8-13-12
Sup Dude Buddy Bones,
It's crazy gnar over here. This
last week has been super nutso for sure. So the last letter I sent you
I said I was getting transferred to Faaala, and that my companion was
going to be Elder Uri. Well that was totally a made up story, I guess.
Cause my Zone Leader, Elder Boren, was cheesed off at me cause of all
the awesome pranks I played on him and because I made fun of him for
getting written off by his girlfriend. Anyways, so he scammed me good
and told me made up stories about transfers. So what really happened is
that I got transferred to Upolu, in a village called Aleisa. It's way
close to Apia. It's super different from Savaii. Me and my companion
are Zone Leaders too. It's cool, I guess. I don't really know. I'm
not that stoked on it, but I'm sure it'll be alright. Our zone only has
six people. I'm the only white guy. My companion is Samoan, but he
moved from American Samoa to Idaho when he was like 13. His first name
is Pioneer. Pioneer Ofisa. But yeah, we have the same birthday too,
just he's a year older than me. So tomorrow we're gonna party for sure.
The area is way sick. It's a mega tight area. The work seems
to be moving way good in this area. I'm stoked on it. We have two
investigators that are going to be baptized on Saturday. We taught
their last lesson yesterday. So things are really good with the area.
Oh
yeah, so on the day I got my Samoan license, I wrecked the car. I
seriously had my license for an hour and within three minutes going out
on my first drive, I put a foot long dent/scratch on the side of the
van. Cause they're like these massive 12 seater vans and I turned too
sharp around a corner and scraped the side. It was the suckiest thing
ever. I totally hated it. And it was weird casuse they drive on the
left side in Samoa and I hadn't driven anything in like ten months, so I
still had to get warmed up. But the senior missionary couple that is
in charge of the vehicles was pretty cool about it. They'll get it
fixed up and fancy right quick. So it's good. That sucked though. I
was all sketched out. I'm a lot more used to driving here now though.
It's all good. My comp doesn't have a license, so I pretty much do all
the driving. And the roads are like the worst thing ever--like dirt
roads with gnarly huge rocks and stuff--just like when we go camping,
except I'm driving a massive van.
I was pretty sad to leave
Savaii though. I'll miss that area for sure. But I was sort of ready
to go too. I think 8 months is pretty long to be in my first area.
It'll be a bummer not to be able to see all our investigators in Samata
be baptized though. They put sisters in. Jackson got transferred to
the back of Upolu in Siumu. I'll miss Jackson too--that's my son. He's
just a humble guy. I'm gonna miss being comps with him. We worked
mega hard together. It was mega good. But it's cool. That's how
things go. They change. And then you have to get used to other stuff, I
guess.
Our zone is a little bit wild, but most people are afraid
of me cause I'm buff and ripped so I'll just give 'em the "Stone Cole
Steve Austin" if anyone gets out of hand. Haha, nah, but it's good.
There's
been like tons of stuff that's gone down like the last week, but I
can't really think of anything right now. Everything is good though.
Keep on steezin' fans.
Keep the bones
--Elder Johansen
PS Thanx for the package. I'll open it tomorrow!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
8-6-12
Sup Dude bones,
It's all spunkgnar on the dunk bunk. This week was pretty "all-bones" good. Not much goin' on. We're just spunkin' around Samoa like a couple of double skunk dank bombs.
Last P-day was freakin' tight. I was stoked on it. I'm pretty sure I sent pictures with my last letter. But we went and played football with the ZL's and my buddy Hansen and his comp. It was sick. My stupid companion was on the other team and they beat us like 6-3. You know how a father never wants to see his son finally outdo him. I was still pretty cheesed off afterwards, so I sent him to bed wit hno dinner for making me look like a fool in front of my work friends. Kids can be a real handful--being a single father isn't easy. But it is so gratifying to see my little boy grow up so fast. He came into the mission going by "Jackson", but now it's just "Jack." "I'm not the child I used to be" he says. He's a real sensitive boy. I don't think he has many friends at school. But I'm here to whip him into shape. As Buck Davis would say, "Go feed the horses, and then let's hit the dunes." (Meaning that only through hard work can we accomplish anything in life. And then after we will see the fruits of our labors. Good ol' Buck taught me everything I need to know about how to be a man.
