December 12, 2011

December 12, 2011
Sup from Slamoa!  Hey dudes!  Yeah it's me here in Samoa!  Freak, it's so sick.  It's way cooler than I even thought it would be.  But yeah, we're just kind of chillin' right now, today's Monday.  I think we're gonna go do some service or something later.  But yeah, so we flew forever to get here.  We arrived in Samoa at like one in the morning and got picked up by the mission president and the AP's.  We took pictures and chilled for a second and then we drove over to the mission home and went to sleep.  But yeah, we spent the next day at the mission office doing training in the morning, and then we went to the temple in the afternoon.  That was pretty sick.  So then we spent that night at the mission home again and then in the morning we met our companions and found out which area we're going to.  But yeah, all the guys from my (MTC) district are in Upolu, which is the middle island in Western Samoa, and then me and one other guy are in Savaii, which is like the real Samoa.  Upolu is a lot more Americanized, and Tutuila is way Americanized cause it's American Samoa.  

But yeah, nobody speaks English--it's awesome.  Seriously, Savaii is freakin crazy.  There are pigs and chickens and dogs running around everywhere.  For real though, we'll be doing a visit, and like six chickens will run through the middle of the house.  But yeah, everybody lives in these hut kinda things.  It's kind of like those things at all the churches in Utah where everybody eats all their ward picnics and stuff--like that thing by the bowery at our stake center?  Yeah, but without the tables and chairs.  There are just mats that they lay down on the floor.  SO that's what all the people sleep in.  And instead of a pillow, they use a block of wood.  

But yeah, the work is really different than I thought it would be.  We mostly just go to member's houses and visit every day.  But we've taught a couple investigators too.  But yeah, you don't really do street contacting or anything, you go to people's houses and eat their food and then they let you baptize their friends or family or whatever.  So it's really chill, but it makes me feel like I'm not doing anything.  But it's freakin' tight for sure.  But yeah, the people are really helpful, they're all freakin' nice.  It's so sick.  They're all really keen on helping me with my Samoan.  My language has gotten way better just in a week being here.  I still don't understand a lot of what's going on, but I can communicate with the people, which is good.  Everyone's really stoked on my Samoan.  I think being here in Savaii, I'm gonna pick up Samoan way quick.  So no worries there, the language is gonna come for sure.  

But yeah, what else...my companion is dope.  His name is Elder Nansen.  He's a big Samoan dude from Australia.  But yeah, he's only been out on the mission for four months, so we're both fairly new.  But he grew up speaking Samoan, so he doesn't have to worry about the language.  But yeah, so it's good, he's really helpful with everything.  

The food is dope for sure.  The first night I was here they fed me lobster.  But every night we go to a different member family for the fafaga, which is like the evening meal.  But it's like an ordeal, they come out with like tons of food.  At my first fafaga, I just kept eating cause they would pile more food onto my plate.  I was seriously worried that I would puke.  Haha, it was tight.  But yeah, they feed us lots of meat, they're all stoked on what they call "size two" which is a small pig.  I've had it a couple times, it' pretty good.  They rank the pigs from size 1-5, fives are the really big ones they use for big feasts and stuff.  But yeah, so the food's good.  I guess a lot of the white missionaries don't like the food, so everyone's stoked that I like it.  And pretty much everyone feeds you at every visit.  And they always give you cocosamoa, which is this coco drink--everybody drinks it.  It's loaded with caffeine.  They serve it hot like coffee.  But it's not against the Word of Wisdom, so we drink it like nine times a day.  But it's good for sure.  They haven't fed me anything especially weird yet.  The food is different, but it's good.  

I haven't gotten sick or anything yet.  I think I'm doing pretty good.  I guess missionaries usually get sick from the water, but I've been doin alright.  I've got plenty of rashes and sunburns and mosquito bites and stuff, but none of that bugs me.  It's the dopest all the way.  But yeah, what else...When we visit, nobody really has furniture, everybody just sits cross legged on these mats on the floor.  SO my knees are getting shredded, but I'm starting to get used to it.  

It's crazy here, everybody respects the missionaries a ton.  They immediately put us at the same level of respect as the high chiefs, it's crazy.  There is a higher level of speaking when people talk to a high chief, so the people always refer to us as "lau suruga", which is sort of like "your majesty."  The whole culture is all about respect, it's crazy.  When we eat meals, we always eat first.  Even before the head of the household or anybody.  We'll be sitting there, the only ones eating, and someone will be sitting there fanning us so the flies don't get on our food and to keep us cool and then they always come and refill my glass, and give me more food, it's crazy.  Even if a family has next to nothing, they always give us the best of everything they have.  It really puts things into perspective, and it just makes me want to pay back that charity and that respect twice as much.  The people here are freakin' poor, but they're happy as heck.  They're awesome, never once have I felt nervous to try to speak Samoan or to do or say anything, they're all super nice and helpful.  I remember in the MTC, I'd always get nervous before we'd go teach a lesson or whatever, but here it's the exact opposite.  I like to speak Samoan, cause all the people are way stoked when I do.  Samoans are really stoked when white people try to learn their language.  So no matter what I say, they're freakin' stoked.  So it's cool, it can only get better.  

And it's freakin' beautiful here.  No matter where I go, I can see the ocean.  And there's tons of coconut trees, and banana trees everywhere.  This morning we did some service for a family who owns land right on the beach.  All the missionaries in the zone were cleaning out all the weeds and overgrowth.  But when we were done, this little kid just climbs a coconut tree and grabs me one, fresh munch right off the tree.  It doesn't get any doper than that.  But yeah, then we played volleyball all afternoon.  Everyone loves volleyball here, people are playing it constantly.  So that's sick.  Hopefully I get real good.  But yeah, I freakin love it here, it's so amazing.  

