August 12, 2009

well i'm glad to hear that everything went good with the surgery. it kind of suprismed me to hear about it, i was riding an email from tiff and read that mom had surgery, took me off by suprise. but anyways glad to her that everything is going better. wow, i can't believe that grace is almost 7 months now. it doesn't seem like it's been that long. still feels like the other day that i emailed. we've had a couple of really warms days lately. we had a few days where we were just roasting. well on thursday we took the car to colonial heights to find out that they don't have the cable to replace for the recall, so were supposed to get a letter when the part arrives, so for now we still have the car, but the person in charge of the cars has told us if anything happens they'll switch the car for us, so it's been good. then we had a lesson with someone named george toth. he's awesome, he talks alot, and gets on alot of tangets but he asked us a lot of questions, which we could answer, such as the spirit world and such. it was great. then we had a district mtg the next day and went on exchanges with elder rodgerson, one of our zone leaders. it went very well. it was great. then sunday was a very discouraging day, kevin and sarah did not come to church and we spent most of the day with things falling through. then the next day we found out that kevin's mom was in the hopital with a very bad infection in her foot. she is also diabetic, and they had to remove three toes. they hope they got it all or else she will be losing more of her foot. so they've had some rough times start showing up, but we should be teaching them again on saturday. then yesterday we had another day of running all over the area, it was fun though, plus got to stay out of the heat. well i don't know to much more to say, things have been going very well here. things have really been moving along here. well take care, hope that evrything goes well with your recovery. i love you all so much

August 5, 20009

wow, jill and jason broke up, that was a shocker. but sounds like it was a good thing. also it was suprising to hear that james and mitch are elders now, mostly it helping me realize how long i have been out. time is just flying by. i'm starting to wonder where it's going, it felt like yesterday i emailed. it's crazy. sounds like you all had a blast at the reunion, oh yes, i keep forgetting to say this, one of the new things i've tried is goats milk. it's actually really good. theres a member here that has a milking goat and gave us some to try. very time time we go back they ask us if we want some. i say sure. well no scary weather experinces for this week. just so you know. well we had a very intersting week. we taught kevin and sarah again, theyre doing great. there just taking everything in. sarah even came to church even though her boyfriend was sick. she called for a ride and came. it was really great. then saturday we did alot of walking out in the country, mostly due to elder hinds bike needed some repairs. not much happened, just saw a lot of cornfeilds and heat was not fun. but then we had a lesson with the cathey's a member family that way and they had some intestring stories they told us. bro. cathey told us of how he came into the church, and said, that missionaries came looking for his wife, and he kept saying she wasn't here, and a fter a few weeks, they finally ask if they could share a message with them. he agrees. and then when it came to being baptized he didn't tell his wife at all just said, there was an activity going on at the church. so they both go and turns out it was his baptism. she was very much taken by suprise. then yesterday we found out that our new car has had a recall on it. so tommorrow we have to take it in. apparently theres a problem with the parking gear, that it hasn't been working, it's worked for us, they just want to inspect it. so no big worries there. then the rest of the day we went all over the area teaching lessons, it was a busy day, we loved it, espically after the slow week we had last week. well it was good to hear from all of you. things are doing great. well hope everything goes well and take care.

