10-7-13

October 7, 2013

Dear the fams,

This week was good--not crazy eventful, however.  This will probably be my last letter I will send you.  By the time you get this, I will only be a week or so from coming home anyway.

We've again had some good success lately with some less active people.  We were able to commit two people to receive their endowment and then a bunch of our recent converts are all preparing to go to the temple for baptisms for the dead, which will be way sweet.  And we've also been helping these other less active dudes to quit smoking and stuff.  It has been pretty good.

The mission has gone by fast.  It's crazy.  I hit my two years mark a few days ago...it doesn't even feel like it has been that long.  It hasn't really hit me that I'm so close to finishing.  It probably won't until I'm on the plane, I guess.  It is going to be a sad thing to have to leave Samoa.  I've really grown to love these people a lot.

Yesterday I bore my last testimony in church.  It is really coming down to it.  I don't really know what to say this week.  It has been good though.

Our snake and crab are still doing good.  I've been wondering if it is worth it trying to sneak the crab in my suitcase.  We'll see what happens.

A crazy lady came to the house we were eating dinner at last night and then just sat down at the table and started eating with us uninvited.  Haha.  It was way funny.  There is this Samoan dish called lu'au that we were eating, but they didn't bring her a lu'au and she got all mad.  It was just an unusual experience.  And then she burped and left abruptly right after she finished eating.  Good stuff.

We're still working hard and seeing some good things happen.  I've only got a few weeks left so I want to give it my all.  We're hoping we can have some investigators ready for baptism before I leave, but I guess we'll see.

My mission has been the greatest experience so far and I will be supper bummed to leave.  But it's all good.

See you in a few weeks,

Elder Johansen

9-30-13

September 30, 2013

This week was transfers.  I'm staying in Lotofaga.  It's for sure now that I'm going to finish here.  By the time I leave, that will make nine months here.  But it's sweet cause I love the area.

My new comp is Elder Save'u, from here in Upolu.  He is a good dude and real obedient, so it's good.  I'll miss Gasio though.  We were companions for a solid 5 months.  He left and took all his food and his candy though, so we're trying to figure out what we're going to eat now.  Luckily we have this big pig leg in the freezer we can cook up at any time, so maybe we'll do something with that.

This week has been a few early mornings.  We got up before 5 on transfer day cause we had to go pick up a bunch of people.  And then we had a temple trip with one of our wards and had to get up at 3:30 and get ready so we could be at the temple in time for baptisms for the dead at 6:00.

The temple trip was way awesome.  First was the baptisms for the dead with the youth, and then after we went to the endowment and then sealings.  The endowment was for this woman we have been working with for a few months now to prepare for the temple.  She was sealed to her husband and her kids right after.  It was a cool experience.  The woman's name is Malia and her husband is Usoalii.  Usoalii is actually our ward mission leader and even served a mission.  But for whatever reason, he never wanted to get sealed to his wife.  Malia told us that tons of missionaries have tried to get them in the temple, but Gasio and I were the first ones that could finally convince him to do it.  So that was a way dope experience.

Our snake is doing good.  She is a trooper.  And all our crabs are dead but one, Sipologo.  Sipologo is the man and is the king of the bathroom.

I've got exactly one month left from today.  That's pretty nuts.  I think next week will be my last letter.  Otherwise, I would just be writing letters to myself if I were to write any after that. It has been the best.  We're hoping to take it up this month and rip up the work in this area.  

Elder Johansen

9-23-13

Brothurs,

Suppins my friend?  This week has been gnars on cars for deftoats.  This week was actually the excellentness though.  We've been "spanking them blue" as the old timers would declare.

Mother, that's cool that you won 500 bones...I guess now you can use that cash to buy me 500 lbs of swedish fish when I get back.

It sounds like everyone is really spunkin' around the dunk bunk back home. That's the tops.

We had a good week.  Lots of good stuff happened.  First of all, one night while driving home after dinner we were in the dark and on the side of the road I distinctly saw a very nice looking belt that apparently someone had left by mistake.  So we put the car in reverse and, upon reaching the belt and getting a better look at it, I realized my eyes must have been "cheated by a spell," for it was not, however, a fashionable piece of hipwear, but actually a 4 1/2 foot long python.  I actually don't know what kind of snake it is.  I don't know snakes well enough to name it.  But it is massive.  We took her by the tail and tossed her into the back of the van and we were off.  We decided to name her "Snape."  However, secretly when no one is around, I call her "Ken Sortingham."  She is sweet and very passive.  She lives in our closet and we feed her lizards.

