Loved the Package

Mom:  Hey bud, how are you doing?  How's your week been?  Any great stories?  How many weeks till transfers?  Do you think you will go into the new mission... what are the odds of that?  We are doing good.  Getting ready to go to Vegas for Cody's Baseball tournament.  Heading out after you e-mail.. notice the priority... we just love chatting with you on Mondays!!  Cody just had his "18th" birthday Friday... crazy right?  He has baseball Mon, Tue, Wed this week (and it is spring bread)... And then he is working on his papers!!  The sooner the better!!
We went to Lane Strighams and Brayden Evans farewells today.  Then to our ward... I felt a bit like a missionary... at church all day!!
Did you get your package?  Did everything make it?  You understand about the insurance card.. the pin number?  Have a Happy Easter!!  We are feeding the missionaries for Easter.  Hope you get invited somewhere!!  Did you LOVE the ties??  The silver one... I got two of... and dad and Cody are fighting over it!! You should feel special you got one!!  Trying to pack it... dad had his eyes on it... hahahaha!!
Share some fun stories.. and favorite moments of the week!! I hope we get to chat tomorrow... and you've been good about getting on the same time every week!! Makes me happy!! You know I've only missed like on time emailing the whole time you've been out!! That is so cool!!
We are all healthy and happy... just gearing up for the fair, graduation, and mission stuff... and all the craziness that brings!! I love you... MUCH!! And pray for you always!! Hugs my son!!
Love, Mom
P.s. Are you extending the brown pants there?  We did a 33 inch inseam on the length! How are the pants? Love you!!

Michael:  I'm doing great!! Loving every second of it!! Got the package... LOVE THE TIES!! The white/silver one is BEAUTIFUL by far my new favorite tie! 
Don't know the odds but I'm a young missionary ... they need some to be their for a while to eventually be leaders and trainers.  It is right around the time I will be getting transferred from this area.  Five more weeks in this transfer and then I will loose my trainer. 

Mom:  I'm glad your doing good!! I bet it was nice to see the glove!! Did the cookies make it?  yes the boys here are fighting over that poo tie!! It was like gold... had to hide it and then put it into your package... hahahaha!!  We are getting ready to head to Vegas... to watch Cody today!!

Michael:  I missed my glove!! Thanks and they all did make it... and that tie is nice... send more like that in the future.  Just k now great things are happening here and I love serving!!

Mom:Did you understand about he pin on the medical card?  What's the STORY/message for the week?

Michael:  Yes I understand.

Mom:  Do you have dinner plans for Easter?

Michael:  Nope... go find and share the Easter Story with some family that the Spirit guides me too.

Mom:  (I sent him a recipe for Yummy Potatoes)

Michael:  Hahaha... got it thanks mom!!

Mom:  I'll get you some quick easy recipes to make... this week... been working on that.

Michael: Hahahaha... I'm good mom. I'm a great cook.  How's Bro. Levitt doing?

Mom:  Doing good... I'll tell him you said hello... And grateful you know how to cook... one thing I'm glad you all now how to do that... oh P.s.  Danielle Cook is going to Chile

Michael:  That is what dad said... Holy Cow ... everyone is going on missions.

Mom:  Well your time is probably getting close... I LOVE YOU!! Have a GREAT week... HAPPY EASTER!! Hope all is going well!! Do you need anything?  HUGS!!

Michael:  Nope doing good ... LOVE YOU!!

58 New Missions

Mom: How have you been?  How's the inactive members coming along?  Elder Lane in our ward wanted to know how you are activating the members?  So, any advice?  We are taking a missionary class with the missionaries and we teach this Sunday the first lesson in Preach my Gospel.. .any suggestions?   Cody started the Missionary Paperwork... had his meeting with Bishop and got his number.  Came home from church and got right on the computer and got to it!! How are the pants?  Have you got them yet?  Hopefully they are good and they should have included two socks with them too.  I'm sending out your package today (Monday)... It's your glove, insurance card... and Easter goodies!! And a few other things... I'm trying to cram in the box... Might just have to send two packages... I'm sure you won't mind!  We will all write you for family night... and get some letters off!! Your last letter to Cody was beautiful and awesome to share with the boys!! LOVE YOU!!

Michael:  Good week! Bad on activating... some things we can't fix

Mom: No you can't ... keep up the hard work... do you still have the same companion?  and PS we are teaching the restoration .. the first lesson in the Preach my Gospel.. I think I'm going to have Cody share the restoration part... any thoughts?