July 29, 2009

hey everyonesounds like you all had a fun week, we did here. yeah we had tornado weather again belive it or not, but we luckily were on the good side. it was in amelia, all we knew was we were talking with a guy on the porch, and then a storm out of nowhere popped us, and he said, i think you guys needs to get going, we didn't get any rain but elder hines said, it was tornado weather, hopefully i'm not scaring any of you, but i'm fine, don't worry. there an older couple that serving in framville named the fishers, and aparantley her maiden name is rasmussen, so i don't know but we may be related, i think she said she has family in brigham city. so maybe you could find out, i don't know. but that sounds fun, there was one in the branch here a while ago and it was pretty much three familes, that make up most of the branch. the three familes are the daltons, roarks, and adams. wow that activity sounds great, that sounds very fun, wish they did that back then for me. thats sad to hear about brother soelberg, wow it's going to be werid going back there. well for some other stories for you, on thurday we had a lesson with kevin and sarah and it went great. we went over the restoration with them again to make sure they understood and they did. they also made it to church on sunday and they loved it. then monday sarah told us that this is the happiest she's been in a long time. theres alot of potiential there i'm really excited. well were reallyexcited with them. saturday the branch did a fish fry and that was really good, there was a lot of less actives and plenty of members there. it went very well. monday we went over to the johnsons and were going to have sarah and kevin taught in ther home. so thats a plus. there i also found out that wakefield's branch presidency was reorganized. i don't know to much information other the bro. Johnosn's son is the new second councilor. elder Salisbury is still there as well. then yesterday we had our zone confernce and learned much about doing short, powerful lessons. we took alot out of that. pres. millburn also told us how he was called as weel and said that pres. Faust told him your sucess as a mission president will not be determined until 20-30 years later. it depends on how your missionaries will be as parents and grandparents. so that was something i never really thought about. then that night we went on exhcnages and elder neugebauer came down with us. we also set richard for baptism. he's right now scheduled for september 26th. so thats the good news on this end. elder burmister, one the missionaries i came out with is a trooper, he 's been having alot of health problems recntly, but he's still going out strong and he's great. he was just diagnosed with something, i cant remeber what it's called, but he know has to eat alot of fruits and vegatables. he cant have very much fat. well other than that thats the news for us. we've had a lot of things happen this week, and saw lots of miracles. it's been great. it so good to see how much the lord wants to bless us. it's great. well take care, and have fun.

July 22, 2009

hey everyone
so blair is getting married, thats great news. that so good to hear. i'm also glad that grandma is doing better as well. thats some really good news. wow so tiff and dan got to ride in a limo, thats something. well sounds like grace is doing well. thats great to her that everything is fine at the doctors. that sucks about spencer breaking two teeth. thats no fun. but for the drug trafficng , the cloest thing ive seen to that was all the unmarked police cars pulling people over. they always seem to come out of nowhere. luckily were always going the speed limit. this week had some intersting things happen. on thursday we said goodbye to elder hall and he's no out in washington, probably strumming a guitar. that same night i somehow stepped in a nest of ticks. i had about thirty on my leg, that was annoying. then the next day we were headed to victoria, and we got a few miles out of town and we saw some really meaning clouds on the way there, we decided to turn around and get inside, which was a good thing, the lightning was terrible, and it rained fairly heavy and had some nasty hail. a little bit later we found out there was a tornado warnin, i don't know if there was one or not, but all i know, is the clouds were a a mixture between this dark bluish gray with a green tint. but we were fine, excpet for getting a little wet. then we had a great lesson with a couple we met named sarah and kevin. were going to see them again tommorrow. then the next day we went up to amelia, and got a lost, i looked at the wrong road and and by the time i figured it all out we were way off target. so we've had to walk a monday, everywhere, still a little sore from it. but other than that not much more i know of to say. things have been on the slow side this week but they are getting better. well take care, have fun

July 15, 2009

don't worry i did get the email from dad. it was good to hear from dad. well this week as been an intersting one. transfers, i don't know too much about, other than i'm staying here and so is elder hines. it will be just the two of us, so it will be a little differnt but should be fun. i'm glad to hear that grandma is doing better. thats really good news.

well i have a funny story for you, sunday we had dinner with the johnson's, and there son was my branch mission leader in wakefield, there was loking like a storm was going to hit there and bro. johnson needed water for his graden so elder hall joked around and did a rain dance for like 5 seconds, and about five minutes later, a really nasty storm hit. it was crazy, afterwards they joked around and said, it's a good thing he didn't do any more or we would have been blown away. it was really something. we also had quite a few miracles, theres this one less active family that all of the sudden want to come back now, so that was really something.

