Fall is Coming!

Hello wonderful family and friends! I hope you all had a good week this week! It's only been a few days since I last got to email you all, but a bunch has still happened! 

So, it's been rainy for the last like 3 days, and apparently we aren't going to see the sun for another 4 days or something like that. #Ridiculous. Nevertheless! Elder Brenchley and I have been right along, still trying to be creative and do all that we can with this area!

On Thursday we had the chance to teach R. again! We decided for this lesson to really focus on the need for Prophets and their role as divine messengers, and also really incorporate the Prophet Joseph Smith. He seems like he is coming right along, but there is always some hesitant feeling/vibe we get. We aren't really sure what that is. He does have some other concerns that we need to work through that we are hoping to get to and through soon. Keep praying for him! Hopefully he'll have a change of heart soon and see how much of a blessing this could be to him.

On Friday morning we headed down to Amherst to do a District Leader Training with our newest district leader, Elder Vai! He's a cool kid from Montana who has only been out for a few transfers, but he will be a great leader. He is trying to jump right in to his duties as a District Leader, and his district can already feel his great leadership. He's training Elder Malin right now, who is awesome (if you can't tell by the picture we took ;D). They are both fantastic missionaries. We got to introduce him to the ways of district leadering and what all he needs to do.

Later that day we were able to go see B. and D. again! We had planned on teaching the Ten Commandments, Obedience, and the Sabbath Day, but the lesson took a different direction, and we were able to answer a lot of their questions and concerns. They are slowly getting more and more open with everything that they are worried about. They also had a cool experience! Their relative came up from somewhere southeast of here with her 3 kids to visit them. People had told B. and D. that she had been excommunicated for something that she was a victim to, and that was very concerning to them that the church would do that. This awesome sister was able to resolve B. and D.s concerns that in fact she had not been kicked out, but she just didn't attend anymore of her own choice. She commented that she is very defensive of the church, her boys are planning on missions in a few years and are very active, and that she really needs to get back into coming to church. How amazing! Not only was the anti they had heard false, but it also may result in a less-active sister returning to the gospel she once aligned herself with. This Lord is really watching out for all of his children. He knows what each of his children need and knows when they will get it.

Saturday morning we had the awesome opportunity to participate in the Buena Vista Day of Service! The two wards here in BV, the BV and Rockbridge wards, got together and spread around the community to help clean up and make it look pretty! We got to help weed a small park in the middle of town and re-mulch the bush/flower area. It was a lot of fun and we got to talk with our Stake President, J. J. for a while while we weeded. He's an awesome, spiritual, and hilarious man.

Sunday was great! We had an amazing testimony meeting in Sacrament yesterday. Lots of amazing testimonies and the spirit was very strong. We're so blessed to be in a gospel that brings such a feeling into it's meetings. I love this work!

Sorry this is shorter, but I do have to get going. I love you all! Thank you so much for all your support! Have a great week. Make it the best!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

The Long Haul

I had a better title I thought of either last night or this morning, but I forgot it, haha. Should've written it down. Oh well!

Hello friends and family! It's been a while since I sent an email! Transfers are tomorrow, so P-day was moved to today (Wednesday) like it usually is. I hope you weren't too worried. ;D Transfer news: Elder Brenchley and I will be staying in Buena Vista for another transfer! Not a whole lot is changing in the zone. Out of 14 companionships, 4 are changing and we are getting 1 new companionship, bringing our total to 15 companionships (See, I didn't COMPLETELY fail High School math class. I can add)! But anyway, lets jump in to the week's highlights! 

So last Monday (like 100 years ago) we didn't do a whole lot, but we did go see P. again! We also saw her Wednesday and Monday (two days ago) too! I'll just throw all three of those together right now to make it easy. Elder Brenchley and I have decided to let her think about the church for a little while instead of continuing to teach her. 

Thursday! We headed down to Roanoke on Thursday for a Special huge Zone Conference to get the TIWI program installed in our cars. TIWI is a little box that sits on our dashboard/windshield and tells us when we're driving too fast, driving aggressively, not wearing our seatbelt, etc. It's a really good reminder that I actually kind of like. It helps me be the best and safest driver that I can be. While they were being installed though, we had a great meeting with the Buena Vista, Roanoke, and Pembroke missionaries! Quick side note, I got to see the Wytheville missionaries, Elder Vest and Elder Boyd, and talk to them. That was a total tender mercy. Anyway! We had a really good meeting on Teaching Skills (Preach My Gospel Chapter 10) and Awesome missionaries from the scriptures (Alma and Amulek & Ammon and Aaron specifically.) I learned a ton and it was really a great experience.

