WAHOOOOOO YAY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (This is the picture of the computer screen while we were skyping.  Brady always has to pull a face!)

Isn't life just the greatest?!  I love life, I love my family, I really love being on a mission and I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  What else can i even say?  Its just a good day :)  Thanks all of you for what you do to make my day. 

So talking to all yous guys on sunday was awesome.   Im so glad we got to skype cuz the funnest part was being able to see you all and your faces and how much you've grown-some more than others and some growing up and some growing wider ;)  It was awesome cuz for a few minutes I was just there, with the family. I was in on the family conversations and the jokes and it was just alot of fun.  I love yous guys!  ps i definitely approve of the name Brody for Blake and Karli's baby. It's cool that it is a combination of me and Brock's name (and Cody too... right?)  Im super jealous that you are all going to that Michael Jackson Cirque show in Vegas, but at least I'm not missing a cruise like we did to Blake ha. The presents were all great and I have tons of sweets to tide me over for the next little while. 

Alright now to my week.  Not gonna lie, it was not the best week we had. Lots of people canceling appointments and lots of distractions aka christmas so not a whole lot got done.  But one of our investigators-D is getting baptized on Jan 8th so that is legit!  We are trying to get his brother to get baptized the same day but he is a little unsure.

I also decided that I live with "Elder Calhoun" from the movie The Best Two Years.  Our greenie Elder S is like him in some ways and its hilarious.  Every night we come home and he is bursting with excitement to tell us EVERYTHING that happened to him that day ahaha its the best.  He is really good at spanish already and is a good missionary. 

This week Elder A and I went to a concert.... which im pretty sure it was supposed to be a funeral but was mostly a concert haha.  A lady in our ward who is pretty inactive had her mom pass away and her other church (which is a born again christian church) did the funeral for her but she invited us and a few other members in our ward to the funeral.  It was ridiculous.  After the service we were all eating lunch in the cafeteria they have in the church and we were sitting next to one of the pastors and we started just having a nice chat asking him about himself and how he became a pastor and then he started asking questions about our church and then quoting the bible to tell us we were wrong in believing one thing or the other.  But his arguements were so hollow and i could've said so many things to prove him wrong in what he was saying but I don't bash.  Some missionaries do it and get into it but not me.  I know what i would say to prove them wrong but its useless cuz they are soo illogical that logic goes right over their heads.  So instead, Elder A and I just smiled and bore some solid witnesses of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and he didn't know what to say so he condemned us both to Hell and got up and left.  It was fantastic hahaha I think i had too much fun with that one.

Lets see what else.... Christmas eve we had a zone get together and gift exchange and then we went carolling at the Old Folks home where we do service every week playing hangman and pictionary with the guys.  It was just like old times going singing on sunday nights in St. George with all my friends.  They were all very sweet and appreciative.  Then we proceeded to the B's house for your traditional christmas dinner... NOT haha we had King Crab and shrimp cocktail.  Nothing is ever normal in the B home but thats how i like it!

Christmas day we woke up and opened presents and then made a Huge breakfast.  Then went to church for an hour and 4 investigators came that have never come to church before and who we've only talked to over the phone so that was cool.  Hopefully we can start teaching two of them -the other two we are sending to the university elders in Cambridge.  We dinner at R and R's house and they actually made a traditional christmas dinner of ham and what not.  It was so good.  I love those two families so much.  I don't know how i got so lucky being able to teach them and bring them to this gospel. They are so solid!  Then I called my family and that was that.  Christmas is kinda bitter sweet cuz its Christmas and awesome and all that but it comes and goes so fast.  Oh and no snow on christmas!  I was so looking forward to a legit white christmas but Nope.  maybe next time.

Well peeps this is a beautiful time of the year.  Time to make some new years resolutions. So set some goals and go about actively accomplishing them.  I have lots of stuff I still have to do and lots to become before I go home next year.  I love you all.  Be good. 

--

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Yup, I love Christmas!

Well like I predicted, these last few days have been pretty darn crazy. First off, How is Christmas only 6 days away? Where did the time go? I wish I could spend the holiday with you all but duty calls :)  Just so you know, I am loving it out here! 

So thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday all involved some sort of time spent planning/organizing the area.  Like I told you, we took over the Sisters' area and so now we have the whole area and ward to ourselves.  That means we are super busy for the next little while.  Its been crazy trying to take the two area books (each set of missionaries in an area have what we call an area book that holds all the teaching records, progress records and just lots of records.  *if you have further questions about area books please refer to the nearest RM to you)  and make it into one clean, nice, organized and functioning Area book of Champions haha.  Im pretty proud of myself at how organized I am becoming. Still not a perfectionist, by any means, but I like things to look nice.  Plus Im not only organizing for myself and Elder A but for all the future missionaries that will come to Revere.  Its taken alot of time but it will be worth it. 

Wednesday after emailing, we went down to Boston to Quincy Market and did some christmas shopping and it was so much fun!  Oh and ps it finally decided to get cold here :(  haha but no worries, I've got my thermals!  

Thursday Elder P came home with a brand new greenie! He is so cute!  haha jk but he is a cool guy and totally green :) But i love it! I want my own greenie.  His name is Elder S from Nevada.  He is just super fired up like most greenies straight from Home Base aka MTC. 

Friday...stuff happened, I know it but just can't remember haha.  We made a green breakfast for our new roommate and it was so cool.  Green pancakes, green eggs and ham, green smoothies, and green jello.  Aren't we just the best roommates?  Oh and we had district meeting and now and Im still the district leader.  Boy have the dynamics changed a ton in this district over the months.

 

Saturday we went to two parties both with investigators! Thats whats up.  B had us over for his daughters birthday party along with his whole family.  It was a bit awkward but hey, what's a mission without awkward moments?  His mom actually talked to us and was saying she was so shocked but pleased at how much he has changed in the last few months.  She introduced us to her younger son and pretty much wants us to do the same thing to him haha.  Both of the guys came to church on sunday and had a good time.  That makes 3 weeks in a row for B!  it really has been amazing to see him changing.  He has become a good friend and I hope he will someday get baptized.  The 2nd party was an investigator family that the sisters were working with wanted to do something nice for someone at Christmas and so they had a member in our ward who is single and living alone and lost his mother earlier this year over to their house and they bought him a present and we kinda just had christmas with him. It was really awesome.  That family is super solid.   Im excited to further work with them. 

