Monday, March 26, 2012

A very Diverse week!

Warning: this email is going to be short and not include many details but enjoy ;)  So this week i hit my year mark in the mission field! March 23 was when i arrived in Lowell MA being trained by Elder W and now a year later Im serving with him again. Kinda cool, huh? Its been so fun serving with him. He goes home in June and its going to be sad to see him leave, but he has grandparents that live in StG. Actually, dad probably knows them. Elder W might be in St. George in the summer for a reunion so I'll make sure he stops by if he does.

Look for he reason I named this Diversity Week:  We spent half of this week on exchanges with other missionaries in Providence and it was way fun. The first one was with Elder C from Alpine Utah and it was soooo much fun. He is a great missionary and way funny. We got to eat at one of our investigator's house and they had a HUGE seafood Feast! We had fresh lobster and I had an entire Crab on my plate and lots of other stuff. It was so good. She is from Guatemala but the dish was from Spain.

Later in the week I was on an exchange with Elder M from New Zealand!  He has such a sick accent and i picked up on alot of it and some way cool words. He always uses "Dodgy" instead of sketchy and other cool words where there aren't really any direct translations to us in american english. It is so crazy how different our lives were before the mission. He has seen alot of cool things and has traveled all over the world. Thats another cool thing is that no matter what background we had or where we came from, all of us missionaries are out here doing the same thing, teaching people about the same universal truths. This gospel is soooo true. I love this church.

I got to interview this lady for baptism this week that looked exactly like Edna Mode (from the movie The Incredibles) It was so awesome! The only difference is that her hair is blond instead of black. We also got to meet with some Cambodians but they are the younger generation so only spoke english with us but they have some potential.

And to top off the diversity week, we had dinner with some members from the Philippines. The husband used to be a stake president there and he told us lots of stories and a ton about my cousin Cody's mission so it was alot of fun. He taught us some Tagalog and so now i can communicate with Cody... haha, NOT.

All of our investigators are doing well- A is a young boy that gets to church every week by calling people and finding his own ride. Its awesome. Once he gets permission we can baptize him.  M called us and said he was going back to his old church but he was very grateful for all we did to help him find God again.

So ya life is great! The weather is nice... well last week it was. So can't complain. I know this church is true and Thomas Monson is a TRUE Prophet. Enjoy conference! Do everything you can to be able to watch all the sessions. It is a revelatory time. Think of questions or concerns you have and i promise that they will be answered and solved by the end of conference :) I love you!


Love,
Elder Brady Johnson

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

I just gotta tell you that I am so grateful for all the things I am learning out here and the things that my family and friends have taught me and continue to teach me. I love learning. I've even grown an appreciation of politics, which is kinda ironic because i got it while on a mission, the one place we aren't ever supposed to talk about it haha :) But really tho, learning new things and bettering yourself because of it is so much fun! Its probably my favorite thing to do in life right now. We "gots" to gain all the knowledge that we can for that is what will rise with us in the resurrection as you all know.

Well in other news, this was a great week! lots of exciting and random things that happened and to be honest it wasn't a week with the greatest of numbers but that is because we had lots of meetings and travelings but all in all it was a solid week. So monday we were filmed on a talk show program that one of our members runs. She usually talks alot about religion and her son is just about to go on his mission so we joined him and her on the show and just talked a little bit about ourselves and about what we do as missionaries and then a lot about the church. It was way cool and alot of fun. We will be watching what it looks like with the editing and then they will air it. It is just a small local station but still, its pretty tight! Soccer was also fun but not that fun cuz no one really knows how to play very well.

Tuesday we went over to help the young man who was on the TV show with us finish packing and getting ready to go on his mission. It was weird being there for the goodbye with his mother and brother and to go vicariously through that again. It was pretty emotional but his mom is a champ and gave a great pep talk. Then we rode with them to the airport in Warwick, RI to see him off. Man, did that make me trunkie! I don't want to go to an airport again until its time for me to go home haha. The reason we did all that is because the Bishop asked us to. And now he is happily in the MTC and will be serving in the SLC South mission and so I will most likely see him when im at school next year ha!

