Writings from West Virginia: Exchange Miracles and Family History Booths!

Hello one and all, family and friends!

This week has been a lot of fun! I don't have a lot of time, so let's jump into it!

Tuesday we had a district meeting, taught by our district leader Elder Kelly (whom I've known for some years now). It was a really spiritually powerful meeting about how we don't need to get stressed or overwork ourselves to put out good numbers. Our district has been #rockingit the past few weeks. We've really been doing fantastic, but Elder Kelly was concerned that if our huge jump dips a little bit, we're going to get discouraged, have no faith, etc, etc and make that dip even bigger. Luckily it seems that the areas have really stepped their game up and realized it's not about the numbers, but the people that we teach. We've really started to see great success because of that attitude.

I had the opportunity also on Tuesday to go on exchanges with Elder Malin down in the Lynchburg/Amherst area! He is getting trained by Elder Vai, who is one of our district leaders, and he is just FANTASTIC. I really was impressed with him. For only being out 2 months (which in reality is quite a while) he was able to take stewardship and leadership of the area and show me the ropes. I learned a lot about humility and obedience from just watching his example. What a blessing! We were able to find them a new investigator, a girl named D. We went and knocked on the door (she had expressed interest before) and she answered! We talked outside for a little while, taught her the Restoration, and committed her to read the Book of Mormon. Woo! They set up an appointment for Monday (today) so they could bring a male and have a longer lesson. She's pretty awesome!

On Wednesday, after exchanging back, Elder Brenchley and I went and did some service with one of our Ward Missionary friends, Brother F.! We went to a nice lady's house (J.) who E. and his wife have been helping and fellowshipping for a couple months now. After mowing her lawn, we sat down and had a great Restoration lesson with her! She committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it! She didn't fully understand the importance of baptism, but we did invite her to be baptized when she found out the message was true! We'll get there, just a slower mover. That was a great blessing to be able to talk with, get to know, and teach her!

Friday was WAY fun! We met the Assistants at a restaurant called JJ's (best BBQ you'll ever have. Pulled pork eat your heart out!) and Elder William's and I headed up to Charleston for exchanges! That was so much fun. I really look up to Elder William's a lot. He was Elder Brenchley's MTC companion, so that's a lot of fun! I got to hear on both ends all the funny stories from the MTC. At one point on our exchange, we went to contact a media referral who requested a Book of Mormon. She was eh on the interest level, so we were like alrighty, here's your Book of Mormon and we'll stop by sometime later. We knocked a few doors around her house and eventually tracted into this lady, S., who is SO PREPARED. It was awesome. She has had missionaries stop by before, and she told us she read their "little blue book" (The Book of Mormon!) and really liked it. She invited us back and invited herself to church! It was sweet.

Saturday was a really great day as well. Elder Williams and I came back down to BV just before noon. Elder Brenchley and I had been setting up and getting ready for a festival called Mountain Days before I left for this exchange, and what a success it was! We had the chance to set up a booth in the street where TONS of people walked by. We also had a "Who Wants to be a Millionaire - Mormon Edition" set up on the other side of the booth. Its a trivia like game meant to get people interested in the various topic that we teach about, Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Temples, Eternal families, etc. It was a BLAST! We actually were able to teach a new investigator, A., while we were doing the game with her about temples, and we set up a return appointment were we can come talk about temples some more with her! #miracles.

Saturday was also great because we got to spend a lot of it with President Salisbury, our Mission President, who is one of the most amazing men I know. We had interviews that morning right after I returned from Charleston, and we also were able to attend the Priesthood Leadership Session of Stake Conference with him, as we were invited by him and President Jones (our Stake President). That was great!

Sunday was Stake Conference! B. CAME!! WOO HOOOOOOO!! D. was ill that day, but it was a HUGE milestone for B. to come without D. Usually you'll only get them there if you get both of them, but she came, and LOVED IT! I'm so thankful for all the awesome talks that were given. One on the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ was just A+ material. So great. President Salisbury also spoke on how we have all been given various talents to serve the Lord and preach the gospel. He encouraged us all, but especially the youth, to ponder for 30 seconds about how they can use their talents to spread the message of the Restoration and the Atonement. What a great day.

We were also able to pick up two new investigators, J. and K. , on Sunday. We had met them before, but were finally able to teach them on their porch! They were VERY interested to learn about eternal families and temples, and we were happy to oblige.

That was my week! Thank you all for reading this! I love you all! Talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson