E-mail from Neal - Received 7/30/08

Hello all!!!!!!!

As always it sounds like everything is going crazy at home. You are
always busy, and hey so am I!!!!!!!! Anyways wish Grandpa a happy
birthday, and i really hope that he likes his present.

Things are going well here, and yes you are right transfers are next
week. So i really do not know where i will be as of next week. My
suspicions are that i will not go anywhere, but you never really know. I
will let you know as soon as i can though. You can take your time if you
need with the package because the zone conferences are not until the end
of August. If i stay in Chorley then it will be the 28th. Other wise it
will be sometime that week. The Scheduling has changed a bit with the
new pres, but thats about it so far. He is really really great though.
We had interviews yesterday so i really got to meet him, and we had a
great chat.

So Yea a lot has happened since last Wednesday..... 2 crazy p-days
actually. We went hiking last week, and it was a lot of fun. We went to
a place called Pendle hill which is really famous for witches
apparently. I didn't see any, but it was a very nice but very steep
hike! It was fun, cause it was with the whole zone! Good times, and
funny pictures. This week we randomly went to Manchester! It was a
missionaries last p-day, and his birthday today so he wanted to go. It
was fun to see the city center of Manchester, but it was kinda a waste.
The plans were not very well made, and now we are all running to get
things done. I was going to get a hair cut today, and that is not
happening now.... and that is just one thing. But it was fun and cool.
Missions are crazy crazy things, and sometimes you just have to go along
for the ride!!!!

Karl is doing really really really amazing. He is going to get baptized,
i have no doubt about that. We have not challenged him, but that is
going to be coming soon. We have not done really that much finding as of
late, but i am sure that we will get back to that soon enough ha ha
ha!!!!!

The mission is going to be having a huge turnover soon. Something like
30 out and 30 in!! I think that i will be training, which really really
scares me, but i think that that wont be for a bit yet. Like i said i
think that me and E. Smith are going to be staying together for a while
longer, at least 1 more transfer, but who knows.

I Just bought the Book of Mormon Study Manual that the church puts out!
It is really really great, and it is helping me out so much. It really
just makes the Book Of Mormon go a little deeper, and has quotes and
stuff that really clears up some things. I am in the War Chapters of
alma, so i am really loving that. I know that wars are so bad, but i
think that they are fun to read about. You can really see how the Devil
grabs a hold of people!!! BUT NOT MORONI!!!!!!!!!! ha ha ha ha

Well i am sorry that this one is shorter, as i said we are running
around today!!!

I love you all, and have a great week!!!!

Elder Johnson

Picture - Don't you just love the companionship Unity!!!!!!!! ha ha ha
ha!!!!

E-mail from Neal - Received 7/23/08

Hi Everyone!!!!