Wednesday we got facials, for free. You jealous? haha. Yup it was great! Oh the things you never thought you would ever do but do while on your mission. I love missionary experiences haha. Thursday was my favorite day because we had a leadership training from 9-3pm with mostly President Evans instructing us on how we can be better missionaries, leaders and people now and after our missions. He is such a great man. And Sister Evans is wonderful too and not just because of her cooking. It is so funny when they both get up and teach us and it usually turns into Marriage 101, haha. Im going to miss them so badly when they go home this summer. I left that meeting so pumped and excited to share the gospel and talk to everyone and so thats what i did!

J is still doing wonderfully and is working towards baptism. She totally accepted the word of wisdom and made some immediate adjustments to her life. Its amazing to see the gospel bless these people's lives. I love this mission and I love this work. Jesus Christ is our Savior and He leads this church thru our beloved Prophet Pres. Monson. Im so ready for General Conference! Take good notes everyone and feel free to share them with me! Love yall! bye

ps. tell Nick and Dahlson to write me since they have so much free time :)


Love,
Elder Brady Johnson

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

HeY EvErYoNe!!!!

I feel like i have been skimming on the details of my life as a missionary lately so i will do my best to update you on the goings on of the week and about my investigators.  We are getting pretty worn out because we are teaching alot of people, which is awesome, don't get me wrong, its just, tiring and makes it hard to meet with everyone. But this is one problem I am glad to be dealing with. Because, lets face it, its always better to be teaching than just finding all the time. 

J is the lady from Sierra Leone... I think, and we have not been able to meet with her and teach a lesson in a whole month but you wanna know the crazy thing?! She has come to church every single sunday! Its the weirdest thing ever haha.  but we finally got an appointment with her this weekend and she has been super busy at work-working like 12 hour days 7days a week!  And she told us she has some friends that are anti and try to confuse her and tell her lies and she is handling it like a champ by saying things like, "Have you ever studied with them? Then how can you say these things?" or "how about you come talk to the missionaries that i meet with and they can answer your questions." Haha They haven't taken her up on the offer but it gets them to stop bugging her.  So her date for baptism is probably going to be on Easter-April 8th :)

M is another man we are meeting with. He is an older man and is very interested in the gospel and changing his life.  He has lots some problems but he slowly overcoming them thru the power of prayer.  He has come to church 3 weeks in a row except for this week.

H is is doing awesome!  It is so nice to be able to go to the C's house every monday and eat a delicious dinner and then have a great lesson.  H has now read all of the Book of Mormon and the entire Doctrine and Covenants!  Still don't have a date for baptism but we are going to be finishing up on all the commandments and then extend a baptism date.  We invited her to be baptized in the first lesson and she said she would be baptized but did not accept the date. And so we have been waiting until the time feels write to re-invite her.  I have a strong feeling that when we do, she will say yes!

Now for some random thinigs of the week.  We played alot of volleyball this week and I'm getting pretty good.  I wish our high school had a boys volleyball team, ha its way fun! We met with the Stake Presidency (cuz that is one of the things we do as zone leaders) and they are really awesome! They are really trying to make a push on missionary work in the stake and they want us to try and get as many people as possible in our respective wards to come out and help us with the work. And so that is what our main focus is this transfer in our area and with our zone.  Because we see that when members get involved and help us teach a lesson or visit someone, they feel the spirit and want to start sharing the gospel themselves.  I think we are going to see alot of miracles this transfer. We helped someone move to a new apartment but thats nothing new.  I think missionaries should open their own moving business because we do it all the time here! But i like it. I just have realized that I don't want to move alot when I've got a family and what not because it is such a hassle. So thanks mom and dad for sparing me from that. 

