Nah Man, You Are Ichiro!

Hello, Hello, Hello!

So good to hear from each of you this week!  I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing good.  Summer is back and it looks like everyone has an exciting week ahead with some ball games coming up!  I can't wait to hear how all of that goes that's for sure!  Don't forget to send me pics.  Things are going great.  I'm feeling heaps better, me and Elder Larson are working great together and I have been able to see the blessings that come from our efforts.  I love this area I serve in as well as the zone!  Such amazing people!

Elder Johnson and the Sisters

 We had such an amazing week though!  The best week of my mission so far.  It was full of miracles starting with Tuesday.  Me and Elder Matthew went on a trade off.  He's so cool.  I love serving with him.  It was an all day trade off and I led the area so I was under some pressure for leading the area with my zone leader.  The planner was full and we stayed busy all day long.  We had a lesson with Jane that went really well.  We taught her the law of Chastity--kinda awks but she is living it and accepted to continue to live it.  As we were leaving we brought up baptism again.  She has accepted to be baptized but just isn't for sure on a date.  So, Elder Matthew and I set a goal for the 5th of July.  She said, ah, I dunno how do I know if I'm ready?  WE PRAY!  we responded.  Jane, we want you to say a kneeling prayer with us right now and ask God if this is right for you, if this is the path you should be taking.  Ask Him  (we dare you type of thing ha ha).  Man, she was so scared.  She's from a really Christian family who prays all the time but she couldn't do it for us.  She kept trying and we would help start and try to tell her what to say but she just could not do it.  I kid you not, when I say we knelt down for almost 25 minutes waiting for her to pray.  You're probably thinking, why wouldn't one of the missionaries just say the closing prayer?  Because, this is where our investigator feels the Spirit.  Personal prayers receive personal answers and we knew she would get her answer somehow that is a promise from God when we ask he will let us know.  So just ask!  We tried so hard to help her--20 minutes into us kneeling at her house, her little nephew came in asking for help outside.  So, she went to help him.  While she was gone, Elder Matthew and I were thinking what the heck!!  Why can't she pray and ask one question?!  When just then, I had an impression to pray.  So, while she was outside, we said a quick prayer asking that her tongue may be loosed and that she may be able to say the prayer.  Right when we said amen, Jane came back in the house and knelt down and offered a prayer!  Wait...WHAT?!  Did that just happen right before our eyes?  It did!  Heavenly Father answered our prayer in a matter of seconds and Jane received her answer to be baptized on July 5th!  That was such an amazing experience for me and also Jane and Elder Matthew.

That experience gave me confidence for the rest of the day.  We were talking with everyone that we could see, trying our hardest to teach them something.  Not a lot of luck with a lot of people but we did come across one.  He's a Japanese man and you are never going to believe what his name is.....ICHIRO!!!  It's actually Junichiro but I was like nah man, you are Ichiro!  He is talking with us about how much he loves the church and he wants to become a member.  He's been attending church on his own in another area because he didn't know where the one was by where he lived.  We invited him to be baptized on the spot and he accepted to be baptized on the 21st of this month!  The same day as Kalym and Tanisha!  We gave him a Japanese Book of Mormon and he is just cruising through it!

So that is Tuesday, not a lot happened Wednesday.  Thursday was Zone Training.  It was really good.  President Lekias showed up and surprised everyone (even the Zone Leaders ha ha).  Elder Larson and I were selected to role play a scenario when teaching the Restoration and we were rocking it!  No pauses between us, we were backing each other up and testifying and man, it was awesome.  I was happy I was able to have confidence because sometimes role plays in front of people especially President can be somewhat worrisome...but it was awesome!  The zone leaders committed everyone in the zone to go set someone that day.  Elder Larson and I were looking everywhere!  It came to almost dinner time and we still didn't have a set...and we knew that if we didn't have one by dinner that we may not get one that day because we were so busy after dinner!  We went to go see Ichiro before dinner, but he was not home.  BUT his neighbor was!  We started talking to him and found out that he's been to prison, found God and everything in there.  I just invited him in the middle of his sentence if he would be baptized and he said yeah, yeah I would!  Man, so powerful!  Such an amazing week!

Saturday was Debbie's baptism.  It went great.  She asked me to baptize her...she's so funny, she almost didn't do it because the water looked deep....but don't worry, she did it!

Elder Johnson, Debbie, Elder Larson

This week was amazing!  I hope to have many more in the coming weeks.  I miss you guys.  I hope that all is well, aye!  Have fun on your trips and be safe....send me some pics.  I LOVE YOU!

Elder Johnson playing with Elder Jarnigan's phone

Elder Johnson x 3 still playing around

Funny Elder

We miss that face!!

Love,
Elder Johnson

Email to Brynn:

Hey you late night partier!  Get to bed! It's not fair-I have to go to bed early and get up early and you getta stay up and play.  I'm glad things are going good for you Brynny!  I miss you lots and lots and heaps and heaps.  You better be jammin the country this summer like we did last year.  THESE BOYS ROUND HERE! I love you Brynny, have a good week!