Anyways, so our team lost. We'll have to rematch those dudes some other time. But then after football, we went down to the beach and played around and stuff. The pictures are on that card I sent you. Also that day I climbed my highest coconut tree so far. It was way tall--probably like our house stacked up twice or something like that. I'm pretty much the master at all things Samoan by now--it's dank dogs.
We're probably gonna do something cool today too, cause one of our ZL's goes home this week, so we'll probably throw a wild party or something. I've been to some pretty crazy missionary parties before. Usually we read Preach My Gospel, eat Vienna sausages and tell lies about how awesome you were before the mission, knowing that no one can prove you wrong. No pranks, only pranks. I have no idea what we're doing today. We'll just have to see, I guess.
But this week was good--sorta slow, but it's all good. My companion has been sick lately, so we've been kinda taking it easy. He was like puking and stuff as we were coming back from dinner one night. What a weasel. I think he's cursed cause he gloated when he beat me in football. But it's okay. He'll think twice next time he crosses me. Haha, nah--he's better now though, so it's all good.
This week we started teaching lessons to this kid name Posi. After the first lesson he said he wanted to be baptized, but the next day when we went to teach him, I could tell something was up, so when I asked him, he said that he didn't want to be baptized. I guess his grandma pressured him, but he didn't really want to take lessons. He's like 13 or something. But anyways, we left him with a Book of Mormon anyways and asked him to read. So maybe later on down the line he'll be ready to hear the gospel. Cause he moves back to American Samoa this week, so we probably won't see him again. So that was kind of a bummer, but it's alright. We did all we were supposed to do. Now it's just up to him.
Also, another weird thing out investigator Faasinoala who we've been working with forever turned out to already be a member. Haha, it was kind of ridiculous actually. One day this week we were visiting her and he was like, "Oh yeah, I was baptized back in 1996". Haha, I guess she just fell away after that and is now just coming back to church. But her records got lost or something so the ward will have to probably re-baptize her. But yeah, so that was kind of unexpected. Haha. But we'll keep working with her to progress towards the temple. But that just makes our investigator pool even smaller. Things have been a little slow lately, but I think they're starting to pick up, so that's good.
Paualaisa has now stopped smoking. We just have to get him to stop drinking ava Samoa. It's like a root that they mash up and make a drink out of. I guess it's like a mild narcotic or something. But it's only been banned from the church for like ten years. But yeah, Paualaisa is totally ready. He's awesome. He's like my age, I think. But he's like always up at the plantation like all day so we can never set up an appointment to teach him. But we just have to finish his lessons and he'll be ready for baptism.
And Failelei want to be baptized. She just has to be married still. And they won't be married until her boyfriend's mom comes back from New Zealand in September. So I'll probably be transferred by then, so that's a bummer. But yeah, the area is good though. I'm stoked on it here. Yesterday was my 10 month mark on the mish. That means I've been in this area for 8 months now. Haha, that's forever. I think if I was in a slow area, it would kill me. But so far this area has been pretty sick over all. I'll be really sad to leave. Next week is transfers, so we'll see what happens. I probably won't get transferred though cause the training program isn't over for me and Jackson. We've still got two weeks left. So, I'll probably be here for another transfer. It's good though. I really like it here.
Oh yeah, so you know how you sent me like 50 pictures of me holding that pig? So when I wrote my weekly report to the mission president, I included a signed copy together with my letter. Haha, but I guess he was so stoked on it he displayed it on his desk. (Did I already tell this story?) Anyways, I guess like everyone that comes in for interviews, he proudly shows them my awesome picture. He didn't even have any pictures of his family on his desk, just a couple folders and my picture. And then like a week later, he put it up in the permanent glass case at the office for everybody to see. Apparently he was going around showing it to everyone when he first got it. But you know me--I know how to get "in" with the president. He invited me to go golfing with his area seventy buddies last week, but we had already made plans, so we had to take a rain check. Haha, prank bones. That last part could be fictitious, but the rest is true.
