(Feb. 7, 2010)  Hey!!!  Sorry this is going be really short. We just got back from a zone activity in the mountains at this place called Big Tree…I have had a zone activity there before. It was fun. We played some games…ate way too much food and then came home happy! Also, we have a Family Home Evening in a few that I am way excited for. They are a less active family and we just found out that they have a son who is not yet baptized so we are going to start teaching him.

This week was good. Things are going great with our investigators. Sister Guillierma is already in ALMA 28!!! She is awesome  and the rest are doing so well. Being patient with your investigators really pays off. Oh and Gilbert, our new investigator who is 18…is a future missionary I can feel it. I am so impressed with him. He reads the Book of Mormon so much! We should get him a baptismal date this week! Transfers are next week — crazy how time flies. Who knows what will happen.

This last Sunday I taught our gospel principles class about prayer and it was so fun! I really felt the spirit bear powerful witness to me…I think I learned more then the class members – it was intense! You guys — prayer is so real and so powerful especially if we put effort into it! God is always listening! I’m so grateful for Jesus Christ and his infinite atonement. It has forever blessed my life. I love you guys!

WIIIIWEEEEEEE HAPPY BIRTHDAY USAB!! I have been thinking about you bud! I miss and love you and hope you have an amazing DAY keep strong. I love you!! Oh and you have a package coming your way I think you will really love it! Hahaha actually I can’t wait till you get it because I know you will love it…I haven’t sent it yet…I’m palugput so don’t expect it any time soon and I must say there is an exceptional birthday card in there! Take care.

Eve…I mean Eden. Kamusta ka?? Kamusta ang ginikanan mo?? Buotan kayo. Pacyncia sa akong igsoon Colby..buang jud siya pero Makita mo kana sa tibuok nga pamilya nato! Nalipay ko jud sa maka ila kita! AYO AYO. Oiy dili ka malimot…tinuod ang simbahan ni jesukristo sa mga santos sa ulahi mga adlaw! Gihigugma ta ka!

Sister Johnson

(Jan. 31, 2010) YO YO YO – How goes it? Well things are definitely goin here…goin crazy! In a good way of course! The Lord is definitely leading us to those that have been prepared….the elect. Alls we have to do is continue to live worthy of the spirit that leads and directs this work. We have found another amazing investigator! His name is Gilbert. He is 18 years old…mission age! He is awesome…I must admit that when I first met him I didn’t see too much potential in him but thank heavens for my companion. We kept going back to him and yesterday he came to church and even came with us as we visited some other investigators of ours. It was awesome. Our other investigators are doing so well too! And guess what else? Sister Galicia and I have been really working with some less active families. Whenever we have an appointment fall through, we try to visit a less active family near by. And after just a few visits to them they are coming back to church! We have 5 less active people at church on Sunday! Along with 4 investigators! It was so awesome. All you members out there…members of the true church…please don’t forget about the less active people! All it takes is just a few short visits and you too can save a life. Its just like in D&C 18 – I cant remember the verse but you know the worth of souls is great in the sight of God…and how great shall be your joy if you bring many souls unto me. Seriously help save those that have fallen off the path. As members it is our responsibility not the missionaries. Don’t rely on the missionaries to do it. And you don’t need a calling as an excuse to visit somebody that has fallen away. Just visit them as a concerned friend. Its so simple but you can change lives. Please I want you to read Alma 24:30 right now…I know sad huh. That kills me. Don’t let that happen to our brothers and sisters.

