5/25/15 Chalking ...

Family,

It was a pretty awesome week! We did a lot of cool district activities, we went chalking twice. (Chalking is when we all get together like little kids and draw with sidewalk chalk gospel related things until someone thinks we are weird and ask a question!) It was so fun!! I hope you saw the pictures of my amazing art. It was impressive :). It's good for doing something out of the ordinary missionary work.

For our district meeting we went to the park next to our stake center and had the meeting. It was the best district meeting ever! For one of our practices, we literally just did a real life practice! Some lady was walking by and we joked about role playing with her instead of each other. Then Elder Young just gets up and goes and talks to her. It turns out being a small little lesson with her where we showed her a video and passed her on the the 3rd ward elders to teach. All in district meeting! Just so you know, that is not normal haha.

It was sad but not sad again as Elder Young left our companionship and we were reduced to just a duo again. An Elder who had gone home and came back was out with a Elder Young. His name is Elder Alcivar. He is super cool and is from New York. Still no Utah :)

We had a funny experience when we were going to visit a member. We drove up to the address and were confused for a second as it said, it was a Buddhist temple. We're just like, "well let's knock anyways!!" Hahaha so we did! And some monk answered and said the lady we were looking for wasn't there (obviously). He let us in though and we saw their evening chant/meditation. It was pretty cool!

We had an amazing lesson his week! His name is Lyndon, and he's about 24ish and is in ROTC at Sac State. His friend from BYU referred him and he is so willing to learn! The lesson felt like we were doing some MTC practice and it we actually knew what we were doing! He accepted the baptismal invite and I'm sure he will read. He just barely started reading the bible we gave him as well. He's the coolest guy ever! Keep him in your prayers.

Well I'm burnt out on writing, but I just want to say it was a super fun week! We got to go mini golfing today and go karting for free! Thank goodness a member owns Scandia, a small amusement park place like skate station. It was a blast!

I love you all,

Elder Janson

District chalking!

 I drew Moses

 Hmong food!!

Us imitating a crawdad we found..

05/18/15 Visiting the Jelly Belly Factory (and other stuff)

Family,

So first order of crazy business. Elder Vang who was going home this transfer anyways, went home a couple weeks early for family reasons. So Elder Young, the tall guy in my pics is now in our tiny studio apartment, and now we are a trio! And instead of just covering Fairfield 2nd ward we now also cover 1st for a little. So needless to say we have no free time, which is not bad, but it's hectic! Elder Young is one of the funniest guys I've ever met, and is an amazing worker and loves talking to people. He's in the Army so that helps too. It's funny because he's driving now and he drives so slow it's comical. The thing is as missionaries we usually don't need to drive fast, because we got all day! Anyways, we spend a lot of our last night hours of the day laughing at all of the random things we found hilarious. If any of you are familiar with the "secret knock" from the Lego Movie, it is simply one loud knock. So we've tried it at some doors, loudly proclaiming it is the secret knock! Some people don't really appreciate it too much :) one lady yelled at us, "I don't like the way your knockin! Go away!" Hahaha we didn't let that one go for awhile. Elder Young calls the sisters in our district every night, and that call consists of us telling them all of our crazy funny experiences. I'm sure we bug them.

So besides that, it's been such a good week. One day at studies Elder Huff showed us a good talk by Stephen R. Covey. It is called "Teaching our children to pray." It comments on the fact that sometimes we have the conflict in our minds on the difference between conscience and the spirit. He explains that most often when we feel the spirit, it speaks through our conscience! If it inspires us to do good, it is of God and it is inspiration of the Holy Ghost. That is the way he works. So we don't need to think super hard about whether it comes form God or us. God works through our thoughts, as well as through others. I definitely know that is true. Recently I've tried to write impressions right after I pray at night. I just write simple feelings or things I think I need to do for me, my companions, and investigators. It works wonders! You all should try it, because as we show our willingness to write and put forth effort to listen to God, he will speak to us. We are promised all over the scriptures with that blessing.

I know the gospel is true, and the Book of Mormon is true! It is invigorating to testify of that truth to so many each day. It brings peace to my life and I know it can bring peace to you as well. Hopefully we have a baptism in 1st ward soon, a girl named Alanna who is about 12 I think. She is in a part member family, and clearly has made this choice for herself. Her testimony is amazing! One with a testimony can influence others more than they think.

I love you all!

Elder Janson

 Three guys holding three male birds

We did just a little karaoke hahaha

A nice roast pig we had fun with

Jelly Belly Factory!

 Portrait out of jelly beans

 Me and Elder Huff!

05/12/15 Temple Day

Hello!

It was a pretty. Crazy week full of things that could be super
annoying. I have found out that I'm getting a little better at dealing
with stress, because if all of this happened at home, I would be
exploding inside!

