Hello hello everyone!

It is a great day to be alive! The work is hastening!  So, Elder Davis and I were able to go golfing last Monday! A course called StoneCrest. I snagged some good pictures on Elder Davis' camera, so those should be included wherever pictures are kept on my blog. It was a beautiful day, and apparently the last sunny, warmish day of the year, because it has been raining for the past week now. 

Unfortunately I was stuck inside from Tuesday night to Friday because I had a nasty sore throat and a horrible cough, so that was no fun at all! Elder Davis and I read a lot of scriptures. At least something good came about because of it, right? Got to study for a while. I thought that while I was working I just wanted to be able to study for a day. Now that I got that day (3 of them) I just really really wanted to work! It's great to be outside again doing something productive. The cold air also gives a little umph to your day. Wakes you up!

We were able to see an investigator named JS yesterday. He's someone we tracted into, and he's actually interested! I think I talked about him a little bit last week. Unfortunately, he hadn't read out of the Book of Mormon yet, and that was a little disappointing, but we are seeing his whole family next week, and will be talking to them all! Teaching families as a whole is always better. That's the higher law! 

Sorry this is so short, hopefully I won't get sick this week and will be able to report on some more things next Monday. I love you all! Thanks for your continued support. Shout out to Brother Garner and Brother Dedrickson (from my ward at home) who served in the WVCM! 

Photos

My mom isn't happy with this haircut. :)

Elder Davis at Stone Crest

Elder Davis at Stone Crest

Sunset on the golf course 

The sisters made me slippers! They're soft. I love them.
(considering his feet are a size 16 - those sisters deserve a hearty thank you!)

Stone Crest

Stone Crest 2

Stone Crest 3

Stone Crest 4

Hello everyone!

I'm short on time, so this letter might be a little jumbled because I'm not going to read it over before I send it. Bear with me!

We had a pretty fun week! It was a little slow numbers wise, but whatevs. Numbers really don't matter a whole lot. What we did do this week was a TON of finding! Got return appointments up the whazoo! And, get this, 90% of them were all found through tracting! 

I'll tell you guys, if you need any proof The Lord is moving work forward in the mission field, it is found when stuff happens through tracting. Freaking nothing ever happens in tracting! That's just my unfaithfulness showing through. But yeah, President Hinckley said it best. Can't remember the full quote, but he says that there is a better way than knocking on doors. Elder Davis' dad was on his mission in Ireland in the early 80s, right around the time of the Catholic-Protestant war there. He said they (His dad and companion) tracted all day. That was all they did. For two years. That's all they COULD do and freaking nothing happened. 

You know those non members you're friends with? Are they being taught by the missionaries? Have they directly TOLD you that they don't want to be taught by the missionaries? If the answer to those questions are both no, you should send the missionaries to them. A member referral is a heaven-sent blessing. I've currently seen two baptisms on my mission (Well, technically one, but I'm counting Mike as mine. He was baptized 3 days after I left Buckhannon) and BOTH were referrals from members. If you send the missionaries to someone, they will love you forever. Take it from the guy with the name tag on. Also if you feed them (the missionaries). They will love you forever too for that. 

Anyway! On Thursday we had INTERVIEWS WITH PRESIDENT WOOOOOOO! It was great! The whole Zone came down to Paintsville (about half an hour north) and we party'd it up in the Paintsville Chapel with Zone Meeting while people had interviews. My interview was great! That's all you get to know. Personal stuff. :) But President Salisbury is an awesome awesome guy. Such a great man. The Spirit just kind of flows out of him. You can just feel the power. He's a super successful guy too, but super humble about it. Very thankful. He'll totally be a GA someday. Don't tell him I said that. I talked to President at lunch [again] on Thursday (oh yeah, he came to lunch with us!) I said, "You gained 250 children just by stepping off of a plane." and his lips got all thin and he kind of chuckled and nodded.

We had a few lessons this past week! We picked up a new investigator named Rhonda who's pretty cool. The sisters went over there and taught her and her mom, aunts, and kids a lot, but never really got anywhere with them. We're trying a more proactive approach. Hopefully it will work! We want them to be progressing. 

We just found out last night that we have our first progressing investigator (meaning they keep the commitments we give them) in Pikeville woohoo! WS! We are seeing him for an actual lesson on Friday where we will talk about how his prayer is going. He's a really sweet old guy who had heart surgery recently. He's been a cool miner for like 40 years. He's pretty sweet!

We also saw a cool guy we tracted into a few days ago yesterday! JM! He used to be a pretty active religious guy, but in recent years fell out of it and always felt like something was missing. He was super receptive to the Book of Mormon because, "He's always wondered what the difference is" We talked about two witnesses and how the bible and bom are companions. It was a great mini lesson, and we're seeing him and his whole family (wife and two kids) next Sunday. Will return and report then.

That's how the week went! I sure do love all of you! Thanks for your prayers in my behalf. Always remember that you guys can ask me for anything, especially prayers. I'm never too busy to say a prayer for my loved ones. 

Love you all!

Elder Brax Johnson

The Beloved Truck

I told my mom I thought this was an apple. Thoughts?

My knife. Something my mom didn't really need to know about but now does. 

My hillbilly wine glass. Really. That's what it is called.

My hillbilly wine glass and Elder Davis' amazing flag

The most majestic cat I've ever seen. We rolled up to our lesson with J., and he was just chilling
on the rock, being all majestic n' stuff. He was super friendly too. When we got out,
he came trotting over and was all "yo human! Pet. Now!" 

The trailer park we tracted and walk all the time. That's only about 1/3 of it.

A member of The Seventy and a fun P-Day!

Hello hello family! I am back again from eastern Kentucky! It's pretty wild out here! Not kidding, either. We've gone down some pretty freaky roads the past week!

Anyway! This week was a pretty good one! Elder Davis and I are getting more comfortable with the area and with the branch. We are learning where to go and what to do (except for how the sisters before us stayed under 1300 miles a month. Freaking impossible!) and things like that. 

We had some pretty sweet lessons this past week. We taught an investigator that the sisters left for us named W. We talked about having a relationship with God and why and how it can benefit your life. He didn't say a whole lot, but Elder Davis and I both felt that there was some serious pondering going on in that mans head. We're seeing him again this week!

We also taught L&N last night. Out of the blue I felt like we should go see them. Turned out to be awesome! we taught a lesson on prayer. N. got a lot out of it. She told us of her relationship with God and how it's gotten her through the past couple years. It was a powerful lesson, and she was a little emotional. Unfortunately, they are moving to Lexington, but we know that the missionaries will find them eventually and they will join the church. Super solid couple.

Today for Pday we went to Paintsville to have a District Meeting in the morning, and then go on a hike! It was grrreeeeat! District Meeting was really great. Elder Mortensen is a really great teacher. We talked all about being "agents unto ourselves" and introduced ourselves and our families to each other by passing pictures around. It was great. :) The hike was also really really cool! It looked like the Amazon for part of it where we were. There was a little waterfall and a little stream/river thing that we had to walk through... yeah!

The highlight of the week was Thursday, when Elder Dale G Renlund of the Seventy came to Charleston to talk to all the missionaries. That was amazing! Elder and Sister Renlund had just returned from a 6 or so year assignment in the southern half of Africa. We were their first mission tour in the states! How cool is that? He talked about a whole lot of stuff. Too much to put in here. I did take around 4 pages of notes though. Elder Renlund taught, President and Sister Salisbury taught, and Sister Renlund taught! They were all fantastic. Elder Renlund talked about become in tune and knowing that this place is where you need to be, that this is where The Lord sent you. 

He also gave us his "four messages, which were as follows: 1) "On behalf of The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, thank you. 2) You were called by God to be here, and you have the right to plead with The Lord to know it for yourself. 3) President and Sister Salisbury were also called by God for them to be here at this time, and they love you, and 4) The Lord Jesus Christ lives." He was fantastic! I wonder how people can be that awesome and in tune with The Spirit. A lifetime of learning, I suppose. President and Sister Salisbury talked about a whole lot of stuff. A lot of it was centered in Preach My Gospel and becoming Preach My Gospel missionaries. Sister Renlund taught about "Plans, Goals, and Visions" and how you're either moving up or down in the gospel. You are never staying where you're at. You are either gaining knowledge or are losing knowledge. You get to pick! Overall, it was fantastic. 

I hope you all had a good week! I thank you for your prayers in our behalf. Thank you also for all the letters and emails you all send me! I love all of you, and testify that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father do too! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Johnson