S1E3

Aloooha!

Yoh yoh yoh... It's kinda crazy how much can happen in two years. Selfie sticks can be invented and subsequently banned from Disneyland. The sound a fox makes can be discovered and have a song written about it. Donald Trump can go from being someone people followed on Twitter for comic relief (even though he took himself seriously) to someone who's a serious contender to rule the free world. Give it another two years and we'll probably even find a cure for cancer. Perhaps we have it already but it's just hidden in Donald's hair... Not likely, but you never know unless you check. Someone should get on that. Anyway, my point is things can happen and change over two years. That includes people. Everyone's been on different journeys, learning different things, and reconnecting/finding out what people have been up to has been one of the highlights of returning home. Man, I have such cool friends. A wise man named Braiden Childs once told me, "The more deep conversations I have with anyone the better I feel. That's what brings me joy." Amen to that.

So I know I've said this before, but post-mission life is a roller coaster of ups and downs. Luckily, this week's had lots more ups. I should probably start by spotlighting my grandpa for doing something no one else has ever been able to. After years and years of proving to the world that it is indeed possible to golf a ball farther right than straight, he fixed my slice. After watching my swing on the driving range for a while, he suggested a simple pop of the wrist to change the angle of the club face when it hits the ball. And holy fetch, it worked! The rest of the day after that my shots were consistently going straight! Golf is probably the most bipolar relationship I have. I went from hating it that morning to loving it at the end of that day. Knowing how my luck goes, though, I'll probably have something else to fix next time I get out and play. It'll be good to keep Grandpa around. What a stud.

Grandpa fixing slice? Up.

I made it to the temple this week, and I think that's probably the best place to go for personal revelation. There really aren't too many places you can go to be completely cut off from the rest of the world, but the temple is one. It's peaceful, it's quiet, it's still, it's reverent, and it gives you the chance to ponder deeply and the Spirit a chance to speak to your most personal needs, whether they be spiritual or temporal. That's something I didn't appreciate nearly as much two years ago... Stillness. I've yet to find a better way to clear the mind and focus on things that really are important. Truly wonderful.

Temple? Up.

What else, what else... Eish, I'm kinda tired so I'll probably just summarize the rest so I can get a little bit of nap time in before game night with the grandparents. Basically between hiking Manoa falls, trying loco moco, a red eye flight, a wedding reception, riding bikes around SLC, Indian food, a blind date, game night at the Lows, a Real Salt Lake game (complete with free food, drinks, parking, and second row seats), and missionary homecomings, it's been ups all around.

People with surnames like Johnson, Cox, Tiem, Facer, Sargent, Coleman, Dalton, Fox, Emery, Stettler, Carling, Schwab, Granados, Washburn, Young, Harbertson, Allen, Low, Hafen, West, Fillmore, Oldroyd, Page, and probably more I've forgotten to mention? Up x23. (At least.)

I think I finished last week's post Sunday afternoon... The rest of that day and Monday were the last days the six members of the Johnson ohana would be all together for a long while. Which is sad, but hey... We've had a month of togetherness and it's been wonderful. At least we didn't miss each other by like a day or something. Tyler and Taylor, if either of you are reading this, haha sorry. Our last little while together consisted of hiking, Taco Bell, blobs, and pictures. Kiley hurt her ankle at school that day (had to ride around school in a golf cart all day...yeah, life is hard), so she had to sit out our last supper, but it's ok because we still love the crap out of her. But now that I'm back in Utah, the two year clock 'til we reunite has started all over again. Sure hope it goes fast.

Being away from family? Down.

But being together for eternity? Biggest up there is.

More changes coming this week... Blake to the MTC Wednesday, me to Logan later that day, and school the following Monday. After months and months of living out of a suitcase, I'm gonna have a home and a bed to call my own!!! H*CK YEAH!!! Couldn't be more excited or nervous. More adventures lie

Much love and aloha!

Dizzy

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