Our car has to be fixed, a little scratch on the back that no elders
have ever taken care of. And our little key remote thing is broken.
And our phone is dead as of Saturday. So we have trouble doing much at
all. Now Elder Vang from Fairfield 1st ward is leaving, so his
companion Elder Young is going to live with us, so we have to merge
areas for a little. It's not going to be easy! Needless to say, it's
been a mentally hard week. It's the worst.

We also got a device called a Tiwi in every mission car. It is a
little box that basically yells at you if you speed, or turn to fast,
or go over a bump too fast, or brake too fast, or do ANYTHING too
fast. But it's not too bad. I guess it's for good. You know exactly who
is driving what car, and where the car is at all times! It's crazy.

So the other night three girls asked to take a picture with us! It was
super weird but we figured, why not!? So we took a picture with them.
They probably know kids in our ward.

If you don't know the song called Fragile on the lds.org website,
check it out! It is SO GOOD!!! I'm kind of obsessed with it haha but
the girl has such a good voice! We play it over and over in the
apartment :)

All I have to say is that prayer is for real! Last night we got out of
the car and we usually pray in the car but I forgot. So I about
shrugged it off, but then I got a super strong prompting to pray right
there on the street to help us find. What happens? The next two doors
who we have tried to see all transfer, both answer! We have a return
lesson for a guy and his wife, and left a blessing with them. Then we
prayed again and saw our super cool potential who has a friend at BYU
and he wants to learn and see us next week. It was all in like 15
minutes! Prayer is for real everyone. Heavenly Father will answer, but
it requires effort on our part. It is amazing how he cares for all of
us. I know it's true!

Love all of you

Elder Janson

 Me and Achal

Picture of temple with Elder Kesler awkwardly there.

Oakland, then San Francisco in background.

Sis Majors, Me, Sis Harper. Coolest Sisters ever!!

Fairfield Zone

Big boy Elder Young

Me. 

Me posing at Oakland temple

5/4/15 Doing Work

Dear Family and friends,

It's been a new week and of driving a car in our area and being
rejected a lot! Hahaha But Elder Achal is pretty cool. He's from
Calgary, Alberta, and he still has sufficient greenie fire as we call
it. He's not afraid to work! We started the week with 0 investigators
and now have 1 progressing investigator and 2 new ones! We've just
gone out and worked and knocked doors even though sometimes it felt
worthless. I think Saturday night we were knocking and no one was
answering and it seemed like a waste of time. But we knocked one more
door, and this guy let us in and talked for an hour about his daughter
and son and how he coached his daughter in soccer for years and talked
about his dog and anything else you can think of that would make me
tired to listen to. But it was so cool once we said a blessing on his
home. We both said some of the prayer, (according to his request) and
it was so powerful. He said he truly believes when one or two are
gathered in Christ's name the spirit is there. He said he had
goosebumps in our prayer, and committed to church in a very solid way!
Sadly he did not come, but we are going to see him tomorrow. It was a
reward for our whole day of absolutely no one listening to us! Haha
one guy who said come back earlier we went to go visit. At first we
thougt they would let us in, but then his friend comes out and says,
"are they still here?? Oh guys you gotta leave, were Christian!" SLAM.
haha oh my gosh the struggle was real. But it was all worth it when we
met Bruce who I spoke of before.

We were able to do service for a guy with one leg who was moving from
one apartment in town to another. Fairfield 1st Ward elders asked us
to help, and we got there and didn't know quite what to do! He thought
we would have a truck. Elder Vang explained that we are pretty much
worthless accept for providing labor. :). But we were able to help
anyways and it was awesome.

So good news is that we have been solid running every morning, not
lazy walking like I have been for months. So I might not get too fat
now, don't worry. We also contacted a couple teenagers who were out
playing ball in the neighborhood, and ended up talking to them for
like an hour and shooting a couple shots. They knew a couple kids from
our ward and one black half Asian guy who's name was Joseph (so he was
cool) said he had read some of the Book of Mormon. They were so open
to us and said we looked good in our "suits."

Overall, it was such a busy and good week. And you all for your
prayers and support as we are out here. We have it pretty comfortable
when it comes to lifestyle, but it's still hard when absolutely no one
wants to hear you speak haha. It's not quite that bad but we are
working hard. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Janson

 Me and Elder Achal's wearing Abel's old jackets!

Elder Achal looking out towards the castle on the hill!

Me pondering on the hill with a castle on it.

4/27/15 Transfer Week!

Hey hey hey!

