Looking In From The Outside

As I wrote last week.. I am in a new area. The name of the area is Telecom 2. Sooooo stoked to be here.

Monday and Tuesday were really filled days. On Monday we did the usual emailing, going to the market, and cleaning.  Tuesday morning I got up early to hand wash most of my stuff. Then all the people in the Takoradi Zone came together for one big zone meeting.  Half of the zone was being transferred out!!!  Those leaving got the opportunity to bear their testimony at the end. The zone was great and I have a strange feeling that I will be back before the end of my mission.  After we went around Takoradi to get some things - one thing of mine being a cutlass. So, I have a big ol sword I will bring home to cut some people's grass!  You are welcome in advance!  On Tuesday night my companion and I went to a member's house to eat a lot of food.  Soon after the 4 missionaries in Sekondi ward got together with the Ward Council for a goodbye and some pictures.  After 2 big meals the missionaries were then invited over for a big bowl of fufu.  Afterwards I could not really walk.  Once home the packing commenced and we were up late getting everything in order before our departure on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday morning we went to the station and said our goodbyes.  It was sad for me to leave Elder Bay and Elder Zohner, but we will be good friends the rest of our lives.  At about 3 o'clock I and 6 other missionaries arrived at the Zone Leader's apartment in Assin Foso.  I was greeted by my awesome new companion, Elder Swartbooi.  The guy is a "boss" and we have had a lot of fun so far. He is from Namibia.  It is in South Africa.  He was a well known rapper back home!  My new apartment is HUUGGGEE and really nice.  In the apartment is my companion and I, Elder Brooks from my MTC group, Elder Kenyah, Elder Lumalo from Samoa, and Elder Lopez who is fresh from America.

The great thing about my new area is I do not have to walk 30 minutes to get to it.  It is a 30 second walk from the door to our gate!  Still a big area and a lot of walking though. Unlike my last area speaking, Fante now it is changed to Twi!  The people here do not think I can speak with them, but it is a surprise to them when I can.  Haha.  It is more in the middle of nowhere and I like it like that. Plenty of investigators and others to teach, so the past few days have been 6 or 7 lessons in a day. By the end of the day I am dead.

Saturday we attended a wedding.  We went for the free food!  Yesterday in church we were asked to teach the Primary kids, "Away in a Manger."  That was a lot of fun because the kids or the chorister could not hold the tune, but it's okay since they are cute kids.

Thought for the week: Yesterday my companion and I escorted a nice recent convert lady of ours to find her daughter.  The daughter has been going to the club to dance with guys and other things. As Elder Swartbooi and I saw the place from the side of the road with the loud music and really terrible inappropriate dancing, I was looking into the world while I was on the outside.  As my companion and I talked as we walked home, we agreed on how bad the world is getting.  What we saw was far from okay.  Satan is making things that are bad look good.  He does it ever so subtly for us that we may never notice. We are at the top of the hill and Satan will not make us come all the way down the hill to meet him.  He will come most of the way up and have us come down, and have us do whatever so we feel safe.  We never are or will be safe falling into the world.

Elder Johnson

We Either Follow Them Or We Do Not

Hello!!!

As the subject of the email states, I am being transferred to Assin Fosu in the area Telecom. I will be serving with Elder Swatboy (Wrong spelling). He is an African and is the district leader. The apartment is a 6 man apartment instead of the 4 man I am in now. Plus they speak Twi and not Fante like I am now. So I'll need to learn a different language and I hope I can be really good in Twi.

This week was pretty long just because transfer news was coming on Saturday night and we were all excited and sad it was coming. And because our district is sooo awesome we planned to get together on Saturday night for food and Sunday night as well. To add to the longness of the week, our area is dead.  Our investigator Lizzy got a job so we could not meet with her anymore except for on Sunday's.The others we met with did not want to meet with us or were not around. So there were some days with no lessons and just walking around talking to people.

 I will miss this district

On Saturday I went on an exchange with Elder Hounkpe our District Leader. Him and I have gotten very close the past 8 weeks and I am sad that I will not be able to serve with him anymore. He has helped me grow and learn new important lessons in life and for my mission. While with him we taught our investigator Mary. Just followed up with her about her reading in the Book of Mormon, which is something very important that needs to be done. The thing in my area and maybe in Ghana is " I do not have time or I was not feeling well". We kindly explained to her that it needs to be made important to her. If something is important to you, you make time for it. For example, if watching football is important to you, you will make time for it.

Elder Bakula put a mattress on the table.. I asked why his response was, "I want to be closer to heaven." Hahaha. The guy is sooo funny

After Mary we treked over to Palmlands to visit the Valentina family and share a message with them. They currently have a house guest, he is from Nigeria, and returned home from the Accra mission in July. He has given me so much help and advice. I will be staying in contact with him! When we all arrived at the apartment Saturday night, we got out ice cream (fan ice), bread, and Hersheys spread to get nice and fat. We awaited the call for transfers. They went trough the other districts then ours. Side note... no one thought they would be transferred, so this was a shock to us all. "The Sekondi 1 and 2 Elders will be going and Sisters will be coming into Sekondi 1 and 2...."  We all freaked out. My companion, Elder Chinedu will be going back to the same apartment in Cape Coast and serving in a different area. Elder Bakula and Hounkpe will be going to open a new area in Assin Fosu. It was a sad night. I have grown to love each of these missionaries. We have had many laughs together and memories that I will forever hold dear to me. We are needed in other areas and I am happy to serve wherever the Lord calls me.

Elder Pohahau and I at church

Thought of the week: I shared this with the ward on Sunday... we have been given commandments from God to follow. They have been given for a reason and not just for reading material. We either follow them or we do not. I urge everyone to keep them.  They are a list of happiness not a list of rules. As we become more converted to the Gospel they will become easier to follow. Do the things God has asked and prophets from the different generations. As it says in Amos 3:7, God reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.

Elder Johnson

Great Results In Due Season

Hello friends and Family!

I hope your Thanksgiving meals were fantastic and also no one got hurt Black Friday shopping. Now it is almost Christmas... that is weird.

This past week went by pretty fast which just makes me sad now! Things happened this week I promise, but I can not remember much :P 

A continuation of my cooking. French toast this morning with eggs and rice porridge

Missionary work is the most difficult thing ever but also the most enjoyable thing ever!! The days are getting hotter and hotter which is not good at all which does not make thing's any easier.

When I first came, the power did not go out so much as it does now. Here it is called Doomso. The electrical company will turn off the power in different parts of the region. When it happens, no fan, no water, and no lights. As of the last couple weeks there will be a day when power is off all night (really hot with no fan so usually I sleep without a blanket) followed by a day of all power then the next day lights will be off in the morning. After some issues, we are finally prepared for lights to go off! There have been a few mornings that I did not iron my shirt at night so I used our old iron with the fire from the stove to iron my shirt. If you are not careful the shirt will not look so nice :)

Cologne models - I still like to smell good!

The few investigators we have are doing very well. One of them, Lizzy, has been coming to church the last few weeks.  Yesterday she brought her friend to church. Her name is Anneta. We met with her after church and taught her why in our church we do not use drums and a band. It is an issue here with people we teach... they like their loud music among other things at church. She asked us why, so that is why we taught her. Also, from our street contacting on Friday we found 2 young men to teach. They are pretty cool. I really like to teach the youth here because they are the future to build up the church here in Ghana!! On Saturday we got a call from who we call "Mystery lady" and she liked the Restoration pamphlet we gave so she gave us a call. Neither Elder Chinedu or I remembered who she was. We had the opportunity to teach her after church as well!

My good friend "Colorado", Elder Jarvies. We found it funny about the cokes. Share a cook with Fafa!

Other than that, just good old missionary work! I am finishing my #3 transfer as of Monday. We find out if anyone is leaving on Saturday night. So we will see if I am leaving my first area in 5 days!

Thought: While washing my clothes in the good ol bucket on Thursday night, I listened to an awesome devotional given by John Bytheway. It was about weeding our gardens (our testimony). The talk was a reminder to me that we can have beautiful gardens (testimony) but weeds can come out anywhere at anytime. Weeding a garden and growing plants is a constant labor but brings great results in a due season. Let us all weed our gardens and labor in it everyday. By that... scripture study and prayer. Two of the most basic things that can bring great results!

Count Your Blessings!

Happy Monday all!

Thanksgiving is this week and I am really happy that I kind of get to celebrate it here in Ghana for two years!  Sadly, I do not get to have turkey and other foods, which is okay since bonku and kenkay are better!

Go Big - pain!

Stuffed and in a food coma - Atlantic Hotel

Elders Zohner and Bay - Atlantic Hotel

Cooking skills - Ghana style

This week went by scary fast. It was a busy week which is always a good thing. On Tuesday we had interviews with President Stevenson. And had a district meeting that was instructed by the Assistants and Sister Stevenson. It took a good portion of the day, so we only had one lesson on Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to go on an exchange with Elder Bakula in his area. Wednesday it was really, really, really hot. Thankfully Elder Bakula's and Hounkpe's area is around our apartment and not a good walk away like my area.  Elder Bakula is a great guy and has been out now for about 6 weeks!  We only taught a couple lessons through the day, but did a lot of street contacting.  When we first went out I asked him to count the pamphlets that he had combined with the ones that I had.  In total we had 25 pamphlets. I told him that before we go home that night we will hand out each of the pamphlets, which we accomplished!!!  For the last hour of the day we stood in front of the church and stopped people and talked to them.  One lady that we talked to, Lizzy, got off of the trotro right in front of us. Elder Bakula went and talked to her and I joined in.  After she left he told me that was the lady he sat next to on the trotro on Monday going to Takoradi. He felt prompted to talk to her, but did not. On Tuesday they saw her again in front of a church, but did not talk to her again. Then Wednesday she came right to us. Really was a testimony builder to me of how we are put in the paths of people or vice versa for a reason!  Then after that, goofy old me just gave a couple pamphlets to the trotro (taxi but a van) mates (collects money and opens the door) when they stopped to drop people off. Fastest 10 second explanation of the gospel ever.

