16 May—Brazos

Hi family and friends-

This week was a good week for Elder Garrido and I. We had a chance to find some new people. We have a companionship goal to find a new investigator who has desires to really change, someone with real intent, every week. That way by the end of the transfer, we will have a lot of people to work with who are really progressing.

I really don't know what to say about what's going on. Elder Garrido and I hope to have a big week at church this next Sunday. We have five potential people who are just super awesome who we have been working with, and we really hope to see them get baptized one day.

The Sister missionaries in the branch had two baptisms last week. The first one that the branch has had in a few months, and the branch was really happy and excited about it. I was asked to sing a solo at the baptism. I did, and it was the first one I have ever done. It turns out that I actually really liked it. I am thinking about telling President Puig (Branch President) that if he ever wants me to sing during sacrament that I would be happy to do it.

I have really been enjoying the change of heart study again, to help me weed out any laziness and to help me refocus on everything. That study is so cool. Mosiah 5 is so awesome! I really love studying the scriptures and starting my day with reading. So, if you are not studying them you better blow the dust off your scriptures and dive in deep.

Oh, my I almost forgot about the biggest news in history. My trainer, Elder Roberts, he has been home for over a year, and it turns out he is getting married on August 5, and he wrote me a letter and wants to to be a groomsmen!! So, that is only nine days after I get home and I told him that I am going to go!! So, I don't know if that changes any of my family's plans, but I love Elder Roberts, so I have got to go to his wedding. I have to be there to support him. I am going to have him call you (Mom and Dad) this week so that he can give you some details. He lives in Northern California.

I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Mother's Day 2011, Last Phone Call Home

Hey family!

It was really great to be able to talk with you on the phone! I don't really know what to say today, besides I love you all! We have a great family and I am really grateful for each and everyone of you. Mom Dad, sisters and brothers. Man, I got the coolest brothers-in-law, and the coolest sisters that anyone could ever want!

I love you and have a great day!

-Elder Johnson

2 May—Brazos

Hey Family and Friends!

Things here in Rosenburg, Texas have been going great! We had transfer calls this morning, and it looks like I am staying in Brazos. That means that I will probably end up spending the rest of my mission here. I have really liked the challenge. The mission is to get some baptisms here in Rosenburg, and hopefully this will be the month it happens. We are really excited because the Sister Missionaries should be baptizing two or three people this month. I really hope that our buddy Richard will decide to be baptized as well!

My companion Elder Bunch is getting transfered so we will see who I get next. He has been a good companion, and has helped me get back into the groove of planning well. He is a great missionary and isn't afraid to talk to anyone. It was great to be with him. I think we cancelled out each others' weaknesses with our strengths. So, that was a cool experience.

I think it is really funny how at the end of your mission all of your stuff falls apart. I have had to get new shoes, because both of my shoes have holes in the bottom of them. I need a new backpack, because there are two big holes in the bottom of it, and the strap is halfway torn off. And my bike, there are only three gears that work (Gears 12, 21 and 24). It is fine though, because that is all I need to get around. I guess that's what happens when you get a used bike at the beginning of your mission.

I was writing in my journal the other night, and I realized how cool it is to be a missionary! It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to serve the Lord! This is probably going to be one of the few times in my life when I will be able to do this everyday. And I love it. I love getting shut down; I love getting let in by someone; I love teaching the gospel, and I love seeing people get baptized. This is awesome! I decided to study the mighty change of heart again, so I can be on the spiritual boom at the end of the mission and not go down the drain.

Thanks for the great letters, and I hope that everyone of you is enjoying life!

-Elder Johnson

25 April—Brazos

Hello Family and Friends!

Well, the great news about Rosenberg. We have been riding around on the bikes all week, and this is good because we have been able to filter through a lot of different people as we continue to try and find the elect. Funny story of the week. We go and we teach this guy named Angle, and we knocked on his door; he answered. He goes inside to get the pamphlet we left him, and hear his wife saying, WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU? ALREADY HAVE YOUR FAITH. We told Angle that if he didn't want to hear, he could go inside. It was alright, we didn't want to mess up his relationship with his wife. But he said he has always wondered what the message we shared was, and he wanted to hear so we told him that we would share it and invite him to pray about it at the end.

