Hello everyone,
Well I hope that everyone had a great thanksgiving. I sure did!!! I actually got 2 thanksgiving dinners. The first was with the YSA for FHE, and that was really really great. One of our investigators Sean Reader came so that was really fun. We ate really well and got a great chance to talk to everyone of the YSA. That was on Monday, and yesterday we had a huge feast at our ward mission leaders house. His name is Bro. Bob McCallum, and he is so Scottish it's hilarious. They have 2 kids that live in Utah, so they did everyone American style. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, the whole 9. I seriously rolled out of that house, and I have trouble walking the rest of the night. Because it was thanksgiving we got special permission from president to eat at a members, and to eat for an hour and half, not just an hour. It was really good. This being my first Thanksgiving away from home it was a little sad. I missed watching the football game with the guys, and I really missed the endless amount of pies that we always had. No worries though, the lord is looking after me, and making sure that I am fed well and happy! Christmas is coming soon now, and I will have to go through the same thing, but oh well, again I will be ok.
Ok so this week has been a good one. Tough, but what else is new. No one ever said that a mission was going to be easy! It is really really cold now a days, and so I am bundling up all the time. We have been talking to so many people and trying to share the gospel with all of them, and we are seeing things happen. Its amazing to see the work move and progress, and I am loving every minute of it! All day, everyday, and there is no time to stop. Fits my personality well wouldn’t you say?!
So some cool things that I have studied these past few days….. I was reading in PMG about Christ like attributes (chap 6, highly recommended), and I read in the introduction this….. “On a mission, it’s more than what you do, its who you are.” That really hit me. We must be like Christ, we must follow his example, and we must live by his teachings. If we don’t then we are just coming and going in vain. We must always strive to do what is right, and we can know that we are doing things right, when we feel the spirit! I was also listening to a song the other night, and the lyrics were something like, “When he walked this path he walked it alone.” That struck me too. Christ has walked down every single road that we have, but when he did it, he did it by himself. When we do it we have him right next to us. That is so comforting to know that I am never walking alone in this dark and dreary world. I ALWAYS have Christ right next to me…. ALWAYS!!!!!! Missions are great, and I cannot believe that I have been out for 7 months already!!!!! Time flies when you are working hard!!!!!
I love you all! Stay strong, and work hard. Know that I am working hard, and that I am striving everyday to become better.
I LOVE EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!!
Elder Johnson
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
E-mail from Neal - Received 11-19-08
Hello to All!!!!!!
Well, another week has flown by. Each week seems to be getting faster and faster! Christmas is coming, and you can tell. Piccadilly Gardens (Manchester Town Center) is full of lights and decorations and its really cool at night. It has nothing on Temple Square, but its still cool!
So this week has been crazy to say the least. Trying to talk to everyone, and to do these QGC’s is fun, but it can be tough. Is the QGC program a world wide thing???? I am quite curious? There have been some amazing things that have come from it! I have talked to so many more people, and shared so much more truth with them, and it is really really great. People are listening and wanting to know more. The Assistants have told us that the most popular comment by people after talking about the Book Of Mormon is…. “How much is this book, I WANT ONE!!!!!” How cool is that? The best part is, THE GOSPEL IS FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA I love it! So yea I am doing good in that respect, but on the flip side, the QGC has opened up another can of worms. I got into two “bible bashing” sessions on Saturday. That was rough…. Really rough! One was with a Hindu, and that really didn’t bother me because his views were so far out in left field that it really didn’t get to me. I just had to go home for lunch and cool off a bit. The second one however got to me. I got into war with a Born Again.
We were going to Piccadilly to GC for like 2 hours, and I was really excited. This was the first real chance to go hardcore with the QGC’s and to really have a large amount of time to hit it hard. Well guess what, I guess Satan caught wind of that plan and that desire, because the first guy that I talked to decided to talk to me for an hour! He would not let me go, and he was trying to indoctrinate me the whole time. I like the letter that you sent mom, cause it talked about contention and how it is of the devil. I CAN TESTIFY THAT IT IS!!!!!!!! Nothing came from that conversation, and what is worse is that I could not talk to all the people that I wanted to. It was tough and it kinda set my whole day in a bad cloud. I guess that’s what I get for being a worthy messenger of the lord. I am in the army of the stripling warriors and Satan knows that! I learned from that conversation, and I am not going to do that ever again. It was a tough day, but we got through it. I should have learned from my previous experiences with bad days, and known that there was something good coming.
