Events

Dear Sis. Johnson the Youngest,

Sounds like things are going good  in Louisiana. How's learning Spanish going? Don't worry about not being able to contribute a lot. Now you know how I felt my whole mission. It really makes you simplify your teaching down to the nuts and bolts of the gospel, which is what it should be anyway. 

I'm glad that you're finding more people to teach. A busy missionary's a happy missionary. 

This week wasn't that super interesting for me. Some highlights were going with Dallin to eat the most authentic tacos at this taco truck right by the tracks in Provo. It was amazing. A taco truck stuffed  in this wooden structure with some insulation and a tarp on the outside. The most delicious tacos I think I've ever had. 

I did a lot of stuff for school. I made a whole presentation about social capital and how it effects international development. I looked at this one study from Indonesia where a researcher discovered that villages that had more TV and radio channels had less social capital, meaning that they had fewer social groups and less participation in those social groups. 

I read another one about how social capital has increased in Burundi as a result of violence experienced by some communities in the civil war that raged there from 1993-2003. The study discovered that communities and individuals that had experienced higher levels of violence were more likely to be altruistic than those that hadn't. Most developmental economists consider civil wars to be steps backwards in terms of development, but sometimes horrible, traumatic events can lead people to be better. Unfortunately, the study didn't explain why, but I think it has something to do with hope, social capital, and that indomitable human spirit.  

Other than that, not much going on. Church was good. We learned about the creation. Always a plus. 

Your quote this week is from the doctor. It's from the "Waters of Mars" episode and is a good example of what can happen when you exercise unrighteous dominion or priestcraft. "But there are laws. There are laws of time. Once upon a time there were people in charge of those laws, but they died. They all died. Do you know who that leaves? Me! It's taken me all these years to realize the laws of time are mine, and they will obey me! We're not just fighting the Flood; we're fighting Time itself! And I'm gonna win!"

I  love you,

Tonya Johnson