hey mumsy!
well the first week has gone well. it was a bit slow. we had alot of meetings. i got there Monday which was a normal day then Tuesday we had a meeting, then p-day, then Thursday we left for Singapore for a meeting for zls then came back Friday night so most of our week was shot but this week should be better and it has been thus far. I'm starting to get more used to the area so its going well.well the pictures last week came but i couldn't open any of them. if i tried it forced me to log out for some weird reason. so i didn't get to see them.ma, ill get back to you about the favorite scripture. ill tell ya next week.
here in kota kinabalu we use buses and taxis and walk. its different but a nice change especially for my rump. that seat on my bike was so uncomfortable in kuching haha.sad thing about the bike is that i got to a certain fitness level and just stopped because we only went a certain speed and there were no real hills or anything so i wasn't in very good shape really haha. but here theres a gym! so we've been going there in the mornings and working out. its been very nice.
ya my comp is interesting. the first week i made all the conversation. if i didn't talk we didn't talk. he can carry on a conversation but if i don't start the convo , no talkin haha. but the other day i wanted to test him to see how long he would go without talking. It was all day long. it was weird but whatever. i decided i had better just talk so i do again haha.but other good news i think. there will be two other elders in the house this Friday so that will give the apartment some more life. but i do like elder Compton. he is a good elder.well sounds good about the visit with Deanna. i sure like her. Paul was a card and she is just a sweet lady.this is true mother you are a part of the rs. make James play! haharosy is a cute name. i like it. that's the name of a singer i like very much. Rosy Thomas..
well the address here is:
D07-01 marina court resort condominium
kota kinabalu 88000
Sabah malaysiacan
send to there if you want. i just thought would be easier to go to singapore.
well special requests. Shannon a while ago sent me some delicious baskin robin mint chocolate chip hard candies and they were delicious but my favorite thing to do was give them to people to try since theres nothing like that here. so bags of american things that wouldn't be here would be cool to let people as well as little old me try haha. so anything you can think of like that would be nice.o and before i forget. i have a story that will for sure make you happy.
about 2 weeks before i left kuching we met a family. a young couple with a young baby. there names were christy and sulvester. both very great people. they will be baptized in 2weeks or so, which is awesome but not the point of the story. sulvester, although he was so awesome he had a problem with smoking. and one day i was thinking about how i could help him to stop. i was reading in preach my gospel about addiction recovery and it told us to imagine taking something we always do, some habit like cracking your knuckles, biting your nails etc and just stopping all of a sudden and imagine how hard it would be. which couldn't even compare to the addiction smokers face. well i thought, what do i always do as a habit. and I'm sure you know mom. since kindergarten..." MATTHEW!! you quit that!! your gonna get cancer!" hahawell i explained to him about that and how i had bit my cheek since i was 5 and ever since then until now. we all got a good laugh about it, but it ended up being serious, where we promised eachother we would stop our habits our "addictions". it was hard. but after about 3 days i didn't do it any more and i haven't since. the best part, about a week and a half later sulvester stopped too. it probably wasn't because of me, but i hope it helped. i called him every night and reported with him on my progress as well as his. you would be happy to know that ive stopped doing that mom.
I'm happy to hear about Gerry. I'm sure he will do wonderfully there.well thank you so much to grandpa. Johnson i appreciate him so much. i was just thinking about that the other day about helping with my mission $. i am very thankful to him. o man ma when is you foot going to get better? just keep taking care of it.I'm off now to eat some delicious Indian food. hahawell madre i hope all is well back home. i love you and pray for y'all always. have a great week ok!
love elder johnson
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
August 25, 2009 to Mom
hello mumsy,
well i did get transfered. after 8 months in kuching i am now in the state of sabah in a city called kota kinabalu or kk whateva haha. ive noticed a pattern thus far and that is that i have served thus far in cities that start with the letter k. klang, kuching, kk. kinda funny. well i am a zone leader now. i think its funny. my new companion is elder compton. he was in my mtc group. he was elder schneiders companion.hes a good fellow. hes pretty serious from time to time but i still like him.hes from Arizona. but thus far i really like it here. we live in a nice apartment with a view of the south china sea. ill send pictures eventually. sorry its been so long. i just never remember to bring my camera.