I turned 20 years old on Friday! I'M OLD! I'm officially no longer a teenager. That is so weird and crazy. I've passed both birthdays on my mission. Incredible. I can't even believe it. Time flies so fast! I am really blessed to be here though. I was very taken care of. That morning, somehow Elder Brenchley set it up that the other 4 missionaries, the YSA and Rockbridge Elders, came into our apartment and woke me up by jumping on the bed singing happy birthday. That was awesome. I love all those elders!

For dinner we got to go to the B.'s home! Brother B. is in the bishopbric, and they are actually housing a foreign exchange student right now! His name is A., he's from Slovakia, and is really cool. We got to chat with him about what Eastern Europe is like and answered some of his questions about the church. They pulled out homemade brownies at the end and sang happy birthday to me. That was super nice and sweet of them. They were also AMAZING brownies.

We also got to see B. and D. on Friday night as well as Monday too! On Friday we got to teach prayer and scripture study and Monday we taught following the prophet and answered their questions. On Friday they brought out a birthday cake and they had a little "Happy Birthday" banner on the walkway to their house. That made me feel awesome, to know that people I've only know for a few short weeks care that much about me. I love those two girls! They are awesome. Hopefully they will be able to make it to church this week (didn't get to come a couple days ago sadly) and they are planning on seeing conference here in a little while, both the Women's Session and the General Sessions. That should be great!

Not a whole lot else has happened since then! Yesterday night we had a busy time getting to all our member appointments! Got to visit with a lot of active members and get to know them better plus leave a little message. (If you haven't seen "Reach Out With Love" by mormonchannel I suggest - HIGHLY suggest you go watch it!)

That's been my week! Thank you all so much for reading! Also thank you to all those who sent birthday wishes. I really appreciate it! I love you all and hope that you have the best week ever! Make it great! I'll talk to you all Monday.

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

A Week's Worth of Work In Four Days!

Hello peoples far and wide! Thanks for tuning in to the latest adventures of Elder Brax Johnson. :P I hope your week has been fantastic and that this letter reaches you well! 

So this week was really interesting, as you can tell by the title! So, Elder Brenchley and I, partly our fault for not scheduling lessons and partly whoevers fault for not being home when we knock on the door, had a really long Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Nothing! Not one lesson taught. Some contact made, but that was really it.

But all was not lost! Thursday started our rise back into the limelight of BV. We started off teaching R. that morning, before our Weekly Planning session, and that was a pretty good lesson! We brought Brother F., a great member who recently got married and had us over for dinner a week or so ago! Brother F. bore a powerful testimony on the Spirit and truthfulness of the work and Book of Mormon. R. seems to slowly, but surely, be understanding and keeping his commitments.

Later that day we saw a new investigator named P., an older woman who is really good friends with a sister in our ward, Sister C. They and Sister C.'s son spend most of their days together having fun and laughing. We had the great chance to teach and testify about the Restoration of the Gospel and how it can help her. We only got through the first half before we were cut short on time.

After that we had to rush back to our apartment where we met the Lexington Elders, Elder Ostler and Elder Hugentobler, who we were exchanging with! We said a quick prayer and then Elder Brenchley and Elder Ostler were off to the next appointment with Betty and Debbie (which I heard went quite well, and they brought home Pineapple and Coconut Cake, which was amazing)!

Elder Hugentobler and I spent the night and the next day having a #party! working super hard. He is being trained right now by Elder Ostler, and he is a phenomenal elder! For only being out 5 weeks, he is acting and working like an experienced missionary. I was really thankful and grateful for the opportunity to go on exchanges with him.

Saturday was also an awesome day! We got to see P., again! This time we taught the second half of the Restoration about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. That lesson was a little rougher, and we're not sure how open and soft her heart is right now, but it was still a great opportunity to be able to teach her.

We also got to see B. and D. that night! We taught the Word of Wisdom, which is a big one for the people out here. Tea and Coffee are HUGE! We taught it, and by the power of the Spirit and miracles, they accepted! They want to be baptized, and are willing to do whatever they need to do to get there! If only their health would let them get to church! :( B. is under house arrest basically until her therapy for her passing-out stuff is over. LAME. We're working through it though.

We had a great Sabbath day on Sunday too. We got to teach R. again that morning with Brother H., an awesome member from Provo who moved out here a while ago. Had an effective ward council meeting and a great church experience, even though no one came! Had a great lesson in Sunday School. Brother W. is an awesome teacher. Learned all about Paul's 1st and 2nd Missions. 

