#2moredays............

   Thank you for all your prayers and support, especially those who have been looking out for my mother and sister. I thought a lot, prayed, and read scriptures to know if I should go home to be there for my mom and Cadence. I thought what would my dad want me to do and anyone who knew him knows how selfless he was. I know he would want me to finish my mission strong. I also know he would want me to make sure my mom was taken care of. My brothers, and Rachel have been extremely supportive of her and cadence and helping her. I know that I'm meant to be a missionary and to help others. The testimony Ive gained of the Atonement is so powerful, and I have been able to share that with others, and they feel it. There have been so many miracles that have happened this past week. I will share them with you as we talk when I'm home. 

   I was thinking of all the stories I could share but I just feel like I should just share my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is our savior, that He suffered for us so He can succor us in our time of need. Families can be forever through temple, and oh how grateful I am for my eternal family. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Its words ring true in my heart.The Atonement's power is real. Christ is very aware of us and our needs. Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us knows what is best and what we need, when we need it.  I know my dad is still supporting me. helping me and influencing me (2 Nephi 32:3). I love yall and cant wait to see you in a few days. 

Love Elder Johnson

Snowed this week

   What a week this past week was! We have been teaching a lot and have been helping Chelsea prepare for baptism! She is going to get baptized this Saturday! I am so excited for her to make this covenant and come closer to Christ. She is a great example to those around her! Last Monday Judy took us out to eat Chinese. Elder Rasmussen was feeling bold so he ordered some squid... i dared Judy to eat a bite, and she said " Ill take a bite if you do! " So Elder Rasmussen recorded us eating it haha. It wasn't as bad as I thought but I wouldn't order it. So Elder Boer and I went on exchanges and had a blast! after we did our planning for the night, we went to the church (you can see it from the apartment) and went sledding down the big hill by the church, it was such a blast! I haven't been sledding sense I was really little with my cousins. 

    We were walking to the Haddix home for a lesson, a family we've been teaching. As we were approaching, Charlie got off his bus and started running to us with the biggest smile on his face. Hes 9 years old. He was so excited to see us and asked us if we were coming over to see him and his family. Even if we weren't, I wouldn't be able to say no to the little guy. They are such a great family. This week we are seeing a former investigator that Elder Harris and I found when we first got here, James has been wanting to meet with us but has been going through a lot. We have been sending texts and leaving notes on his door. We never said anything to pressure him to meet with us, just something like "We hope your doing well, you have been in our prayers." He never really ever texted or called us back. After church he called and He told me how much it has meant to him that we stayed in contact with him and that he wants to meet with us this week.

   President and Sister Salisbury will be at our district meeting this week, What a treat! We also have a World Wide devotional with all the missionaries around the world!! I'm really excited for that! It has been snowing the past few days -_-. I normally wouldn't mind it, but we walk in it and it makes my nose really cold and people probably think I have issues because the snow flakes hit me in the eye and I twitch haha. Theres no other thing in this world that could bring more happiness that this gospel. I love yall so much! Have a great week! Talk to you next week! 

Elder Johnson

I made an omlette!

One of the first snow balls I ever made.

Happy Birthday Clark!

 What a joy this week was!  We have a lot of return appointments this week and will keep busy! We put Chelsea on date to be baptized on January 23rd!  She is excited and starting to recognize the spirit! It was a wonderful Sabbath yesterday! The Cervantes family came!  A lot people came up to her and were very excited to see her! They were going to leave after sacrament but the primary president came and got the kids and took them and her visit teachers got to know her better!  If we orchestrate their experience for church, they will have a good experience. We texted her after church and said we were glad their family was there and she responded, " It felt good to be there."
    We found a new investigator this week and he was so prepared! It was amazing what I learned about being consecrated. After our amazing zone meeting, we were invited to go to lunch with the other missionaries. I really wanted to go because I enjoy being around my mission buddies. I then remembered we had an appointment with a referral that we have been trying to meet with for a week. It was tempting to push back the appointment or meet the next day. It was obvious that we needed to go but I felt a little like Lots wife, doing what I should but looking back at what I could be doing. I prayed and my heart was changed, I was really excited to meet with this person. It ended up being such a powerful lesson, Elder Rasmussen taught with such unity and he accepted a baptism invite! I leaned a great lesson.