Interesting fact, I now have Satin Hands and Satin Lips thanks to one of our members who works for Mary Kay and she let us try out some of the products like the satin hands treatment and satin lips treatment :) Not gonna lie, it was pretty awesome and this week we are getting facials!!!!! Oh the wonderful things you get to do as a missionary!

I don't know about you but Daylight savings time switch-a-roo totally destroyed me haha Im so tired today and was yesterday. Oh before i forget, I have been meaning to write you all this time and tell you that the Weather Here has been so good!  This winter was one of the mildest winters in New England in a loooooong time.  Everyone told me that I would just freeze and be miserable come winter and there would be tons of snow but i guess they were alll wrong!  I only saw it snow 3 times where in actually stuck -but only like 3 inches at the most and it was melted the next day. And it only got below 20 degrees for like 2 weeks, 3 tops.  So i got really lucky cuz i don't really like the cold.  I LOVE the Hot! And today it is perfect weather so we are going to play soccer outside- my first time in like 4 months!  I hope i still remember how to play.  Oh and we are going to be on TV today! haha Elder W and I will be special guests on this local tv channel because one of our members in the ward have some sort of tv broadcast and so she wants to interview us on tv along with her son who is about to go on a mission just so the community gets to know us a little better. Should be interesting :)

Well I love you all! Be Good and be safe and Brock, thanks for beating Delta in soccer! 


Love,
     Elder Brady Johnson

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Hello My family and Friends!

First some shout outs: Grandma, I love your letters so much! you are sooo funny.  Thanks for the family picture calendar!  I love calendars if you didn't know.  I have like 4 that are put up above my desk ha. Brock you are such a stud! I want to play soccer SOOOOOO Bad!  Tell anyone who remembers me I say hi.  Mom and Dad I love you! Thanks for the long descriptive emails! Dad, Im pretty sure you wouldn't have alot of late nights at the office if you didn't spend your days on the golf course haha

Here are the major events of my life this past week aka my top 10:

1. M got confirmed and I was the one who got to confirm her.  It was pretty awesome.  And she is ready to be put to work and get a calling.  She is so excited.

2. On our long drive to Ashford, CT for district meeting we listened to a talk by Scott Simons in 1992 about how we need to have fun in life and that the gospel is what makes it fun!  We only live once but if we live right, once is enough.

3.On Friday Elder W and I were a bit worn out so we pretty much just had a movie day.  Haha we watched various church videos with our investigators/members. 

4. Transfer texts happened and we are staying the same and not receiving any reinforcements because there just aren't enough people coming out on missions....  I don't know the real reason but we are losing way more than we are gaining so lots of areas are closing down lately.

5. We had Zone Leader Council at the mission home yesterday and that means breakfast and lunch made by Sister Evans which also means that it is delicious! She made chicken enchiladas exactly like Mom does!

6. Also with Zone Leader Council we get to see all of our other leader friends and spend time with president and discuss the needs of the mission.  We also talked about our new mission president and he is President Packard and he will be bringing his wife of course and 3 kids! crazy. He gets here in July.

7.  We went to an investigators birthday party (he goes to Brown University) so we were with all of his friends at a restaurant and it was fun cuz the Duke vs UNC game was on and I may or may not have glanced over from time to time haha.

8. Went on exchanges with Elder S from a really small town in British Columbia I think... But it was really cool to learn more about canada

9.  In the first 6 days of March we have driven 400 miles already.  That is alot of driving but I LOVE to drive.  The reason for so much is because driving to New London and back for a baptismal interview, district meeting in Ashford and ZLC in Needham MA. 

10.  Elder W threw a grape into my mouth from 20ft away and i didn't even have to move. It was pretty epic.

Sorry this is kinda lame but we don't have lots of time.  I love you all so much and am so grateful for all the mail and emails and prayers and everything!

Love,
     Elder Brady Johnson