2 January 2012

Mark is the Zone Leader of this group.  This picture was taken just before Elder Ortiz left to go home.

Hermano Huillca, Mark's temporary companion 

Queridisimo familia,

2 January 2012

How good. This week has been so interesting. I bet you would like to know how is my new compañion and all, but I don’t have one! Haha. Well.. I do, more or less. I’m sending a picture of Hermano Huillca who was with me for a few of the days. Other members the other days. A few nights the son of our pensioner stayed over. He is a recently returned missionary and it was pretty interesting. My Branch missonary leader also was with me a day. He also just got back a year ago and it was really interesting for him. He introduced himself as Elder Huaman one time. Haha. So I taught 18 lessons with members present.. Unfortunately if the member is your companion it doesn’t count.

There is also a picture of the Zone just before Elder Ortiz left me.

This week was fun. I learned a bunch. Especially I liked the progress I made in teaching by the Spirit. I taught an almost pastor (he took all the years of the required study apart from about 1 or 2) of the Catholic church and when he read the introduction of the Book of Mormon, he was so surprised when he read that it’s a sacred book and contains the fulness of the Gospel (in English it says: as does the bible, in spanish, it doesn’t... interesting, Here, there are about 20 different translations of the Bible, maybe that’s why? Some say that if we don’t keep Saturday holy we will die.. I’m thinking that’s probably why) So he read that and said, “Wow that’s really bold.” And I said, “Of course that’s bold. Christ is bold. Paul was bold. The truth is bold. I really liked what happened in that lesson. It was the second time this week that someone who has read the Bible a TON felt that what we were teaching was true.

The other was when a lady decided to not accept a pass along card of the Book of Mormon.. and decided to teach me why everything I know is wrong... Anyway I felt a little nervous at the start... since I know she’s read the Holy Scriptures about a hundred times more than me, realistically I have been learning about it a bit more than a year, no? So I felt that way, but I realized as she rambled, that that’s a sin. I have to have faith... and to be nervous is to let fear in, and that is to not trust in God. El amor perfecta desecha todo temor [Love casts out all fear]. I prayed and asked for forgiveness and power was given to me. I was able to have love for her, understand her mind, teach her the doctrine, and the scriptures she opened were taught to her and me by the spirit. It was a great experience.

Teaching the family Cabrera, who are AWESOME but couldn’t go to church since their cousins from 5 years that they haven’t seen came and [they felt] obligated to visit them all day. We were sitting there and I was explaining about what it says in Alma 33 and 34 about beginning to exercise faith. They started to feel the Spirit testify of all I said. Sister Cabrera has been very Catholic and until yesterday we haven’t really been able to mention why she needs to be baptized like Christ to enter in the kingdom of God, but teaching we did this:

1. Pray to God with faith, in the name of Christ
2. Read and study the Scriptures
3. Listen from the testimony of those who know
4. Repent
5. Be Baptized
6. Receive the Holy Ghost

When I said be baptised, I really just mentioned it, focusing more on the first 4 [steps], but I knew that she had a question by the expression that briefly passed her face. I asked her if she would like to make a question about what I had said, and she said no. So the gist of what I said was: “Well, I perceive that you have a question.  Ask and don’t worry.” 

So she said, “The whole baptism thing, why do I have to be baptized again, if I have already been baptized in the name of Christ?”

I opened the Scriptures and explained. We read 3 Nephi 11 and Mark 10:39, but it was explained more by the spirit, and I invited her to prepare herself to be baptized for the remission of her sins, and she, from the heart, said, “I will” ....  The only problem is that she is going to Tacna for a vacation (it’s summer here right now, remember?) I hope that doesn´t turn into a problem.

Hermano Huillca, last night, was looking at all you sent me and picking out candies and found the power raspberry [crystal lite] packets. Haha. He asked how to eat it and I explained really fast but was really busy so maybe not so good... He sat down, opened it, and thinking  they were pop rocks poured it bit by bit right into his mouth. I saw him struggling and suffering in the corner of my eye and, haha I saw that he was eating it just like that. Hahaha. So I taught him how to eat it and he got a bottle, filled halfway and finished the rest. I resumed filling out Teaching Records and in a second he asked me, “Does this blow up?”(speaking of the juice) 

I was confused so I said “No”... A moment more and he asked me if it would now, and I told him: I have no idea what you’re talking about. He opened the door and started shaking it and said: I put TWO inside, and I think its going to blow up. HAhahahahaha I just started laughing and laughing. I explained that the thing is not carbonated and even if we put all the packets in it wouldn’t blow up. It will just be really strong, but not as strong as when he poured it directly in his mouth. What a funny guy.

