Transfer #3

This has been a pretty awesome week. Elder Rudolph and I had Thanksgiving with a family in Yermo and then later on had pie with the West Elders at another familiy's home. Elder Rudolph and I knocked a few doors and I guess the spirit of Thanksgiving was alive because everyone was really nice to us and wanted us to come back. There was even a house where we knocked on the screen door and a man just yelled, "come in!" There was a family we talked to that was from Egypt and didn't speak super good English, but they invited us to come talk to them this week.

Manny was just baptized this weekend. The West Elders have been teaching him and he is quite the character. He used to be leader of a huge gang and decided to turn his life around. He plays upright bass in a rockabilly/psychobilly band and is leaving to go on tour.

We had a pretty spiritual day at church on Sunday. Elder Rudolph and I were asked to speak along with Emily from the ward who is leaving on her mission to Boston in a couple weeks. That was Elder Rudolph's last Sunday, so I'm sad to say I had to say goodbye to him yesterday. He has been a pretty awesome trainer and I know he's going to go on to do great things. Elder Cannon is also leaving Barstow to go start a Spanish area in Chino. 

We just got back from transfer meeting and Elder Coburn and I picked up our new companions! My companion is Elder Coombs. He's a great guy! He's from Colorado and used to run Cross Country. Elder Coburn's new companion, Elder Babcock is also really cool! He's from Salt Lake and, just like me, was the drummer in a band before he came out!

Life is good. I think this is going to be a pretty awesome transfer. "I believe in the good things coming" -Nahko Bear

Stay positive and love your life!

-Elder Johnson

Barstow Elders

I-15 Barstow

Elder Rudolph's last week on mission..he is heading home

Burning a shirt....

Baptisms!

This has been a pretty awesome week! On Saturday we baptized Daniel, Kayla, and Christian, who are some siblings we have been teaching the past couple months. They have been really fun family because they love having us over and really enjoy learning about the Gospel. When we were planning the baptisms and confirmations we let them decide who was going to do them. The final decision was for Elder Rudolph to baptize Christian and Daniel, Elder Infanger to baptize Kayla, and for all three confirmations to be done by me. The baptism went really well. We had a Samoan family from the ward play an island musical number with a ukulele, which was really awesome. Then on Sunday I gave my first three confirmations. I'm constantly learning everyday out here. Today Elder Canon was brave enough to let me cut his hair and it doesn't look too bad. 

"don't waste your hate, rather gather and create. Be of service. Be a sensible  person. Use your words and don't be nervous. You can do it, you've got purpose. Find your medicine and use it." -Nahko Bear

Haircut

Zone conference

Jacket weather

Baptism

Good Week in Barstow!

This has been a pretty good week! Our investigator Colin was baptized on Saturday! He has a pretty neat story. A little bit before I came out to Barstow he had a stroke, which is pretty crazy because he's only 21. His wife was a less active member of the church and they had the missionaries come over to give him a blessing. After that experience he decided he needed to get closer to God. A few days later he had prayed to know what he should do. Shortly after that Elder Rudolph and Elder Infanger knocked on his door to check up on him and he decided he wanted to start taking the lessons. We've been teaching him since I arrived at Barstow and it's been so great to see him grow.

We've had some other good things happening this week. Two of our new investigators families came to church and it turns out that a couple of the daughters were already good friends! Kinda cool.

Well friends, stay positive and love your life! 

Elder Johnson

Baptism

Viva November!

Pretty great week here in good ol' Barstow! We found quite a few new investigators. About a month ago we were helping these guys from Vegas change their tire. They just started at Barstow Community College and told us to come by sometime. We were able to make this week and had a pretty awesome lesson. They all have such strong spirits. 

Another night we took a wrong turn while driving and saw some teenagers standing by a streetlight. We passed them, turned a corner, and decided we should talk to them. So we walked over and and started talking to them. They were like, "where did you guys even come from?" Because we kinda just appeared out of the shadows to them haha. A couple of them thought we were like angels. We shared some of our message with them and they all happily wanted us to come teach them! 

We had a pretty groovy trunk or treat party on Halloween. Today our zone went and hiked Rainbow Basin. That was pretty groovy as well. 

Stay positive and love your life!

-Elder Johnson

Rainbow Basin hike