Elder Chinedu and Johnson - Atlantic Hotel

Thursday was a downer day :(  We had 0 lessons happen. They all canceled on us. We had some good time for finding new investigators.

The area is doing very well now and we are happy that it is doing well! On Sunday we had 4 investigators come to church ( Does not happen much). The work is going well :) We find out the transfer news on December 5th and I hope not to be transferred yet, but if I am... village. I want to go to the villages soooo bad.

Elder Hughes and the "other" Elder Johnson

Thought of the week: Since Thanksgiving is close, I have thought a lot about what I am thankful for. Sometimes life is tough but there is always things that go unnoticed that are good things. I hope all of us focus on the good things in our lives and what God has provided for us. Count your blessings!!!!!

-- Elder Johnson

Have A Bright Enough Light

Hellooooooooo!

Alright, this past week was pretty awesome, which I am really happy about of course!!

On Tuesday we had our usual district meeting at the church building. Elder Pohahau and Elder Jarvies gave the instruction. After district meeting we usually go to our chop bar, Quagis, but instead we went to Mama Grace's house. It was Elder Pohahau's birthday so she prepared a whole bunch of bonku for us! After eating, all of us just wanted to go sleep. Soooooo much food, but of course it was time to go out and teach. The 40 minute walk to Essikado was the longest walk of my life, but it was well worth it because the food was really good.

Bottled coconut water - whatever! Directly from the coconut!

We did not have as many appointments as we have in the past because people just did not have time for us this week. It made the days longer than normal but at the end of the day you look back and it had gone faster than you realize. Elder Chinedu and I have noticed things we need to improve on like, member present lessons and lessons with recent converts. So, there is a lot of hard work ahead of us to meet the goals we made for the coming week(s).


This past Saturday we had a baptism!!!!  His name is Emmanuel Cudjo and he is 18 years old. He was a referral from his friend... Emmanuel. Teaching was fun because you would say, "Emmanuel" and they both looked. He has been and investigator since June but had to stop until September because he moved away until school started again.  It was also my first time baptizing anyone. I was not planning on baptizing, but Emmanuel, who was going to baptize his friend, was to nervous to do it. So he asked me to do it. And I did not bring extra clothes with me sooooo it was an uncomfortable walk home. I am really happy for the opportunity that was given to me. Plus I got some packages in the afternoon soo Saturday was a very good day.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel Cudjo, Elder Chinedu & Elder Johnson

To put a cherry on top of the week.. they finally re-broadcasted conference! They showed Saturday afternoon session and Sunday morning. What my brother said last year for his first General Conference is sooooo true.. I was on the edge of my seat, taking notes like crazy, and felt the spirit so strong!!!  My eyes were teary during the whole thing. What I wish we could do is stand up, throw an arm up and say, "YES SO TRUE!"  Conference pumped me up.  I know that those men have been called to where they have been. And that we do have a true prophet here on the earth. Side-note: Jeffery R. Holland's talk about mothers made Elder Bay, Zohner, Jarvies and I sit there and cry (happy tears). We miss our mothers. haha.

The sense of humor remains

This morning we did some deep cleaning of apartment.  It is really clean. My cleaning skills that I obtained from home, Sonic, and Chickfila really helped :P

The apartment shoe collection

Thought for the week: As you know I have kind of struggled so far. Just with missing home and such, but I really love a talk that was given in conference. I forgot his name, but he talked about a bike ride him and his family did going into a dark tunnel on a bike with insufficient lights. It really got me thinking. In life there are plenty of dark tunnels that we go through. What makes it easier is when we are prepared!!!!  Having a bright enough light (scripture study and prayer) we will get through the tunnel.  Stronger and with a stronger testimony, but if we go in without being prepared, we will have a hard time.  Let us all keep our testimonies of the gospel "fresh" as Henry B. Eyring put it. The devil is real. He really is attacking us in small ways that we may not even see. Rely on the Lord and you can do all things!

Elder Johnson

Rely On The Lord

Hello all!

This letter will be somehow shorter than usual. I do not have much to say and not a lot of energy to write a lot :P

Tamin the fake snake!