Elder Davis’ opinion about hard days and weeks was that we must be doing something right if we are getting all the opposition. It proved itself last transfer when we had the worst week of my mission, followed by finding about 6 investigators in a week. This time, we had about the best Sunday of my mission. We had 3 investigators at church. One of them, we had virtually dropped, but he showed up on his own!!!! That night we went out with the assistants, and we taught some amazing lessons. Andrew (from Tanzania) has been struggling with the Book of Mormon (accepting it), and we taught him an amazing lesson, and I think that he will do much better now. John Glespen (middle age guy) now has a baptism date for Dec. 13th!!!!!!! The day was way cool, and totally made up for the previous one! The Lord does bless his servants, and I am so grateful for that! The hard day was there, but like E. Davis said, “We must have been doing something right!”
Elder Lloyd is really starting to come along well. He is talking with everyone, and has no fear about it. We are still struggling with bus contacting, but we are really starting to make goals on how to get over that! We are doing some really good things, and we are starting to see the blessings! He is getting sick right now, so I don’t know exactly what is going to happen in the next few days, but no worries, whatever happens happens.
Have a good week!!!!
I love you all!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
Well, another week has flown by. Each week seems to be getting faster and faster! Christmas is coming, and you can tell. Piccadilly Gardens (Manchester Town Center) is full of lights and decorations and its really cool at night. It has nothing on Temple Square, but its still cool!
So this week has been crazy to say the least. Trying to talk to everyone, and to do these QGC’s is fun, but it can be tough. Is the QGC program a world wide thing???? I am quite curious? There have been some amazing things that have come from it! I have talked to so many more people, and shared so much more truth with them, and it is really really great. People are listening and wanting to know more. The Assistants have told us that the most popular comment by people after talking about the Book Of Mormon is…. “How much is this book, I WANT ONE!!!!!” How cool is that? The best part is, THE GOSPEL IS FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA I love it! So yea I am doing good in that respect, but on the flip side, the QGC has opened up another can of worms. I got into two “bible bashing” sessions on Saturday. That was rough…. Really rough! One was with a Hindu, and that really didn’t bother me because his views were so far out in left field that it really didn’t get to me. I just had to go home for lunch and cool off a bit. The second one however got to me. I got into war with a Born Again.
We were going to Piccadilly to GC for like 2 hours, and I was really excited. This was the first real chance to go hardcore with the QGC’s and to really have a large amount of time to hit it hard. Well guess what, I guess Satan caught wind of that plan and that desire, because the first guy that I talked to decided to talk to me for an hour! He would not let me go, and he was trying to indoctrinate me the whole time. I like the letter that you sent mom, cause it talked about contention and how it is of the devil. I CAN TESTIFY THAT IT IS!!!!!!!! Nothing came from that conversation, and what is worse is that I could not talk to all the people that I wanted to. It was tough and it kinda set my whole day in a bad cloud. I guess that’s what I get for being a worthy messenger of the lord. I am in the army of the stripling warriors and Satan knows that! I learned from that conversation, and I am not going to do that ever again. It was a tough day, but we got through it. I should have learned from my previous experiences with bad days, and known that there was something good coming.
Elder Davis’ opinion about hard days and weeks was that we must be doing something right if we are getting all the opposition. It proved itself last transfer when we had the worst week of my mission, followed by finding about 6 investigators in a week. This time, we had about the best Sunday of my mission. We had 3 investigators at church. One of them, we had virtually dropped, but he showed up on his own!!!! That night we went out with the assistants, and we taught some amazing lessons. Andrew (from Tanzania) has been struggling with the Book of Mormon (accepting it), and we taught him an amazing lesson, and I think that he will do much better now. John Glespen (middle age guy) now has a baptism date for Dec. 13th!!!!!!! The day was way cool, and totally made up for the previous one! The Lord does bless his servants, and I am so grateful for that! The hard day was there, but like E. Davis said, “We must have been doing something right!”