Sorry that was a little preachy…I’ll get off my soap box now but anywho this week was good too because we went to Bacolod for Zone Conference. Of course it was spiritually appetizing and also physically!  We learned some great things about how important it is to have good teaching skills as well as Christ like attributes. Oh and we found out that they are splitting our mission! Its going to be Panay Iloilo mission and Bacolod mission. Crazy huh…but that won’t happen until July…I go home in…you know that month that comes before July…anywho so Sunday was awesome and then this morning for personal study it was so amazing the things I learned! I spent all my time on 2 verses…that are now some of my most favorite. Its Moroni 10:32-33 wow that’s all I have to say. These scriptures answered so many of the questions I have had for along time now.  I have struggled a lot with perfectionism here on my mission.  It sometimes hinders my progression…its just not good. And I came to the conclusion that I don’t understand Gods love for me especially the part about mercy and justice. Every time I tried to cut myself  a break the justice side would take over and say well you are just rationalizing things and I could just never win…never feel happy with what I was doing. Well check out verse 32 – come and be perfected in Christ. We don’t have to be perfect, but with Christ we can. So how do we do that? We deny ourselves of all ungodliness which I take to be follow the commandments. Try to follow the example of our Savior and then it says love God with all of your might mind and strength! You guys we just have to love God and try. I love how in President Uchdorf’s last talk he says never feel discouraged if you stumble at times or you don’t feel worthy to be a diciple of Christ…just try. We can do it, we just have to try. Then the best part – Gods grace will be sufficient for you. It will make up for what you are lacking! How amazing is that! We don’t have to be perfect we just have to try and we can be counted as perfect. And through the grace of God we can be strengthened and it can help us overcome our faults and be better. The atonement is so amazing and slowly but surely I am learning how to apply these things and feel them in my life. I know that what the scriptures say are true. As you draw near unto God he will draw near unto you! I know he will. I have been experiencing it first hand. I love you all. Have a good week!

Sister Johnson

PS hey how is my little hinablos??? That’s neice in Cebuano! Colby you haven’t kissed her to death have you?? Tara how is Colby around her?

PSS WEEEEEEE WEEEEEEE HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY YA BEAST! I CANT BELIEVE YOU! UR JUST GROWIN UP SO FAST. HEY I NOTICED HOW YOU WERE ALMOST AS TALL AS DAD IN THE FAMILY PICTURE!! HOLY COW! I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU! HAVE FUN!!! OH WAIT I JUST REALIZED THAT YOUR BIRTHDAY IS NEXT MONDAY SO I COULD HAVE WRITTEN YOU NEXT WEEK…OH WELL YOU WILL JUST GET TWO MESSAGES FROM ME.

PSS man wobbs that is crazy about Lindsey! Man I will definitely keep her in my prayers. Oh and I have not gotten your package yet – hopefully soon. But I did get hids wedding announcement…it was…you know…cool…yea. Grabi hid gwapa ka kaayo!

(Jan. 24, 2020) YEA IM A TIA NA!!!! I am so excited you have no idea! I told my companion I can’t wait to corrupt my new niece!!! I have decided that I am only going to speak Cebuano to her so she can be bilingual and then we can have all sorts of secret conversations! This will be so sweet! Congrats Colby and Tara! I’m so happy for you guys!

This week was super busy with the work but very rewarding. We had 4 of our investigators at church including Charlie for the first time. You remember him? He is the one that named his kid Joseph. Charlie is so awesome and I think he really enjoyed church! He has a baptismal date for Feb 20. Please pray that everything goes well. Oh and we found another golden investigator. I don’t think I had a chance to mention her last week. But she is a new investigator. Her name is Guillerma and she is partially deaf and can’t walk very well. This lady is prepared to hear the gospel. In our first visit I could just feel she was yearning for spiritual answers to her questions….but she knew not where to find it. She had so many questions for us. It was amazing and she told us about these dreams that she has – it was crazy. We have visited only like 4 times but every time she has questions for us and when we explain things to her she just gets it. Its awesome. Also she loves reading the Book of Mormon! We told her to start from the beginning and two days later when we visited again she was in 1Nephi 18! Sister Galicia and I were floored! And she was explaining to us all about Nephi  and Lehi and it was awesome. I can’t wait to go back and visit. Its great – the work is going really good here. We even had a couple less actives that we have been working with come to church which was really a miracle!