That was my week! Sorry it's a little shorter than usual, I'm running out of time. 

Thank you all for your support and love! I love you all and will talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

I didn't have time to come up with anything funny! I was the one pushing the camera button!

our AMAZING district!

The amazing Elder Hugentobler! #staringmedown :)

Golfing with Elder Brenchley! (my mom loves this style pink polo)

Baptismal Dates and Birthdays, Blessings, and Disappearing Cars!

Hello everyone! I'm running short on time today, so I'm going to rifle this out! Thanks for bearing with me. Didn't know the library would be open today, but by goly it was! :D Tender mercies are awesome, aren't they?

Highlights of the week! Monday was a fun day. We mostly just chilled around the apartment until 6. We went out to start working, and headed over to one of our investigators house, C.! Turns out he wasn't home! Not only that, but we start talking to his neighbor outside, G. He tells us that C. has moved! What the heck! But then G. says, "Well, I'll talk to you!" So we sit down and have an AWESOME lesson with him, which ended with us inviting him to be baptized. Don't forget about him yet, he shows up again in a couple paragraphs.

MLC was on Tuesday! Elder Brenchley and I arose at the fine hour of 3 in the morning to be in Charleston by 9! It was a great meeting though. I love being able to see President and Sister Salisbury and all the other missionaries. I got to see Elder Numbers and Elder Davis! That was awesome. I'm so blessed to have been able to serve with them. I also got to see a lot of my other friends in the mission, which was great. We also ate at this Chinese Restaurant in Pearisburg on our way back, and we got a sweet referral for the Pembroke Elders! That was a cool experience.

Going faster! Running out of time! On Thursday we got a call about the middle of the day saying B. really needed a blessing. Turns out she was passing out and hurting really bad. We gave her a blessing with President B. and they called the ambulance. Pray for her!

Thursday evening we were able to see G. again! We brought Brother B., a ward missionary, with us to our lesson. We had a great lesson with him more about the Book of Mormon and Priesthood and what it exactly is. G. had kept his commitment to read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon and had some great insights and questions about it. We ended the lesson by inviting him to be baptized on October 18th. He looks at us with this weird expression on is face, like he's totally confused. "Do you know what day that is," "What?" "Thats my birthday!" Wow. I'm so thankful for the Spirit prompting us to invite him to be baptized on that day. What a blessing and tender mercy that was! He accepted and is working toward it.

Friday we had Zone Meeting! That was awesome and thanks to the participation and discussion that we had, I learned a TON! We especially focused on Revelation through Prayer, and some amazing insights were brought up that I hadn't though of before. That was cool.

I had the chance then to go on exchanges with Elder Walker from Forest, one of our District Leaders! He is awesome. I'm so thankful to have him in the zone, leading like he does in his district. We had a lot of fun together, and got to teach a TON! We saw R., B., Bro F., and the C's!

Fun story real quick about B.'s visit, and then I'll wrap up. We took Brother F. with us to the hospital in Lexington so we could have a little lesson and visit her. Toward the end of a really good lesson, a security officer comes in and asks us if either of us drive a Volkswagen. Brother F. does, so he leaves. We get out of there really soon after and say good bye to D.. Turns out his E-brake had failed, and his car rolled backward, hit the curb, on to the road (that's perpendicular to his car), the car turns to be even with the road, keeps turning (ultimately doing a 180 (no, not a 360)), hits another curb, and goes into the ditch below the hospital. WHAT! Crazy. Brother F. was just laughing about the whole situation. It was crazy.

Not a whole else to talk about. Thank you all! Sorry this might be a shorter/rushed one. I love you all and thank you for supporting me and praying for me! Have a great week and make it the BEST ONE YET!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

A PACKAGE FROM THAILAND!!!!

A PACKAGE FROM THAILAND FROM ELDER JOHNSON!!!!

My cousin is the best!

How amazing is this!!!

Happy News!

Hello everyone! I hope your Monday has been just fabulous! I spent way too much time getting those colors right. :P 

My week was great, and I want to tell you about it! Let’s get in to the highlights of what we did, shall we?

So last week we picked up a new investigator named R. He had investigated before, but wasn't really keeping commitments and so the missionaries dropped him for a time to hopefully let him realize that he really needs this gospel in his life. We had set up a return appointment for that next Tuesday, and we went to go see him then! It was a pretty good lesson. We talked a lot about the true church of Jesus Christ, what it would have in it, what it would entail, things like that. We weren't sure how much was getting through, but we left him with a Restoration pamphlet and said we'd get with him to set up another appointment. (We aren't done with him yet!)