So yeah, it's good. I got your birthday package. I'm super tempted to open it, but I haven't yet. I also got those shoes--thanks a ton. You really should have just got some from DI. You needn't waste money like that. But I appreciate it. They'll for sure last the rest of my mish, so that should be good.
Also, that's funny that Dad is a zoobie counselor now. You should counsel them to quit being so weird and quit being ranjoes. Maybe that's why you got called to be a counselor so you can set them straight. Get some of the tasties in the ward to write me, so I can come back and get married before the spring semester starts--that would be great.
But yeah, that's a bummer that all the kids are moving out of state. I guess that's what happens when the cool one moves out of the country--everyone else sort of dissipates. Bummer for ma and pa though. They're just stuck with stupid, I mean cool, Katie and Matt. (How awful.) And then Weter and Pendi aren't nearly as cool as me too. Haha, jk. But everyone knows I'm the best sibling. There's really no competition. Anyways, this letter is too long.
--Steezemaster
PS Mama, I got your letter. I'm glad things went well with the surgery. I hope you're healing well. I continue to pray for you and I hope you're doing good. --E Bones
(The following was on a separate paper in the same envelope)
Sup Dudes,
Fresh Newz! So, we just found about transfers . I'm getting transferred to Faaala, in Savaii. My comp is Elder Uri. He's been out on the mish for like 7 months or something. I'm pretty bummed to leave Samata,. I really love it here. But it will be nice to experience some new adventures. I'm gonna miss Elder Jackson though. I freakin' love the guy. But he'll be good. He's staying in Samata, so that should be good. I'll spank you another letter next week when we get the scoop.
Love,
The Fresh Prince of Samoa
It's all spunkgnar on the dunk bunk. This week was pretty "all-bones" good. Not much goin' on. We're just spunkin' around Samoa like a couple of double skunk dank bombs.
Last P-day was freakin' tight. I was stoked on it. I'm pretty sure I sent pictures with my last letter. But we went and played football with the ZL's and my buddy Hansen and his comp. It was sick. My stupid companion was on the other team and they beat us like 6-3. You know how a father never wants to see his son finally outdo him. I was still pretty cheesed off afterwards, so I sent him to bed wit hno dinner for making me look like a fool in front of my work friends. Kids can be a real handful--being a single father isn't easy. But it is so gratifying to see my little boy grow up so fast. He came into the mission going by "Jackson", but now it's just "Jack." "I'm not the child I used to be" he says. He's a real sensitive boy. I don't think he has many friends at school. But I'm here to whip him into shape. As Buck Davis would say, "Go feed the horses, and then let's hit the dunes." (Meaning that only through hard work can we accomplish anything in life. And then after we will see the fruits of our labors. Good ol' Buck taught me everything I need to know about how to be a man.
Anyways, so our team lost. We'll have to rematch those dudes some other time. But then after football, we went down to the beach and played around and stuff. The pictures are on that card I sent you. Also that day I climbed my highest coconut tree so far. It was way tall--probably like our house stacked up twice or something like that. I'm pretty much the master at all things Samoan by now--it's dank dogs.
We're probably gonna do something cool today too, cause one of our ZL's goes home this week, so we'll probably throw a wild party or something. I've been to some pretty crazy missionary parties before. Usually we read Preach My Gospel, eat Vienna sausages and tell lies about how awesome you were before the mission, knowing that no one can prove you wrong. No pranks, only pranks. I have no idea what we're doing today. We'll just have to see, I guess.
But this week was good--sorta slow, but it's all good. My companion has been sick lately, so we've been kinda taking it easy. He was like puking and stuff as we were coming back from dinner one night. What a weasel. I think he's cursed cause he gloated when he beat me in football. But it's okay. He'll think twice next time he crosses me. Haha, nah--he's better now though, so it's all good.