This last Sunday I taught Gospel Principles class again. It was so fun. You know I really, really love teaching in a classroom setting. Its so fun to get everybody excited to learn about the gospel. This weeks topic was Adam and Eve…which I think fits perfectly with the new little edition in our family…Eden! Wooopie! It was fun teaching though. Oh and I also had the opportunity to teach District Meeting! That was fun! We talked about goal setting and accountability. Both the hearer and the teacher…particularly the teacher were greatly edified. This lesson was for me more then anybody else! Oh and Colby I used your example of goal setting that you taught me one time. It was sweet. You know the one where you have them jump as far as they can and then you mark it and have them try to beat their best and they always do! It worked really well!

I had a really cool insight this week I would like to share. I was listening to  a talk by President Uchdorf and he said something to the effect of “that’s why any believing Latter Day Saint is an optimist.” That really hit me because there are times here on my mission where I don’t feel a lot of optimism. How can that be? I consider myself a believing latter day saint but where always is the optimism. Then I was reading in Moroni 7:28 and it says, “and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing.” That’s it. Any believing latter day saint cleaves unto the good stuff and doesn’t waste their time worrying about the bad stuff. They focus on the good and its because of our faith in Christ that we have no need to worry. As long as we are obedient or trying our best to be obedient, then we will be saved in the kingdom of our Father. Cross reference that to Moroni 7:41 – we have hope through the atonement of Christ and his resurrection. We have so much to look forward to! We need to stop getting hung up on the negative. Then jump over to Moroni 9:25 – yea sweet I know! These were just some thoughts I have been having. I hope that they were able to help in some way. I love you all. Take care and Amping!

Sister Johnson

PS Hid and Wobbs – I’m and AUNT – isn’t that sweet!!!! I’m so excited! I can’t wait to mush her wittle cheekies and talk to her in my high pitched Trigger voice but in Cebuano of course! OH AND wobbs thank you so much for the email. Man I have missed you!!!! And I really, really, really hope you are doing well! I love you both! Oh and wobbs I have not received your package yet or Hid your wedding invitation! (except for that’s kind of sweet and sour if you know what I mean) but cargo comes tomorrow so we will see if it is in there. Hid have you got my package yet for your wedding? That will take forever to get to you especially if it goes to your house first and then to Rexburg!

OiY Family and friends Kamusta!

Did you miss me?? I skipped last week just for a dramatic effect! Just kidding! I don’t like p-days that much you know…its more like patay-day…for all you Filipino speakers out there only you will get that so anywho….man I have some good stories for you all today! Hahaha I have been waiting to tell you guys because I think you will get a kick out of this. Soooooo first off transfers waay kabalaka dili ko nag-saylo. Naa pa ko  sa San carlos Uban kay Sister Galicia (I’m still in San Carlos with Sister Galicia)which is totally fine by me. Sister Galicia and I have way too much fun together. But with transfers we got a new addition to the compound — the Adams family do do do do snap snap. A new senior couple moved into where the previous couples were. They are way cool too! So anywho here is my story. Background info: if you are a foreigner missionary, at least once during your mission you have to go to Panay which is the other island which I have not yet been too. So you go to Panay and they get your fingerprints so if you get arrested…you know all the legal stuff. Story: so my name was called and so was the Adams. It made it really easy because I could just ride with them. So last Wednesday I hopped in the car with them waved goodbye to my companion and we left for Bacolod. That night I stayed with some sisters whose area is in Bacolod and then the next morning we were heading to Panay. I was soooooo excited because I have never been to Panay yet and I was most excited for the boat ride over! I thought it would be way cool…it wasn’t haha that boat ride was the worst thing in my entire life!!! Just picture this – me sitting in this enclosed boat. Its kind of like a plane on the inside. Its not open.  So I’m sitting there and the person to my right is hacking up his lunch in his hat. Then the person to my left has his face in a puke bag. The people behind me, Sister Adams in front of me, and everybody around me is throwing up!. No joke I think I was the only person on that boat not throwing up! I have never been in one place with this many people throwing up!!! I’m not even kidding. I just wish you guys could have seen it. People where making awful, retching noises. And the little attendant people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off handing out bags left and right! Thank heavens I was able to keep it together…I don’t know how though! I wish you could have seen me. I sat there with my head in between my legs plugging my ears singing a church song and pretending I was somewhere else. The problem was it was stormy when we traveled so that boat was everywhere – up, down, left, right, for an hour and a half! Oh man when we got to the dock everyone like got up and ran to the door. So much for my boat ride that I was so excited for! Haha it makes me laugh now…you know after two rides of that I think I am over my puking phobia! Haha – Hid you remember that one time in our apartment! Sorry I just thought of that and laughed!