Sunday was a wonderful day!  We taught a new investigator because he was meeting with the bishop cuz he wants to go to byu and then he met with us cuz he wants to know more about the church.  It was a way solid lesson and he is very interested in everything.  Too bad we will probably have to transfer him to the university ward in cambridge but thats ok.  Church was amazing because we had 6 investigators at church and this sunday was the main christmas program. And let me tell you, this ward has sooooo much talent!  There were lots of musical numbers and few speakers and the spirit was so strong.  I feel like they should do that way more often in church ha.  At church our dinner for that night cancelled but someone else offered to have us over so we were saved!  We ended the night by going over to the M's house along with a couple of other families and acted out the Nativity!  It was alot of fun and there were little children all over the place.  Oh and they had some non member friends who we got to talk to and maybe more will come of that :)

So ya.  Things are going quite splendidly.  I can't complain really.  I love it out here.  Someone asked me today while in the store if I liked it out here and my reply was "yes" of course but then i thought about it, and you know what, I really do love it out here!  Ya it definitely not Utah and it is super crazy and the driving is insane and people are weird ha but I really love it out here.  More and more I find myself thinking that I could see myself pulling "a Blake and Karli" and move out here after i get my bachelors and try and go to Harvard Business school.  I have connections already so who knows haha.  I also love this holiday and season.  I love Christmas and I love it because of the closeness I feel with my savior.  Gifts really don't mean as much to me this year.  I feel like I have really been able to focus on our Savior and His birth and I am so happy!  Christ is the Lord.  Praise His name forever.  He is Wonderful.  The counselor.  The mighty God and the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  I love you all and am so grateful for your examples in my life.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Who's up for round 6?

Yup thats right, Im staying for my 6th transfer here in Revere!  Crazy stuff.  T- Texts were insanely suspensful and nerve wracking but its all over and there are a million changes.  Elder A and I stay the same cept for one minor detail, The Sisters are being taken out of our ward and moved to a different one.  So that means We are taking over the whole ward and area.  That means we take all their investigators and members they have been working with.  Its gonna be a crazy next few weeks but im excited. I feel like the reason they took out a pair of missionaries is becuase our ward has been doing so well that the mission pres thinks they can be covered by just one pair of missionaries.  The ward members are sad to see them go, and so are we, but now we are going to be super busy which i love!  So i will be celebrating christmas and my year mark here :)  Im happy about the results and look forward to combining these areas.  Im still the district leader too.  So before i forget, Mom don't forget to send me everyones christmas cards. Also, I can skype again this christmas and so i will probably do it around 4-6pm your time on sunday. 

Ok so now to answer some random questions, The weather here is so weird.  We had a record high november and so far its been between 40-60 in december which is apparently unusual. So i haven't frozen yet.  but today is cold.  I can't believe that blake and Karli are gonna have a boy! thats awesome.  Name him Brady Duh!  Thats an easy one :) or call him Stephan (brock and the Dhills soccer team know what im talking about) or call him Bill.  Thats all i got. 

Brock i feel for you man, the ACT is a tough one but watch, you will get like a 33 or something cuz you are just that smart. and plus, since when were you in choir? how come no one ever tells me anything?  Stacy, you are gonna be a ballroom dancing machine! You will have to teach me, cuz we all know its not cool when mom tries to make us learn hahah just kidding of course :)  No but seriously, i really want to do ballroom when i get back. Don't ask me where it came from cuz i don't know. 

So a month ago i was at my heaviest and i was 197lbs, so close to 200 but then i decided i was sick of stuffing myself and making myself eat more so i just stopped and went back to my normal eating habits and in two weeks i lost 12lbs haha isn't that crazy?  I try and still study khmae every day and i speak it alot to Elder A but he hardly ever speaks back to me in it.  I'm really really good at reading and comprehension but speaking fluency is a bit of a challenge for me.  I can say what i want to for the most part, its just slow.  Hopefully i will get transferred to providence next transfer cuz there is tons of khmae work to do there. And no, we never use our khmae these days cept when we go to the S family each week. But brother S started coming to church again and so i sit next to him through the classes and translate some stuff so thats fun.

Well our investigators are doing good.  Now that we have all the sisters' people our investigators pool tripled haha ya the sisters were on fire this last transfer and now we get everything. Its kinda nice.  We now have 4 people with a baptismal date in january so like i said before, we will be extremely busy.  I still don't know much about our new investigators but after this week I'll tell you about them.  G and R still have some issues but we still go over and we are preparing G for baptism. 

B is doing awesome!  He came to our ward christmas Party on saturday(which by the way was really awesome.  I was impressed.  The members who were in charge of it really out did theirselves.  The elders quorum had to do a dance/skit thing while the audience sang "Up on the Housetop" and they got us missionaries to join in and somehow i was in a santa suit dancing around the whole performance haha).  B came to the party all dressed up in his white shirt and tie that we bought him and he was clean shaven.  He stayed the whole time and really liked it. Our members were awesome with him and really made him feel comfortable.  That night we asked him if he wanted to come to church and if we should get a ride and he was like, "oh i don't know, we'll see what happens." The next day he comes walking into church with a huge grin on his face and said, "Bet you didn't think i was coming, did ya?" He is really progressing.   Oh funny story, we went over to his house one night and we watched a few mormon.org videos and then went to the kitchen and found that his daughter had taken all of his cigarettes out and snapped them in half haha then elder A told him that it was a sign from God to stop smoking.  but yep he is doing well and he told us that he had prayed alot that we wouldn't get transferred ha.  He is such a good guy.

Well family, thats all I got for right now.   I just want to let you all know that the longer I've been on a mission, the more evident it is to me the importance of serving a mission and that It is absolutely the #1 best thing in the whole wide world that a guy like me could do at this point in my life.  It is honestly just essential.  19-21 yr old boys HAVE to go on missions.  They just have to.  I am totally convinced that this work is true.  That this church is true.  I feel so close to my savior and I'm so grateful for this season and this time to celebrate Him.  I miss you all but I am loving it out here.  Make sure you all take some time to sit back and reflect about Christ.  He is the way the Truth and the Light.

Have a lovely week!

.Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Hey everybody!  I am so happy right now! things are just wonderful.  Life is great, I've got the best family and friends in the world (well they could be better if they wrote letters more ;), things are going good and I love being a missionary!  Yes I did see the Christmas devotional last night but missed parts of it cuz some random guy called us saying that he had got a card from us a long time ago and wants to come to church and meet with us. Cool huh? haha  

Ok so now for why I am so happy.  Well it all has to do with Sunday but it has been something in the process for the last 6 months and it all finally came to yesterday.  First off, we've been really focusing on the member missionary lessons this transfer, more than others and we've had some really good families take the lessons and have good experiences with it.  One family set a date to find someone for us on dec. 3 and they did it! and we will be teaching them this week or next!  Then in church we had 3 members get up and bear testimony on missionary work mentioning us and the member missionary lessons and all the cool things they've learned and all the cool experiences they've started to have.  There was a definite excitement about missionary work in the air.  Also, B came to church! His first time and he stayed the whole time and liked it.  G also came.  We also got to watch the christmas devotional like I mentioned and got that random referral and then a member called saying he was out doing visits with the elders quorum and they had just been in the missionary spirit and contacted some lady on the street and talked about the gospel and she is way interested!  Its finally happening! Our Ward is becoming a missionary ward!  Im so stoked!  Its so awesome and it has been alot of work but I think it is now self sustainable.  im just sad cuz I'll probably get transferred next week and not get to be here for all of the success.  But oh well, thats life right? Im just ready to go do the same thing in a new ward.

So speaking of transfers, the texts come on saturday and that means that I wont write til wednesday next week.  That also means that you should start sending things to the mission home starting monday the 12th cuz i have no idea what will happen. 

We get to go to the temple on tuesday with President and Sister Evans and our zone and Im way excited!

Well thats all i got time for but just know that i love you all and make sure to follow Pres. Uchtdorf's counsel of not getting caught up in trying to have the picture perfect christmas, cuz most likely, its not gonna happen.  So don't be caught up in the stress and worry of trying to make everything perfect but just focus on the sublime and joy of this season and remember Christ.  We are so blessed!  Don't you just love this time of year?! its impossible not to be happy when you are so focused on what we have been given and on Christ.  I love you guys!  Have a wonderful week!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Thanksgiving week

All I Gotta say is WOW! I feel so loved!  Im so glad everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  Not gonna lie, I was a bit trunkie, but who isn't during the holidays?  I love hearing about everything happening in your lives. I just love all of you guys so much and I am very grateful to be a part of such a wonderful family!  Im also glad I was allowed out of the storage room for the holidays, haha I love that card board cut-out of me.  Send pictures please!  Im getting ready to send lots of pictures this week or next so get ready! Just to answer your question mom, we have somewhat of a mission gathering for christmas and it is just a Zone Temple trip.  Ours is dec. 9th so im way excited.  I Love the temple and wish we could go more.

Okie dokie here goes my week. We had a awesome lesson with the S's and watched Elder Scott's talk on celestial marriage and the spirit was very powerful and they loved it.  So then i asked them right there if they would get married and they said yes!  (Ya go figure, im not only committing people to be baptized but to get married haha)  They might get married in December and then get baptized the same day if possible!  Its so awesome. I hope its before the transfer so i can be there for sure.  Still not sure I'll get transferred but it a big possiblility.  But ya that is my good news minute of the week ha. 

So kinda a tangent but I've realized that being a missionary is just amazing.  Think about it.  19-21 year old boys are teaching people about salvation and teaching how to read and understand scriptures, we counsel people with their addictions or other problems, we give marriage counseling, people tell us EVERYTHING and trust us to know what to do in every situation, and they take our advice no matter what. and this is just to name a few things.  And i think to myself, WOAH im just a kid, how and why is this happening.  There is only one explanation- This Church is True. We have a True Prophet.  We are Truely called by God to this work.  If it wasn't true, There is no way any of this could work.  It just amazes me.  Im convinced that the mission prepares you for everything and anything that will happen later in life.  I love being a missionary!

So Thanksgiving was nice.  We woke up and did studies and then had an hour long photo shoot on our deck upstairs with the other elders.  It was so much fun and we got some legit pics.  Why did we do this, one might ask? well, you see, we are creating a little christmas surprise :) You'll see!  Then we had Thanksgiving dinner at about 2pm at the church with a few of the members who got together and it was really really good and i ate a whole bunch.  Lots of dessert too.  Im turning into dad where i have to eat dessert immediately after each meal.  Its a wonderful lifestyle :)

We also visited families like the L family and they invited us to eat with them while we were there but unfortunately, no more room in our bellies.  That night we went to the D's  and met all of their extended family and had a good time talking to them about the church and what we do and we may or may not have eaten more desserts... plus they gave us tons of their left overs and A made the greatest stuffing in the whole world.  Im gonna have to get the recipe cuz it was delicious.  Too bad they aren't interested in being baptized, but we still are grateful for the friendship we have created and I'm totally going to keep in contact with them.  They are just good people. oh and to end the night we got together as a zone and played basketball and volleyball at the church and that was alot of fun. 

Ya nothing much else happened this week.  We have continued our work with the members and it has been really good.  The time is soon at hand when the member referrals will start flowing.  And it will be a glorious day when it happens. We are so close. We taught this couple about the word of wisdom and even tho they did not commit to living it they feel like its true and good.  As soon as they come to church and gain a testimony everything else will just fall in place. 

Saturday morning we went and played bball with a couple of the dental students and it was a ton of fun.  Dad you'd be so proud of my basketball skills haha. Im gonna come back and just school you :)  and Ryan. 

That about does it for me on my end.  I just want to share with you something I learned this week in my personal study that has to do with the member missionary lessons.  I was reading in 2Nephi 2:16 i think and it talks about how we are all created to act, but we cannot act unless we are enticed one way or the other.  And so like in the first member missionary lessons we learn that we succeed when we INVITE! You gotta give people a chance to choose. How can they make a choice unless they know there is a choice? Does that make sense?  Our duty is to invite-give people a choice.  that is the only thing in our power.  That is why we succeed when we invite, because the rest of what happens all has to do with the other person.  So this holiday season, please INVITE.  Love others enough to give them a chance to accept the most precious gift that can be given at christmas.  Ya there are a million excuses why we don;t do missionary work as members but just do it! I promise you won't regret it :) I love you all! Be good, remember who you are and all that jazz :)

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

I'm so Grateful!

Wow what a football game! Thanks Dad for the play by play of the game.  I felt like I was right there. Im glad you guys are saving the game on TV for me to watch.  Im excited to see my little brother toughing it out in a snowstorm.  Brock you are the man.  Now write me a letter :) Good luck with basketball!

I think it is so weird when i think about where i was last thanksgiving, in Tennessee.  Man that was probably one of the most random and crazy and fun thanksgivings I've had and will ever have.  Tell Dan and Shelly to thank those Flake's in Tennessee once again for me :)

Thats awesome about the women's So. Virginia U soccer doing well this year again.  I've written a few people from SVU and they have written back but no one from the guys soccer team.  I definitely miss those guys.

This week was interesting, especially with the weather.  So i always thought St George's weather was quite bi polar but Massachusetts is so much worse.  We have been having weather in the 70's and then down to  the 30's and then 40's with ice cold wind and then back up to 65 with no breeze.  Im so confused haha.  So yes i am staying pretty warm on some days but then i get blindsided by the cold everyonce in a while. Oh ya and it gets dark here at like 4pm. No Bueno (not good).  That makes it really hard to meet with people are tract cuz even tho its way early evening people get mad at you and say that you are coming way too late.  its annoying.

Anyways this week went real slow but it was good.  Last week after i emailed you we went down to charlestown, just north of Boston to the Bunker Hill Monument and to see the U.S.S Constitution Ship.  It was alot of fun and Charlestown is so pretty especially in the fall.  I took lots of pictures and videos that i will probably send in a few weeks as a christmas present :)  Then we also went down to Boston to Mike's Pastries (apparently its super famous here but i've never heard of it before ha) and walked around a bit. 

This week has been mostly focusing on members.  We don't have any investigators really so we are investing alot of our time to the members in the hope that after we teach the member missionary lessons we will start to get some awesome referrals.  Each time i teach the lessons on member missionary work, my testimony is just renewed on how awesome and inspired they really are.  I wish i could sit down with all of you and teach these lessons.  We are really close to getting referrals from members but that isn't even the best part. I find my joy when i see that the members are constantly thinking about missionary work and at least noticing the opportunities that they have to share the gospel. The actual sharing will come in time.  But its just been a really cool experience working with the members here.  I've really grown to love alot of members here and i have a bad feeling that i will be transferred right before christmas and that would be a big bummer.  But that is 3 weeks away so we'll see. 

As for Thanksgiving, we are going to the church with a few of the members and just having a huge feast.  It should be a good time.  No football what so ever is allowed in our mission so no turkey bowl :(  Good luck in the family soccer game.  Don't let the Thompsons win!

We had leadership training up in Billerica, MA with Pres and Sis Evans and it was awesome.  I love President and Sister Evans so much!  And I love being able to spend time with them and learn from them and be edified.  They are great people and from Bountiful Utah if you didn't know.  So it will be very easy to visit them after the mission.

B is doing wonderfully and same with his girl friend.  We met with them  and watched the Restoration video and then the next time watched the movie Finding Faith in Christ and both lessons went really well.  B really loves Joseph Smith and his story and says he feels like he can relate to him.  He also does very well with reading the book of Mormon.  B prayed for us in one of the lessons and it was a wonderful prayer and afterwards, he just sat there and it looked like he was in deep thought and then he said, "Wow, I'm really...proud of myself. I feel really good about that prayer..." BAM Holy Ghost got him!  It was so cool seeing him recognize the spirit.  These people are so dear to me.  Elder A and I have grown really close to them and they have become really attached to us.  We are planning to have a lesson with them at a members home this week so we'll see how that turns out.  If they would just come to church as a family, they would be solid and their road to baptism would really speed up.

I went on a tour/exchange with an Elder this week up in his area. It was such a good tour and i felt like i really fulfilled my duty as a district leader on this tour.  We had a really good time and learned alot from each other.  My favorite part about being a leader in the mission is getting to interact with so many more missionaries and get to know them and help them.  I just love people, and especially love helping them in any way possible. 

During this thanksgiving season I am indeed grateful for my family and friends.  Don't forget to go around the table and tell what you are grateful for and make sure and have a prayer this week and only give thanks.  Doing so really makes you realize all the good that you have.  Even when opposition is on all sides and there are many hardships and trials and stresses in our lives, there is always something to be grateful for.  In every situation you may find yourself in, seek out the good from it.  Like a good friend told me, Every day might not be good, but there is definitely good in every day :)  Find that good.  Love it.  I love you all and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!  I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

I just have to say way to go BROCK!!!!!!!! That is so sick that you are owning it in football!  Take STATE!!!!!  You are a stud. I expect an interception and a touch down from you in that game! Good luck

So i must apologize for being really brief on the details of the actual missionary work lately but sadly its because there just hasn't been alot to talk about. Our promising investigators in Nahant dropped us this week so that was a bummer.  So really all we have is B. But What about B? haha you know the movie? funny movie.  Anyways he has been really progressing.  We have been meeting with just him lately cuz J just really isn't interested or home ever.  But we have had some awesome lessons and B is reading the Book of Mormon and really liking it!  Its exciting.  He came to the church on saturday with a member and we gave him a tour and had a very spiritual lesson.  He told us that just stepping in this building was a huge step for him. We will continue to work with him and help him along. 

Other than that nothing too interesting.  We have alot of new finding activities planned for this week to shake things up.  We are passing out flyers for a church tour we will be having on saturday- just like an open house so hopefully people will come. We are also gonna tract in cities we haven't tracted in before.  We are desparate right now so we are trying everything.  I feel good about this week tho.  Actually i feel good about every week ha.  I feel like i have become quite optimistic since becoming a missionary.  That something i am really happy to have learned how to do.  It all goes back to attitude. Attitude changes everything.

