4 April 2012

Dear Family

Paul has been lobbying that I take Econ something... I don't think that's a needed class? I'm not too excited about taking an unneeded class since the last time I did that, even though it was really interesting, the rest of the students were all seniors and juniors, which kind of whipped me a little. haha

I did get the shoes! They are really light weight! Thanks!! I got them 2 weeks ago too.. I just kept forgetting to put that in here. Did the insoles get sent too?

This week was CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so awesome. We enjoyed every single one of the 5 sessions. It was SO cool to listen to those people, to see how their talks worked together on themes, and to hear their passion for the Work.

As you will see in the pictures, I have gotten a Christmas letter! it went all the way to Thailand from the Simmons before getting here. That was cool. Thanks Simmons!

We had a success on the invitation to go to conference of about 1% haha. The good thing is that we invited tons and tons of people. It blows my mind that it was that low though... We shall have to improve that. There is a possibility that quite a few people came that we didn't see though, there were lots and lots of people in the stake center (our chapel is the stake center!) Sunday in the morning, the whole chapel, and the whole cultural room (like a gym) and two more rooms were filled. We watched it in the secretary’s room for lack of TVs.

After one session Saturday, we stopped by an investigator’s home. We talked about her reading of the Book of Mormon, and invited her to be baptized. We were a little late so went running to be able to make it to the conference on time. Running, we passed two big dogs, who decided to make a perfect moment from the Best Two Years [a movie about LDS missionaries] and followed us chasing and barking. Haha. They never bite.. they just like to make noise. One fell on his face though when he decided to bark very close to my leg and I jumped away while running.

Wow. The March Liahona said we should go to conference with a specific question in mind, so I decided to do it. I went Saturday in the morning, and it was answered with such clarity that I was stunned. In the afternoon, I decided to keep looking for answers to the same, and was guided even more. In the Priesthood session, I decided to go with another question. Almost every talk gave part of the answer. Sunday I went with another question, and my questions kept being answered! I was really worried between the sessions of Sunday. I felt a specific impression about a problem we have here in our area... and went to the afternoon session of conference. Almost all the talks gave answers to that question too! I received a specific and direct guide in every single session of the conference. There truly is a God in Israel, who hears our prayers and answers them. All of them.

One great talk was by Elder Hallstrom, who came here with Elder Oaks half a year back. Pretty profound the idea of being active in the church and not in the gospel.

But they were really all great.

I sent a picture with Misty because the Dear Elder that grandma sent me had a question about why it’s the white city. One of the reasons is that the volcano (active I think) is often covered with snow, also, since the volcano has a special type of rock that is used often in the construction of homes. The rock is cut into large bricks that are 20 by 40 by 20 centimeters I think. They are often piled upon each other without mortar and covered with a tin roof in the poorer places. The rock is white/grey and not very dense - so the large bricks are easily handled.

Here, Palm Sunday is a pretty big celebration. I remember something in primary as a kid, but not much. Anyway, at 6:30 we started to hear people walking by and someone singing with a loudspeaker. We looked out some 10 minutes later when it didn't stop, and we saw a HUGE procession of people. Hundreds and hundreds of people must have passed us. We just saw the end of the procession. I think they were heading to the highest hill by our area that is topped by a cross. So that's an interesting fact.

We gotta run early today!

Love Elder Johnson

P.S. Let us study with much care the conference talks!

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