Elder Lloyd is really starting to come along well. He is talking with everyone, and has no fear about it. We are still struggling with bus contacting, but we are really starting to make goals on how to get over that! We are doing some really good things, and we are starting to see the blessings! He is getting sick right now, so I don’t know exactly what is going to happen in the next few days, but no worries, whatever happens happens.
Have a good week!!!!
I love you all!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
E-mail from Neal - Received 11/5/08
Hello to the most amazing family on earth!!!!
Well you want to talk about a crazy week!!! I have learned more in this past week than I think that I have my whole mission. I have learned that I can really teach anything to anyone. I can really talk to anyone, and share the gospel to them without fear, and I have learned that example is everything!!!!! I remember when I was young and brand new, and it feels like it was just yesterday, can you believe that it has been over 6 months!! Elder Lloyd is doing great! He is so excited, and so full of faith its amazing. It have been really really great being the example and showing him how its done. There is so much that I just do naturally now, but that he hasn’t learned yet. Its rather insane, but its great at the same time! We have had some amazing experiences this week, and I am sure that they will continue as long as we are working our hardest! Keep praying though, I can feel your support everyday!!!! I have really found that I have a lot of skills that I didn’t know that I had before. I am not saying that E. Lloyd is bad cause he is the exact opposite, but its just that the mission changes you. How you act, talk, think, and carry yourself! I love this place. I love my mission, and I love the Gospel!!! There is nothing truer, and there is nothing more real than this!!!!! This is the real deal, and as Jeffery R. Holland (J. Holl according to me and E. MacIntosh) “THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Enough said really.
We have zone conference this next Tuesday so I am really excited! It will be great as always! I hope that you all have an amazing week and that all starts to smooth out. I think that your lives are almost as busy as mine!!!! I think that you may still have some distance to go though. Let me tell you 10:30 at night when I get to plop (and I mean literally PLOP) is one of my most favourite times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its hard work, but its worth every second of it!!!!!!
I love you all, and I think about you all the time!!!! Stay strong and keep studying!!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
P.s I was going to send pictures, but these computers are complete Rubbish!!!!!!!!!! I had some good ones too. I got a legacy picture of me, e. Lloyd, e. Garcia
Well you want to talk about a crazy week!!! I have learned more in this past week than I think that I have my whole mission. I have learned that I can really teach anything to anyone. I can really talk to anyone, and share the gospel to them without fear, and I have learned that example is everything!!!!! I remember when I was young and brand new, and it feels like it was just yesterday, can you believe that it has been over 6 months!! Elder Lloyd is doing great! He is so excited, and so full of faith its amazing. It have been really really great being the example and showing him how its done. There is so much that I just do naturally now, but that he hasn’t learned yet. Its rather insane, but its great at the same time! We have had some amazing experiences this week, and I am sure that they will continue as long as we are working our hardest! Keep praying though, I can feel your support everyday!!!! I have really found that I have a lot of skills that I didn’t know that I had before. I am not saying that E. Lloyd is bad cause he is the exact opposite, but its just that the mission changes you. How you act, talk, think, and carry yourself! I love this place. I love my mission, and I love the Gospel!!! There is nothing truer, and there is nothing more real than this!!!!! This is the real deal, and as Jeffery R. Holland (J. Holl according to me and E. MacIntosh) “THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Enough said really.
We have zone conference this next Tuesday so I am really excited! It will be great as always! I hope that you all have an amazing week and that all starts to smooth out. I think that your lives are almost as busy as mine!!!! I think that you may still have some distance to go though. Let me tell you 10:30 at night when I get to plop (and I mean literally PLOP) is one of my most favourite times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its hard work, but its worth every second of it!!!!!!
