last email

Hey family (#103…) I must say, this is quite strange. Today is my last p-day to do something fun. We are going bowling! And then on Wednesday I get to go to the Temple! This temple trip is basically what I have been waiting for since I got here to New York. It’s THE trip. President Bennion and his wife will accompany us this time (at our year mark they didn’t…). You may find it strange to hear but I’m also stoked to ride the train again! I love them! Talking to people on the train makes me feel like I’m in a movie! Conference was SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!! THE BEST EVER! (Sorry you got juked Beau… we only have 6 months don’t worry! One time I went by myself to our stake center. Well If I remember correctly… ask mom…???) I really enjoyed sitting there in Lynbrook once again in my usual seat taking meticulous notes. I feel like the highlight of the conference was President Monson’s first talk, It was this year that I really saw him as a prophet. I guess the shadow of president Hinckley was too great for me in April, but this time it really sunk in. I could just tell. President Eyring is amazing as well. His talks were extremely powerful and motivating. I had a cool experience last night right before bed time. Our branch president walked into our pad with the other elders and asked if we could give him a blessing. He asked elder Karl to anoint and me to seal. During the blessing the lord had me repeat a portion of Pres. Erying’s talk which particularly stuck out to me. He was talking about service in the priesthood and said “The more faithful service we give, the more the Lord expects from us.” This phrase is just as true as it is terrifying!  Being a leader is very taxing and isn’t easy. It wasn’t meant to be. But if you look at the man with the hardest job in the world, He always smiles. I’m referring to Pres. Monson. I can’t imagine him smiling when he has to close areas down or send missionaries home or excommunicate members, etc. It’s not easy to travel thousands of miles almost weekly and most of all to worry over the saints and their trials. THERE IS NO WAY THAT GOD IS NOT HOLDING THAT MAN TOGETHER! Another “theme” I particularly enjoyed was President Uchdorf’s talk on “stand close together and lift where you stand.” That’s really what this world needs, you wrote me dad “this world is NOT getting any better” and this is exactly what we need. People have got to start putting themselves aside and lifting others. And we’ve got to start having the unity of Zion. (President Eyring gave a very encouraging talk in which he commended us for how well are doing right now, and to improve what I already there.) I love to enter conference with 2 or 3 questions in my mind that I would like answered, this conference I particularly desired some further insight on my patriarchal blessing. Wow did I ever receive it. Ok, I didn’t have a vision but I really felt like the talks were directed at my blessing. Phrases kept passing through my mind from it and I was able to ponder what it is that the lord has in store for me. I strongly feel that I will need him a lot as I mature and really, “start” down my own path. Also I received a greater desire to serve the lord in my future callings, what ever they may be. I reflected on all my leaders and Bishops, etc. I realized just how big of an impact they had on my life. I think I have a busy future, to say the least. One last highlight was watching the world report between sessions, and hearing the prophet talk about the temple celebrations that have been taking place in the recent months. What an amazing contrast our youth have with the world! In modest clothing and illuminating happiness we danced and sang to praise our Lord and thank Him for a new temple! As we look forward to celebrations like these we will receive a glimpse of what our ancestors felt, and really comprehend why they went through so much. I have loved serving a mission. I love the feeling and love God gives me by completing his commandments. I now understand why a Prophet has given us this commandment. “Adam fell that men might be; men are that they might have joy.” 2 Nephi 2:25 Happiness comes at a price. It requires sacrifice. I love you family. – Elder Johnson –

BYU or Bust!!

Elder J has a job at a friends awning company when he gets home if he wants it. He will need the $$ to start school in January at BYU! Dad is so proud and soooo blue. (Although we have become fond of the U of U red, we need to keep a balance in this family!) He is training another new Elder, one of his favorite assignments. They are in an English speaking area.... that is a big change! He is happy and doesn't want to talk about coming home. just like all missionaries who are loving what they do!

We have a date!

