A small one.....

SEPT 16, 2019

Hey guys😁

Not a whole lot this last week. Zone conference went pretty well. We got President Ensign to read a "Bedtime Story" to the Zone for a training we did on the Book of Mormon and that was fire 🔥. Planning for ZC is finally over so we can finally get back into the swing of things which is going to be a really nice change. We have a lot of exchanges so that's really nutso. We have a lot of really great Elders here and I love spending time with them because they're all really nice. I'm having a bit of a difficult time connecting with my companion, but I know that that'll all be figured out soon enough. It's pretty cool, he's really good at basketball and so when we find people playing we join in. Well, I watch when we kicks their butts and it's awesome. He wrecked one of his shoes while he was playing so he had to hop on one foot and he still beat like, 3 guys! WHAT A BEAST!
We went over to a members house with a recent convert and had her and Elder Robinson teach us about the restoration. Little did we know that she was going to teach her Mom and now she's accepted taking the discussions!
As I was doing a baptismal interview for the Cherry Grove Elders, Elder Robinson went with Elder Goodwine to have a lesson with a young man we're teaching, they put Jim on date for baptism 🏊 on October 26th!
This week we're getting back into the Living Waters of Missionary work so wish me luck!
Sure love you!

SEPT 9, 2019

GOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!
I lied, you're not Vietnam your my family 😁
     So there's another week down. Feels pretty nuts, not going to lie. I finally started to use the phrase "A little under a year" when people ask how long I've been out. That fact keeps on getting crazier and crazier to think about.
     Last week, we found out that I would be coming here to Eastgate and be in charge of the missionaries in the stake out of the five zones we have in the mission (We have the Cincinnati East stake).
     This week was my first week testing the waters of zone leadership and as I'm over here being confused, I'm also trying to remember my social skills! But you know what, I'll figure it out at some point 🤣
     For the last week we've been rally busy. Elder Robinson is super on top of things and he makes me look like a straight up SCRUB because he's so good at what he does! He has some really great ideas about how to do missionary work in unique and effective ways. I'm just over here lookin like a new missionary cause I don't know what to do and I'm just being nice and quiet and trying not to let my mind melt. We've been doing a LOT of planning for Zone Conference and exchanges and blitzes and meetings that we barely even have enough time for our area, but we're praying for some straight up MIRICLES.
We've been going pretty much everywhere in the Zone and it's only been a week. We're planning on being with every elder in the Zone which isn't something we usually do, but I am so down. We have a lot of really good guys in the Zone and I'm just plain ol excited to learn what I can from them.
     The ward here is friendly and I still get to see some people from the Cherry Grove ward because it's literally the same building! The apartment's nice and cozy too. Just a lil' one bedroom and guess what, we have a stinkin'
🔥 fireplace🔥 and Elder Robinson has a lava lamp. We're gonna get RELAXED!
     Things are a little different now, that's for sure, but I'm excited to see what change it brings me. I know I have a lot of growth to do and the Lord's put me here to do it so we'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!
Sure love ya!
~ Elder Johansen

Elder Robinson and his basketball shoes :)

President Ensign reading a bedtime story.