Our area covers five villages, so we do a lot of walking.  One of the villages only allows Methodists to live there, so it sucks cause the people can't be converted.  We're supposed to have bikes, but they haven't given them to us yet, so it's hard to get to some of the far villages.  But it's dope for sure.  All the people are so nice, people in the American culture freakin' suck.  In Samoa, you wave to everyone, or if you pass someone in the road, you stop to talk to them for a sec and ask them where they're going or how their day is or something like that.  Everyone is bombin nice.  And even if they don't want to hear about the church, they still show you tons of respect--like if people here had doors, nobody would slam then in your face.  You can pretty much just show up at any person's house at any time and they'll invite you in and feed you and give you cocosamoa.  So it's dope--I freakin love the people.  I'm really keen to learn the respectful culture so I can pay the respect back to the people.  Everything in Samoa is about respect.  But yeah, the work is good--it's a little slow, but I'm gonna try to focus more on service.  I think that's key cause I can't really serve them through my words, but I can definitely serve them through my actions.  So that's definitely  something I want to do more.  

I got your packages today. by the way--thanks a bum load.  They're dope for sure.  I put up all the ornaments.  Haha, they're way tight.  It reminds me of home.  The necco one broke, and the leaf fossil too, but everything else is still intact.  I made my own addition--haha--so every night at our house, I turn on the porch light and wait like ten minutes, and eventually like seven or eight of these gecko lizard things will come crawling out.  I don't know what they are in English, we just call them pini in Samoan.  But yeah, it's freakin tight--they're everywhere.  So I snatched one of them and tied it to one of those ornament hooks and made a special Samoan Christmas tree ornament.  It's sick--haha.  It's wriggling and writhing right now.  It reminds me of something Dad would be stoked on.  Maybe I'll send pictures sometime.  I don't really get the chance to go anywhere where I can print off pictures of anything.  I'm out here on the backside of Savaii, super far away from anything.  It's freakin' tight.  I'm in the most wild of all the islands, on the back side in the middle of nowhere.  I freakin love it.  We do our wash in a buck and shower with cold water.  But it's awesome, I love it.  And we actually live in a real house.  Most of the missionary homes are on the chapel grounds, just a tiny one room thing with a bathroom.  W ehave a fridge though, which is nice.  We might move in with some members in another village, further down, just so we can be closer to the heart of things.  But I hope we do, then I could sleep on the floor in a hut--get the feel for the real Samoan life.  Dang, but I love it here so much, it's freakin' amazing.  Everything I see is either super interesting or super pretty.  There's always something crazy going on.  I really love it a lot.  This mission is perfect for me.  I don't know if there is any other mission that matches my personality better than Samoa.  

The first night I get  to my area, we visit this family.  And the dad is the second counselor in the bishopric.  He's this huge guy with all these tatoos--he's way funny.  All the people here have tatoos.  Seriously like everybody.  It's just a part of the culture.  And a lot of the members are recent converts.  But yeah, this dude takes me out back and he's holding this '22, and then there's all these pigs running around and Bam!  One of the pigs just drops, starts squealing and writhing.  Needless to say, the next night we had pig for dinner.  It was good, too, haha.  He was gonna let me shoot it too, but he was afraid I'd miss, I guess.  Maybe next time I will.  Oh yeah, but tomorrow, they're gonna give me a chief name.  It's like a big ceremony and stuff--I guess the people are stoked on me--it's definitely an honor.  Haha, the name the chief is going to give me is "swallow".  Haha, I think because I like to eat all the Samoan food.  I forgot what the word is in Samoan.  I'll have to get back to you on that.  But yeah, I'm freakin' stoked for that.  Haha, the people are so funny, they love to joke around.  They're always asking me weird questions and giving me a hard time, it's tight.  It's like being back at home.  But it's all good natured, the people are freakin' awesome.  But yeah, I'm goin to bed.  I'll write more tomorrow and tell you how the chief ceremony goes.

But yeah, it's tomorrow now.  Today was pretty sick.  We didn't end up doing the chief title ceremony today.  I think that's tomorrow or something.  But I have to give this letter to the ZL's tomorrow morning. So I'll let you know some other time.  But my chief name is Kaufolo, which is better cause nobody here can pronounce 'Johansen'.  Most people just call me "Cho."  Mamma loves you Cho!  Yeah that's me.  But yeah, it's freakin sick.  My companion's way chill.  He helps me out a ton.  I guess he played rugby in Australia for a team that's like the equivalent of the NFL in the states.  He's a pretty big dude.  I guess he's put on a bunch of weight too.  But yeah, I don't think I'm gonna get fat in this area.  I only eat like once a day and maybe some fruit in the morning.  Oh yeah, so today we went up to the plantation of the members next door to help them with some service.  But dang dude, they were picking guava right off the tree.  That stuff's freakin good.  And the pineapple is freakin amazing.  I can't even describe how good it is.  The pineapple in America sucks compared to here.  Pineapple in Samoa is super sweet and delicious.  And the papaya is way good.  I freakin love the fruit here.  So that's dope as ever.  Let's see what else....

We have an investigator that wants to be baptized.  We're teaching her today, actually.  My companion wants me to do the ordinance so I can see what it's like.  Almost all the chapels here have baptismal fonts, but I want to see if we can do it in the ocean.  So I guess I'll let you know how that goes.  Yesterday they just brought us these brand new bikes.  They're way sick.  I'm stoked cause it's hard to get from one side of the area to the other cause we cover a bunch of villages.  So the bikes are gonna help out a lot.