Anywho, so the rest of the day was cool. We spent it on Panay and went to some tourist places…it was a good way to spend my ONE YEAR MARK unsa ma na oiy! I cant even believe it! One year! That is so unreal. It was cool because it wasn’t just me and the Adams, but it was a bunch of us foreigners. Elder Theobald from my batch was there so we got to hang out – it was sweet! We had a little one year anniversary party…by party I mean give our fingerprints. Yahoo. Don’t worry I’m not trunky, I will keep working until the very end.

Oiy one more story! So this last Sunday I taught the gospel principles class. We were talking about agency and so I did this demonstration. I had it all planned out except for one part. My plan was to display 2 boxes – a really nicely wrapped one and an ugly one. And in the ugly box was going to be some cookies and in the nice one I was going to put something gross in it. I hadn’t yet figured out what I was going to use for the gross one until Sunday morning when we walked into our bathroom and found a dead mouse! I said this is perfect! Haha so we used that! It was so funny and the demonstration worked so well – mouse and all! They had to use their agency to pick which box. Then we explained how Satan makes things look good but in the end its not very good. When we follow the commandments its not the most fashionable or best fit with the world, but in the end its sweet! It was so fun teaching. I love this gospel. It truly is so sweet! I love you!

Sister J

Yo Colb and Tara – have you guys had your baby yet?????????? Is her name Kelsey? I haven’t read the latest yet. Riley and trigger: I’m with Brady…I don’t even know if you guys are alive! Is grandma still alive? Nicki!!!! Thank you so much for the email! Yea GO ON A MISSION its sweet and buang and tell you dad I actually understand that now! Haha tell him: ako ang unggoy. Ikaw and tambok nga baboy!

(Jan. 3, 2010) Happy New Year! Yes happy new year to you all! Can you believe it is 2010. What a trip. It was good to think that I spent all but 14 wasted days in the service of the Lord in 2009! That has got to be like my most productive year yet! Haha Things are going really well too. I am feeling happier and happier which is good (that was until I read your email mom about Hids wedding and then I was sad. Man I wish so bad I could have been there. You all know how much I hate missing out on things especially big things like this. That day was my trunky day…but don’t worry I worked hard. Anywho new years was awesome! Haha we had so much fun…my companion and I – we had to be home before dark because it gets crazy outside on new years. President said we could watch Disney movies which I think was a joke because what missionaries have a TV in their apartment? We found Aladdin at the church but no TV. That’s ok though. Sister Galicia and I returned home before dark and had some fun. After planning we did a little bit of reading and then played scrabble that we borrowed from a member. Haha it was so funny because we played in English and my companion who is not as skilled in English totally beat me! I was like what? Haha we were laughing so hard. Then after that we had a dance party to Mormon Tab and EFY and made some more goofy movies that you will enjoy some day mom. We had some Filipino spaghetti and when 12 struck, I plastered Sister Galicia with some silly string that Toribio sent me! (ahahahhaha mom, hid and wobbs – remember TORIIIBIO? haha he sent me a package a long time ago I can’t remember if I ever told) anywho so that was cool and then we went to bed. Here in the Philippines they have fireworks that they shoot off after Christmas until new years and when 12 hits it sounds like a war zone outside! It was astig! So new years was fun.