Besides that we had zone conference and it was really good.  The theme of the conference was Working Smarter.  The thing about our mission is that the missionaries on average work really hard.  But there is a difference between working hard and working smart.  So president is trying to help us fuse the two together and work smart and hard.  We focused on just using the tools that we have right in front of us like Preach my Gospel-actually following what it says, our Area Books-keeping them organized and using them, and working with the members.  Elder A and I were reccomended as a companionship that plans really well using PMG and the Area Book and so thats what we gave a training on.  We pretty much just demonstrated a section of the weekly planning session and then talked about it.  It went really well and everyone thanked us for the ideas and said they really liked it.  So that was cool. 

Oh just to let you know, our nerf battle last week in our new house was totally epic.  But nerf guns are a HUGE distraction at night or during our studies.  You just never know when you are going to get popped in the head by a nerf bullet haha. 

Well i think that is it.  Oh wait, we finally got our Ensigns of the October Conference and I am so stoked!  I know you all have it too, if you don't, get it.  We are so lucky to have the modern day scriptures right in front of us!  The thing i like to do with each talk is read it and then choose one thing i am going to implement into my life because of the talk. Sometimes it isn't what is said in the talk but something i realized i should do from the spirit.  We have these things right in front of us! I exhort you to just use them!  Feast upon the words of christ-the scriptures and conference talks.  I promise it will bring the spirit more abundantly into your lives.  I love you all. Be safe and good luck! 

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

I'm 20 years old!

Im no longer a teen, or a child for that matter. But i can still act like one :) And to prove it, we all went out and bought nerf guns and are gonna have a huge war later today in our nice new house! Wahhooooo!  Yup my birthday has come and past and now im 20 years old. Where did the time go? huh?  So i will talk a bit more about my birthday when i get to it but let me first tell you what happened this week in some sort of an orderly fashion. 

So back to wednesday which was p day last week. By the time i had last emailed you i had already went to my last day of boot camp, which was insanely hard, and played about an hour of basketball.  after I emailed we went to eat at this awesome mexican restaurant with lots of missionaries and i ate a ton!  Then of course we went and played more basketball at the Cambridge Stake center with lots of missionaries as well.  We played for another 2 and a half more hours there and by the end i was pooped.  But it was so much fun. And lately i've just been ballin it up on the court.  I feel like im in my prime for basketball.  But i learned a few lessons from this exhausting day.  1) Don't play basketball after eating a huge burrito with beans and rice. 2) Don't run faster than you have strength-from the scriptures somewhere, i know it!  So the next day i woke up and was shivering/sweating like a fever type stuff, plus i was achy all over and just did not feel good.  But i got up and showered and then had to go to transfer meeting to take some other elders who don't have a car.  It was cool getting to go cuz i got to see Elders G, D and W plus lots of other missionary friends. But during the meeting, i was just shivering uncontrollably and just really uncomfortable.  Eventually we left and I got home and went straight to bed. An hour later i woke up enough to get a priesthood blessing and then slept again until 6pm.  When i woke up i was actually able to eat and walk around but not much happened. The next morning, which was my birthday, i woke up and was perfectly fine.  It was amazing. I know that the power of the priesthood is very real.  And i am so grateful for it. 

So My birthday was nice. I Loved the package! thanks so much! You guys are the best.  Then i had district meeting and we have a few changes but Im still the district leader.  I love our district so much.  The elders and sisters are so awesome. We have a brand new sisters, fresh from the MTC so im excited to hear about all the new stuff coming from the MTC. Things there are always changing.  Elder B bought me a cake and he gave me a birthday card and wrote a letter all in Khmae and i could read the whole thing, what???? Ya I know its weird. I need to send it home so you can see it and then just imagine me being able to make sense of it haha.  Sis. J also brought a cake to district meeting but she had no idea it was my birthday, she said she just felt inspired to bring it haha.  Right now everyone in the district has someone with a baptismal date! Ya that hasn't happened my whole time here in this district.

Like I told you, we moved this weekend.  The reason we had to move was cuz our land lord kept the money we would pay for rent and didn't pay the mortgage to the bank and so he lost the house and we found out that the bank could come and kick us out at any time so we decided to just get out fast.  And I am so glad we did cuz the new place we found is loads better!  We pretty much have a whole 2 story house to ourselves with 2 bathrooms/ showers and a washer and dryer! YES! We totally scored with this place. Its huge too.  Hence the nerf gun war that will be happening at 0300 hours :) I'll be sure to send you pictures our maybe a video of a tour of our house. So yes we are now in Revere and we are still with the Zone leaders and we still cover the exact same area. We actually live really close to the church now so that is nice.  Hopefully we will save on miles with our new position cuz last month we went over quite a bit....

Saturday involved more moving-just making small trips back and forth just with our cars.  We also watch Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration-I love that movie!- with R and her daughters.  They loved it.  A said to me as the movie ended, "That movie made me cry." I think it really helped them gain an understanding of who Joseph was and what the early members of the church had to go through.  ps I love that family so much! I can't say it enough. They are just so awesome. I love all of my recent converts.  They are all doing really well and it is so exciting to see.  I can't wait for you to meet them. 

Things are going really good with the member missionary lessons. We have 3 new families in the ward that we are beginning to teach. Sadly the C's didn't find anyone by their date, and that was really hard for me.  I don't understand why it didn't happen.  They put in so much effort, especially this last week.  But i guess i can't do anything about it.  Just encourage them to keep on going.  They did take us out for lunch on saturday to celebrate my and Brother C's birthday.  They are such good people. 

We met with one of the people we found in Nahant and it was a pretty good lesson but then they had to cancel our next one.  Other than that, no new news.  We got some good stuff coming up this week, so good old fashioned hard missionary work that i am excited for.  We also have zone conference on Thursday and the Assistants called and asked me and elder A to give a training in front of about 70 people (3 zones). So we'll see how that goes haha should be fun.  So yup thats about it for me.

So there was something a departing missionary said in his testimony at transfer meeting that i really liked.  What he said was directed to missionaries but i think it applies to every one of us.  He said, "If you take care of what is important to the Lord, then the Lord will take care of all that is important to you." And that is so true.  I know that what I am doing right now is what is the right thing to be doing and that it is important to the Lord.  And I know i don't have to worry about any of you cuz the Lord is watching over you for me. I know that Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer.  He is Risen.  Oh what joy this sentence gives, I know that my redeemer lives. Isn't it wonderful?!  We are so blessed to have something to hope for, something to live for. We have the truth.  We gotta share it. "After all that has been said, the greatest of these is sharing the gospel."-J Smith.