But yeah, now it's like the third day since I've been writing this letter.  I thought I was supposed to give it to the ZL's on Monday, but I guess they pick up the mail on Thursday.  So you guys get an extra long letter--lucky you.  Today was freakin dope.  We taught two lessons today.  The work in this area is kind slow cause most of the people are members and the people who aren't are like the pastor's family and stuff.  But my companion's already been in this area for like four months, so he knows everyone.  But yeah, we taught two lessons today.  Both the first lesson.  The first was a girl who's like 12, her name's Ulia.  And at the end of the lesson, I asked her if she would be baptized, and she said yes!  So that was sick.  And then we went to this other girl later on.  She's about the same age as Ulia--her name's Angela.  But yeah, we taught her the restoration too, and at the end of the lesson, I asked if she would commit to be baptized and she said yes too!  Dang and that ws sick.  Today was freakin sweet.  But yeah, for real, the work here is dope sick.  I love it so much.  I can't even convey to you how every part of it I love.  

The food is awesome.  I got fresh fish and lobster and crab and size two and tons of good fruits.  And there's pigs and chicken and animals running around everywhere--I love that.  Like seriously, outside our house there's always tons of chickens and pigs running around.  I don't really know who owns them or where they come from, but they're always there.  We'll be cruisin' on our bikes and a dog or a pig will run run out in the road.  Haha--it's funny.  But yeah, Dad would freakin love it here.  It's like Mexico, but like ten or fifteen times better.  For real though, I've only been in Samoa for a week, and I spent a week in Mexico.   Samoa tops Mexico by miles.  You would freakin love it, Dad.  We sat around and watched these guys diving down and spearing fishes for like fifteen minutes today.  They're freakin good.  These guys here are mad fisherman.  And the fish is delicious.  It's so good.  Even the Oka, which is raw fish--I like it too.  Today I had a big bowl of raw mussels in coconut milk.  It was pretty good.  The texture made me gag a little, but it was pretty good.  The people here love oka.  I had raw crab legs too.  It's pretty good.  But yeah, Samoa is freakin amazing.  Every part of it is so tight.  You have to see it to believe it.  Ma and Pa--you guys should really start saving your money and come here.  Cause you always talk about doin' stuff and then you never do.  All your kids are moved out, you're starting to have a little extra money--save it and come to Samoa.  It's ten times better than anywhere you've been.  The fishing is amazing.  The sun shines constantly.    The people are freakin nice as heck.  For real though, you guys waste your money on dumb stuff.  Why buy a new car or get granite countertops when you could be kickin it on a beach in Samoa, drinking a fresh coconut, fishing and enjoying life?  The people here have next to nothing, but they're happy as heck.  Man, you guys would love it--at least consider my offer--cause it's freaking expensive, but I would pay three times the cost to fly here now that I know what it's like.  For real though, you guys would love it.  Everything here reminds me of Dad.  I think Dad is actually a Samoan at heart.  Everyone loves to joke around.  The people are freakin funny.  The little kids are funny--they're way dope to talk to cause you can pretty much say whatever.  The little kids from next door come over like every night.  In fact, two of them are sitting next to me right now.  They're funny.  Haha--annoying as heck too.  I love it.  They're always begging for something or another.  Haha, but for real though, their family is dope.  They help us out a ton.  So it's dope for sure.  They're like our family.  We try to help them out as much as we can.  But yeah, all is dope here.  Good luck!

Elder Johansen

Christmas Phone Call

After about 2 hours of trying to call Elder Johansen in Samoa (he gave us the wrong phone number and the wrong time to call him) we were finally able to talk to him! Here is a recap of the call courtesy of Momma Johansen.

He's serving in a little village of just over 400 people called Faiaai on the island of Savaii which is in Western Samoa.  His area covers about 5 villages.  He doesn't ever to into a town, but relys on the zone leaders to bring them groceries and stuff.  The members and non members all feed them well.  It's very safe and people treat the missionaries like royalty.  He's eaten octopus 4-5 times now and likes it.  He does not wear lavalavas (sarong type skirt thing) while tracting, but can wear it on p-day or in his apartment.  Everybody lives near the beach.  The interior of the island is volcanos and rainforest and all the villages surround the perimeter of the island.  The people there are poor and live in simple huts.  He lives in a building on the church property grounds and is not bothered by mosquitos.  He has a good companion who is of Tongan heritage, but raised in Australia.  His bike is broken, but he's getting a new one next week and the members drive them where they need to go.  He did get to go to the Apia Temple when he first arrived at the mission home.  He said the mail is taking about 2 weeks to get to him.  He had a baptism yesterday and seems to be adjusting well, doing his best with the language and overall seemed happy.

