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...

4/13/15 Just doing the work

Dear family and friends,

It's been a pretty awesome week actually. Our fast and testimony
meeting was yesterday and it was probably the best I've been too in
awhile. A little 9 year old kid Bennett got up and bore his testimony.
Oh my gosh it was hilarious. He told "a story" as he put it. He said
one time he was in the shower and the water wasn't hot enough so he
turned the knob just a little and it got really hot! Haha he related
it to just a small sin can "burn us" and make a big effect on us. Oh
my gosh it was awesome. So I got up a couple minutes later and bore my
testimony, part of it in which I expanded on his analogy and said that
our shower knob in our apartment is reversed, so the first time I used
it I couldn't get any hot water! I had to learn that it was opposite.
So I said sometimes the world makes good look evil, and evil look
good. I thought it was pretty clever :). It was such a good Sunday.

This week Elder Vang from Fairfield 1st ward came to my area on
exchanges. It was such a good one! We finally went to an area near the
Air Force base where I had never been for my whole time here and met a
referral we had there. And it rained for the first time in forever! It
never rains here, and there's a huge drought that's getting bad, I
call this place a desert. Anyways, after eating a bunch of Hmong food
with Elder Vang's member and the other two elders, we went to go see
some members. One of them is the Chanhsy's who actually were home and
let us in the give their kids a blessing. They rarely have been
available. Sis Chanhsy was so glad we could do that. Sometimes our
random visits make a difference!

Me and Elder Hastings had an amazing unexpected lesson one night this
week. It was with Gracie, a young mom who we can't get ahold of
easily. She happened to let us in her garage for awhile to talk. Then
unexpectedly her 20 year old niece drives up, named Mimi. She sits
downs and talks to us for awhile. And then her cousin Marco drives up,
who has been previously interested. Then her other cousin, and her
daughter's friend's mom! And then a couple they know! People just kept
coming and going and asking us the usual, "what are you guys!?"
questions. It was a pretty cool experience and we showed her and Marco
the "Because He Lives" video. They were super chill with us. At the
end of the lesson Gracie goes to me and says, "I do hugs!" Then she
just hugs me and I awkwardly hug/not really. Then Mimi, the 20 year
old comes and hugs me and Hastings. Hastings just stood really
awkwardly Hahahaha. They told us we need to work on our hugs, and of
course we explained the reasoning for our lousy hugs. They then
freaked out and high fives exclaiming, "we hugged Mormons!"

I'm excite to hear about Jaden's mission call to Boise, Idaho! Haha I
love it! Where's a map!? That's a singles ward reference by the way.
Good luck bro!

I finished Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage this week. Wow. I have
never read a more comprehensive and unmistakable testimony of the
divinity of our savior. Reading those inspired words by a past apostle
can really help any of us strengthen our own knowledge and testimony
of why we really need a savior, and why Christ did what He did when He
was on the earth. I urge you all to check it out, and use it in your
study.

I just want to leave my testimony that two modern witnesses and
prophets have also proclaimed. That He lives! He is there to help us!
That is the sole reason he came to earth! I know that is true and I
hope you all do too.

I love you guys!

Elder Janson

Random P-day emailing picture.  We are so lame.

A member's cool 39 Chevy.

4/6/15 A sweet work

Hello people

I'm sure you can tell from our pictures we had quite a fun week. First
of all, conference this weekend was the bomb! It's never better than
that pretty much. I don't know if you all remember Elder Brent H.
Nielson, but he spoke on Sunday Morning and he was the one who came to
our mission for conferences here twice. He is so amazing and his talk
was definitely one I know can help so many people. I hope you all had
a good time watching conference, because I did!

So we taught Dominique on Wednesday again, and went through all of the
4th lesson on commandments. If you are not aware, that is a lot to
throw at someone all at once. But we did, and wow I've never seen
anyone more willing to follow what the lord wants. When we finally got
to tithing, she had questions except, "How do I pay it?" Were just
like, good question! Hahaha her baptism date will actually be April
19th because of building complications. So that's cool considering its
my birthday. But whatever. I'm not important! She is!

We went to chick-fil-a as you can see, the best place missionaries can
get some fast food :) we also did some service for Abel, the hilarious
guy who's wife is a member and we go over to see him a lot. He can't
help but make a joke or be sarcastic in some fashion every two
seconds. It makes lessons interesting, but always enjoyable. We did
yard work for them in the back, but they barely made us work at all.
Then we went to do service for Jerry, a guy we've been stopping by and
helping a lot who investigated years ago, but didn't join. He loves us
coming over and we helped set up a little play area for his grandkids
in his backyard. He constantly thinks of additional features he can
put back there, so we always have a good time.

Other than all that, life has been pretty normal. Walking and knockin
and talkin. But as Elder Andersen remarked about something Neal A.
Maxwell once said, "if everything is going perfect for you right now,
just wait." I thought that was pretty funny honestly, because we are
here for some hard things and good things. But we never have to be
unhappy and that's fortunate!
I've been constantly trying to evaluate myself and just get along with
others better, because, frankly, it's like the hardest thing ever! But
as Nelson Mandela said, "a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying."
Dale G. Renlund spoke of that in his talk, and boy is that relevant.

I hope you all took the opportunity to have a question at general
conference, because I did, and "the lord can only teach an inquiring
mind." (Sorry about all the conference quotes:) But I think that's
important to remember. The lord only gives if we are constantly
acknowledging him and asking for further light. We can't ever be
content with just staying how we are, though that is comfortable. I'm
not an expert at this, so don't take me wrong. It's like the hardest
thing ever to correct yourself and find what you need to do better.
But I know because of Christ, #BecauseHeLives, it is possible.
Remember that will ya? I know it is true.

Thank you everyone, I love you guys!

Elder Janson

Me and Abel, funniest guy to walk the planet.

Me and Elder Hastings doing that yardwork.

Guess where we are eating ...

Me holding the moon.

Remember, share this video!

Our district at General Conference.