This week we started teaching lessons to this kid name Posi. After the first lesson he said he wanted to be baptized, but the next day when we went to teach him, I could tell something was up, so when I asked him, he said that he didn't want to be baptized. I guess his grandma pressured him, but he didn't really want to take lessons. He's like 13 or something. But anyways, we left him with a Book of Mormon anyways and asked him to read. So maybe later on down the line he'll be ready to hear the gospel. Cause he moves back to American Samoa this week, so we probably won't see him again. So that was kind of a bummer, but it's alright. We did all we were supposed to do. Now it's just up to him.
Also, another weird thing out investigator Faasinoala who we've been working with forever turned out to already be a member. Haha, it was kind of ridiculous actually. One day this week we were visiting her and he was like, "Oh yeah, I was baptized back in 1996". Haha, I guess she just fell away after that and is now just coming back to church. But her records got lost or something so the ward will have to probably re-baptize her. But yeah, so that was kind of unexpected. Haha. But we'll keep working with her to progress towards the temple. But that just makes our investigator pool even smaller. Things have been a little slow lately, but I think they're starting to pick up, so that's good.
Paualaisa has now stopped smoking. We just have to get him to stop drinking ava Samoa. It's like a root that they mash up and make a drink out of. I guess it's like a mild narcotic or something. But it's only been banned from the church for like ten years. But yeah, Paualaisa is totally ready. He's awesome. He's like my age, I think. But he's like always up at the plantation like all day so we can never set up an appointment to teach him. But we just have to finish his lessons and he'll be ready for baptism.
And Failelei want to be baptized. She just has to be married still. And they won't be married until her boyfriend's mom comes back from New Zealand in September. So I'll probably be transferred by then, so that's a bummer. But yeah, the area is good though. I'm stoked on it here. Yesterday was my 10 month mark on the mish. That means I've been in this area for 8 months now. Haha, that's forever. I think if I was in a slow area, it would kill me. But so far this area has been pretty sick over all. I'll be really sad to leave. Next week is transfers, so we'll see what happens. I probably won't get transferred though cause the training program isn't over for me and Jackson. We've still got two weeks left. So, I'll probably be here for another transfer. It's good though. I really like it here.
Oh yeah, so you know how you sent me like 50 pictures of me holding that pig? So when I wrote my weekly report to the mission president, I included a signed copy together with my letter. Haha, but I guess he was so stoked on it he displayed it on his desk. (Did I already tell this story?) Anyways, I guess like everyone that comes in for interviews, he proudly shows them my awesome picture. He didn't even have any pictures of his family on his desk, just a couple folders and my picture. And then like a week later, he put it up in the permanent glass case at the office for everybody to see. Apparently he was going around showing it to everyone when he first got it. But you know me--I know how to get "in" with the president. He invited me to go golfing with his area seventy buddies last week, but we had already made plans, so we had to take a rain check. Haha, prank bones. That last part could be fictitious, but the rest is true.
So yeah, it's good. I got your birthday package. I'm super tempted to open it, but I haven't yet. I also got those shoes--thanks a ton. You really should have just got some from DI. You needn't waste money like that. But I appreciate it. They'll for sure last the rest of my mish, so that should be good.
Also, that's funny that Dad is a zoobie counselor now. You should counsel them to quit being so weird and quit being ranjoes. Maybe that's why you got called to be a counselor so you can set them straight. Get some of the tasties in the ward to write me, so I can come back and get married before the spring semester starts--that would be great.
But yeah, that's a bummer that all the kids are moving out of state. I guess that's what happens when the cool one moves out of the country--everyone else sort of dissipates. Bummer for ma and pa though. They're just stuck with stupid, I mean cool, Katie and Matt. (How awful.) And then Weter and Pendi aren't nearly as cool as me too. Haha, jk. But everyone knows I'm the best sibling. There's really no competition. Anyways, this letter is too long.