well i don't know to much more to say other than that i got a letter from Jacob this week, and i found out that he's works on updates for the new family search service, and he also is putting in a bunch of names from brazil. he says it's a blast. well take care, glad to hear from you again. take care

July 8, 2009

hey everyone,i'm able to email this week, but we still have terrible interent. they were trying to change internet last week and apparently it didn't work. so hopefully i'm able to email.

well i just heard some good news from elder wangemann. he's engaged. so that was a shock to see this week. it's almost been a year since he went home. but anyways it good to email today. i'm also sending a home a package today so i can get rid of some things, so it's your choice whether to wait to open in 9 months or you can open it. mostly it's letters, cards, and some souvioners. that sucks to hear about sis. thompson, i defiantly write them today. and it good to hear that grandma is doing better. so thats really good news.

we were not able to see any fireworks this past week. so it was a bummer but the branch had a barbque so we went to it and had a good time. i've been fine with the heat, only a few times has been bad, but thoise salt tablets work wonders. well i did hear about that new policy at the Mtc, but i heard what it was like there with the newbies, found out it was actuallly the swine flu, but heard its good now.

friday i was ble to return to Farmville on exhanges, so that was pretty fun, didn't get to see to many memebrs but it was fun. had a good time with elder neugebauer. monday we saw a recent convert named brother McCadams and he is a geniune redneck. he is very intersting, however he always gets into longwinded tangets on politics and stuff, but he also is very much in to food storage, and stuff. in fact he keeps telling us when we get home to make sure we have plenty of food and bullets. yeah he has a lot of guns. but he's a character, a little crazy, but it's fun. i don't know much else to say right off but that things are going really well here. well take care, tell mom to have a good time a shakespeare. take care.

Letter July 2, 2009

Hey family, as you could probably tell I couldn't email this week. The internet was down today so, I get to write this time. This week was interesting. ONe day we went out with Brother Berryman, and he went out and contacted quite a number of people all over the area. We found success. So we were pretty excited about that. We also had a family named the Hammonds (?) whose kids want to take the lessons again. So good news there as well. Sorry I don't know much to write. I can't really tink of much but take care. I should be able to email next week take care.

day after mission conference

hey everyone. this week went very well. the week before nothing happened and now quite a bit happened. so it was great. i also got the package monday, so thanks. wow, thats crazy, that the new ward mission leader served here and trained todd that shows how small of a world it is. okay so to tell you more about Elder Hinds, he is from pleasington, Kansas. he been alot just a little bit less than me, and he enjoys playing games. so today we have been playing rook. it's been fun.

yesterday we had mission confernce, so all the northern zones got together. i was able to see alot of missionaries i haven't seen for a while, it was great. found out how my past areas have been going and so forth. it was great. pres. millburn has also starting up a book of mormon reading, i'm so pumped for it. it's called a 146 days to remember. basically were given different gospel principles to look for as we read so that we can use them to become better and more powerful teachers. i'm really excited for that. we also were able to hear from siter millburn yesterday as well. she been having some health problems, that she just hasn't been getting alot of energy. she got up and bore her testimony to all of us, it was really powerful. in fact what was really special is that when she walked in everyone stood up for her. it seemed to hit her pretty hard. but she is doing better, sounds like it's been slow but she been improving.

we had a really cool miracle as well the first day with elder hinds, we had a lesson with a less active part member family and we got there and they hadn't got home yet, so we worked for a little bit and then decided to go back. they were they and in fact they had a friend there and he wanted a book of mormon. so we gave him a copy and now were teaching him as well as them. so you can call it two birds with one stone. that was a miracle. but other than that, thats been the most intersting stories for the week.well thats basically our week, we had some pretty bad stroms earlier in the week, an ac that broke down, and now it's been nice so far this week, knock on wood. well take care. have fun.