I love you all! Good Luck in football Brock! Go Win STATE!!!!!

Love, Elder Johnson

We are moving in on friday :S that oughta be fun.  Our new address is

12 Lowell St.

Revere MA 02151

Ok so I know I say this every time but this time a really don't have a lot of time cuz we are going to go to Cambridge and ball it up with alot of the missionaries that are going home.  I hate being around so many missionaries that are in their last transfer or close cuz then I will miss them and it makes me kinda trunkie. anyways...

Transfers came and Elder A and I are staying the same.  I think this will be my last one in Lynn but Im ready for a change of scenery.  I like change :) Well kinda.  Elder T is getting transferred so that is sad but its also a joyous occasion cuz it means i don't have to go to boot camp any more! haha no, actually I really enjoyed boot camp and i am in the best shape of my life right now.  I think i can still beat brock up :) 

Umm.... We have a new service that im way excited for. We finally quit going to the catholic church cuz it really just wasn't a good atmosphere. But now we go to a Rest Home and play hang man for like an hour and a half! Its the best ever! It reminds me of all the times i went with friends to the rest homes in STG and sang. Good times. I love older people. Especially my grandparents but these guys are pretty cool too. 

This weekend was quite cold with about 3 inches of snow in our area. Some areas got like a foot or two and lost power and what not.  This was elder Ban's first time seeing snow and he was freaking out!  I was so glad i was with him to witness it. 

We also had stake conference this week which was simply amazing.  I love the leaders in this stake. They are awesome. Definitely got some General Authority material here.  The whole theme of conference was missionary work.  I loved being able to go to the priesthood leadership, adult session, and both sessions on sundays (they had half the stake go at 10am and the other go at 2pm).  I felt so inspired and re energized.  We also sang Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy Hymn 335 i think.  I love that song. And i never knew it until  i came out on a mission. But it is all about missionary work.  I encourage all of you to pull out your hymn books and read the lyrics.  Christ is the Light house but we are the lights along the shore.  If i could I'd draw you a picture and describe the background and meaning of the song more fully but... no time.

One thing that was said in conference by Clayton Christensen (he is a High Councilor in our stake) was that "Every calling in the church IS a missionary calling" or in other words every calling we have, we can use to do missionary work!  Our stake president and many others told us that we have been commanded to BUILD THE KINGDOM be it by bringing new people in, helping to re activate less actives, having kids, etc.  This great and marvelous work Can NOT progress without the help of members.  Ya all of us missionaries were over joyed at hearing all this stuff at conference.  Lets hope that it all get implemented.

So this transfer has been a very rough one with little success.  We went from a baptism the first week to 2 investigators with 0 potentials and 0 referrals by the last week.  But monday we went to Nahant (Little pennisula full of the richest of the rich people in the north shore) to do some tracting. Elder Ang suggested it and I was a little hesitant cuz i've never been there and was told that missionaries don't go there cuz they are all rich and proud there.  But then i remembered what i learned from the Member Missionary Lessons which says that we cannot Judge who is or isn't ready.  So we went and we had an awesome time-its way pretty out there plus we got 3 solid investigators! 

Alright last thing is that last night we went over to the D's house along with the P family for dinner. Man i love those 2 families! If you have forgotten, they are the ones from the gym.  They made me a birthday dinner (chicken cord en bleu, brocoli with cheese, baked potatoes- just like home :) They take care of us really good. They are our home away from home.  They also got me a present.  A patriots Tom Brady T shirt haha.  Since we are moving to Revere it will be a bit of a stretch to go to the gym so we are gonna go til our month payment is up but then have to stop going :(

Could I ask a favor from you all? Well with the member missionary lessons, we commit the members to set a date by which they will have someone being taught by the missionaries. So the C family set there date about a month ago for it to be on Nov. 4th -both mine and bro C's birthday.  And its almost there and they still don't have anyone. So please pray for them to reach their date! :) Thanks

Well I love you all so very much! Mom it has been torture to get my birthday mail so early but not be allowed to open it haha but it is teaching me patience. 

k bye!

*ATTENTION* We are going to be moving apartments within the next two weeks(long story).  So please by all means, keep sending mail.  You should just send it to the mission home address if you send it after wednesday the 26th. Then next week we will hopefully be in our new place and then i can give you our address. Also, this works perfectly cuz transfers are coming up and i don't know if im staying or going so its another reason to send things to the mission home. So in accordance with that, I will be writing yall next wednesday.

Just know that I love ya and that i super appreciate all the letters and emails and everything! You guys are the best!  Mom I loved the insight about teh apostle Paul "almost" convincing king Agrippa to be a Christian. That was really insightful and comforting.

So last monday Elder A and I went to the Museum of Science down in Boston cuz one of our members works there and got us free passes. It was really cool and we got to go to a special pompeii exhibit.  My only complaints are 1) it is outrageously priced so I would never go again 2) but i want to go again cuz there is no possible way you can see everything in one trip.  But ya cool experience. 

Not a whole lot happened this week.  We lost/dropped nearly all of our investigators this week and did not find any new people so our investigator pool is very shallow.  We are planning to go to the K's one last time to see if there is any potential there but if not we are dropping them.  Its always sad to drop people, but sometimes they just aren't ready. 

However we still have B and J. I don't remember how much I have talked about them but i don't think very much, cuz quite honestly I didn't think much would come from them.  We met them about a month or two ago and they weren't really interested in what we had to say but we would just come over and talk once a week and squeeze in some teaching.  A few weeks ago they agreed to listen to our message and so the teaching began.  And they have already progressed so much.  They have started to read the book of mormon and are sincerely interested in what we have to say. They really have the desire to know that it is true.  We extended a baptismal date to them and they accepted.  They have alot of things they need to change in order to reach that date but i have full faith in them.  Our biggest concern is that they can't come to church cuz of work-which revolves around the NFL.  But as the spirit continues to work within them, they will soon have the desire to go to church.  I've really grown to love these people and I can't wait to see what happens in the next month.