Michael:  Have him memorize the First vision part and don't use preach my gospel.  When you teach ... learn it into your very core.  Same companion. 

Mom:  I love e-mailing you!!

Michael:  Good, I have no complaints but guess what?  They are opening 58 new missions and one is the Chesapeake Bay Mission, which is right next to ours.  They took away a HUGE chunk out of our mission and are taking a lot of missionaries as well.  That will happen in July and that is the time I will be getting transferred.

Mom:Wow... I had heard about the 58 new mission... that is crazy!!  What are your plans today?  We are going to a baseball game... the missionaries are coming their p-day is today, too. 

Michael: Just writing, shopping, and teaching after a dinner appointment.

Mom:  Glad to know you have a dinner appointment tonight!!  So, how are you liking the mission?  Harder than you thought? Connecting with any families?

Michael:  Love the mission its the BEST and yes with the Core Family.  They are from Puerto Rico and an amazing family.  Our Branch Mission Leader loves us, too!!

Mom:  That's great to hear!! Hopefully your got a picture with them!! How's the cooking and budgeting going?

Michael:  Good!!

Mom:  K... Bro Sprague said ... Hello!! Told him about your blessing story.  Your getting close to time... Aren't you?  I LOVE you!! I'm so thankful you are doing good and serving.  Thank you for the last letter to Cody... he needed that... LOVE YOU!!

Michael:  Yea... no problem.  I have ten minutes.  Did you get the other ones I sent?

Mom:  Not yet... I'll check today... and hopefully it will get out today... But that is why I'm sending it now... so you get it before Easter!! We read your old ones to the missionaries last night!! Glad to hear it's going well (even with the gun incident)  deep sigh!! LOVE YOU!!

Michael:  Dad told you?!?  And yes its all going well.  LOVE YOU!!

Missionary Work

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm doing great!! No complaints at ALL.. Love serving the Lord!
Some personal revelation I receive the other day... "Challenge people specifically to share the gospel with others."  So, I wanted to challenge you ... pray to your father in heaven and ask, "who is ready or elect to hear your message".  When you think of a name or receive an answer ... write it down.  Then pray again and ask what you could do to help them receive The Gospel.  Maybe invite them over to our house for dinner and tell them the missionaries will be there.  Maybe share with them the Proclamation To the Family.  Maybe talk with them about How the Gospel has blessed your life.
But with what ever name and idea you come up with talk to the missionaries first and role play with them.  It helps get all the mess ups out of the way and makes it feel more comfortable.
So, I want you to do this.  Here is my challenge to you.  Find a name, and share the gospel with them this month!! I promise you there is no better feeling than sharing the Gospel!

Love,
Elder Johnson

Dear Justin,

I loved your letter bud!!  Thank you!!  I am glad you like seminary!!  I'm reading in Acts, as well!!  It's amazing what the early Church was like and how similar it is to our  church today.  Oh... WAIT... its the same ... because this is Christ's church!!
My favorite Book to study is the Book of Mormon.  The Area here is great and we have almost doubled the members.  Just getting those less-actives to come back is the key!
And with your studies... find out what works best for you!!  If I were you ... I would keep a study journal.  Write in it spiritual promptings and do what I told Cody to do with studying.
I'm glad you job is going good.  Keep it up!!
Oh no you can't be driving soon!! My jeep better be in perfect condition when I get back!! I hope your doing good!!  And love the letters from you!!  Stay and amazing example and be nice to Tanner!! Love you!!

Cuidese, (Take Care)
Elder Johnson

Dear Tanner,

I hope you are doing well sounds like you are!!  Since you made fun of my capitalizing all my letters... I corrected your grammar... and know you know who is failing English!! Love you!!That's good you don't play X-Box as much anymore... it is a waste of time!!  What did you see in my Dad's closet?  What teacher did you throw a pie at? How are you  a doing reading the Book of Mormon?  I loved your letter... thanks for writing me... did you get your Birthday card from me?  Be nice to Matthew... and CTR!!

