Update from Elder Johnson - September 2016 - MTC
5 September 2016
Ç'kemi Everyone. — Ok, so first, the BYU game sounds awesome. I actually heard all about it, because guess what!! The Speaker at Sunday Devotional last night was Chad Lewis! Former BYU Tight End #86 I think. (But, I bet you already knew that dad) It was so cool, and I was thinking of you the whole time. He was great. First, his wife talked about his dream to jump over someone in a football game. How that was all he thought about, and he focused on it and practiced it, and then one game, the last game of the season, he just did it and said he didn't even have to think about it. So, if I focus on missionary work, and dream and think about it, and practice it, it will be natural. It was so cool to hear about his football stories (especially for Elder Benson, who is dying because football season is starting and he is now out of the loop), especially one where he caught a game-winning (I think) catch that took the Eagles to the Super Bowl, but in the process of catching it, he broke his foot and was not able to play, and it was awful, but he realized that his family was his Super Bowl and that family would last forever, unlike the 3 hours of the Super Bowl. Very cool. (And, gotta love Taysom Hill, so exciting to have him back. Tell me how all the games go!)
Yes, I still love the MTC, though I am starting to get pumped to go to Shqipëria! It is funny to see so many people coming and going through the MTC while I am just still here, but it is so cool. and, besides, I am not fluent in Shqip yet, so the more time the better. Actually, this Wednesday, we are going to be teaching a lesson to a native Albanian member over Skype. We are so nervous, but excited of course. The language is actually coming along really nicely. I think our district is all on track or ahead. Already, some words are clicking in my mind, and I always say them even when I am talking to other people not learning Shqip, and It takes me a while to realize that they did not understand me at all. For example, if anyone asks me a question, I respond with po (yes) or jo (no), or when something is relatable, I say tamam (exactly), and I just want to always speak në Shqip. It is seriously so fun to learn, and we can have a discussion about any gospel topic fairly easily, but we don't really know how to talk about anything else, so I guess we will just have to learn that in the field. Actually, on Saturday, we had an SYL (Speak Your Language) day or Jo Anglisht day as a district and it actually went really well, but boy, is it tough.
Shqip grammar principle of the week is Command form. So like Go! or Be Baptized! (Shko! Pagëzohuni!) as opposed to I go (Shkoj!) It is actually pretty simple. I don't think I will be commanding people to be baptized though, That might come off sort of rude. We basically know and understand all the grammar, we just need a lot of practice applying it and remembering it. (P.S. Just a Shqip hint. When reading any Shqip words, pronounce the j like a y, the ë like a 'uh' sound, the i like an 'ee', and the q like a 'ch'. Oh, and ë's at the end of a word are silent, just like how regular e's are silent in English.)
I don't know if I have stressed enough how amazing my district is. They are all amazing, and I love them. It is so great that we all do things together. Thanks for teaching me obedience also, because some Elders are not obedient and it is a problem, but our district and zone are good. Yesterday, after the devotional, we watched Joseph Smith the Prophet, which was so powerful, Do the boys (and everyone) know about the hard, yet amazing life of Joseph Smith? It is so powerful. Maybe watch a movie or have an FHE on it (after your lesson on prayer, that is definitely important too, and actually ties in perfectly to Joseph Smith) But, I loved the closing line of text of the movie... "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?" I love it! I am so pumped to share this message. Oh, It is wonderful, wonderful to me!
So cool to hear about your love languages, family. Mine is definitely 1. Quality Time, then maybe 2. Words of Affirmation and 3. Gifts (or flipped no idea)
Thank you all so much for the package! Those little drawings of Elder Benson and I made our days. Sometimes, we get too excited at night when we get amazing packages. It was the best. Everyone loved seeing the pictures. I feel like Elder Benson and I have been around each other so much that we are starting to act as just one person. I use all of his phrases, and we teach so well together and we know exactly what the other would say and everything about each other actually. All I have to say is "A mund të" and he knows I mean "A mund të shkojmë te banjo?" (Can we go to the bathroom?) It is great to have such an amazing companion.
And thanks to the Seaquists for the candy. I definitely love my Yorks (I will share all the rest with my roommates) What is actually funny, is that I have different likes (food-wise) than any of my roommates, so none of them want my Yorks (Yes!) — And thanks to Nikole and Bode for the amazing letters. Love hearing from you. Sounds like the Coldplay Concert was amazing!!!! and sorry, Kayla. Getting teeth pulled sounds like it stinks.
I love the pictures, Mom, and I am so glad that Matthew is reading the Book of Mormon. Love hearing from all of you. I wish I had time to respond to each of you separately. — But, Luke, your letter cracked me up. I will find a present for you! "Are there any cute girls in the MTC?" I am not supposed to think about it, but yes.
