1-30-2012

Sup admirers and fans,

This week has been pretty wild--good news though.  Turns out we're staying in Faiaai, which is sick.  I was stoked as heck when I heard.  I guess the Lord wants us there cause at first the mission president said there was no chance we would go back to Savaii, but then a few days later he told us we were going back.  So on Tuesday after a long week in the missionary recovery center at the mission office (cause my comp was sick), we got to go back to Savaii.  But then two days later I got tonsillitis.  It was the worst.  I thought I was gonna die.  Eventually it got so bad I couldn't eat or talk or swallow at all.  Cause at first I thought it was strep throat or just a bad sore throat and it was kinda feeling better, so I decided I was well enough to go back to Savaii.  But then the next morning I just felt awful.  And it got way worse the next day.  My right tonsil was like the size of a golf ball, no lie.  From Sunday to Friday all I had eaten was half a sandwich and some juice just cause it hurt too bad to swallow--it was the worst.  And I had a way gnarly earache and a temperature of 102 degrees.  It was bad man--I was just dying.  And I couldn't really sleep hardly--it was the worst.  

So finally on Thursday I called the ZL's (well my comp did) and they took us to the hospital in Savaii.  It's like an hour and a half drive from Faiaai.  So we get three to this tiny little place--it was kinda ghetto.  Haha, the doctor was wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, an ie lavalava, and flipflops.  What a stud.  So they stuck me with a needle and pumped me full of some stuff--who knows what it is.  I'd never been on an IV before, so that was weird having all this cold fluid come into my veins.  But yeah, they told me I was gonna have to stay for three days--that would have been the worst.  But my comp called the office and the nurse wanted me to come to Apia right then.  So we got on the boat like a half hour later with only our scriptures and the clothes we were wearing.  The boat ride was the worst.  I was still running a high fever and the boat always makes me way seasick.  And it takes forever to get from Savaii to Upolu--it's the worst.  Normally I don't mind it that much, but this time was sucky.  

But yeah, so now I'm back here at the office.  By the time we leave it'll have been like two weeks straight at the office.  It's been good though--they pamper us and buy us ice cream and pizza, so it's not all bad.  Eating pizza is unheard of in Savaii--that just goes to show you how much different Savaii is than Apia.  Going into town in Apia is like being in any other city--there's even a McDonald's.  So, of course we went and got Big Macs today.  After a week of eating nothing, I'm kinda piggin out.  But it's good.  So yeah, today's Monday.  We'll probably go back to Savaii on Wednesday.  

Tomorrow we have a training for the new missionaries and their trainers so that'll be sweet.  I'll get to see all my MTC boys again.  And they always feed us real good, so that's nice too.  So I'm healthy now, no worries.  They have me on antibiotics and stuff and the swelling is all gone down.  I was worried I was gonna have to get them taken out--that would've been the worst.  But they would have sent me to New Zealand, which would have been cool.  But I'm a happy, healthy boy, so no worries.  

My language is coming along really well.  Just within the last little while it's gotten way better.  I've been reading like crazy in the Samoan Book of Mormon.  It's coming real quick.  My comp says I'm ready to train after this transfer, but for real that would be tough.  So we'll just see, I guess.  

Anyways, yeah it's all dope here.  I can't really think of anything else to say.  I've pretty much just been sitting around being all sick this week.  But I'm better now.  We go back to Savaii tomorrow.  And we pretty much just have training today.  So it's good.  I'm stoked as heck to go back.  I really didn't want to get transferred yet.  So it's sweet--all is sick, dank, dope, cool.

Love,
Elder Johansen
"The Fresh Prince of Samoa"

1-23-2012

Sup Clam faces!
So this week has been way crazy, a lot has happened.  So on Monday we got to go to the temple--that was way sick.  I was freakin' stoked as heck.  We had to take the boat over from Savaii, and we stayed the night at the mission office.  It was dope though.  So yeah, then my comp went to go talk to the doctors before we left to go back to Savaii and we're still at the mission home right now cause my comp has like an internal injury in his stomach and now it's all infected.  I guess it's been hurting him really bad, he just never told me.  So I feel kinda bad.  Now I kinda understand why he wanted to take it easy sometimes, but I didn't really know.  I was just impatient cause I wanna work hard.  But it's cool.  The more I realize what's going on and the more I understand the language, the more I really realize how much my comp helps me.  He's a way good kid.  The people really love him.