We taught him and he liked it a lot; he had questions about why there are so many churches and which church was true, and he felt like he got an answer. Right when we were about to give him a baptismal date, his wife came out and we asked her if she wanted to hear. She told us to come inside. We taught her. Totally opposite effect. She disagreed about everything. It was really amazing to see the difference of someone with an open heart, and someone without one. They said they would call us once they have prayed. I think the husband got kick out of it. We will see what happens.

Richard is doing great. He came to church again, and we were able to get his son to go to primary. We had to sit with him through it though, and boy it was great to get to learn with the six-year old, and then draw a picture. Richard drew a picture of Elder Bunch and me knocking on his door for the first time, it was cool.

Then Sunday night, we got to go to a broadcast from Salt Lake City; a musical called El Salvador Del Mundo (The Savior of the World). It was great! Well, a little long, but it was great because we invited a family of five. We have been working with them this month and they came! They got to meet some of the members, and hopefully they will want to come to the actual church services next week. I like this little town, it's a good place.

Thanks for the cards and packages for Easter, I really appreciated them! They made Easter really special! It was a great time to read in the Bible about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I really like a movie "Called to this End was I Born" (about the Savior's Atonement made by the Church). It was very great, and we got to watch it with some of the members here.

Well I love you and have a great week!

-Elder Johnson

18 April—Brazos

Hey family and friends!

Sorry, this letter is going to stink, I have 5 minutes to type. I just got caught up with reporting some numbers and stuff. But I love you, and thanks for the letters and the love. I needed it!

This week was a good week. We had a good weekend. And our friend Richard and his son Anthony came to church, they really liked it a lot. On Saturday, Richard was like, "Hey man, I got to tell you, that tie of yours is having some problems." And he's like, "Man, wait a second," and he came back with a big yellow tie. A really nice yellow tie, and gave it to me. It was a new tie. I kind of think he just wanted to give me a tie haha. But he is way cool, and one of those people I am happy to work with.

Well, thanks for everything, I have to go. Sorry that this letter was short. I love you all! Next time I am going to get the other stuff done quicker!

-Elder Johnson

11 April—Brazos

Family and friends,

Things here is Brazos are going well. It has been a busy week, and man, things have been busy. I think it's good though, because it keeps me focused on a good cause, and I will be able to continue to progress at the end of my mission; instead of slowing down. So, I am grateful for it.

We had a lady named Sylvia come to church this week! Second week in a row for investigators at church! Woohoo! Richard couldn't come, because his son was sick. We continue to get out on the bikes, and work hard to find those people that have open hearts, and are willing to read, pray and come to church to see what it is like.

I am going to load some pictures, because that what you all like anyway. George Munoz from my last area was baptized on Saturday, and I got to go to see it! It was great! He's the man!

Well, I don't really know what to say for the rest of the week. It is fun to be a missionary; it is fun to preach the gospel. Real fun comes through living the gospel. Why? Because every choice we make has a consequence, a good or a bad one, and their is never a bad consequence when you choose to live the gospel. You're never going to have a hang over, you're never going to accidentally have a baby, you're never going to be thrown in jail for breaking a law. Yea those are bad things, but they happen. You're usually going to be doing some kind of service for someone, which really brings happiness. You're going to feel good inside. And when you keep the commandments, God helps you out. This is just my opinion, but I feel like if you put God first in your life, he will put you first in his. Well, I know he loves all his children, but I think that saying is at least partly true. Anyway, now I'm just ranting. Have a good day. Bye!

-Elder Johnson

Random picture of me and Sarah from Galveston, my first area

Jose, Josselyn and family

Elder Bunch and Me

Brazos fields

George's baptism

4 April—Brazos

Hey family!

Well, I have two options for this mission email today. I can either talk about how the area is going, or I can talk about the mission call and pre mission life. Here it goes.

When I was little and in Primary, I remember singing "I hope they call me on a mission when I grow a foot or two." I remember I always wanted to go on a mission, and go to some far-off land and be a missionary. As I grew up I began to lose that desire. It became the "me world." All I cared about was my life in high school; it was my time. Time for me to look good; time for me to be the best basketball player ever. All me, all my time. This was a time in my life I could say that my testimony was on the line. I stopped enjoying church; all my friends were not members, and I always thought man why can't I just do what they do. It's hard to always say no to things. It's the church's fault I can't do it. I wasn't reading my scriptures; I wasn't praying very often; and if it wasn't for my loving parents, there is no way I would be here in Texas on my mission.