We got a letter from Andrew's mission president that gave us a release date. He will come home Wednesday, October 15, 2008. We are happy to have a plan. His mission president has helped him apply to college. We are not sure where he will go yet, but he got accepted to a few great schools including BYU, which he is very excited about. It is fast approaching. We hare so happy. We will keep you updated. -Ashley and the Johnson family

It must be hot in Kenya. drink lots of water! this week has been one of the most amazing of my life. On Saturday we woke up at 5AM and went up to president Chirinos' house to hitch a ride to the temple. When I got to the temple I found out that there were 8 PEOPLE GETTING THIER ENDOWMENTS THAT MORNING!! Nicolas and Marlene werent sealed but it didnt dim the expirience what so ever! I think they are planning to go in September. they dont really know yet. It was absolutely spectacular, it made 100x's more sense to me this time. AND IT WAS IN SPANISH!!! It was truly amazing how the holy ghost told me exactly what they were saying in spanish I even did the last part in spanish! ;) A lot of fun! President Chirinos and I talked in the Celestial room for quite a while, remenissing on exactly what we had accomplished together. I will tell you, before I came back to Freeport i felt like a failure. Now I look back and think, "how dare I...". the lord is happy with that area it has been quite the ride. I look at how much time I have left and I finally understand how spud and all the other RM's if talked to feel. Its unjust how fast it goes. Do you realize i have been graduated for to whole years!!!!!! No one asked me if I was ok with that!!!!!! Sunday morning I was able to talk in church (in english) about a talk from this months ensign (p59.) I deviated quite a bit and gave it the andypants touch. I started out by sharing the liricks from "fereinheight 451" ( i think...) from FIVE IRON FRENZY!!! it was sick! I related it to this because the entire branch is very contentios and we are having race problems. Thus I had to create a third party. In the song Fredy M. dies of aids and the kids all made fun of him. I spoke about judging... it was a miracle because i had to fill 30 min. I could feel the lord putting words in my mouth and the delivery was extremely strait forward and powerful, I was extemely proud of myself, because I had NO IDEA how I was going to do it. Later that night I was able to see my family in Freeport attend the baptism of Elsa Cuello. I gave her a hymnal with the quote from patriarch Steenik in the front. I love you all there is much to do and so ill see you next week bye.

A letter to all

Hola familia! Bueno pues, the mission here in New York is warming up, in fact as we speak im getting ready to go to the beach! yes thats right a beautiful place does exist here. As soon as you leave the city it gets really nice here. I am now back in my first area, FREEPORT and loving life! i have had the opportunity to see all the converts the lord gave us grow so much! You cannot comprehend how much someone can change until you have seen it or been changed yourself. The lord has given me both of these opportunities! I have seen so many miracles, so many lifes blessed by this message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings hope to those who have none, and makes us whole. I have felt and seen the cleansing power of the atonement in New York, it is so real to me now. Christ was right when he said, "he that shall lose his life for my names sake, shall find it."I now finally feel like i know who I am, my strengths and my weaknesses, i feel like i belong here in New York. I can honestly testify of that promise from Christ, i found myself from finding others. The work is progressing so quickly here in New York! the world is on fire with the spirit, the lord has prepared so many to hear this wonderous message! i challenge you to do as the appostles and prophets even Jesus Christ have challenged us to do. Invite others to come to Christ, by helping them recieve the restored gospel, though faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end. I love you all so very much. Be faithful to the commandments, in them lies the strength and support we need in this world. i know this is true, i know christ lives. lets endure to the end. love, Elder Johnson.

