Changes and Big Thanks

Good morning everyone! It's been a wild week. I've had so many reminders this week that this is His work, not mine. He can do it however He wants to and it's my job to just uncomplainingly do what He says. 

This week we had 3 exchanges. In a row. It was wild but also fun. I spent Wednesday with Elder Muyaya, from Congo. He's learning English and doing great. His desire to learn it is really high and he'll speak really well by the end. I just told him to keep working on it the way he has been. Thursday was with Elder Lungu, from Zambia. That guy is so amazing. He really knows why he is here and what he's here to do. His conversion story is so incredible as well. He was baptized just two years ago and is so strong. His knowledge of the gospel also kind of blows me away. He knows his stuff. 

My last exchange was with Elder Osauro from Uganda. He's a brand new Elder and has a lot to figure out still but if he wants it to work, it will. If we have a desire to serve God, we are called to the work. God only needs our willingness to be used to be able to use us to do his work.

 

In conjunction with our three exchanges, we had a 10 Elder thanksgiving party that was so much fun. It worked out well because we were on exchange with the Asakae Elders on Thursday and had the Apowa Elders coming for exchange on Friday, and the Asakae Elders had the Anaji Elders coming for exchange on Friday as well, and so we all just met up in the middle and had Thanksgiving together. We also got permission to invite the other Elders who would've been left alone, making it 10 powerful brethren. It was sweet. We had chicken breasts (turkey was way expensive), mashed potatoes, corn, a lot of other stuff, and some Dutch oven brownies that were so incredibly good (shoutout Elder High, the Dutch oven legend). We ate, played ping pong on the table, drank sparkling cider, and even went around the table and said what we were grateful for. It was sweet. I love the Elders in this zone so much and will miss them a lot. 

We also had a really cool experience this week with a woman named Hilda. If you remember, someone came and stole our water last Monday. We later found out that they were after the metal pipe joint connecting the water to the house, not the actual water itself, but either way he got both. Because of that, we spent a lot of time doing nothing on Tuesday, waiting for the plumber guy to come and fix it. He took a long time but we couldn't go till he got there because we had to give him a part. I was kind of frustrated because we had lessons to get to, but it had to be the way it was. While we were waiting, we decided to go through our area book (basically a digital record book of our missionary work) and call people we didn't know.  After filtering through the many names therein, came with a list of those who had been to church before in the past who we haven't met. It was still a big list though, and we wanted to maximize our time. We prayed for inspiration and felt prompted to call a woman named Hilda who had been to church 3 times in May but then had never come again. We called her and she seemed really happy to talk to us. We asked if we could teach her and she said yes. So Friday Elder Osauro and I went and taught her and it was really nice. She's a single mom of two and has a really sweet spirit. We invited her to Church and she agreed to come. Sunday she actually came and brought her two kids, Ashley and Ebenezer. I was so happy! She was late but called us during sacrament meeting letting us know she had come so we brought her up and she said she really enjoyed it. It was a really cool experience and I'm excited for Hilda. The gospel will help her so much. 

In other news, I'm going on transfer. That wasn't a surprise because I've been here for awhile, but it's still sad to leave a place and a people that I really love. It feels right though. The Spirit testifies of truth, and when I found out I was going, it felt right. I felt the same way when I got my mission call, and in all my subsequent transfers. I'm where God wants me to be, and the next time I write you, I still will be. This is His work, not mine. I also got released as a zone leader so I have no idea where I'm going, but I know it'll be OK whatever happens. God is in control. 

I feel happy though. And content. I really feel like I did what I came here to do. 

I'm just so grateful that I could be a part of the work in West Tanokrom with the companions I've been with. This has been the best three transfers of my life. I've learned so much and had so much fun. I've felt the Spirit and built relationships. I'm so excited for my next area and zone and what we will go and do there. God is in control. 

I also want to shoutout Elder Liljenquist, my former companion who gets these emails for being the man he is and teaching me how to be a leader and a better man. And also Elder Hendrickson who doesn't read these emails for being a forgiving man and a hard worker. I've learned a lot from you both here and I want to thank you for everything you taught me. 

I love you all so much! Trust your companion! 

Love, 

Elder Johnson

1. Me, Elder Hendrickson, and Sarah and her family. 

2. Sister Esi and her family. Wisdom (the little guy) is my best friend. 

3. Me, Enok, and Markvon. 2 powerful future missionaries 

4. Me and Brother Forson, the best ward missionary in the church and also the one with the biggest vocabulary. I love this man. 

5. Thanksgiving with the brethren, right before we said what we were grateful for and joined hands in prayer (just kidding, we didn't do that). For posterity, starting from me going clockwise: me, then Elders High, Lungu, Muyaya, Bollschweiler, Osauro, Jewett, Muwawa, Middledorf, and the great Elder Hendrickson. 

6. Me and Elder Lungu looking fresh

7. Me looking fresh

8. My favorite bishopric in the world: from left,  Brother Kwofie, Bishop Afrifa (the best Bishop in the church), and brother Abraham. Abraham is the coolest guy I know. I want to be like him when I grow up. 

9. Me, the Congolese legend Elder Muyaya, and two nice bowls of fufu.