I have to take some time and talk about my mom and my dad. They are the best parents for me. They helped me. I remember one day, mom came home from the temple with dad, and she told me how she felt I wasn't reading my scriptures, and she started putting Ensigns by my bed. I would read them every now and again before I went to bed. I remember one I read about repentance and the happiness it brought. That always stuck in my head. I realized then that I know that repentance is what I needed to do. No one is perfect, it's all something we have to do if we want to be happy. But repentance is not something I wanted to do. I had too much pride to go and do it. I was worried what people would think of me; what my family would think of me, and what my church leaders would think of me. Man, Satan had me good, I would say. It was all ME, all me. You can't repent, because it would show the world that Elder Johnson is not perfect. Man, it was pretty bad.

It got to the point that I wanted to just go to Cal Poly with my friends, and hang out there. I'll tell you one thing, if I did that I wouldn't be on a mission. Who knows, maybe I wouldn't even be active. My parents talked to me about college, and they said; you can go to Cal-Poly, and be with your friends, but don't come asking us for help for rent or for school. They gave me another choice, and it saved me. It was if you go to BYU, we will help you pay for school, (it is a lot cheaper). There were a lot of Pros to go to BYU, I had some family there, and my parents were going to help me. So, I went to BYU, and to tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go. I was under the impression that it wasn't cool to be a member of the church. But man, BYU is so cool! I got a chance to go and room with people that I have never met before. I met other members of the church that have the same likes as me, and are super cool.

My roomate Jason Ashby was a big inspiration. When I first met him, I didn't even really like him that much. He was short; I was tall. He liked playing the piano; I liked playing basketball. He liked to sing sing sing; I liked to sing, but it wasn't a big deal to me. He liked to dance; I didnt. I was hanging out with the "cool guys," and I didn't even know my roommate very well. One day, I thought to myself, man I dont even know my roommate; this has got to change. That night, I hung out with Jason, and my life changed. It was fun, I didn't have to worry about me me me. About being cool, and being friends with all the cute girls. It was crazy. Little did I know that Jason was going to be my first best friend that was a member of the church. We did everything together. We hung out, and it was always let's hang out with Jason and Steve. We were each others shadows, I guess you can say. It was always a lot of fun.

Then one day at around Christmas time, Jason received the coolest gift; his mission call. This was the first time I had ever seen anyone open up a mission call before, and man it was so cool. He was called to the Honolulu, Hawaii mission. I was so happy for him, but it was then that I realized. I want one of those. I want to go on a mission,

The next semester, Jason was gone, and I suddenly found myself without a wingman and a best friend. I felt kind of lost, and I felt like I needed to start over. That is when I met Austin Mulleneaux. Who was soon to be my new best friend. The truth is, I didn't like him at all the semester before. I thought he was full of it, and all he cared about was working out, girls and looking good. He was also hanging out with my old group of friends, and that probably had something to do with it as well.

Austin lived in the same stairwell as me, and we would always see each other going home from school, and we would say, "whats up," and then go to our apartments. We did this for about three weeks, and then one day Austin asked me hey are you good at Halo? I said yea man, I am pretty good. So we played some Halo, and started talking and it turns out we had a ton in common. We started hanging out everyday, and I made my second best friend that was a member of the church. Austin and I got talking, and we both knew we needed to get ready for missions and that meant to repent. So we talked to our bishop, and worked things out. We were worthy of getting our mission calls!

I still remember the day! It was the very, very, last day of school. I opened the mailbox and saw it. The envelope! I called Mom, Dad, and the fam, and we all got together. Some of my buddies were there also. I had always wanted to go to Mexico or Italy, because that is where my parents went. If I stayed state side, I wanted to go in a city with a ghetto speaking Spanish. I opened up the call, and it said I was going to the Texas Houston South Mission; the best mission in the world! And that I would be speaking Spanish. I was so happy and stoked! And man, I am loving the mission! It has definitely changed my life. I have learned the importance of obedience to the commandments; the importance of personal study and prayer every day; and the importance of following our church leaders.

Well, I am out of time, and now you know more about my life and my journey of coming on a mission. There is some more detail to add sometime, but I don't have time. I love you all and have a great day!

-Elder Johnson