This weekend we had dinner with R and R and their families for the first time and it was the best!  They cooked a hatian dinner for us that was way good.  Man i love these families so much!  They are so awesome!  I can't believe the changes that have come in their lives and in their countenances. If i hadn't been here to see it all, i may not have believed it. The gospel truly blesses families. It has blessed me and my family and that is a huge part of why im out here sharing it with others.  L and M and doing so great. M just got the priesthood yesterday and that was really cool.  He has probably changed the most and that is all R and Rcan talk about is how happy with the change they've seen in him.  I feel so blessed to be a part of their lives.  They say that they really want to meet our family and I invited them over and I really think that they are gonna come to Utah within the next two years to visit-especially if L decides to go to BYU.  But no matter what, all of you have to come out here and visit with me after i get home!

Eh, I think thats all I got for today.  I was reading in the Book of Mormon yesterday and i read something that brought some revelation. the revelation is that we HAVE to be reading the scriptures and talks from conference over and over again, because there is always something that we miss or didn't catch. There is always a chance to learn something new from them.  It just came so boldly to me and it was clear that I need to continue to read the word of God over and over again.

Love ya!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Man this week just flew by, and it seems like nothing really happened, at least on my side of things.  Oh before i forget, Happy Birthday to Marcie Prince and Chase Jensen this week! I don't even know if they read this but i just thought i should let them know that I remembered their birthday and that I was thinking about them :)  Also, next transfer is on November 3rd for those of you who wanted to know.  Im pretty sure that things will be staying the same for me but, you never know.

Here is a little update about our investigators: S, the khmae lady pulled a no show at our appointment this week but her family gave us her phone number and we called and she apologized and set up another appointment so we'll see. As for G and family, no one was at our appointments this week cept for G both times and no one came to church.  They seem like they are going to become eternagators (eternal investigators)

We met a Lady from Sudan and taught her a lesson and she was like, "Well if Joseph saw what he said he saw, who am I to tell him he's a liar? I believe him." haha that was cool. We have another appointment with her this week that im excited for.

Thats about all we've got right now.  We need to find some real solid investigators.  If you have any referrals for the Lynn, Malden, Chelsea, Melrose, Revere, East Boston, Charlestown, Saugus, and Everett area, Please feel free to send them :)

Some other things that happened this week is that 1) we had dinner with the families from the gym.  Like always the food was fabulous, we had a great time-they have become some really good friends, and the spirit was soooooo strong when we shared a message with them.  Each time we go, the spirit is there.  They have to be able to feel it. I don't see how they can't.  They really love us coming over and listening to us but at the moment thats all they want to do is listen.  But we wont give up :) They are so awesome!  We also sang Nearer My God to Thee and They loved that.  All four of us are pretty good singers and it sounded way good ha.  They thought we had been practicing that and rehearsing for some time but we told them that we had actually just decided to do that as we were knocking on their door haha.  Keep praying for them :)

Also related to the gym, K told Elder T that he could come to boot camp in the morning at the gym for free    I volunteered to do it with him cuz Elder P didn't want to and I know how much this means to Elder T.  Its a pretty crazy work out- I'm totally wasted by the end but its actually quite fun.  I mean I haven't sweated/ work out so hard like this in a long time. It feels good.  We'll see how im feeling after a week of it haha.  Pray for me :)

Lastly, we found out that the Elders in our stake are singing for stake Conference.  We had a practice last night and i found out that the missionaries in our stake don't quite know how to sing haha. No they are pretty good, its just gonna take a few practices to make it all sound nice and together.  I'll let you know how that goes. 

I just want to leave you with a little insight I got in personal study this morning. I was reading in Acts 5 verse.....41 i think? Anyways before that verse it talks about the apostles getting thrown in prison and then getting a beating and then in 41 or something like that they come out "Rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."  I learned a lesson on enduring from this.  We don't gotta just endure all the hard things we go through in life but we have to endure it happily.  There are so many things out there persecuting us but how do we react to it? Are we rejoicing to be counted worthy?  We should be because it is such a blessing to be a part of this church.  We have the "good News", its something to be happy about.  So let it show :)

 

Love you all!  Have a great week!

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Well Hello again everybody! 

I'll get right into it.  Sorry about the cold weather in Utah. Here in Massachusetts it has been 80-85 degrees the last 4 days! its been wonderful.  But the cold is on its way and im way scared.  I don't like the cold I've decided.  Oh but earlier in the week we woke up to the most insane rain storm i have ever witnessed.  It was raining sooooo hard.  Lots of houses in Swampscott (pronounced Swampskit-Don't get me started on weird massachusetts words) were flooded way bad including the gym.  But everything is fine and dandy now.    Brock,  nice job in your football game. And for scoring 2 dates to Sadies.   

Mom, Elder B absolutely loved the birthday package you sent! Thanks for doing that.  He wore the tie you gave him to District meeting and i was like, "Whoa sweet tie Elder B! Where did you get it? Can I have it? haha" Then he told me that it was from you.  He also brought the whole package and shared some with our district. He was so happy.  I also bought a cake and brought it to district meeting cuz it was Elder M and Sis. T's birthdays that week too. 

So this week was a long one on our side of things.  We did lots of finding. We can't ever street contact cuz all that are out on the streets are spanish speakers so that leaves hours upon hours of good old tracting. So much fun...! No its good. Always good to just get out and work and show the Lord your willingness and faith.  We are also doing other finding tips that are mentioned in PMG to change it up every once in a while.  But what we really need is some more member referrals.  

R absolutely loved conference! Seriously.  I think she might have enjoyed it more than me and that is saying ALOT!  We went over this week to see if she even watched it and she just went on and on about out wonderful it was and all the different talks and what she learned and how she wished she would've known all of this her whole life. Her favorite talk was by Sis. Dalton. She was telling us specific things from lots of talks. It was so awesome.  R was telling me that her and her sister had a hour long discussion about what they had learned.  Man I love our Recent Converts!!!!! I hope you guys get to meet them some day.  

We had a pretty good lesson with the K Family.  We brought Hymn books and Elder A and I sung a hymn for them and then at the end of the lesson the whole family sung a hymn together with us.  Then, after much stress and hectic planning, all came to church on sunday!  And they liked it.  They thought it was a little long but said that they would come back.  SAAWEEET!