o ya sorry also to Erick. i meant to say happy birthday a while back but it slipped by. sooorrryyy eeaaaiiiirrrr beeeeeeaaaarrrr haha. hope you had a good b-day gravy master.well that's neat you had a dream about me ma. i wonder what i was off to. work as what. interesting.well sounds good that your foot is doing better now. keep up the good work.
well thank you for the loot. i got an over weight charge and had to pay 50 ringgit. like 15 American or something. but it was still annoying because i think in ringgit now and that's alot fo money! ahah.camera is working well. its quite nice. I'm trying to take more pictures lately than i have so i can remember things better, since I'm not so diligent in my journal efforts even though i try. i also have a book of remembrance. yes i finally gave into it. i thought it was funny at first but i got one too where i have people write in it and leave a picture too. it will be a good journal as well.Daniele toleman is going to college hu? thats kinda funny indeed.
but the new area is good . its a mix it seems of east Malaysia and west. its like a nice city with good food and your surrounded by native people from Borneo. west Malaysia only has foreigners or Muslims and Sarawak has all natives but i was in the country haha. so its a mix of both. its been thus far nice and i hope it continues the same.OK I'm about to go get some food. I'm starved haha! ok ma i love you i hope you have a great week. if you ever want to send anything you can just send it to Singapore. it will get there for sure and i can just get it later! talk to ya later!
elder Johnson
August 25, 2009 to Dad
hey dad!
good to hear its cooling off at home. here we are on the ocean so from what i have seen thus far it is cooler here than in kuching. so my first couple of days have been nice.you talking about moms cookies made me hungry. i hope sandy enjoyed them( said in jealous sarcastic voice) haha.no sound system at church? what happened? the sound system in kuching was terrible. it was so muffled and hard to hear. yes you can have a loud voice when you want to haha.well I'm glad to hear Carl is getting to business. i like that little clown. hopefully he keeps on going. Joe needs a good example. I'm pretty sure he does exactly the same stuff Carl does so if 1 goes i bet both do.well its too bad you didn't hear about Gerry yet. i was excited to hear about him.
mission president Johnson...ohh better not say that too loud ill curse you haha. well all is well here pappy. ive just been meeting alot of the members here as well as a few investigaros mixed in. elder Compton is kinda a dry fellow so I'm trying to bring some life into the appointments and thus far its been really fun. i don't know if i told you but ive acquired a little arsenal of card tricks hah. they love them here and its fun to see them get so surprised. getting that relationship of trust with members and investigators is so important. well everything is good here. happy and healthy. i hope you are too dad. have a good week!
love you,
elder johnson
good to hear its cooling off at home. here we are on the ocean so from what i have seen thus far it is cooler here than in kuching. so my first couple of days have been nice.you talking about moms cookies made me hungry. i hope sandy enjoyed them( said in jealous sarcastic voice) haha.no sound system at church? what happened? the sound system in kuching was terrible. it was so muffled and hard to hear. yes you can have a loud voice when you want to haha.well I'm glad to hear Carl is getting to business. i like that little clown. hopefully he keeps on going. Joe needs a good example. I'm pretty sure he does exactly the same stuff Carl does so if 1 goes i bet both do.well its too bad you didn't hear about Gerry yet. i was excited to hear about him.
mission president Johnson...ohh better not say that too loud ill curse you haha. well all is well here pappy. ive just been meeting alot of the members here as well as a few investigaros mixed in. elder Compton is kinda a dry fellow so I'm trying to bring some life into the appointments and thus far its been really fun. i don't know if i told you but ive acquired a little arsenal of card tricks hah. they love them here and its fun to see them get so surprised. getting that relationship of trust with members and investigators is so important. well everything is good here. happy and healthy. i hope you are too dad. have a good week!
love you,
elder johnson
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
August 18, 2009 to Mom
hello mom!
