Sunday, February 22, 2015

2/9/15 In Fairfield



Hello everybody,

So I'm in a new area!! It's a really weird feeling. I feel like I have
no idea what I'm doing again!! But I'll get used to it I guess. I'm in
Fairfield 2nd ward, a nice part of Fairfield with a bunch of huge
houses and golf courses and amazing rolling hills. I think I can deal
with this haha. My new companion is Elder Hastings, a super good
golfer and the only black guy in the mission I'm pretty sure. I'm
pretty stoked. Anyways, he is from Bountiful, Utah. Pretty unique you
know? He works out at night a lot and I'm just honestly too lazy so I
sit there and write in my journal while he does work haha. Or watch a
mormon message to inspire him. Don't get me wrong sometimes I work out
after running but not at night. I'm ready to sack out at night. He
knows a lot of music I do too so it's super chill. We think of all
these songs from back home and it's funny.

We cover the Travis Air Force base and there's lots of young families
and youth, a big change from my last ward that had a bunch of older
people I will say! They all seem really excited about missionary work
and the bishop is very irritated that our area doesn't have a car
anymore. It is irritating because we have to get rides out to
Vacaville Junction a couple miles away and I haven't even been to the
base because we can't bike out on those roads to those 2 places. I'm
sure next transfer we will have a car, but for now, we must suffer
through it!

Our Ward mission leader is a super cool guy. What's funny is the first
thing he did when he saw me was tell me I look like the actor Dave
Franco. He made the comparison picture below. It's pretty funny
because I have gotten that before from multiple people. Not saying I'm
complaining hahaha. He also says Elder Hastings looks like Tiger
Woods, pretty ironic considering he loves golf. He really does look
like him! Look at the other picture...

We had dinner with the Browns is our Ward. Sis Brown is like our
missionary mom or something like that, and Bro Brown went to
Jacksonville Florida on his mission! All he talked about was how he
got rained on repeatedly and was constantly disgusting and sweaty.
Sounds right to me!

I'm excited to be out in this new area, and I hope we can find some
new people out here that are prepared. I know as we work to be
obedient, we will find them. Thank you all for your support and
awesomeness! I'll send some good pictures for you guys.

Love all of you!

Elder Janson



The Halls from my last area.


The Harlins from my last area.  They are so amazing!


My ward mission leader thinks I look just like Dave Franco.  I have heard that before!


Elder Hastings/Tiger Woods.




The north edge of our area, closest to Vacaville, CA.


2/2/15 I am getting transferred!



Hey people,

So as the subject says, I am finally leaving my greenie area and I am
moving on to Fairfield, a city like an hour and a half east from Santa
Rosa. Apparently there is the Jelly Belly factory there, so I know
where I am going on p-day. Also there is a big Air Force base there.
Only thing that sucks is there are only 9 bike areas on the mission,
and guess who's going to one!?? Fairfield 2nd ward is on stupid bikes!
But that's ok, I'll just get really big quads :)

So today is consisting of packing for the first time in 4.5 months,
which should be fun. This week was awesome though! Me and Elder
Adamson were on exchanges in our area with Elder Haynie, who is going
home tomorrow!! He certainly didn't make that a secret haha. I always
just tell everyone I'm never going home because it is so far away it
might as well be never. But he is an amazing missionary and one that I
want to become like. Me and Elder Adamson have 6 months total of
mission experience so he kind of knows more than us. Jussayin!

We had a very interesting teaching experience the other day. We went
to go see a member with the last name Youngblood (coolest last name
ever!). We are trying to go and teach members that aren't active as
well as active ones, as a kind of practice in a way. Well we find out
she is married to another female member. So we got to teach in that
unusual living situation, and just taught the restoration. It's crazy
to see such people and teach them, and really see where they come
from.

Elder Reeder had one of the funniest phone calls the other night. We
were "phone tracting" where we simply call the 600 numbers on our
phone who we don't know. He called one, and the guy immediately
starting arguing with him that we are a cult, etc. and he simply would
not accept that we are not polygamists. It honestly was hilarious to
listen to just Elder Reeder's side of the conversation. I just wonder
why people think that everything they see on tv is solid, legitimate
fact. It's quite sad actually haha. I'm getting to the point that I
see how crazy people are about us, that it's not even offensive
anymore!! Hahaha.

