23 January 2012

Queridisima Familia [My Dearest family] 

 

Mom, did I send you a birthday letter???? If not I'm sending one today anyway just in case.

 

Howd the week go? Here in Hunter it went great! Camana was so so hot that I got used to sweating all day but here it's cold, due to the altitude difference. The volcanos here are called Misty, Chichani and Pichu Pichu.  They are covered with snow high above the city of Arequipa.

 

We've been working as well as we could, and since I don't really know all the area yet, in the two divisiones of the week I went to Palacio y Congata. It was realy interesting. In Palacio with Elder Knighton (from Tuilla, Utah) we had a great time and taught a man who had desires to return to God. We explained the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and he was captivated. He said I am definitely going to church. He asked a bunch of very good questions and mentioned that he felt that we had a gift of teaching, that God had prepared him for our visit. On the same line, teaching in Congata with Elder Cevallos una persona [one person] told us, after teaching of the profets and dispencasiones [prophets and dispensations], that we seemed like Moises [Moses] to her in our manner of teaching and inviting. That was interesting. I was thinking this morning and I was looking at all I have to get better at and I think really it's the relation with the invesitagadores [investigators]. We need to help them better expertimentar the conversion [try to become converted].

 

Yesterday was a little bit interesting. We went to the two wards that we are part of: Hunter ward and Berlin ward. I got to know some of the members and they seem really great and happy. I was pretty suprised at how well they sing in the Hunter Ward. In the second hour of Berlin, I started feeling really sick. At the end of the class I signed, unable to talk to Elder Stewart that we had to go to the room (we live a half block from the church). I didn't quite make it and saw breakfast again in the way. Haha. So I rested a bit during the third hour and we returned so we could walk an investigator back to his house as we had promised. When we got there I was feeling so bad that I was not going to be able to walk back to our house. I asked Elder Stewart to give me a blessing in his house. While he talked, I felt better and better and by the time he finished, I felt just fine. We walked quickly to the house about a kilometro from the investigator to lunch.

 

Other parts of this were with some members Monday who were all happy to have us there and to dedicate their new house. I also recently have been up to Exodus and am reading in where Moises [Moses] does some pretty awesome intense stuff.. in Egypt. It's even better than seeing "The Prince of Egypt." This morning I read about Ammón and the intense joy that he felt. It was explained that that level of joy so great is only had by those who truely repent and humbly look for the lasting happiness that comes from following all the guides of the Lord: His commandments, His servants, the dictates of the Holy Ghost. I reflected and pondered on that verse this morning.

 

Love Elder Johnson

 

 

 [This is in response to our thoughts on picking Mark up at the end of his mission----we've decided not to pick him up]

On the four options, wow those are some pretty tight time restrictions. You all haven't really decided on picking me up? I don't feel that I should extend. I think whichever plan would work. If you all judge it possible the first, the fine [the last one], if not, the second or third segue ustedes [whichever you prefer].

11 July 2011

Dear Family,

Jaja la fecha de regreso no hará tanto como tener un compañero con 23.5 meses en la mision. Pero Elder Hunsaker es lo maximo. Solo a veces dice, De a qui tres semanas voy a buscar este cancion. [Ha Ha, having the return date for my mission is nothing like having a companion who's been in the mission for 23.5 months (missionaries serve for 24 months).  But, Elder Hunsaker is at the very end.  Sometimes he says, "Three weeks from now, I'm going to look for this song.]

Well just this week [we have] seen some divisions [missionary splits where companionships are switched around temporarily] with a District leader and my anterior [earlier] companion Elder Hernandez (see picture)

We went to Arequipa like I said last week for the meeting with the President of the mission. It was the maximum. [the best] We talked with him in the night of Monday about a lot of things, and then way more Tuesday [about how] to help out the Zones. The zone we are in is one of the two zones of the mission that is suffering a little. More than anything for the attitude of the missionaries. The church here is a District and Branches so there aren't so many members. I think they all get used to more help from the members and get a little disanimated [discouraged] and then tell their new companions that nothing passes [they're not having missionary success] and the tradition gets passed on. We are working big time to kill that off before the next transfers. Last month in all the Zone Camaná, there were 2 baptisms, but this month we have already had 4! So something is changing...

I think there are some religious groups really trying to preach against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints... because we talk to a bunch of people who when they see us, say oohh but I dont believe in Adam Smith. We say.. that's great, us neither! Haha but really... what is up with that?

We had a lesson with an almost priest, or rather, he was about to take up being a priest but realized he didn't want that to be his job. So he knows a ton about the scriptures and really suprised me a few times by his insights about the sacrament and the premortal life. Never have I talked to any other person who understood so much from just the Bible. Modern day scripture really clarifies these doctrines well.