We got to go to the temple this past week.  That was really cool.  There were a few people we have been working with that got their endowments.  So that was cool.  I'm always stoked to get to go to the temple.  Afterwards we went and got food and the branch president almost got in a fight with one of the parking lot security guys.  It was funny, but kind of awkward cause they were making a big scene in front of a bunch of people.  Then these old grandma ladies from the branch got in on it and started yelling at the security guard guy too.  It was choice.

This past Saturday and Sunday we had five baptisms and confirmations.  The three sisters--Aso, Fuasa, and Fualaau.  They are Main'u's kids.  She's the woman who was baptized last week.  And together with them, we also baptized Doni, our Fijian investigator.  Also that morning we baptized Esau, the investigator we have been working with for quite some time now.

All the baptisms were awesome.  I got to do Doni, Aso, Fuasa and Fualaa's baptisms.  And Gasio did Esau.  I was a little nervous for Doni's baptism cause I had to do it in English.  But I was just afraid of messing up or something cause I've never done a baptism in English before.  Same thing with his confirmation.  It was weird cause I was translating what I would say in Samoan into English and I was just all nervous for it for some reason.  I guess I'm just used to doing stuff in Samoan.

After the baptisms, they gave the opportunity for all the converts to share their testimonies.  That was way cool, especially Doni when he got emotional as he was telling his story.  He is pretty much one of those miracle baptisms and one of those you know is just absolutely prepared by the Lord.  So it was way awesome! Definitely a day I won't forget.  Plus we got ice cream after, so that made a perfect end to a perfect day.

Several of my buddies from the MTC went home last night.  They called me on the phone and it was crazy thinking that that would have been me.  They were all jealous of the rest of us that are staying.  It's nuts though.  The mission has gone so fast.

I'm looking at my travel plans right now, Mother, and you can guarantee to expect me to arrive in Salt Lake City at 5:35 pm on October 30th.  I had the lady at the mission office send the paper to you again cause you said in your letter you weren't sure.  It works out perfect too cause I can come home just in time for Halloween and I can dress up as a missionary.

Things are the bones.  I'm lovin' it right now.  We are definitely going to see some dope miracles this next month.  I feel like the Lord has a lot of great things in store for me.  By the time you receive this letter, I will only have a few weeks left. So that's nutso butso.  I'm going to make the best of this precious time I've been given.

I think our snake is the same snake Harry Potter let loose from the zoo.  She told me "He wasn't all that tall in real life."  

You know who blades too,

Elder Eric Read Johansen

PS  Tell Mamma Jileen that Silia's last name is either going to be Pula or probably Lagalaga.  Samoans have like ten last names, so it's never a sure thing.  I think Silia will go by Sister Lagalaga though.  And she is serving in the Sidney North Mission, which is different than the other Sidney South.

Faufetai

9-9-13

Sup Family,

This week has been pretty good.  We've been crazy, extra busy lately.  It seems like every day we had a lot of stuff going on.  Mostly just a lot of lessons and other good stuff, so it has been good.

We did a service project for this part-member family we're working with--the mom, Maiu'u, is getting baptized this upcoming week.  We have high hopes for this family however, only the one daughter is a member--the rest aren't.  But the service was good.  We just helped them build the foundation for their home...mostly just digging a ton of dirt.  It was nice to do some manual labor. However, we definitely enjoyed it.

We have 7 investigators working towards baptismal dates right now, with 2 of them getting baptized this weekend.  We also have 3 marriages planned for this upcoming week, so it's going to be great to see all this stuff go down.  The work is definitely picking up a lot.  We're way excited for this upcoming month.  And we're hoping to commit a few more to receive as baptismal date.

Also this week I had the chance to go to a legit Samoan funeral.  One of the elders in our zone had a grandfather die, so we did a split and him and I drove to the other side of the island to Fale'ula to go to the funeral.  It was really interesting, and of course pretty sad.  They have a lot of interesting cultural stuff they do at funerals which was kind of cool to see.

We've just been pretty much just nutso busy busy lately.  I'm stoked for P-day so we can chill a little bit.  But that's all I got for this week.  The miracles are getting better and better as the time goes by.  I can tell the Lord definitely has a reason for keeping me here a little longer.