  
Well my brother Clark is having a birthday tomorrow! So be sure to wish him a Happy Birthday :) 

Our neighbor Mike and Susie had us for dinner a few times this week and she makes such good food, she used to do professionally! They had some visitors over, when we walked in they were like "wow! look at these two hot men that just walked in!". Hahaha 

   Ive been learning so much and grow closer to Heavenly Father Each day! At the end of zone meeting they asked Sister Lopp and I to share our testimonies; they didn't tell us before hand. It was powerful for me to be able  to share my testimony straight from the heart, which is sometimes better than a lot of preparing something to say. The genius of a mission is to take an young man and women and at the most selfish time of their life and tell them to spend every waking moment thinking about and planning for other people. I love it. This gospel is true and there is no other earthy thing that can duplicate the peace and joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Have a wonderful Christ centered week! 

   Elder Johnson

"The cats outta the bag!"

 What a week! first of all, the weather cant seem to decide weather to be warm or snow! It has been snowing off and on today! It has been a warm winter, so I'm thankful for that. This week there was this family in the ward that needed help with the addition on their house, so we helped put the trestles up. It was a lot of fun, never done work like that before. There was also a baptism in the ward. It was a young man that Elder Harris and I invited to learn when we first got to Clarksburg. He asked me to confirm him. It was the first time I've done it, it was an incredible experience! 
    We were able to meet with the Haddix grandmother, who has met with us a few times before and asked questions. We always would invite her to join us when we go see them but she is really hard of hearing so she politely declined. This last time when we came she decided to sit right in front of us so she could hear. She said she has questions and wants to read the Book of Mormon! She told us of some spiritual experiences that she had, and described feeling the Spirit just as you would hear in sacrament meeting. We explained that its the spirit she was feeling! It was so awesome! We have been having great lessons with the Pauley family. They have a less active and her non member daughter living with them, and the past two lessons have been so powerful, she accepted a baptism invitation! Her and her mom are well welcomed at church. Its always great going to see them and the Pauly family. 

   In sacrament meeting yesterday, Jerri and I were giving each other the eye to go up and share our testimony, so I did. Then she got up after me and decided to tell the whole congregation that I was going home at the end of the month! I just never told people about it, I just don't see the point, Ill say bye when the time comes! everyone started asking me when I'm going home. In gospel principles class the teacher and I are tight, shes like "SO! the cat is outta the bag, Elder Johnson." My response, "Is there any way to get the cat back in the bag?!" haha! Everyone had a good laugh. I don't mind talking about coming home, just got to much to do and to many people to see to worry about that! 

    Well I hope yall have a great week! Sure love ya! have a wonderful week!
Elder Johnson

Happy New Year!!

    Christmas has come and gone and now new years is upon us! As I look back on this year, I think of the man I have become and am so grateful that I spent the year as a full time representative of Jesus Christ. Being a missionary is the  best thing I could have done in my life. Ive been blessed by the people around me so much and those that aren't here with me but in my heart. I got to talk to those very close to my heart this weekend for Christmas! It was soo great to see and talk to my family! Everyone looks different, except my parents haha. Clark has a beard, Joseph and Rachael are off and married, Cadence is growing up fast and getting more beautiful each day, and good old Grant has a "man bun" hahaha! 
    We had a great experience with a family we've been working with. The mom has been in and out of the lessons, nice to us but not involved with the lessons. This last time she came in and talked to us more than she ever has! She started to ask so many questions that you can tell came from the heart, a lot of them answered by the message of the restoration. It was amazing to see her open up so much and share her feelings and past experiences that have been hard, in hopes that we could help her. I have grown to really love that family and everyone here in Clarksburg. I meet someone on the street and try to picture how the gospel could help them, what a great difference it can make and seeing them as a brother or sister. I have been so anxious to help people find the truth and help them see the peace the gospel brings. 