Today I really want to be able to take those pictures I have been planning to take since I got here. It's just we have quite limited time on Monday sometimes. Very pretty. But imaging those desert mountain shots I sent when I came to the valley of fields... Camaná is like that. Green surrounded by huge sandy mountains. The housing areas are pushed up into the starts of the mountains by the farm land.

We talked with Nancy this week. The first time we talked to her we talked about the Restoration and asked if she believed it. She said of course and that she has wanted to be baptized, but since her husband doesn't want to get married, she is in a situation. Also Bety has the same problem. She really feels it is true and is so animated [excited] to receive the remission of her sins, but her husband doesn't want to get married either. We will be trying to help them with their honest desires to live the Law of Chastity and if they really have that desire, they will be blessed with solutions.

Sunday one of the speakers didn't come and the other two spoke about 7 minutes combined. The Branch President asked me to fill up that time leaving me almost 30 minutes to spontaneously talk. I talked about some teachings of President Uchtdorf, of the Plan of Salvation and the blessings of living the gospel.

Now I have to relinquish the typing time to my companion. Well, see ya next week.

Love

Elder Johnson

4 July 2011

Dear Family

How is everything? Sounds like Paul is enjoying BYU and having a good time with all the other freshmen. Sounds like all is going well at home too. Yes the last week I got to the area right in time to dine and then go to the appointments. What says the area? It says it is wet
but not super wet so it is ok. Just wet enough to motivate me to fix my shoes so they don't have holes in the soles anymore.

I would do it today but I can't since in just a little bit we are going to go to Arequipa. There is a meeting that we are going to with the
president tomorrow. It's a little weird... I feel like I am getting to know really well the road between Camaná and Arequipa since I came 2
week ago. I went before this week to do interchanges with the Assistants [to the President].

Which was pretty awesome. I went with Elder Frias in his area in Arequipa and his companion came to Camaná. There, we were teaching a family and it was the best. The son was like, "I feel like I should be baptized" And then we went to another, and the guy was getting ready for his baptism but was with doubts so we were talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what really is baptism.. since almost no
one really appreciates what a covenant is. And he was like, "Wow, but something holds me back." So we prayed and read a scripture, and we felt the Spirit with such power, that he said "YES! and I want to be a missionary. Is it too late for me now that I'm 21?"  [Missionaries typically serve missions between the ages of 19-21, but sometimes they are older.] Later we went to the other person who was preparing for her baptism for this week to confirm it and basically I was a little stunned to see what they are doing there.

Last night we contacted a lady from Northern Peru and she gave us a weird bamboo looking thing that is really a fruit. You chew on it and
juice the juice until basically just wood is left. It is a juice really similar to sugary milk.

¡This week will be the BEST!

All right that was a little [letter] only i know but my time se acabó [is over].


Love Elder Johnson

Transfer to Camana, Peru! 6/27/11, Zone Leader

Mark's new area:  Porvenir in Camana

Camana

Camana

Querido Familia,

Sorry I couldn't email the last week! I woke up at 12:30 a.m. again to get that call. At 6:00 a.m., I was in the bus terminal and at 7:00 a.m., I was on the road leaving Tacna. By 1:00 p.m., I was in Arequipa and bought another ticket to go to Camaná. My new companion is Elder Hunsaker. I have mentioned him before since he was my Zone Leader in Tacna when I had just barely arrived. He is a great, great missionary and I am very happy to be his companion. A great opportunity to learn a BUNCH.

Our area is called Porvenir, and we are a little branch in the hills of Camana. All of my areas so far have been on the outskirts of whatever city I have been in. It is a seaside city and the valley area is mostly used with farm fields. It is very, very pretty and this afternoon in my preparation time I am planning on going up the hills to the last areas to take pictures. When I got here I was stunned.

Eric I wanted to thank you for being so awesome at writing EVERY Sunday!

The people here are very, very nice, very, very humble, and I am thinking it is a very chosen place, we just need to turn it into a little Zion.

Elder Hunsaker says I have to tell y'all about Victor and Juan. Victor and Juan are the BEST. We contacted Juan about 5 days ago and it was amazing. He is so interested and intelligent. We gave him a pamphlet and made another appoinment. In the second, his brother came out to talk with us too (they have one of those family stores). The third time we came, we asked them about their reading in the pamphlets. They had read them really closely and asked questions about the difference between the baptism of Joseph Smith and the difference between the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods. It was awesome! We asked Victor if he had prayed and asked God if it was true the message, and he said he did.

He said that when he asked, he felt something really strong, a peace and a feeling very spiritual that it is true. Juan also felt the Spirit (Galations 5:22-23). Very happy, we were. Walking out Elder Hunsaker told me: "up top"

We have some great people and missionaries in this zone!

Love you all!

Elder Johnson