Sup everyone. I just got into Oregon this last tuesday. So far it has been awesome. My new companion and trainer is.......drumroll.......Elder Mauchley!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (rhymes with broccoli) So we got straight to work. Let me explain the whole story.
Ok so first I want to thank everybody SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for all the presents you sent me. They were totally cool. On Christmas eve me and my comp had a sleep over in the our district's room (we got permission). When we woke up we started opening our presents. By the end, the whole district was waiting on me because you guys gave me so many presents. Thank you for the cd player and speakers, and also thank you so much for the SD cards. Ok I have soooo much candy it's crazy. I don't know how I ever gonna have enough time to eat all of it. But Christmas was awesome at the MTC. Russel M. Nelson came and talked to us. He was really cool and knew the scriptures so well. Oh yeah and I was in this big talent show thing. I played the song I wrote, "I Turned Away." I was really scared to play in front of 2,000 missionaries but it was all good. I hope you guys get the SD card that I sent you, I think Elder Smith took some pictures of me on stage. I hope when you look at the pics you will understand what they mean....but you probably won't. I'm guessing you're gonna want an explaination for some of them. Anyways thank you once again for making my Christmas AMAZING!
So now I want to talk about Oregon. Ok so we met president Macdonald (yeah and apparantly he knows like a ton of Wiltbank's). He's really cool. I didn't get to talk to him for very long, but I told him my story and stuff. After that we met a bunch of other elders in the mission, which I don't remember any of their names. Their was this one guy from Lindon and was like what the???? Turns out he was actually in a couple of my classes in high school. That was wierd. But then he said, "I know your daddy." I'm like huh? He then explains to me that a daddy is your trainer when your on a mission. So his last companion was Elder Mauchley. That was kinda funny.
Anyways my first area is a little city called Dallas. It is west of Salem. So yeah, me and Elder Mauchley are the only missionaries in this area. I really love it here. The members are awesome. There are like a TON of different churches here. There's like as many churches as there is in Utah except instead of all being LDS, they are all different ones. Seriously I think I see a new church every day. Like the other day I saw a church called the foursquare church.
We are teaching three main people right now. First there is Joanne. She has had a tough life and has moved around a lot and been through a divorce. She is very open to the gospel but she doesn't like the music. She only likes listening to rock and stuff so having to sing hymns is kinda hard for you. The second person is Johnathon (likes to be called J.J.). J.J. is Joanne's son, he's 12. He went to church yesterday and he totally loved it. Me and Elder Mauchley went to deacons quorum with him and he was like answering questions and stuff. He was totally into it. He's a really good kid. Our third investigator is Mark. I haven't met him yet, but we will be teaching him the first lesson next week.
I'm still having a hard time learning the lessons. I'm doing a lot of tracting trying to find new people to teach. Oh yeah and it rains A LOT!!!!!!!! The first day it rained all day. then the next day it snowed like all day. Today it is luckily nice and warm. But the rest of the week it was freezing. But....it's all good. I am totally loving this work. It's amazing. Ok I am gonna end this letter cuz it's really long. I know you guys probably have better things to do then read about me. I just want to thank you one more time (and I swear this will be the last time) for all the amazing presents that you gave me for my birthday and for Christmas.
Love,
Elder Johnson
