Our Latest Adventures...

Finally, We are missionaries!! Our lives have been very busy this past month getting ready to leave for 18 months.

After more travels, family reunions, cleaning and packing, we are now living in Salt Lake. Thank heaven for children who are willing to help bail us out. We tried to empty most of the top level of our house. What a process ! Natalie came and spent a week with us and she was a lifesaver. I'm not sure I want to ask what happened to most of my things, but I also know I probably won't miss them. I finally said, "Just don't ask", which may have been a mistake, but we certainly did make lots of trips to the dump and D.I.

We were set apart on Sunday night, August 3rd, by President Nichols. Most of our family was there, and we both received special blessings and felt the spirit as President Nichols set us apart as missionaries. We were amazed with the insight he had as he blessed each of us according to our special needs.

We left for Utah on Friday to get settled before we had to begin work on Monday morning. We were very fortunate to secure housing just north of the conference Center. Our balcony looks down on the roof of the conference center and the temple. It is a beautiful view of the city, and especially gorgeous at night with all the lights. Our place is furnished, not exactly to our taste, but it was so nice not to have to move our furniture.

We spent the first week on temple square in training.

We will be working at all the locations on the square, as well as Welfare Square, Humanitarian Center, the Beehive House, and the Legacy Theater. Our first week was amazing as we toured all the different places and spent at least half a day at each post. There are 160 Sister Missionaries here, but a fourth of them are out proselyting in different missions throughout the U.S. at a given time. They are truly amazing. They come from all over the world and the tours are given in 40 different languages. We stand in awe as we watch them and feel of their strong testimonies and dedication.

After spending a week on temple square, we left for the Missionary Training Center on August 18th. I must admit, it was much easier going there myself than it was leaving our sons there.

The MTC is a spiritual haven. Our week there was filled with studying, training, teaching. We were exhausted at the end of each day, but what strength we gained from all the Elders and Sisters there. It was a feast every day, both spiritually and physically. Elder Dallin Oaks and his wife were the devotional speakers on Tuesday night. The first rows are reserved for the senior missionaries, so we were right in front of him on the third row. It was a powerful meeting and as we sang "Called to Serve" with 2000 missionaries, the realization that we are part of that great missionary force hit me. I couldn't even sing. Sister Elaine Dalton, general president of the Young Womens organization was the speaker for Relief Society on Sunday. Another wonderful meeting.

We have made many new friends as a result of our experience at the MTC. We spent the week with thirty-two couples , and several single sisters leaving to serve throughout the world.

The newest kids on Temple Square.

Elder and Sister Rock from Fishers, Indiana

Elder and Sister Bingham from Weston, Idaho

Elder and Sister Johnson

This is the view from our balcony. It is gorgeous, both day and night.




Up Up and Away



Our children gave Wayne a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride in Park City for his birthday.



We decided he better do it before we start our mission. He absolutely loved it and said everyone should do it some time in their lifetime.

"Lift off"

View from the balloon

Family Reunion

We had our Johnson reunion the end of July. Kirk and Jen planned the activities and they did a super job. The Holloways were kind enough to let us use their cabin and we had such a fun time.

We went to the playmill, four wheeling, floating the river, attended a rodeo and dutch oven dinner and nearly lost four of the men in our family to bulls and three of the grandchildren to calves as they participated in the rodeo --- scary! I don't recommend this activity to any one. A man sitting by me said, "What is wrong with your family"? What could I say?


How many grandkids can you fit in a closet?











The whole tribe on four wheelers. We rode up to the top of the continental divide overlooking Henry's Lake. It was beautiful!









Justin, our son in law, wannabe cowboy. These were almost the last breaths he took.













The crazy Johnsons! Our kids provided the entertainment for the dutch oven dinner.












"Floating down the river on a sunny afternoon"










I'm not sure I want to claim this bunch, but yes, we are all Johnson's. We laughed until we were sick as we all had to perform with various costumes and songs. It was hilarious!







We managed to squeeze one last trip to Oregon before our life was put on "hold". We spent a week at the Whispering Wood Condo in Welches, Oregon. It is by Mt. Hood and it was beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed the beauty, quiet, and serenity of the area.