E-mail from Neal - Received 10/8/08

Hello to all!!!!!
Well I am really glad that you all got to enjoy conference as much as I did. I feel for you Shauna cause we had to do the same crazy work schedule last conference too. Doug Kershaw was 6 months ago can you believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway this conference was really really really amazing. I do have a confession to make though……. And that is that this is the first time that I have fully paid attention to conference. Sad I know considering that I am 20 and I have been attending it my entire life. It was really great though. The talks were absolutely amazing and I learned so so much. I am sure that Craig explained everything, but I am going to tell you exactly how it worked. We went to the stake center in south Manchester on Saturday night to see the Saturday morning session. It was broadcast from 5-7 pm. We then had to travel back home….. We got a ride from a member which was great cause it was pouring!!! Then we went back on Sunday. We saw a rebroadcast of the priesthood session from 10-12 which was amazing. Then we saw a rebroadcast of the Saturday afternoon session from 1-3. We then had a break and had dinner with the YSA which was really really good. We then saw the Sunday Morning session live from 5-7. We didn’t get to see the Sunday afternoon session cause it was from 9-11 and that’s a bit past the time that we turn into a pumpkin ha ha ha ha!!!! I am really looking forward to the conference issue coming out so that I can read it all. My favorite talk has to go to Jeffery R. Holland though. The talk about angels really hit home, and really reminded me of the amazing angels that I have in my life! I have several, and I am so grateful for them!!!! I would not be where I am now if it had not been for you angels!!!! I am really excited to hear about Heather going to conference. She just mentioned it briefly in a letter so I really know no details. I was looking for her, but you know how that can go. I did see Daniel Skeen in the MTC choir for the priesthood session so that was way awesome.

So this week has really been a crazy one. I have really had a huge wake up call day after day after day! First we had interviews and training on Thursday, and I really got some great insights on what I need to do to make my work better and how I can really show more faith. I learned that the President really has a lot of trust, confidence, and faith in me, and that I really need to step it up and earn that more fully. We then went on a blitz with the District leader, and then the Zone Leaders. I watched them do amazing things. Talking to everyone (something that I have been a bit slacking on), and sharing the gospel all the time. They are leaders for a reason, and I need to really step up so that I can be like that. They really lead by example, and I got a great chance to speak with them and to get support and encouragement. I have really made a decision to change my mission outlook and really become a new missionary. I have been doing good, but I have not been doing as good as I can be doing! Then conference came and I was really really pumped off of that as well. I learned so much , and I am so excited to really go out and share this amazing gospel. It is my time to break out of this “new area” shell and to really so my absolute best! I can do anything that I want to. I need to set my fears aside and talk to everyone. I love to teach people, but the bottom line is that you don’t teach if you don’t find those who are ready. I have really stepped up my game in the last few days and we are starting to really see the fruits of it! This work is amazing, and the lord is right next to me. I can feel him every time that I speak to someone. I may be hesitant or scared, but the second that I open my mouth that fear is gone! Its absolutely amazing! I am going out and trusting in the lord! Its really funny how in doing this I have really seen the difference between here and Chorley. In the past week I have talk to people from: Nigeria, Poland, Czech Republic, Tanzania, Romania, Russia, Zimbabwe, Columbia, Ecuador, Ghana, China, Japan, Persia, and Slovakia. There are probably so many more but I have lost track. This country is amazing and so crazy!!!!! Well I must get going, I have a lot of other stuff that I need to get done today! We are playing football with the rest of the Zone and the Ashton Zone as well. I get to see E. Garcia so I am really excited. Just a heads up we are going to be having Zone conference on a Wednesday so my email day will be moved to Tuesday probably. So if you could please write me before the 21 of October that week that would be amazing!!!!!! This weeks assignment is Moroni 7! I am almost done with the Book of Mormon!!!!!

I Love you all sooooooooooooo much!!!!!!
Elder Johnson