E. Smith is from Snowflake, Arizona just so that i can clear all of that
up!!!! ha ha ha

So anyways this week has been a lot better, and it has for one reason,
and one reason only! We found a GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!! His
name is Karl (we thought that he said kyle at first, and we didn't find
out that it was karl until halfway through the lesson, That was
embarrassing to say the least!). He works at the MTC, he has been
reading the Book of Mormon, and about Joseph Smith. We met him on the
street, and started talking to him, and he told us all of this right
out. I don't think that anyone at the MTC ever pushes anything on the
people that work in the Cafeteria (mostly Non-members). But he is
amazingly humble, and willing to learn. He is a prepared person, and we
are the prepared servants! The lesson that we had yesterday was
absolutely amazing. The Spirit was so strong and he was loving it. He had
so many wonderful questions, and the Holy Ghost was everywhere! That was
one of the most amazing lessons that i have ever been a part of! He is a
very shy man, but he is really into music and art, so we talked to him
for a long time, and he warmed up to us big time. The Lord works in so
many crazy ways. We have been praying, and working so hard to get
something like this, and what do you know ...... IT HAPPENED!!!! Karl is
an answer to our prayers, and we know that we are supposed to do
everything that we can to bring him into the Gospel. We are still
praying really really hard for him, and we have a lot of faith in him!
This is what missionary work is all about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you all know, i am absolutely falling in love with study (i know not
like me huh..... Its the Spirit helping me). I cannot get enough. One
hour is not enough at all. I never want to stop once i start. Anyways i
have been pressing on in the Book of Mormon, and over the past 2 days i
have been reading D&C 76...... WOW! There is so much good stuff in that
section. It has really kinda opened up my eyes as to what it is going to
be like when we die. Between that and Alma 40 which i also read today,
the afterlife is looking good...... IF WE CHOOSE IT TO BE! The great
part about the Gospel is that everything that we can have is sitting
right in front of our faces. All we have to do is reach out and grab it.
Nothing is stopping us but ourselves. WE have the power to do whatever
WE want to do. Satan only has power over us if let him have power over
us. The choice is ours, and the decision is easy in my mind. The
punishment is also clearly outlined, and that is something that i do not
want to have to go though, no way!!!!! There is so much in the
Scriptures that is just sitting there and waiting for us to grab. That
is your commitment this week...... STUDY THE SCRIPTURES EVERYDAY!!!! If
you already are then study harder, or deeper than you usual. I guarantee
that if you go in with a different mind set, looking for something,
asking a question, or searching for an answer, you will get it. The only
trick is that you have to try. Thank you mom for following up with my
assignment last week. I want to hear how everyone does this next week.
REMEMBER..... Everyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Start small if you have to, but DO
IT!!!!!!!


You are all amazing, thank you so much for the amazing support that you
give! I will Talk to you all Next week!

MUCH LOVE,
Elder Neal

P.S. I will receive anything that you sent to the mission office on
tuesday. That is when we have interviews. After that it will be Zone
Conference in the middle of August sometime.


P.S I forgot to tell you.....
YES kebabs are better than Hamburgers!!!!! MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better!!!
They are on a different plain entirely!!!!!!!!!

Love ya
EJ

Pictures - Received 7-18-08

Finally got the pictures to post:

E-mail from Neal - Received 7-18-08

Hello Everyone!!!!!

I first must apologize that this is coming on Friday. We Email at the
library, and for some odd reason all the libraries across the counties
were closed for the past 2 days. Something about a strike or something.
Never have heard that a library would go on strike, but this is england
after all right?!?!?! But anyways thank you so much for the package, it
was great. The cookies were really really good mom, me and E. Smith
loved them. The candy was great too. I got the package at Zone
Conference, and i got one from brian and steph too, so that was really
really awesome. Packages are pretty much the most amazing thing ever!!!!

Oh my goodness Zone Conference!!!!! Pres. and Sis. Bullock are
AMAZING!!!!!! (no big changes at all). They are going to be amazing in
this mission, and i cannot wait to learn as much as i can from them.
They are going to take this mission to new heights! There is no doubt in
my mind that they were chosen from god, and that they are in the right
place at the right time (as am i). President is really a cool guy. He is
extremely nice, but very very bold. I can see him as one that you would
not want to get on his bad side, but i do not plan on doing that anytime
soon (or at all for that matter). We had a huge testimony meeting, and
everyone got up and bore their testimony. I have never seen an
intermediate hymn sung at a testimony meeting until now! It was really
really great. I got up and told everyone exactly what i felt, and
actually a lot of what i said in my last letter home. It was the most
heartfelt, spiritual, and emotional testimony i have ever given, and you
know what..... In no way am i ashamed! I know that i am on my mission
because Jesus Christ suffered and died for my sins, and i am not ashamed
to tell people that. So between Zone Conference, reading Alma 26 (my new
favorite chapter.... I LOVE AMMON!!!!), and going to the temple on
Wednesday, i am seriously on cloud 9 right now. Yes the work is hard,
and moving kinda slow, but time is flying because i am happy! I am
staying positive because i know that i have a reason to rejoice (alma
26). I am doing the lords work, and i am absolutely overjoyed to be doing
it!!!!!!!!! England is a crazy place, but when i have the strength of
the lord nothing is crazy, scary, or hard! I really challenge everyone
to study Alma 26 then to also read Pres. Uchtdorf's talk from i think
Oct. 2007 "have we not reason to rejoice". That is my commitment to you,
and i expect a report! If you study that chapter as hard as i did you
will be happy for quite some time!!!!!!!!

