HELLO............

HELLO!
It's your favorite Elder Johansen! (i hope anyway... that'd be awkward)

It's been quite the week, not a whole lot, not a whole little, but just enough stress to remember "Hey, I'm alive".
From the beginning of the week, all I've really been doing for journaling is keeping a record of memorable moments during the week. Here's a summary:

Monday- Last P-day was not as extremely crazy as the past few Mondays have been. We made Muddy Buddies for district council on Wednesday and that was really fun. I really like making this type of stuff and the recipe is super easy and I already have it committed to memory so that's neat. We were able to have our regular District call that we do to set goals during the week for our Key Indicators. It's also pretty nice to see how much a call does to help the missionaries in the District.
We finished all of the Safety Zone videos and as useful and entertaining as those videos are, I'm really glad that we're done with them 😁 They're not to bad if you want to take a look.
BUT BE WARNED! They get really Real, really fast. So watch at your own risk.

Tuesday- We were able to stop by a few people, but a really important visit happened today. We had an appointment with a family, but the husband wasn't there so we weren't able to go in and teach the rest of the family, but we were able to talk to the wife for a while just outside on the porch. We had a really good conversation and we were able to tell her a few things about the Plan of Salvation and The Family: A Proclamation to the World. She told us that she's always been so confused whenever she's talked about religion before, and she still has a really difficult time understanding it, and she's just wanting direction because she doesn't know what to do, what's true, or what the purpose is of life. (So basically she's asking all the questions we can answer and we both thought "This is going to be the best porch conversation she's ever had") and she said that she was so happy that she was able to talk to us. We're excited to see how their family will progress. We'll hope for the best 😊
I was then given the opportunity to interview a young man, J____, for baptism. He's 8 years old and his grandma was baptized in October after meeting the Elders. And let me tell you, He. Is. A. Trip! What a crazy kid 😆 I think he jumps on me more than the little cousins do back home! But we made it through the interview and he's getting baptized this Saturday.

Wednesday- We had a really BOMB district council today and it was a stinkin' ball. We had really good training, ended on time, and then of course we spent half and hour or more trying to get the best picture of the district we could. I'll send that when I get them (the sisters have them and they haven't sent them to us yet)
Not much else happened that was to notable, until we went over to South Charleston, a little town on the south east side of the area. We went with one of the members here and went to a family there. They're a part member family and the member has gone totally inactive, but the nonmember really wants to learn more and go to church, but won't go unless he does. They both want a better life for their new son, and the father knows how to help him get it, he just needs to make that first step.
All fingers are crossed!

Thursday- We had weekly planning and a few appointments in between, but my favorite part of the day was dinner with an amazing family here, the M_____. They're another part member family and we love them So. Much. The wife has prayed for an opportunity for the husband to be able to learn more about the church and that way she could get back, and continue to receive the blessings that come from church activity. They're a young couple with a 6 month old son (who's just the cutest little guy. Super talkative, really likes the missionaries, lots of smiles) and we really like being around them. He let us hold his guns the last time that we were there and it was awesome. They really like to feed us venison and you know that makes me one happy camper!

Friday- We had some fun moments today lem'me tell ya some highlights:
1. We had a miracle where someone contacted US. We were walking down the street and this woman stopped us and said that she remembered when the missionaries visited her and her family in Kentucky when she was 14 (it's been a second is all I'm going to say) and that she loved when they were over. We asked if we could get her number and come by some time she said that she couldn't wait and to find a time to come see her and her family! HOW AWESOME IS THAT????

2.  We were looking for someone in an apartment and this happened-

Me: Does Richard live here?

Lady in the apartment: Oh he did

Me: Oh, well, I guess he definitely doesn't live here anymore

Lady: ........

Me: .......

Crickets: .....

Me * Panic* KAY HAVE A GOOD ONE BYE

3. We made Muddy Buddies again so we could drop them off to members and people that have been really good to us and have been really great while we've been in Springfield.

Saturday- Today was J____'s baptism! Again, he's a ball of fire. It was really awesome because one of the Elders that taught him, was able to come from Kentucky and baptize him. That was super cool.
We were able to see his grandma afterward with one of the members. That was a really good visit. We dropped of the muddy buddy packs that we made off with another member and were able to see some really great people. Then we went to help a member family prepare their son for his baptism this next Saturday. We went out, and we saw someone cleaning up their yard, and help him pick up some big ol sticks, and did the same for his neighbor. He said his wife has absolutely cut off the thought of us telling a message (he's seen the sisters before we went over to see him a few months ago), but he  accepted a card with our number and said he'll let us know if he could use a hand.
Then we went home and had transfer calls.....


I'm staying here don't worry.

Sunday- Today I confirmed J____ a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was able to be the conduit of Priesthood power and authority for him to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He was pretty happy about that.
After church we set out to talk to people. Not a lot happened but we were able to FIND A NEW PERSON TO TEACH! His name's J__ and he's really nice. He's seen the missionaries before and already has a Book of Mormon but they never explained it and he never saw them again! Time for that to change!

All in all, it's been a fun week with another dose of weird and awesome opportunities found nowhere else, doing nothing else but preaching what we know and helping others to "Come and see". We can always take solace in the scriptures, especially the scriptures of the restoration, which hold the knowledge of the fullness of the everlasting gospel. As the keystone of our religion, it proves prophecy, revelation, and all things in the church. If we come to know that the Book of Mormon is true, then we come to know that there is in fact a prophet on the earth today. His name, President Russell M. Nelson. The priesthood of God has been restored to the earth and It. Is. Real.
I've seen it in action. Many others have as well. But the only thing we can do is to take the invitation in Moroni 10: 3-5. That when we receive these things, we will study, learn and grow with faith to come to know that THESE THINGS ARE TRUE. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life, I proclaim to the world, that this is true. Jesus is the Christ. His church is on the earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is that church and it is led by Jesus Christ himself. Russell M. Nelson is the Lord's prophet today. And if you want to come to know that these things are true for yourself:
Come, and see.

I'm excited for you guys and I can't wait to see what happens! Love you!
Elder Johansen