$100 worth of sweedish fish

Sup bones,

All is chill dope here in the mtc, i've only got a week left and then i'm hittin up the samoa side of things.  I'm stoked for sure, we got our travel iteninerariarray,  we're leaving scl at 4:55, be in lax at 5:55, and then leave lax at 10:00 pm.  So i'll probably call you sometime in that area or something.  So yeah, that's on monday.  And then we leave lax and fly all night to newzealand and get there in the morning.  But the dope part is that we have a 12 hour layover in new zealand, so we get picked up by the missionaries there, and we get to go work in new zealand for a day, which is freakin sick.  I'm stoked for that.  One of my good buddies is serving there, so maybe i'll get to see him, who knows.  So that's dope, i was way stoked when i hear that.  But yeah, then we leave aukland at 8:00 pm, and fly to samoa, get there at 1:00 in the morning.  So it's gonna be for real legit definitely.  I'm way stoked to get out and do the work.  But i also wanna utilise my time here in the mtc, so i'm as ready as i can be.  Not a whole lot is going on here in the mtc, thanksgiving was dope, it was like another p day, except we got to hear from russel m nelson.  and then two days before that we heard from d todd christofferson.  So that was dope, but yeah i ate thanksgiving dinner with austin, it was legit.  I think i would have been a little bummed on thanksgiving in the mtc, but i just spent the whole day with austin and blake, so i was way sick.  I'm way lucky to have two of my best friends in here with me.  Me and my companion hang out with Blake and his companion like every day, we're all chums all the way.  It's pretty cool for sure, we have some wacky wild adventures. Like the other day at lunch, blake was going for a big swig of orange juice, and at that exact moment, i decided to throw a banana at him from across the room but it so happened that i pegged his hand that was holding the orange juice, so it was like an orange juice explosion!  All over him, i was laughing so hard!  haha but he was way mad, he's making me dryclean his suit.  Oh yeah, thanks for the thanksgiving package by the way, i was super stoked.  Muma and snotty chin, it was dope.  Super dope package, everyone was way stoked on it, we were all the "deputies of the mtc" with our fancy badges.  It was OFF THE CHAIN!  Wicked cool!  But yeah thanks for sending me stuff, it's dope legit.  Oh yeah, i need you to fill up my debit card, it only has like sixty bucks on it, and i need 100 bones cold hard cash for the airport in case i have to buy a hundred dollars worth of sweedish fish, or an emergency like that.  But yeah, i can't really think of anything more that you need to know, everything is dank dope double cool sick here in the mtc.  So yeah i'll call the heck out of you guys next week for sure.  Anyways good luck, all is good here

 Ioanisoni

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

You'll never guess what!  Today, that cute Elder said hi to me!  I know!  Oh diary, i feel like you're the only one i can trust.  You understand me diary, not like that mean companion of mine.  Sometimes i wish you could talk diary, you would know exactly what to say.  You're my best friend, diary.  I know you will never leave me, you'll always be by my side.  Anywho, i gotta go, goodnight diary!
Your friend,

Elder Johansen

 

Oh what the heck is that ^^^^?  Weird stuff, it was already in the email when i logged on, i don't know what it it.   Anyways, it's all good here in the Mtc.  Not a whole lot has happened this week.  My good friend blake came in, so it's dope to see him hanging around, being loud and obnoxios and cool stuff liek that.  Me and Blake and Austin all live in the same residence building, so sometimes we have secret parties and gatherings by the snack machines and gossip and giggle and wink at each other often.  It's a very lovely time in the mtc.  I got randomly asked to give a talk on sunday during sacrament.  It was good though, luckily i was actually prepared this week, so it worked out.  I told a story about how me and austin were on this double date and austin lost my car key, so we prayed that we could find it.  But when i told the story, i neglected to say that austin and i were on a date with seperate girls, so it just sounded like i said i was dating boys before i came on a mission. haha but that's okay, i think everyone in the branch knows i'm a litle strange anyway.  But yeah, it's all dope sick here in the mtc, no doubt.  I'm stoked for sure to go to samoa, but i wanna push myself as much as possible so i can be as ready as i can for the mission feild.  It's gonna be so sick, i'm stoked as ever. Usually i get up like a half hour early and read the book or mormon in samoan, and then in english.  We've been promised by President Hinkley that if we read the Tusi a Mamona in our mission language, then we''ll be fluent in the language.  So i'll give it a try for sure.  I can definitely see some progress.  But yeah, the language is dope, our teacher is still pushing me and my companion way hard.  I've sat in on the lessons with some of the other elders, he goes way easy on them.  But he told us that he's pushing us cause he feels like the two of us have great potential with the language.  But that being said, i still feel like i don't know a dang thing about samoan, it's pretty tough sometimes.  But i can definitely see the Lord's hand in my progression, this work is amazing.  I've had some really great experiences here in the mtc, i've been blessed with a lot of growing experiences.  I can't wait to go out and teach this gospel, it really does bless lives exponentially.  There are people out there in samoa waiting to hear the gospel, and i have the opportunity to teach those people, what a blessing that really is.  I just want to do those people justice that are preparing themselves to hear the gospel by preparing myself to teach them the gospel.  I really wish i had studied harder before i came in here, i'm really having to put in my all right now.  I want to fill my brain with knowledge so that i can draw from that at a time of need.  But everything is going really good, i love my companion, he's freakin dope.  Bros for life, no doubt.  And all the elders in my district and zone are freakin sick for sure.  We all have some way good times, it's dope dank sick here in the mtc.  I feel really blessed, i'm not sure why i've received so many great blessings, my life right now is amazing.  Everything is sick for sure.  I know without a doubt this is the best decision i have ever made. Anyways, good luck everyone, i love you all, keep squeezin your beans and slappin your goat lips in that lovely manner that i enjoy. 