Man I am really enjoying the work now. I feel like I have cleared my head a lot and that the Lord is helping me big time! The past 2 weeks I have really been able to feel the spirit working through me. I have felt the power of my calling as I bear testimony to our investigators. I feel words coming out of my mouth that are not my own. I thrive on this. This is what I love. This is what makes me happy is to feel the spirit working through me. Another thing I absolutely love is being bold with our investigators. I love just laying it out to them and telling them what they need to do. I am able to feel the spirit confirm my words. One teaching in particular last night we taught a lady named Bergie Agirre. Man she is like one of the saddest people I have met here. Sad as in every time we teach to her my heart goes out to her because she just seems so sad and the trials of life have really weighed her down. She needs the gospel to save her life. Well last night she told us that she wanted to take a “rest” from us visiting her.  I didn’t catch the whole reason why but I felt a determination to not let that happen. We shared with her about prayer especially the story in Mosiah 24. If you guys have a chance, please check it out. It is so good! We related to her that these people when told that they could not pray could have easily “rested” from their prayers but no they poured out their whole souls unto God until he eased the burdens on their back so they could not feel them and eventually delivered them out of bondage. We told her that she cannot rest from us especially when she is so close. We told her how much she needs this in her life and that the Lord will ease her burdens and resting will only make it worse. The spirit was so strong and we could feel she was touched…the good news is we will visit her again! I love the spirit so much. It works miracles. I know that no matter how weak or unworthy or uncapable the servant is, the Lord can still use them to touch another life for good. Please this new year, evaluate the things that you can to personally bring the spirit into another’s life so that they can feel the love of God. Remember its good to have a testimony but when we don’t share or nourish it – it withers and dies. I love you all. Amping ka jud!

Sister johnson

PS: oh and guess what – when you guys come we will have to take a day and go to Cebu to do a session in the Cebu temple because when you guys come is like right when it is dedicated and opens! Sweet!

PSS: so hid….how’s the married life?

PSSSSS: so warbles what are u up to these days let me know woman! I miss u like crazy!

(Dec. 27, 2009) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

Man I can’t even believe how much time has flown by!! I mean a year ago I was getting ready to go out on a mission and now here I am in the thick of it! Its crazy and things are going so well. No worries – I am not trunky at all…except for tomorrow…I might be a little trunky that day…but hopefully not too bad! By the way HID UR GETTING MARRIED..TOMORROW! UNSA MA NA OIY! That should be illegal or something! But even with a tinge of pain, I am so happy for you! Grabi jud Hid good luck and I seriously hope that everything goes well for you and bibetty bobetty boo! I can’t wait to meet him and see what fine specimen you have picked out! Haha that was awkward! But seriously wow congrats, and I wish of all wishes I was there. I will be thinking about you! I guess the good news is that all of you guys will be there for my wedding…if that ever happens! I can’t wait to hear about it. I probably won’t hear from you in forever but thank you for all the things that you always write to me. Grabi you and wobbs friendship means a lot to me. I love you guys!

