9 November 2011

One of those great bananas!

Sunrise in Camana!

Dear family,

Pero bueno nuestras responsibilidades son llevar a cabo una capacitacion cada martes y jueves, pero muy breve, de repartir la informacion que el presidente nos da en los consejos de zona que tenemos ahorita, o mejor dicho mañana (estoy in Arequipa oltra vez), de hacer entrevistas baustimal para los investigadores de los lideres de distrito, hacer intercambios de compañeros con los lideres de distrito y oltros missioneros, ver que todos esten bien espiritual, y temporalmente. Manejamos los financas de la zona que tiene que ver con todos estos arreglos Ver que sus cuartos esten bien, que tengan agua purificada, que bueno.. que todo les va bien. Tambien manejamos todo el correro de caracól de la zona, los registros de baustimos y todo esto.. y bueno casi todo. Creo que al poner esta lista, debemos hacer que los Lideres de Distrito hagan un poco mas.

[Well, our responsibilities (as zone leaders) are to carry out training every Tuesday and Thursday.  In short, we deliver information that the President gives us in Zone Council that we have now, or rather, tomorrow. (I am in Arequipa again).  We do baptismal interviews for the District Leader’s investigators.  We do companionship exchanges with the district leaders and other missionaries.  We oversee that all are doing well spiritually and temporally.   We manage the Zone’s finances and see that it is all well and in order.  We make sure the apartments are in good shape, that the missionaries have purified water, and well, that everything is good.  We also manage the zone mail, baptismal registrations and that’s aboutit.  After writing out this list, it makes me realize that we should have the District Leaders doing a little more.]

My companion is laughing himself so much right now because of a joke he told: "Q: Which is the dumbest pokemon? A: Pikachu, because he always says "pica pica" but he never itches himself! Juajajaja" -- "me pica" in spanish means that "it itches me"

This week has been so interesting. We have started to look for members. Like I commented the last week, there are tons of the lost battalion whom we have never even seen. It was way cool to talk to a bunch and hear their desires to come back, the interesting questions that a few had, the confusion that some have had by receiving all the other church´s missionaries and at the same time not going to church. Substitute teaching the Sunday School class, a member asked us a question about something some others had taught her in her home about Revelations 2:17. She asked what it means. I thought that was a very interesting question. We decided to invite her to approach us after, but as she didn’t, that’s fine by me.

We met a man this week who told us "YO SE QUE DIOS CONTESTA LA ORACION" fue muy bien. La unica problema que anticipamos es [“I KNOW THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYER” was very good.  The only problem that we anticipate is. . .] that he has read almost all the Book of Mormon.... Well not really problem, but he has the doubt that not all is true, after reading so much, makes me wonder about the intention. But I hope he can ask God about it. He’s 78 and a very dear old man.

The boy who was baptized a while ago is doing well, his mom has reactivated and is President of the Primary. She is seeing that the Lord is blessing her and her family. The responsibilidad [responsibility] she has been given has helped a ton. In calling her, our Branch President followed the counsel of the 12 from a conference of Peru that we had. The member of the twelve (creo que fue [I believe it was] Elder Christoferson) said that we might think it will be a risk in calling a new member or a recently reactivated person, but think about the risk the Lord took in calling YOU. Haha it was very effective. 

My study in this week has been more focused on the needs of the people we are going to teach. I have felt my love for the people I plan for better, and study for, increase. And that has been something that has made the work a lot more enjoyable. I’m not working for me as much as for them.

Elder Ortiz and I are very, very different. It has been interesting in these months trying to make an equilibrium. I really believe he has been sent to me as the companion that the Lord wants me to have. We are so opposite though. We have all the qualities that the other has less of, and even though at first this just made us frustrated one with another--since we weren’t looking to change ourselves but the other--- we are beginning to learn how to absorb [the good qualities of the other] and become better. I am trying hard to be what He wants me to be, and he is trying hard too. It’s not easy but we are determined. Last night, while we reviewed the week and the work we had done, we were talking about how much progress we have made. It really has been so much. I have hope of being able to be perfected in Christ someday. 

Something that was taught to us was that the faith and the lasting strength comes from hearing the word of God like it says in Romans 10:17. This means that if we immerse ourselves in the word, we will be able to edify our rock on the Savior and never will the storms of anyone be able to mess us up. So we need to study study and hear and do all to immerse ourselves. I feel like the change in myself that I have seen until now, has been largely because of the study of the scriptures.

So study family! Together a little every morning and together to immerse yourselves in the word of God and never stray even a little bit!

Love Elder Johnson