But yeah, so I thought we were just gonna stay overnight, but it turns out he had to take an injection of antibiotics twice a day, so we've been here at the office all week.  And if the antibiotics don't work for him, he's gonna have to get surgery.  So it's no good at all.  And the president came in one day and told us that there's no chance we're going back to Savaii.  We're being transferred to Upolu so my comp can be close to the doctors at the office and the hospital and stuff.  Man, I was really bummin' hard.  I really don't want to get transferred.  I've only been in my area for a month and a half.  We still don't know where he's gonna put us yet, but we'll find out soon.  So yeah, I was really cut up when I found out.  

I've really grown to love the people in my area.  The work was picking up like crazy.  We had two more baptisms lined up.  So I guess someone else is going to have to pick up the work for us.  But man, the wards were really starting to work with us.  We were getting referrals like crazy.  So yeah, we were scheduled to have two baptisms on Saturday, but when we found out we had to stay in Apia all week, we had to call the zone leaders and ask them to do it in our absence.  But man, I really didn't want to miss it--these two investigators are freakin' tight.  They're strong in their faith, and they love the church.  The one girl's name is Silia.  She's 21, and her cousin Evelige--she's fifteen.  So we asked president if there was any we could go.  So the nurse said we would be alright to go just as long as my comp got his morning injection and was back in time for the evening one.  

So we got up early on Saturday morning, left the office at like six.  The nurse and her husband drove us to the wharf--they're way nice.  They're from West Mountain too.  So anyways, it's like an hour drive to the wharf, and then like another 1.5-2 hour boat ride over to Savaii.  But the boat was late cause the weather was really bad.  In fact, it's been super bad all week cause there was a cyclone in Australia so we're getting the after effects from it.  But it wasn't that bad, just super rainy.  So yeah, then we hit up the boat, which sucked.  The boat always makes me way sick.  I get all nauseous and stuff.  So yeah, then the ZL's picked us up.  We were runnin' super late.  Those dudes were flying.  But we still ended up being like 45 minutes late to the baptism.  But before that the bishop called and said they would wait for us cause Silia said she didn't want to be baptized by anyone but me and my companion.  So it was really lucky that we managed to make it.  

The program was really good.  The bishop gave a really powerful testimony and just kinda thanked my companion and I for our hard work in their ward.  That bishop's dope too.  I'm gonna miss that guy.  He's probably only in his late twenties or so and he really helps us out a lot.  So it was really pretty sad too.  We kinda jusk had to say goodbye at the last minute.  So then we proceeded with the baptisms.  I got the privilege of doing the ordinances for both Silia and Evelige.  It went really well--everything went smoothly.  The Spirit was really strong during the whole thing.  I started tearing up man.  It was rough to say goodbye to everyone.  It was the last thing I expected--to be transferred so soon.  I was expecting several more months in Faiaai.  So I was just bummin hard.  I love it back there in Savaii.  

So then after the baptism, we had to leave straight away to make the last boat to Upolu.  I didn't even get to stop at our house and grab my stuff.  Everything I own is still back in Faiaai.  I've been wearing the same clothes for like a week straight.  But luckily they have the convenience of a washing machine at the office--none of that bucket stuff like I'm used to.  Nah, jk.  I don't mind using the bucket, it's all good.  But yeah, so we have to go tomorrow and pick up all of our stuff in Faiaai, and then stay the night there and on Wednesday, we're gonna come back here to Upolu.  And depending on how my companion is feeling, we'll probably go to our new area this week.  So I'll let you know what happens with that.  But man, things are crazy.  

The Lord works in mysterious ways, I guess, cause the work was picking up a ton.  One of the villages in our area just opened up cause before there was a village law that people who live in the village could only go to the Methodist church.  And that law just got lifted.  And there are families that live there that my companion and his last companion taught that want to be baptized but couldn't because of the rule.  But now that's all open--man, I just wanna go back there.  I'm gonna really miss it.  The field is ripe there and ready to harvest.  I guess someone just has to come in and do the work now.  But it's good.  I'm certain that I'll love my new area just as much.  