alofa atu, toefeiloa'i, sekia,

Io-aulelei (Johandsome)

yoyoyoyoyoyoy

Hey talofa fambam, yoyoyoyoyoyoy for sure yo.  Not a whole lot is goin on heere int eh mtc, it's all the same for sure.  The time is flying by, pretty soon i'll be chillin in samoa, dope dank for sure.  The language is going really good, it's kinda starting to come together for me, my companion and i speak it as much as we can.  sometimes we speak only samoan for like half the day, it's way good.  It's cool, cause there's a ton of native samoan guys here that are going to the philipines, so we always stop and talk to them in samoan, it's sick.  I was talking to this samoan at the fireside on sunday and he asked me to bear my testimony in samoan for him.  But he said that i have the accent down perfectly, so i was stoked.  He said i speak better samoan than any of the palagi (white) kids that he's met.  But that's only because my companion and i speak it a ton, nobody else really tries.  And there's this program on the computer that we do every day where you learn samoan words and you can hear them spoken by a native speaker, it helps a ton.  It's all about mimicking the tone, because the tone is pretty important in samoan.  especially if you're asking a question, it you don't get right, it just makes it a statement.  But it's really good, i'm stoked on the language.  I can understand a ton, my problem is being able to speak it.  Cause i can talk to all the native samoan guys here pretty well, and i can understand everything they say, i just have troube speaking it back to them.  But it's all good.  I'm grateful for my companion, cause he practically has it down.  So he talks to me in samoan a ton, and that's the only way i can learn it.  I realised that from the beggining, i can only learn the language by hearing it.  The other guys can read out of a book adn learn, but that's way hard for me.  So it's good.  I can definitely feel a lot of progression.  Haha sometimes my companion pretends he doesn't speak english, and then says weird stuff to the palagi sisters, it's way funny.  Or we'll make fun of the tongan kids and they dont' know.  I think thats one of the perks of speaking samoan, mocking people when they don't know. haha, no just kidding, i wouldn't mock anyone, i reserve that for my sister and father. Oh yeah haha, when i was teaching a lesson the other day, i totally said the wrong thing.  The word "Orange" in samoan is "Moli" and the word for butt is "Muli".  And i had marked a scripture in oragne highlighter, so when i asked the volunteer (they have samoan volunteers come so we can teach them) to "read in the orange", i actually asked him to "read in the butt".  haha yeah it was funny.  There's a could of distinctions like that that might get me in trouble.  Haha but it's good.  Oh yeah, also, in samoa we're not allowed to do email now because i guess they lost their priveleges i guess. so for now it's just snail mail, but yeah no worries, i dont really care.  Mom might i guess, but it;'s not a big deal to me.  And the rule is always subject to change, so i'll just let you know.  But yeah, thanks ketket kyrk and methey kereik for the peanut butter bars and ties.  the bars were frfeakin good,. and the ties are gnarly dope, exactly what i wanted, thank you. Fa'afetai.  Also thatnks wendi and famclam for the pumpkin cookes, they were excellent.  And my comnaion was stoked on the package, thanks mom, it's good.  The pizza was dope.  Feel free to send us a real pizza if you ever feel inclined, that would be cool too.  But yeah, it's all good here.  My teacher, brother starfish is pushing me and my companion in the language and when we teach the lessons, cause he says that we show a lot of promise.  So he makes our lessons way harder, and it causes us to have to really work at it.  Cause he pretends to be an investigator and we teach him, it's pretty tough sometimes.  He'll ask questions that i'd have trouble answering in english haha.  But it's good, i'm trying to work my hardest and be the best missionary that i possibly can.  I can really see the had of the Lord in my life, and i know that he's helping me in my progression.  I'm way stoked to get to go to samoa, i feel really blessed.  I'm enjoying my time here in the mtc, it's really good.  I can really feel myself growing.  The Gospel is amazing, i feel really blessed to be a part of this great work.  I can't wait to go bless the lives of God's children in Samoa.

I love you all,

-Ioanisoni

Gregarious Gary had ten weasels hidden in his beard.

Hey Sekia, family, sekia.  Not a whole lot of stuff is going on here in the mtc, it's pretty much the same.  We pretty much teach in samoan almost every day, so that's been pretty good.  Sometimes i don't prepare as well as i should, and then it' way hard.  But usually the lessons are really good.  My companion's really good with the language, he speaks better than anyone in the district.  But he's fluent in tongan, so that's why.  but it's really good, i'm learning a lot.  Sometimes i get frustrated with the language, but most of the time it's just dope.  Expecially when me and my companion talk about the other missionaries and they don't know what we're saying.  I think that's my biggest motivation right now, haha i just like making fun of all the weird elders here.  nah jkjk it's all good.  But yeah, i'm stoked for when i'm fluent, that's gonna be sick.  I translated the Arthur theme song in samoan the other day, you know, it's good to stay busy.  Not a whole lot has happened this week, my companion was sick for a couple days, so on wednesday i got to sit in the residences and read the book of mormon for like ten hours straight.  That was way sick, i loved that.  I'm really growing more of a love for the book of mormon, it's the dopest.  it's gun for sure.  But yeah i wish i had studied it more before i left, and preach my gospel too, i feel like i don't know any of the gospel stuff as well as i should.  But it's good, i guess that's why i'm here.  sekia, dope for sure.  I think the most exciting thing that happened this week was when two of the elders in my district got to go to the "outstide world" to go to the hospital cause one of the kids hurt his knee.  But yeah, that's pretty much the most exciting thing that happened, it's exciting stuff.  I talked to Austin the other day for like two hours, i see him every day and we swap weird scriptures that we find.  They're all really funny, the bible is freakin weird.          My companion is dope, we get along super good.  Me and him and Elder hansen are all super tight, we get into some "wacky adventures".  I try to do weird stuff to my companion and pull wacky pranks on him, but i think he's just used to it now.  He's been subjected to me for too long.  When we're talking to other elders that we don't know, he always pretends that he doesn't speak english, and then says a bunch of weird stuff.  But its' good, we've had a lot of weird stories, i just can't think of any right now, it's like six in the morning.  It's tight though, haha i think the only thing that bugs me about him is the he "Chonks" very loudly.  I timed it when he ate the sacrament bread, and it took him a minute and twenty seconds just to chew that little peice of bread. And he did so very loudly. i think that's your fault that that bugs me, papa.  haha but nah, i take that as a good thing, cause nothing else bugs me, we're freakin tight.  Langi is the dopest, i'm way lucky to be with a cool companion. one of the funnies kids i've ever met.  He's teaching me how to sing, i'm not gonna lie, i'm pretty good.  haha nah jkjkjkjkjkj, i wanna get good so i can sing in samoa, cause they love singing there.  And all the samoan songs are dope.  He's gonna teach me how to play the piano too, i wanna learn to play it.  I never realised how much i love music until now.  And singing and playing the piano is the only kind of music we get in here, so i thrive on it.  Langi is teaching me and Burgess how to harmonise, we're gettin it, we're gettin it.  Music is dope sick dank mean ill bad double dope tight sekia for sure.  No doubt, malo, sekia.  I can't really think of anything to write, so i'll just say some stuff.  "Stinky steve waddled gracefully."  "Gregarious Gary had ten weasels hidden in his beard."  "That's a mighty fine ferret you have, may i touch it?"

