Classy Murder Mystery Banquets and Lead Tests

Dear Sis. Johnson the Sassiest,

Admit it. You're sassy, you sassy pants. I bet you're a sassy missionary too. I'm so glad that you get to stay in Louisiana for another 6 weeks. That means that you'll be in Lake Charles for 6 months, right? I was in Roi Et for 6 months. Roi Et was the smallest area in the mission for sisters, and I swear I invited every street in that area by the time I left. I think Lake Charles is a little bigger than that.

How's the new comp? Crazy that you're still in a three-some. How did the last one go? Did you adjust to having three people teaching? Was it like a party all the time? Three people is so much more fun than two.

I can't believe that you're  going to be 20! And the last Johnson child leaves tennagedom. That's it. I'm officially old, and Mom and Dad are ready to retire. I hope you do something awesome for your birthday like eat some ice cream or jumbo or cake or something. 

I am so grateful for your service and know that there is no other way that you could better be spending your time. What you're doing now has eternal consequences for you, your investigators, your companions, the members you serve with, and your family. Missions are so awesome. 

So, thank you and Happy Birthday. 

Anyway, I loved those stories  about the little boy praying for his Mom and accidentally finding that less active. How are Michael and Randy doing? The Lord is totally leading people to you because you are totally prepared and worthy to teach them. 

As for things going on with me, it's been a pretty great week. I had lots of tests (well, that wasn't part of the greatness) I didn't do so well in budgeting because all our prof said about the test was that it would be over everything that we'd learned so far, and then he and the TA went out of town for the week. Lamesauce. The other test went better, I think. Finance and budgeting were the two classes. I know, you're excited hearing about it. 

I found time to go to a basketball game too this week. We watched our cougs trump the Santa Clara Broncos (no, not THE Broncos who also got trumped but in the superbowl. Please take a moment of silence... It's OK though because everyone still loves Peyton Manning. I saw an article about it on the internet, so it must be true.)

Aside from studying, I went to a "classy mystery banquet" with Daniel. One of his friends from school wrote this whole mystery story, and then he invited a bunch of people to a fancy banquet. Every guest had a role assigned and we went around trying to found out who the "murderer" was and what not. 

It was pretty amazing. There were about 50 people there and the host knew everyone's part and how it all fit together. Daniel was a German scientist working on cold fusion, and I was a German oboist, who was playing in the Berlin symphony. Daniel put on this great German accent for most of the night. It was great fun, and I discovered that in addition to being a great Hermione Granger real-life-double, I also make a great bitter, German oboist.So, that was fun.

Last night I went to the ward Valentine's Day party. They had amazing fondue. Then my roommates and some guy friends from the ward went and got amazing tacos from that place that Dallin took us before. Yum, yum, yum.

This morning I got up painfully early for a Sunday and went to Music and the Spoken Word at the tabernacle in Salt Lake. My visiting teacher is in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir now, and it was her first time singing in the broadcast, so a bunch of us went up to support her. She sounded great! And looked great in their little half-mumus. 

The most ironic part of the whole venture was that no guys came. There were about 13 girls and no boys. Story of this ward. I did hear that some of the guys in the ward, upon seeing the picture we took in the tabernacle with all of those amazingly beautiful women sans men, said, "Dang, man! We should have gone!" Yes, you should have. 

Church was good and then Luiza made dinner and we had a lot of people over. All in all, fun was had. No tests this week too! Yay!

Your quote this week is from the Doctor again. I'm in season 5 now with Doctor the 11th and Amy Pond. I'm loving it more than ever. This is from the first episode when he finally comes back for Amy.

 Amy Pond: I thought... Well, I started to think you were just a mad man with a box.The Doctor: Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's important and one day your life may depend on it: I am definitely a mad man with a box.

I love you!

Tonya 

Knew it. 

St. George and Awesomeness

Dear Sis. Johnson the Greatest,

I'm writing to you later than usual this week. That's because it's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I'm remembering all the awesome stuff he did by sleeping in and having fun.

Tragically, I did not get your  facebook  figured out before I came back to school. I give that assignment back to Dad, so ask him about it.

Point of fact, you didn't teach me how  to lead climb. I knew how to lead climb  before I started climbing with you. I don't think we ever lead climbed together,  actually. However,  I do owe to you my renewed interest in climbing post-mission. A fact that I thank you greatly for.

That's cool that you're looking for Spanish speakers in your area. I'm sure  that you'll  find lots of people to teach. How's your Spanish  coming?  All those years  of high school Spanish starting to pay off, eh?

Tips  for learning a language:

1. Read the Book of Mormon in that language. Read aloud  to work on pronunciation.
2. Speak it as much as possible.  Since  your companions are Spanish  speakers, speak with them. *Note of caution: if  you really need to communicate something important, though, use English.  Also,  you  will  get tired of trying to speak  Spanish, so don't fell bad about speaking English with them.
   
3. Pray. A lot.
4. Make flash cards. Carry them around with you.
5. Carry a little notebook around with you in which you can write  down the words you hear but don't understand. People will like it  when you do this because  then they'll feel like they're participating in your language learning and that you really care about what they're saying. 

Let  me know if those help.

Good  job on using the area book. That's crazy that your have five of them. Sounds like you're doing exactly what you need to do to be an awesome missionary, and I'm sure  that the Lord will reward you awesomely.

When is transfers? I feel like your chances of staying in Lake Charles are a a lot  smaller  this time,  but then again,  your  third could be  called to Brazil at any moment....

Things I did this week.  Well, it was a pretty regular school  week until  Friday when we went to St. George. My friend,Ammon, and I had been planning a climbing trip to  St. George for  the  long weekend. Luiza, Ammon, Daniel, Kevin, Tyler and I all piled into the twinkie. All six of  us. Just like when we were kids.


We drove  down and listened to music, talked,  and had a great time. We were staying with  Tyler's grandparents who are retirees  in Hurricane. They  had a super nice house and they were out-of-town for the  weekend, so it  was  super nice of them to let us use it.


We spent the  night there, and I tried  to get everyone up early to  go climbing the next morning. It was like herding  cats. Now, I know how Mom felt trying to get us all  out the door in the morning. 

We finally left at 10:00  and drove over to  Snow Canyon State Park  where we climbed the rest of the day. We used my new rope and your rope. We set up a total  of  three routes. With six  people, it took a while  to send everyone up all  the routes. I led  two, one was a 5.9  and the other  a 5.10a-c. Ammon led  the other one.


The place was beautiful. I love  southern Utah and St. George in particular. I attached pictures as evidence.

So, climbing was awesome! All the gear worked great and everyone felt super hard core, and no one got hurt. All plusses. Also, the weather was perfect. 65 and sunny. We didn't want to come back to cold, smoggy Provo.

Sunday we went to a YSA ward in St. George  where all the Dixie State College students go. We were only able to stay  for sacrament meeting because Tyler's grandparents came home early, so  we  had  to run home to clean up the house, which we might have left a mess...

We  finished cleaning  right as they  walked  in. They were super nice folks with this  tiny Yorkie named Biff. Seriously, this dog was smaller than the neighbor's dog, Jasmine. Wish I'd gotten a picture for you.

We chatted for a bit and then went for a walk back over  by the State Park. It was again beautiful. I love the contrast between the light blue sky  and the  orange-red  rocks.  The desert flora makes it interesting too.


Then we went back  to  Tyler's house, and Ammon cooked everyone an amazing dinner as thanks for letting us use their house.

Then we drove home, and now it's Monday morning and I'm writing this to  you. 


Your quote this week is from the guide book that Daniel bought for me in St. George  about the city, "As a base of operations in the war  against gravity, the city of St.  George makes an admirable headquarters," also, "The  landscape of southwestern Utah is a geological stew. Take a few million years of detritus accretion, add some precipitate, and metamorphose on low for three eons. Fold, wrinkle, then fault, and top with several lacolithic orogenies and serve....  In layman's  terms  this means you  can't swing  cat  without hitting some type of climbable  rock. Previously swung cats  may  be adopted at the city animal shelter."

I love you!

Tonya

Some silhouette shots of me cleaning the top of the route as the sun set.

Daniel, Kevin and I. Pretty  indicative of our  personalities.

Leading the last route.

I love these awesome people!

Epic  reach to the anchor!

Let's be honest, you spend  a great portion of your time  trying to figure out  where  to go.