Friday we took a guy from the cambridge ward, that served his mission in Cambodia 3 years ago and actually knew Elder A, teaching with us.  Bro. D had our sweet sister S laughing like crazy with all of his cambodian jokes and play on words in khmae.  I didn't understand anything.  Then we went and taught a lesson to this new Khmae lady we ran into a few days ago and she let us in and we taught a lesson about God and about prayer.  Having bro D there helped alot cuz my khmae is not good and Elder A has forgotten so much. Bro. D knows more khmae than elder A at the moment. But this lady was way nice and she even offered a prayer after we taught her how!  It was way cool!  So now we have a legit Khmae investigator! YAY!  After teaching with Bro. D and talking with him, i realized just how bad my khmae is compared to someone who gets immersed in the language.  Its pretty frustrating knowing that I can't get that good unless i go to cambodia. Like i know it well enough to get by and i am grateful for that and for all that i've learned but there isn't much room for improvement until im in a situation to depend wholly upon my language.  OH well its still fun being the only one to understand the conversations that go on between Elder A and Elder B when they are together. Its still kinda weird to me that no one else can understand.

Yesterday for P Day we went into Boston just to chill and walk around and shop and what not.  Not too exciting until all of a sudden we here this chanting and loud drum and see a huge group of protesters marching down the street. The whole "Occupy Boston" thing that is going on... which i don't really know whats going on  only that it is going on. Can someone who has access to the world please enlighten me why we were almost trampled as we were strolling around B-Town? :)  It was kinda fun just being in the middle of it all having people walk past trying to get us to join in haha.

I have been reading the Oct. Ensign all about the Book of Mormon and it has been so great.  I started reading the B of M again (i took a break to read the new testament but now im reading both) and started using the study skills i learned from the ensign.  One thing Elder D. Todd Christofferson said was  that every single thing written in the book was for a purpose and to help us.  So he said to study it with the question of why was this particular thing written and why is it important to me always in your mind.  So thats what im doing. I started brand new with a new pass along copy and have been going through asking myself those questions after each verse and coming up with answers and writing it in the margins.  It is the coolest thing. I've already learned so much and been able to apply so much to my own life. Some things are harder to find answers to why it was written, like why is the verse, "And my father dwelt in a tent" written but i try to come up with some sort of explanation like for that one it shows humility.  I encourage you all to follow the counsel we've been given in conference and be reading the Book of Mormon every day.  This book is what we depend on as missionaries.  It brings hope, happiness, peace and answers.  I know it is true.

I love you all! Thanks for your support!  Remember that there is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

 Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson

Conference is great!

Isn't Conference just glorious????!!!!! I feel like it has just blocked out everything else that we did this week cuz I can't remember... ha but first let me respond you all of y'all.

Dad, thanks for the update and detailed report of the BYU game.  Sounds like it was exciting.

Mom I'm so grateful for your efforts in getting all of us together for family dinners whenever possible with are extremely busy schedules. I totally believe that news report about how kids who eat dinner together as a family are way less likely to get into trouble/drugs.  I see it in the homes I go into.  It really is such a simple thing to get the family altogether to eat and it has such huge blessings. Keep trying to have those family dinners.  It makes a difference.  Also, thanks for starting to learn the member missionary lessons.  It means alot to me.

Some cool things of the week: We met with a inactive guy and he invited us to dinner for this week and seems like he wants to come back. I wrote a whole letter to Elder B in Cambodian for his birthday.(it took like an hour to do one page haha but still, it was sweet!).  We had leadership training which is where all the zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers meet together along with the Assistants and President and Sister Evans and we have trainings on different things.  The one I went to was with just our zone and 2 others and our companions didn't come  and so it was just a small group.  We were there from 9am to 3:30pm with 30mins of lunch.  What we do there is the AP's and ZL's and President give different trainings on what we call the Simplified Curriculum which is basically 8 major principles of how to be better teachers/missionaries/leaders.  It was so awesome!  We did lots of role plays (which is easily the best tool we have) for many teaching situations and then discussed/evaluated how we did.  It was just really cool and I learned a ton.  President Evans is a hilarious man and also very very spiritual.  I love him so much.  When he just shakes your hand, you can just tell he loves you.  

So Saturday was the day I was supposed to go speak in front of Clayton Christensen and the ward mission leaders of the stake but as we (the Zone Leaders, Elder A, and I) pulled up to the Cambridge Stake center, we received a call saying it was cancelled :(  So instead we went with the Cambridge South ZL's to a small little fancy Cafe' in down town Cambridge Massachusetts.  Ya picture this.  (I wish I would've gotten a picture of this... but that is beside the point) 6 missionaries, in suits and ties, in a very classy cafe', sipping on hot cocoa or a berry smoothie, listening to the Beatles, on a foggy rainy morning, in down town Cambridge.  Yup it was as epic as it sounds.  Man were we Fancy! We felt like we were living the MIT/Harvard student life (MIT and Harvard are within a few miles of us).  Pretty Legit, huh?! haha.

Then on to Saturday morning session which isn't really in the morning here cuz it starts at noon but oh well.  We show up to the church and there is no satelite connection! We had a few investigators there and we couldn't get it to work and no one had a laptop to try and watch it on.  So we scrambled and finally got everything working with a small laptop and terrible sound quality about an hour into conference.  So yes we missed the whole first hour of conference :(  It was not fun.  But we got it working and got to see some of it.  Then came the baptism which went so perfectly! (it was still stressful like every baptism but still good)  R loved watching conference and then was just so excited for her baptism.  After I baptized her she went into the bathroom to change and you could just hear this loud shout for joy hahaha.  She came into the room afterwards just smiling from ear to ear.  She also stopped the program so that she could bear her testimony haha it was awesome!  It was just an amazing experience. She told me later that we need to go with her to Africa and start saving those people as well!

Priesthood Session was easily my favorite but it also made me miss our tradition of going to iceberg.  Alot of people have asked me, "What do you wish you would've done before your mission?" and the answer I can now give is, Go read all the talks during Priesthood session of October 2011 and that is all you need. 

 

Sunday Elder A and I went up to Lynnfield to watch with Elders B and M and it was nice and relaxing and spiritually uplifting. I don't have much more time but I just want to encourage you to read over and study the talks that have been given.  They are modern day scripture. Take advantage of them.  I know that Thomas Monson is a true prophet. I know that without a doubt.  Our church is lead by God.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  We are so blessed.  The Book of Mormon is true.

I love you all.  Be Good :) 

Love,

     Elder Brady Johnson