June 17, 2009

well i have some news for everyone. i'm staying here with elder Hall. but i'm also getting another elder with us. his name is elder Hines. i've met him a few times, but i don't know much more to say. but ill let you know next week. i was not too suprised with grandma going to the nursing home, i was kind of expecting it. but i think it sounds good that she'll move in with pam though. that way she has someone there to help her.

well it's still cloudy here, probably will get some rain today again. we've been getting rain alot as it is. monday during study it was a downpour outside and luckily by the time we got out it was good. well this week was very discouraging, we would go out and come in and nothing happened all day. we just couldn't get appointments to keep. it was very annoying. on sunday me and elder hall spoke on missionary work. and then the stake mission leader spoke as well. he's a character. i spoke on fear and faith tied into missionary work, it went all right, didn't go the way i wanted. but i think i got the point acrossed. saturday, notoway county did this thing called relay for life and it was a fundraiser to stop cancer, the church had a booth there so we went there and helped out for a bit. it went fairly well. then later that day we had a lesson with a media referal. she was awesome. she asked us a lot of questions about the church, and she is geniunely intersted. it was great.

there was also this older man we met he was outised and told us he had a stroke three year ago and it was really bad and barely survived. he was from puerto rico and as we finished the street we walked back and he was sitting underneath the tree. it turned out his leg gave out from under him and he couldn't get back up. so we helped him up and helped him walk back to his house and then his wife showed up and after that he expressed his thanks and it reminded me alot of bro. thompson. but it was so amazing because he said he was praying that we would come back by and help him, and we did. I know we were suppossed t be there, because his wife would have needed help to get him up and yet we were there to help. well i'll be sure to write grandma and give her some good news. i don't know much else to say right off but take care. and have a good day.

June 10, 2009

well it's been intestring here so far. i thought i told you but my new companion is elder Hall. he's going home next month. but whether ill be with him one week or six i don't know, but it will be known tuesday. sunday there was a baby blessing here and it was reminding me that grace was going to get blessed so it was a little discouraging but at the same time i got over it. i'll see her when i get home. sounds like you got a lot of rain this week. we did as well. there was one day i think it was friday we tracted all day out in the rain and most people acted like were nuts going out. but it was fun. the other day we tracted outside a small town and came by an airfield, it reminded me of dad. well burkville is basically country, lots and lots of country. in fact its one of the biggest areas. i cover most of amelia, all of nottoway and lunenburg, counties. and a corner of two others. so it's big. well this week has been pretty crazy. it's been alot of finding, goes from hot, to wet, pretty much every other day. but it's been fun. the branch here is about the saem size as farmville, but more priesthood holders. but is still difficult because the area is so big. well it was good to here from you. yeah i'll be excited to get those confernce talks once they come. but things have been going very well. i'm loving it right now. well take care

June 3, 2009

well this week was intersting, monday we got a phone call and found out transfers are being postponed two weeks. but the missionaries going home need to be replaced, so i got moved, not to far but to burkville. in fact the burkville branch was a ward but was split and made into two branches. one of which is farmville. so i'm not to far, but i'll be here atleast till transfers. my new address is 620 south main street apt 8b, Blackstone, Va 23824. just leeting you know.

well i've gone a week without any ticks now, so it's good, but i've heard there really bad this summer. so hopefully it can keep going. i hope dad gets feeling better, i don't think it's fun getting sick though. well that exciting news for robby.

well the most intersting stories this week was that the jones family are praying about a baptismal date, but we think theyre lacking that spiritual conversion, right now, we think its more they know it mentally. but they've been doing really well. but i can't think of any other good stories though, i forgot my planner to make a brief look over. well it's good to hear from you again. things are going very well. well take care.

a few things

hey evryone. things have been going fairly well here. we've been getting rain as well. yesterday we sat down in someones garage and a minute later it was downpouring. we were glad about that. well sounds like you had a fun trip i bet it was great toget away from everything for a while.

