Jeff email 3/29/2010

Dear family -2, (Russell and I),


This week was amazing! As you heard last week I was in a situation that would require a lot of help from the Lord. We had a goal of 3 baptisms for the week and not a single date that had been accepted the week before. On Tuesday we went to work! We managed to get three dates marked for Sunday! We decided to team up with the other elders that are in this ward and we decided to do a baptism date day and just invite everyone that was ready and worthy of baptism to be baptized. The first that we visited was the grandson of a sister in the ward. On Monday night while I was thinking of who we would visit the next day it came into my mind that she had said something about her grandson not having been baptized. We went there and it was amazing! We taught a powerful first lesson and we invited him to be baptized on Sunday. He accepted and his mom said that this gives her the biggest desire to go to church again. I had him say the last prayer and in it he began sobbing and asked our Heavenly Father that he would help him to be baptized on that Sunday. When we opened our eyes their entire family was crying! He was baptized yesterday and his family is very excited!!! We managed to mark 2 other dates for Sunday but on Saturday night they decided that they wanted one more week of being prepared so next week we are going to have 2 more “dunkings”! Plus we managed to get some more dates marked for this next week so it should be a pretty fruitful conference weekend! I’m very excited!

On a spiritual note. A few weeks back while we were teaching a lesson I had the strong impression that I needed to pray and do a fast for Grandpa Johnson. I didn’t know why but I did it. This week I received a letter from Grandma Johnson saying that she had been very worried about Grandpa on around the same day. It was quite a big testimony builder to have that happen.

I know that this is the true church and that is why it is so easy for people to change their lives and become part of this church! Its very sad to think that I only have 7 more months to do this but I will make the best of every moment!!!



Love you all



Elder Jeffrey Todd Johnson

Russell's Mailing Address

Elder Russell M. Johnson

Russ email 3/26/2010

So I've been a week here, and I'm still loving every moment of it! The food is still great and the strength of the Spirit is still burning in my heart. Today we got to go to the Temple and do a session. It was very awesome!! I love it there so much! The language is still coming along great, we are getting ready to teach the first lesson in Spanish this week, wish me luck!! Me and Elder Trumbo are getting along great, it helps that he understands me psychotic humor and has a good sense of humor himself. I've been struggling with the lights out by 10:30 rule lately, I just can't seem to be able to write everything in my journal that I want to say in the hour that they give us before bed, but I'm working on it.

I am known as the master of four square during gym time. EVERYONE fears me!, but not really. but the NFA (National foursquare Association) has been scouting me and want me to come play professionally after the mission. I told them I'd think about it,,, ha ha just kidding, but I am pretty amazing at it. Well hope all is well with all of you!

Love, Elder Johnson

Jeff Email 3/22/2010

Dear those whom I love,


This week was crazy!!! A baptism popped out of no where. I had mission conference with a member of the Quorom of the Seventy!!! Russell goes to the MTC. And I'm faulting 3 baptisms to reach my goal.

Heres what I need. This week I have a goal of 3 baptisms but no one with a baptismal date. I need this in the prayers of everyone!!! Its 100% possible to get these three baptisms but its going to require alot of faith and prayers!

I'm sorry it's short but I'm all the sudden getting long emails from everyone so it takes a second to read all your emails and respond to them all.


Love you all!



Jeff



Ps...mother I was joking about extending 3 months... thats impossible.. I'm coming home on October 28th. I'll leave here on the 27th. Sorry about the joke... I thought it was funny!



--
Elder Jeffrey Johnson

First Email From Russell-- 20 March 2010

hola everyone,
the first fours days of the mtc have been great. great food, great spirit, great food, and more great food. i eat way too much every single meal, yet haven't gained any weight. my companions name is elder trumbo, he's from st. george, utah and is a freakin awesome guy...oh i mean elder ;). i'm still getting use to calling everyone elder and not having my hands in my pockets. the language is coming along great. i can already pray and bear my testimony is spanish along with greet and meet some one.
just in these four short days here i have gone through such a change. i have never felt the spirit so strong or felt so close to christ. each day during class i get the burning feeling in my chest that i know this church is true. i have set a personal goal to read the entire book of mormon while in the mtc. reading it is like candy for me now. i can't get enough of it. we havent had much study time cause the first week is crazy busy so i'm only on chapter 20 of 1 nephi. i look forward to reading it all day.
sorry i didn't have time to put up pictures this week, but i promise next week i will have some for you guys.
love you all,
elder russell johnson
(p.s. the keyboard was broken so i could use shift, thats why there are no capitals.)

Russell Reports to the Provo MTC (17 March 2010)

Niles, Rachel, Russell, Emma & Susie

We had extra time on hand, so we went up near the Provo Temple to take pictures

Dad, Russell & Mom

The Family before sending one more out into the mission field


Arriving at the MTC

Goodbyes

Niles was happy-- he now gets the larger bedroom

And then he was gone

Jeff's email 3/15/2010

Dear Family,


Congratulations to Russell for a successful mission farewell. This last week was swell. I marked another baptism date for this up coming week and I am very excited for it. The other day I was reading in Docterin and Covenants and what I read reminded me a lot of Russell. Its in section 31 and it says….


3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.

4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.

5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.

6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.

7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;

8 And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered.

9 Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile. Govern your house in meekness, and be steadfast.

10 Behold, I say unto you that you shall be a physician unto the church, but not unto the world, for they will not receive you.

11 Go your way whithersoever I will, and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go.

12 Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward.

13 Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor of men, but of me, even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the Father. Amen.



It gives me the chills just reading it. I believe that the Lord has given this same promise to all those who serve him. I truly know that this is the Lords work and the this “little time” that we have to serve him will have so much worth to us throughout the rest of our lives.


Elder Russell Mads Johnson…….LETS BAPTIZE THE WORLD!!!!!!

Love you and I hope you have an amazing mission!!!!!!


-Elder Jeffrey Todd Johnson

Russell's Mission Farewell

Russell spoke in Sacrament meeting today. We had a lot of family and friends that came and supported him. Thanks to all who came!

Emma-- Cast Removal

Emma, getting her cast removed from her right arm on 22 Feb. 2010

Good as new!

Jeff email 3/8/2010

howdy hey everyone.
as can see by the photos this week was truly life..."under the sea". once again it was "raining men haleluja raining men" and needless to say we got islanded again. this gave us alot of time to work on an activity that i am making for our ward which i will explain right now. i call it...."missionary musical" taken from the inspiration of high school musical. i am writing this musical that we the elders of this ward will do on the 18th of this month. it basicly tells the story of a few young men and how they overcame their fears and shared the gospel with someone and it ended up changing the persons life. my companion elder amato bought a guitar last week and we are taking the music that he and i know how to play and we are writing funny lyrics to the musics so that it will be a fun night but also will teach some good lessons!
sorry it was short this week but like i said. when you get stuck in the house there isnt much exciting that happens. i also included a picture of me swinging on a vine that happened a few months back! and i will send others here shortly

--
Elder Jeffrey Johnson