Monday, November 28, 2011

THANKSGIVING & APOSTLES!!!

Hey Mom,
I got to see my first apostle talk this week! Elder D. Todd Christofferson and his wife came to our Tuesday night devotional and gave a great talk, and then on Thanksgiving morning, Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife talked to us too! It was crazy to see two apostles in 3 days; those guys know what's up.

Thanksgiving here was great. We heard from Elder Russell M. Nelson in the morning. After that I took a nap in my room, and then we had a decent turkey dinner. When lunch was over we went to another program that one of the MTC presidency and his wife put on, then we got to do a service project where we assembled care kits for people in Sudan. After the service project, we ate a sack dinner in our rooms. They didn't want to the cafeteria workers to have to work on Thanksgiving night, so we just had sandwiches for dinner. After dinner, we watched 17 miracles, and they gave us kettle corn. In all it was a great day, and it was very nice to not have to go to class for a day.

My companion and I are still getting along really great. He and all my
roommates say thanks for the Christmas chocolate calendars. I see Elder Worthington a lot, and he is still here until next Tuesday. There are some kids leaving today and tomorrow down the hall from me, so I'm really hoping that Dallin gets to move into one of those rooms. Josh emailed me all of the slang from Mexico the other day, and I was able to impress my teacher with it.

Thanks for the packages; the calendars were a great idea, and everybody
loved the treats. The Ensign was perfect too, I had to teach the district lesson with my companion yesterday and we used the Ensign a lot in it. The Branch President came and watched our lesson, it was kind of scary. Tell Dad thanks for the sprigs I stuck them on my bulletin board it looks way cool. I'll send you some pictures this week; I'll order them today so hopefully they'll be done on Thursday. I'll write you, Dad, Connor, and Brock back too and send the letters in that package. I'll send my memory card home to you next week too so you can get all of the pictures off of it and send it back to me before I head to Mexico. Grandma is still writing me everyday, and she's been sending packages too it's been great! What's the email address that grandma uses most? If you can send it to me when you can and I'll try to email her later today.

What's Brock up to? How's basketball going for Connor? Have him or Dad gone out hunting anymore at all? How's Sadie doing? Is there any other news going on in SF? Who is Kim Kardashian dating now? It's time for me to go to the temple. Keep me updated on everything! I love you!

Con Amor
Elder Johnson

Saturday, November 19, 2011

FINALLY SOME PICTURES FROM THE MTC!

November 14, 2011
Hey Mommy!
I'm just down in the laundry room right now waiting for my clothes to dry. I got my first haircut today, it was pretty cool. I'm getting some more pictures printed and I'll send them to you on Thursday. I see Austin a couple times a week, just around campus. My companion and I have to dress the same, it’s an MTC rule. I'm really close with all my roommates now and I've made lots of other friends too. I got your package on Saturday so everything was still fresh! Thank you so much, the treats were a hit with everybody. All we do at nights is talk in each others rooms and eat treats. Everybody in my district leaves the same day, except for the kids going to Peru, who leave on Wednesday. How's everybody doing? Who all made the basketball team? Tell Dad we better go in on Brian’s cabin with him. Thanks for the package on Friday it was great to see the newspaper article and pictures. I'll write you a letter and send it with the pictures. I'll write Connor and Brock back too, you should get the envelope on Saturday. Anyways I gotta run fold my laundry.
I love you.
Elder Johnson
Missionaries from SF, Austin Stevens, Gavin Hales, me and Cooper Urmston
Elder Tarver, me, Elder Allan and Elder McCarl
My companion, Elder Scott, me and Brother & Sister Anderson on our Temple walk
Elder McAlister, me and Elder Leifson
In the classroom with my companion. This is pretty much where I spend my life these days!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES!!

