Week Six - September 4, 2014

Family!

How is everyone?  First of all.  Thank you so much for all the love and support this week.  The packages have been amazing.  I Love Gordon  B Hinckley's talk.  Lp book was awesome.  Haha I was so pumped you sent that to me!  Ahhhhh I love the packages and all the support that comes from my family!  I love you to death.  This week has been a little tough.  I have missed home kinda a lot.  But I refocus myself and know that this is the most important thing I can be doing in and for my life.  It is hard.  And I learn so much everyday.  I have been going beast mode learning here while I can.  I have been doubling my flash cards a day, and I memorize 20 words a day.  It's great.  I am so excited to get to Korea.  I got an e-mail from my mission president today and it basically said I will be arriving in Korea the 23rd of Sept. and I will stay two nights in the mission home, and then that next day, I will be in my first area!  Holy cow!  When I read that, I was peeing my pants.  I've never been so nervous and excited and at the same time.  I can't wait to be immersed in the culture and to grow a love for the Korean people.  I look forward to all that awaits me in HANGUK (Korea).  I am working my hardest everyday to be prepared for the day I get to Korea.  I know that as I work hard each day, the Lord blesses me.  I am so grateful for that.  I love being a missionary.  It is tough at times, but It makes me happy knowing that I am bringing people back to our Heavenly Father. 

I miss and love you tons.  YOur packages make me soooooo happy!  IZZZZZY holy cow.  I was pumped out of my head to get your Dear Elder.  You have to send more.  I will respond in a handwritten letter, and I'll send it by today.  I miss you Iz.  You're an amazing sister.  I was thinking about you a lot the day I got your Dear Elder and it made me so pumped!  Luke J HOly stud!!  Takin it back for 6 in your football game.  YOu're a stud.  I miss you so much and hope that you're doing good.  I heard your ankle is hurting a little.  Get feeling better.  KINGST, happy birthday bubs!  Haha I laughed my head off when you said it was his birthday.  Dad, I miss you, love you, hope all went well with your leadership meetings and things.  I loved your Dear Elder about football and stuff.  Wow!  It made me so pumped!  Keep doing that, I love it.  I miss going to the games with you and the BOYZ.  Those were some good times.  Before you know it, me, you, Luke j, and Tyler will be going to all the games together.  I miss and love my family so much.  You guys mean so much to me, and I am grateful for a family that cares so much about the important things in life.  I am grateful for the examples you are to me everyday.  YOu have taught me a lot and I have been so blessed.

This week has been pretty good.  Not a ton has happened.  First, I wanna tell you about something funny that happened!  Haha Saturday afternoon during additional study time, I spent like an hour giving a push up class to the two Korean elders.  One of them can do them fine and challenged me and Elder Lee to have a push up contest to see who could get the most in 1 minute.  I PUMPED OUT 70 in a row baby!  Sooooo sick!  I was hauling haha.  I was sweating bullets after that cuz I was in my church clothes.  After that, I taught Elder Kim how to do push ups.  I showed hims tons of different kinds of push ups to get strong.  It was so fun to teach him that stuff.  He teaches me Korean and I teach him how to get strong.  Haha lol (not that I am strong or anything.....)  I haven't really gained many pounds since I have been here.  I work out most nights with Elder Smith, and I think I have actually gotten more muscle.  It's great:)  We wrestle in the hallways some nights, and it brings back so many good memories.

We got the new elders in yesterday, and we are officially the oldest.  It's awesome!  We are leaving in like 3 weeks.  We get travel plans and our real name tags this next week, I think, or maybe the one after that.  I am pumped, but scared, too.  Hahah It's all becoming a reality.

So, this week my companion is really not feeling well.  Friday, he was really sick, and I gave him a blessing.  I said that if he was able to get some rest, he would be healed.  Sure enough, he was able to get some rest, and he woke up feeling a lot better and was able to come to TRC.  That was something I was praying for was that he would be able to come teach with me.  My prayers were answered.  I am grateful for the priesthood power.

Yesterday, my comp was throwing up again.  I'm not quite sure what is wrong with him.  I feel bad. I  have to sit back at the residence while he sleeps.  Yesterday was hard because I spent all my time at the residence, and I just read some scriptures and studied vocab.  I walked around the halls of the residence like over 70 times studying my vocab.  I was like shadow wrestling--doing push ups, singing, and lots more. 

This week, also, we had an amazing devotional.  He said so many things.  I will have to write a letter home talking about what he talked about.  He said that as I give my best everyday and be obedient and work hard, the power of heaven will be upon me and to the ones I love.  He said it will prompt the people who are close to you who aren't members.

 
This week has been pretty good.  I look forward to learning a lot this next week and taking specific steps to get me prepared for Korea.  I love you and miss you a lot.  Thank you for all your prayers.  I love you.  Hope all is well.

Love, Elder Johnson