So yeah, this week has been pretty boring for the most part.  I mostly just study, so it's alright.  I like studying the gospel, it's good.  We chill with the AP's a lot.  They're actually pretty cool.  And the president's wife is always making cookies or good stuff like that for us.  So it's good.  I'd rather be working, but there's not much I can really do.  I just have to be patient, I guess.

So yeah, Sunday morning I woke up with the gnarliest sore throat ever, and this morning I woke up and it was worse.  So that kinda sucks.  The nurse says it's strep, so I just have to kinda chill and wait for it to gte better.  But it's cool though.  They're taking good care of me here.  But yeah, that's the big news for this week.  I'm getting transferred after only a month and a half in Samoa.  But it's cool.  I'm sure my new area is gonna be awesome as well.  

But man, Upolu is like a whole different country than Savaii--it's a lot more Americanized.  And I'm gonna have to work a lot harder at Samoan because people in Upolu will try to speak English to me cause I'm white.  But back in Savaii, nobody really know English, so that's never a problem.  But coming here to the office and speaking with the missionaries in Samoan made me realize how much better my Samoan has gotten in the last month and a half.  Not to boast myself up or anything, but a lot of people have told me that my Samoan is better than any of the other guys in my MTC intake.  But I've been working my butt off with the language--it's been a huge struggle, but I can really see my hard work paying off.  I'm worried that my Samoan isn't gonna improve at the rate that it has been now that I'll be in Upolu.  But it's cool.  I can communicate pretty well with what I know.  I just need to learn more words.  My problem is just confidence.  I can speak a ton better than I do.  I'm just not confident with it.  At least not entirely, but it's getting better.  Within the next couple of months, I should have pretty good Samoan.  There are some white guys here that are almost finished that still have bad Samoan.  It's all about the effort you put into it.  

It also helps that my companion speaks perfect Samoan, so then I learn how to say things correctly.  People are always surprised when he tells them he's from Australia cause they think he grew up in Samoa.  So it's good.  My comp helps me out a ton with the language. We get along way good.  That kid's tight.  There were a few things that we had to work out, cause he's only been out for a few months longer than me.  Faiaai was his first area as well.  And his trainer, who was his comp before me was trunky cause he was getting ready to go home.  So this companionship has been really good for the both of us.  I'm learning a a ton.  Me and Nansen are boys--I freakin' love that kid.  And he just genuinely loves the people.  I'm really trying to develop that love like he has.  That's one of the most important elements of missionary work in Samoa--to just love the people, no matter who they are.  So it's good--I'm really lucky to be with Elder Nansen.  But yeah, the ZL's are good too.  I think I gave them a hard time in one of my last letters.  They're good missionaries--I'm gonna miss being in their zone.  The guys in my zone are funny.  We've all had some good times.  So I'm gonna miss that.

Okay, so I just got Mom's letter like two days ago and you literally asked me 31 questions, one after another.  That's no joke either.  I just counted.  It's like two paragraphs of questions.  So I'll answer them the best I can.