I love you all, and I think about you all the time!!!! Stay strong and keep studying!!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
P.s I was going to send pictures, but these computers are complete Rubbish!!!!!!!!!! I had some good ones too. I got a legacy picture of me, e. Lloyd, e. Garcia
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Email from Neal - Received 10/30/08
Original Subject: BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG NEWS!!!!!
Hello everyone,
Well this letter is going to be a bit shorter because we are in the Apple store again, and we don't have much time. I guess that i will just let you know what is going on, and then really give you all the details next week.
I will let you know that i am staying in Stretford, so please keep the letters coming (hint, hint). But here is the big news........... I'm Training!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes yes i am really really scared, but i know that i was chosen for a reason. My new missionary is named Elder Lloyd, and get this...... he is from Broomfield!! That's right, there are 3 missionaries in the mission, and 2 of us are together. Its going to be a really really good thing for me though. Its really time for me to step it up and go to do some serious work. I am really excited, but i am really scared as well. Please pray for me. PRAY PRAY PRAY!!! That's what i am going to be doing a lot as well. Training is a different thing to do, and there is so much responsibility attached to it. It is the biggest thing that one can do on the mission. I have so much influence over this missionaries mission and life, and that is why it is so scary! I am going to do my best though, and i am going to trust in the lord!!!!!!
I am really jealous that you got that amazing experience with Elder Bednar. That's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Driving is going really good. I am doing just fine with it all. Your mind really switches over really easy. It's kinda like singing in a different key.... it just happens.
Sorry for the shortness of this letter..... I promise that I will do more next week and i will try to send some pics as well.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
Hello everyone,
Well this letter is going to be a bit shorter because we are in the Apple store again, and we don't have much time. I guess that i will just let you know what is going on, and then really give you all the details next week.
I will let you know that i am staying in Stretford, so please keep the letters coming (hint, hint). But here is the big news........... I'm Training!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes yes i am really really scared, but i know that i was chosen for a reason. My new missionary is named Elder Lloyd, and get this...... he is from Broomfield!! That's right, there are 3 missionaries in the mission, and 2 of us are together. Its going to be a really really good thing for me though. Its really time for me to step it up and go to do some serious work. I am really excited, but i am really scared as well. Please pray for me. PRAY PRAY PRAY!!! That's what i am going to be doing a lot as well. Training is a different thing to do, and there is so much responsibility attached to it. It is the biggest thing that one can do on the mission. I have so much influence over this missionaries mission and life, and that is why it is so scary! I am going to do my best though, and i am going to trust in the lord!!!!!!
I am really jealous that you got that amazing experience with Elder Bednar. That's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Driving is going really good. I am doing just fine with it all. Your mind really switches over really easy. It's kinda like singing in a different key.... it just happens.
Sorry for the shortness of this letter..... I promise that I will do more next week and i will try to send some pics as well.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!
Elder Johnson
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
E-mail from Neal - Received 10/22/08
Hello Everyone!!!!!
Well the work never stops over here in England, and it is always fun and exciting!!!!! So much happens every single day that I really don’t know where to start, but this week has been a really interesting one. I will start off by telling you about something that I did that I never thought that I ever would do while on my mission…..
I mixed the Primary program on Sunday!!!!! Yes yes that is completely and totally correct and true. HA HA HA!!!! I ran a sound board while wearing a missionary tag!!!! The primary in the Stretford ward is really really small. They needed to use some mics so that the kids could be heard over the piano and into the back of the chapel. Well the mics that they used were really really nice ones, that I have used with Headtalk, so I went up and was talking to the guys about them. Well long story short they asked me if I knew how to run a mixer board. One of the guys had to play the piano for it, and the other had a kid in the program that he needed to watch. I really couldn’t lie, I’m a missionary, so I said yes I could. My actual thought was that I was more than qualified to run a simple 14 channel mixer, but I didn’t say that to anyone ha ha ha!!!! So I mixed the sound for the Primary program. 4 microphones (three for the kids, and 1 for the podium), and it went great. Everyone was very very impressed that I actually knew what I was doing. They asked me if I was going to be here for Christmas so that I could do the program then. I just said that we would have to see. That’s only 2 transfers away so you do never know. I was in my element. E. Davis said that I looked really really happy!!!! It was a lot of fun, and now I have a really good reputation in the ward ha ha ha!!!!!!
