19 March 2012

WHOHOOO! That’s great about the missionaries going out in the field. Saludos [greetings to] James Pope for me.

Dear Family,

RIght now we are finishing those invitations for the conference. The sister who owns the internet place said she could print them out at .25 soles per page, with both sides printed! And that was the same as the one side color copy and one side black and white place in the center that a member was going to help us out with. Now we will have 2 weeks to try to invite all the area to the conference. This will be fun.

Quote from Elder Stewart (we were walking and I hear: sniff, sniff,..sniff.)

"Is that dutch oven potatoes?? donde, cúal casa? me invito!"  [Where is that house?  I’m inviting myself.] haha. I don’t know what those would be, but we didn't find the potatoes. We didn't have time to look either but all good - we got to smell.

This week has been pretty fun.

Michael is still with some [having some] issues from his family. They caused his great faith to be highly troubled telling him that better would be [it would be better] to not think about God much but focus on studying, doing that sort of stuff. The struggle is helping him read. He really has so much homework. He is taking 19 classes right now. Each one is one time a week for 2 hours.

One of the members is being awesome. She is visiting the two Ivons that we are teaching and helping them to feel good and all. She is really loving with all and fulfilling just about all she possibly can. THAT’s some good help with the missionary work. Help the missionaries!!!

Ana Palomino came to church again! We talked to her this week and she is all animated [excited] to get married and to be baptized and go to church forever. She bought some church clothes this week.. She was the one who went all by herself last week. She lives in another ward.. but is moving here at the end of this month we hope. Since her husband works in the mine (lots of people work in the mine. there are places where 20,000 people live, and 15,000 work in the mine of said city). There are lots of mines here in Peru, see the end of 1 Nephi 18:25.

 [25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were ^abeasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ^bore, both of ^cgold, and of silver, and of copper.] 

I’ve been reading the beginning of the book of Mormon again in the past days, and it really impressed me the predictions of the great apostasy and the restoration in first and second Nephi. They are very clear. Nephi even saw Christopher Columbus.

Family Ojeda is a family who has the desire to learn from us. The parents are worried about their oldest son who is in those years [must be teenage years!]. We invited them to start reading every morning the scriptures, and Saturday they did! We don’t know about Sunday, but they couldn't go to church for some reason. The mom wants the youngest child to lead them all to the way, basically. But we are trying to help her see how the family would be able to be if they follow what King Benjamin, in Mosiah 4:15, councils about the role of parents (also 14). But we have to go about that well.

[ 14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. ]

Mari Diaz, who has gone to church over the past 2 years, needs us to read Mosiah 2-6 with her today. Thats what we planned in the companionship study.

Yesterday we met two people who are a little different. One started telling all types of things that aren’t true... and it was interesting how I could feel that he was lying, even though I had no way of proving it. The next one started out the conversation telling us: I’ve talked to all sorts of people and I’ve asked them what they think of my experience, people and missionaries from every church but yours. He said: When I was five years old I was in front of the house and was looking off into the distance, and from the corner of my eyes I saw a tall, white, beautiful man pass. I wiped my eyes to see better because he was bright, and when I opened them again, he was taking up into a whirlwind. I told my mom and she said it was the devil, and my nose started to bleed.

So at the end of telling us that, he asked us what we thought, what explanation there would be. And at the same time that he explained a little more about some weird stuff, I just felt very clearly that he had never seen such thing. We told him, and he resisted a little, and we repeated that, and he gave up on that attempt. While he talked and spoke about how hell doesn't exist and how we are just a circle and will be born again and have been born before and before and before and how there aren’t really consequences of sin, I remembered Alma 30 and Jacob 7. Those doctrines are not from the Lord. This morning I read 2 Nephi 2:10-14 which is a part that Lehi talks about the nature of the opposition in all things which gives us a good way to know how He [Christ] works and is, and lets us understand His [Christ’s] love. What struck me about the both experiences was how what was true and right was easily distinguished from what was heard, and around me.

Love Elder Johnson

3 October 2011

Climbing a mountain near Camana on P-day

Some kind of fruit cooked in banana leaves

Is that the chicken for dinner in a few minutes?

A Peruvian woman's kitchen

Dear Family!

AAAHHHHH CONFERENCE! I love conference and am thinking about buying all the conference DVDs when I get back, but that’s beside the point. This conference was so great. One of my favorite talks was the one of the Book of Mormon !¡(all sorts of Book of Mormon references in the morning of Sunday, no?). I have a goal to finish El Libro De Mormon for the fourth time in the mission next week, and read it more in this my second half [of the mission]. It really is so good. I finally fixed my spanish triple combination so I can read it now. It broke right after I got to the field. Remember I asked for suggestions? A book repairer put rubber cement on it for 2 soles... haha. At least I think it’s rubber cement.

As always after the tenth hour of conference we were pretty amazed and all and a little sad it will be 6 more months till the next. Seeing Elder Oaks I thought: “Hey, I shook his hand a month ago!”

