29 August 2011 Letter and Movie clip

Mark and Elder Mateos (previous companion) practicing their discussion during companionship study During this discussion, Mark and his companion talk about how we are sons and daughters of God and that he has a plan for us.  Jesus Christ is at the center of this plan.  Part of this plan also includes prophets and apostles.   Dear Family. Wow, whata week. We had a zone conference (my companion and I taught an hour about how to participate in Ward Council and Executive Committee finally) and a mission meeting with Elder Oaks. Very, very instructive this time. I am learning so much and wishing I could have learned it before the mission. O sea, [in other words], Paul, do missionary preparation in serious [seriously]. I am loving my time with Elder Ortiz. He is a great person.  We have been thinking hard this week. We aren't baptizing really as a zone. That's not ok. We need to be able to bring people to the Lord. My companion and I have been examining possible reasons, things we can do, to find out what to change. The zone will probably follow the leaders and so if we don't baptize, how can they? Anyway they brought 3 people to repentance and baptism this month between 12 missionaries. The Mission President is also worried about the zone. Today we did an activity to try to help us be a better team as part of Preparation Day. This week we will be working hard to give alll the follow up possible to the investigators of everyone. Working harder and better won't do everything; we need to do the things is the manner of the Lord. In that regard, I am going to meditate: Am I in a "patience in afflictions moment" or am I in a funk due to a problem that has to be resolved? Possibly half and half. Alma 26 is pretty awesome. Yes I am getting Dear Elders [letters from the dearelder.com website which family and friends can use]. So much thanks for all --especially the dedication of my weekly writing family! good job! haha. Unfortunately I can't send you all a picture. We took one in front of a statue of a famous Peruvian historical hero. He is called Tupac Amaru. Imagine [the picture] I suppose. That really awesome family that I talked about before live by a pair of cows. I touched one. Paul, read the whole missionary library before going! 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

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