We got another new investigator last week, and it was someone that I have talked to on the street. It was so cool. His name is John, and he is from China. He really has no preconceived notions about any religion so he is really really easy to teach. That brings our teaching pool to 6. Andrew and Robert are the brothers from Tanzania, they are really cool and very well versed in the bible. They have lots of questions, and get very deep sometimes. Dominic is from Nigeria, and is really searching hard for something. He believes everything that we say and is really getting into the Book of Mormon. Sean is 19 and is going through a lot of hard times. He is English and really wants to find a faith, and wants help from God. I hope that we are helping. Leonardo is also English, and is very intellectual. He also has very deep questions, and it is tough sometimes, but we get through. That’s our teaching pool in a really quick nutshell. Teaching is really really fun, and it is amazing how much time flies when we are teaching all the time. The past 2 weeks have totally dissolved in front of my eyes!! Its good though, cause that’s what they are supposed to do. 3 more days and I will hit 6 months, can you believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So it took 12 days for me to get Angela’s letter! I think that that is a bit insane but whatever. I guess that might be a reason why I haven’t seen anything else for a long time. I guess that the mail is going slow, but no bother, I will survive. Transfers are next week, so you know the drill. I will try to let you know as soon as I can if I am leaving. I think that I am probably staying, but you do never know.
I am really sorry that this letter is so detached and everywhere, but hey that’s how it goes sometimes. I have been reading the Book Of Mormon from the beginning again, and I really really like 1 Nephi. I just read 13-14 and those chapters are awesome! That angel really showed Nephi a lot, and there is so much to learn!!!! He saw our day, he saw our scriptures, and he saw us!!!!! He tells us exactly what is going to happen, and what we have to do to be prepared for it…… “Be armed with righteousness!!!!!!” That is such a cool piece of advice. The prophets have told us that if we are righteous then we will have nothing fear, and I agree!!!!
I love you all very very much, and I am super sad that you are going to get snow soon. I think that I may have cried a little when you told me that some Ski resorts are open. That is really sad, but I will live. 2 more years and I will be able to snowboard all that I want, but the difference will be that I will be a much better young man!!!!!!
Stay amazing everyone!!!!
Love,Elder Johnson
Well the work never stops over here in England, and it is always fun and exciting!!!!! So much happens every single day that I really don’t know where to start, but this week has been a really interesting one. I will start off by telling you about something that I did that I never thought that I ever would do while on my mission…..
I mixed the Primary program on Sunday!!!!! Yes yes that is completely and totally correct and true. HA HA HA!!!! I ran a sound board while wearing a missionary tag!!!! The primary in the Stretford ward is really really small. They needed to use some mics so that the kids could be heard over the piano and into the back of the chapel. Well the mics that they used were really really nice ones, that I have used with Headtalk, so I went up and was talking to the guys about them. Well long story short they asked me if I knew how to run a mixer board. One of the guys had to play the piano for it, and the other had a kid in the program that he needed to watch. I really couldn’t lie, I’m a missionary, so I said yes I could. My actual thought was that I was more than qualified to run a simple 14 channel mixer, but I didn’t say that to anyone ha ha ha!!!! So I mixed the sound for the Primary program. 4 microphones (three for the kids, and 1 for the podium), and it went great. Everyone was very very impressed that I actually knew what I was doing. They asked me if I was going to be here for Christmas so that I could do the program then. I just said that we would have to see. That’s only 2 transfers away so you do never know. I was in my element. E. Davis said that I looked really really happy!!!! It was a lot of fun, and now I have a really good reputation in the ward ha ha ha!!!!!!
