Elder Folu!

This is Elder Folu and I! And Elder Braman (Brayman) is there too. I don't know why we all look so serious.

Here is a sweet picture of Elder Folu walking into the sunset.

Elder Folu is Sweet! He is from New Zealand. He has been out on his mission for 18 months. He is really good at teaching people and bearing his testimony. Some times I forget that I am a missionary and have to teach because I am busy listening to Elder Folu teach. 

Elder Folu is also really good at playing the Ukulele. So now I carry the ukulele in my bag and we go around and sing primary songs to random people on the street and also the members that we visit with. It is really awesome! It brings the spirit really well. It also starts the relationship off really well. 

Well Bowdish ward is awesome! They are super missionary minded. Yesterday for the primary program there were 3 non-member families in the congregation that members had invited and the week before I came there were 16 nonmembers in church!

I am right in the center of the mission. The Mission office is in my area! It is really weird! But its cool. 

Love you guys!

-Elder (Andre) Johnson

Spokane news room channel 5

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Spokane news room channel 5. Elder Johnson here as your host. Our first topic to discuss today is the new reports just in about the species arachnias homlessnias otherwise known as the hobo spider. Local Spokaneze bugologists have discussed changing the name of the deathly poisenous spider common in the northwest due to the fact that 90 percent of all hobo spiders in the state of Washington are no longer homeless. They have all found residency in one centralized location located at 2707 E 32nd ave #2 at a place known as the Moran Prairie Elder's Apartment. Whether or not the Moran Prairie Elders are alive is still unknown. Almost every single night we come in from working we kill another hobo spider. 

Plus I had an great experience with one the other day... Every morning I wake up and immediately put my hoodie on and start working out. A few mornings ago I woke up but my jacket wasn't in its usual place by my bed so I went with out it for a while. Eventually I found my jacket lying on the ground next to my desk. I put it on and began to work out. After about 15 minutes I had to go to the bathroom. As I walked in I glanced over to the mirror and saw that something was on my sleeve. I took a closer look and realized it was... you guessed it arachnias homlessnias (i made that scientific name up if you couldn't already tell) A HOBO SPIDER! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I quickly but calmly pulled my sleeve so that I would have a better shot at flicking it off. I flicked it but i didn't see where it went. I searched all over the floor. My bare feet started to tingle anticipating a bite. I looked and looked all over the floor but I couldn't find it. Eventually I stood up again and through the mirror saw that it was still on my sleeve!!!!!!!!!! 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! So I pulled my sleeve over again. This time I flicked it as hard as I could. THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I didn't see where the spider went. I couldn't see him on the floor. I checked my sleeve and he was there either. I checked the floor again. No. I checked my sleeve again. Couldn't find him. This happened I don't know how many times. All of this while I really needed to use that bathroom but one thing was for sure. I was not sitting on the toilet till this threat to humanity was disposed of! After about ten minutes I finally found the spider and smashed him hard! My body was tingling for basically the rest of the day. I'm a wimp.

Anyway transfer calls were yesterday. And they were not what we were expecting. I will be leaving the Moran Prairie Ward and going to Spokane Valley to the Boutish ward to be with Elder Folu. The sad thing is that Elder Marsh will also be leaving. He will be going up to Colville to be a Zone Leader. This leaves our area in sticky situation because we have 2 new Elders coming in that don't know the Elders or the people that we are working with. We have three people on date for baptism and likely 2 more after next appointment with them. It will work out though. The Lord has the plan for us as missionaries and our investigators. I am really sad to leave Moran Prairie though. I love this place! I love the investigators! It will be really hard to put them into the hands of other Elders. I love the ward. I am really close to a lot of the members especially Brother Duer the Ward Mission Leader. I feel sorry for all of you for not being able to know "Lil Jonny". I love the streets of my area. I have ridden my bike down every single street. I know the addresses of almost every single apartment complex in my area off the top of my head. I am also going to miss Elder Marsh a lot! We had a lot of good times with him! I learned a ton about missionary work too. It was really cool because we are super different in personality and teaching style but we made it work and our differences complimented each other. 

But I have also heard some really great things about Elder Folu. He is a professional Rugby player back in New Zealand. It will be really weird to have to get to know a new ward and new area. But it will be an adventure!

Love you guts! (Didn't mean to type that but now that I did I kind of like it)

-Elder (Andre) Johnson

Tie Party!!!