Well it's already been two transfer for me here in Fairfield 2nd ward.
It's crazy I feel like it's been just a little bit! I love this ward!
The Ward is full of young Air Force families who are super solid and a
lot are so willing to help us with whatever we have needed. But now we
don't need rides anymore... Because this area finally got a car! Elder
Hastings is going to be a zone leader up in Ukiah, the land of
hillbillies! Haha he will do great. I'm getting a newer elder named
Elder Achal who apparently was born in Canada and is Indian? Haha
sounds sweet! He has been about 4 months, so it will be a different
experience being the senior companion. I hope I know what I'm doing,
for his sake haha. But I'm definitely excited for the change.

Elder Hastings and I had a bit of a slow week, considering we baptized
our only solid investigator, so that leaves this area with not too
many options! Me and Achal will have to exercise some faith in finding
to find new people, and have the Ward work with us well as they did
with Dominique. Me and Elder Hastings had some ridiculous jokes, which
anyone who knows me probably knows what I mean. Most of our jokes
include like three inside jokes sandwiched into one song or rap that
we make up. It's definitely been an entertaining two transfers. His
chair has slowly been deteriorating as one of the metal legs has been
bending when he leans back in it. I got to witness one of the funniest
looking scenes when he went to sit down and the chair just collapsed
backwards, him with it, as the leg finally gave in. I was laughing for
about 5 minutes at that one. Other than that, I'm thankful for
everything he taught me, even though he's a lot different than me in
some ways. That's the beauty of it!

Other than all that, nothing much more is happening around here. Our
stake here had a gigantic garage sale type thing at the stake center,
where a bunch of members donated stuff they didn't need to it, and the
youth helped provide the work at the actual event this past Saturday,
which was a community garage sale to raise money for youth camps. We
were there for a lo time just to talk to people and help and let them
talk to us if they were interested. It was nice to also get some good
food they provided! It was such a huge sale covering the whole half of
the parking lot, and they showed quite some teamwork cleaning it up
after so it was ready for Sunday. Just shows what the combined efforts
of many can do.

So if you all could just pray for me and my new companion, as we go
about in this area. I know as we put forth our small amount of work
compared to God, he will make up the rest. That is how he works! For
we are only capable of so much. I love the savior and love testifying
of him daily and seeing those who are ready accept his grace into
their lives. The atonement is a real power, and it is undeniable. I
know this church is true, and the book is blue!

I love you all,

Elder Janson

Us after a good time at the driving range this morning. I didn't do

totally horrible.

Zone Pictures for end of the transfer!

Found this hilarious picture in the new era this month. Just wanted

to brighten some days :)

4/20/15 Birthday and Baptism

Family and Friends,

It's been quite the week! I just want to say thanks to everyone who
sent things for my birthday and sent me emails. It was really a nice
birthday that I was surprised with! The members here all somehow knew
it was my birthday. Brother Coakwell in priesthood even announced it
haha. I was pretty confused. Apparently Sister Brown in our ward is
quite the missionary mom and practically stalks us! Which is cool I
guess. So I got a birthday cake and I got sang to as well. Can't
complain about nothin!

Brother Van Weerd took us to Chick-fil-a the other day. Him and his
wife are retired and do everything to help the missionaries, they do
our laundry!! Anyone who does that is blessed! Anyways, he took us to
Chick-fil-a and as he's about to pay he doesn't have his wallet. So he
goes out to his car and we stand there awkwardly. Turns out he had
lost his wallet while on the air base and so we were about to cancel
the order, when some random lady says, "I'll pay for them." Holds out
her card, and there ya go. Bro Van Weerd, being who he is, was not too
happy with himself. But he found his wallet later that day. Man we
felt bad!! But we still don't know who this mystery lady is. She said
to Bro Van Weerd, "Don't worry, it's military free day. It's Mormon
free day." It was crazy! But a cool little experience.

So of course, the big event was Dominique's baptism yesterday,
which happened to be my first birthday on the mission and my first
baptism as well. It was so crazy!!!! The room was so full of
supportive members, who all already know her because she's been to
church so many times. It's so good to have the members be the
fellowshippers and not us. We will be gone! She is set up perfectly
and everyone already loves her. The spirit was so strong during the
entire service and it was not what I expected! I'm so glad to have
been a part of her making such an amazing choice p, and with such
willingness and decisiveness! She surely will see the blessings all
through her life because of it. Thank you all for your prayers for
her!

It's been so good this week and we are lucky missionaries! But I know
it's all the Lord's doing. Without him, our work is hopeless! I thank
you all for your support and love, and wish you the best week ever!

Love, Elder Janson

Dominique, Elder Hastings and me.

 On the right is Bro. Nelson and his wife. He is the Ward mission

leader and is a pretty goofy guy.

Sister Nelson and Dominique. Sister Nelson invited Dominique to

church when she went through Dominique's line at Walmart, and here we

are now!

 Sister Olmstead spoke at Dominique's baptism. Apparently she knew

my Mom and Dad in Oregon!

 

 A member gave me two water guns for my birthday...