Elder Johansen

9-2-13

Sup,

Hey hey hoo all you guys.  This week has been crazy.  It seems like a lot of stuff has gone down.

First--at the beginning of the week we had a ZL meeting with the mish pres which was actually really good.  He focused on the importance of inviting people like crazy.  So pretty much we took it to heart this week and saw a ton of success. We were actually able to get 9 investigators at church this past Sunday just cause we invited the heck out of them.  And now we have 5 investigators with baptismal dates for this month--only cause we invited them.  Being a bold inviter is an important skill that will carry on into the post-mission life.  I think next year for my birthday I am going to invite people with boldness to come to my birthday bash in order to reap the reward and be bathed in gifts and gift cards to fancy restaurants.  

Also this week was the greatest because we had the best temple trip ever.  Since we're not allowed to use the mission vehicles for non-mission related business, we had to figure out a way to get from our area to Apia, which is about an hour away. Because all the busses had left already, we just walked up to the intersection up the road a ways and tried to spunk our own ride to town.  Eventually a truck stopped and we rode in the back with this kid.  He was telling us all these stories about how he's gotten in all these gnarly accidents while riding in the back of pick up trucks.  Haha, it was funny cause it reminded me of Seinfeld when Kramer is riding on the back of a motorcycle and the guy is telling him about all the crazy motorcycle accidents he had been in.  However, we got there safely, so it was all good.  

The temple was awesome.  The reason we went was because this guy named Tasiiva, who I baptized in my first area, got sealed to his family that day.  It was the coolest thing ever.  It made me super happy.  The other thing that was crazy nuts to me was when we were sitting outside the temple talking after the sealing, he told me that since January of this year he has been 1st Counselor to the Bishop!  Haha, I was so surprised.  He is doing way good and is super strong now.  He had only been a member for about 9 months when he got called in the bishopric....haha nuts.

Also, another interesting thing that Tasiiva mentioned to me was that he actually is from Vavau, one of the villages that I cover right now.  And then when he was explaining where his family's house is, I realized that it was the same family we had just contacted for the first time that very morning.  I don't believe in coincidences, so I have a good feeling Tasiiva's family is being prepared because none of them are members.  One of the reasons I feel like his family is being prepared is because they had a fight with their minister and stopped going to their church.  The other reason is because when we shared the Book of Mormon with the old man, Tasiiva's grandpa, he goes, "I will read it every day...When can you two come back?"  Haha, cool guy.  When I told Tasiiva I'm serving in the village he is from, he got way stoked and told me he wants me to bring his family into the church.  So we're definitely going to try with this family.  That would be awesome.

Our Fijian boys are doing good.  Doni still hasn't received his answer, but he said he is praying.  And Junior agreed to be baptized on the 21st of September, but we just have to help him quit smoking.  But they've been going to church every week, so we're stoked on them.

The work is going awesome, and as we increase in faith and work harder, we see even greater miracles.  This week was the best though.  I'm way excited to see all our investigators progress toward baptism.  

Elder Eric R. Johansen

8-11-13

August 11, 2013

Well Gee, Chip,

This week was a good one.  Not a lot to report on.  I didn't get any letters last week cause the mail didn't come in from American Samoa, so I can't answer any of your questions.  

We met this old man this week named Popi.  I felt impressed that we should visit his house and then it turned out that he is actually a member, but he has been inactive for years.  So we talked to him and then invited him to church and he totally came!  Stoked for sure.  He looks like he is 75 or something.  His wife is not a member, so we have high hopes for Popi.

Right now we're teaching a girl named Aiga (translates to "family") who will be baptized this upcoming week.  So that should be def bones good.  Other than that we have a few investigators that are progressing.  Hopefully a few may be ready for baptism in the near future.  We're still seeing a lot of good inactive people come back into the church.  Moevanu has a calling in the Relief Society and even gave a talk on Sunday.  So we're stoked--they're totally strong now.

The area has a lot of potential, though.  we're hoping to find all these people who have been prepared for us to teach.  But I'm lovin' it, everything is way good right now.  

Today is also Samoa's Father's Day, so happy Pappie's day, papa.  I think the American one is in June sometime. 

I'm still trying to work my magic so I can get my mission extended a little bit.  I talked to my bishop from my first area this week and he said that Silia, my convert who is going on a mish to Australia, will enter the temple on September 18th.  However, I'm scheduled to finish on September 15th.  I talked to the APs just barely and they seem to think my lucky bones might just get tickled.  We'll see though.  I'm also trying to see if my buddy, Stout, from my MTC days can extend with me so we can finish together.  It will only probably be a week or two, and still probably will be before the original October 8th like in my mission call.  But it's all good.  I'll let you know.