It has been raining here a lot, but what else is new. I have two
umbrellas now. One Small one that i can pack away in case of emergencies,
and one really big one that is absolutely necessary sometimes!!!!! Yes
its big, and awkward, but it will save your skin!!! Umbrellas are
something that we just don't ever use or need in Colorado. I think that i
can count on one hand how many times i used one. YEA..... i use one
everyday pretty much. Wetness is a way of life here, and its something
that you have to get used to. Its fun though, i am enjoying the rain. As
long as I stay dry then i am good. I think that i gained that love from
Heather. She loves rain so so much, and i think that that may have
rubbed off on me. Granted i Have only been here for almost 3 months, so
my opinion may change come winter time, but for right now i like it.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
You are all such a support to me, and i do not know what i would do
without you! Thanks for everything that you do!!!! You are amazing, and
you are truly the definition of why families are so important in the
eyes of the Lord! Everything that i have in this world is credited to
all of you!!!
Talk to you soon!!!

Elder Johnson

Pic 1 - My new Closet Decorations (thanks to brian and steph)
Pic 2 - CHAMPION!!!!!!

[Editor's Note] For whatever reason, the pictures are not uploading right now. I'll try again later!

E-mail from Neal - Received 7-9-08

Hello fam!!!

Well even though I am not around you all it still sounds like life is
crazy!!! Just kidding, i was never that large of a portion of it. It
sounds like everything is going well though, and that life is moving
along quite nicely. I don't quite know what to say about my room though!
I think i will go with this. HOLY CRAZY OFFICE ROOM BATMAN!! (american
response). YOU RE-DID THAT WELL PROPER!! (british answer). Am i gonna
get that back when i come home, cause my guess is no ha ha ha! I am glad
to hear that you are eating well without me too. Don't worry i am eating
just as good over here. Believe it or not, i am putting on weight. I
know, i know stop the presses, alert the media!!! Neal is getting a
little fatter. Trust me i am annoyed, and i am not going to stand for
it. We just got some weights from an investigator, so i am going to be
working my little missionary tail off to get back to where i was.
Between that, and walking everywhere i should be ok. The problem is that
people seem to shovel it into me as fast as i get it off. Its a vicious
cycle!!!!!!

This week has been hard to say the least. We are in a dry spell, and we
are trying our hardest to get out of it. No new investigators for quite
a while, and the ones that we have aren't going anywhere fast. We are not
giving up though. We are working a lot with members, and with
Less-actives though so we are keeping busy. Really busy. I haven't felt
so good the past few days, so that has really made things tough as well.
Being sick on a mission really stinks!!!! Especially when you have to
walk everywhere! I am doing much better now though, and i am sleeping
like a rock which is great! Elder Smith is great. He is so funny, and
crazy, and he is always having fun. It took him a little bit to get
warmed up in the companionship, but now we are having a lot of fun. It
makes things move a lot faster when we are having fun, and joking
around. Thats how me and E. Garcia were, and thats the way that it
should be.

Zone conference is tomorrow, and i finally get
to meet Pres and Sis Bullock! Its been like 2 weeks, but hey thats just
how it goes. I think that its funny though. My First zone confernece was
on my Birthday, and my second one is on Mom's Birthday. With that being
said HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are going to really enjoy your present i think. I hope that craig
liked his. Anyways, i am excited to meet the new president and i am
really excited for zone conference. I should get your package tomorrow
if you sent in to the mission office, thats how it works. I have to wait
for Zone Conference or Interviews to get big stuff, but thats ok i
guess.


