E-mail from Neal - Received 11/12/08

Well where to start……. I think that today I am going to talk to you all about how amazing this mission is about to become!!!! President Bullock is a rock star, and he really knows how to get things going!!!! He introduced something called a Quality Gospel Conversation (QGC) and it really is just a way that we can monitor our finding hours. The goal for the mission is 70 conversations with 12 appointments set (70/12), a week. That’s really quite steep. Now a QGC is….. a principle of the gospel taught, testifying of that principle, and at the very least an attempt to get contact info and an appointment (that’s often the hard part). It is really a test of being pure in heart, because you really have to make it a good conversation to count it, not just do the bare minimum. Anyways, that program has been going for a few weeks, and I have not been doing so well with it. I think I did like 13/2 the first week, 17/3 the next week, and then like 29/5 this past week. Well the stakes just got raised. Pres. Bullock just introduced the QGC POWER STATEMENTS!!!! Holy good gosh they are awesome. Preach My Gospel talks a lot about not doing rote lessons, but it says nothing about rote conversation approaches. Very simply “Hi, I’m a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ” DOESN’T work anymore. So what are we doing now…. “Hello there, we are in the area today sharing a message about how after centuries of being lost, all of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth, by God, through his living Prophet. There is a book called the Book of Mormon that is evidence of this. You can hold this book in your hands, read it, ponder how the message can improve your life, and pray to know if it is true.” WHAM!!!!!!!! If you can’t feel the spirit off then Satan has a seriously huge grip on you. After that I hit them with a powerful testimony, something personal and sincere. Satan has nothing on my testimony!!!!!!!!! Power statements are amazing, and they are going to change the mission! I was doing them last night, and I felt an instant confidence in my words, and I could tell that the people that I talked to felt the spirit. Its so much fun sharing the gospel with people. We got a hand out that really explains all of this new program, and I am going to make copies and send them to Troy and Porter because I think that they are really going to love them too. When 70/12 came out, I was scared. I honestly had no idea about how I was going to do that, but now for the first time 70/12 looks easy and I have made it my personal goal to get more than that!!!!! This is an amazing time to be sharing the gospel, and I am so happy to be here! I have never had so much fun in my life!! It's hard, it's tiring, it's wet, it's cold. I have now pulled out the big jacket, scarf ( I had never worn one until 2 weeks ago), and gloves (thank you Craig and Robin, they are AWESOME), BUT the gospel is true and that’s what makes the difference!!!!!!! I am happy, and I am working hard. Time flies so fast when you lose yourself in the work. I have seen the days that I have done that, and really lost myself, and I have seen the days when I have not done that, and let me tell you, when I lose my self……. IT’S A BETTER DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Lloyd is doing good. He has had some struggles early on, but who hasn’t. We were all green once, but he is turning into a little superstar. Never backs away from a challenge, and always has his heart in the right place. We are getting along great, and really working hard! I am really excited to be training him, and really its not that hard once they become a real missionary. All they have to do is break out of their shell that “All is Well!”

I love you all so so much, and know that I pray for you all the time. Christmas is coming soon and my next zone conference is on either the 17th or the 18th. We are going to the Temple!!!! SCORE!!!!!!!!! Stay strong and NEVER stop studying!!!!!

Elder Johnson