:)

On Saturday we met an older gentleman named Daniel. We had actually talked to him earlier in the week and he wasn't interested at the time. But we went to an appointment that fell through so we looked around for the reason why we were there and we met Daniel. He told us again that he wasn't interested, but when we asked if we could share a short message he agreed. It wasn't a super amazing lesson. We just shared basic truths, but he felt something while we were there and he wanted us to come back, so we did. He's a marine and he served in Vietnam. Over 30 years later he is still struggling with the experiences he went through during combat and suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome. He also has liver cancer. He is very intelligent and good natured and sincere. Yesterday we read the Book of Mormon with him. He is of Navajo descent and told us about the legend of the white, bearded God dressed in a white robe who came and visited his people and said he would return someday. He told us that he thought the God was Jesus so we read 3 Nephi 11. It was cool. As we were getting ready to leave he told us how he still struggled with the fact that he had killed people in Vietnam so we read Alma 43:45-47 and told him that he would be judged righteously by Jesus. He said, "We thought we were defending our country and our families from the communists..." I don't know what my political stand is on the war in Vietnam, but I do know that a lot of good people with pure intentions fought to protect their country and their family, Daniel being one of them. How grateful I am for Christ's atonement that can heal Daniel's heart and the heart's of the family members of those individuals who he killed. By Adam pain and suffering entered the world and by Christ we are strengthened to endure and overcome that pain and suffering.

The other day we were riding our bikes. It had been raining really hard and I decided to go through a puddle. That was a stupid decision because my tire pooped...haha...I mean popped...I'm keeping that. Anyways, so it popped and we had to park our bikes and lock them up to a pole. As we walked away I through my helmet on the handle bars instead of intertwining it with the lock. Sister Green said, "Aren't you afraid that your helmet will get stolen?" "No one's going to steal my helmet." When we got back my helmet was still there, but as Sister Green tried to unlock our bikes the key broke. Well, we couldn't get a hold of anyone with boat plyers so we had to leave our bikes over night in the not so good part of our area. I complained to Sister Green, "I want my bike back!" She responded, "I'll give you your bike back! I'll give you a broken back!" Just kidding...she didn't say that, but Sister Latimer would have said that because (and this has nothing to do with anything) she is a "What's Up Doc" fiend too! We found out because one day we were driving and I repeated myself and I said, "I am not repeating myself, I am not repeating myself" and then Sister Latimer said, "Oh Gosh, I'm repeating myself." In deep low voice I turned and said, "What." She looked nervous and said, "What?" She thought I was mad at her until I yelled, "You've seen "What's up Doc"! Good quoting times followed which was good cause I had been having "What's up Doc" quote withdrawals. But enough of this foolishness. The next day the bishop drove us where our bikes had been left and.....our bikes were still there. hallaluja! But the helmet had been stolen. haha. I deserved that. We cut through the lock and now we've got our bikes back.

We had Zone conference this week and we went to the temple this week. It was amazing.

The other day we were walking around and came to this small apartment complex. About 10 people were outside chating with each other and this one lady saw us and said, "This man needs Jesus!!!!!!" A referral. Sweet. So we went to talk to this man and his friend and they both laughed. We tried to teach a lesson, but they were just making fun of us so we gave them pamphlet and started to leave when one of them, Ricky, said that all of his friends who went to the mormon temple were rich and so he asked why. We told him that we were allowed in the temple and we were poor and we told them about the temples all around the world where the homeless could come and stand equal with the estate owners. "How can you get into the temple?" We told him how we needed to live a worthy life and then told him about our basic standards: word of wisdom, law of chastity, good family relationships...etc. Ricky paused and sat thinking for a moment. The tone in the atmosphere changed and then he said, "Well...I'll tell you this. It's very refreshing to see young people like you not mixed up with the things that most kids your age are mixed up with." We thanked him and the Spirit spoke softly to all our hearts. I love how crazy moments can change so quickly as soon as the people allow the Spirit in.

I love you all and I pray for you frequently. Thank you for your prayers. I can feel them.

sister johnson