I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO MUCH!!!
Thank you for all of your support!!!!!!!!!!!
Elder Johnson

p.s. I hope that you have gotten that this is my weekly letter. This is
the easiest for me, and i do write a lot so i think that this should
cover everything!

Picture - Elder Smith bought Coconuts..... But I thought that they were
tropical!!!!!

Cartoon drawn by Elder Garcia

Check out this cartoon by Neal's first companion, Elder Garcia:



Is that not a perfect cartoon drawing of Neal?

It's kind of small, but Neal is saying "So how receptive do you think they are, Elder?" and the mob is yelling "Come back Mormons! Don't run!" Cute, huh?

E-mail from Neal - Received 7-2-08

Hey everyone,

Well alas, there will be no fireworks here on friday. Too bad for that,
but i am sure that we will celebrate in our own little way. Me and elder
smith (picture) are having a good time together. He is different from E.
Garcia, but not in a bad way at all. I am learning a lot from him, and
still in a constant change. Its hard when you get a new companion,
especially the first time that you do. Its kinda like starting over
again. I almost felt like i was a brand new missionary again, but not
quite. I am better now though, time is moving again, and i am working
hard. Things are slowing down though. Our Teaching pool is small, and we
are not having much luck finding at the moment. We are trying many
different things. So yes we have topped the Mission the past two weeks,
but that probably won't be the case this week, just to warn ya. I know i
know i shouldn't make excuses, but you take what you get right. All we
can really do is trust in the lord, pray as hard as physically possible,
and then exercise A LOT of faith. But hey, we are missionaries right....
Thats what we are good at!!!

So this past week has been crazy as usual. We had helping hands day on
saturday. I don't remember that in the states but i might have just
never payed attention (i am learning more and more how bad i was at that
before i left). It is a huge service day in the UK and all the
missionaries everywhere were involved. Our project was cleaning up the
grounds around this crazy 18th century cottage (picture). We got a lot
done. We cleared out a bunch of trees and bushes and stuff, and planted
a lot of new foliage. I actually spent most of the day wading in a
stream, cleaning off a retaining wall. I know i know maybe have been
pushing mission rules a bit, but someone had to do it. I was the
colorado boy who was used to going into crazy cold rivers. So a kinda
cold babbling brook was nothing. Everyone was all worried about my feet,
and me getting cold. All i could say was "this is nothing, i have fallen
completely in worse than this." I love being from colorado!!!! We are
born and bred tough! HA HA HA. But it was a fun project, and it was
definitely a change to the normal days that we have.

Our 88 Year old, dated for baptism, investigator dropped us. Well
actually her family did. They said that she really didn't know what she
was getting into, and that they don't want us coming around anymore. Its
ok really, cause she was really really really hard to teach. WE dated
her for baptism, cause she wanted to do it, but she really couldn't
remember anything that we taught her. So all in all it was probably a
good thing that she was dropped. Although that means that we aren't
going to have a guaranteed lesson everyday, which is never good. We
still have some other investigators that are moving along though, so
thats good.

I am learning more, and more everyday. I notice something new every
single day. I have been thinking about some really interesting passages
in the scriptures lately. One is what Joseph Smith says. "I, knew it, and
I knew that God knew it." The other is in Enos "I knew that God could
not lie, wherefore my guilt was swept away." I told you about my
experience in the temple i think. If i didn't then ask heather about
cause i know that i told her. Anyways i know that i have been forgiven
for everything that i have done. I know that i have, and i know that god
knows that i have!! GOD DOES NOT LIE EITHER!!!! I know that the feeling
that i had in the temple came from God, and i know that he sent that
feeling to me as an answer to my prayers. He meant to send it to me, and
i am so thankful that i was worthy and open to receive it. God knows all
things, and he is there in all things. Trust in him fully, and know that
everything that happens, has a reason, a season, and a purpose. Its not
happenstance, its inspiration!!!!!!!

You are all amazing, and so much support. Thanks for everything!!!

Elder Johnson