I can't think of anything cool to say.  I'm just loving the mission and having a way good time.  My comp is good.  We work real hard and continue to progress every day.

It's the dopest,

Elder Jo Handley

8-5-13

8-5-13

Big stuff for this week.  It was a good one though.  This week the work really started to pick up, so I am hoping we may have a few investigators ready for baptism sometime soon.,  Esau is dope--still keeping the Word of Wisdom.  We baked him a cake and brought it to him the other day.  We tried to st a date for him and his wife to be married and be baptized, but his wife is super pregnant, so we may have to wait until after she has her baby.  But for sure Esau will get baptized soon.

We also have two sisters, Aiga and Taumaia, who are both preparing to be baptized this month.  So that should be good.

All of our inactive families continue to attend weekly.  I'm pretty stoked.  We're hoping to take some of these people for baptisms for the dead at the end of this month.  Working with weak members is tight though.  To me, I feel like it's the same as getting a baptism.  Either way, it's bringing others unto Christ to receive sacred ordinances.  It's good though.  I'm really loving the area.  It's been 6 months now that I've been in Lotofaga.  The mission president said he's stoked about all the good stuff that's going on here, so I doubt I'm going anywhere.  I'll most likely finish here in Lotofaga which is cool too.

I talked to the 1st counselor in my ward in Samata, where I started out my mission, yesterday on the phone.  But I was mega stoked cause he was telling me that this girl, Silia, one of the converts that my trainer and I baptized back in January 2012 has got her mission call and is going to enter into the temple next month!  She's serving in Sidney, Australia.  In fact the same mission where my trainer lives, so it's pretty nuts.  The only problem is that the APs told me I'm officially finishing on September 15th, but Silia doesn't go into the temple until the end of September or maybe October.  So I am going to ask the mish Pres if I can extend a little bit so I can attend her temple endowment.  Cause there's like only a few special exceptions that missionaries can extend for, so I am hoping we can make this happen.  I'll let you know though.  But I am way happy for her.  I was way surprised when I heard she already had her call.

Also, there's been some big changes in the mission lately.  Cause before there were no DL's, only ZL's.  But now cause of all the missionaries coming in, they're making both DL's and ZL's.  So my comp and I are still ZL's, but the zone got twice as big.  If you look at the map, it starts at Travea, on the far east side of the island, and goes to Siumu, which is more in the middle part of the island.  It's pretty far though.  Luckily, the new DL's have to walk and we still get the van.

Our ZL responsibilities are all new though.  It should be cool I guess.  It's nice, though, cause they're taking out al the administerial garbage and we're left to just help the other missionaries spiritually.  Cause before, a lot of our time was spent picking up mail, reports, water jugs, random chores, doing the zone's shopping, etc.  But now they have a senior couple doing all that nonsense and my comp and I can just focus on trying to motivate the missionaries to be good.  It's tight though.  I'm down with whatever.  What's good though is that it means we actually get p-days.  For the longest time we spent almost all of our p-days driving to Apia and doig zone chores, but now they've eliminated that, so we have the whole day to do whatever now.  So I'm stoked on that.

We had a pretty funny experience earlier this week.  We were at dinner with this member family, but they're not super strong really either.  Anyways, there was this drunk dude there who was kind of just hanging out while we were eating.  But I guess he was going to go somewhere, so he came to say goodbye to my companion and I before he left.  So he comes up behind my companion and sort of shakes his hand, and then he indicates to my comp like he is going to tell him something important so the drunk guy leans in like he is going to whisper something in his ear, but instead grabs him by the face and gives him a big wet kiss on the cheek!  Haha, oh man it was the best thing ever.  Then he shook hands with me and tried to pull the same move, but I deflected him by pulling away and saying, "No, thank you!!"  Haha, but then he just left.  My poor companion was pretty shook up though.  He probably never thought he was going to kiss anyone on the mission.  Good stuff.

Yeah, but that's pretty much it for the week.  It was a good one though.

Your friend,

Elder Eimer E. Kay

PS  I found the guy that stole my wallet.  So don't worry.  I've got it.  My license and stuff was there, but the money was gone.  All good.  --Squire of Samoa