Sorry that was a little bit of a tangent. So Christmas was soooo awesome! I had so much fun. On the 24th we had a huge Christmas conference where all of the missionaries got together from Negros Island. It was great. We got spiritually fed and physically fed with…chocolate fountains!!! Haha mom it was the best Christmas present ever I know you would agree! Then each zone had a presentation…ours was very short of spectacular…haha it was so embarrassing because none of us can carry a note! I was laughing the whole time! Anywho, singing doesn’t phase me anymore. Then after the Christmas conference we had a special sisters conference where all the sisters got to go to the mission home and stay the night. It was soooo fun. There were about 20 of us and we played games and ate. They taught us how to cook, we watched a movie and had a gift exchange. It was so much fun to get to know President and Sister Tobias better. I feel like I barely know them. They are so awesome. President can play like every instrument possible! He is the man. I love him and how he has really picked this mission up and brought it to a new level. Anywho I don’t know if I told you but he has been sick…he had heart problems where he had to go to Manilla and he just got back. We have all been praying for him and he bore testimony that it was through the prayers of friends family and his missionareis that he was ok. Staying the night was so fun because I got to hang with the 2 girls in my batch. Sister Grant and Sister Fairwheather. I don’t know if I have told you a lot about them but we are all really close. Sister Grant is my seragate wobbs. She is hilarious and then Sister Fairwheather is my seragate hid. She is like…perfect just like hid. So it was good to hang with them and laugh about all the experiences we are having. Then Christmas day was great we had breakfast, hung out, then went on the 3 hour bus ride back home. Then the rest of the day…I got to open my package from mom. That was soooo awesome. Then I took all the presents of toiletries and candy and decorations and we gave them out to the members. It was so fun we visited a bunch and shared a short message and gave them some goodies. I was so grateful for this season because it made me really think and be grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. That truly is the best gift I could have received. It is truly amazing and I am soooooo privileged to know the things that I know about Him and have a burning testimony. I am so blessed.

It was soooo fun talking to you guys fam. I love you guys soooooo much and I have really realized that out here. I am soo lucky to have you guys as my family. All of your quirks and all! I love it. Mom and dad – I just want to thank you guys for all of your love and support. I felt how much you guys care for us. It helped me realize the love that our Heavenly Father has for me. Thank you so much for all of the sacrifice and things that you have gone through for me. I cherish so much the things that I have learned from you guys. I am the person I am because of you. So thank you. You have also raised 3 awesome, valiant priesthood holders. I am so lucky to call them my brothers. Hey Colb and Tara – good luck with the baby! I hope she comes out like a bar of soap! You know my style! Name her Kelsey too – she will love it!

Wiwee your a stud and I cant wait till the day we jump on the tramp again and do sweet tricks! Trigger…you smell! Well that’s all!

Sister J

December 20, 2009) MAAYONG PASKO family and friends – Hey y’all its Christmas time and time for a carol time sing blah blah blah blah blah. Man mom I miss all of your cheesy Christmas music! haha It’s true I haven’t heard a lot of Christmas music here. per ok-lang.

Things are going well – I don’t have a lot of time but I am excited to talk to you all on Christmas (dad has the details.) This week will be sweet because on the 23rd we have a ward Christmas party. That will be sweet. Then the 24th we go to Bacolod for a Christmas conference. All of the missionaries on Negros island will be there. Then the 25th we will get to play with the members all day and eat way too much rice and binignit! Then the 26th if all goes well I will get to talk to you all!

This week was so much better. Seriously this whole mission thing is a humbling experience and I am learning a lot…slowly but surely. The work is so swell though. I think I told you guys about Charlie – the guy we tracted into that named his kid Joseph after Joseph Smith! Yea he is pretty much amazing! So humble and his heart is in the right place and he is just so nice! We are excited for him. This last Sunday we were the speakers and I did what you said dad — I gave a talk about loud boys! galing the Branch President was not there…ok-lang. Then we had 6 investigators at church! It was sweet and one couple in particular came – Neiva and Roberto Montinola. They are so awesome and progressing really well. This next January should be exciting! I love teaching because I can feel the spirit working through me and that is where I feel happy.

Sister Galicia is a blessing. We get along really well and have so much fun and I get to be my weird self and do weird things where she is confused half the time and doesn’t know what I’m doing! Its great.  Then earlier today was sweet — I was reading in Helaman 10:4-5 and I made it personal to me – about Nephi and how he is sorrowing but the lord speaks comfort to him. I wondered if the Lord could say those things about me. Then for companionship study it was so funny because we were reading a talk from the last general conference – the one by Elder Eyring – be ready and he quoted that exact passage of scripture! crazy huh! it was so awesome.

