9/28

Wow. I feel so old. I can't believe I'm already 20..where did high school go? It still feels like my senior year for some reason..but yeah..its weird not being a teenager anymore, because I definitely still feel like I am and I don't plan on that feeling going away for a looong time! Haha..but what would be REALLY great..is if my age didn't matter and I could just stay out here for the rest of my life! =) I would not mind that ONE bit!! I am having the time of my life out here and seeing so many great things! So according to the zone leaders, my companion and I were the first companionship to teach 20 lessons in a week, which was the mission goal, so we were pretty excited about that! We're having kind've a big party today for our p-day to celebrate my b-day, Elder Wilson's b-day, and 20 lessons, and the Spanish elders, Elder Wilson and Elder Larsen, taught 16, so that was a really good week for the missionaries in Wallace! So last week was our mission tour and Elder Maynes of the quorum of the 70 came and spoke with us! It was great learning from him, and applying what he taught into the work! It turns out that he had a role in the dedication of the Houston temple! I just don't remember what that role was, haha..but he told us a story about how after 8 dedication sessions of the Houston temple and working hard all day long, he was way tired on the flight back and was trying to sleep on the plane..when he heard a loud thumping noise, so he looked back and he saw President Gordon B. Hinckley working out on some exercise equipment! Haha..so President Hinckley called him over, strapped him in, and made him go for a while! It was a pretty great story..haha..

Well I love and miss y'all! Hope y'all are doing great!

Love Elder Johnson

9/21

This past week has been really great! We had stake conference in the Wilmington Zone..and I learned soo much! There were tons of great speakers and great talks given..there was even a talk given who had served in the North Carolin Raleigh Mission over 50 years ago who gave a talk! That was a pretty great experience hearing from him!

So..we've turned in our golf clubs for the time being and picked up tennis rackets! Haha..we've been playing tennis almost everyday for morning exercise out in the middle of the street..then on p-days we go up to the courts and play a little tournament! It's so much fun!

As far as the work goes..Elder Kearsley and I have been tearing it up! We've got the most lessons taught this week in the entire zone for 2 weeks straight! We've been working really hard and seeing a couple of people beginning to have that spark in their eyes and developing a desire to get baptized! It's so great to see how the presence of the holy ghost can totally and completely change someones countenance! We were teaching someone, and at the beginning of the lesson, he didn't want to talk at all..he felt like we were just the most wrong, corrupt religion on the face of the earth..but the more we taught..the more open he became and it ended up being a great lesson!

Well I'm excited for this Wednesday! Elder Maynes of the quorum of the 70 is coming for our mission tour and we get to go hear him speak in Kinston..which is about an hour and a half away, but it should be really great! I'm looking forward to it!

Well I love/miss y'all! Hope y'all are doing well!

Elder Johnson

9/14

Greetings from one of the smelliest counties in the country! Haha..so yeah..Duplin County (which is where Wallace is) is notorious for all the pig/turkey/chicken farms there are all around here..I'm not sure if I have already told you this or not..but the best part about being a missionary is when you are riding on your bike down the highway..and a turkey or hog truck passes you..(which happens WAY too often..) but yeah..those are the experiences that make everything worth it, right? Haha.. but yeah..the house of Raeford chicken plant is up the highway..I don't know if y'all have ever had raeford chicken or not but it's a big chicken company that is all over the nation..but yeah..just wanted to describe a little bit more of my area for y'all! =)

So this week we have been emphasising on teaching a bunch of lessons! The zone leaders told me that Elder Kearsley and I had the record for the most lessons taught in the entire zone, so that was really great! We've been working really hard! But we have had a ton of let downs this week..I think Saturday was one of the hardest days for me as a missionary..but those are the days when you have to just keep pushing through and show the Lord that you are willing to work hard on the good days AND the bad! But yeah..do y'all remember me telling y'all about Ray? I've got some good news and some bad news about him..the good news is that we talked to his roommate and he really did want to come to church..the bad news is that..Ray is now in jail for about 4 years..for not paying child support..yeah..it was pretty ridiculous..but oh well..I know that as we remain diligent and obedient, the Lord will bless us and we will continue to see many miracles! Well I love y'all and hope y'all are doin great!

9/8

Hey! How was everyone's labor day weekend!? We went golfing for our p-day again! My swing is getting SO much better! I only lost 5 balls this time! Haha..but yeah..the work here in Wallace is going SO great! I'm having so much fun teaching these great people and I am seeing so many little miracles, as well as a few big ones! We have definitely been working really hard and being as obedient as possible! My new companion reminds me SO much of our cousin Joe Giles..haha..he looks just like him! But we've been getting along great! He's been out 9 and a half months and I've been out 3 and a half..but we're still learning so much from each other and having so much fun! So..I bought a little computer that keeps track of how many miles I ride each day so I can record it in my journal..guess how many miles I've ridden in 2 weeks..193.22! Haha..that's pretty amazing! My legs are in pretty decent shape! Especially now that Elder Kearsley and I have been waking up an extra 30 minutes earlier to go run..we just stay in front of the house and he jogs around the street, while I run sprints up and down it! It's been going great!

Well I love/miss y'all! Hope all is well!

8/31

So this week has been really great! I got my new companion..his name is Elder Kearsley. He's from a very small town in Idaho..right off of the Teton Mtns. So my first week as DL has definitely been a ton of work, but it's been goin great! I have grown SO much..just in the past week! My teaching has improved dramatically and so has my ability to plan out each day and making sure that we're staying busy and overplanning for the day! I have definitely seen some pretty amazing things this past week and times where the Lord has definitely had his hand in the work that we are doing! So..the mission president has prayed really hard..and has come up with an inspired Standard of Excellence for the entire mission for this transfer. Part of that standard, is each companionship baptises! We're excited for the opporotunity that we have to exercise our faith and accomplish this standard! In fact..Elder Kearsley and I are pushing for 2 baptisms a day and we've been praying really hard for the guidance and direction needed to help us accomplish this!

Well I love/miss y'all! Hope y'all are doin well!