#1--How often do the ZL's come by to pick up the mail?
A--Either every Monday or Thursday, usually Thursday cause that's the day of zone meeting.  No worries--they pick up the mail often enough.
#2--How do they have any privacy living in open homes?
A--They don't.  You seriously have no privacy ever.  Samoans don't believe in it.  It's something you just have to get used to.  Most people shower from an open pipe outside, but they just wear an ie, or "lavalava" as everyone back home calls them.  There are two types of ie's--an ie faikaga, which is one with pockets.  It's the dress ie that everyone wears to church.  And there's just the normal ie that people wear pretty much everywhere else cause the word lavalava could just be clothes in general.  
#3--Do they have bathrooms?
A--Yes, but they're more like outhouses.  But of course they have bathrooms--what kind of question is that?
#4--Where do they store their clothes?
A--They all use suitcases.  I don't really know why.  That's just how it is.
#5--No TV's?
A--Sometimes
#6--What do they do to relax or for entertainment?
A--People just chill and drink Koko Samoa and talk, or they sleep.  But mostly they just sleep in the day if they're not working at their plantation and they chill and drink Koko in the evening.  But people don't have a ton of time to just relax because if they want to eat food, they have to grow it or kill it or cook it or whatever.  So everyone is busy doing chores and stuff.
#7--I assume they don't have electricity or gas for hot water?
A--Everyone has electricity, even in the tiny little fales.  But nobody has gas for hot water--they just boil their water over the fire.
#8--How many people have phones?
A--Lots
#9--What is the deal with the Christmas call?
A--I live on an island in the South Pacific.
#10--How is the language coming for you?
A--Redundant question--CANCELLED
#11--Are you feeling more confident in understanding and speaking it yet?
A--You don't know when to quit do you?
#12--How do the people know whose chickens and pigs and dogs belong to whom?
A--The chiefs of the village get together and summon the spirits of past vice presidents to watch over all the affairs of the people.  We have John C. Calhoon.  His birthday is a national holiday here in Samoa, the greatest day of the year in my opinion.
#13--How close do the people live together?
A--It depends, usually like 20 yards or so?  Some houses are all scrunched together and some are far apart.  How close do people live together in Utah?
#14--Things still good with your companion?
A-His beatings are much less severe than they used to be.  I believe I've told you this before.
#15--How long do you think you'll be in the area?
A--Maybe a day.
#16--Are you gaining, losing or staying the same weight?
A--The scale at the office says I've lost weight, but my gut hangs and my face is about three times chubbier.  So I must just be losing muscle cause I'm getting "husky."
#17--Do you need things for sunburns and rashes?
A--No.  My skin is tan enough and you've already given me tons of junk for rashes and all kinds of stuff.
#18--Are you using that "Deet" you came with?
A--No
#19--Do you need more?
A--I just said no I haven't even used the bottle I already have.  I drank some, but it didn't taste very nice.  I don't know why you want to keep sending me that "Deet" juice--it has a really bitter taste to it.  Send me some better tasting juice next time please.
#20--Are you staying healthy?
A--As healthy as a whispering Smith after a cool dip in the creek by the old mill.
#21--Are you accustomed to sitting cross legged yet?
A--Yeah bro.  I think that's gonna fix my knee problems too.  They don't really hurt anymore--they're a lot stronger.
#22-Did you get the package I sent?
A--Yes.  It was like the best thing that ever happened to me, thank you.  For real, that package was the sickest.
#23--Did you end up moving in with the members?
A--Nah, but we sleep at their house if we have a lesson in the morning just cause that village is really far from our house in Faiaai.  
#24--How are all your clothes holding up being washed in a bucket each week?
A--Good, except that my black socks turned brown.  I don't really know why.  It looks cool though.
#25--Where do you dry them?
A--We hang them up out back on a wire that hangs up.  Sometimes it rains though and we forget to bring our laundry in--that's the worst. 
#26--Did they let you shoot a pig yet?
A--Nah, but I've seen a few people shoot them.  People kill their pigs all the time for us, but usually when we get there it's already cooked.  But they're just little guys usually, "size two."
#27--Did your other investigator, Ulia (spelling) get baptized?
A--Yes she did, and her name isn't Ulia Spelling, it's Ulia Aukuso.
#28--How is the work going?
A--Seki a la'u galuaga sole, faafetai mo le fesili.
#29--What is the ward like?
A--The ward is dope.  We actually cover like four wards--it's a big area.  But we spend a lot of time in Samaka 1st ward.  That's the ward where Ulia, Silia, and Evelige were baptized.  And the ward mission leader is tight.  He served in Samoa.  And the bishopric is tight too.  That ward just really works with the missionaries--everyone is really involved.
#30--How often do they  ask you to speak in church?
A--I haven't been asked to say a talk yet, but I've been asked to bear my testimony a bunch of times in Sacrament meeting and say the prayers in Sacrament meeting and stuff.
#31--Did you ever pay those elders back you borrowed money from at the airport?
A--I kind of did.  The one kid I owed $20 bucks, I paid him back.  The other kid I owed $10, but that kid went home bro.  So I don't know if I'll be able to pay him back.  So I thought there was only 31 questions, but it turns out there are more--I just counted wrong.
#32--Is there anything you need I could send you?
A--Please just send me some ice cream and a picture of a guy with a monkey-shaped face. 
#33--How do you say, "I love you a lot or from here to infinity" in Samoan?
A--"Ou te alofa atu late ae tele lava" or just "alofa atu tele."

So yeah, that's a ton of questions.  I usually won't have time to answer so many questions, but we're just chillin' here all day at the office.  But yeah, you also asked if I wanted you to send me like $50 every other month instead of getting packages.  But yeah, there's not much to spend money on.  I already bought a ukulele and a bunch of dope skinny ties.  That's pretty much all I need.  Especially cause the only time I can buy stuff is when we go to Apia, which is hardly ever.  But yeah, if you want to keep tossing money in my account so I can use it for school, I would love that cause I've already made plans with Blake to go to Snow and have a radio show together.  It's gonna be DJ Duckgrabber and DJ Falcon tearing up the music scene down there.  So that would be sick--I would like that a lot.  Um, but yeah, keep it steezy.

Love,
Elder Johansen

1-16-12

Sup Dudes, 
It's me, your boy, Elder J.  Yeah, another week has gone by.  That's nutso crazy.  Time is flying by here.  I'm already more than three months out on my mission--that's wild.  

This week was freakin' sick.  We tore it up.   We got this referral from a member that we're way tight with. The member is dope though.  He helps us out a ton.  His name's Paulo.  He was stake president at 25 and his family's way smart too.  That was the dude you guys were calling on Christmas, but you couldn't understand.  But actually he speaks really good English.  It must have just been a bad connection.  But yeah, he hooked us up with a referral from his niece who lives in another village.  But when we got to his house, the girl was there with her little sister too, and they both want to be baptized.  So that was freakin' sick, and he called us out of nowhere , so it was lucky we were in the same village at the time.  We went over to Paulo's like ten minutes after he called, and we taught the first lesson.  It went really well too.  That's the one I'm best at in Samoan, so I was able to contribute a lot.  

It really was a testimony to me the power of study though.  Cause when I study the lesson in the morning and I'm prepared, the words just come to me.  But when I don't study the lesson we're gonna teach that day, my words just get caught up in my throat.  But yeah, the work is really picking up for us.  The whole Christmas season was really sucky, just cause everybody is really busy and no one wanted to listen to us.  But it was still dope, it was just difficult.  I got a lot of studying in though so it was still good.  But yeah, it's dope.  Everything's been going really good lately.  

We get to go to Apia today cause our zone and a few other zones get to go to the temple.  So that's way sick.  Actually we're going to the temple tomorrow, but we leave today and then we're gonna sleep at the office tonight and then hit up the temple tomorrow.  So that'll be way sick, I'm stoked.  The trip to Apia kinda sucks though--it's like  1 1/2 hours to the wharf, and then it's like another 1 1/2 hour ride on the boat to Upolu, and then it's another hour from the wharf in Upolu to Pesega.  But it's cool.  I'm not complaining.  Going to Apia is crazy cause it's just so different cause they have cars and people and buildings and stuff like that.  I love Savaii though just for that reason--there's just dirt, and jagged rocks, and coconut trees, pigs, and the ocean.  So it's sick as heck. 

Haha, the other day we were walking back from our fafaga (dinner), which was in the furthest village in our area from our house, so it's a pretty long walk.  Anyways, this dude in this big diesel truck pulls over and offers us a ride back to Faiaai, so we're like, "Heck, yeah."  So I open the door, and there's only three seats in the cab, so I had to sit in the middle.  And I had to hold the dude's big plate of roasted pig--it was like half a pig.  Haha.  Anyways, so as we're driving, this dude's just cruisin bro.  The guy looks over at me and pulls out this big bottle of beer.  Then he uses the edge of a pipe to get the cap off.  But the thing about Samoans is that they like to share, so the dude's like, "You want some beer?"  Haha and I was just like, "No, thanks."  So he takes a big swig--the dude was pretty drunk--it was funny.  So then he gets a call on his cell phone, so he's talking on the phone with one hand, and with the other hand, he's holding his beer and driving at the same time.  And by this time it was getting pretty dark and the dude forgot to turn on his headlights until we were like halfway home.  Haha, it was dope.  I'm blessed to live in Samoa where we get to do cool stuff like that.  But yeah, so then he dropped us off.  I slipped him a plan of salvation pamphlet under his pork plate.  So maybe he'll get converted--haha, you never know.

