Elder Halvorsen goes home!

Well hello everybody...

 

Yet another week has gone by. Its rather crazy to think of. Elder Halvorsen, with whom it feels I have just begun to serve, heads home today. His 1 month mini-mission comes to a close and he heads home for Utah at 3:30 today. This actually causes some interesting changes here for me because the next transfer cycle doesn't happen for another two weeks. I am going to be combined with Newark 'The Oranges' for the next two weeks and as a trio we are going to work the two areas. It is a big change since it means I have to move, but it will be good.  Elder Smurthwaite and Elder Ruano are awesome missionaries and I'm super excited to have the chance to serve/learn from them.

 

Kinda an interesting little tid bit of the craziness of Newark...on Tuesday we were trying to get home from our interviews with the president and we hit major traffic. Like out of this world (5 miles in 2 hours). It was less than fun, especially considering that our CD player in the car didn't work so we didn't even have good ole Mormon Tabernacle Choir to numb the mind. It was literally crazy. We ended up finding out later that it was because somebody was murdered on the 21 (the highway we were trying to take)... Kinda crazy to think something like that happened so close to where we live. The world truly is a crazy place these days.

 

On a lighter note... the Portuguese elders were over in our apartment for a little bit helping me out with a little favor and they saw a picture of the family. They commented on it and whatnot... then the one from brazil, Elder Calderoni (he's way aweome...he came out the same time I did) said, "Your sister... She is nice" ...it was super funny. Just cuz it was in his voice and accent and everything. So I say to Emma...you should write Elder Calderoni lol. He's super cool...but coolest part, he's from Brazil! Brazilians are super cool lol. ...I ended up actually asking them how old they thought my sister was and they collaborated (all three of em) and came up with 19. Needless to say they were pretty surprised when I said she was 14 in that picture. But yes, Emma has a brazilian who thinks she's "nice" lol. And brazilians are known for being "nice" as well lol. ...anyways, just a random fun story.

 

As for the work, we have been doing a ton of finding this last week. Like running ourselves ragged it seems. But, its been good. We have some amazing potentials lined up with appointments. One woman, Veronica, was probably the coolest experience. She literally lit up when we said that there was a prophet on the earth today to lead and guide us. She had expressed how she had studied a lot of other things but all of them seem to contradict themselves and in some cases just dont make sense (she cited Catholicism and Jehovah's witnesses) and just didn't know where to turn. It was exhilarating to be able to look her in the eyes and tell her that the church that Christ himself established had been restored to the earth. We ended up teaching a lesson right there on the front porch. I am very excited to meet with her again and begin teaching that whole family.

 

Well that basically does it for a quick update on how I'm doing.... I always feel like there are so many things I want to mention, but when I get to the computer its like I can't remember my whole week lol. Hope you are all having a great summer!

Elder Johnson