Alofa Atu,

Elder Ioanisoni

 

Wassup fambones

 it's all good here in the mtc, for sure for sure.  Not a whole lot is really going on, every day is the exact same, they all kind of mash together.  Oh yeah, i have a confession.  I was gonna tell you guys the first week, but i forgot.  Remember that cat that crawled into that cooler and died?  Yeah, that was me.  I was playing with it, but then mom said we had to go to mcdonalds, so i put it in the cooler so i could play with it later.  But when i came back six hours later, it was all slimy and dead.  So there's my story, it's been weighing me down for the last fifteen years.   Haha now you know.  ummmmm....but yeah, not much going on it really is all the same.  We had district meeting the other day, and our biggest goal as a district for this week is "to not bring toys into the classroom."  Haha so i guess you can tell our maturity level, we're just a bunch of "Giggly Boyz who like Toyz".  But yeah the district is tight.  Everybody picks on me, i'm the lame one of the group, like yesterday everybody was making fun of me for those "dansko" shoes, i wore them for the fist time.  They're all like "Johansen's wearing those dutch clogger shoes! Look at him!"  and they all laugh and laugh.  I knew those shoes were ugly, you tricked me.  haha jkjk       But yeah what else...Chase left yesterday morning, me, him and austin had a last 'funtime buntime' on sunday night up in austin's bedroom.  I'm way jealous that he already gets to leave, i'm still in here for another month. haha but it's cool, the mtc's dope for sure.  But yeah we got some pictures and had a giggly ol time, just us boyz, for old times sake. 

Yeah halloween wasn't that cool, it was pretty much the same as every other day.  But it was alright, Langi and i wore our "Special Matching Ties" ;) We were the bell of the ball!!   As we walked around the campus, there were heads turning left and right!  "Who's those handsome boys with the matching ties?!" they all seemed to say.  Also thanks for the shades,  they make me look "cool".  I'm trying to boost my image with the other boys, so they think i'm "cool".  Haha but yeah, thanks for the package, it was dope for sure, we played some good pumpkin soccer in the hallway at the residences.  And also, thanks g-ma and g-pa for the package, everyone was WAY stoked on the scotcharoos, they were super good.  So fa'afetai lava, thanks for sure.  Oh yeah, those glowsticks came in handy as well.  My companion got written off the other day, and he was all down, so after lights out i cracked a few of those glow sticks open and had a secret rave party in my companion's bed!  I crawled right in there and started jumping on him and going "Woo-Woo!"  and waving my glow sticks.  I think it really cheered him up, i know people like stuff like that.  And then starfish was sick too, thanks for sending that,  brother stakisi didn't know what to do when i brought a mea alofa present for him during our lesson.  He was like "Ae sole!  Fa'afetai lava mo Mea Alofa!"  haha but he's way funny, our teachers are pretty tight.  Oh yeah, the other day we got a sister missionary in our district.  I thought it was gonna be way sucky cause all the sister missionaries are super weird, but she's actually pretty tight.  She's a big sassy samoan girl, I'm sure she and Langi will get married.  But yeah i guess they don't sisters to samoa, so she's going to nui sila new zealand, samoan speaking.  Oh yeah, papa, if that blue hoodie is still in the back of your car, i would totally love to have it.  But if not, just send me a jacket or something, it's way cold all the time.  sick dope for sure mean boss.

The language is coming along pretty good, i can understand quite a bit, but it's hard for me to speak.  But i'd say that i'm doing pretty good, i can get all the intinations perfectly.  And i understand more than a lot of the palagi kids.  But yeah we started teaching "investigators" on the second day, and we pretty much teach every day.  But it's good, it keeps you on your toes.  That's sick about the dar hunt, i'm stoked for you guys.  I got a letter from Buck Davis, i guess he shot a nice six point up ther in them mount'ns.  Doug was going wild, no doubt.  But yeah i knew that wendi was pregg for sure, that was common knowledge before i left.  There really isn't a whole lot more to talk about, nothing really changes here in the mtc, but it's all good.  It's super refreshing to be able to read scriptures and talk gospel all the time.  I've really come to love reading the scriptures, and especially the  Book of Mormon.  It's way sick, i wish i had more time to read the Book of Mormon.  But it's way good, All is dope sick dank ill mean tight for sure here in the mtc.  I feel really blessed.  Anyways, i love you all, keep steezin!

Elder Johandsome Ioanisoni

Talofa lava aiga!