On Wednesday we had a cool experience! The J.'s, A. and C., offered to come with us to an appointment we had with K. (from last week. Another Sunday miracle!). Unfortunately, K. wasn't home! I hate it when that happens. Luckily, our backup was right around the corner, so we went over there, hoping and praying that he would be home. He was! His name is S.. Elder Numbers and I tracted into him a while ago (like, my first week) but had only ever been able to catch him in sporadic bursts and never sit down and have an actual lesson with him. This time, especially since the J.'s were with us, we were committed to having this lesson. We taught on the porch about the Book of Mormon, it's importance, and how it testifies of Jesus Christ. He had never really heard of the Book of Mormon before, so this was a brand new experience for him! He seemed to really enjoy it, and the J.'s were rock stars. S. used to play football up at SVU, at the same time A. was playing basketball, so they immediately connected there. They also invited him and his wife and kids to our dinner appointment on Friday!! THAT WAS SO COOL. They are the coolest family.

Thursday was Zone Conference! It was also Elder Brenchley and Elder Numbers' year mark! Happy year mark elders! Anyway. Zone Conference was great. We had the blessing of having the Assistants stay at our apartment the night before, so that was really fun. We even got to bed at a decent hour! Woo! President Salisbury was great. It's always great to see him. He's a great man and I look up to him a lot. I hope to someday be as big of a spiritual giant and stalwart righteous man as he is. 

We talked a lot about helping people make and keep commitments and having and building faith like in Alma 32. It was a really good meeting, and we got to hear from Elder Christofferson (video) at the very end, President Salisbury played a 20 minute clip from this past most recent Mission President and Wives conference at the MTC. It was about how faith and repentance are an upward cycle that build on each other and how it all relates to the Atonement. I am so thankful for my Savior's sacrifice and how it means that I can be changed both body and spirit. It really was a great meeting.

After the meeting I had the opportunity to go down to Lynchburg with Elder Hallewell on exchanges! We went on an exchange last transfer, so I am really starting to get to know this awesome and amazing elder! He's only been out 2 months, but he is still absolutely wonderful and committed. He is and will be a great missionary!

Coming back to BV on Friday, we had a great lesson with B. and D.! Miracle of the night there: they both prayed! B. said the opening prayer and D. said the closing prayer!! It was so cool because D. told us that she would never pray out loud. Ever. She'd pray and does pray in her heart, but never would out loud. Well the Spirit worked on her and she did! It was an amazing prayer too. Really all we did that lesson was answer questions, mostly about church. They always have quite a few!

Our ward had their annual Pool Party we were invited to (obviously not to swim) on Saturday! We invited all the people we could and prayed someone would show up. Turns out, Randy brought his two kids! That was awesome. They had a ball swimming in the pool, and we think it was really good for Randy to be there. Tons of the members of the ward went up and talked to him and gave him some really good fellowship.

Later that night, we had another lesson with B. and D., this time actually teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, the last half, being the Gift of the Holy Ghost, The Sacrament, and Enduring to the End. It was a really good lesson and they committed to come to church on Sunday! They were all ready, their friend Sister B. had gone and bought D. a dress because she didn't have one, aaaaaannnnnddddddd

THEY CAME TO CHURCH! Yes. It was quite the process getting them there, but they came! They had a great experience too. It was a fantastic Sunday. The speakers were just awesome, Brother B. taught a great Sunday School Gospel Principles lesson, and Brother B. did a great job with the combined lesson. Really blessed! I'm so thankful for the Spirit being there to teach them during those meetings. You could feel it. It was palpable! :D I'm still just on Cloud 9 after that.

Last thing, we got to meet a really cool family last night too. The R's. They have some severe health issues and can't come to church. Bishop asked us to go over there and check up on them and see how they're doing. I don't know if I've ever met more humble people! They joined the church around 15 years ago, were sealed last year, and are approaching the end of their mortal journey, but they thank God for every day that he gives them, and it’s really cool to see. Brother R.'s cried as he bore his testimony to us, and even I teared up a little bit. We talked about trials in this life and trusting in the Lord. Just wanted to throw in a little shout-out to some amazing and humble people. :)

Well, that was my week! Thank you all for reading it! I really appreciate it and am really thankful for all your support of me! I love you all! Have a great week, and make it the best one yet!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

This script is on my bathroom wall - "For I am a Son of God" 
(click on the link to watch the video)

The Assistant came for a visit!