I also really liked the Young Women’s President’s talk [Sister Elaine Dalton]... I think that would be so great if it can be fully implemented this half year, and we might be teaching some of those things (and not just to fathers of daughters). I was just so happy to hear the choirs and hear the prophets. I learned a lot about how to come closer to Christ. Something I will be working on a lot right now.

I don’t remember if I said it last week, but what I would like most is an SD card to USB converter, something cheapisimo but that I can use to be self-reliant for Christmas.

Eric, how’s spanish class?? When I get back we are going to be able to speak so well! And talk about Paul without his knowing haha. But not really. Practica con la mama le va a ayudar muchisimo! Una semana yo hacia practica con mama y fue lo maximo! [Practice with mom.  It will help you so much.  One week, I practiced with mom and it was best!]

Y’all asked about my health. I am very high of health. I feel very blessed by the promises I have made and trying to keep them dutifully.

I found out the name of those so amazing socks I talked about: they are called Goldtoe.

I’m gunna [going to] email the church today, there is a translation error in Preach My Gospel! Almost sure they know but just in case. Page 169 says lea instead of le in the second paragraph (of course in the spanish version)

So this week we were in reunions [meetings] all the time. We went to a last minute multizone meeting, which was soo, sooo, soo amazing. The president really is incredibly spiritual. He called us hard to repentance telling us: There are some things that you do that are not ok, for example....... . Then, we talked about understanding that we have been called by prophecy to be representatives of Jesus Christ, and given the authority to do so. We talked about how the mission was worth whatever the cost, and heard from four missionaries who are doing miracles in their areas. They are in the same branch, and last month this branch had almost 30 baptisms, with 40 scheduled for October. Hearing them was a wake up call and extremely amazing. We also talked about how that ultimate and supreme teacher is the spirit, and that teaching is more than just talking and telling things, which we also heard in conference from the Sunday School Counselor in his great talk. And basically it was so, so good. The president knows how to tell us what we need to change very, very directly and with love so we really get we need to change it.

Elder Holland’s talk was pretty intense, no? I hope the Young Men’s leaders do some follow up on that. "just enough to singe ya" haha. Somehow, we need all the young men to understand the Aaronic Priesthood. Why didn’t we collect fast offerings? Can we? That talk was a great basis for Branch Presidents and Bishops to work off of.

Well that’s all the extended time I’ve got.

Love

Elder Johnson

4 April 2011

Dear Familia,

Another week has passed here in Tacna. And I have learned so, so much this week. Being with the added responsibility of District Leader has not been easy, but [it is] really satisfying when things go well.  I've got a lot of goals for the next 5 weeks for me and for our district. [A district is a small group of 8-10 missionaries who work in an area together.   They are led by the District Leader, one of the missionaries in the group.  For now, Mark is a District Leader]  Thank you very much for that insight mom.  I have been feeling that it would have been nice to have more examples before.

[The advice follows:    I remember my District Leaders quite well.  Here are some things I really appreciated from them: 1.  They really seemed to care about my motivation. 2.  They cared about my companionship relationship. 3.  They cared about what happened in my family's life  4.  A couple of times, they gave me blessings of comfort which I very much appreciated. 5.  They were spiritually inspiring and kept the district unified.  We did things together.   I really looked up to the District Leaders and appreciated them.]

Well, this week has been a great week. A little bit harder and I had to rack my brain a little bit more [on topics ranging from ] Conference to learning of a religion that teaches that we are anti-Christs (not at all sure why anyone would teach such blatant falseness= 2 Nephi 25:26 [which reads:
 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

We have had ups and downs of course. I have been worried at the success in our area, and I am not sure if it is a result of the things we are doing or something else, or the evidence of something that was always there. I continue to ask myself why we aren't baptizing every single week. We just don't seem to be finding people who the Lord has prepared, like kind of before and like we really should.

But everthing is ok because HOW GREAT WAS CONFERENCE [Twice a year, there is a general conference that is broadcast to the world.  The prophet and apostles speak to us on a variety of topics  It is a wonderful opportunity in April and November of each year.  You can access the talks in video or printed format at lds.org after 4/9/11]. The best the best. It seemed way short too. After each session and after the afternoon of Sunday I really wanted to be able to go back to the Stake Center [the church building that usually has satellite access for these broadcasts] and listen to the prophets and apostles every day. But now we as a world have 6 months to learn, apply, and implement [the messages] into our lives.

I particularly liked the talks by Elder Oaks, and Elder Bednar, and Elder Christoferson, and President Monson.. o darn this list is getting to be all them. Well, we did struggle a little with the emphasis on marriage [Elder Scott's talk and President Monson as well].  haha. I just started changing the word and idea of wife to Elder Mateus, and the advice on how to have a great companionship, not marriage. It was working great for a little while, but then not so much [You'll just have to read it]. You might be able to recall where I gave up that comparison.

Elder Hunsaker (who goes home in 3 months, and is one of the two Zone Leaders) set a date for his marriage. November 18, which is a Friday. haha

In conference I was taught of hope, faith, and the importance of receiving revelation. Subsequently I realized a few things that I have to do right now.