Well I gotta go now but I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Wiwee – have fun with mom and dad…and Trigger. (I always tell people that I have a dog that is about to die…have I told you guys yet that I have a dog here??? Haha – don’t worry its not by my choice. If it was up to me I would let the stinky thing go but its the owners and she keeps it here so we have to take care of it. Its name is Queenie and one of its eyes are turned in. Its creepy  and no joke I have to pick up its little presents everyday! So riley don’t think that I’m off the hook just because I am on a mission!!! I’m still picking up dog doo!) Anywho I don’t know where I was going with that but have a Merry Christmas and Colby and Tara you too. I love you both. And birdy – you are awesome and such and inspiration. I hope you have an awesome Christmas. and hid and wobbs I hope that life is just amazing for you both and you are loving life…wobbs its been awhile girl how are ya?? I love you all!

Sister Johnson

(Dec. 13, 2009) Hey yo – How are you all? This week was an eventful week. Full of ups and downs.  As far as traditions here, its funny. They have lights up everywhere and cheesy decorations – it is so sweet. And here it’s called Pasko. So Brady, say to your Filipino investigator next time — MAAYONG PASKO! They will love it. Also caroling is big here! Little groups of kids will just come up to you and bang on little drums that they made and little shaker things and sing to you! This one time we were in the middle of teaching a lesson and these carolers  just came up and started singing. Haha also mom you would love it – in the plaza they have this huge Christmas tree thing that is all lit up. Its sweet I will have to get a picture.

I have a funny story. I fell twice this week. I mean full out fell over sprawled on the ground with my stuff all array! Haha it must have looked so ridiculous…which is good because if you fall you better make it look as ridiculous as you can so at least people can get a laugh out of it. So the first time I fell we were at this place called Kainggat and I tripped over a rock and fell all the way down – right in front of this kid and his cow. I picked my self up while the boy and the cow stared at me. Then the second time we were walking to our apartment and it was wet so my feet slipped from under me and I landed smack on my bum in a puddle. Unfortunately, I was wearing a white shirt which didn’t fare out to well. Man sister Galicia and I laughed so hard. When we got back to the apartment we have this thing where in the apartment we speak English and outside we speak Cebuano. Well we got back to the apartment and she said “are you clumsy or what?” I just wish you could have heard how she said it with her accent it was so funny.  Palugput talaga!

Anywho, so the work is going well here. We are having fun. We met this guy yesterday who had been taught by the missionaries a long time ago but stopped because he moved to a different place but he didn’t want to forget what they taught him so he named his first born son Joseph after Joseph Smith. Well now he is back so we are going to start teaching him. I am excited to see how things work out with him. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sister Johnson

(Dec. 6, 2009) Hello yall.  This week was great. We got a lot of work done and had fun while doing it. My new companion – Sister Galicia is so awesome. We get along great and have fun joking around and laughing together. Our teaching is really good too. We can flow and feel the spirit. We have two baptismal goals this week too. It will be fun to see the progress of this branch. Our main focus is future priesthood leaders…really strong solid leaders. That is something that this ward is lacking and we feel will be most beneficial.

This last weekend was district conference…like stake conference except for the district. it was sweet – a member from the 70 came and spoke. He was so bold and I loved it. I really like being bold. Also one of the highlights for me was when I saw one of my favorite converts – Rusty Gonzales stand up when they called out the men who would be ordained to the office of Elder and receive the Melchizedeck priesthood. I could not have been happier! Other than that a lot of the conference was about how important it is to serve a mission for the boys and all the blessings you will receive from it. I know that is true. I have already seen blessings in my life from serving. Especially in my family. I’m so grateful for you guys and the choices and spiritual progression you all have made. Life is a spiritual journey and there is no plateau. We can always progress and always become better.