The week was fairly good with some rough patches. But to help with those bad moments we did have a couple really good lessons. One was with Thomas Lawson, the 73 year old man. He has been Roman Catholic for a good chunk of his life. Thomas has been coming to church the past few weeks and we are really happy about that, but we had some things that needed to be taught to him.  One, the word of wisdom. We taught that to him soon after we started to teach him. But as we were goin to his house this past week, I turned the corner about 200 feet from his house and just smelt a massive amount of smoke. Thomas was not outside smoking so i was confused. Once we started the lesson I followed up with him about it. He told us he smoked a couple hours ago. Next thin was all the crosses in his house and different things that Roman Catholics do. When the lesson went in further he told us he still goes to mass every morning. Elder Chinedu told him if you have fufu and bonku would you choose one or both? He said only one of course. We went about the crosses further and what helped is Elder Chinedu attended Roman Catholic school. Elder Chinedu was very direct with him. It had my heart racing.

Elder Chinedu - wisdom tooth removal

Second, our lesson with Mary that took place on the same day. We did not have a appointment with her but we stopped by to ask if she can hold the sugar cane another investigator ave to us. When we talked with her she told us that while she was in school the idea came to her to be baptized. But she is not entirely sure because of what her friends will think. After some minutes Mary said forget what I said. We went in and sat down with her. Lettin her know more the importance of being baptized and when you get a promptin you need to follow it. Most importantly do not fear your friends but fear God. (not fear God in a bad way of course). She started to cry... 

I am startin to realize more fully that a mission is more difficult than I have thought. Many times this past week I have doubted that I can do this. But I will not go home until July of 2017. These things are really teachin me to rely on the Lord. Without Him this can not be done. So prayer and humility is really important. While Joseph Smith was in liberty jail he was praying. I do not have the scripture with me (D&C 122:7 or section 121) but in summary it says all these things will be for a good experience. So if you are ever going through some rough times just pray. Heavenly father IS your father in heaven. And like your parents on earth he wants to hear from you. And in turn you also need to hear from Him.

"Onward and upward"



Elder Johnson

You Are In Africa And You Eat EVERYTHING!

What a fun filled week!!!! It did not go by fast but we worked hard and enjoyed.

As you know,  return missionaries have some cool stories about food they had to eat.  And after 3 months I have some!  First, for one meal we had, it included cow SKIN.  Not the meat - the skin. Elder Chinedu said it is the best part of cow.  I do not fully agree.  The texture is not very good.  It is really chewy.  Second, a investigator prepared some food for us on Thursday night before PEC.  She served us Bonku, which I really like.  It is usually served with some type of meat like fufu has, but this one had the small crabs.  I was really confused how to eat it, but my companion said just eat the whole thing - the shell, legs, and meat.  As you may imagine, it was really crunchy and good.  So, no one take me to Red lobster, you may be grossed out.  Third, the bone of the chicken.  After you finish the chicken meat, some people eat the bone.  So, I was adventurous and ate it.  Soooooo, add KFC or Buffalo Wild Wings to the list of places that you should not take me.  The last - shrimp.  Elder Chinedu and I bought Kenkay for dinner a couple nights.  Instead of getting fish I got shrimp.  We sat down to eat at home and I started to break open the body to get the meat, and Elder Chinedu said, "NO you're in Africa and you eat everything."  So, I ate the whole thing.  The legs were not so good haha.   This all happened in a week, yeess!

Elder Chinedu and Elder Johnson - Companionship study time.

Ever since Elder Hanson left, the area feels like it is not as busy.  So, we have spent a great amount of time finding new investigators.  It has brought us a good amount of progress.  The issue that we have is getting people to church.  In P.E.C on Thursday night I brought up the issue to see if they had any ideas.  The secretary, Brother Solo, who I love, compared getting investigators to church to talking to girls.  It was realllyyy funny.  After the meeting I let him know talking to girls and getting a date is way easier than getting investigators to church.  I have spent a great amount of time being discouraged because I feel like I am failing the area.  No one is coming to church, appointments fall through, but in the end, I know we are doing what we can.

Elders Zohner, Johnson and Bay - Cruising in a taxi

The weather is getting hotter than before, which makes the days exhausting and hard to keep going. My goal is to be that missionary on the plane that look's worn out.  I can not get that way sitting around.  The work must go on!

Elder Chinedu is awesome! The way he teaches is great.  He takes things around us and compares it to what we are teaching.  I have noticed it work's out really well.

Elder Johnson and Elder Chinedu

By the way.. cockroaches are gross.  I have had many run across my desk and show up out of nowhere in the bathroom.  One night there was even a gecko.  It scared me!  At nights, Elder Hounkpe is helping me with my Twi.  We have been reading over the Book of Mormon to help me read and at the same time learn some words.  I am really praying that I will be transferred into the village for 9 months to learn the language more, but for now we have to get our area with plenty of people to teach!

Now, time to start another week :)

Elder Johnson