Hey fam, yes my letter last week was really short. the library computers were extremely slow. but this week im in a internet cafe because its presidents day... so its a lot better. real quick before i forget, could you send me one of those "hold to the rod" key chains in spanish. we have a lady who is commited and she LOVED the lesson we had on the tree of life yesterday, she took my scriptures and looked up about 25 different scriptures and read along with her finger following the words as we read. the sunday school, branch, everything is AMAZING here. they have real correlation(well its not perfect but its 100xs better than brooklyn) and people are really excited about the work. i really enjoy my companion elder valdez. we are doing really well. all my companions have had lot of cool stories, its been fun to learn about them and my testimony gets stronger with each one. i had the opportunity to teach all the districts about planning. (its something that we are changing in the mission, we did it so wrong before. the brotheren from salt lake came and helped us realize how we can improve. ) i touhgt it 3 times to 3 different groups for 20 min. and each time it was different. the whole zone really liked it, everyone is so excited to change things around here we want to double our baptism like the prophet desires! (in realality it will be like 4xs the baptisms...) jamaica is so crazy, its 18 degrees today but looks like its at least 80. really wierd. my hand almost fell off carrying groceries back from the store. we had a new investigator in church finally! her name is felicita. she is from a tiny town in mexico. she actually speaks "chatino" which sounds like chinese, there is no written form of the language and only about 13000 people still speak it. and im not sure if they are mixing some spanish words in with it when they talk or if some words are similar. either way i understand about 1/10th of what they say. its crazy. we actually have to use her cousins husband name aureliano, he went to school and learned spanish. most chatinos dont they just farm and live and stuff... aureliano is amazing elder Walston found him in the park drunk and his wife wanted to divorce him, with a little 7yearold daughter. now they are happily married, its one of those miracles stories. he has read the entire standard works in 7 months!! so we love having him teaching felicita with us. peoples lives here are so sad, the gospel is such a blessing. i could say that right now in my mission its the high point, im the happiest i have ever been in my life. im working harder and seeing more miracles, this is finally LIFE for me, i feel at home here. i remember driving through jamaica with elder petitt on our way home to freeport and wanting to pee my pants! its was terrifying to me. now its a cake walk, it is so much bigger than it really seems, its just like living in an older utah, with more people, and no one is from the us. ha ha. I love you all. i am in the lords hands. he guides us when we are obedient. remember this, this week, service is what allows us to feel the love of christ. until next week. andy

Merry Christmas Everyone!! To our surprise a package came in the mail on Dec 24th from New York. We all got new Do-Rags in various colors for Christmas from Andy. (Just what I always wanted!?) But Andy says we cannot wear them to church! Our Christmas phone call came, as planned, at 2pm Christmas Day. Emilee, Charity and Randall were here with us and we used the speaker phone so all could hear the conversation. We talked for an hour and a half . Andy and the Elders in his District were spending the day hanging out at the Church. They emptied their refrigerator and made a yummy breakfast casserole. They took the stockings we made for all of them, and all of their gifts from home and had a real Christmas Morning together. Andy said it was fun. We made them all flannel pillowcases to help them feel cozy through the winter. Andy liked his big box of Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Pop Tarts! He said he will save the silk ties we sent for interviews with the president he said he only wears polyester (yuck) ties daily, because they can take the rain.....(and I imagine hanging on the floor too). I am sure he looks great in polyester!! He also told us they give each other haircuts to save money. We offered to put a few extra dollars in his account..... Grandpa and Grandma Marge sent him a box of treats from Davids (candy). They all really enjoyed it immediately. And Gramma J sent a big box of Candy and Puffs from Canada. Score!! Andy will probably be known as the Candy Man from now on. The big transfer date was moved back to two days after Christmas instead of the scheduled two days before. What a nice Mission President!! Andrew had us all going for awhile when he told us he was going to be transfered to Jamaica!! The Mom was so concerned!.... then she remembered who she was talking to and figured it was a trick. But he really is going to Jamaica - Queens. (Mom is still concerned). Fortunately culture shock is not one of the things that slows Andy down. He loves the variation!! He will still be the District Leader and there are Sister Missionaries in this area. That scares him a little. Only nine and a half months till he comes home. (who's counting?) His Mission President suggested that he start planning his arrangements for College applications with our help so he can go to School next January. Dad has volunteered for that job happily!! Well, we will post a letter in the next little while from Elder J for you to read. But for now, He sends his love to everyone!!!