July 18, 2011

Oh man why did EVERYONE have to write to me about the Harry Potter movie?! I can't wait to see it in 1 and a half years.  I'll probably have to read all the books over again for the 4th or 5th time(?) before i watch it.  A few days ago me and Elder G challenged each other to some harry potter trivia.  I won obviously, but i was quite proud of him for knowing so much :)

Real quick, i don't know if i've told you or not but the roads here in Massachusetts are CRAZY!  Someone just dumped a bowl of spaghetti on a map and then that became the roads.  You guys would not believe how crazy the roads/intersections are.  Plus the rules of driving are just different here than most places.  Crazy crazy crazy.  Ok sorry i just had to let you know how i felt :)

We just started going to the gym every morning at 6am cuz Elder D got special permission from President Evans cuz he will  be playing football at BYU and needs to get back in shape. So we all get to go :)  Anyways this morning i saw the news that said the US women's soccer team lost.  Thats a bummer. 

Thanks dad for your advice about not always knowing at first what the Lord has in store for you but that it will all make sense later.  I had an experience with that yesterday actually.  Allow me to explain: -Sunday at 6pm we found out our 3 appointments with supposedly solid investigators all cancelled on us with in a couple of mins.  My first thought was, "NOOOOO now we have to tract all night."  but then i thought: "ok heavenly father, what do have in store for us? there has to be a reason that you cancelled all our appointments, what is it that we need to do?"  We decided to try to meet a potential investigator that we haven't seen for a few weeks when we met him.  We went to his house and he was there and he set up a time for us to come back next week.  Then we get a call from a less active member who is living with her fiance that is not a member.  We've been trying to meet with them forever and they told us to come over that night.  Bingo!  We went, had an awesome discussion and asked G (the non member) if he would get baptized.  He said he wants to and has gone through the missionary lessons before its just he's not married yet.  Apparently they got engaged a year ago planning to get married but it didn't happen.  So we asked them to pray for a wedding date and then we could set a baptismal date!  It was such a good lesson and i can't wait to see the outcome of their prayers.  That was definitely what the Lord needed us to do that night.

Mom i loved your insight to Pres. Uchtdorf's article in the Ensign this month. I totally made that same connection about jumping into the water with the gainers [back flips] I do when i read that talk earlier this month.  Great minds think alike!  The thing is, most people aren't impressed with what a gainer is until they see someone do one.  And i haven't been able to do one to show an example haha.  But ya there is no middle ground.  There is no going half way.  You have to go all out and accomplish the thing you committed to in order to reap the benefits.  Its like a quote i really love:  "If you are almost willing and almost worthy then you will Almost get the blessing."

i totally feel the same way about what happens to the Nephites in the beginning of 3rd Nephi.  It is how the world is today.  People don't want anything to do with God, and they don't even have a reason for that.  Its just that, like in the days of Ether, Satan has such a great hold on the hearts of the people and the spirit of the lord is starting to cease to abide with them.  We as members and missionaries alike are to bring that spirit back into their lives.  If we don't do something, our brothers and sisters will be lost.

Just fyi me and elder g did absolutely nothing special on our 6th month mark.  It was just another day.  the weather here is way weird.  One day it will be 90 or so with lots of humidity and then the next it is 70 degrees and rainy.  It really isn't too unbearably hot.  For someone who has experienced but the dry and humid heat, i think st. George is hotter in the summer.  but  most people don't believe me.  I did get the cookies from Karli. Thanks Sis!  My companions loved them and so did i.  I don't think i need anything.  there is some things i could use but i will wait til my birthday/christmas in order to ensure that i actually get presents haha :)

But yup things are going good.  M and V are loving church, R still isn't to hot on it.  M came to church and young womens earliar and she is liking it.  We are going to be committing bro B (part member that we have been teaching for the last month) to be baptized so please pray that he will accept it and will be willing to work towards a date (he has many concerns).  I don't know if i said anything about the A family but they are way solid.  They speak spanish and english perfectly and live in Lynn so they could either go to the Lynn spanish branch with the spanish elders or go to our ward.  We don't care who teaches or what not we just want things to work out the best way they can for their own spiritual growth.  Pray that things all go well :)

Thats about it.  We did alot of speaking Khmae with people but no real investigators.  Elder B taught a new way of contacting which is just talking to them about random things.  Apparently its not weird for a couple of strangers to walk up to you and and ask how many kids you have, where they live, how old they are, how many grandkids you have, how long you have been in america, etc... if you are a cambodian that is normal? haha its fun tho.  Im excited for what the new week holds. 

I love you all and im so grateful for your examples.  I love hearing about your insights and experiences so keep sharing them.  Special thanks to Emilee Johnson for her awesome letter i got this week!  Keep Rejoicing :)  and i also got the letters from the Luekenga's and i loved them, especially the pictures! 

You guys are all amazing!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson