Elder Johnson's e-mail dated March 28, 2011 - Questions and Answers

Hi Mom,

Thanks for the e-mail.

Can you buy me Religous Truths Defined by Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. off of Amazon and send it to me, ASAP?

What service projects? where?

Monday - P-day: e-mails, shopping, laundry

Tuesday - District Meeting

Wednesday - Food Pantry

Thursday - Musk-Ox Farm

Friday - Weekly Planning Session

Saturday - Various, hopefully lessons or tracting

Sunday - Church

Are you and Elder Bird doing these service projects together?

Of course, we have to stay within sight and sound of one another at all times. So, if I'm working on the computer at the Musk-Ox Farm, Elder Bird's chopping wood just outside the office--where I can hear and see him.

Are there other missionaries there?

Yes, most often times there are other missionaries--mainly from our district.

When you go on splits, who are the other missionaries that you trade off with or do you do splits with members?

Splits are with other members, and we only do splits on Wednesday evenings. Priest-age young men or priesthood holders take us out, and we have to companionships working the area at once. Exchanges are with other missionaries, and we only usually do it once a transfer, where our district leader will go on exchanges with the senior companion--a way to check up and oversee how things are going. Elder Luke was District Leader my first two transfers, so I went on exchanges four times a transfer (one for each companionship in our district), but now we don't do that.

What are their names?

I went on exchanges with Elder Flynn this past transfer. Elder Flynn, from Arkansas, I think.

Who are those other missionaries? 

Every missionary in our district or zone will usually play basketball at the stake center. Other missionaries include: Elders Flynn, Williams, Christenson, Benage, Woratyla, Anderson, Goodwin, Rarig, amongst others. 

What do you feel about them? 

Most of them are a bunch of goobers. But some of them like to work hard--and are here for the right reasons--and some of them don't and are not.

Anything funny ever happen when you are around those guys?

Sure. Just the random you-had-to-be-there-to-think-it's-funny kind of funny.

Are you prepared for a transfer? 

I need to stay one more, and we'll have six baptisms here in Colony.

Transfers are next week, right?

Wrong. Transfers are the week after next--April 11.

Where in Alaska would you like to be transferred to eventually?

I don't care. But I'd prefer somewhere in a city, like Fairbanks or Juneau or Anchorage. Missionaires in the bush don't teach much. Honestly, I don't care where I go. I like reading, teaching, and talking to people. When you're on your mission, all that other stuff doesn't matter because you don't get to take advantage of it. I don't care about fishing or anything outdoors. I just want a heavily populated area where I can talk to as many people as possible.

What was your most recent spiritual experience. 

Blessed a sick, non-member with the Stake Patriarch.

Are you writing these down in a journal?

No. I'm too busy reading and recording. But I have detailed records of everyone that we're teaching, so that's journal-like.

Love,

Elder Johnson