And, finally, as you all know, it is bat season. So naturally, the sisters had to evacuate their building, which now has many bats living therein, and move. It was a cool service opportunity for us, but really funny that there are bats.... in the buildings. This morning there was a bat in the gym, just on the wall hanging out. It is just a funny situation, and we are still in Utah. I don't know all the details with the bats, but the Motrat were really sad yesterday because they had to move (Stinking bats!) So... yeah, I don't know what else to say, but yes, there are bats in the girls residence, and... yup. Hopefully, bats don't enter our building. — Elder Johnson
12 September 2016
Hello, Everyone — I am so sorry about Katie. That is so hard! Piano and Guitar sounds so fun for Emily! Sounds like Meg had fun at camp. Poor girl, has boys asking for her number. Tell them to stay away! Luke and Matt, sounds like you are having lots of fun! I am so excited to go to Albania! We get our flight plans on Friday, and then leave in two weeks. Matt, Soccer is so fun! Good job scoring two goals. I love the song, "Scripture Power!" Keep reading the scriptures because they are how we are really happy. I am glad you learned about the importance of honesty. It is so important to tell the truth all the time! I love you both so much! Have a good week and work hard, and remember to read the Book of Mormon every day, and think about how much your Heavenly Father loves you! I hope you are excited to serve a mission like I am. It is so fun and so important.
I go to the temple every P-Day. Here, at the Provo temple, they switch the endowment video every week so I have seen all three videos a few times now. Today, we did initiatories. This past week, we have been studying virtue as a district, and I love seeing the connection to virtue in the initiatories. So cool! I love the gospel!
Katie and Emily, I am so jealous that you got to see Elder Rasband speak, or I would have been jealous if I hadn't seen both Elder D. Todd Christofferson speak on Tuesday and Elder M. Russell Ballard speak Last Night. I seriously love the MTC! It is the BEST! They spoke on Preaching Repentance, Being Trusted, and Remembering WHO we Represent! I loved it so much. It is so incredible to hear Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ testify of Him. I definitely love being here at the MTC.
Now every week we have to prepare talks in our mission language, and two Elders or Sisters are chosen to speak each week. Motra Miles got to speak yesterday. I now have Branch Council every Sunday, because, as of last Sunday, I am the District Leader. We just talk about how all the districts are going, and I don't really have a lot to say because my district is perfect, which is such a blessing. It is so cool to be able to be district leader and receive revelation in their behalf. I love it.
We had our discussion on virtue after our weekly walk to the temple. I love virtue. Of course, Choir practice was great and the devotional was amazing. For our movie, we watched some new Meet the Mormons clips that are going to be in Meet the Mormons 2. There was an artist from Italy, a Horse trainer from Utah, and a family of Performers from Japan. (It was a cool story and they endured some amazing struggles. One of them is on a mission now, so that is cool!) Every night, before going to the residence, we close our day with a scripture thought by someone and a district prayer. It is pretty great. My new favorite hymn is Now let us rejoice! Tani Le të Gëzojmë!
Every Thursday, everyone in our zone plays Kickball and it is so fun! On Friday, we gave lessons to actual people in Albania over Skype. It was crazy awesome. It is crazy that we can actually communicate so well already.
Ok, I will email you next Monday with my flight plans!!! I will be able to call you at the airport. I will buy a card at the MTC store for that purpose. Apparently, one of the moms of the Albies was able to get our flight plans or something, and according to her, We will fly out at 8 am on the 27th and have a 3 hour layover in Chicago and a 2 hour layover in Vienna.
I love you all! Sounds like you are all doing good. I am also doing good. Until next week, Elder Johnson.
—
We got an extra letter this week -- from one of the Elders in Ryan's district...
Well hello Johnson family! Elder Johnson is a super good district leader! He listens to the the Spirit when he leads, and sets an excellent example for us all to follow. He also studies super hard all the time, and is really excited about this gospel! I've never seen him discouraged, he is always one to laugh at my dumb jokes, and he is always kind and in a good mood. He's gonna be a super duper missionary. So way to go for raising such a stellar son! :)
Elder Schneider
19 September 2019
Hi, I was glad to hear that Katie’s surgery went well. I am praying for all of you. I loved reading your email. And I love you. So good to hear about Luke's cross country. So fun. Tell him and everyone I love them so much.
