Our Christmas Was Awesome

Sounds like everyone is doing good which is awesome!  Looks like everyone had a good Christmas.  Our Christmas was awesome.  I really enjoyed this year's Christmas.  Last year was kind of lame :-)  So this week was pretty slow just because a lot of people were out of town or too busy.  Wednesday, we went caroling with our Ward Mision Leader (Brother Fatai--the man!) and the Sister missionaries.  It was awesome and we didn't sound too shabby either!  That's how we started feeling the Christmas Spirit--because to be honest, it's pretty hard to feel it without the snow, music and watching Home Alone or A Christmas Story--ha ha, so caroling defnitely helped me get into the Christmas Spirit.

Talking to Elder Johnson on Christmas Day

On Christmas morning, we went to our missionary Secret Santa party.  That was hilarious.  We had to get a little gift for one of the missionaries in the zone.  Hilarious.  I shopped for a missionary named Elder Polido from Utah.  I think he went to Maple Mountain, but anywho--he's in the Samoan Program so he's all about his Samoa...so I got him heaps of Tongan stuff!  ha ha Kindof an inside joke with me and him.  I just always make fun of Samoa to him so it was pretty funny.  It was good to spend the morning with the missionaries in the Zone.  Then we went to breakfast at one of our member's houses--(famili Paongo).  It was awesome.  That's where I helped them cook the pig.  That was pretty fun.  After that, Brother Fatai came over to our flat and brought us heaps of food that he had made for us that morning.  Man, he's a stud!  Then we spent the rest of the day eating with different families.  What a wonderful day!  We spent a lot of time with Sister Tuimoala and her family.  It was awesome.  They're really good to us.  It was really good being able to talk to you guys though.  You guys all sound the same, except for Kaden, he sounds like Tanner now--ha ha ha "whaaaat" ha.  Sorry I feel like I said what a million times.  It was kind of hard for me to hear to be honest, but it was better than nothing!  It was really good to be able to talk although I wish we would have been able to Skype--it will be cool to see you guys one day!  ha  That was awesome.

Elder Johnson and the pig

He is loving this!

As for missionary work this week, what we were able to accomplish was really awesome.  On Tuesday, Elder Toolson and I were to help one of my favorite families move out because they're moving to Papatoe---another reason to go back to Papatoe!  We mowed their lawns and helped them load up their stuff.  Then they made us a fat feed---puaka and manioka--our favorite!  I'll miss them!

Service Utah style (cowboy hat)--Elder Johnson and Elder Toolson

This weekend we got heaps done.  Elder Laroo went on a mini trade off for about an hour or so.  We went to a funeral in the Tongan ward that was really sad.  One of the ladies that was wondeful to Elder Falatau and I.  She was actually his family--well she passed away so we went to show our respects.  Good experience attending a Tongan funeral.  We went and worked in his area for awhile and we again found more people that are really keeeen in his area.  Awesome!  Me and him work good together, I've noticed.  I'm pretty confident teaching with him!  So that was a miracle for the week.

Saturday night I felt like we should go visit a famili in our ward.  I didn't know why because we had just seen them the other day, but just wanted to stop by.  I was with Elder Kump and our ward mission leader.  We were supposed to be finding people to invite to church.  I just wanted to stop by to see Sister Hingano.  Sure enough, she was really sick and we were able to give her a blessing.  It went really well.  Then we went back to inviting our investigators to church and four of them came!  One is set for baptism on the 10th of January!  WHOOOO!

The week was good.  Christmas was awesome.  I wish I could have seen some of my families in Papatoe, maybe next year, ha ha!  I miss and love you guys.  It was nice talking to you family.  Glad things are well.  I love you heaps!  Have a wonderful week!

Note from the Sisters in his District (The Best District Leader--Elder Sionesane)

Ofa lahi atu!

Elder Johnson