October in Aranuka

October 30, 2014 

Note from Mom: 
There wasn't an email sent during the last two weeks of October. Scott has been very consistent about writing each week. I will keep you all posted on his status if I get a letter in the mail from him.

October 19, 2014

Mauri,

Davis has just left. We worked hard our last week but now he is

opening an area. There was a last minute change in Elders coming here. My new companion is Elder Afatasi. He has a desire to be exactly obedient which is exactly what this area needs. He is Samoan but he is from America. He has been pushing me in the language which is good and I've learned a lot.

Lessons this week have gone awesome. One of our investigators has stopped smoking because he found for himself that the church was true. Another had an amazing experience with feeling the Holy Ghost. Also when I was teaching a lesson with Afatasi, a man came in with his sick daughter in his arms. He asked us to bless her and so we did. The next day she was fine. That was a really amazing moment. I've seen this area grow spiritually so much.

The 16th was my birthday and one of the families found out and  went all out. They cooked many lobsters and baked a chocolate cake. If internet wasn't so slow I would send those pictures now. It was a great 19th birthday though, even though i wasn't home for it.

I've have really come to love this area and love the people. I don't know when I will be transferred but I hope it's not soon. 

I love you all and hope that everything is going well back home.

Sincerely,

Elder Scott Johnson

October 12, 2014

Mauri,

Funny story. Elder David was never brought to the airport so Davis is here for another week until the plane comes back. Elder Davis wasn't to happy about that. He was really hoping to leave.  We both knew that The Lord had a reason for it but we didn't know why. Later that day we taught an investigator that needed to here the message that Davis gave. He told me after that most everything he said was different then what he wanted to say but it came out exactly how the investigator needed to here it. 

So I should be a little more honest about my bike crash. First off Mom I'm sorry for down playing it. The truth is that I was biking down the runway when the chain broke and I went over my bike. I ate it pretty hard and messed up my thumb. The doctor told me that I've made a recovery faster then he thought. It's been a week 2 week and he said it looks like I've never been in a crash. I put in a picture of me right after the crash. 

The other picture is when I climbed down the well to retrieve the bucket I dropped. I got the picture from Elder Davis of me getting the bucket...after i dropped it in.

There was something else I wanted to write about but I forgot. Sorry everyone. Next week I will write it down and send it to you. I love you all.

Tiabo,

Elder Scott G. Johnson

October 6, 2014

Mauri,

Sorry about not writing yesterday. It was a national Holiday so the government buildings where closed including computers. 

So I've come to a shocking realization. I'm getting fat. I tried to get my pants on my pants and I had to suck in a lot. I've been told there's to kinds of missionaries, the kind that get fat and the kind that lose weight. I'm glad that I'm not the latter thought. The food here was hard to get use to but know it's delicious. The different fish I've eaten are Flying fish, Shark, Sword Fish, Barracuda, and my favorite Mantice Shrimp. it tastes like buttered lobster. 

This week we rode out to Tekaiang. It's an hour boat ride and its rather expensive to get out there. We had 4 lessons out there and we held Sacrament Meeting out there too. Sad thing is I got burnt. I looked like a lobster for 2 days then it blended in. 

I have just gotten news that Elder Davis is being transferred this week we is headed to Abwatal (part of Tarawa Ieta). He will be replaced by Elder David from the Micronesian lslands. 

Sorry that I cant write much. I'm almost out of time. and I need at least 5 minutes to send this message. After this week I will try to send photos again.

Love all of you,

Elder Scott G. Johnson