Everything is Perfect Here!

Happy Sunday!!  Hello my amazing family!  Man, it looks cold from the pictures I got from some of you guys!  It's the total opposite here, nice and hot!  I love New Zealand more and more every day.  Besides the white people.....everything is perfect here!  I hope that you are all enjoying the time you spend with each other!  I hope you are staying safe on the roads as well.

Well, I had a good week.  We were able to teach a few lessons with some of our investigators.  One of them with a sister from the Cook Islands, her name is Monica.  She lives with her partner who is Tongan.  We have been teaching her as much as we can (she's not home a whole lot) but we were able to catch up with her and teach an amazing Plan of Salvation lesson.  It was one of the best Plan of Salvation lessons I've had in a long time!  I think it's cause Elder Fell knows English.  It went so well.  We taught for her understanding and answered all of the questions that she had.  She told us she knows our Church is true, she accepts the Plan of Salvation and says that she has received a spiritual witness to the messages we share....and at the end of the lesson she says, "Well, I believe you elders, but I'm comfortable at the church I'm at right now...."  I was like oohhhh!  We're planning on going back over there sometime this week.  I will share some doctrine with her.  It will go good, I think I know how to help her! 

Also this week, me and one of my Elder Bro's, Elder Katoa (Tongan American) , attended a Tongan Ward baptism with the Tongan sisters in our district.  Get this--I had to sing!  ha ha  A Tongan hymn....man it was awesome.  I know the Spirit was there and was speaking through the music.  It was a good experience to be able to attend a baptism in another language.  Man, I wish our mission had a Maori program.  I would be all over that asking President every week to put me in it!  That's what I like about the city--lots of people from different islands.  Some of them are related to some of my Tongan bros back home....Latu, Viliami and Johnny Luke, so that is cool!

I had a very good week.  I noticed the Spirit with me and my companion.  I really tried to stay in tune with the Spirit this week, rather than letting myself get a little bit distracted.  I tried hard this week and we had some good lessons come from it.  I hope you guys are doing good at home.  I miss you guys, man, it's hard sometimes, but I know the Lord is taking care of my whanau (family).  Have an amazing week guys.  Kia Toa (be steadfast) Kia Manawanui (be determined) Kia Kaha (be strong) and you will be blessed!

Love you,
Elder Johnson

A little from Greg's email:

Hey Daddy-O!  Man, it's good to hear from you!  It's funny that you say you had your moments this week, cause I did too!  I was visiting with a less active Maori fellow named Julian.  He's in his thirties and has had a pretty hard life.  He's been in prison and stuff--he likes to talk with me.  He was asking me questions about my dad back home, ha and I told him stories about things we did growing up like playing catch, watching games, movies and really just hanging out.  Man, you really did teach me heaps, I'm so grateful you're my dad, aye.  I look up to you so much!  "I've been watching you, Dad, ain't that cool, I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you"  I'm grateful for the relationship we have and how strong it is.  I love you, Dad!