Love,
Elder Johnson

March 11, 2013 (E-mail)

Mom:

How are the pants? Did you get them yet? Did you get all of our letters? We got your to the family and Cody! I loved the one to Cody... It was amazing!
How is North Carolina? How the weather been? You have four more weeks in that area, right? Still with the same companion? I hope I is going well and you seem to be doing well... Loving he experience? Loved the story about the nursing home! How's the branch... Activating any more families?
We are doing good! With work and regular thing we do when we have a senior in the house. Two years in a row...yikes! Where does the time go? Justin just got called to be the President of the Quorum. He has been in the presidency since he has been a teacher...I don't think he will ever be released...hahaha!
Life is the same here...Justin has his last appointment for his arm tomorrow... And I'm doing well with my eye (shingles). The cyst on my back is good and completely drained and healing. Yeah!! Started walking last week and feel so much better!
We decided to get goats...yes we are crazy! Matt is excited and figure it will be good for the boys! We will see how it goes! We will bread them next October and sell the at the fair next year! We will send you pictures!!
We are planning on writing you tonight for FHE and hopefully our paths will cross via e-mail today! We sprang forward on our time so now only two hours a part! Bro Sprague asked how you were today and says hello. Diane Evans said Brayden wrote you again...did you get Grandmas package?
You are thought of often and we love you!! I'm so thankful for your service and example to our family. You are everything I could have ever imagined in a son... You keep up the hard work and keep us posted on anything you need! I'm thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it has brought me great Joy in my life, great understanding of who I am. My purpose, my divine purpose... Having a strong, valiant family...preparing he way for future generations! Thank you for being  who your Heavenly Father intended you to be ... He is smiling ...this I know! Hugs my son!! I LOVE you!!

Love, Mom

Michael:

Mail is frozen till Thursday because of transfers. Transfers are about 6 weeks long and a missionary will usually be in an are for 4-5 transfers. Elder Sanchez will my comp for at least one more transfer and then he will probably get the boot.

Ill write the rest of the boys tonight and send a story and when you give your talk next Sunday don't do a brag fest about me remember to a missionary numbers mean nothing it doesn't matter how many members we reactivate or how many baptisms we have as long as we do the will of God and work our hardest we are successful. But the first week i got here there were an average of 40 people a Sunday the last two weeks there have been an average of 70 :) branch is growing. still working on some of our investigators trying to help them get ready for baptism. Yesterday I gave a blessing to a woman at a nursing home and she is doing really well and is really receptive to the gospel she just isn't doing well, well before i gave her the blessing I was overcome with the spirit and so i offered her a blessing which she had no idea what it was well, when i explained it to her she wanted one and well it was an amazing experience. I remember during a lesson Bro. Spague gave he told us how it was his first time giving a blessing and how this woman had not been able to walk for a while because her arthritis was SO bad well when his comp told him to do the blessing part he was like i am going to give the most generic blessing ever. well he ended up teller her that she was going to be healed and be able to come to church this Sunday and all that so i remembered that story and was like I'm going to keep this blessing according to the spirit. well it came down to it and My father in heaven wanted me to tell her she still had some time on this earth and that her work is not finished and that she is going to be healed according to her faith. The blessing was amazing and i was so happy that i was worthy and could be the tool my father in heaven wants me to be. after that i asked if next time we come back if we could teach her about our church and she was like, "YES!" so I'm excited and know that her time is not yet done because she still has to hear the True Gospel of Jesus Christ and that his church has been restored.

I am glad you all are doing well!!! GOATS!?!?!? defiantly need some pictures. Got grandma Horners package before mail freeze. three cookies they were very good and they also sent a 1 sentence note :)

 

Mom:
I'm not talking obviously dad played a nice trick on me...but he did say it will be coming...and YES I know...not about the numbers...I so know that!! Matt is with us again...and is asking what you say! His prayers for you are so sweet! You are doing good budgeting? Neat story about the nursing home... And bro sprague said his mission was a lot like yours about activating the members! Sounds like your doing wonderful. I'm sending a package on Monday then... Did you get all your brothers letters? And thanks for that letter to Cody...his face lit up

Michael:
haha how is my little partner doing??? and when you send that package LOVE PAISLEY TIES VIBRANT COLORS:) and i need and insurance card! and i meant did you send more last Tuesday or Monday?

Mom: 
Ok we will get u one...there are certain places u can go for prescriptions ...Walgreens and Walmart usually accept our insurance...you just ask if they accept our insurance ....before you fill a prescription....make sense? I will get some today (ties) and I hope you kept some of the nice ones we got for you before you left? There were some nice ones!! Matt is doing good!! Ad no... Sounds like you got the ones we sent! Did u like Matt's picture?