It’s so cool that Dad is preparing for another epic hike. Ok, so, speaking of the Zugspitze, guess who I found at the MTC. Ethan Zaugg. He was really good friends with Carter and he climbed a lot of the way up the Zugspitze with me and Dad. So cool to see him. So, he knows about Germany and knows all the people I know, so that was super exciting! It was the best! I actually felt like I should leave the movie we were in last night, and go to a different one, and then I was sitting right behind him, and I thought he looked familiar, and then after the video (Elder Holland - Missions are Forever) he walked up to me and said, "I know you from somewhere. You are Carter's friend." and I said, "Yeah, and you are Ethan. I remember you." So that was really cool. He is going to Armenia. (The country that everyone mixes up with Albania.) And, he is going to BYU after the mission. So I will definitely see him around.
So, on Tuesday, Elder Quentin L Cook spoke to us, and it was amazing. That made three Apostles in a row. So fun. We can learn a lot from listening to the Apostles… and we do learn a lot. I am getting better at teaching and studying and having Christlike Attributes every day. It is insane. I am such a different person than I was when I left. A better person.
Our choir director is amazing. One great quote from him this week is: "God is not protecting you, He is perfecting you!" So true, and so amazing. We can be subject to trials (or broken arms), but it is all for our good. He also gave us advice as missionaries: "You will become more Christlike from the times people do NOT accept you, than from the times people do." I am so excited to have some trials and rejections and pains, and some joys and baptisms and fun too.
This week has been good. We had some good lessons and study and role-plays. Ok, before my mission, I did not enjoy role-plays at all. But, now I love them and realize how important they are. Definitely good practice for me to just go with my companion and teach each other the first lesson.
Thanks for being an exactly obedient missionary mom. Obedience is a celestial law, and is very important. Some missionaries don't get that. But, our Albanian districts are great at it, so that is good. Yes, I will be watching General Conference in Albanian. I don't know if I will be able to understand any of it. But, It will definitely be fun. I will try to listen and understand. And, actually, we are getting pretty good at that. And, we know all the grammar principles and usage of words, we just need to practice and get it down. Pra... mirë.
For the longest time before my mission I did not really understand what my baptismal covenant was. But, it is right in Mosiah 18:8-10. So I challenge you to study that as a family. I know it will bless all of you as it has blessed me to know what exactly we are promising and giving to God. We get infinite blessing if we apply Mosiah 18.
Friday was an exciting day, because our flight plans came. We were all so pumped to go to the mailbox and get those. We are leaving next Tuesday at 3:50 in the morning. We are excited. We will be flying from Salt Lake City to Chicago to Vienna, Austria to Tirana, Albania. We also got our new Albanian nametags with our names in Albanian and it is SO COOL! It was like Christmas. Everyone’s name changed. So fun! This week, The Albies are doing Consecration Week, where we speak no English at all and work extra hard. SYL (Speak Your Language) is definitely so helpful. We are excited for this and excited to get to Albania
I am loving the MTC still. I love all of you. Thank you to the Waltons (Scott and Elisha) who sent me an amazing package. I love you! I also forgot to say Happy Birthday to Jane last week. Oh, well. Love her too. — Elder Xhansën
26 September 2016
Përshendetje, everyone! — I loved the MTC, and experienced so much spiritual growth here. I love this work and I am excited to get to Albania, where I know I have been specifically called to go there. I am so excited. It is going to be so hard, yet amazing. I know that this church is true. I know that Christ is our Savior, and that we can come closer to Him through the Book of Mormon, through building Christlike attributes and powerful prayer and scripture study. I know the importance of conversion to the Gospel, and acting on the faith you have. I love my Savior and my family.
My last week at the MTC has been very good. We have officially mastered Shqip... yeah, no. But, Elder Benson and I are so ready to go! I love Europe and I am so grateful that we got to travel everywhere when we lived there. Basically, whenever anyone is going to an European mission, I can say, "Oh, that is a great place.” I have loved connecting with people, especially those going to the Germany, Frankfurt mission and the Hungary, Budapest mission, (in our zone) because I can tell them how great it is. I wish I remembered more about all the places we have been to.
I am just about finished packing. Then, dinner and our last class, with both Motra Kokol and Vëllai Bangeter. I will definitely miss being taught by them. Then, we sleep for 4 hours and then fly on planes for A LONG TIME!
Grandma and Grandpa Walton, I love you and am praying for you both. I really enjoyed reading your letters. I will be looking out for Brother Patterson's aunt and uncle (see my time in Berat when they are in my district). So cool. Albania is going to be so amazing.
Our families names spelled in Shqip (just for fun):
Kristëfër - Llisa - Rajën - Kejti - Emëlli - Megën - Lluk - Mathju
Love you! Elder Xhansën
