Pictures from Camana

360 degree view of Camana movie

Street Corner in Camana

Street in Camana

Something is making Mark happy

Mark has sent lots of pictures with this scene.  I think he travels this pathway often.

Festival

This took some hard work.

The backyard

22 August 2011 Snail Mail letter-spanish-isms, Camana jokes

Dear family,

Ok, Ok.  Sorry it has been a long time.  I hope my [memory] card can get there all safe.  These baby SD's are pretty sweet.  How are you'll  Sounds like from DearElder, everything is going just fine, and that Eric is loving the benefits that come from having two brothers out of the house.  I was amazed when you all said that ASFS is almost over, and that we have had a constant presence there for the past 16 years!  I started it.  Haha.  How's the ward doing? Balancing work, play, and callings?

I am planning on buying shoes pretty soon.  I got them repaired for about 7 soles, but they've started to come off the new soles.  But don't worry about it.  You all sent me with 1000 soles.  That should be way more than I'll spend in the mission.  I just wish I had bought them in Tacna where everything is cheap.  Camana is a poor place and it is a pricey place to eat and buy stuff especially compared to Tacna.  One thing that my companion always says is "Esooooo"  Or rather, "Thaaaaat."  It's pretty funny since he says it in the Arequipan way/Columbian way.

Is it understood in English when someone says, "How long have you lived here?" and the other says: "ooooo" but with an ascending smoothly, rapidly tone of voice?  In Arequipa, it means "a lot". So in that case, it's like saying, "since forever."  I really don't know though. Does that make any sense in English?  Other example:  "Hace freiooooo (with an ascending voice)" or "It's cooooooold. (with an ascending voice)".  That means "It's REALLY cold."  I don't know if that makes sense, but it's funny.

With Elder Hunsaker, we were thinking about just that.  All of southern Peru has Arequipa jokes, like blond jokes.  But the area of the Province of Arequipa includes Camana.  Everyone also has blond type jokes about the people who live in Camana.  So they suffer all the general Arequipa jokes AND receive the directed Camana jokes.  The only example I can remember is they say Camanans are the crabs since they walk sideways instead of forward.

So funny, right?. . . . silence. . .

It's weird.  In some zones an attitude of not working gets perpetuated.  When I came here, I was like, "Let's GO!"  But the attitudes of everyone were, "We can't do so much here. . . it's Camana.  When Elder Ortiz came, I realized that I, in the 6 weeks slipped a little into that too.  When the changes come, I talked with all those who were staying and committed them to never say anything bad about Camana to their new companeros (companions) or at all and we've started out o.k.  Still many didn't get to the contacts minimum set by the President.  I think that number is a pretty good way to measure the level of dedication.  The goal set by President Fernandez is 250 contacts per week.  This week many had less than 180, some less than 130!  We want to animate [enthuse] the missionaries so they can achieve much more than what we are doing.  Well, that's about it about the Zone.

As far as us, have had some of the best lessons of my mission in this week, but something is keeping us from finding those who really have been prepared, or maybe something is keeping us from connecting well with their hearts.

I've been appreciating better in the recent days how much everyone needs our message.  At the same time, I have had a little more difficulty with the moments that we teach somebody the restoration and they say something like, "Well, that's nice."  They should say, "That's AMAZING and I feel it is true!"  Yesterday we gave the first lesson to a contact.  Towards the end, the mom told us, in response to my companion's question of why would it be important for you to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet?  She said, "To know if another of our brothers has been waved."  When we explained a little more and asked him if he wanted to know if it is true, he said, "Well, since it isn't in the Bible, it can't be, and I won't have anything for true if it isn't in the Bible."  Despite these concerns, I think I have a lot more charity now. I realized that all these times Paul said, "So prideful," he wasn't wrong.  These two have been a focus point for me:  charity and pride.

We contacted a pregnant 25 year old the other day.  She broke down crying.  She said that she has distanced [herself] from God.  Lots of problems happen when people/parents just co-habitate.  The law of chastity has all the reason [makes so much sense]. She said her "husband' left her a few years back for her sister right after having their first child.  About 1 year ago, he came back asking forgiveness and they resumed living together.  She got pregnant and again he left her for her sister.  So so terrible.  She said she has prayed and prayed to know if God exists, and when she learned her baby will be a boy, she knew that HE does exist despite all of her difficulties.  I hope she is in her house for our appointment.

Ready.  Do the things good in Virginia.