  It's all good here in the MTC, not much is really going on, it's crazy that it's already been three weeks.  The time goes by really fast.  My samoan is coming along, it's still really hard but i'm getting it.  I can pray really well and bear my testimony fa'asamoa.  And my pronunciation dominates, that's definitely my strongest trait in terms of the language.  I can read really fast and correctly, i just can't understand what i'm reading.  And then when we teach the lessons my companion totally dominates, cause he's fluent in tongan, so samoan is coming really easy to him.  So he pretty much carries the conversation when we teach most of the time.  But it's good, i understand a lot, i just can't speak the words i want to say.  But it's good, there are definitely guys struggling a lot more with the language than i am.  So that's good, it's only been three weeks so it's not that big a deal.  lets see....really not much has happened, the mtc is pretty predictable.  We had more fun with my bouncy balls last night, we got the elastic workout bands that they give us, and we were launching them down the hallway at about 90 miles per hour.  haha it was way funny, this kid got pegged way hard.  i think all the guys on our floor really resent living with all the polynesian districts haha.  I think we are a little rowdy.  But it's good, all the palagi kids are really uptight, we've got to teach them the samoan way.  But it's really good, all the guys in the tongan and fijian districts are super dope, we chill with those guys all the time.  Our zl's are freakin sick, cool guys for sure.  And my companion got made district leader on sunday, so that's cool i guess.  Nothing changes, except that now he and i have to pick up the mail haha.  So i think it's a distinct honor for him.  sekia, sick for sure.

ummm...let's see..Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us last tuesday, that was really cool.  I'd never been to conference or anything, so hearing an apostle speak really struck a chord with me.  It was way cool, his testimony was really powerful.  And then after the devotional on sunday we all went and sang with samoans again, that was way sick.  Two of the guys from the advanced samoan district were leaving the next day, so it was kind of in honor of them.  It was way sick, we had like eighty people just sitting there watching us all while we sang, we drew a whole crowd.  but it was really good, I felt way cool to be included in that.  Some of the samoan hymns are super super dope.  Look up the samoan hymn #54, it's freakin good. We sing it in class like every day.  I don't remember the name, but that's the page number for sure.  The samoans love to sing, and they're all way good at singing.  So it's way cool.  I didn't realize how much i relied on music in my life to inspire me.  And we're not allowed to listen to our cd players and stuff, even church music here in the mtc.  So when we all sing, i really thrive on that.  Music is one of the things that draws me closer to the spirit.  But i never realized that until i got here and had none.  But yeah, it's way sick.

Also, i need you to send me one of those little starfish from my mexico cabinet, that would be most appreciated.  It's kind of a long story, but i'm gonna give it to my teacher.  His name is brother sturgess, but samoans can't pronounce sturgess cause they don't have the same letters, so his samoan name is sitakisi, which means starkiss in samoan.  But we all call him starfish, haha it's way funny.  We give all our teachers a hard time.  Sometimes we teach them lessons and they pretend to be investigators, so next time we do that with sitakisi i'm gonna give him a starfish as a present.  Cause in samoa if you bring them a present, especially food or anything, they're more likely to let you into their home.  But anyways, i think it's only funny if you're in the mtc, cause that's how it goes.  mtc humor is really dorky, but it's cool i guess.  
Also i need some drilux garment tops, those things are sick.  Send me like five or six, that would be way good.  I don't have enough g's to last me the week.  umm but yeah, not much else is going on.  The days here are all the exact same, they go by really quick, but nothing new happens.  But it's cool, the mtc is way dope, for sure deftoats legit sick dope sick dank the illest, it's mean, come at me bro, no foolin.  I'm trying to think of more stuff to say, but nothing really comes to mind, i pretty much told you everything that's been going on.  Sick dank brother, it's all dope in here.

Alofa lava atu!

Elder ianisoni

Hey Yeah Cool Yeah

Hey famfam doglips cool, how is everything 20 minutes south???  All is well here in the mtc, it's sick.   The trio companionship was only for a couple days, now it's just me and langi again.  Which is good, cause langi is freakin tight.  But it wasn't a big deal for that other kid to leave, i didn't really know him.  But it's sick, all the guys here are dope for sure.  I don't really know what to say, the mtc is pretty much the same.  We got up this morning at like five so we can go plank the heck out of the mtc, it's gonna be sick.  Me and Langi and Elder Hansen are stoked on it.  Us three are pretty tight, it's way fun.  I was preparing for the mtc to really suck, but i actually really like it.  But i think that's mainly cause of all the cool bros in here.  To me, every day is just like hanging out with my boys, we joke around a ton and it's way fun.  Maybe we joke around too much haha, it's hard to keep focus during study time when there's eight guys crammed into a room that are all way funny.  But it's good, we're acutally doing really good.  All the guys in my zone are dope too, our zl is freakin tight, he's way funny.  And he's stoked on good music, which is cool.  The language is tough, but i'm feeling a little progression.  I can pray and bear my testimony in samoan.  And i can put sentences together, which is freakin tight cause during language study all i do is put together cool sentences.  Like "Will you tickle my trousers?"  and "May i spank your duck?".  Haha i don't think the teachers quite know what to think.  But it's sick, for sure.  All my teachers are way dope, i like them a ton.  And then so we were teaching this "investigator" for like the past two weeks, and supposedly she was from samoa and only spoke samoan, but then two days ago she's just sitting in the classroom, and we come to find out that "Telesia" is acutally Sister Parker, our language teacher.  Haha so that was pretty funny, all the kids here were shocked.  We teach an "investigator" about every day.  But it's really good, cause then you have to practice the language.  But yeah, for sure dope for sure.  But yeah, i see chase and austin like every day, in fact austin's classroom is like two down from mine.  And him and i have the same gym time, so we play ball and volleyball and stuff.  But all the malagasy kids are super weird, so they don't acutally play that much.  Cause i just wanna play basketball or soccer, and they just wanna play four square or something gay.  Haha but it's sick.   I just wanna study as hard as i can, so i can be the best missionary possible.  Sometimes it's hard to focus, but i guess that's just a part of it.  The spirit is nice here, it's cool to just be surrounded by the gopsel constantly, that's so awesome to me. 

