let you know when we find out that he got sent home from school for preaching haha! They are my adopted North Carolina little brothers haha They're so funny! But that's pretty much all the exciting things that happened this week! We got to do service as you all know, that was very fun! We were walking through some swamp land in muckers (waterproof boots up to your knees) and we were taking down tree stands for hunting. I also got to ride on top of the truck so that was pretty cool! See the video for more information. But that was pretty much our week! I love you all and miss you guys a bunch! 

Love,

Elder Johnsen

 

 

Some pics from the service they were doing for the Thomas Family.

 

Riding on top of the truck.

 

Looks like someone fell asleep in the back seat.

February 8, 2016

Well hello! This week has been amazing! We have been doing lots of service! In fact, we wore service cloths for 4 days straight! I felt like I was back in high school... It was weird... But we had a good time and did lots of great things! We set Craig with a date of March 12th! So we have another baptism coming up! So that's super exciting! The best part about it was, he was talking about how he has a CDL drivers license the other day at our lesson and I know with a CDL you got to be a truck driver and truck drivers move big things.. So then he went on to talk about how he got a ticket the other day from an officer saying he needed more ratchet straps on his 44,000lb excavator.. Now he continues to keep talking and I start thinking.. 44,000lbs is a freaking lot. That means he has a big excavator.. like a huge one... So I ask 'Well is that your excavator?' And he told us it was his, that he does some work with it but he said its not running currently because of a leaky injector. So I told him 'Well hey, I would love to fix it!' And he said 'Really?' And I said 'Heck yeah, on one condition...' and so I told him I would fix it if he lets me dig a big hole with it and fill it back in! haha And he agreed! So my life dream of driving an excavator has come true! This Wednesday I will get to drive a big bad excavator! And I will take some video! I'm so stoked!!!! The biggest excavator-like thing I have driven was the back hoe at camp Cole in California when I was like 11, dad probably remembers! But I'm so excited to feel the raw power of this thing! hahahaha But anyway.. We did also do productive stuff! haha We taught a bunch this week! We taught the Webbers, we also watched super bowl at their house.. :) shhhhh don't tell anyone.. :) But it was exciting! It got very cold and started raining a bunch during it! There was ice everywhere! I think Brother Webber has really grown to like me. I have been helping him a bunch in his shop at home. He showed me how to prep a bumper for paint so I got to do that for him. I also changed the plugs on his race car for him and we cleaned out and put away all of his tools that were everywhere! So I know he likes the service and appreciates it a lot! So hopefully we can see a little more of a change of heart in him! We stay hopeful and pray for him! But thats pretty much all the cool stuff that happened this week. There's more on the video journals that I send home so be sure to watch those to get a little more info from day to day living! Anyway! I'll see you guys in less than a year! :)

Love, 

Elder Johnsen

February 1, 2016

(Michael hit his 1 year mark this week, February 4th.)

Now you can count down! No longer counting up! Only 365 days until I come home. Christina will graduate, I think Amanda will be a freshman, Ryan will be a middle schooler, you will have a year of college done, dad will still be dad, and I will be back home. In 6 months you get my plane ticket.. Is that crazy or what? I only have 52 weeks left. Everything moving forward will be downhill and coming fast! Faster than you think! haha 

 

This week was freaking sweet! We had 3 people baptized! Wilson, Henry, and Landon all got baptized! It was awesome! We dressed up all fancy and stuff for the baptism! I wore a suit with a vest underneath! haha They all said I needed a top hat and a cane so I could look like a famous person from the 50's! hahah It was funny! The mom hasn't sent us the pictures from the baptism yet, so we are still waiting on those! But I will try to find a picture of them to include in this email. Otherwise we had a slow week! We found out the girl we're teaching is 8 so it doesn't count for mission numbers, but it counts for me! haha So I don't care what people in the mission say! She is doing great! She knows alot, the parents are inactive, but they are separated currently. Don't know the story but either way, they're a great family and are so much fun to be around! Otherwise our week was pretty slow and easy going. We did service for a guy that bought a house. We did that for two days, so all the things dad has taught me about sheet rock and mudding and flooring has paid off. So there ya go dad! I still remember removing the flooring in grandpas house. I was ripping up flooring faster than dad could eat a German chocolate cake! But I got sick from it... But it was worth it to be out of the white shirt and tie for 6 hours! haha! Anyway I hope you guys all have a great week! I love you guys and miss you a bunch! 

Love, 

Elder Johnsen! 

 

This is (from L to R) Henry, Wilson and Landon.  They were all baptized on January 30, 2016.

 

Pics Sent from people in North Carolina:

This one came with the message: 'We got to have the awesome Elders over for lunch today!  Thanks for sharing your with us...  He's a great example to my son!'

 

The message: 'Teaching my daughter the discussions.  They're doing great!  Thanks for sharing!'  I believe this is the girl that is 8 years old.

 

The message: 'Twice weekly discussions with my 8 year old!  Have a great day!'

