Thursday, March 3, 2011

21 February 2011

Dear family,

A package?? Awesome! I wasn't expecting one till June... haha sounds like it might arrive in June.

Er...a pedometer would be pretty awesome.  I've been wondering how far I'm walking this week... feels like about 4 plus miles per day.

Ademas.. a ver... [In addition. . . let's see. . .] maybe a couple of pictures... talks from conferences... if possible little tiny speakers? Here in Tacna we don't have speakers for P day anymore. and any other space with candy! haha.

I shall raise up the rez [resolution on the camera] I guess, but if I go to 10 megapixels again I can't promise pictures every week due to upload time requirements.

How went this week? Super awesome. Don't even know where to start.

Now that I'm with Elder Stewart it is a little bit harder to talk with all the people... since neither of us are latinos, but it's all good since they almost always understand us. Between the two of us, we can always be understood. Also, I think now that they all have to pay lots of attention to understand us, they also receive the message better!

But I'm really enjoying being companions with Elder Stewart just like in the CCM. When I am tired and am having trouble getting myself to start talking with the people we are close to, he saves the moment and starts contacting. We are learning a ton and becoming better missionaries quickly.

Like I hinted earlier, we walk a TON. Also there is a TON of hot [heat]. The sun is super strong and the air unforgiving, but no is problem [it's not a problem] cuz when we knock doors, the people are really awesome. Well usually, they occasionally just close the door in our faces, but I don't mind so much now... wethering.

And that's the only problem.

In church yesterday, i was a little nervous and praying that the members would have the desire to work with us, since it seems that they haven't really done anything with the missionaries for a long, long time, but the people we asked to help us out were super willing to do so, and one member, Elvis, approached us and asked us when we were gunna go proseliting with him. Marcos told us that he has basically every day all day free, and Kenny almost the same.

Our new ward mission leader is John Wonkawonka. I really like his last name. He is almost 19 and preparing for the mission. Yesterday we did splits (when the two missionaries go with two members as temporary companions to be able to go to appointments that are far apart and the same time) with John Wonkawonka y Kenny. We were out between 3 and 8 and taught 4 lessons, and contacted 118 people. Really awesome day yesterday.

And the week in general. We set a record for both of us, 343 contacts in the week. I think I've passed 2000 but haven't added them up recently.

This week we have found 3 families that are really cool, and have been looking to basically find us. They are laiden with challenges, including getting married (all three... grr) but hopefully they can be willing to start to live this commandment in particular.

Also a lady Maritsa and Ximena her daughter are super awesome. We were talking with them about how one can feel, by the power of the Holy Ghost if the Book of Mormon is true, by reading it. And that by the same power we can know if the church is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God. Maritsa piped up and told us she feels it. That its all true. I was a little stunned not gunna lie. I mean... I just wasn't expecting her to already recognize that. Her daughter just said that she has a lot a lot of doubts. Here in [the[ University, there is a required class whose purpose is to convince the students that religion is a lie. Or at least christianity. It is always taught by a Jew, and leaves all the University students not believing in God. This is her source of doubts.

But in church, or after, she told us that now she doesn't have any doubts!! If all goes well, she will be able to make the covenants of baptism this Saturday with her mom.

Leslie is the other person who maybe this Saturday too will be baptized, but we are in need of a serious miracle. Our last lesson with her, we challenged her to read the Book of Mormon every day 5 chapters. If she really reads, and has been reading, then by now she has felt the change in her heart. She likes to learn the lessons, feels like they are true, but doesn't feel like there is need to be baptized.

Another distant possibility for this week is Wesley. A while ago he said he would like to be baptized, but he doesn't have support from his parents, or permision to attend church. And that's where we are with him. He is super awesome, and has a girlfriend in the church... which is a little bit of a challenge because [she] provides an ulterior motive that we don't want.

We are also teaching a 16 year old girl who is the bomb. Her name is Dulce, which translates to Sweet. She just needs to be able to go to church.We visited her the other day, and we asked her if she believes that the Book of Mormon is true. She said of course. Now that she has begun to read it, she really knows it is the word of God, and that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet by God and that the church really is the Church of Jesus Christ (read the first paragraph of the introduction to the Book of Mormon and the last 2 paragraphs)

Contacting this week, I was talking with a man on the bus. I gave him a pass along card (now my favorite thing) and when I looked around, the man on the other side of the bus signaled me that he wanted one too. Excited I went over and gave him a pamphlet (cuz I ran out of cards) and we got off the bus by chance with him. Accompanying him to his house, we talked a little bit and he said he wanted to go to church. I really think he has been prepared and is part of the white field that is ready for harvest aka our calling. (D&C 29:7 and D&C  4)

We work in Leguia, Techo Propio, and Habitat in Tacna Peru. And its pretty darn awesome.

Love Elder Johnson --  Rene

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