Brother Fletcher of Spokane 1st ward had us over for a Tie Party! Now I have 18 more much needed ties! The other Elders in the picture are Elder Schroeder, Elder Leavitt, Elder Marsh, Elder Beckstead, Me, and Elder Satuala in front. 

Thank You for the Package!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I opened it. It was really fun to read all of the letters you guys sent me! I also really have enjoyed eating those oatmeal creme pies! You guys know me well.

We just recently started teaching a Less-Active named Lisa. She asked us if we could give her mom who has cancer a blessing. So we did! Now we have 2 new investigators from that! Recently there have been a few different investigators that have come from less actives. I'm learning that that is an effective way to find new people to teach. Last transfer I worked really hard at street contacting to find new investigators. It worked, but unfortunately most of the people walking out on the streets are crazy so they don't like keeping commitments. Don't get me wrong I still like street contacting but I am really starting to like the idea of talking to less actives and investigators about their family and friends who aren't members. 

This past friday Elder Marsh (District Leader) organized a district activity to rejuvenate our spirits and help us enjoy our work. So he made a point system for different things you do as a missionary. For example 7 points for teaching a lesson. 3 points for talking to someone on the street. 3 points for sharing a scripture. 8 points for setting up a church tour with someone. 15 points for a new investigator and 25 points for putting someone on date for baptism. We had two hours to get as many points as we could then we quickly met up with each other and gave each place a prize. Elder Marsh and I worked hard and got 103 points! We were pretty excited! But then when we met up we found out that we got last place. The Russian Sisters got 444 points! We got dominated. Ha ha it was fun though. The Russians sisters got a 25 dollar gift card to walmart. The Manito Sisters got second place and they got this big delicious looking cake. The Shilo Hills Elders got 3rd place and they got some Lindor chocolates and Elder Marsh and I got candy bars. We lost but hey it was pretty fun. 

Have a great week!

-Elder (Andre) Johnson

Thank you

Thank You for the Package! I haven't actually opened it yet because I accidently left it at the stake center which I don't have a key to. But some other elders have it and I should get it today. I'm sure I will love everything in there!

Dennis came to church again! It is a real testimony to me about the importance of church because he has changed so much just from going to church twice. We haven't taught any of the lessons to him yet. A lot of times he gets nervous about going but he knows he needs to go so he does.

The other day Elder Marsh and I were riding our bikes and we came up behind someone so I decided to stop and talk to her. Turns out she was a former investigator that I had only talked to once! The reason I had only talked to her once is because she had basically told us that she wasn't interested. But this time we had a great conversation and she sounded much more open to the things that we were talking about. We are going to go visit her tomorrow.

I know that Jesus Christ is my savior. I know that wherever we are in life if we turn to him we will be changed in exactly the way that we need to be changed. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth. I know that it is led by a prophet who has the authority to speak the words that Christ would speak if he were here. And I know that it is only through the restored gospel that we can return to our Heavenly Father. This message is wonderful. It is the most important thing we can come to know in our lives. We have the responsibility and privilege to share it with all those who don't know.

Love, Elder (Andre) Johnson

Dennis

This week was awesome! 

About a month ago we met this guy named Dennis who needed help getting his yard raked and lawn mowed. We've been doing service with him weekly for him ever since. At first bringing up gospel related things was kind of difficult because he wouldn't really listen to it. As we kept going over though he kept warming up to us and sharing more and more with us. He told us that he had been pretty depressed ever since his wife left him. Well this week he came to church and he really loved it. He said he felt so much and love and so much hope. He is really excited to keep going back to church and learning more. 

Sorry I don't have much time today so that's all I got. This week was awesome! God is definitely making miracles happen here in Spokane.

Soccer ball!

I bought a soccer ball today! That should be fun. There is a Marshallese  branch up here in Spokane so there are several Elders from the Marshal Islands. They are SUPER good at soccer! Every P-day we either juggle or play a game. Well last P-day their ball was flat so i bought one. Its probably a piece of junk but thats ok i only need it once a week. 

Last night Bishop Holland and his kids came by the apartment and dropped off some brownies for me for my birthday. It was pretty awesome! It was actually a pretty big surprise. I should have seen it coming because the bishop kept texting us and asking us when we were going to be home that night but we just assumed that he wanted to ask us to do something for him or something. The Hollands are great! I was pretty glad that they remembered me. 

Elder Johnson of the Seventy came and taught us missionaries as well as our Bishops and Ward Mission Leaders. It was a really great training. We learned a lot about member missionary work. one of the things that hit me the most was when he told us about how members have the right to receive inspiration about what to do to help nonmembers accept the gospel. As members it is our responsibility and privilege to help nonmembers do the most important thing that they will ever do in this life, which is to accept the restored gospel. It isn't solely the missionaries' responsibility. Missionaries simply play a part by teaching the gospel and helping them be know how to become converted. Elder Johnson also said some really bold comments. He said missionaries are the reapers not the sowers! our job is not to plant seeds but to harvest! He also talked about how the hastening of the work is like us using combines instead of sickles to harvest. Our bishop and Ward mission leader are both pretty excited so hopefully we can work together to help the ward be more active in finding and fellowshipping people. 

Miracle:

This week Ed and Heidi made some good progress. At the beginning of the week it was really rough. He was really stand-offish with us. And also very drunk so it was hard to teach him. But we stopped by several times during the week and realized that he was feeling shame and like he wasn't good enough to be a Mormon or affiliate with us. We were able to have a really good conversation friday night and we invited him to come to our ward BBQ on saturday. Well He and Heidi both showed up and they brought 2 friends with him! They had a great time! Ed made friends with a bunch of people at the BBQ. And as a plus, i couldn't smell any alcohol on him.

The church is true! Happy Birthday to me!

Love, 

Elder (Andre) Johnson

Book of Mormon Musical - we're famous

The Book of Mormon Musical played all this last week. It was pretty exciting because we did a lot to make ourselves famous. 

Our AP's got interviewed by the newspaper and TV people and so were some sisters in the area right next to mine. It was pretty cool to see their picture on the front page of the newspaper. Also this past Saturday was our social media blitz day. So all of the missionaries in Washington got followed around by members of the ward who took pictures of what real Mormon missionaries do and posted it onto their social media sights. These posts were then liked and reposted by members of the ward. If you want to see the posts you can by going onto either facebook, instagram, or twitter and search #mnmspokane. For this day we planned special things to do so that our pictures would be interesting. So in the morning we helped out with a primary activity. It was super fun. Elder Marsh and I as well as the Russian Sisters (Sister Hunt and Perelman) taught the MTC portion of the activity. Those kids have soooo much energy! I'll send pictures after the email. 

Next we taught the plan of salvation to one of our investigators and his kids. It was pretty fun. We helped someone move out of his very messy smelly house which was an adventure. Then we had a BBQ with some ward members and an investigator named Seth at the church pavillion. Then we took Seth on a church tour after. Then we taught a few more lessons. It was pretty fun but super tiring. Elder Marsh and I were BEAT when we got back to the apartment. 

Well I have my camera today so I'll put some pictures of Elder Wilson and I and Elder Marsh and some of the things we did on Saturday.

We have an investigator named Tom who we just started teaching. He isn't actually in our ward boundaries but because of some special circumstances we are teaching him. He is actually blind. He is a super humble guy though. He listens to CD's of the Book of Mormon every day and is planning on being baptized on Sept 6th. I put a picture of Aaron with Elder Wilson and I. 

Cool story:

Once upon a time we got a referral from the Ross's for a lady named Joy. We went over to her apartment several times but she was never there. But her 14 year old daughter Kelly answered the door. so we met her. Once upon another time Elder Wilson and I were out riding our bikes and we started talking to this family with the last name of Sienkiewicz (sank-i-vich) who were out in their drive way. They were nice but the parents weren't that interested. They had a daughter named Victoria who seemed interested. Once upon a third time we went over and talked to the Sienkiewicz family and Victoria had a friend over named Kelly. We didn't connect the dots. Once upon a fourth time we had a lesson with Joy who said that She was interested and her daughter had also talked about being baptized and so had her daughter's friend Victoria. So now if we can get Victoria's father's permission we will teach Joy, Kelly, and Victoria.  It was pretty cool how it all fell in place.

Here's some pictures...

Plan of Salvation Lesson with the Hao's

Bishop Holland and his family

Us at the Primary activity

Behold Spokane

Elder Wilson's and I relationship can be completely described in this picture:

My old District

Elder Marsh

Me and 2 other elders