We got another new investigator last week, and it was someone that I have talked to on the street. It was so cool. His name is John, and he is from China. He really has no preconceived notions about any religion so he is really really easy to teach. That brings our teaching pool to 6. Andrew and Robert are the brothers from Tanzania, they are really cool and very well versed in the bible. They have lots of questions, and get very deep sometimes. Dominic is from Nigeria, and is really searching hard for something. He believes everything that we say and is really getting into the Book of Mormon. Sean is 19 and is going through a lot of hard times. He is English and really wants to find a faith, and wants help from God. I hope that we are helping. Leonardo is also English, and is very intellectual. He also has very deep questions, and it is tough sometimes, but we get through. That’s our teaching pool in a really quick nutshell. Teaching is really really fun, and it is amazing how much time flies when we are teaching all the time. The past 2 weeks have totally dissolved in front of my eyes!! Its good though, cause that’s what they are supposed to do. 3 more days and I will hit 6 months, can you believe that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So it took 12 days for me to get Angela’s letter! I think that that is a bit insane but whatever. I guess that might be a reason why I haven’t seen anything else for a long time. I guess that the mail is going slow, but no bother, I will survive. Transfers are next week, so you know the drill. I will try to let you know as soon as I can if I am leaving. I think that I am probably staying, but you do never know.
I am really sorry that this letter is so detached and everywhere, but hey that’s how it goes sometimes. I have been reading the Book Of Mormon from the beginning again, and I really really like 1 Nephi. I just read 13-14 and those chapters are awesome! That angel really showed Nephi a lot, and there is so much to learn!!!! He saw our day, he saw our scriptures, and he saw us!!!!! He tells us exactly what is going to happen, and what we have to do to be prepared for it…… “Be armed with righteousness!!!!!!” That is such a cool piece of advice. The prophets have told us that if we are righteous then we will have nothing fear, and I agree!!!!
I love you all very very much, and I am super sad that you are going to get snow soon. I think that I may have cried a little when you told me that some Ski resorts are open. That is really sad, but I will live. 2 more years and I will be able to snowboard all that I want, but the difference will be that I will be a much better young man!!!!!!
Stay amazing everyone!!!!
Love,Elder Johnson
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
E-mail From Neal - Received 10/15/08
Hello All!!!!!
WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!!! The hard work, sweat, disappointment, trouble, pain, and prayers are finally paying off! 4 new investigators in 3 days!!!! You want to talk about a complete 180 turn around…… That’s it!!! Our planners suddenly are filled with appointments and we are busy all the time. We are running from place to place, and I am so happy!!! We had nothing for so long, and now we have a lot! Feast and Famine as Porter would say! We are now teaching a Nigerian, two English guys, and a Tanzanian (brother to the other investigator that we already had). Its really really fun and exciting! 4 out of the 5 investigators that we have are YSA age which is amazing. I don’t know if I told you, but the Stretford ward is full of YSA. I would say probably 30+ or so, so its really really great! They are getting involved a lot, and that is a huge help!!! The lord shows blessings when we are ready to receive them, and I guess that this is now our time! Anyways I have a lot to talk about so I will move on.
I have some basic house keeping items to go over first…..
I am starting Driving lessons on Friday (PRAYERS!!!!!!), and I am really scared. I haven’t driven in 6 months, and everything is backwards here. I know that I will do fine, because you all know me, I pick up things very very easily!!!
Just a reminder that I am going to need those sweaters soon!!! Its starting to get cold. Long Sleeve, and dark (Dark Grey, and Black). I am really going to need them soon. Its dark at 6:45 now and it gets cold. I hear that it will be dark at 4 soon. And just a side note. Colorado rain is not rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I attempted to cut my own hair again……. This time it did not turn out so good. That is the last time that I am doing that. I had to go to a barber on Saturday to fix it cause it looked horrid!!!!!!! I now look like I should be in the military, but at least it looks presentable. Short, too short, but presentable. I am just going to go professional from now on.
That is so cool that you are getting two apostles. I am very very very jealous!!!!!!!! I am thinking that northern Colorado is getting a temple! But that’s just my guess. I am really excited to hear about what happens, and all the announcements cause I am sure that there are going to be some!!!!