so heres a story foryou.last monday were near the end of the month and miles are getting tight.we had a media referal and so we biked five miles to it. we get there and found out that we had the wrong street. and it was 2 miles from were we parked the car. so we weren'tto happy. the way down was fine,but the back had a very large hill. so we finally get back and then we had a great lesson with her. she just had a son shot, wasn't killed but, is prepared. it was really awesome. for the week, we had a lesson with bobby and sam, they know finally have a marraige date. so there getting closer than they have been for a while. he feed us chili. now to tell you about. he warned us, as long as you keep scooping it down,your fine, but once you stop, that when the heat gets you. he makes spicy chili. it wasn't actaully to bad, i was expecting it to be bad but it wasn't.


then firday we went on 24's with the zoneleaders. i went out with elder burmiester and we had a great time. then saturday we had a special meeting with the assainsts to the president.it was a really good meeting, and we learned about the vision of the mission more, and things they want to get acrossed to everyone. making sure we are all on the same page. it was a very powerful meeting. we left there pumped. then we meet with a less active lady yesterday and found out that she wants to come back, she just can't drive but all she needs is a ride. so it was really awesome, she bore a powerful testimony to us and now we are going to work on having her get out to church. so that was pretty much our week. haven't had tomuch happen yet. edmund is still trying to find a job, and once he moves out,he'llbe baptized. he'slooking so forward to it, but he just hasn't been able to get a job yet. hows your friend doing mom, have you hsared your testimony with her yet? you need to,she doesn't realize the happiness she could have in her life. thank you for the prayers, and for the support you allhave continued to give me. i love you all. take care.

May 20, 2009

well to answer the question about the letter, i got it monday, so thanks. thats so exciting the matt got his mission call. tell him congradulations. tell him he's going to love it. i belive that the mission one of pres. millburns daughters served. she got home about a year ago. but wow, i can't believe that almost all of the priest quorum is going on missions now. time is just going to fast. well last year memorial day was just another day, so it will probably be the same. sorry if spacing is bad,the spacebar isn't working well today. so just apologizing ahead of time. wellthis week has been intersting,we have seen alot ofmiracles and just alot of good things are happening. it started out rough, we had one of our top investigators drop us, jay b. but still left on good measures, he'll be back. monday we met a really awesome lady who just had a baby, and now she is wondering where to take her to church. so we gave her a book ofmormon and she had a lot of questions about infant baptism.sowe shared with her that and going to see here again sometime. then we found someone later that day who is going through a rough time and she had seen commercials for a free video from the church, keep feeling like she should order it but she never did. so we left her with it and she accpeted a return appointment. it was amazing. then yesterday we had a coolexperience as well. we recieved a media referal and we went out to contact her and she had lost a son recently. and she is very depressed about it, but she was really drunk at the time so we told her to call us when she's sober. then we went and talkedto her neighbors. the next door neighbor has been struggling with whether God really does love her and if he truly answers prayer. we bore a powerful testimony and left her with a book of mormon.the funny thing is is that where she lived we planned nowhere around, never gone that way, but becasue of her neighbor we found her.it was really awesome. last week we were struggling and now after the trial of our faith were having miracles. it's great. welli don't know to much more of what to say. well take care, have fun at blanding. Elder S. Johnson

Day after Cinco De Mayo

well to answer your question about the tacos or mexican food, welll i did, we went to taco bell yesterday. so i quess so. allright i made some arrangemnts and i am going to be calling about 7:00. or five oclock there. if it's not good let me know. yes i got the recipes. i got them after i emailed. i loved it. still haven't been able to try anything yet, but i can't wait to try some. we've had a lot of rain lately. its been good because we can breathe now, but we are getting tried of getting wet. but other than that it's been good here. so for our week it was pretty intersting. we had quite a few meetings, six plus hours of driving time with it. so we are very glad theres no meetings this week. last wensday we went to instiute and it was the last one till next fall and we had a pizza party there. so it was good and then they played the Testaments. we got quite a few investigators to it and they all loved it. it was really fun. then on friday we ha our first meeting and it was an allright one but was still good. they also passed on information about the swine flu and stuff like that. so we know know what it is and what to do if we get it. then on saturday we had zone confernce and that was very good. we learned alot there and got a lot of things we were very excited to implementy but then it left us as we drove back but we turned things around and are doing better now. then sunday we had another really good meeting. elder pace and pres millburn both gave really good talks. pres millburn talked on oppistion and how it strengthens us and elder pace talked alot about "do you know?" and he challenged everyone to pray and read the jsh. it was really good, we've now been taking that and giving it to some of our invetsigators. and so far most of them have enjoyed it. then that night we had a lesson with brenda and her family and it was so amazing we saw a change that had come over them from the time before. then we as we shared the first vison there was a peace in her home and it was great. so thats was our big news for the week. i'm not sure on much else to tell you right now, but i quess i'll talk to you on sunday. well hope everything goes well. take care