--Steezemaster
PS Mama, I got your letter. I'm glad things went well with the surgery. I hope you're healing well. I continue to pray for you and I hope you're doing good. --E Bones
(The following was on a separate paper in the same envelope)
Sup Dudes,
Fresh Newz! So, we just found about transfers . I'm getting transferred to Faaala, in Savaii. My comp is Elder Uri. He's been out on the mish for like 7 months or something. I'm pretty bummed to leave Samata,. I really love it here. But it will be nice to experience some new adventures. I'm gonna miss Elder Jackson though. I freakin' love the guy. But he'll be good. He's staying in Samata, so that should be good. I'll spank you another letter next week when we get the scoop.
Love,
The Fresh Prince of Samoa
7-29-12
Sup Dudes,
It's all good up in the hood over here. Not much goin' on really. I think today we're gonna go down to the beach and hang out and stuff, so that should be sick. This week we had our temple trip in Apia. That was way cool. I was mega stoked. Going to the temple is always like the best thing ever. It was tight. We got to Apia on Tuesday and stayed the night there and then went to the temple all morning on Wednesday. And on Tuesday night we had a training which was really good too.
And then the night we came back from Apia, the power was out at our house so we had a "moonlight picnic" with the family we live with. It was very romantic and lovely, quite nice. And then the rest of the week my companion was sick, so we just stayed at the house for a few days. I pretty much just read from the Bible the whole time. I'm just going through all the boring stuff from the Old Testament and then reading all the cool stories. So that was good. I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Samoan again, so I did a lot of that too. It was good.
Things are going good in the area, we haven't really had a chance to get a ton of work done cause I was sick, and then the temple trip, and then my comp was sick. But it's all good. I'm excited to get back into it this week. It should be good. Everything's good in the area. It's good stuff. There's not much to talk about--really this week was pretty uneventful.
Mom, I hope you're doing alright. I'll keep praying for you. I hope everything goes well. I haven't heard from anyone yet, but hope things are good.
Anyways, love you all,
Elder Johansen
PS Eric also sent a memory card with photos and videos. Anyone is welcome to view them next time they stop by the house. He sent a list of some of the highlights:
"Here's my memory card. There's some dope stuff. There's like a million videos of these dudes playing like the exact same song. All the videos are pretty much the same--they just made me record all these videos so they could watch them. It's okay, I guess. So that's what that is. Then there's:
It's all good up in the hood over here. Not much goin' on really. I think today we're gonna go down to the beach and hang out and stuff, so that should be sick. This week we had our temple trip in Apia. That was way cool. I was mega stoked. Going to the temple is always like the best thing ever. It was tight. We got to Apia on Tuesday and stayed the night there and then went to the temple all morning on Wednesday. And on Tuesday night we had a training which was really good too.
And then the night we came back from Apia, the power was out at our house so we had a "moonlight picnic" with the family we live with. It was very romantic and lovely, quite nice. And then the rest of the week my companion was sick, so we just stayed at the house for a few days. I pretty much just read from the Bible the whole time. I'm just going through all the boring stuff from the Old Testament and then reading all the cool stories. So that was good. I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Samoan again, so I did a lot of that too. It was good.
Things are going good in the area, we haven't really had a chance to get a ton of work done cause I was sick, and then the temple trip, and then my comp was sick. But it's all good. I'm excited to get back into it this week. It should be good. Everything's good in the area. It's good stuff. There's not much to talk about--really this week was pretty uneventful.
Mom, I hope you're doing alright. I'll keep praying for you. I hope everything goes well. I haven't heard from anyone yet, but hope things are good.
Anyways, love you all,
Elder Johansen
PS Eric also sent a memory card with photos and videos. Anyone is welcome to view them next time they stop by the house. He sent a list of some of the highlights:
"Here's my memory card. There's some dope stuff. There's like a million videos of these dudes playing like the exact same song. All the videos are pretty much the same--they just made me record all these videos so they could watch them. It's okay, I guess. So that's what that is. Then there's:
- Pictures from Nansen's last day in the area
- Cool stuff with a bat
- Baptisms
- More chicken video
- Butterflies being made
- Playing tunes at Palepa & Samai's "Honeymoon"
- Baptism with Pato
- Dope adventures by the ocean/climbing a coconut tree
- Video of me climbing into this rock crevasse and this giant wave comes up and splashes me and got me totally soaked.
