6 June 2011

Dear family,
June 6, 2011

Wow I just read the awesome story the Elder Wood sent home. The best!

Now that I get to interview the baptismal candidates, I get to have really spritual experiences on Wednesdays. I think I have had at least one interview ever week this last month. They are great.

This week I want to share about two of the interviews. First, a young person who prayed at the end of our interview promised God that he will keep the commandments of the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, the day of the Lord, and Tithing, and that he will go on a mission when his time comes. Talking with him was just the best. It was quite obvious that he has received a testimony of the truth. I asked him how he felt about the church and the lessons from the missionaries and he said that every time he is there, he feels a joy or a special happiness in him that he knows is from God. Really, really was the best.

One of the others from this week was a young person who had to leave early from the interview. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to create a good enviorment for the interview but asking him about the commandmentsand asking him what he thought about them, he said, of course I will live the commandments. They are from God. They are commandments. Like, who am I to not do what God wants me to do. The way he said it was sooo sure and demonstrated such a maturity of faith and understanding of God.

Apart from those two great moments Thursday and Wednesday, we got to teach Jessica Silva. She has been preparing for her goal of the last week, but since the members have been failing us, she wasn't ready. So we wernt sure that she would feel ready for this week either but yesterday she said,  "Yeah, this Saturday I want to get baptized! But make sure the water is nice and warm, because [I don't want to get baptized] in cold water.
Not sure what we will be able to do to warm it up since the church doesn't have a water heater, but maybe we shall throw in an iron or two [?], calculate how much water, the approximate temperature change required, and the power of the irons to get the time. Should be quite some time.

My birthday was really great. Since the elections were yesterday we couldn't leave until 4pm. We got to extend the normal studies until that hour. I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday unitl we went to eat breakfast with the Tuyo family, and they suprised me with a little Peruvian tradition of throwing colored paper clippings on me. At first I thought, happy birthday to who? I haven't told ANYONE but her (about 2 months ago) and my companion, so I was thinking absolutely nothing would happen out of the normal. She gave us some chocolate cake and a very good plate of Rice with Chicken for lunch.

During all the reading time I finished Jesus The Christ! What an amazing book. I'm gunna [going to ] start it again since I didn't really understand the first chapters. [It] took me exactly 365 days... but for a lot of that I wasn't reading daily.

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

 

29 September 2010, Part 3

So since we have been here for so long now, we have gotten to know the

CCM leadership more. Hermana Whetten has eaten with us a couple times!

She is the wife of the CCM President. Hermana Slingerland, wife of

area doctor, teaches a class on how to lead music every three weeks.

We went to both just cuz they are so cool! She is really the most

excited person about leading music I have ever seen. We were loving it

so much, and have adopted her favorite hymn as our own, number 9 in

the spanish hymn book... i dunno about the english one...

In class we were taking turns leading with a little blue plastic

pointer. It has a little hand on the end with index finger pointing

straight, which makes it just about the coolest things around. Our

excitement caught on to all the rest of the class of 50 or so, as the

new and unsure people gradually started singing during practicing, and

having almost as good a time as us. At the end when we went to thank

her she said we set the mood! Hermana Whetten was there, and took note

of the blue pointer.

Two days later we had a Large Group Meeting. Elder Bardzinski, who is

the best and the only Australian here (who was in my first district)

got to to lead the music at the LGM. He used the blue pointer to the

delight of EVERYONE. Hermana Whetten was struggling at not laughing so

bad, Hermano Whetten even smiled, and I could hardly control myself.

Elder Bardzinski is such a character. We are lucky to be his favorite,

he comes into our room every night and shares the most mind blowing

sections of his daily reading in Jesus the Christ in such a thick

accent that we often don't understand his English in the most excited

parts of the summary.

Soccer has been a blast! The new Latinos are very different from the

group of Latinos that we had in our first three weeks. They pass the

ball! I have no idea why it is so different. I would think that with

this many people, it would be more similar than different. They are

all stunned when Elder Stewart dribbles past them all. Oh by the way

Elder Stewart is from Saint George Utah, and is going to Arequipa like

me.

We didn't get to go proselyting last Saturday, and won´t be able to

next. Next Saturday we can´t because of elections and general

conference. Every year on I think the day before elections no one is

allowed to go out on the streets. I believe it is to prevent riots,

chaos, civil unrest... something. We are all super excited to hear it

in English. I´ve never been this excited for conference before!

Oh guess what. All the water fountains here have sheets of instruction

that tell how to use them. I thought that was pretty cool. Also they

have a button for cold water, and another for un-chilled water. It is

pretty odd. Another shocker, I fully averted my first sneeze at 3:30

pm on 9/27/10. I have done so again once since, but never before in my

life. I am learning so much! haha

ummm... the juices the other day were phenomenal. Passionfruit juice

and Watermelon Juice. The latter tastes just like the juice left in

your bowl after eating diced watermelon. It is my favorite here I

think.

I got some Dear Elders!

One from Aunt Carmen, all the news sounds awesome! I think it is one

of my life time goals to cut something with those giant scissors. We

don't seem to have any scissors down here.. it's odd. Were they heavy?

Jared, best of luck haha. I have never heard of such an event. Ryan is

a freshman? That's so cool. It was fun to be in with Paul for two

years. Also I love soccer too. The shoes I brought are ripped up so

bad from playing soccer every day. Hahahaha Andrew's hair!

Did y'all know I volunteered at that Pow Wow the last fall? It was a

lot of fun and I got a sweet shirt out of it for free. Also I learned

about crime prevention! Always good.

Mom sounds like mornings are super chill now. I have changed my

sleeping failitude! We have lights off as per rules at 10:30 every

night, but I am usually in bed at around 9:45. I try to write in my

journal, for fifteen minutes, read the libro de mormon for fifteen of

30, and if I have time, read Jesus the Christ for 15 minutes. Then I

wake up at 6:00 every morning, to be ready before 6:30, to allow for

about 30 minutes of extra study in the morning. We are asked to rise

between 6 and 630...but I am about the only one who gets up at 6. So

there! Elder Stewart and I work in about another hour of extra study

by doing things quickly than we would have if we relaxed and went by

the schedule. It is great.

Mark