November 7, 2011
Hey Mommy!
The MTC is not that bad anymore; it just took me a week or so to get used to this life and be done with the gangster life I used to live! I got some pictures ordered today and they'll be ready on Thursday so I’ll send you and grandma some then. I've gotten a lot of letters from my friends. I don’t see any of the Spanish Fork kids too much, they all have different schedules. We go to the temple every Monday morning. I'm gonna make a copy of my schedule and send it to you so you can see just how exciting the MTC is (not) I’m out of time on my email right now but the timer is just going negative. The MTC isn't that bad you just have to learn to like what you're doing! The food is still pretty terrible though. I've loved all the treats thank you so much! Everybody in my room has family that writes them so that’s pretty cool. I heard that you get to be an escort for new missionaries the last 2 weeks you're here, so that means there’s a chance I could be Kalin’s; that would be so cool! Could you throw some of my ties in the next package you send? The purple ones will be fine so ignore Dad and send them to me please! I've already spilled on 2; the tie buddy Dane gave me only helps so much. Spaghetti sauce on one and ranch on the other. I did my own laundry today and learned how to shine my shoes you should be proud! Anyways its time to go to dinner (yuck) and then I have class for 3 hours after that. I love you guys! Only 23 more fast Sundays till I'm home!
Con Amor
-The one and only Elder Johnson

HALLOWEEN IN THE MTC

October 31, 2011
Hey everybody!
The MTC is a very interesting place! This is definitely not the thug lifestyle I'm used to living! It's been the longest week of my life but I know I'm where I should be. I only have 30 minutes to email so I don’t have very much time. I've been getting the dearelder emails and I love them! I loved the package you sent too I can’t wait to dress up in the hat tonight! Hey I also figured out that they have a place to print pictures in the MTC bookstore so I'll try to send a couple pictures home this week. Connor, how was the deer hunt and Halloween dance? Did you wear one of my shirts? Brock, how’s my phone treating you? Do you like my bedroom? The food here is not very good, but they have lots of it. I try to eat salads and fruit whenever I can because I’m already sick of it. There are ten kids in my district, 6 are going to my mission, and two are going to Villahermosa (Josh’s mission) and the other 2 are going to Peru and those 2 are only here for 3 weeks then going to the MTC down there. I've seen Austin a couple of times since I’ve been here he's doing good. It really helps a ton to see people I know, it’s too bad none of them are in my district. Sundays and Mondays are definitely the best days here. We have to sit in the same classroom for literally 10 hours a day Tuesday- Saturday. Studying is killing me because I’m used to just being smart without having to study at all and now I have to learn the gospel and a whole other language. I've already taught my first investigator in Spanish, it was terrible. I also attempt to pray in Spanish too. My P day will always be Mondays and it only goes till 6 pm. Today I went to the temple, went for a jog, and then took a nap. I'm tired all the time; we have to get up around 6 every morning. Tell my friends to write me if you talk to them.
Con amor los guapos
Your favorite missionary,
Elder Johnson

FIRST LETTER FROM THE MTC

October 26, 2011
Dear Mom & Dad, Connor & Brock
Right now I’m sitting at my little desk at 10:30 pm on my first night here. The MTC is an interesting place so far. It’s been a long day here but I already know this is where I should be. The MTC President told us to write our families and tell them that we’re okay tonight. My companion is Elder Scott. He is 6’7” and played basketball for BYU Hawaii. He’s pretty cool. It was terrible tonight; I had to put the sheets on my own bed!! I’m really doing great though, no need to worry about anything. I had some cookie dough ice cream tonight. I’ve seen a few guys from Spanish Fork. Anyways, I need to get ready for bed now. I love you guys! Con Amor, Elder Johnson

ELDER JOHNSON ARRIVING AT THE MTC

Tyler's Mission began October 26th. After many hugs and a few tears it was time drop him off at the MTC.
We love you and will miss you. We are so proud of you!! See you in 2 years!!!

ELDER JOHNSON'S FAREWELL

It turned out to be a beautiful day. Tyler gave a wonderful talk in Sacrament Meeting. After church lots of friends and family came to have lunch with us and wish Tyler well. We are so thankful for all of the wonderful support for Tyler and our family.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

SO MUCH FUN TO HAVE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE WITH US FOR THIS EXCITING EVENT!


Connor, Brock, Elder Johnson









 

OPENING THE MISSION CALL!!

Early in the morning on July 6th, the phone rang....It was the post office telling us that Tyler's mission call had arrived!! I woke Ty, he threw on his hat and off we went to pick it up! It was total torture as we waited the entire day to find out where he would be serving. Lots of friends and family came to find out the exciting news. Finally, everyone got home and he was able to tear in to it. It read, "Dear Elder Johnson, You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Mexico, Mexico City Southeast Mission. You will serve for a period of 24 months and should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, October 26, 2011". Wow, what a surprise!