 

January 25, 2016

Everything is good here! We didn't get any snow, but my companion was trying to show how cool he is by walking around in just a long sleeve shirt and pants, while everyone else in the state is all bundled up. He was like 'Oh I'm so use to this, this is nothing compared to Utah!' And I'm like 'you look like a fool'. I know I hate the cold, and I have no problem being smart and wearing a jacket and NOT getting sick. I have noticed that I am so used to Arizona that my fingers and joints get stiff when it gets cold. haha So that was interesting to notice that! Otherwise we have been having a good time over here. It was pouring rain for a few days and was just coating everything! Nothing like a monsoon but it was a lot of rain for more than 2 days straight. We only got one new investigator this week. Which is another unbaptized youth. She is set for the 27th of February. Which will be my last Saturday in the area and what better way to end it. That is if I'm transferred of course! haha But she knows alot and we're happy to be teaching her! haha Wilson, Landon, and Henry are all still set to be baptized! Henry was interviewed on Sunday and then the other two will be interviewed tonight! We're very excited! We have been going over the questions with them every time we have seen them the past two weeks! They're so funny! Henry knows the word of wisdom very well! It's so funny! We will be like 'Henry, what's tithing?' and he says 'No tobacco no alcohol...' and we're like 'No! that's word of wisdom!' And he's like 'Oh yeah huh'. haha He's cute! The other day his sister was talking to them and she said 'you guys better get me a good sister in law'. And Henry said 'Oh, don't you worry, I'll get you a hot sister in law!' We all died laughing! hahahaha It was freaking sweet! I will not be cutting a tie on my one year mark! I can't just be wasting a tie! That's dumb! haha I actually am hoping to be transferred.  My reasons are because I'm starting to get bored of the work here. Like it's great that we have it figured out. We have so many people that will be baptized each month. This area will be the highest baptizing area in the mission if I stay here. But the challenge of figuring it all out is no longer there... Because I have already figured it out. I want to go to a new area and try to see what it's going to take to baptize people. It will suck, but I want a new challenge. And plus, the members here are great! But I'm getting too comfortable around the ward council and I'm starting to upset people. Not because of anything bad, but I'm just telling them how I think it is. And they don't want to hear that, which is too bad because it would help their ward out. But thats fine I'm not the Bishop and I'm just here to baptize and retain converts. By the way, we will have baptized 4 people this month in just this area if everything works out. And if I were to stay, we would have a total of 10 baptisms by my birthday! But I have learned so much from this area that I will never forget that I will continue to carry with me throughout the rest of my mission. And I have met some of the best people ever here and of course I will miss them but I know that there are others I need to go find and people I need to meet! haha  Kim is one of my favorite converts ever! The Thomas family, the Brinsons, and the Webbers are by far my favorite families in this ward! There's great people here but I think I will be headed out! haha But otherwise I will enjoy it and keep working as if I'm not leaving! Keep up the hard work to continue to bring success!

I love you guys and I miss you a bunch! 

 

Love,

Elder Johnsen

January 18, 2016

Well this week has been good! We keep teaching a bunch which is nice, sometimes I wish I had some help from my companion, but I guess teaching all the lessons by myself isn't too bad either. But I am staying another transfer! So that will be alomst 8 months in this area! But I can't complain! This area is the best! The ward loves us! We get fed, and we baptize! We haven't picked up anyone new yet, we are really trying to work with the solid people we have right now. Although we do need to start finding some new people. We haven't been able to see Heather in a long time, but the member is still working really hard with her! The member actually just had surgery so we are trying not to push her to do anything for us right now.. But when she starts feeling better we are going to work harder for her. The Webbers were set with a date the first time we met with them. I thought I told you but I could be wrong. We have them set for the 30th of January! And they are ready to be baptized! So thats cool! They're 10 and 9 and then Landon will also be getting baptized so that will be 3 people being baptized total! So we're excited! That's about it for people that are progressing at the current moment! Now for the cool things! I got to drive a drag car! Like a full on drag car that runs in the 1/8th mile! It was sweet and super weird, but I loved it! He said I could make a pass in it if we come over in the day time! So I will be taking him up on that in a few days! We also stopped by another members house on Saturday where we proceded to go 150mph (actually 156mph but who cares its all the same at that speed:)) on the freeway in his $163,000 Mercedes gts AMG! Then that same night I drove a members 1972 chevelle with a LS1 motor in it! haha It was a great week if your a car guy! I loved it! But those were the fun things that happened this week! haha Don't be scared mom, I'm having fun and I survived! But that's pretty much all that happened! I hope you guys have a great week! I love you lots! :)

Love,

Elder Johnsen

January 11, 2016

I'm so close to my one year mark! It's only 20 days away!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMGosh!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!!!!! I'm finally 50% of the way there!!!! I finally get to count the days down! haha Super exciting! haha Anyway I'm doing great!
This week has been good! We saw one really huge miracle!!! If you remember Heather, well when we went to go and stop by, her mother in law basically dropped us. Well we were kinda bummed. But, we worked with the member that fellowshipped her and the member saw her in Walmart. Heather ran up and hugged her and they were talking and she told her she still wants us to come and teach her! So we were super excited!!!!!!!!! We were yelling and screaming in our apartment the whole time! We went crazy! hahaha But that will be exciting to continue to teach her! We were a little slow on teaching this week, we only taught 4 lessons. But we will be trying to pick that back on up! We also are planning on teaching Ashley and Kim twice a week, since they didn't come to church this past week... I swear sometimes missionary work can be frustrating... But stay positive and make the best of things.. Otherwise, not much new has happened. We did have interviews this week! They went interestingly... I got yelled at for getting a haircut on Saturday... So that wasn't cool. We also found out who the new Mission President is going to be.. No, I will not tell you! It's a secret! haha But otherwise, I hope all is well back home! I miss you guys a bunch!

Love,

Elder Johnsen