well that is very cool i have a little nephew (Miles). he will be kickin it old school by the time i get back, walkin around probably and starting to talk up a storm. and clair bear. she sounds like a character. i look forward to seeing pictures next week.wow ma you and pappy have been busy with that little truck.128 thou hu? haha just kidding.i think i have that same relationship with duke. love fear. you never know when hes going to come charging into your room and leap up on the bed "...dingle dingle dingle, fwoop......boom, ahh! o, hi duke." haha.almost every morning like that.well that sounds good that your foot is doing better. just take it easy and everything will go fine. the human body is a neat thing in being able to repair itself. whats cool is your bone will grow back even stronger where it broke. there will be a thicker layer of bone material where the break was. i think that is very neat.ya elder merrill and i smoothed some things out. things still aren't perfect but were trying. i just think he hates being a junior companion. i really don't understand why. its not like i am IN CHARGE haha. most of the time we do what he wants. but i just don't think he likes the idea of being the "junior comp" pretty funny. I'm more than ok to be the junior comp.but lucky for him we've heard that he will be training here soon and i will be getting transferred to sabah. a place called kota kintabalu which is where i will have to be a zone leader if i get transfered there. not a whole lot of fun but we shall see. that's all just rumors that we have heard, and not certain, but it sounds likely that i will be getting transfered soon.thats ok i have been here for a long time. im sure the members are tired of my face by now hahaha.well not everyone is converted to the word of wisdom. but most people who get baptized remember that, most prominently as what they learned from the elders. not about the plan of salvation, eternal families, or the gospel of Jesus...its just annoying they cant remember the other things as well as those 5 things haha.its pretty crazy. Ive been out for a year august 27 crazy stuff indeed. the first year went way fast. It seemed really fast but if i think about it it feels like forever since I've been home. but at the same time it went by fast if that made any sense haha.we had a wonderful baptism last week. her name is Reeta. she is really cool and is going to be a strong member i know it. her whole family is Anglican but she was willing to make changes despite that. i was very proud of her.ok mom well thank you for your letter i hope your ankle continues to heal well. have a great week!
love you,
elder johnson
well that is very cool i have a little nephew (Miles). he will be kickin it old school by the time i get back, walkin around probably and starting to talk up a storm. and clair bear. she sounds like a character. i look forward to seeing pictures next week.wow ma you and pappy have been busy with that little truck.128 thou hu? haha just kidding.i think i have that same relationship with duke. love fear. you never know when hes going to come charging into your room and leap up on the bed "...dingle dingle dingle, fwoop......boom, ahh! o, hi duke." haha.almost every morning like that.well that sounds good that your foot is doing better. just take it easy and everything will go fine. the human body is a neat thing in being able to repair itself. whats cool is your bone will grow back even stronger where it broke. there will be a thicker layer of bone material where the break was. i think that is very neat.ya elder merrill and i smoothed some things out. things still aren't perfect but were trying. i just think he hates being a junior companion. i really don't understand why. its not like i am IN CHARGE haha. most of the time we do what he wants. but i just don't think he likes the idea of being the "junior comp" pretty funny. I'm more than ok to be the junior comp.but lucky for him we've heard that he will be training here soon and i will be getting transferred to sabah. a place called kota kintabalu which is where i will have to be a zone leader if i get transfered there. not a whole lot of fun but we shall see. that's all just rumors that we have heard, and not certain, but it sounds likely that i will be getting transfered soon.thats ok i have been here for a long time. im sure the members are tired of my face by now hahaha.well not everyone is converted to the word of wisdom. but most people who get baptized remember that, most prominently as what they learned from the elders. not about the plan of salvation, eternal families, or the gospel of Jesus...its just annoying they cant remember the other things as well as those 5 things haha.its pretty crazy. Ive been out for a year august 27 crazy stuff indeed. the first year went way fast. It seemed really fast but if i think about it it feels like forever since I've been home. but at the same time it went by fast if that made any sense haha.we had a wonderful baptism last week. her name is Reeta. she is really cool and is going to be a strong member i know it. her whole family is Anglican but she was willing to make changes despite that. i was very proud of her.ok mom well thank you for your letter i hope your ankle continues to heal well. have a great week!
love you,
elder johnson
August 18, 2009 to Dad
hey dad!
sounds like you had a good time in vegas! that sure would be fun to see all them. good old Miles. little kids are like the best part about here haha. they are so funny. theres a little girl about 4 years old who is the niece of a member but the little girl herself is a muslim because of her parents. but the little girl always comes to church with the auntie. her name is siti sahara about as muslim a name as you can get haha. its funny because since she started going to church and learning stuff she would always tell her muslim parents, lets pray before we eat, and stuff like that haha. very funny.little kids are pretty darn cool.