Love,

Elder Johnson

22 August 2011 Visit from Elder Oaks

Dear family, Que dicho este dia. [This was such a sweet day].  So I have so much to write. First, teaching the week, we found lots of new investigators [investigators]. 22. And of these were two families and one who are THE BEST. When we teach you can feel that they are really special. The wife told us that never before has her husband let any other group of people talk about the bible with them, but he opened the door for us and invited us in! They have been so prepared by angels. When we prayed with the wife, she changed a ton. The reason was that she actually asked with real intention "tell me if this is true!" And now she really feels it. We invited her husband to be baptized and before he could say yes she said "Yo SI!" Que bueno.   ["Me, yes!"  How wonderful!] [The husband is going to take the Book of Mormon to be able to read in work and well it's just awesome. Before she prayed, she said she can feel it's true by the very presence of us. A taste of what always will be when I repent more. But that's not even the best. We've started to teach like that a lot. Just lots of experiences. Really awesome. Thursday we got a call from the assistants [to the Mission President] who informed us that the Zone was going to go to Arequipa Monday because Elder Oaks [one of the twelve apostles] was coming and today we went!!! He shook everyone's hands and with his wife emitted pure love to all. They came with Juan Useda y Donald L Hallstrom, of the seventy and the presidency of the seventy respectively. They talked before. Elder Useda talked about D&C 4:2 and the meaning of heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. I particularly liked mind. He said that we need to make our minds into tools of the Lord. By focusing 100 percent we will be able to do 100 [% of what] the Lord has here for us to do. Elder Donald L Hallstrom spoke of D&C 43:8 and 9 and our responsibility to be edified. If we don't do anything, we won't be edified in the church reunions [meetings] like the Sunday school classes. We can be taught, but it takes our part to be edified. Then he said a measure of discipleship is looking for the law and completing it. He said that we are to refine ourselves by changing and bettering, refining ourself always. He said that Elder Oaks is an incredibly professional man, but that he is also a refined disciple of the Lord.  So then spoke Elder Oaks of the 12 (see Ephesians 2:20 and later in ch 4). He testified of Christ and taught us some principles that we must do to be able to achieve the 400 baptisms per month that Elder Nash profitizied [prophesied] that we can do. Recently in Jesus the Christ for the second time I have been learning about the 12 from His time. The word means one who is sent. Look up the part in the notes of that chapter. With the spiritual outpout that we experienced, I am glad we don't live in a world like that of Mormon 1:14 and that there are people who have gifts like those of time of old. Elder Oaks has been very blessed with these gifts. He said with a boldness that struck to the core. "If you believe these things see that you do them." Mosiah 4:10 We are going to do them and see that we do them. That goes with something he also wanted us to teach the members. They ask us when will there be a temple in southern Peru (the closest is 11 hours from this the most nothernly part of our mission, 18 from Tacna). His answer to this is, pay your tithing and trust in the lord. He told us something very interesting. "In the deciding the things of the church, the Area Presidency has some voice, the Presidency of the 70 has some voice, the 12 have some voice, and the counselors of the Prophet have some voice, but not in where temples go. That is between the Lord and His prophet. The way he said it was also a powerful testification [testimony] of the truthfulness of the divine calling of President Monson [the current prophet]. Elder Oaks made an example of a pen. The ink was the word of God, with which we must be filled, the mechanism that clicks or twists to bring down the point, is obedience to the mission rules and the commandments. When the Lord starts to write with His "pen", He doesn't want it to write its own message, but His, he doesn't want it to say, "No, not now.  I'm tired." or "It's my P day". He wants His pen to do His work. We are the pen. Elder Oaks taught us that we shouldn't say "I have been on my mission for x months" because it isn't our mission. It is the Lord's time and His mission. Well, that's about all folks. Great week coming up-. Love Elder Johnson

14 August 2011 Mission President, "We did everything"

Dear Family. Currently freaking out a little about being more than a year in the mission. Elder Ortiz and I are doing well as companions. He is a lively Colombian who right now happened to run into another Colombian in this internet cafe. So funny, they are speaking but [only] Columbian. Its a little different and a little hard to understand since this person speaks heavy slang.. I think that's a Colombian thing. Last night I was laughing so hard reading a letter from Elder Ortiz's sister because she was speaking so much like a Columbian, and I could recognize it from my time with Elder Mateus. Mom, you mentioned visiting teaching. Do you use Preach My Gospel? It's the best. Maybe chapter 10 could be the best for y'all. Preach my gospel is so good. We are working right now to get a copy for all the leaders at least in our branch. Just the other day, we were looking for an appointment in the area Juan Pablo and we couldn't find it. We went up the sand dune up into the highest part where the houses almost stop and still couldn't find them. They don't have addresses but told us to ask around. We met a man and went in their home to visit them. Their home amazed me. It is 2 by 3 meters, and has a little car camping type stove and a little bench and a bed and that's about it. The walls [are made] of a type of tall grass like plant and the roof of the same with bamboo support beams. Two strings hung between the walls to hang their clothes on.  They made me sad when he asked: "Who doesn't want the life of happiness?"  We taught them briefly.  They both don't know how to read.  He was abandoned as a baby and she had something of the same history. In the counsel of zone leaders we were stunned again as always by the president. He shared the history of two months of his mission. One in which he had planned [They had] thirty people to baptize but [they] only baptized 32 of them. Praying and asking, "But why? We did EVERYTHING."  He realized that there was more he could have done and what to do better.  Another month he had ready 32 but only baptized 18. The room went silent and he almost began to cry.  After a moment he said, "Pride killed us that month.  I hope that when I present myself in front of God in the last day it won't be as hard as what I have passed for not having been able to bless those 14 people's lives.  Wow! We met with the zone and talked 2 hours Thursday about all we learned to be able to put ourselves in order as a zone. We cleaned our  room; we are beginning to work better. Well, a particular religious sect knocked our door Sunday. After being very obviously shocked and unsure what to say, they asked us what we would like to discuss. We gave them the floor, hoping for something that would inspire, but they tried to prove the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter Day Saints to be false. [We weren't] very happy. Their arguments were the result of reading the Bible from one point of view and no other,  were conflicting and confusing, but what frustrated me, was that when I explained why I am a member of said church, they told me  that prayer can not be a trusted means to find the truth. To everyone who reads this and hasn't done so before, seek guidance in James 1:5 and 6.  [If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed." James 1:5-6] Don't forget to ask with faith and the Lord will give unto you liberally and it will be given to you to know this mystery of God.  Ask and you will receive. Love, Elder Johnson

One year in the mission--thoughts from his mom

Mark completed one year in the mission today.  I have to admit that the first two months or so were hard for me as a mom.  While I wanted him to be a missionary from the minute he was born, it was hard to say goodbye for two years knowing that he wouldn't be able to call home often and I wouldn't see him for two years.  However, after I knew that I'd hear from him every Monday via email, I relaxed and began to enjoy the journey.  Mark has immersed himself in his work of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Peru.  He has worked and studied hard.  I love reading about his spiritual experiences and I love seeing how he is maturing.  Missions do that to young men.  I love that he is getting so many wonderful opportunities to meet and talk with people.  I love that his testimony is firm and strong and that it continues to grow.  I love that the message he carries can make people happier, give them more purpose in their lives, and help their families.  I look forward to seeing what the next year brings for him.

8 August 2011 Three spiritual highlights this week

Dear Family.   Well, this week has been a week of testifying like crazies. All the people who we could teach and visit and pray with, prayed giving thanks to God for sending us. An especially great example was a lesson on Tuesday. Wow!  We knocked on the door and heard a man say, "Open the door, you."  His wife came, obviously directly from sleeping and opened the door. She said, "Yes?" We briefly said, "We have come to bless your lives." She said "One moment," and went in, prepared the room a little and came back to let us in. She said her husband was from a different religion and didn't want to listen so we would have to forgive him to my companion, while I walked to the other side of the room and spotted the husband in the back. I animated [encouraged] him to come join us just for the prayer and he was like ok, just the prayer because I have to go to a meeting. So we came into the front room and asked if there was anything they wanted us to pray about, and prayed. The spirit came strongly as we went through a little bit of the How to Start Teaching part of Preach My Gospel in chapter 10. That's when I asked the husband if he would have time to listen to us, and he said, "Why not, of course it is important to listen to this message from God. So we taught and testified and it was awesome. The wife had received all the lessons before turning 18 years old and wanted to be baptized but her dad said, "NO." Now we shall hope.   I am right now in Arequipa for another of the Zone Leader counsels. Pretty excited. In the Office I saw Elder Mateus!!!!! and Hermana Pinillos from the district in Tacna. Elder Mateus told me that Gerald Calderon who we taught so much was baptized the Saturday after I left?¿? I think my leaving kind of shocked him and made him realize that he KNEW he should get baptized, and that he actually had a testimony of all the comandments he had decided to start living and that it meant something. He had a car repair shop, and when we got there, the walls were full of pictures that were not ok. My favorite moment with him was when we taught about the Law of Chastity and all of a sudden he stood up and said, "OK, letss go rip all those pictures off the wall." I was nervous what his reaction would be. He said, "Nooo! They are for the customers. Let's wait a week.  Noo!" We pointed out how ridiculous his reaction was and we reminded him that he knew that they are no good. The next day all of the about 80 pictures were gone. When people do things that the light of Christ tells them are right, it is the VERY sweetest.   Visiting a member this week we also had a very awesome moment. We invited her to share her testimony. She said, "Well, Elders. So you know before coming to know the gospel I wasn't very learned. I didnt know how to read before.. I learned to read with the Book of Mormon. When I first started receiving the lessons I didn't really understand very much but it felt good and I did what the missionaries invited me to do. Then she told of her experience praying and it was quite powerful. So many people don't believe that we can really know if these things are true by prayer.  It's so awesome when they finally ask.   Love Elder Johnson

