July 30, 2013

July 30, 2013

Tjena Johnson Familj och vener!

With Elder Ford

With Elder Clarke

With Sister Wagner

Sounds like everything is going great for everybody! So let me start with answers to the questions. Honestly mom, when have I ever needed a blanket? Ha just messing, but I am just fine without one. The fan we borrow from our classroom and take to our residence each night works great. Ok so the package was great mom. But the main thing that I would like is some quotes written really cool and bolded and the whole shabang with it laminated so I can take it to Sweden and look at them every day!

Time is vague, ambiguous, confusing and just weird when you are at the MTC. Days blend together and you have no idea what you did during the day when you get back to bed unless you write it down. UNREAL! Good thing I write in my journal every night consistently or else I would be lost. I am halfway gone through the MTC. I feel like I have been here forever yet still have so much longer to go. I love not being the newbie!

Tisdag ikvall (tuesday night) I saw Chandler Gines! Me and him became friends in 1st grade at a basketball camp and have kept in touch ever since. We went to choir practice before the devotional and lo and behold who should pop up out of nowhere and come sit by us? PJ duh! It was cool to chat with him and sing Praise to the Man together! The devotional was from Bro and Sis Carmack, who were mission presidents in Cambodia some time ago so that was cool. Bro C shared in D&C section 112, it said to contend when sharing the gospel. Interesting, because the Lord tells the Nephites in 3rd Nephi that Satan is the Father of contention. So why does this scripture apply to us? He said that we should contend but not be contentious. We have to stick up for what we believe and share the gospel with boldness (not overbearing) but in a way that is not contentious. It was way cool to think about that. Afterwards, our district finished off the day playing a game called Peter, James and John I don’t really know how or want to explain it ha so sorry.

Onsdag (wednesday) is probably the worst day of the week for me because it is the day after a P-day when I take a nap, which you all know kills me when I go to sleep at night. Not that I am sleeping good anyway, but naps on pday make it even worse for me to sleep. Oh well. We, as a district, played kickball for gym time (jr comps vs sr comps) which was a lot of fun. Us Jrs killed the srs! I guess soccer gave me a decent advantage when I was up to kick, so obviously the srs backed up way far for my kick (humility-still working on it) so I decide to toe poke it (classic Brock move for all of my soccer buddies, I was notorious for those) and it ended up going a good 20 yards over their heads after they had already backed up a ton. Needless to say I got a homerun, and I was laughing the whole way there haha.

Me and my companion are really getting along and I know that the Lord has helped in that because I have prayed for it every day.

We learned how important a first impression is when you begin teaching somebody. That can make or brake it for you. We then learned a lot about verb conjugations which was a huge help for me, because I understand better the concept of how the words are supposed to look like and sound and then it just fits perfectly into my head and sticks.

Torsdag (Thursday) We finally got to play what I’ve been dying to play since I’ve been here- Soccer! Let me just tell you I was so excited that I jumped out of bed and got ready so fast but had to wait for my companion because he was barely out of bed haha! Me and Elder Hall (gavin) got a lot of our zone to come out and play a game of Sweden v. Norway! It was legit. I felt at home being able to have a ball at my feet and meg all of the people (everyone knows how much I love megging people =) ha, and just having a good time ballin’ it up. There was a new Dutchie there who played at Davis high school and we were killin everybody and setting each other up for golden opportunities. I kept banging it off the cross bar!! Just like in high school ha! I still got 2 goals after that so no worries.

Sister Winterton showed us a bunch of pictures of her in Sweden and it only makes me want to be there even more! It looks unbelievable!!! I want to soo badly be there right now, everything is gorgeous and awesome and just the best place ever!!! AND I HAVENT EVEN SET FOOT THERE YET!! CRAZY! The pizza that sister Teitjan talked to us about at home ma, looked even better in a picture!!! So stoked! 3 more weeks, I can make it...hopefully ha!

Fridag?(friday) We played district volleyball and that’s always fun. I found out that in the mission field people have P90X to workout to before starting the day. In my personal study I studied chapter 4 of PMG about recognizing the spirit because that is the topic for our random person talk assignment for sacrament. I found a scripture that I really liked its 1 Kings 19:11 through 13. Look it up, it explains in a great way how the Spirit is recognized. I’ve realized I don’t have to write out everything I need to say for talks and such. I write bullet points, a few scriptures, and just let the spirit guide me to where I need to go when I’m giving a talk. I have found out that it works much easier and is more sincere and personal this way. Then you truly speak from the heart and follow the spirit, you will say what needs to be said. It’s amazing.

We did TRC later and it was not scary at all. I was really nervous, but it was a lot of fun talking with members who just wanted to talk to us missionaries. We visited for 12 minutes and then gave a small talk and bore our testimony, it was great! Of course we were paired up with the easiest people so that was nice. I know the Lord inspired Bro B to set us up that way because He knew I was nervous and needed some strengthening. That was my Amazing moment of the day, Man i just love how well the Lord times things. Just when we think we can’t do something, he sends us something to strenghten us. I love it! By the way, if you send me a dearelder  you should include your home address so I can write you back, because there is no way to write you back without it, so please and thanks!

Lordag (Saturday) Personal exercise was great, I felt sick afterwards which means I was going really hard. Personal study was great, I looked into PMG chapter 8 about using Time Wisely, and more specifically Accountability. For some reason I was drawn to section 76 where Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon had that amazing vision. I read over and over verses 22 through 24 about how they testify that God lives. Every time I read it, I felt the Spirit more and more testify of that truth. I know without a doubt in my heart and mind that He does live. Thank you Gina for that song you gave me, this has a lot to do with it. It was amazing to be able to feel this while I was studying. It is so great to be here and grow my relationship with Him.

My comp and I are trying to learn more Swedish so we separate ourselves from the group and do an intense flash card study where we write down all the words in Swedish, write the English words next to it(all that we know) focus on the ones we missed and then go over them all again. It has worked really great for us! In class we play games to help us learn what we were just taught and that helps a lot too! We do the Mission Portal Saturday night and then watch Mormon Messages after and cry haha, they are so good!

Sondag (sunday) Sabbath day is probably the best day. Yup even better than Pday except for one thing. All of the missionaries from the West campus eat here on Sundays so it’s just chaos for meal times haha. Anyway, It’s the day to just be a sponge. You just soak everything you have learned during the week and you put off the language and focus on the real reason we are here. To learn more about Christ and come closer to him. Priesthood session we did discussions about the Book of Mormon and I got to lead the discussion in my group. So after that I was interviewed by the Branch Presidency and I have been called to be the new District Leader! Basically my job is to be the mailman and discussion leader ha, but it’ll be fun! I’m a little scared but I know the Lord can help me.

Devotional was fantastic. Bro and Sis Lant talked.  I liked both talks but Bro Lant was amazing. He told us that Elder Holland said that the MTC is so spiritual that you could read the phone book and feel the spirit ha! We represent Christ, act like it. 1 Cor 13:11 put away childish-teenagerish things! You are a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ! How powerful that is, and that it helps us act and perform better. Afterwards me and my comp and an amazing inventory where we fixed everything and are moving forward in our progress and unity! I’m thrilled about that! We gave a blessing to Elder C because he has been sick for awhile, I did the anointing. I’m so glad to be always worthy of the Priesthood to be able to be called on at random times to help people. It means so much to me that the Lord entrusts me with his power.

Mandag (monday) Memorized the first vision in Swedish and learned lots of vocab! Did my first job as mailman and it was fun! Had intense workout with the zone where i got to help lead! i am definitley feeling that pain.

Got to go.  Love you all.

Jag alska er Aldste Johnson