I finished the Book Of Mormon, and with that comes Moroni 10. ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!! READ IT!!!!! I got so much out of it this time, and I love the counsel that he gives to us in there. I am really excited to start over again and its really neat to go back to Nephi and start from the beginning. The scriptures are really wonderful blessings, and they should be used all the time! Please everyone be studying them. I am, and I am so thankful for that!!!!!
You don’t have to worry about emailing early next week. Our Zone Conference got changed to Friday, so Wednesday will be P-day as usual. Robert C. Oaks of the Seventy is going to be here speaking to us. So that is really really exciting. Not quite as cool as Bednar and Hales, but still they are all inspired right!
Well I must go now, this is the 3rd week in a row that I am doing emails at the apple store in the mall, and I don’t want to take too much time. That means that there are no pictures either, Sorry!!!!! I love you all, and I am glad that you are all doing well. I hope that mom feels better soon and that this email will make her happy (ESP the first bit). You are all such an inspiration to me, and I am so thankful that I am have you!!!!!
Love,
Elder Johnson
WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!!! The hard work, sweat, disappointment, trouble, pain, and prayers are finally paying off! 4 new investigators in 3 days!!!! You want to talk about a complete 180 turn around…… That’s it!!! Our planners suddenly are filled with appointments and we are busy all the time. We are running from place to place, and I am so happy!!! We had nothing for so long, and now we have a lot! Feast and Famine as Porter would say! We are now teaching a Nigerian, two English guys, and a Tanzanian (brother to the other investigator that we already had). Its really really fun and exciting! 4 out of the 5 investigators that we have are YSA age which is amazing. I don’t know if I told you, but the Stretford ward is full of YSA. I would say probably 30+ or so, so its really really great! They are getting involved a lot, and that is a huge help!!! The lord shows blessings when we are ready to receive them, and I guess that this is now our time! Anyways I have a lot to talk about so I will move on.
I have some basic house keeping items to go over first…..
I am starting Driving lessons on Friday (PRAYERS!!!!!!), and I am really scared. I haven’t driven in 6 months, and everything is backwards here. I know that I will do fine, because you all know me, I pick up things very very easily!!!
Just a reminder that I am going to need those sweaters soon!!! Its starting to get cold. Long Sleeve, and dark (Dark Grey, and Black). I am really going to need them soon. Its dark at 6:45 now and it gets cold. I hear that it will be dark at 4 soon. And just a side note. Colorado rain is not rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I attempted to cut my own hair again……. This time it did not turn out so good. That is the last time that I am doing that. I had to go to a barber on Saturday to fix it cause it looked horrid!!!!!!! I now look like I should be in the military, but at least it looks presentable. Short, too short, but presentable. I am just going to go professional from now on.
That is so cool that you are getting two apostles. I am very very very jealous!!!!!!!! I am thinking that northern Colorado is getting a temple! But that’s just my guess. I am really excited to hear about what happens, and all the announcements cause I am sure that there are going to be some!!!!
I finished the Book Of Mormon, and with that comes Moroni 10. ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!! READ IT!!!!! I got so much out of it this time, and I love the counsel that he gives to us in there. I am really excited to start over again and its really neat to go back to Nephi and start from the beginning. The scriptures are really wonderful blessings, and they should be used all the time! Please everyone be studying them. I am, and I am so thankful for that!!!!!
You don’t have to worry about emailing early next week. Our Zone Conference got changed to Friday, so Wednesday will be P-day as usual. Robert C. Oaks of the Seventy is going to be here speaking to us. So that is really really exciting. Not quite as cool as Bednar and Hales, but still they are all inspired right!
Well I must go now, this is the 3rd week in a row that I am doing emails at the apple store in the mall, and I don’t want to take too much time. That means that there are no pictures either, Sorry!!!!! I love you all, and I am glad that you are all doing well. I hope that mom feels better soon and that this email will make her happy (ESP the first bit). You are all such an inspiration to me, and I am so thankful that I am have you!!!!!
Love,
Elder Johnson
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