Probably the coolest experience was earlier this past week. We were in
a Safeway parking lot talking to people because we needed to talk to a
couple more people. One lady was literally outside of the grocery
store holding a sign asking for donations for her little sons funeral.
We got to talking to her about it, and she said her 2 year old son had
an asthma attack in the middle of the night and she couldn't get to
him. It was terrible. But as we talked with her, we testified of the
plan of salvation and gave her a pamphlet with our number and I told
her if there is ever anything she needs, just to give us a call. The
spirit in the middle of that parking lot was incredible and that was
the first time I have ever almost started crying for a complete
stranger. As we go about trying to teach everyone we see, it starts to
make sense that we really are all brothers and sisters, and when we
truly try to help them, the spirit is there as we testify of truth,
and we understand what Christ's love is. That is one thing I have
learned already, that Christ's love is something that is very hard to
feel genuinely, but when you do feel it, it is undeniable. I bore my
testimony in fast and testimony meeting yesterday, and I felt so
comfortable up there bearing my testimony it didn't feel like me! It's
amazing to see what the spirit does.

I'm so happy to be out here with a bunch of people to support me, and
thank you all for your emails and packages! It helps a lot. I'll let
you know my new address and stuff as soon as possible, and I finally
get to see what a transfer is like! Haha

I love you guys!

Elder Janson


Me and the Taylors!


The McClouds!  They are recent converts and so legit


My boy Neil ____!  The Ward Mission Leader and his abnormally cute children.  The boy is Neilson, which I find quite hilarious.


The Cuencas.  They are the coolest family ever!  Mexican/Samoan.


Renee, a recent convert in Shiloh Park Ward.



Me and Elder Adamson in Bro Lewis' restored '65 Mustang


Me and the cutest pit bull ever named Lady!


Elder Despain, soon to be zone leader in Napa and Elder Morales, spanish greenie.


Sherylyn.  She is planning on getting baptized on Feb 18, 2015.  I won't be there, but that's okay!


Elder Haynie is dying! (going home)


Recent convert Thomas!


Me and a really cute Boxer.  At a member's home.


Elder Smith, who is absolutely hilarious.



1/26/15 Half Mission Conference

Hey my beautiful people,

We had a general authority here for our half mission conference on
Wednesday! His name is Brent H. Nielsen I believe and he is some sort
of Seventy haha. He taught us so much about the enabling power of the
atonement and compared it with the redeeming power. It got super deep
and he seemed like he knew everything. I recently watched a video that
explained how the seventy go out to do assignments for the twelve, so
they go to stake conferences, etc. with apostolic keys. Pretty sweet!
We had a question/answer with him for an hour after all of the
devotionals and people asked some deep stuff, and he had some answers
for all of them. It was great. And I got to see some of my peeps from
the MTC, which brings back some wonderful memories with my roommates!

Elder Adamson is the Elder to make our companionship a trio for the
next week at least. It sure is kind of weird to have three of us.
There is either more fun involved, or more contention, and we have
kind of had both haha. We sadly argue about who's door is the next to
knock, which is absolutely ridiculous, but we do! Haha it's great
though and we get to teach him about some real work! I'm thinking I
might get transferred next week, but I can't be too sure. You never
really know what will happen with transfers, though we like to guess
anyways.

I read and finished the Book of Mormon again, and it's crazy! I really
liked is scripture which I will share with all you fine folks.

Moroni 8:16
"Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this
manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with
boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do;
for perfect love casteth out all fear."

I thought that was sweet! We as missionaries should have love for
those we contact, teach, and work with. With that love that only comes
from Christ, we have no need to fear, and fear will totally leave us.

You guys are all amazing, and I hope you can have a wonderful....
Whatever it is you do in the real world. Thank you!

Here are some pictures of our exciting life.

Love all you guys! Elder Janson


Elder Adamson is a beautiful person.




This guy had fun showing us his '26 Oldsmobile for way too long, like an hour he just talked to us about how cool it was.


Half mission conference!  I am in the middle with my head turned.