Week 89, September 22 - September 28, 2014

Family,

I hope you’re well,

Thanks for the update!

Aimee and Cooper! Happy Birthday, man you guys are so big now, I can’t wait to get home and hug you both, I’ll make sure I find some cool things to bring home from here as a present, I hope you have a great day, Know that I miss you and love you both so much.

Its been a great week, full of adventures, the Hansen’s have left so the craziness continues, Its just Elder Talanoa and I swimming in the ocean of organization and tidal wave of tasks that it take to stay on top of the 4 man job as just 2 Elders, but the Lord has helped us, and amidst all the office work we managed to get in some proselyting as well.

Dad you asked about my companion, His Name is Elder Sione Filia Talanoa, He is full Tongan, of Royal Tongan bloodline I might add, but grew up in Utah until the age of 5 and then moved to Australia where he went to school, he played Rugby and was very sought after and eventualy went on to play professionally one year in Japan, before he left on the mission he was presented a 200,000 U.S. dollar per season contract with a professional team in Australia but turned it down because he knew he’d made a covenant with god to come out on the mission, he is 300 pounds of pure muscle and can run a sub 12 second 100 yard dash, He’s so nice, and has the biggest desire to help others, he’s been in the office awhile now, 6 months, and he might go 7 to help in the training of the new couple, the Moran’s , who just arrived today. Transfer week is upon us so were just not sure whats going to happen. He leaves in April, so he’ll get a good few months out in the field before the end comes.

Man it comes quick, the weeks are flying.You asked about our proselyting time, its been very limited lately as we’ve been swallowed up in things to do since the other couple left, but I think in 2 weeks we’ll be back to normal, and oh how I want to be, Imiss going out and talking with others, There’s nothing like it, and this last 6 months, that’s the good time of the mission, you finally feel comfortable with it all, Its been fun, and the office has been great, but I hope I get that last 6 weeks as a normal proselyting missionary to leave it all out on the field.

This week our great experience came as we visited a less active family, tha Carandangs who really want to make it back to the temple. It is honestly amazing how spiritually mature this couple is, they are both in their 60’s and have been members since the early 80’s, but had a time where they just fell away, but through an inspired left turn, and being in a place where we normally wouldn’t go, at a time that really wasn’t common for anyone to be outside, they were outside and we saw them and are helping them in that process to come back. This week they weren’t able to attend church, as we visited them later that night there was a solemnity in the air, we asked how their week was and they said that there niece had just died in childbirth, and neither the baby nor mother made it, we stayed silent for a moment and soaked it in, and then asked about what the plans were moving forward. They said to us that they would happily be the speakers at her funeral and that they weren’t able to attend church earlier so they could attend to the legal matters, as well as healing their family members because of the death. Nanay said, you know, everyone in my family calls me a p[positive thinker, but I know its just the gospel in my life. I feel at peace, she said, I know that if it wasn’t for the gospel I wouldn’t have made it through this trial,It seems like the trials have doubled since we came back to church just a few weeks ago, but  I know god wants us to grow, so he really has given us a lot to grow from these past few weeks.  She burned with testimony. It made me think about their situation, there is a whole lot of real world problems going on  in their lives aside from the death in the family, but she continued in faith and commited to come to church this week, her outlook on life, and death is completely different because of the gospel, she has been changed by her testimony of Jesus and his atonement,  I was glad that our visit was able to help each one of us in the room to be edified.

As I look at the Philippines, I see so much good, god has created in the short span of 50 years priesthood men and women, It is truly amazing, he can take what the world calls a foreign faith, plant it in foreign soil and in such a short span of time, using the extremely limited capacity of mortal man,  produce such tremendous fruit, It’s his work, It continues to roll forth, the lords hand is brewing over the Philippines, Time is so worldly, and as we glimpse into the future, I can see this land and all others on this earth and others coming to thrive and develop because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because of his church, and the life changing power it has.

So that’s the week, I know the gospels true, remember that.

I love you, You deserve longer letters,

Dad, Im excited to talk to everyone I can about being a health care executive. Thanks for being my number 1 fan always.