Email to Tiffany

sounds like dan has got a pretty good job now, i think he'll enjoy it. from what is sounds like kate has gotten over her phone shyness, so maybe she say something more to me this time than bye. so i'm not sure if i shared this story or not, but i think you'll like it, one day me and elder brockman were teaching a 4 kids about faith and how it leads you to act. elder brockman for an object lesson picked up a small bear and placed it on the table, and talks about how faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains. he points to the beard and says this is much smaller than a mounatin move it with your faith, go. the oldest was 9, then a set of twins that were 6, and a four year old. i kind you not, there faces were turning red as they were starring at it trying to move it. i think they were trying to use the force or something to that effect. but then he showed them that faith leads to you to act, that means pick it and move it. everytime we came back and reviewed, we would ask what faith is and they would pick up whatever it was move it across the table. it was pretty funny. well there your funny story for the week.
> well take care, it was good to hear from you.

April 29, 2009

hey everyonethings have been an intersting week, we all have been battling allegies. it's been pretty bad this week, but atleast it been nice and sunny, and in the nineties. so it's been nice here, but we might be getting some rain today, i heard it suppossed to be thunderstorms. well right now, i have a phone card still. so i don't need one. right now the most i've heard is sometime in the evening for calling. so i let you know if its the case. and if i call grandma's house i'll need her phone number. so send it. thanks. well with the new stake president none of the names are ringing a bell. but i guess i'll meet them sooner or later. but we are having a stake confernce this week as well. elder pace is going to be there. so here something intersting to tell you, friday we have a zone mtg, saturday, zone confernce with elder Pace, and stake confernce sunday, all at the same place. pretty crazy huh. so we have alot of meeting this week. not to excited, but oh well. tanks for sending the recipes, i was really wanting that tuna fish cassorale again. so thats one reason i asked. plus weve been doing a lot of cooking, i even made goop this week, but we didn't have eggs, so it was in there but it was till good. oh yes, and now to tell you about elder Peterson. he is from Enoch, Utah. likes trucks, and has been out a transfer less than me, so he's hitting his year mark tommorrow. so thats who he is. so last wensday we were down tracting in a town called keysville. we ended up seeing a truck outside some ones house with a flashing yellow light, we walked up, no one there, so we knocked on the door and said the light drew us here like a lighthouse, and he invvited us in. his wife ended up talking to use and found out that she used to live with an abusive, alcholic husband, and that she has been struggling in here life now, the chucrh she went to basically left her behind and she hasn't been to church in years, but her daughter a few days before had attempted suicide and know she is wanting to come back to chucrh. it was an awesome experince it was so cool. she was so prepared and it was amazing. we taught her monday and talked alot about family and strengthing it, she loved it. i also now have a new food i can say i've ate. on firday a memebr made us squirell barbque. it was actually really good. i enjoyed it. so i added that to foods i've eaten list. so thats the news for the week. everything has been going pretty well. well it's a shame that dad is going to have to hunt up north this year, but it change, i'm sure he'll like it. well i'll talk to you later. take careElder S. Johnson