Hens, Pigs, Turkeys, Velociraptors, and T. Rex 1 August 2011

Jumping for joy! Querido Familia,   I have no idea what's up with the pictures, I was so excited about being able to send yall the sweet picture that Elder Hunsaker and I took... but something is up with this computer and it will hear nothing of that. Sorry.. if you are sending me a package in the next months it would be nice to get a cable that can plug into my camera cuz it isn't the standard mini usb that everyone else has.   So last night were the changes. I am staying here in Camana of course and Elder Hunsaker got a change to Utah as expected. He should be in the mission home right now, in Lima tomorrow, and in Utah the next day. It was very weird especially the last few days. Being someone's companion means sharing a lot. And as he was going home I almost felt like I was too. But luckily I still have more than a year left so I'm all good. This week has been a little interesting due to the fact that it was his last week. I think we could communicate the grand import of the message that we bring a little better. In the next weeks I will be trying to quadruple the effectiveness that we had... There is a lot more that could be done but I don't think we can do it alone.   So with the changes,. the missionaries of the offices called me at 1 thirty [a.m.] and gave me all the info of the four missionaries who left the zone to where they will go. They told me who will be coming. I know Elder Ortiz only. He was in the offices when I got to the mission and has about a year and a half. I think this will be his first change as a Zone Leader. He speaks english VERY well and comes from Colombia. I'm excited to have another Colombian companion. They are cool people. Very relaxed and talk funny. I guess that's stereotyping but it's very true as a general rule. General Rule (salute). So I was with the Elders of the area Habitat and one of the had a change so he had to pack up and at  5 thirty we went to the bus station and got him a ticket for seven thirty. While waiting for the bus the sisters who had changes all came and got their tickets. Half the zone will be new. Only two companionships of the district leaders aren't changing.   Mark received a mini-kite for his birthday.  Glad to see him getting some fun out of it. In this month there were 6 baptisms in the zone. Way less than the Lord wants. Three times more than last month. All working so that we can triple again. The mission had almost 200 baptisms in total.We are becoming more like the mission that we should be. It's very cool what's going on. I feel like everyone is getting better. We all kind of follow the mission president. Mission presidents have to be amazing people I think. So much depends on how they relate with the missionaries. Whenever we talk to him we feel soooo strongly the spirit. It is soo obvious how personal a relation he has with our Heavely Father and how well he understands the expectations of the Lord. I'll be going to Arequipa soon for that meeting of the Zone leaders and can't wait.   So we are the ones that get and pass to the missionaries the mail for the zone. One elder in the zone this week got a letter that was all decorated so funny. Elder Hunsaker called the missionary and said: "Hey we got a letter for you, and it's from a giirrlll,       your grandma! Haha. Well the other letter wasn't from his grandma. It was from a female friend that he has and the outside was covered with butterflies and hearts and written notes and... well just to keep in mind on sending things to missionaries in general that their zone leaders always see the outside of their letters. Haha.   Since our area is largly agricultural, there are lots of crows, hens, pigs, and fields. Here lots of people just keep ducks and hens and crows in their property. Some even have a pig hanging around. So we have come to realized that pigs and turkeys and crows make dinosaur sounds.. all the time. Cows too. Sheep not so much dinosaur but definitely odd. I didn't know, and I might sound like a not farm boy saying this [yes, Mark, you do], but I am completely sure that Jurassic Park has either cow and pig sounds in it, or our area has Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus Rexes in it. Which of the two I haven't yet decided.   WE FIXED THE SHOWER!!!! This morning I showered with warm water for the first time in so long. It was wonderful. The only thing is if you touch the faucet valve thing while the water heater is on you get a 220 volt shock. Which isn't actually has bad as it sounds but it is not comfortable. Hardly no current I am sure. Hopefuly it doesn't re-break itself. Well that's all folks.   Next week all about Elder Ortiz   Love Elder Johnson