Mom, I love you

Tuck, Bay, Aimee, Coop, Keep doing what your doing, be good, and get ready to be amazing missionaries some day.

Max, thanks for serving the Lord, it means the world to me.

Love you all forever

Elder Johnson ii

Week 88, September 15 - September 21, 2014

Hey Mom, 

Were off to manage some things with a landlord at a faraway apartment, I'll try and e-mail when I get back!

Get me an update on you guys,

Love You!

Elder Johnson

Later that night....

Family,

Thanks for the update, you all sound like your doing well, Tucker's job sounds great, i'm a fan of sushi, we'll have to go when I get back, everyone else sounds busy as ever, but busy is good, I can see the Lords hand in the life of the Johnson family, thanks for your prayers for me, I can feel that blessing in my life.

Last week I sent a photo of a little lady in a green blouse standing behind me here in the office. That was Sister Hansen she and Elder Hansen have been the office couple here in San Pablo, and they left this week, They have trained us well for the task at hand over the next 3 weeks, the new couple the Morans (from Draper 16th Ward) arrive on the 29th, so until then we are doing a 4 man job with 2 of us, and once the new couple do arrive, we have the responsibility to train them on their responsibilities as mission and financial secretary. It has been a little crazy trying to handle everything the past few days, and I know there will be alot more adventures to come over the next week as we try and hold down the fort. Its been fun to see how the Lord has blessed us to be able to remember it all, each night as we plan we ask the Lord that the Holy Ghost might bring to our remembrance the things that we must do, and he answers that every time, we get down a solid list of things we know we have to do, and afterwards really just sit quietly and wait for the spirit to come and let us know what else he has for us to do. Every night in that silence thoughts and impressions come to our minds of something we really need to do, often times something that in the business of the day has slipped our minds, and then we go out each day and ask the Lord to help us in our efforts to get those things that we've planned for done. 

It has involved some late nights, but somehow with his help we manage to get it all done, Like yesterday, It was a jammed pack day, we had taught some lessons to a few less active families here right after church, we came back and attended the weekly office meeting with President, which is always a good experience, we touched base with him and the assistants, on where people were going and what was happening this week, we worked out the logistics and saw how we could help one another and afterward really cracked down on the office work that needed to be done, and slowly but surely knocked off everything from the list, and when we looked at the clock it was later than we'd thought, We didn't realize how tired we were until we had to make the walk back home, but we came to appreciate the tender mercies of the Lord, It just so happens that here in the Philippines, each Barangay, or neighborhood has a shuttle and volunteer night guards and drivers for emergency response, but more often than not that shuttle is used to give a lift home to those who have had a little too much to drink and really shouldn't drive their motorcycles back to the house, so there they were at the end of the road just talking in the back of their little shuttle cab, we said good evening, and I dont know why, whether we appeared as if we were drunk or they were just feeling nice, they asked where we were going and offered us a ride. It was such a simple thing, but it made us so happy, it filled us with more energy, it honestly helped me wake up again at 6:30 because I remembered that the Lord blessed us, he'd given us that blessing after we'd done our part, so it makes you want to continually do your part, and it makes you think what your missing out on if you don't do your part. But he really helps us when we strive to accomplish his purposes.

I love my companion, he is so awesome, such a hard worker, and so nice, he's always smiling and just willing to help, he loves the people even those that are hard to love, and he is the epitome of change that the mission can bring to someone as well as the blessings that follow dedicated service. I learn alot from him each day not only about love, but about cars, computers, construction, he's a do it all guy and has alot to offer. The assistants are great, they really are working hard to get the area here in Alaminos rolling, its a really tough area, its not too often that doors are slammed or curses said against you here in the Phils. but here in Alaminos the people can be hard, but god has prepared those souls to accept the gospel, or accept it once more and return to the truths they love. Its always a continuous upward movement. I enjoy every second I get with President and hi wife, they fed us chicken quesadillas the other night, its the first one i've had in almost two years, and it was fantastic. I learn alot from them, President is so business oriented, he has been really successful in that regard. he really trusts the system and is not afraid to "growl" at some people as he calls it to enforce the system. But he shows forth so much love, and its unconditional. 

