October 11, 2016

This week was really slow. It was transfer week and I was hoping to go, but I didn't so I wasn't really motivated to do anything. I’m in the stage of my mission where I’m not really wanting to do much. Kind of like senioritis; when you become a senior in high school you kind of don't really want to do anything because you know the end is near. So that's how I was feeling towards the beginning of the week. 

But later in the week we got some great news... WE GOT A CAR!!!!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS! I am so excited and became excited about the work again. haha So the other Elders have it right now, but we get it on Friday and I have become way more excited about the work. I have started using the phone way more effectively, we have been out biking right at 10 am to be diligent, and we are trying to teach everyone! With the car I don't have to bike and as long as I can stack the car week with lessons then I will be excited to teach! So the car really helped motivate me! So the last half of the week was really good because not only did a hurricane hit, but I was trying hard to be effective! so I'm excited to see how the next transfer goes! 

We didn't teach the fullmers. So this next week we will be seeing them. We have a lesson with them tomorrow so we're excited to see them again. Otherwise we didn't really see anyone last week. We did teach the Bensingers again. They have one daughter that is 17 or 18 and last time we saw them she was saying she is starting at the beginning of her quad and just going to read all the way through it. And well, three weeks later we talked to the family and asked how their reading was going, she said she read and that she finished the Bible and tried reading the topical guide but it didn't make sense to her so she skipped it and then tried the Bible dictionary but she said it was pretty complicated so she moved onto the Book of Mormon and got to 1 Nephi Chapter 20! Then the best part is that after getting to chapter 20 she felt prompted to take notes and keep a study journal! So she took notes of the whole chapter! It was crazy! Then we talked about study journals and she then proceeded to take notes of our whole lesson so she could go back and look it over and read the verses we used! It was amazing! Meanwhile the rest of the family acted like we weren't even there, even though the lesson was for the whole family. So we're trying to figure out how to kinda just teach her and her dad; since the dad has the best chance of coming back to church out of the rest of the bunch. So that's the problem now, but we're going to see if we can get her to church and to see if she has ever thought of serving a mission. So wish us luck and pray for them! 

So to answer some of your questions. I am perfectly on track with the D&C! I read section 83 today for 83 days left. I read 1 section every day to count down the days I have left! It's been going well! And I'm learning so much! For the first little bit I wasnt highlighting, I was just reading and then I thought 'well that's dumb! I need to be highlighting!' haha So I broke out the pencils and went and re-highlighted a lot of chapters and have been marking every chapter since! 

Now, the storm was awesome! I love hurricanes! Even though we didn't really get anything of a hurricane is was pretty windy and raining crazy amounts! I don't know how much rain we got but we got flooded in. I did want my winch so I could go wakeboard. haha It would have been sweet! But church got cancelled pretty much everywhere in the mission. And we were grounded so we couldn't leave the apartment from Saturday around 3 until about 2 on Sunday. But in the morning we went out with the Assistants to see the area, to help President get a view of what the destruction was like since he was flooded in as well. So we took their truck and romped through a lot of flooded areas! It was sweet! Lots of people stranded and helpless and a lot of people crashing and things like that. So it was crazy. But these past two days have been cold and I have been wearing a jacket because I'm from Arizona where everyone wears a jacket when it gets to 70 degrees. I think it was around 55 the other day. which is freezing to me. haha But it was crazy. It felt like an apocalypse happened. The streets were bare with no people and it was awkwardly quiet.. haha So after we got ungrounded we went out biking around and I took a lot of videos for you guys! So don't worry, you can see it through my eyes just like I was seeing it. 

That's pretty much all that happened this week. I hope you guys had a great week as well! I love you guys and hope you guys have a great week! :)

Love,

Elder Johnsen