November 30, 2014
Mauri Everyone,
So my companion and I have been trying to meet will less actives. in the process of looking we found an old lady who seemed like a hopeless case. All she did was smoke, make cigeretts, sleep, and eat. We when to her house often, because her son feeds us. We attempted to talk to her; Boy did it pay off. At first she didn't want to talk. We found out that The Elders that baptized her knew she didn't have a testimony, but baptized her anyway. She didn't trust the missionaries after she feel away. We started just trying to be nice to her. Later she started wanting to play cards with us and the cards lead to her being my favorite old lady on the island. When we came one night for dinner she said, "Ah, my grandchildren have returned." She then started getting angry when people came to buy cigarettes when we where there and know she has started to sell gum instead of cigarettes. She is unable to come to church because she has problems with her feet but I can tell the gospel is back in her life. It taught me the importance of kindness. I hope everyone's week was good and that you can all feel God's love.
From,
Elder Scott Johnson
November 23, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving,
This is one of my favorite holidays. It is a day we binge on turkey and stuffing because pilgrims wanted to be free. Sadly pilgrims never came to Kiribati so no turkey dinner for me. But I will talk about an equally uncelebrated holiday, Halloween. Because internet was down I never got to tell you the spooky things that happen here on Aranuka, so I will now. My 1st or 2nd week here we where riding down the rode to Baura (the farthest city from us on Aranuka. on the way, we past more then a dozen dead mice. I told my companion what I saw and he said, "Oh, it's because this areas haunted." It was so casual that I thought he was joking. But when I looked at him I saw that he was completely serious. That night riding thought that area, it was so quiet it was spooky. No birds calls and nothing was moving. A Less active woman that we commonly visit lives close to that area. She is usually very funny, but we went to visit her late one night and as we approached she had a look of complete fear. When she saw it was us she calmed down. She later told us that around that same time every night two ghosts visit here. I think we scared her because I'm so pale I must look like a ghost. That it for my spooky stories.
I'm going to miss that delicious American food. First thing when I get home I want to go to Chili's and eat salsa and hamburgers (because there is literally no hamburgers in Kiribati). I hope the dinners are delicious for all of you. I will eat
some fish.
Love all of you,
Elder Scott Johnson
Scott's Mission Plaque in his home ward in Spanish Fork, Utah
November 16, 2014
Mauri,
Sorry for not emailing the mass email for a while. The internet went down on the island. The past 3-4 weeks have had been crazy. I've had highs and I've had lows. I baptized a girl named Tekeena and I saw a miracle through a priesthood blessing.
We commanded a lady with a neck problem to be healed and she was better the second after the blessing. I've also seen lows. One of the people I helped baptize has fallen away. He was so strong. It hasn't even been 2 month and he refuses to come to church. Another thing is that the Catholic father is being ordained this week so some people are acting like we are at war; fighting with those who take lessons with us. But God is still with us. I know that because even in this hard time people are still asking for lessons.
We commanded a lady with a neck problem to be healed and she was better the second after the blessing. I've also seen lows. One of the people I helped baptize has fallen away. He was so strong. It hasn't even been 2 month and he refuses to come to church. Another thing is that the Catholic father is being ordained this week so some people are acting like we are at war; fighting with those who take lessons with us. But God is still with us. I know that because even in this hard time people are still asking for lessons.
One of the favorite verses I have found is Alma 29:9.
(I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.)
It talks about how Alma glories in the commandment of God because he gets to be a tool for good in the hands of God. I feel that same way about my call. I love all of you and wish you a great week.
Sorry for how short this email is.
Love you all,
Elder Scott G. Johnson
November 9, 2014
(This is the email I got this week from our Elder Johnson. I thought you might enjoy reading what he would like for Christmas. Things most of us find easily accessible are a rare treasure to this young man. All of our Missionaries are giving up some things they love to, in some small way, express their gratitude to The Lord for the blessings in their lives. This Thanksgiving time is truly a time to thank our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ for all we have, even Spam, Cheetos and Oreos.)
Note: If you want to send Scott something for Christmas, use the address Tarawa, Kiribati address. The cost for mailing from the Mission Home in the Marshall Islands is very expensive.
Elder Scott G Johnson
Moroni High School
PO Box 278
PO Box 278
Bikenibeu, Tarawa
Republic of Kiribati
(Central Pacific)
Republic of Kiribati
(Central Pacific)
If you look at the local weather for Aranuka, you can see that there is a reason the islands in Kiribati are called Tropical; it rains most of the time while temperatures remain high.
Photo found on the imternet
November 3, 2014
Mom and Dad,
I want to email you both to let you know I'm not Died (or hurt in
anyway). A storm knocked out the cell tower so they had to fly People from Tarawa to fix it. Internet may be to slow to send a mass email so if I don't get one off please forward this. I love both of you and hope everything is going well.
-Elder Scott Johnson