The other night we were waiting for something in the car, the sun was going down and we saw a group of kids, it looked like they were starting something, so we got out and walked over to the group and all the sudden they formed a line across the road, so we just joined them as one of them counted, 1,2,3, go, and we started running down the road in a race, we got to the end and just collapsed and laughed with them, and as I looked out at the sky at the sunset, with the silhouette of the concrete houses and palm trees in front, I thought of how much i'll miss this place, Time goes fast, and if you let it so does the growth in the love we can each have for our fellow men. I love the Philippines, I love the people and I am grateful for the time god's given me to take care of them and do my small part as best as I can. Its been the best choice i've ever made.

So things are going great, The gospel is as true as ever, and I know that there are blessings in both ministering and administering to others needs and were doing alot of both right now here in the office.

I love you

Elder Johnson

Office Elders!

Week 87, September 8 - September 14, 2014

Hey there Mom, Were off tomorrow morning to an island to move a senior couple back to the mainland :)

 so I wont catch you guys to go back and forth, i'd love some pics, and i'll e-mail you all when I get back tomorrow evening, I love you!

Elder Johnson ii

So i've prayed alot about it, USU or BYU, and Ive decided I want to try to get into BYU. I know my GPA isn't that impressive but I was thinking I would be an RM, and could get a good ecclesiastical endorsement from both President Peterson and President Mangum and try for the 2015 Summer semester, it's less competitive, and once you're in, you're in, I wrestled with it in my prayers, BYU or USU, but as I asked about BYU, I just got this prompting saying "Its my school", It felt right. So I'd like to work, and work hard when I get home to provide myself with what I need for a year. I eventually want to try to get in to the University of Minnesotas MHA program, and eventually their internship, It really seems like it gives some great opportunities to its graduates, 

Would it make sense to take a few classes at UVU to help bump up that GPA before I tried to get into the Y? 

For Dad, What would be a good undergraduate degree to help me get into the MHA program at Minnesota? could I work with you and live in Provo while taking those classes at the same time or would I have to look for other job opportunities?

I think the truck will be hard to give up, it's a classic, but its the perfect highschool car, I think if I was going to Provo, and back too often it wouldn't make it, I really want to look into maybe an older subaru, something that would last quite a while and be economical to get me where I need to go. The money we get from selling it we could just apply to that.. It will be pretty hard..but It seems best, and it will be close, just within the ward.. Man there are some good memories of that truck..

Its a sad day :/

Max is going to nebraska, thats pretty cool! He's going to do so well.

Hey Mom, I gotta run out really fast and do some errands here, were coming back, I just wrote max, I'm wiring you guys an update, hopefully dad can get some input in on the going home process, Just wait for that update,

I love you!

Elder Johnson

Week 86, September 1 - September 7, 2014

Hey Mom, Im thinking about you, we have to run, but i'll email a full detailed letter later, I love you, Im safe and healthy :) 

Love

Elder Johnson

That was it AGAIN!!:(

I said..

NOOOOOOOO!!! I've been waiting all week for your letter:( PLEASE email your mommy;) I love you!!

Week 85, August 25- August 31, 2014

Hey guys im on if theres a chance theres internet! I'll write a good report, Elder Bowen of the 70 is coming today, he'll be here in about an hour at the mission home.



That was it!!!!:(

Week 84, August 19 - August 24, 2014

It sounds like you guys are doing great, Its been absolutely crazy here! We have to close out and account for all the money we've spent as a mission the past month, by the end of the day tomorrow, as well as deal with all the things going on during ourtransfer week, we have to get the outgoing missionaries to manila and on a plane tomorrow, and handle the incoming missionaries the day after, It really strange to see the sisters we came in with going home, Its strange to think that after just 2 more of these outgoing groups, i'll be next, 