- Doin' stuff at the plantation
- Shooting guns with Buck Davis
- Pullin' up taro
- Ana's baptism (I had tonsillitis that day which is why my neck is swollen)
- Dinner--cooked pig
- 4th of July
- At the temple
- Dead lizard squished on my journal
- AP's spankin' around at our house
- All the beach photos were from our awesome p-day we had today dow non the beach in Neiafu. It's the same beach we went to before so some of the pictures are pretty much the same as my last memory card. But it was dope fun. Anyway, that's my memory car. Keep steezin'
7-23-12
Wazzup in the hood,
It's all sticky dank up in here. Everything's dry as a bone, but clean as a whispering willow. Nothing crazy to remark upon this week, just good stuff and dope stuff. We've pretty much just been making visits and stuff all week. It's pretty much the same story with all our investigators. We're still trying to get Faasinoala and Failelei to church. One of our investigators moved out of our our area, and we haven't been able to get ahold of Paualaisa. He's always up at the plantation all day. But we've been going out and getting at it anyway. I'm sure things will start moving soon. But yeah, nothing really exciting has happened.
We have a temple trip with our zone tomorrow. I'm stoked for that. That's gonna be sick. Me and Jackson are still just spankin' around the area visiting people all day. I think my Samoan's gotten a lot better since I've been training. It's kinda hard to tell actually. I'm pretty sure in the MTC I said that I was practically fluent and understood like 90% of everything that I heard. It's all just a perception, I guess. My Samoan's definitely not native, but it's good enough to go around and talk to people all day and teach lessons and stuff, so it's bones. But it seems like it's improved since I've been training, so that's good. Ummm...let's see. So yesterday one of our recent converts, Ruta, got a calling. They made her the teacher for the Relief Society. Haha. She's mega smart, though, and knows the gospel good even though she's only been a member for a few months. So that's cool. I'm stoked on that.
But yeah, really not much else has happened that I can think of. It's been pretty uneventful. I got Scott n' Jen's package. Thanks, dudes! I'd reply to your letters, but I still don't know your Vegas address. But thanks, it was the best. I think I ate like two thirds of the bag of Swedish Fish on my own.
But yeah, it's dankness,
Elder Johansen
It's all sticky dank up in here. Everything's dry as a bone, but clean as a whispering willow. Nothing crazy to remark upon this week, just good stuff and dope stuff. We've pretty much just been making visits and stuff all week. It's pretty much the same story with all our investigators. We're still trying to get Faasinoala and Failelei to church. One of our investigators moved out of our our area, and we haven't been able to get ahold of Paualaisa. He's always up at the plantation all day. But we've been going out and getting at it anyway. I'm sure things will start moving soon. But yeah, nothing really exciting has happened.
We have a temple trip with our zone tomorrow. I'm stoked for that. That's gonna be sick. Me and Jackson are still just spankin' around the area visiting people all day. I think my Samoan's gotten a lot better since I've been training. It's kinda hard to tell actually. I'm pretty sure in the MTC I said that I was practically fluent and understood like 90% of everything that I heard. It's all just a perception, I guess. My Samoan's definitely not native, but it's good enough to go around and talk to people all day and teach lessons and stuff, so it's bones. But it seems like it's improved since I've been training, so that's good. Ummm...let's see. So yesterday one of our recent converts, Ruta, got a calling. They made her the teacher for the Relief Society. Haha. She's mega smart, though, and knows the gospel good even though she's only been a member for a few months. So that's cool. I'm stoked on that.
But yeah, really not much else has happened that I can think of. It's been pretty uneventful. I got Scott n' Jen's package. Thanks, dudes! I'd reply to your letters, but I still don't know your Vegas address. But thanks, it was the best. I think I ate like two thirds of the bag of Swedish Fish on my own.
But yeah, it's dankness,
Elder Johansen
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