August 23, 2010

23 August 2010

Dear family,

This week has been extremely challenging. Not so much the classes, but the companionship. We have had some serious strife, and deep set issues.  But over the week, we gradually worked it out. I was kind of a mediator in it... but was not free from all of the causes of the issue. The problems came from personality differences between my companions, which lead to contention in the companionship. I have learned so much from it, and I better have, because it was not an easy trial to be a part of. We had a companionship inventory, which is what we call it when companions in a nice manner try to resolve conflict. We are supposed to use the "love sandwich" which is a method of saying nice things, loving things, then the problem, then nice things and constructive things. Our first try, how you say, failed.

We met with the Zone Leaders the next day for them to be there and act in a directing role during another companionship inventory. They were so good. It is amazing how wise people can become after 7 weeks here. That helped a lot. I also have put a scripture on my desk, which kinda shows the real source of the problem in a humbling way. It is Proverbs 13:10 [Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.] I really was directed to it during my personal study. I was worried about it being too bold to put it there for all to see, but the Branch Presidency heard and actually commended me for it.

We met with them yesterday, to be sure the bad feelings were behind us. They are so full of love. Especially Brother Jollie. He teaches, as far as we can tell, some sort of chemical bio science at BYU and comes by frequently at around bed time to make sure we are all happy and doing well. HE IS AWESOME.

It's kinda like y’all are seeing the before and after of this issue, but it is resolved almost 100%!!

What else is really important? ... I said goodbye to Elder Moody yesterday. He left today.

I leave in 9 days. What? Yes, 9 days for the Lima MTC. It is crazy,  I know.

My teachers I will say again are EXCELLENT. Every day is so full of uplifting things and educational things and difficult things and awesome things. I now pray in spanish every time with no real difficulty. Saturday we played a game in class where we had to describe to our partner a spanish word that they couldn’t see and try to get them to say it. Me and my partner won! The word was Corbata (tie). Neither of us knew it.

Paul, lento means slow. We say mas lento por favor all the time.

LOVE ELDER JOHNSON