Elder Austin Johnson

Family,

Time really is flying by. It is really interesting to hear how technology is changing so much. I feel like I am out of the loop all the time. Its especially weird when I have no clue what something is (like the Ipad for example). I get it all the time. It's weird to think that I have been on my mission for this long. It feels like just yesterday.....

Well this week was pretty fantastic. I am so grateful for the wonderful things that are happening in our area. So as you know I got a new companion. His name is Elder Austin Johnson. There are like 4 Elder Johnson's so I have to use his first name when introducing him. He is from Flagstaff, Arizona. He has only been out for 2 transfers and so I'm his follow-up trainer! He is a very good missionary. We have only been together a week but we get along GREAT!!! He really knows his stuff. It seems like the missionaries that are coming out are a lot more prepared to serve missions than the group that I came out with. Its really crazy. Its amazing how the Lord binds us together with Unity and how we can teach together like we have been companions for like months. I am so grateful that he is my companion. I know that I am going to learn a lot from him. Just to let you know Elder Scott Petersen went to Sholote ( Which is right by the beach. He already sent me a sea shell!!!)

So our teaching pool is starting to really increase. It's been really wonderful to see the tender mercies of the Lord. We found a couple of investigators this week that we hope will see the importance of the Gospel in their lives. Tommy is a former investigator who has been through a lot in his life. He is now at a point where he is very humble and really receptive of the message that we have to share. Jesse is a 15 year old girl that is living with him right now. I know that she is looking for more in her life and I know that the gospel will help change her life. It was absolutely heart breaking to look in her eyes and see the hurt that was there. I know that because of the Savior that He can take that hurt from her and replace it with peace, joy and happiness!

We also went and saw the Fritz family this week. Man he really tests me spiritually. I know that because of the Spirit that the lesson went really well. We talked a lot about faith and how he needs to have more of it. We also talked a lot about prayer and why it is so essential in the whole scheme of things. He told us that he would rip apart the chapter we gave him and he would ponder it in his heart. I know that if he truly desires to find out if all of this is true that he will be able to. It was really wonderful because Maria (his wife) sat in for the lesson and she added to the conversation. We tried to ask her as many questions as possible so that the spirit could bare witness to her husband. It worked!!! Steve is starting to figure out how the Holy Ghost works with him. It was amazing!!!! I am so excited to see him again this next week. I hope that they won't be out of town this week so that they can come to Church.

We weren't able to meet with the O'Brians this week. Kelly was really sick so we scheduled to meet with them this Thursday. I am really excited to see them again. Elder Johnson has some great ideas and our companionship studies for them have been really great.

We met with Brother Wellborn this week. He is great. I love meeting with him. He makes me laugh so hard. He reminds me of the scientist off of "Back to the Future" We had a really great lesson with him though. He has been reading but not praying. We told him that we would have to pray in order to find out if the Book of Mormon is true. He came to Church on Sunday so we were pretty excited about that. He told us that when he found out these things are true that he would be baptized. So hopefully he will find out soon. It's all up to him though.

We had a miracle this week as well. We met with Ken Green again. He was a former investigator who is now a progressing investigator with a Baptismal Date for March 25. We had a wonderful lesson with him and Borther Larson. The Spirit was so strong while we were teaching him. I know that the Lord put him in our path for a reason. He really wants his wife to increase her faith as well and hopefully she will meet with us next time. He said that he would come to Church this next week. Man he is so great. I love him very much.

We also met with Gene Schultzs this week. He is a really wonderful man. He is very Catholic and is very set on his beliefs but we have arranged for him to have a dinner with a member who was very Catholic before she became a member of the Church. So we are pretty excited about that. Talking to him strengthened my testimony of the truths that we know to be true.

We also had our musical fireside this weekend. Sister Dodge was freaking out. It made me laugh a bit. She was so worried that people weren't going to come and then the projector didn't work and etc.... So we all said a prayer together and then it went really well. The spirit was so strong in that meeting. There were a lot of members but there we some non-members as well. SUCCESS!!! They want to do something like this twice a year. The members loved it and it will hopefully get them excited about missionary work.

Well that was pretty much our week. I really love this area so much. It is a real blessing to meet so many wonderful people who are always trying to help me. I know that the Lord will continue to lead and guide me in everything that I do. I am glad that you liked the pictures. I am excited to see some from back home. Well I hope y'all have a great week and know that I love y'all very much!!!

Elder Butler