    Missionary work is such a rewarding work. You feel great doing it and it blesses the life of those being served and blessed by the gospel. I learn something new each day and the Spirit guides me on how I can improve each day. This past sacrament meeting was really wonderful for me because I felt the power of the Atonement work in my life. As a missionary, sometimes you feel like because you aren't perfect, that you must be doing something wrong. I learn so much during the sacrament when it quiet and I can reflect on my week and learn from what the spirit teaches, also from the speaker. 

    Hope yall have a great new years! Eat a bunch of junk food and drink a lot of sparkling cider for me!! Love yall! 

Elder Johnson

MeRrY CHRISTmas!

   Well of course CHRISTmas is this week, and its especially exciting for many reasons, one being that I am privileged to represent Him who the season is all about, Jesus Christ. Being a missionary during Christmas time is so special. There's no worry about presents, how cool my ugly sweater will look or what party I should go to. I get to focus and spend ALL my time and attention to doing the work the Savior did when He was here, I wouldn't rather be doing anything else. It is sad that I don't get to be with my family, but that's the other reason Its so exciting, that I get to Skype my family!! I know I will be with them eventually and that 2 years isn't really that long but my family means a lot to me so I'm really pumped!! 

    President Salisbury told us that when we press forward in the cold with a positive attitude our light will shine brighter. I took it to heart. It can be unwelcoming to go out when its cold but we don't let that stop us! Granted, its been the warmest winter recorded in West Virgina with it being in the 60-70s, almost like being in Huntington Beach haha. BUT it snowed the other day! It was coming down a lot at least in my Californian opinion ;) We had 3 people stop US and recognized that we were missionaries and asked us to come and teach them. #ChristmasMiracle 

    We were talking to this young kid during dinner and he asked " are yall Santa's little helpers?" We and his parents laughed and we told him "no, we are the missionaries". Then he smiled really big and said " Oh! so your Jesus's little helpers!". haha! I hope yall have a wonderful CHRISTmas! 

Love Elder Johnson  

#Regulars

  Christmas is right around the corner! I'm really excited to be able to see my beautiful family! They bring me such joy, more than anything the world could offer. We have been having a GREAT past few weeks! We have been staying busy and teaching a lot! Transfers are tomorrow, Ill be staying here another Transfer. My new companion is Elder M. Rasmussen, I think I've met him but not sure! I know We'll have fun!! :) Elder Harris is going to Buena Vista YSA! I'm excited for him! I served around there in the beginning of my mission! 

   We have been seeing so much good going on in Clarksburg! The Cervantes family is doing well! The kids are really excited to get baptized and the dad wants to meet with us! I am really pumped to see how it all plays out. Judy came with us to a lesson, her first time, It was so awesome! She bore powerful testimony about how the gospel has blessed her life, and she connected with Anita (who we taught) really well and made friends with her. Her and Jessie are great missionaries. We went to lunch with them and the other elders yesterday as a good bye to Elder Harris.

    We had a fun time bowling last week! I surprised myself and got 2nd place.out of 4! It was close! Mike and Susie our neighbors took us out to eat at this really nice Italian restaurant! Mike said the steak was really good and said i could get it if i wanted.. so I did! It was really good! They are such good people, great neighbors! :)

    So once or twice a week we go to subway and get a cookie just for a nice quick snack. Well this last time we went in the guy at the counter just started grabbing my favorite cookie and rang me up hahaha!  That's how you know if your a #Regular. We have been having such a great time here in Clarksburg! I love this place, not  just because its got the same name as one of my brothers :) Merry Christmas! Love yall!!!

Elder Johnson