We had a great experience in office meeting yesterday, President gave the spiritual thought, it was on Elder Rasmussens conference talk on the Joyful Burden of DIscipleship, he said, with a smile,  it was fitting with all the things he's had to deal with in the past 6 weeks as a new mission president, but he got in to sustaining leaders, and tha tas we sustain leaders, we dont just raise our right hand, but we promise to take part of the burden of their position upon ourselves, to lift the hands that hang down and to strengthen the feeble knees, we got talking about this topic and we related sustaining a leader as loving that person enough to help them , and often times we show that love through just a simple suggestion, through giving an answer to a question, no matter how insignificant it may seem, As president was talking I thought about how blessed each of us in the office were to be in the situation to give he and sister that guidance when they need it, I thought of just how lonely leadership can be without being surrounded by those who love you enough to take upon themselves that burden, whether large or small, he thanked us with tears in his eyes for sustaining him the past few weeks, it helped me to see that the Lord places experiences in our lives to help us be fit for the kingdom regardless of our age, age doesn't stop those experiences from coming, and that this experience for president is as much a chance for him to grow as it is each of his missionaries. He's a truly humble man and the result of one who seeks first to be teachable.

Things are going great, Im learning each day, I feel healthy, eating well, putting on weight to try and be able to match tucker, haha, The lord is blessing us abundantly as active administers to the needs of the Philippines San Pablo Mission. 

Im getting a ton of computer time, alot of experience in excel, I'd love to work for your company! Im no expert yet, but each day I learn something new about excel, and were running some pretty crazy spread sheets from church headquarters. Its fun to get my game back in photoshop as well, were making maps to each apartment in the mission, Lots of fun projects!

Hey Zach! Its Tucker! Its good to hear from you! Im so excited to see you its unreal!!! Me and my friends have been thinking about making a band :D Stay sweet my man! your amazing! Heres a picture of me and my friend Josh :) (Jake Ostlers brother) we are photoshop pros XD

Bro (Tucker) Im so excited to see you! We'll go ski, disco skate, and whatnot, I think thats all I want to do when I get home, work and hang out with you!  haha thats a sweet shirt! The photoshop looks pretty good haha I think I remember that name.. Ostler.. A band is the way to go, chicks dig it :P JOKE! Its all about the music! everyone looks great!

Love you Bro

Week 83, August 11 - August 17, 2014

Hey Family, 

It was another crazy week here in the office, Were all over the place, were a moving company and a refrigerator repair shop, were the referral managers as well as budget consultants. Each day I learn something new and sometimes the days just throw a new adventure at you, This week we moved out a whole apartment and loaded it onto our ford ranger, It was a great time to think back to the knots I learned in scouting, We added about 5 feet of vertical height to our truck, but managed to get the whole apartment loaded, and make the 6 hour drive back to the mission home dodging low hanging power lines as we went. IO cant imagine the look on some drivers faces as we barreled down the canyon with 4 mattresses strapped on top of some desks blowing around in the wind. We felt a little bit like the minivan on the movie "Cars" with its hazards on, reving up to pass the big semi truck.

I have to say, Its not the most spiritual thing in the world to lift a fridge from an apartment to our truck, sometimes the spirit dosent whisper to you as strong while your entering travel reimbursements into the computer for the past meeting as when your teaching a lesson, but through it all I know that its still the Lords work.

I think the Lord wants me to gain a better respect of what happens behind the scenes of the church, he's given me a taste of the ministering duties of the church, and now he really wants to help me understand the administering duties, The ones that really aren't to public, the jobs no one really knows that are happening, but really do help the work progress. You always need office Elders, and I'm excited that the Lord wanted me to do that for him, I think there's alot I can learn, there's alot of ways that we can run the mission more effectively, and I know that if I really throw all I have into this position, through prayer and faith god will show those ways to us and we can really make a difference not only as ministers, but as administers in his kingdom.

I got your letters! Thanks for that, Its always fun, each of us in the apartment enjoyed the "hugs" from Bailee and Aimee

I feel healthy safe and blessed

I love you!

Elder Johnson

Yea, how are you guys? were working on filing an insurance claim for a senior couple who got in an accident!