9 May 2011

Paccai

Elder Johnson and Elder Mateus in Tacna

Dear Home,

How is everyone! We are very good here in Tacna. It has been a particularly great day since I got to call y'all! It was such a pleasure. I am going to try to speak with slightly improved grammer also [left uncorrected from a sense of irony].

So this morning I woke up at 6:15 a.m. and did a little bit of cardiovascular and read a little of the scriptures about the 2000 Stripling Warriors to prepare myself to pray with my companion. Next stop was the shower and getting ready really fast to call. EJ phoned home. Later we studied the scriptures. Part of my particular calling is to prepare a District Meeting (meeting of about 6-8 missionaries) in which I usually teach about 45 minutes and we do practices. So this morning I prepared a little for that upcoming weekly meeting, and felt really good doing it. I think it's going to turn out well.

Then Elder Mateus and I studied together a bit and departed to come here! From all of our zone, only one missionary had a transfer, Elder Hunsaker went to Camaná.

I realized, eating the chocolate from the last package I received, that I absolutely love peanut butter cups. I didn't know how good they were but I just really, really enjoyed them. Also my companion [enjoyed them]. I had a possible idea for the upcoming pesky birthday topic, a tripodcito. like the baby tiny 5-inch tall one we have at home. Now that I got my camera back from the repair shop, I am not too keen on placing it on places to leave it on 10 second delay and run to be in the picture, on the other hand, with a little baby tripod, it would be facilito [easy] and segurisimo [very secure].

Oh in the picture there is this weird thing that I'm holding in my hand. That is a Paccai (pakaye). It is a strange looking thing that from the outside looks like a huge bean, but you split it in half and find a soft white material, kind of like a wet cottonish textured fruit. Very interesting and kind of good.

There is a certain part of Preach My Gospel that the President wants us all to know by memory. A little later my companion and I got a gift of a really, really tasty fruitcake from the family Gamboa! We decided (Elder Mateus and I) that as soon as he finished memorizing it, we would eat! Finally after much effort and study, today he finished memorizing all of it! Unfortunately he didn't end up liking the fruit cake... but that is a.o.k. for me!

Yes, so I am thinking that the next few weeks will be great.

Love Elder Johnson

2 May 2011

Dear family,

The subject in a word I learned this morning, I think it is Colombian slang which means wow. My companion wrote it to his mom talking about the baptism of the week! We met Juan (11 years old) a couple weeks ago in the church and he said he wanted to get baptized, so I wasn't about to say no. We taught him everything and he liked it so much. The night before his baptismal interview he stayed up in his bed reading about the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, and the Law of Tithing. He is the best. Elder Hunsaker said that in his interview, he answered all the questions super fast and started asking questions about the plan of salvation, but really interesting questions, not the normal basic ones that we are always asked. The baptism was spiritual, the water cold, but the feeling leaving the water and seeing Juan's face as we walked up the stairs was pretty incredible. Just goes to show that we can't really do anything without the power of God working miracles in the hearts of the people of the area, like him and his mom.

Gerald is also doing well, he reads, prays a lot, has great questions that show a lot of thinking, and this week, was completely hilarious. He recently started dating someone which is great cuz he was really hurt when his wife left him 8 or so years ago. But he really really wanted to introduce us to her haha. We went for our appointment and his brother called down partway through the plan of salvation, that there was an international call for Gerald... I have no idea why but that was the plan, that his brother would fake a call and he would, returning, be able to introduce us to Jacklyne, his girlfriend. haha. Well, she is pretty sweet. Asked us a question about what is the soul after the lesson (I think to test us) and we answered correctly, and turns out she knows the truth on that too. Basically Gerald is a lot happier, although not progressing particularly quickly to make this sacred covenant with the Lord. And due to this recent change, he definitely needs the next lesson, talking about one commandment in particular [probably the Law of Chastity]..

Oh and also we did a "service project" with Gerald, we were going to do some real help for him in his auto body shop work. He fixes up the cars after small hits of dogs, small crashes, the aesthetics. Anyway we were planning to use the fiberglass he uses to fix up a bunch of bumpers, but by the time he taught us how, and we did two fractures on one bumper, we had to go. It was really interesting though, and now I know how to repair bumpers and handle fiberglass and make the resin and weld the plastic bumpers!

Elder Hunsaker and Elder Huaccaychuco the zone leaders, will have 2 people to be interviewed this Wednesday! I'm excited to be able to interview them for baptism. It is always great to be able to talk to people who really have the desire [to be baptized].

This is now the last week of the transfer (six week periods of time in which almost never we change area) and I am thinking that I am gunna stay here in Leguia for the next one, though I dont know if it will be with Elder Mateus or not. It has been very interesting to be his companion. I've learned a lot from him and about my whole being here as a missionary.

I really am going to send back a letter today. it's in my backpack and on the way back I'm gunna send it. Just know that it's for some reason difficult for me! apart from the fact that there never is time.

And also today im gunna be able to go pick up my camera, fingers crossed that it's all ok now. The guy wants to charge me 70 soles. I'm pretty sure I could do it myself, but my time is suddenly zero, apart from the fact that I don't have anything of the form of a "tool" like we have at the house. When he said 60, he started talking about a digital lens, which I'm pretty sure is the same as saying: you probably don't know cameras... and are a gringo.. so I'm gunna try to charge you way more. I got it down to 60 soles and there gave in when he explained that this "digital lens" problem, was actually part of the moving focus lens, which is something that rings bells to me and doesn't sound completely ridiculous.

Adela is the wife of a Member less active [a less active member--gotta love that spanglish]. She wants to attend always the church and activate her husband and is basically the best. She said the other day, "digamos que quiero ser bautizado, que tendríamos que hacer"!! which is to say, let's say I want to get baptized, what would we have to do? I was contented [happy]!

Well. It's time. Lots of love

Elder Johnson