Selfie for Mom

Miracle Sunday!

Hello everyone! It's been another great week in the Buena Vista area! We are seeing some really awesome things happen! We've really been trying to be obedient to see the miracles that the Lord has in store for us here!

Lets jump into some of the highlights we had this week!

Tuesday we were able to go on exchanges with the elders in Clifton Forge, Virginia! Elder Brenchley and Elder Rasmussen (The District Leader) worked up in Clifton Forge and Elder Thompson and I worked down here! Elder Thompson is a great and goofy guy that goes home here pretty soon! He is a hard worker though. 

On Tuesday evening, I finally got to meet a LA (less active) family the missionaries before had been working with, but because of scheduling conflicts we were never able to meet with them! The F.s are a great family. Brother F. is an incredibly smart, intelligent individual who knows the Bible better than almost anyone I've ever met! He can just pull out and quote scriptures like it's nothing. We are working with them to build their testimony back up so that they can come back to church and start enjoying the fruits of the gospel again!

Elder Thompson and I also had the chance to meet a kid named C. with our awesome member Brother F. C. and his cousin K. were investigators that the sisters over in Lexington had, and they passed them on to us when they had moved. We had never been able to actually meet C. though, so we weren't sure where to take it! Turns out that he's a YSA, so we handed him over to the YSA Elders. We did learn in our quick lesson though that he reads in the Book of Mormon every single night and has been for a couple months! It's even cooler because he hasn't had any contact with missionaries for over two months up to that point. The Lord takes care of those who want to follow him!

The highlight of Wednesday was the church tour! It's always such a great experience to do it. We do it in coordination with the Rockbridge Elders, Elder Kelly and Moser, and they had one of their investigators there! He is working toward baptism and we have full confidence in him that it will happen! Keep working L.!

We also got to meet a great family on Wednesday. The mom and her two kids were outside in the backyard playing, and we walked up and started talking to them. She had a lot of questions and she related a lot of her husbands questions to us. What was funny was that every question she asked could be answered by the Restoration lesson and the Plan of Salvation lesson! Unfortunately they were going on vacation that week so we had to wait until this week before we can teach them. Here's hoping for this week!

Friday night was pretty cool. We took an awesome member, Brother A., with us as we went to visit Sister C., who we've been working with for a while. She is still moving along, even if we wish it were a little faster sometimes! We have faith that one day she will come back to church and take the sacrament!

Saturday we had the awesome chance to teach B. and D.! What a powerful lesson it was. We invited them to be baptized, but they still weren't sure on account of D.'s son still giving them a hard time about joining the church. D. started to cry and express to us how hard it is to deal with this trial. I read out of Mosiah 24 with them, the story of Alma and his people, and testified with all of my heart of the power of the Atonement, and I started to weep. It was amazing. They are such a blessing to teach! We are still trying to get them to come to church, but once they do, boy, it will only be up from there! We can feel it.

Sunday was a great day. The week had been feeling pretty long, and I don't have those weeks very often, but I was ready for a break. Being able to sit down in the pew in the chapel and just feeling the load fall off for that brief hour was great. Taking the sacrament is such a blessing in my life! I invite all of you to consider what the sacrament means for you. So much peace and comfort can be found by taking the sacrament. When we covenant to "take up [us] the name of [Jesus Christ]" we are also taking his yoke upon us. Do we remember that his yoke is easy and his burden is light? Sometimes I think we need a little reminder.

Sunday evening was a miracle day! We had the chance to go to a Stake Priesthood Meeting that night, but we decided that we would stay out and try to hit the rest of our goals. Going to the meeting would have been a great thing to do, but we felt like for our area, we should work. So we did! And we were blessed! We stopped by a former investigator's house to talk with him, and he told us, "you know, I really enjoyed your visits, but they just stopped coming over. I would really like you to come back over to teach me some more!"  Wooo! We set up a return appointment and went on. Later, we were walking down a street and this shirtless younger guy was outside fiddling around with his Camaro. We stopped and talked to him, and had a great first lesson, right there on the street! Set up a return appointment, and he basically gave us a referral to teach his fiancee with him on our appointment on Wednesday! The Lord really blessed those who strive to do what He wants them to do. I bear testimony of that.

Sure do love you all! Thank you all for your kind words and support of me. I couldn't do it without it! Have a great week, and make it the best one ever!

Love,

Elder Brax Johnson

Best Mom ever. :)

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