thats too bad you had to go home so quick. but i bet you had a good ride home with doo. did you have any fun experiences with duke jumping on your lap while driving when you didnt expect it? those were always fun times haha.well that sounds good about gerry. hope i get to hear about it next week. i hope he goes somewhere neato. i had hoped he was gonna come here but then i realized his blood sugar thing probably wouldn't let that happen.ya I've been reading in Matthew as well. i read the b o m a few times and now i figured id start out with the new testament. i hope i can finish it by December at the latest so we shall see. its just kinda hard to get alot read because theres so many notes i have to take as i read. so if i can read a chapter or 2 in an hour I'm lucky.but thus far I'm in Matthew 25. good stuff indeed.
i get surprised sometimes by the sharpness of Jesus's words but i suppose he had to for the audience he had, and often times he says things that are vague so without alot of pondering and or usage of additional scripture the authentic meaning could easily be ascewed . I'm thankful for additional scripture and especially now the Joseph Smith translation. i used to be really weirded out by it. wondering why he changed the scriptures...but i just didn't understand then, and my testimony wasn't what it should have been. but now i get really excited when i see that little jst at the bottom because i get to see what it really means. its soo cool. like i forget the chapter maybe 23 its speaking on marriage and it makes it sound like after death there is no marriage, like no one is married in heaven, but from the d&c and the translation we clearly see that is not the meaning. i am very grateful.
Joseph Smith was an amazing man. i like the parable of laborers as well. that's a hard lesson but a good one.well pappy I've heard word that i most likely will be getting transferred here soon. not confirmed yet but maybe it was the same in your mission maybe not, but rumors get started and i heard that I'm getting transferred to sabah. to a city called kota kintabalu. its kinda the best place you can serve if you go to sabah, so im excited. not to be bad or anything but im also excited to get a new comp...shh don't tell anyone haha. if i do go to sabah my comp will be someone from my mtc group elder compton. not many people like him but we got along pretty good. once again i am excited but will be happy no matter where i go even if i stay here. Ive been in this area for 8 months already. what was the longest you stayed in an area dad? ok well ill talk to ya later dad. thanks for the letter! i love you. give duke a pat on the head for me.
elder Johnson
PD - did i tell you i often times get called "johnsonbaby" as in johnson &johnson baby shampoo? funny i think
sounds like you had a good time in vegas! that sure would be fun to see all them. good old Miles. little kids are like the best part about here haha. they are so funny. theres a little girl about 4 years old who is the niece of a member but the little girl herself is a muslim because of her parents. but the little girl always comes to church with the auntie. her name is siti sahara about as muslim a name as you can get haha. its funny because since she started going to church and learning stuff she would always tell her muslim parents, lets pray before we eat, and stuff like that haha. very funny.little kids are pretty darn cool.
thats too bad you had to go home so quick. but i bet you had a good ride home with doo. did you have any fun experiences with duke jumping on your lap while driving when you didnt expect it? those were always fun times haha.well that sounds good about gerry. hope i get to hear about it next week. i hope he goes somewhere neato. i had hoped he was gonna come here but then i realized his blood sugar thing probably wouldn't let that happen.ya I've been reading in Matthew as well. i read the b o m a few times and now i figured id start out with the new testament. i hope i can finish it by December at the latest so we shall see. its just kinda hard to get alot read because theres so many notes i have to take as i read. so if i can read a chapter or 2 in an hour I'm lucky.but thus far I'm in Matthew 25. good stuff indeed.
i get surprised sometimes by the sharpness of Jesus's words but i suppose he had to for the audience he had, and often times he says things that are vague so without alot of pondering and or usage of additional scripture the authentic meaning could easily be ascewed . I'm thankful for additional scripture and especially now the Joseph Smith translation. i used to be really weirded out by it. wondering why he changed the scriptures...but i just didn't understand then, and my testimony wasn't what it should have been. but now i get really excited when i see that little jst at the bottom because i get to see what it really means. its soo cool. like i forget the chapter maybe 23 its speaking on marriage and it makes it sound like after death there is no marriage, like no one is married in heaven, but from the d&c and the translation we clearly see that is not the meaning. i am very grateful.