Michael: 
Loved his picture!!! and I have them all i love the yellow one Funny i hated that one before i left:) I have all of my ties still its just ties are the only thing you can change on your mission outfit you know what i mean??? and I also need by baseball glove so i can through the ball with some people.

Mom:
Did it make sense about about the insurance...and I will mail the glove with the package. Do u need a ball, too. How many missionaries are in your area? (Dad wanted to know) ...the yellow one was my favorite...haha! And did you like the green one I sent In your greenie package or more paisley types?

Michael: 
More paisleys I like the green one just cant wear it with my brown suit or else i look like a tree!!  Blue, black, love gray, purple, red look good in my black suit. and yes i know what you mean about the insurance.

Mom:
But a good looking tree...haha! Do u email ur mission president every Monday too?

Michael:
Go shopping and write letters and take a nap and then go back to work at 6:) but i have met him several times just a ton of missionaries.

Mom:  How are doing making your own meals? How many times a week do u cook? Keep working hard

Michael: 
I cook a lot... but it's fine!! I'm a good cook.  Well, I'm out of time! I LOVE you so much!! (REMEMBER... glove, ties, insurance card) LOVE YOU!!

 

 

Heavens will Open and you will Be Blessed

Dear Family,

Tell Justin and Tanner I will write them both a letter next Monday.  I have no time left to really write! Sorry! I love you both and I hope Tanner got my Card!! It's special!! I am doing really well!!
Elder Sanchez and I were visiting a member in a nursing home the other day.  When we were finished I felt prompted to go over to the nurses desk and ask how this man, Jack was doing that we just visited.  After s short conversation, I told them we were part of Jack's church.  They then said we see you around here a lot and their are some other people here who would like to hear a preacher.  I was like, "oh jeez".  They stuck us in this living room where all these people started coming in and we taught like a sermon about the Book of Mormon. We then left our number with them. Well the next day a man named, Larry called us and said he couldn't get out of his head what he heard us talk about.  So, anyways we went over there taught him the restoration and he wanted to be baptized after the lesson. He had some mentality of a kid I use to know.  We had to call our Mission President, President Bernhisel to see if that was alright?  He said Yes!! If can understand and keep the commitments! So, we set a baptismal date with him.

Love,
Elder Johnson

Dear Cody,
I am glad everything is going GREAT!  Sounds like baseball is going well.  You hitting the crap out of the ball?  Sounds like the team is doing better!!  Are you still lifting?  Because last time I checked I was taller than you and pure muscle!  So who is bigger?  You are going to love the MTC!! If you learn a language you get an hour of gym each day!  I went hard ... didn't know how to play basketball, so I lifted. 
Sounds like you are doing good!! I hope you are staying worthy and staying Temple pure and clean!  I am glad revers was fun! Keep me posted on baseball ... send me your record and your stats... Please :)
I love your scripture by the way!! I am looking forward to General Conference again!   It is coming up!  We also get to go to the Temple here in Raleigh on March 20th.  I'm excited for those two things!!
Are you going to ever send me a copy of your P-blessing?  And I really hope you are staying worthy.  I can not even begin to describe how important that is.  Especially as you are getting ready to serve!! You do not what to have a "what if" mission.
I'm proud of you reading like that! I am going to give you some advice to where you will get twice as much out of your reading.  In 3 Nephi 29:6:  It says, "wo unto him that shall deny the Revelations for the Lord and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation--"  The church of Jesus Christ is founded upon Revelation!!Everyone that is baptized and has the Holy Ghost is entitled to receive Revelation.  The key is through personal private worship:
1.  Set some time aside during your day or night (at least 30-45 minutes) or when ever you have personal worship.
2.  Open with a prayer and let your prayer be directed by the spirit.
3.  Choose your study materials (Preach my Gospel, Book of Mormon, Jesus the Christ, etc) and study with real intent "Don't just read" But feast upon those words with the intent to help others or yourself grown closer to your Savior.
4.  Keep a STUDY JOURNAL!! I wish I did that sooo bad!!  Write your impressions in it so you can reflect on it over and over again.
5.  Close with another prayer.  I can promise you if you do this the Heavens will open and you will be blessed, more than you can understand! You will be ten times the missionary you want to be.  And Satan will have no power over you!!

Love you,
Elder Johnson

March 4, 2013 (E-mail)

I can't find the e-mail between me and Michael from this date? My computer was acting up around this time... and assuming... who knows where it is? Allen has his correspondence with Michael... and will be adding his (hopefully) to the blog.