The members here are great. I actually know most of them already from when I served here before. It has also been so fun seeing all the members and investigators from my old area. It’s so cool there is this one investigator from my old ward that has been an eternal investigator on account of her husband…they are not yet married and when I was there we would teach to him but he would never come to church. Now he comes to church all the time and they are getting married on the 19^th!  It’s so awesome! And then both of them will be baptized right after! In my branch now we have a wedding coming up and baptism right after so that is exciting. I will keep you guys posted.

Well I love you all and Merry Christmas…mom don’t stress too much but I am excited for your rhyming letter. Oh and please send me the invite of lawen…but I don’t  know if she sent me one. Yes I had a slight idea that she was getting married but I didn’t know the details…I do know her husband though…Devin Burns right? Her and him were way tight before he left on his mission. They are so perfect for each other. I am so excited for them.  Has hid sent her invites yet? I want to see…speakin of hid – HID I got your birthday package and oh man hid I can’t even tell you how thrilled I was!! Hid thank you sooooooooo much for everything! It means so much to me. Thanks for the pics and letter too – it’s a relief to finally hear from you….you still haven’t told me how he proposed! But hid I have to tell you I think my favorite thing in that package was the POP TARTS!!!! Haha I loved it! Thanks again.

Sister Johnson

(Nov. 29, 2009) It was thanksgiving!! Haha and even though they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in the Phils, I sure ate like it was Thanksgiving!! Haha it all started with clams and rice for breakfast…they don’t believe in breakfast foods…anything goes…even dessert! Haha and then for lunch I bought a lecheon manok and rice which is like the chickens that you buy at the grocery store that are flavored good. And then that night both of the Bishops from both wards and a bunch of ward members invited me for dinner at this restaurant for my farewell where we had lecheon manok and rice again! It was great and my pooch was happy. Farewell???…yes I have been transferred. My time was short in good old Silay. Man I can’t quite express how much I love that area. I can’t put it into words…even though the companion situation was a little rough, my heart for the people swells. Seriously the ward members, the bishops…haha I love the bishops. I wish I had time to explain them to you and their unique personalities but I just love them so much and then the investigators!!! Oh man I miss them so much. I left with 11 people ready to be baptized in the month of December!!! Can you believe that? Two families and one part member and some others as well. I wish I had time to explain each precious soul to you but I have a work to do somewhere else. Haha now this is where things get crazy! So where did I transfer you ask? Haha you will never believe this…I still can’t believe it. I was sent back to my birth place in the mission! SAN CARLOS!!! Haha crazy huh? I am hangin out in my old digs. The only thing is I transferred branches. Instead of branch one I am now in branch 2. I am living in the house right next to the house I lived in. (yea I get my old jogging hallway back!) Sunday was so much fun. I got to see all of my converts and members and people I love. It was sweet. They were pretty shocked to see me! So along with this transfer comes another language adjustment back to Cebuano. It’s a little harder this time because I have been more set in my ways with Ilonggo…its fun though. I love the Cebuano accent and miss it.

Also goood gooood gooood news! I got made senior companion na! sadja. And my companion is Sister Galicia. She is a gwapa gwapa nga Filipina from…somewhere in Luzon…I will have to ask her again. She is so much fun though and she talks sooooo much and to me too! I love it! Haha I have my work cut out for me though. We have a lot of work to do in this area but I am excited for the challenges and to rely on the Lord to get this work done. I am so grateful I am not alone in this work. I wish I could express more but I gotta go. I love you all and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for you all and how righteous you all are. I pray for you guys and hope that you are all happy. I am soooo thankful that we are going to have a new addition to our family soon! I can’t wait to meet her. I am so thankful for the gospel and for our Father in Heaven who is never far from us. I am thankful for this opportunity to serve in this part of the lords vineyard. Seriously I have faced some challenges that I don’t think I would have in any other part of the world and for that I am grateful. So  I sent a big Cebuano AYO AYO so inyo tanan og gihigugma ko kamo!

Sister Johnson