31 August 2010

Dear Mom,


Is everyone still liking that club [He's talking about William's Summer Book Club for 9 year olds]?  I feel like it can't possibly last for too long.  Just because of the public feelings about book clubs.  Boxcar children eh?  I feel like I read at least a few of those.


$600 for a booth?! [at the Arlington County Fair--Arlington 1st, Arlington 2nd and Crystal City Wards split the cost for a Family History Booth that was very well received by the community].  That's a ton!  But it is a good thing.


So did they braid the rope into being? [Referring to William's cub scout camp where boys worked throughout the day at 20 minute intervals to make a rope, twisting and turning].  Sounds like a ton of work.  Kudos for an activity demonstrating what. . . the importance of child labor? Or more likely, machines.


Ashley's mom did? [asked for a link to my blog]?  Cool.  Ah, I wish High Adventure had gone down with me in attendance somehow.


So, every Sunday, there is a devotional.  Last Sunday, Elder Holland came!!!!  He was SOOOOO good and talked about how so very important his mission was to him.  He says he reckons he has gone about 1 day in 48 years without thinking about his mission.  I saw in the 5th row!!!!


Last night was another devotional!  The Administrative director of the MTC spoke.  He called up two sisters and held up a magnifying glass asking, "Sisters, what is this."  They said, "A magnifying glass."  "What does it do?"  "Magnifies the word," they answered.  Then he called up two Elders and asked, "What is this, what does this do?"  They responded, "A magnifying glass.  It burns ants."  Ha ha.  Then, he launched into a discussion of if we want to burn ants, we need to keep the glass focused on them.  That if we want to "light a fire in the hearts of our investigators," we would need to concentrate for a continuous period, not just occasionally, like weekly or so.


About my spanish:  We have taught two lessons in spanish now.  It is pretty rough, but talking for 15 minutes in all spanish after 2.5 weeks is pretty impressive no?  Gift of tongues or Don de idiomas, en espanol.  I understand everything everyone says in spanish, and recognize most of Portuguese or Italian by the way.  English too.


It's pretty cool here, you walk around the cafeteria and hear Russian, Ukranian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean. . . and more.  People walk up to you outside and contact you in all sorts of tongues.


Tell about High Adventure and Deep Creek!


P.S.  The update on the companionship drama is that it has calmed down, which means we are doing well at peace making.  I hope we have all learned something, cuz our problem isn't one that would just go away with a new companionship.


Love,


Elder Mark Johnson


P.P.S.  I don't even know my Peru address yet.  Somehow Elder Weaver has an address:  Centro de Capacitacion Misional, Melgarejo 159, La Lolina, Amazonas 12, Peru.


I'm so excited to get to Peru!!  Total immersion, here I come!