Dad, I absolutely agree! Did you and mom ever have days or nights where you just didn't talk to each other? It's way cool that you were able to watch the other side of heaven with S. I just went to dinner with the Tongan Branch tonight and it was so cool! It was a mission farewell and the way they sing is exactly like the movie. It was quite the experience. Everything about that movie is spot on. Especially the part with the guy that is a Mormon and is always drunk that later becomes a councilor. The Tongan culture is super relaxed. I hate running into people that say that they are in one of those because they always follow up by saying something along the lines of, 'I don't really know what to believe, so I'm settling for a basic belief that Jesus died for my sins and I need to be a good person.' I've read so many times in Conference talks that more than just random acts of kindness are necessary for entrance into heaven, or something along those lines. Anyhow......that's awesome that so many investigators came to church! We are teaching a girl that is going to Europe for 3 months and she brought two of her friends today! It was great! I can't believe Cis getting married......jeez....send me pictures! 

I'm glad you enjoyed the things I sent! Sorry it cost so much to get strings for it......I should've just gotten some here. I was able t get a full set for $15....Were you able to talk to the C? Thank you so much for sending some stuff out! I appreciate it a ton! I'm gonna be able to play with the primary in the PC Ward next week in sacrament meeting. So that shall be my Christmas playing in church this year! 

This week Elder D came to the mission and it was pretty cool! There wasn't anything incredibly amazing, but it was cool. I was able to play o come o come Emmanuel (the one the piano guys do) and Elder B transposed the cello part to violin so I could play it. It was so cool! It went flawlessly and when we finished everyone was completely silent! Everyone loved it lots. I'll send a record in of part of it. We went on splits with some people from the elders quorum on Thursday. I went with an RM named B and he is awesome! We were able to hand out three book of Mormons and teach some lessons on the doorstep that I didn't actually count as lessons, because we dropped them right after we left, but the spirit was strong and we left them with invitations to read the Book of Mormon. It was fantastic! That's about all that happened this week. Love you tons!

Hunter

Alrighty, sorry this got sent late everyone! This week was preeeettty crazy. We had our Mission Leadership Council on Tuesday. Wednesday we had an exchange. I love exchanges! They're a wonderful opportunity to learn from other missionaries as well as help them learn. Thursday we had our Zone Training (in which Elder K and I are responsible for providing a training for the missionaries in our zone for two and a half hours), so we had to get ready for that Wednesday night after our exchange. Instead of preparing, it turned into an argument that lasted long into the wee morning hours and we went to bed without really knowing what we were going to do. We didn't talk until 9:30 when our training started. The idea of getting married gets scarier and scarier the longer I'm on my mission.....jeez. A missions about a lot more than sharing what we believe! It prepares you for everything and anything life has to throw at you! Anyway, it ended up being probably the best zone training we've ever had! It was great! We talked about our feelings afterwards and apologized to each other for being morons.

Turns out we were both really worried about how the training would go.

It's something the Lord really wanted our missionaries to have though, so He made it work! Thursday we had our first splits with the Ward members. Haven't done those in AGES!!! Friday we had a special MLC with Elder D from the quorum of the seventy. It was really cool to get training from hm. You don't get that opportunity often in life!

Saturday we went to help set up for Christmas in the Canyon. The canyon is a whole new world! Everyone is pretty countryish and just does their own thing. So different than a couple miles away in the city! That's what most of the pictures are from. Sunday we saw a guy try to catch an exit he missed on the highway. He fishtailed, over corrected, and skidded off to the side through the sand, and snapped the big sign held up by giant pieces of wood half a foot thick like a toothpick. It was pretty insane! So we pulled over and crossed the street on the exit to make sure he was alright. People are morons. If you're not going to stop to help someone in a wreck, at least STOP and let OTHER people help! People make me mad. If I had had spikes to throw under their tires I would have. NO ONE stopped to let us cross, so it was kinda difficult. They guy was alright, just a little shaken up. The first thing he did was call his wife! Good man!! Full marks!

Exactly what a good spouse should do. Short though for this week......

"When the scientific facts contradict what is being promoted as truth, then ideology has trumped reality."

- Miriam Grossman, MD, psych. at UCLA

This is applicable to our world on so many levels. It very much defines the pathway most societies are following. It's kind of sad, but it's true! And we'll have these problems for a long time! That's why I'm so grateful for prophets on the earth today! Like the song from primary says....."We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guid us in these latter days!" President Monson is much more than a President of some organization. He is the PROPHET OF GOD!!!!! I know he is. I know he has been chosen, not by any man or men, but by Savior Jesus Christ. I leave you all with this in His name, amen!

Love you all tons!

Elder H. Johnson

1-2. Mission Leadership Council. Everyone in the back row looks like a cardboard cutout. And the camera was at a bad angle I guess because Elder I (far right) looks huge. His hair comes down to his chin.

What is everyone's thoughts on guys having their hair like that?

Seriously, I'd like feedback. Because personally I think it looks ridiculous.

 3-4. Lunch in the Canyon was paid for us because we helped. It's a hole in the wall place. It was pretty cool!

A few pictures from service in the canyon. From Left to Right, it is Elder R, Me, Elder H, and Elder K. H and R are the funniest companionship in the mission. Soooooooooo funny!!!!!

1. Service on Thanksgiving!

2. and 4. Thanksgiving lunch at a families house the day after thanksgiving that wanted me to just come over and play something on the violin 3. Thanksgiving dinner. It's a really bad picture.

We helped set up for Christmas in the Canyon. Decided to take a swing on this rope swing we found.....there's a reason it is not being used.

That's too bad that S doesn't want to meet with the Elders anymore.....sounds like they were way to pushy. Here a lot of missionaries have the problem of being to friendly with investigators and just being their friends that come over once a week to share 'a message' (I hate that terminology btw. It's one of my pet peeves when a missionary says, when can we come over and get to know you and maybe share a message with you? It usually comes from missionaries that are less obedient/dedicated/haven't internalized the gospel.....i.e. my companion.) so nothing EVER gets done and no one progresses. Is she going to have family scripture study with you guys on Christmas? I've got a couple people on my end that might join us for scripture study! I can't wait to do scripture study with everyone again! That's a fun question to discuss. Why join the church sooner? Even if we are held accountable for not getting baptized if we know we need to, we can just repent when we finally decide to! So why get baptized RIGHT NOW?? Maybe you guys can discuss that for family night or something! 

I hate it when people throw away food....you know there is a general conference talk about that! President Kimball talks about it in his talk 'God Will not be Mocked' in October 1974. It's a really good one! It sounds like you guys had a rough campout! I miss camping. We're going to have to go on a camping trip when I come home. I'm glad that Z is still getting his scouting done! Thanks for sharing those quotes from President Packer! I liked them a lot! A talk you should read (if you haven't already) is 'Why not Now?' It is by Elder Maxwell fromOctober 1974 and it might be good for S. It also helps a little to answer the debate question I asked above! Love you tons Dad!

Hunter