April 22, 2009

well i have some news for ya. i'm staying in farmville at least another six weeks. but elder Malone is leaving, he's headed to Norfolk. we are getting a missinory named elder Peterson. not one i came out with but another one. all i know is that he's coming from Nags Head, North Carolina. another intersting thing is that elder Neugebauer, trained elder Burmiester who is now our new zone leader. thats about the only news i know of really well. well to your news, i'm glad that grandma is doing much better. i'm glad to know that. so quess well be finding out sooner who are new stake president is. well make sure to let me know. welll thats pretty funny what happened with the crockpot. we went on exchanges this week and we were going out to eat. i'm about to order and thats when i realized i forgot my wallet. it was sad, at least i figured it out before then. the worst time that happend is we finished shopping and went to go pay and thats when i realized i didn't have it. it was pretty sad. well just to let you know, my bloddy noses are doing much better. not having them as frequently, i bought some nose spray and that did the trick. well theres been alot of storms here this week. had a tornado watch out oon monday and heard there was quite a few powerful storms that blew through, but thats about all i know. but a cool story from yesterday, is that we had to go up to the mission office so that elder malone needed to speak with the mediacl officer, so we tried to get the office elders to try giving us some hints about transfers but they didn't. but we found out a few things though. mostly because of a new elder there. one of the Ap's is now a zone leader for his last two transfers. so we soon figured out who the new one was and who the new Training assiasant was. his name was elder craig, but the thing that was funny, is me and elder neugebauer left and tracted for a little bit and as we were headed back to the mission office asomeone pulled over and was wanting missionaries to visit him. it was really awesome how everything lined up. so thats about all i can think of right now. but thanks for the updates about grandma and for everything else. take care. i love all of you. Elder S. Johnson

April 15, 2009

hey everyonethis transfer is going way to fast, next week is already transfers. it's crazy. time is flying by. it's been an intersting week, i've been having alot of bloody noses, but right now vasoline is seeming to do the trick, as long as i don't sneeze, or it doesn't get to dry at night. so it's been crazy, my pilllowcase is getting washed almost daily. but don't worry everything is going well now. yes i did get my package in fact theres a funny story with it as well. we were on exhnages and elder neugebauer has been expecting a package, and as were driving up he sees it on the porch. he's really excited, takes a look at it, and sees my name. he was very depressed, but he got his the next day. so it was fine. wow, it hard to belive miles is coming home now. time is going way to fast. were teaching this family named the jones, and the grandma has all her grandkids sit in so we teach them. it's really funny trying to teach them, there this one kid whose answers usually have something to do with food. then they came to chucrh on sunday and loved it. the branch pres has been out twon for almost a month and at the time time there wasn't to many investigators coming well last sunday we had 9. so it was a big suprise to him. edmund, is now set for baptism and is trying to get back on track again. so hoepfully he stays on this time. then sunday we went an easter play that this person we met invited us to, she was in it, so we wnet for here. it was good but differnt. so it was an intersting epxerince. now we went by this lessactive memebr and we quickly found out why. her health isn't the best and she has altimers really bad. she kept asking who we were every minute or so. so it made it tough. so thats the big news here, not o much exciting, but we had interviews on monday and had pres millburn do a compaion study with us. so basically like zone confernce but more one on one. i'm not sure on much else to say, but take care, have fun, and hope that tiff gets feeling better. Elder S. Johnson

