Week 23-- When doing wheelies, watch for mud holes...

This week was fun, I have a few stories. The first one is that I've gotten really good at wheelies on my bike so whenever there's a bunch of kids they just yell, "Wheelie wheelie!!" So I was riding up the street to an investigators house and there's a 5 foot deep 4 feet wide gutter on the side off the road for floods, and I saw some kids so I did a wheelie and then I fell of my bike head first into the gutter!!!!  I was covered in mud and the the bike fell in on top of me! I handed my bike to Elder Simpson who was laughing hysterically, and then climbed out.  All the kids started laughing so hard! Then all the parents came out and laughed too. It was so funny, funniest thing that's happened on my mission so far:) and I wasn't even hurt! But I did smash my bottle so if you could send me an new 32 oz hydro flask that would be great:)

This morning we went to these caves-- really just a really deep depression in the ground. It was still way cool though.  I made a fort out of rocks:) 

Mom: What does E. Simpson think of your rock creations? 

L: He thinks they're cool:) but he also thinks I'm a hippie:)

It was surprise missionary Sunday in church this week, which means we all had to give a talk with 5 min. notice. I talked about keeping the commandments and having the spirit, then I bore my testimony and cried in front of every one. I told the branch that I had literally felt the arms of Christ around me. It was cool, and I have.  This funny old guy in the ward came up to me and was like, "Hey why are you crying?!" It was funny:) Oh, and the youth sunday school teacher didn't show up so me and Elder Simpson taught it:) It was way fun and we had a great lesson on following the revelation that God gives us.

Mom: What is the branch like? 

L: The youth is like 7 kids, and the branch is like 60 active members, 300 less active. 

Mom: Do you work with the inactive? 

L: We are working with 4 inactives, but the rest have been inactive for like 20-30 years and we just can't find them anymore.

Mom: Tell me about E. Simpson.

L: He's been out for a year, he has an older brother and 4 younger sisters. One died while he was out, I think about 5 months ago, it was really hard for him, but he's really helped me get through my trials, because he's already been through so much. I think it's interesting that God has put me with two companions who have had a family member die while they were out. I think he's trying to show me I'm not the only one going through hard stuff, and compared to them I'm not.

We helped a member chop her yard the other day and she called me a bulldozer. I've bought my own cutlass (machete) and I've gotten really good with it:) so when I come home I won't need the lawn mower any more. I'll just use a cutlass:)

M: They won't let you bring that home you know.

L: They actually will if you check it. :)

Dad: Dude, we are keeping the mower.

Oh and yesterday we had three different members feed us!! It was awesome, one lunch and two dinners:) {Getting fed by members is rare, bc everyone is so poor.}

Mom: Couldn't you spread out the meals over a few days? 

L: When someone offers you food in Jamaica, you just say YES. End of story.

Mom: What do the chicken feet taste like? Don't they have bones? 

L: They cook them so long the bones are soft and they just taste like whatever you cook them in, so curry.

M: Gross. gross. gross.

I have to go in like two minutes but I really love you guys and I miss you so much, tell the family I love them ok:)

Luke

I stole this photo from the sister missionaries blog. Luke said he didn't trust the internet cafe they were in today for viruses, so no pics. :( There are 4 Elders and 2 sisters in his district, he says having the sisters is fun, but they never see them except at church and meetings.

Week 22--Book of Mormon Balance

The new area I'm in is flat, windy as heck and very hot, with little rain, but I like it. People are a little better with mental comprehension here. My companion is Scottish and used to be in a gang and fight all the time, but he's way cool and way fun to be with and he's really nice and funny. I will enjoy serving with him.

Conference was really good, it answered a lot of the questions I had on my mind and was praying about. I felt like the general theme was enduring trials by way of faith, keeping the commandments and relying on Christ's atonement in all things. It really gave me a lot of hope. But seriously, every single talk went back to trials. I wonder if people are already going through trials or people are about to go through trials?

Luke's new district

We woke up at 4 in the morning to go to the caves in Linstead before I left to Old Harbor. It was way fun, I climbed this vine like a firemans pole. It was only like 2 inches thick and could hold my weight.

This is my district in Linstead before I got transferred.

This pic is a cow in the back of a truck with almost no securings:) hahaha.

The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion:) hahaha, this makes a great teaching visual:) it took me like 30 min to balance. The Jamaican kids who watched me build it thought I was magic:)

This picture is stew peas with rice, chicken foot and pigs tail, it was surprisingly good and I'm looking forward to the next time I'll be eating it:) They are actually quite delectable.

These are pictures of me and Elder Simpson, he's pretty short but really strong. We are the fastest missionaries on our bikes in our zone:) We race a lot --it's fun.

Luke on TV!!

The story starts at 42 min. and goes till the end. You can see him a few times, singing, on the roof, shoveling and cutting grass.

Bike races in Old Harbor

My new area (Old Harbor) is way hotter and way dryer. Apparently,  it hasn't rained for 3 months, but it's nice and flat, so riding my bike is like a thousand times easier.

The members here are way cool and really nice, they talk about and discuss the deepest doctrines. In church this Sunday, we talked the whole time on godly intelligence. Honestly, I didn't get what they were saying-- so they all must be smarter than me.

My new companion is way cool, really fun and energetic. I'm much happier to be with him. We live in a four man house and we have a lot of fun together. 

In my new area everyone pimps their bicycles. It's sick! If you're riding and pass someone you just yell, "Race!" and you race right there with a random stranger. It's way fun.

I don't have the means to upload pics today sorry, but I saw the blood moon too. We had dinner on the front lawn and watched it. It was cool, the other Elders where freaking out, one of them said a prayer that the clouds wouldn't cover it:)

I love you Mom and Dad, tell the family I love them.

Kissing Lizards

Hello Mom,
That's awesome that you found Elder Fietkau's blog! He's so cool-- he was a convert for a year when he came out on his mission and he's one of the wisest and most spiritual kids I know, I really enjoyed serving around him:)

That's awesome Kate and Ella are doing Peter Pan! Film it so I can watch later. I can't believe Kate broke her arm again! Tell her I'm sending her all my loving healing energy.

The hurricane storm thing didn't even rain over here! In fact there's a drought in Jamacia right now. Since they don't irrigate, all the crops are starting to die. Don't worry, the mission has a great system for huricanes and TONS of precautions against them.

Thanks for sending the stuff mom, that means a lot and I've really missed my mints:)

Sorry I don't have as many pictures this week, not to much happened. But we did have 22 lessons which is the most I've ever had, but this is the 5th week in a row not having any one at church. People just don't like to come to church unless it's the one next door:) And literally every house has a church next door, half the time I think people choose their denomination based on which church is closest:)
I love you so much mom 

Love Luke

This picture is kinda random but seriously what are they doing!?!?!

Me and Elder Ashworth had some extra time the other day so we decided to branch out in to our area... we got lost in the middle of some million acre orange orchard, but it was really pretty:)

Burning some Gs in the front yard... perks to living in Jamaica. Got some trash?... burn it. Where? Anywhere.

Wild goats

We've got like over ten different investigators right now, some are really doing well. We have one family who we teach ( it's crazy hard to find a family) and the mother has seen angels and both parents believe in love and Christ and devoting their lives to God. I've felt very strongly to teach them baptism, and so far they've agreed to be baptized and our lessons have really been powerful.

This week we taught an older lady named Pam and we invited her to church and she said she didn't have money for a taxi but she'd come anyway because she knew God would provide a way for her, and she came! It really is special to find someone with true faith in God, even to action, and coming to church.

Some of our area is waaaaaay out in the middle of nowhere! hahaha-- it's my favorite place:)

The thunder and lightning out here are insane!!! This is a picture of lightning so far away you couldn't even hear it.

Everyone thinks we're crazy for walking in the rain out here ( they believe that the rain makes you sick). People will just yell out to us, "White man!! Get out of the rain!!" There's one guy in our area, every time he sees us he just yells, "WHITE!" and then leaves! hahaha he's so funny:)

Goats!!!! Lots of goats out here, I can't tell if they're wild or domestic.

Me and my companion. He's really cool.

Jamaica Kingston Missionaries

More Thunder Man

Hey everyone,

I’ve been learning so much from my studies and teaching people! Basically, I just want to learn to follow the spirit better so I can follow it like it says in 2 Nephi 32,  because that is the only doctrine given, so it’s pretty dang important. 

My companions are good friends and I love them.  I learn a ton from them! (not when they try to teach me though:) One of my companions’ dad died while he’s been out, I haven’t really talked to him about it, but he’s so strong and a really cool kid. 

I was talking to Thunder man again the other day. I really tried listening with the spirit and I started to realize, this guy is some sort of visionary man!! Holy crap! It was awesome! He was telling me how he was hungry, so he prayed to God to catch a big fish. When he went fishing he caught a huuuuuge fish but it had a crown on its head, which he took and held, and the crown granted him power over the sea, even to covering all the land with water, but because he wanted to restore balance he threw the crown back into the water. When I first heard this I was like what the *^%$?! But when I looked at it from a symbolic standpoint, the spirit likened it unto this cool parable. He prayed for strength from God and God gave it to him because of his faith, but once he had the strength and power he then surrendered it back to God to restore balance. He said it was a great trial for him to throw the crown back. Anyway, kinda weird but I learned something. He also told me about the second coming and the iron rod and the Godhead and how we have to choose the right and grab the iron rod or we wouldn’t see the light come out of the sky during the second coming of God. He told me the only one who could pull us out of the hole with the rope was Jesus, and  the lightning that came down from the sky was God’s commandments and that’s why he grabbed on to them to choose the right!!!! Wow. I just want to hear more from this guy! Anyway, the whole time we were talking I really felt like he was my friend and that I loved him. I’m glad the spirit prompted me to talk to him so I didn’t just judge him as hopeless.

This week we’ve been teaching a lot of people, but most just like to hear us talk, not pray or read or do anything! So we have to drop a lot of people and let them know we’re here to invite them to Christ through faith, and then not teach them for like a month and see if that does anything-- and it works a lot! They realize the lack of spirit and it makes them want to act and have faith for themselves. I love the people who are so ready to put the gospel to the test and find their own witness. They’re so easy to teach! We have this one guy who has read the book of Mormon one and a half times already and knows it’s true and knows the gospel is true, but he won’t come to church because of his social life in his 7th day church, but he’s a really cool guy and we are inviting him to go cave exploring with us next  P-day.  That’ll be fun! 

The investigators named Suzette and Hores who are married came to church last week and they had a good experience. They appreciated the classroom setting of Sunday school and actually learning doctrine, but they missed the shouts and praises of their church. I tried to explain we don’t worship God just with our lips but with our heart and that that was the environment we try to culture at church-- one where you can find God inside of you, instead of around you. 

So far I’ve met a few prophets, or so they claimed to be-- but mostly it just sounds like they had some satanic experience, even though they describe the spirit and God perfectly. I think people out here are so open to the spiritual realm, and because of that they have a lot of good experiences, but they also lack discernment to tell when they’re straight-up possessed, and think it’s God. I haven’t had to cast out any devils yet though...

The fruit here is crazy! I’ve had star fruit and jack fruit and bread fruit and cashew fruit and mango and cane and coconut and everything! Everyone makes really good juice to go with their chicken and rice (which is still the only dish I’ve been feed) except for when they feed us fish, but I’m not complaining-- it’s all so good-- they have the best chicken in the whole world here! 

We did some more service for a member, pulling dirt up two stories onto a roof to make cement for her house construction. When we leave a spiritual thought with a member, my companions always say, "Well, we’d like to leave a spiritual thought with you, Elder Johnson has prepared one for you." Even though I hadn’t prepared anything. It’s mostly just funny and I always make it work, but after like the tenth time I started doing it to them:) They didn’t think it was funny:) I’ve been soooooooooooooooo tired lately, but today I’m feeling pretty good. I always fall asleep during nightly planning. I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon. 

Anyway, I think that’s about everything. Me and my companions buy ice cream like every other day for 100$ ($1 US), it’s become a tradition. Also the other day I had a jelly, which is a coconut that’s full of water. They hack the top off right there and you drink it and give it back,  then they hack it in half and you scrape the meat out and eat it and then pay them. It’s pretty cool. 

The computer is really bad and I can't send any photos. Sorry. 

Love you guys,

Luke

Rain and Thunder Man

Hey Mom,

Don't worry, my house is really solid for hurricane, they make them like that on purpose. Also we have like 100 gallons of water and filter water bottles so don't worry. The mosquitos are starting to stop biting too, so don't worry about that either. My diet is fine, I buy fruits and veggies from the market place for dirt cheap.(He's just responding to all my worries!) Also my bike is nicer than both my companions, I got it used from the last missionary. I kinda leave them in the dust wherever I go. I love you all so much! Thanks for being worried Mom but I'm fine, I love you. :)

The outside looks nice right? But he says the inside is super crappy. lol.
This is our house, we live in about a 1/4 of it on the bottom floor. Oh by the way, did I mention there is no hot water?! Showers are really cold, but it's not too bad because of the heat. Also the power and water sometimes just turn off for a while! This really is a third world country.

This me and my companions going to our investigators in the ghetto during a rain storm. We get soaked at least once a day-- it rains a lot! Elder Packer is in the middle, Elder Humpreys is on the right.

This is the view of the jungle from a cliff side that one of our investigators lives on.

The other day a dog bit my ankle and bruised my heel pretty good, but it didn't cut me because of my pants. Also, a week ago I asked a less-active to be baptized!!! Hahaha, she just looked at me like, "What?" and then my companion whispers that she's a member! And so I was like, "Oh, I mean, now it's time for the baptism of fire." We all laughed and she was nice about it. :) We still get fed everyday by someone. Apparently, this is like the only area where people are so nice. The other missionaries at zone conference said they never get fed. Also, this area is the most beautiful and least violent crime-wise, so I pretty much lucked out.

Sunset after a storm

This is me and my companions walking on a wall between a robbed graveyard(?) and a small ocean that was in the road! It was a fun day!

The other day I met a guy who rode a motorcycle and called himself 'Thunder man'. He told me his life story while he was smoking a joint, and it goes like this (he's like 50):

"Two bolts of lightning came down and I grabbed them with my hands and God pulled me up to heaven on the bolts. He then showed me the creation of the world and I walked through the door of the moon and the door of the sun and saw the orbit of the universe ( I'm summarizing the story-- he was saying way more crazy stuff). He then told me that Adam and Eve were not the first people on earth, it was a man named George who was a ninja and who could control the elements and he came to earth in a meteor...

Anyway he was nuts, but I really loved listening to his craziness! :) I think he actually was struck by lightning. :)

Oh one more story, we met this guy named Mr. Brown behind a bar and taught him about the origin of the Book of Mormon, but he refused to even pray to know if Christ came to the Americas. He basically worshiped the Bible and was really stuck in his ways. I really loved him though, and really just hoped he would pray about anything. Then while my companions were fighting with him it started to rain. I knew there was nothing else we could say to convince this man that he needed to pray, yet I felt like we should stay, even though my companions were basically yelling at this guy. All of a sudden, a younger man walks under our roof to stay dry and immediately picks up a Book of Mormon, and starts reading the introduction and the testimony of the witnesses. While he's doing this Mr. Brown is yelling at him, telling him we were liars and stuff, but he just kept reading and saying "It's just a testament of Jesus." Then we told him about how the book talks about how Christ came to the Americas. Mr. Brown screamed, "Lies!" but he just said, "Show me." So we turned to 3 Nephi and he started reading aloud the acount of Christ coming to the people and how they felt the prints in his hands and side and were crying. The whole time Mr. Brown kept yelling, but his eyes just kept getting brighter and brighter. When he was done he just looked at Mr. Brown and said, "This book talks about Jesus." Mr. Brown walked out-- even though it was raining (people do not like to get wet here) and the younger man told us that Mr. Brown was like his father figure, but he was so faithful that he just kept reading about Jesus. Anyway, we shared the message of the restoration and made a return appointment. I can't wait to see him next, because he knows the Spirit and is willing to pray, and the adversary using Mr. Brown just strengthened his understanding of the spirit because he was able to feel the opposition. It was awesome! I love you guys, have a great summer!

The 3 pound snail

Freaky spider. *shudder*

He made it!

                                 THE CHURCH OF 

JESUS CHRIST

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

Jamaica Kingston Mission

4 Garelli Avenue

Kingston 10

Jamaica

Phone:  1-876-618-1625

Christopher & Kristin Johnson 

10642 S. Vermillion Dr. 

South Jordan, UT 8409

21 May 2015

Dear Brother & Sister Johnson:

We are happy to let you know your son, Elder Luke Nakaya Johnson, arrived safely in Kingston, Jamaica.  He is in good spirits and arrived anxious to become involved in the great work being done here.  When he arrived we met him at the airport and brought him to the mission home where he spent his first night.  We helped him with banking and immigration matters and then provided training and orientation. 

He was interviewed and met his trainer, Elder Humpherys. They then went to their area where they began the work he came here to do.  Your son will be serving in the Linstead Ward.  As parents, we can appreciate your concern for him and his welfare and felt you would like to know he is safe and doing fine.  

We want to thank you for raising such a fine son and for your support for him while he is here.  Your support for the next few weeks while he may experience some homesickness will be very important.  The work is really beginning to blossom here in Jamaica and the people are warm and friendly.  We are confident he will have a special experience.  We can assure you we will do everything we can to help him grow and develop and are confident his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ will increase.  Through his mission experiences he will draw closer to our Savior.  We are so grateful to have him here.

We will appreciate your continued support.  Please feel free to contact us if we can be of assistance.  The mission office number is 876-618-1625 and our email address is: 

2011999@ldschurch.org .  

Gratefully,

Kevin G. Brown Sister Nadine Brown

President

Jamaica Kingston Mission

Sis. Brown is 3rd from the left, Pres. Brown on the far right, next to Luke.