But yeah, it's dope, I love it here.  It's safe though, no worries.  The Lord is watching us real close--we stay real safe.  Oh yeah, my comp was saying that I was speaking Samoan in my sleep the other night.  Haha, so yeah--I take that as a good thing.  The language is coming along pretty good.  It's still hard, but it's getting better.  Everything that I know how to say, I can say it right.  I just need to learn more words.  I understand a lot more than I think--it's just if I don't listen really close, then I miss it.  Cause I know a lot of the words they're saying, they just speak so fast that I miss it.  So lately I've been writing down words in a little notebook, it's good cause it forces me to listen closer for words that I don't know.  But yeah, so that's all good.  Hopefully by the end of this companionship I'll be speaking good Samoan.  My comp grew up speaking it.  He speaks like a native.  So it's good for me--I'm learning Samoan how it's supposed to be.  So hopefully I'll have mean Samoan soon.  That's what everyone says--all the white guys that get called to Savaii end up with dope Samoan.  So it's good.  All is well.

I got your package--that thing was like the best thing that ever happened to me.  After a month and a half of taro and breadfruit it's nice to eat some garbage like chocolate and cotton candy.  Haha, but yeah, everything made it through really well.  The chocolate wasn't even melted--it's the best.  So thanks a ton, for reals that package was the bomb.  And that CD is dope too.  Some of the songs are lame, but the good ones are way good, so I like it.  Oh yeah, when you get the chance any time in the future, please send me some batteries.  That would be lovely--double A and triple A would be just smashing.  But yeah, did you guys get my first letter with the lizard in it?  Cause maybe it didn't go through or something. 

But yeah, things are dope.  My companion doesn't even beat me up that much.  And when he does, it's not that hard.  He only beats me up when he gets really angry.  But his girlfriend doesn't really come over all that often--only three or four times a week.  So that's good--we're working on cutting down on the time he spends with his girlfriend each week.  It's important to set goals, you see.  NAH.  JK MAN.  No worries mamma.  My comp's the bomb, he's a good missionary.  No girls or fights or anything wild like that.  But yeah, don't fall into the prejudice that Samoans are bad missionaries.  Cause there are Samoan guys that are way good missionaries and there are white guys that are trunky as heck.  It just depends on who it is.  But yeah, that's funny about that kid's comp getting a tattoo on p-day.  I could see that happening .  But that's just part of the culture.  Every person you meet, regardless of who they are, has a tattoo.  All the bishops, the stake presidency, everyone has at least one or more tattoos.  I think if you understood the culture better, it might not be as shocking.  It's not like back home where only the scumbags have tattoos--it's everyone.  But yeah, that's funny.

But yeah, mom, don't worry bro, everything's way good.  You worry too much--everything's totally fine.  My comp and I are dope--we get along way good.  And we're doing work too, so no worries.  The people really love him.  There's a lot I can learn.

But yeah, in one of your letters, momma, you asked about laundry--if we do it or if someone does it for us.  But yeah, we do our own laundry.  You let it soak in a bucket overnight with detergent and stuff.  And then in the morning you have to scrub it out and hang it up to dry.   It takes forever, but it's alright--I don't mind it.  

Yeah, and you asked about breakfast--we usually just eat Ramen noodles with Ragu on it.  Or the family from next door will bring us some food--they're way nice.  They're always feeding us and helping us out. So that's good.  But yeah, the reason I haven't spent any money from my account is because there's nowhere to pull money from, and there's nothing to spend it on.  Everyone grows their own food, and for the most part, builds their own stuff.  But yeah, it's cool.  Everything is dope.

Good luck,
Elder Jenkins