By the way mom, thanks for the krispy kremes, all the tongans and samoans were stoked.  And the ties are sick too, me and my soa are gonna wear them on halloween for sure. 

I was gonna send some pictures, but i don't really know how, i don't know if we can from the mtc computers.  And i had a little card that i had written down a bunch of stuff i was going to say in my email, but i lost it.  So this is what you get.  There was a scripture in James 2, that i thought was really good.  It kinda reminds me of scott actually.  i don't have my scriptures, so i don't remember the verse, but i think it's verse three.  You'll know it when you read it.  But yeah, the mtc is dope, that's for sure.  Me and Langi get along way good, i think i've got the dopest companion here.  It's sick cause i was expecting to hate my companion, but he's way cool and dope and sekia sick for sure.  But we have tons of fun.  Also, katie, i want you to make me an iron on t shirt with my district leader's face on it. i was gonna send you an attatchment, but i don't know how to do that, so i'll just print off the picture and then you can scan it or whatever.  But i need you to do that for me.  I demand this.  But yeah i've only got like 30 seconds left, so keep your steeze.  I love you all, '

Elder johansen

Wassup in the hood brother?

 Eric's first letter from the MTC!

 

Hey Hey hey!!!! Talofa family!!  it's all goood here in the mtc, it's acutally pretty sick.  My companion is way dope, seriously i love this kid.  His name is elder Langi, we get along way good, we're sekia buds.  He's this buff tongan guy from texas, i guess he played football for trinity, which is like the best high school in the country.  But yeah, we're way tight, he laughs at everything.  I'm like the only white kid with a poly companion, all the other white kids are with white kids, and the polys are with the polys.  But yeah, it's sick. All the guys in my district are way dope too, i get along with these guys way good.  I think i would like it a lot less here in the mtc if i was stuck in class with sucky guys all day, but these guys are dope.  Seriously though, we have a group of guys in our zone going to north dakoda or something, and those guys are freakin weird.  But all the samoans are dope sick tight sekia man.  and the tongans are cool too, their class is right next to ours.  The language is hard, but i really love it.  Language class is like my favorite part of the day, it's sick.  I'm really good at pronounciation and reading, but i don't really remember any words or phrases.  But that will come, i'm not super worried, i just have to do my part.  Sunday, was sick, after the evening devotional all the samoans and tongans got together for a jam sesh.  Pretty much we all just got together and sang hymns and church songs in english samoan and tongan.  There was like this sister sitting there crying, i don't really know why, she was probably having problems with her family or something, but we all went over there and sang comforting hymns to her.  It was seriously so sick, i felt the spirit like crazy.  Sometimes sitting in class for twelve hours, you forget your purpose here.  But experiences like that help you remember what it's all about.  Really though, the mtc is dope, i like it.  I've just got to focus more, and learn how to prioritise, cause that's probably my biggest problem right now.  But it's all good, i'm learning.  The food is good most of the time, but i usually just eat rice and stuff cause i don't want to get fat.  Me and my companion work out and stuff, cause he's always saying he doesn't want to get fat.  So that's good.  We've already taught three lessons to an "investigator".  The first two times were a freaking disaster, but yesterday we taught again, and i really felt like we got our message across.  My soa (companion) knows the language really well, he can pretty much understand and say lots of stuff, so he does most of the talking.  Cause everything goes right over my head.  But it's all good, i'm more focused on learning the language of the spirit.  On my schedule it says that i have the same gym time and eating time with the malagasy missionaries, so when austin comes in tomorrow, we're gonna be seeing a lot of each other.  His class is like two rooms down from mine, so that's gonna be way sick.  There aren't any madagasgar missionaries yet, but they all come tomorrow.  So i'm gonna freaking haze that kid like crazy, no mercy.  And chase comes tomorrow too, so that's gonna be way sick.  I don't know how much i'll see him though, i don't deal much with the english missionaries. 

The days are long here in the mtc, you don't really have much time for anything but study, they keep your mind busy, that's for sure.  but it's way good, i like having stuff to do all day, as opposed to just sitting around.  They pretty much speak samoan all the time in class, so that's been good.  I've seen a couple kids from school and stuff, but nobody super dope or anything.  I'm just waiting for my boys to come in tomorrow, that's gonna be sick. Have you gotten rid of theo yet?  If he's there, give him a big kiss for me.  He just wanted to live in my room, so i said he could. I guess that's why he was in there.  That's cool though, sekia sole. Everything's cool here, it's pretty awesome.  Sometimes it sucks, but it's usually dope.  My district leader is super dope, he was sekia tight with my buddy jeff perschon in byu idaho, so it's way good.  I gave him one of my pictures with the coyote and wrote the words "You're a star!" with a signature on it.  And then he taped it up in the bathroom mirror, so all the guys in the building were all talking about it.  haha seriously, there was like a huge croud in there looking at it.  So it's sick here, we have lots of fun.  I throught a fistfull of bouncy balls down the hallway in our residences, and it hit all the elders at the end of the hall playing yugio or pokemon or something.  So they got all mad, haha it was funny.  But yeah all the english missionaries complain about all the samoans cause we're roudy.  haha but it's good, we dont get into too much trouble.  Anyways, i gotta go.  I love you all, you're all in my prayers, the mtc it dope.

Elder Johansen