19 December 2011

Dearest family,

19 December 2011

This week we had the opportunity to go celebrate Christmas with the other missionaries in this half of the mission with the President. He was only there for a little bit since he had to go to a Disciplinary council for a missionary. The president was really, really worried for the missionary and saying goodbye to us, he went straight there. He almost began to cry saying goodbye and asked that we pray to help him and the missionary.  He has such love for every single one of the 200 missionaries in the mission.

The activity of Christmas was very pretty. Zone Camana sang some christmas hymns that turned out.. ok haha. Some other zones reenacted the nativity, the wait and the signs in the Americas, and sang other christmas tunes. We ate a type of cake very, very Peru typical that EVERYONE loves thats called Paneton with chocolate milk. The President’s family gave us all a little present with candy and a hot chocolate mug. Mine was awesome. 

Saturday we went to the baptism of the two people who were baptized in the center of the city. It was pretty and the brother who I talked about last week went with us even though his wife couldn’t. He is getting to know so many members. 

In divisiones [splits] with Elder Perez, we were teaching in the busiest part of our area, and a member of another church came trying to doubt everything. It was really interesting. We kept teaching and answering his questions and explaining the scriptures. He knew a ton and talked and talked. His main point was: if [you] show me a sign that this book is true, I’ll believe it. We read a little, we answered his doubt, but he persisted in asking for a sign. There are so many proofs in the Book of Mormon that it’s true, but I couldn’t open to any of them. The only thing I could do was remember Mathew 12:39. Anyway, talking about 30 minutes, he said so many things, but not a single thing he said worked. He was trying to work against us and the words were given to us to confound him in everything he said. The only matter of the fact is if we are willing to be humble and complete with the requirements of the Lord in reading the Book of Mormon, pondering the contenido [content or meaning], and praying to God and asking Him so that He can answer. The man refused to do this without solid proof of its truth. Testifying teaching, explaining all of his other doubts didn’t help him overcome that unwillingness. We taught about the faith, about what it says in Hebrews and Alma. What amazed me and Elder Perez was how completely the promise was completed that they who work against will be totally confounded and that the words will be given us. 

In these days, my companion and I have been finding people who are not able to be baptized in 3 weeks because they need to get married, or people who live in other places, and all that. We were thinking last night what do we need to change, how do we need to refine ourselves to be able to help people to make covenants with the Lord every weekend. If we are doing everything right, that should happen. We're teaching the gospel of Christ! Representing the Savior and His Church with His Authority! I want to be like Nefi [Nephi] from [the book of] Helaman. That's what I need to make myself.

My companion is going to be here in Peru for the 3rd Christmas now. It’ll be my 2nd. My plan is call y’all around the afternoon. At 3:00 p.m.

Family. I love you all so much. Another Christmas away from home won’t be super easy but since your packages got here I’ll get a little of that at home feeling. It drives me a little bit crazy that it’s hot instead of cold and all that.

I miss each of y’all and can’t wait to talk Sunday! I got the skype info. It’s important to be ready since I’ve only got 30-40 minutes [We’ll take 40 then!].

Love Elder Johnson.