Week 23 Pictures

Pictures from Week 23

This notice makes you feel safe to live here.

An abandoned grain silo in old-town Murrieta.

Us putting up Christmas lights

the (blurry) Christmas lights including the Mercedes sleigh 

Elder Plaster ready to go...

Always love to be at the Temple.

Week 23 Email

Week 23 Email

All

Things are really slow here in Murrieta, we have been doing a lot of tracting with no success.

We also discovered that about 1/3 or more of our area (most of the south end) is all industrial/commercial buildings with no houses.

 

We did get to meet with an investigator (not the one who bore her testimony, still working on scheduling that one) and we had a good lesson.

We did get a new investigator. A semi-active sister asked us to come over and give her room-mate a blessing. So we did, and she said that she would be interested in taking the lessons. Trying to get into the schedule though, which is hard for people here. 

 We also helped them set up their christmas lights. It's a rather eclectic setup, but it was fun.

 

People actually work here, which makes finding them home difficult. I am VERY grateful for a good bike though to get around (I do miss the car though).

 

All in all things are going pretty good. Tracting all day is no fun, but we're toughing it out. Elder Plaster and I get along well still.

 

Thank you for all of your prayers, Please write! I promise to return the letters.

 

Elder Bryce Johns

 

Mormom.org/christmas

 

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages?lang=eng&id=2012-01-014-the-will-of-god#2012-01-014-the-will-of-god

 

Week 22 Pictures

Week 22 Pictures - New apartment pictures and Elder Plaster

Pictures of new Apartment and Companion

Week 22 Email

Week 22 - First week in Murrieta

All

Murrieta is a very affluent town. Our area is basically all rich white people. We are covering the Murrieta ward which is relatively small, about 9 by 4ish miles (ballparking the width) Large portions of which are buisness districts. We've been using the bikes, I've already almost killed myself about twice (mostly exaggerating) and had a flat tire (ran over a goathead). My legs and behind are rather sore. 

Goodness, where to start... 

So we got here in murrietta, at a homeshare with the blooms. Who are amazing, but we had to move out of there last saturday because their daughter's family lost their house and had to move back in, so we are in a brand new "luxury apartment" It's a few blocks out of area, but it's pretty sweet. 

Being doubled in has been pretty hard. From all accounts all our predeccessors did was walk around. We didn't have any real lessons last week(Not counting a couple lessons with active people). That's not for a lack of trying though, we've been putting solid hours into finding and many miles on the bikes. The area book had not been updated for at least a transfer so we are trying to figure out who is in our teaching pool. However, a few investigators have shown up from the woodwork, we are working on scheduling an apointment with them. One bore her testimony at sacrament meeting yesterday, which is probably a good sign. 

Once we get our bearings I think things are going to pick up. The ward is very strong and actively engaged in missionary work (or so they say anyway). But everyone in the ward we've met so far is really cool.   

Elder Plaster and I get along pretty well. He's from a small town south of Houston Texas and is largely a sterotypical Texan haha. Although he does hide his accent and doesn't like sports. He has a big deisel truck and a tractor and wants to either run his family's resteraunt or be a rancher. 

Even though we don't have many common interests we have a similar sense of humor, which is good. We're working hard and doing well together.

The weather here has changed finally, It's cool and overcast with the occasional drizzle. I feel right at home 8). Murrieta is actually green! I don't know if it's usually that way or if it's just the season, but the hills are green and there are real trees around (not to many of those fake palm tree things haha).

Got to go no time,

Thank you for your prayers. Anxiously awaiting your letters ;)

Elder Johns

Week 21 Pictures

Week 21 Pictures

Highlands Apt Ready For Christmas!

The Baumans, an Awesome family from the Highlands 2nd Ward

Long Awaited Week 21 Letter

Week 21 Letter

Sorry about the long delay.  I got a little behind in updating, so today you will get the last three weeks letters and postings. (Elder Johns Dad)

All,

 

Thanksgiving went pretty well. We started out at the stake turkey bowl. Which I must say was fairly fun. I made a touchdown at least. Basically it amounted to two hours worth of sprints for me. (which I paid for the next two days) 

For the whole week we had three thanksgiving dinners. We had a thanksgiving dinner the day before, another one on thanksgiving (obviously) and one yesterday. We went over to our thanksgiving dinner ate and talked with people for a bit. Around 4 we went back to our apartment and hung out. I drew and set up the christmas stuff (see pictures). It was pretty fun. 

 

On Tuesday we met with a guy on the street and had a really cool conversation. He's Iranian. His mother was Jewish and his father a Muslim, and he considers himself both. We talked about his beliefs (many of which were very similar) and our beliefs and gave him a book of mormon. He talked a lot about how important it was to be open-minded, the sanctity of the body, and praying for your family. He was a really cool guy, and he invited us over for thanksgiving dinner but his (Christian) wife said no.  

 

On friday we had a first lesson with a promising new investigator, (Rosie) which was really cool. See asked a lot of legit questions and even took notes(hopefully for the right reasons). 

Saturday was interesting. Elder Graves (one of the spanish guys) got sick, so Elder Everett and I took turns going with Elder Villalobos to appointments and staying with Elder Graves.  

 

Then came transfer calls. (Drumroll please). I'm getting doubled in along with my new companion E. Plaster to the Murrietta ward in Murrietta.... on bike. Basically right after I'm done emailing Brother Smart will be giving me a ride there. 

 

It's kind of a bittersweet feeling, On the one hand I want to experience something new, but I also feel bad leaving all the people I've come to love here in Highland. But I do know that the Lord needs me down in Murrietta, so that's where I'll go. 

 

I've been reading in Alma about Ammon and Aaron, and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. Their conversion was worth more than their lives, they NEVER fell away, they were truly converted. Sometimes we need to step back and think about our own faith. Do we have the faith to keep the commandments no matter the consequences?       

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/05/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng&query=god+gardener

 

Have a great week everyone! Please write.

Elder Johns