7 March 2011

Downtown Tacna

Dear Family,

How's the week going for y'all. It's pretty great here. Ok we didn't have a baptism this week but the next si o si [Yes, oh Yes]. Ivan is the man. Really is the best. He continues to be really full of faith and desires to learn and make the covenant with God that is baptism. He told us after fast and testimony meeting that he feels the same conviction as many of the members and feels like by this point he should officially be a member. So great are the meetings with him. He likes to ask questions really interesting [you can see the spanish grammar taking over in that sentence, I'll leave it in there], different than the normal.

Planning his baptism is our Ward Mission Leader who is pilas to work! We are getting slowly the ward's effort in the missionary effort.

Sounds like the ward is doing great! I loved to receive those letters from the young men. Eric's made me laugh. He drew a taco. Thanks Eric. But really they all made me happy.

Brother Jardine asked about zone conferences. ˇThat's when about 15 missionaries get together and meet with the MIssion President. We have them every 3 months, off set with our interviews with the President every 3 months. They are the best and I always leave feeling super animated [excited] to work 300 percent.

Also, our ward. The ward, is great. Even though this week we had appointments to go with two young men every day, only one showed up. But that's young men. This Sunday, I was thinking we would have to beg a little to find a pension [apartment]. What had happened wuz that our pensionista moved, and the planned next one (a non member.. o sea [or in other words]... future member) got freaked out a little I think and decided not to give us pension. Sooo.. the family that we live with helped us out until Sunday with our Bishop's family. Sunday the bishop asked for help with this and 4 families we really eager! We are gunna eat with 2 investigators and I have really high hopes that they will finally be able to be baptised by result of the small amount of extra money.

Elder Stewart continues to be the bomb. Oh I wanted to explain the picture with him. We went running this morning to pick up our clothes from the family that washes them, and I brought my camera. The 2nd day we passed this spot (it's about 300 meters from our room) and he said, "That's a noose." I have no idea why it's there.. but it's there.

[Someone] commented in the Dearelder [letters] about the portion of gringos y [and] latinos in our mission. My first district I was one of two. Here I'm companions with a gringo. There is another companionship that is pure gringo, and all the others have one gringo and one latino minus one pure latino. I don't know why there is this variation, but it seems to be how the Lord assigns his servants here for now.

What a week for McAllen Texas! That's awesome. Glad to hear that great things are going down in all the world. ≠Animos a Elder Wood!

Mom you asked me if I feel unsafe or safe or protected. I have never felt unsafe, though I have noted that I would in other circumstances sometimes returning to the room at 9. But there aren't going to be any problems with security.

I heard that Dad spent an afternoon in the temple. I would love that so, so much. Unfortunately the closest temple is about 20 hours away, in Bolivia, which kinda makes it too far to go and get back all on a Pday. The goal still is to have a temple is Arequipa. I dreamt the other night that we were building one in Tacna.

Saturday, two contacts in a row were pretty darn awesome! The first was a guy who had read lots of the Book of Mormon and wanted to learn more. He has a baptismal goal. The second contacted us asking for help. He too [had a baptismal goal?] but we waited for the second visit. The baptisimal goal is critical so they can have a reason to ask with faith by prayer, to know if our message is true. One thing we have to (mejorar en ingles [improve in English]........) improve is teaching about the fact that they CAN know by prayer (see James 1:5) and how important it is. The majority of people just ask and go on with their routine because they don't really believe that it will come, so [they] don't have the faith, sincere heart, and true intention that is necessary (Moroni 10:4).

This week I had a first. I asked a woman to get married. Not to me, but it was weird. To her boyfriend. Actually two different couples who are living together and have kids.

Love Elder Johnson