That’s time. Enjoy the week and study the scriptures diligently!! As a family every day!

Love Elder Johnson

14 March 2011

Dear Fmaily

Wow! That's pretty awesome and exciting sounding. Honduras. How's Eric's Spanish. Practicing every day with mom so he can speak with gente [people] when y'all (hopefully still is the plan) come up [down?] to Peru (because this is the real up side).

This week has been great. I feel like I write that about every week but it's true so I shall probably continue. First off, I forgot to mention the earthquake we had! Sunday I was reading the scriptures in my bed before church and everything just started to jiggle. I think the jiggle was from the bed. The house was shaking. I didn't really know what to think since it was the first I can remember feeling, so I sat there elated smiling and looking around. The people who we live with us called us to get out of our room and just when we did it all calmed down. Pretty cool though.

Completely different is the news that trickles to the missionaries about what happened in Japan. I caught sight of some newspaper headlines that said: The End of the World. a little bit breathtaking the fotos [photos].

I feel like I've passed a milestone. On one of the two pairs of shoes I have, the sole came a third off. Pretty sure that makes me not a noob! Looking for other shoes.. should be really really cheap since I'm here in Tacna.

Well you see the pictures, Ivan was baptized!!! I was so happy for him. He is the bomb. Unfortunately due to a little chaos, only a few members were able to come, but it's ok. The service was chevere. And especially baptizing him, saying the first part felt very correct, or right, or something like that.

Yesterday was a really, really good day. After the confirmation of Ivan, we had ward conference which was edifying. In addition 7 investigatores [investigators] were there which is always great. Not sure how to break the 10 barrier and have the goal of 30 go but working on it. The lady who we accompanied to go . . . is one who contacted us and said she wanted to join the church and everything is going great with her and her family. There's about 20 people who live in her house and they all seem to be really, really great, but the problem is getting them all together. We shall start with her, Andrea, and then her children, grandchildren, and the people renting. One of her daughters wants us to baptize her daughter, she unfortuately works all the Sundays but that will change.

I've been thinking a lot about D&C 50 [http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/50?lang=eng]   and our calling to teach with the spirit, and also how much love and charity I have towards the people. I think I have been a little low.. so I've been working on these things this week. I really think I've been able to improve myself. I feel much more love for all the people, especially teaching, and I think they can feel the difference. With this work, I think we have been able to teach much more by the spirit. Notably in two examples.

With Giermo, who I have mentioned before, in the second visit, he told us he read, but later called his pastor who lives in New York. His pastor told him that it would be better to not confuse himself reading the Book of Mormon AND the Bible, he told us "I am not going to continue reading". Well I wasn't too happy to hear that but trying to have lots of love and follow the spirit, we had a great meeting with him. He told us that he will in fact read the Book of Mormon, and pray to know if its true. He is a racecar driver by the way.

With Katy, the first contact we had here was when she said that she was a defined Catholic and no way will change. You can come by to visit me but I ain't gunna change. I dont know... continuing the conversation felt like I should make an appointment with her and we went by. Visiting with her the... second time?... after she didn't read (didn't do her commitment/homework.. how in the world do you say that?) we read 2 Nephi 31 http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/31?lang=eng] [with her.  That chapter is so powerful. She felt the power of the Holy Ghost strongly and at the end was saying things like "I want all of my family to be able to come and talk with you two." She said the prayer to end and asked for help changing and repenting and knowing if it is true.

Oh and yesterday we visited with Paula and her grandma. This family, well,  paula and her mom, were contacts, and were waiting for us with cookies (think I have mentioned them). Well her grandma told us when we came that she is definite, won't change, and that we can talk with her until we say something that doesn't line up with her beliefs, and then we are out. Well we started with a prayer like always, and taught the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She was nodding, saying that's right, and agreeing with everything. I think it was one of the most powerful lessons I have been in, and it felt absolutly wonderful to be the instrument of the Lord to bring the message to them. I knew that she was receiving a testimony of all my words by the spirit and thinking of D&C 50 during the lesson gave me lots of hope that I can get to be the missionary I want to be. She said that she will read, will think, and will pray, and that if she knows it's true will be baptized the 16 of April (lots of time because of  General Conference and the Peruvian elections).

 These kinds of lessons, I leave knowing I'm doing/fufilling with my calling.

Love Elder Johnson