April 8, 2009

yeah i did notice pres. McConkie, when they announced the name at first it made me wonder, then i thought i saw him. so after that i was keeping an eye out. but that defiantly confirms that, i was planning to ask you anyways. so thats really cool. sounds like it's a good car. it's a missionary car as well. most cars are either corollas or malibu's what year is it. so that's really cool. on sunday between confernce while we were having lunch i found something really cool. i saw a book that said doctrine and covenants commenatry. so i picked it up and found a story that had to do with simeon Carter. it had his conversion story. it was really cool. it said that Parley P. Pratt was reading with him, and then got arrested and left the Book Of Mormon behind. parley P. pratt got away and simeon read it and was baptized. then it contiued to say he was made an elder and organized a brach of sixty members. it was pretty cool. well i thought confernce was amazing, i loved alot of it. i was thinking it would be elder anderson as well, i aslo loved elder Hollands, and pres. monson's. i also liked pres. utcorfs talk at priesthood, had proabably the best joke. he went on saying how he was trying to find a story to relate it with, and he went on these things the other apostles were good at, and then he said, he made his desicion, i would share something i knew really well, aviation. it was pretty funny how he brought it up. i still can't choose a favorite. hey i was wondering, when it gomes out on cd if you could get me one. i'd really appreciate it. the last two day we had some really amazing miracles. on monday we had plans to go around the collage talking to everyone we could see but before we got there elder Neugebauer reconzinged one of his investigator he was teaching in the Innercity of Richmond. he was set for baptism and then elder Neuegbauer got transfered here. then edmund(his name) just vanished. so the elders there were seacrhing every hopsital, calling prisions, everything trying to find him. so it was really cool. it's funny, because they thought he had dropped off the face of the earth. it was so crazy what happened. then yetserday we were driving to an appointment got about 5 minutes away and they cancelled it. we were pretty annoyed, so we go to the members house who was going to come with us and that's when the phone rang a minute later. it was someone that missionaries had taught in january, and had to postpone there appointment. so they called us wnated us to come by again. it was really cool what happened. it was neat.i liked that story with grace and kate that sounded really funny. i thought it was pretty good. well take care, have fun with the new car. i also loved the pitcures, i got the letter yesterday. well take care.

p.s.
oh yes one last thing. when simeon was called on a mission in the Doctrine & covenants, Jacob Scott, one of elder Salisbury's ansectors was called as well. so six genratiions later we sevred together and they may have traveled together at one point. just was really intersting when we thought about that. well take care

April fool's

don't worry no joke, but maybe i get one in, who knows. snicker, snicker. this week was really fun, we had alot of miracles. on sunday we had 6 investigators at chucrh. it was amazing. i'm glad that your doing better. i'm glad that everything is fine there, well youll have to send me pitcures of the new car when you get it. i'm so glad that Grace is home as well. i'm really excited about that. i thought it was cute they were holding hands in the back. this weekend is going to be excitiong, i'm looking forward to confernce. it's going to be great. i'm getting along pretty well with elder Neugebauer, and elder Malone. Elder Malone does alot of cooking, one thing i learned from him is how to make mozarella sticks. so Jill will love that. well the only sister missionaries i know of that were in a group of three were best friends, so haven't seen anything bad. well i have alot more stories this week for you, we had some really amazing blessings this week. there was this one lesson we had where we got incredibly bold with this one person. one thing thats getting pushed in the mission is teaching more clearly, and refining our shortcomings. it's been really amazing how much improvement is happening in the mission. another cool story is we had a lesson with someone named Jay b. he's been going trhough a hard time and we taught him the restoration and he loved it, the spirit was very strong there, he was one of them that came to church, and then church had the answer he needed at the time. then monday we are working with a couple, the kids are members, but they both are not married but both have strong testimonies of the gospel. so we went into the lesson to teach the restoration, but before we started we asked, do you believ that Jospeh Smith is a prophet, and they both suprsied us with a powerful testimony. so there went or plan on what to teach them, because they didn't need it, so we taught about God, and how he is a merciful but a just God, and used alma 42. the really cool thing is we ended it with obedience, and we had bobby read 1 nephi 3:7 but swap his name for nephi. he read it and it was powerful. it really hit him, and now we have them set for baptism with plans to get married. it was really cool. then the last coo,l story is that we had zone confernce yesterday and they stressed with calling people to repentance, not being afraid to do it. and to teach with passion. it was an amazing zone confernce. a lot of things are happneing here, i'm really excited. farmville is great, i love it here, i'm not sure what else to say though, but everything is going well. take care, have a good april fools day. okay not really but have a good day Elder S. Johnson