Joseph Smith was an amazing man. i like the parable of laborers as well. that's a hard lesson but a good one.well pappy I've heard word that i most likely will be getting transferred here soon. not confirmed yet but maybe it was the same in your mission maybe not, but rumors get started and i heard that I'm getting transferred to sabah. to a city called kota kintabalu. its kinda the best place you can serve if you go to sabah, so im excited. not to be bad or anything but im also excited to get a new comp...shh don't tell anyone haha. if i do go to sabah my comp will be someone from my mtc group elder compton. not many people like him but we got along pretty good. once again i am excited but will be happy no matter where i go even if i stay here. Ive been in this area for 8 months already. what was the longest you stayed in an area dad? ok well ill talk to ya later dad. thanks for the letter! i love you. give duke a pat on the head for me.
elder Johnson
PD - did i tell you i often times get called "johnsonbaby" as in johnson &johnson baby shampoo? funny i think
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
May 6, 2009 to Mom
well everything is going well here. we are trying to make contact with all the men who have recieved the melkezidic priesthood who are less active. therefore we have been running into less active families as well as non member families which has been working really well. its so much better than just knocking on our own.
we are working with several families right now who seem promising to come back to church. as well as several new families and individuals who will be baptized shortly. well last saturday that little girl who was wearing the beads who was wearing the pinkish dress i think and her mom got baptized. the dad and the brother will be in the following weeks. very exciting. that was a very nice baptism. the moms name is rana and the girl is lilyamau. they're both very smart and wonderful people.
elder griffin and i are still doing very well, still not been transfered thank goodness haha. one of the less active families we just met with one of the girls is about 30 years old and her name is matron. she speaks english really well and her attitude and way of talking reminds me so much of Becky! they're like the same person except she's brown! haha. they will be back at church shortly i am sure. ok well thanks for the letter mom i hope you solve your email problem shortly! love you all and hope you're having a good week!
elder johnson
we are working with several families right now who seem promising to come back to church. as well as several new families and individuals who will be baptized shortly. well last saturday that little girl who was wearing the beads who was wearing the pinkish dress i think and her mom got baptized. the dad and the brother will be in the following weeks. very exciting. that was a very nice baptism. the moms name is rana and the girl is lilyamau. they're both very smart and wonderful people.
elder griffin and i are still doing very well, still not been transfered thank goodness haha. one of the less active families we just met with one of the girls is about 30 years old and her name is matron. she speaks english really well and her attitude and way of talking reminds me so much of Becky! they're like the same person except she's brown! haha. they will be back at church shortly i am sure. ok well thanks for the letter mom i hope you solve your email problem shortly! love you all and hope you're having a good week!
elder johnson
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
April 29, 2009 to Mom
hey mums!
how is everyone! i will be writing two letters in response to your two this fine day. well news is the flip flops have not yet arrived....so well see. ill let ya know. ill just buy some here if they dont come. it might be hard fining a size big enough though haha.
i just asked you to send some because i loved those sandals i had back home.well if its a indian restorant your in luck because i love indian food. too bad its not malaysian but indian food is delicious. you should get tanduri chicken if they have it, naan! oooo naan. its just like thin bread wiht garlic or cheese or somehting. chicken briani is always good as well. but o hear there is a indonesian restorant in old town. you should try and find that if you and dad are ever just on a whim wanting to go to old sac and want to try something new.
i havent bought the clothes yet. im waiting for a price. i have two people. and whoever is cheeper haha.i have a sword like thing i already took to singapore so i dont forsee any problems.the maid is undetermined as of yet. shes still trying to convice the boss. we shall see. ill let ya know later. but this weekend that little girl that was wearing the beads the one that looks older that is, and her mom are going to be baptized so thats exciting. the dad still has a problem with smoking but hes already cut back dramatically. he will be baptized soon as well. well off to the next letter haha.
how is everyone! i will be writing two letters in response to your two this fine day. well news is the flip flops have not yet arrived....so well see. ill let ya know. ill just buy some here if they dont come. it might be hard fining a size big enough though haha.
i just asked you to send some because i loved those sandals i had back home.well if its a indian restorant your in luck because i love indian food. too bad its not malaysian but indian food is delicious. you should get tanduri chicken if they have it, naan! oooo naan. its just like thin bread wiht garlic or cheese or somehting. chicken briani is always good as well. but o hear there is a indonesian restorant in old town. you should try and find that if you and dad are ever just on a whim wanting to go to old sac and want to try something new.
i havent bought the clothes yet. im waiting for a price. i have two people. and whoever is cheeper haha.i have a sword like thing i already took to singapore so i dont forsee any problems.the maid is undetermined as of yet. shes still trying to convice the boss. we shall see. ill let ya know later. but this weekend that little girl that was wearing the beads the one that looks older that is, and her mom are going to be baptized so thats exciting. the dad still has a problem with smoking but hes already cut back dramatically. he will be baptized soon as well. well off to the next letter haha.
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