Yesterday we were contacting, and a 19 year old person answered the door. I looked him in the eye and said, Buenas noches, soy elder johnson y mi companero es Elder Mateus, y somos mensajeros celestiales aqui para bendecir su familia. [ Good evening.  I am Elder Johnson and this is my companion, Elder Mateus and we are heavenly messengers here to bless your family]  He asked to consult with his family and they let us in to be able to hear the message! His family is great. They invited us after the lesson to dine with them. His sister is 21 and is very, very sharp, and well-versed in the scriptures. She was able to explain to her brother why the scripture so often interpreted to say that Pedro [Peter] was the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ and that he would create the church, says not that [It means that the church would be built on revelation]. She also gave me something to think about in relation to who receives the gift of the Holy Ghost in their lives.

I got a bunch of Dear Elders that were great! How interesting they all were. Les doy muchos gracias.[I thank you all very much!] Also a letter from Brother Brooks and from Kimmie. They were also the best. Ive been working on opening my mouth more.

One little boy asked me what a Giraffe is in Spanish. I laughed, but wait I still don't know.

Grandpa Johnson, have you looked for chaiasms in conference talks including within sessions as a whole? I was noticing the correlation just before Elder Holland talked and it made me wonder.

Eric, you could try practicing always the things you do know how to say with mom. She knows Spanish!

A new elder came to our zone. His name is Elder Bautista, or, one who baptizes. That will be funny for the missionaries in all of his areas over the next 2 years. He is great!

Well. That's about it. We talk next week!


Love Elder Johnson

Mark and Elder Mateos.  

14 March 2011

Dear Fmaily

Wow! That's pretty awesome and exciting sounding. Honduras. How's Eric's Spanish. Practicing every day with mom so he can speak with gente [people] when y'all (hopefully still is the plan) come up [down?] to Peru (because this is the real up side).

This week has been great. I feel like I write that about every week but it's true so I shall probably continue. First off, I forgot to mention the earthquake we had! Sunday I was reading the scriptures in my bed before church and everything just started to jiggle. I think the jiggle was from the bed. The house was shaking. I didn't really know what to think since it was the first I can remember feeling, so I sat there elated smiling and looking around. The people who we live with us called us to get out of our room and just when we did it all calmed down. Pretty cool though.

Completely different is the news that trickles to the missionaries about what happened in Japan. I caught sight of some newspaper headlines that said: The End of the World. a little bit breathtaking the fotos [photos].

I feel like I've passed a milestone. On one of the two pairs of shoes I have, the sole came a third off. Pretty sure that makes me not a noob! Looking for other shoes.. should be really really cheap since I'm here in Tacna.

Well you see the pictures, Ivan was baptized!!! I was so happy for him. He is the bomb. Unfortunately due to a little chaos, only a few members were able to come, but it's ok. The service was chevere. And especially baptizing him, saying the first part felt very correct, or right, or something like that.

Yesterday was a really, really good day. After the confirmation of Ivan, we had ward conference which was edifying. In addition 7 investigatores [investigators] were there which is always great. Not sure how to break the 10 barrier and have the goal of 30 go but working on it. The lady who we accompanied to go . . . is one who contacted us and said she wanted to join the church and everything is going great with her and her family. There's about 20 people who live in her house and they all seem to be really, really great, but the problem is getting them all together. We shall start with her, Andrea, and then her children, grandchildren, and the people renting. One of her daughters wants us to baptize her daughter, she unfortuately works all the Sundays but that will change.

I've been thinking a lot about D&C 50 [http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/50?lang=eng]   and our calling to teach with the spirit, and also how much love and charity I have towards the people. I think I have been a little low.. so I've been working on these things this week. I really think I've been able to improve myself. I feel much more love for all the people, especially teaching, and I think they can feel the difference. With this work, I think we have been able to teach much more by the spirit. Notably in two examples.

With Giermo, who I have mentioned before, in the second visit, he told us he read, but later called his pastor who lives in New York. His pastor told him that it would be better to not confuse himself reading the Book of Mormon AND the Bible, he told us "I am not going to continue reading". Well I wasn't too happy to hear that but trying to have lots of love and follow the spirit, we had a great meeting with him. He told us that he will in fact read the Book of Mormon, and pray to know if its true. He is a racecar driver by the way.

With Katy, the first contact we had here was when she said that she was a defined Catholic and no way will change. You can come by to visit me but I ain't gunna change. I dont know... continuing the conversation felt like I should make an appointment with her and we went by. Visiting with her the... second time?... after she didn't read (didn't do her commitment/homework.. how in the world do you say that?) we read 2 Nephi 31 http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/31?lang=eng] [with her.  That chapter is so powerful. She felt the power of the Holy Ghost strongly and at the end was saying things like "I want all of my family to be able to come and talk with you two." She said the prayer to end and asked for help changing and repenting and knowing if it is true.

Oh and yesterday we visited with Paula and her grandma. This family, well,  paula and her mom, were contacts, and were waiting for us with cookies (think I have mentioned them). Well her grandma told us when we came that she is definite, won't change, and that we can talk with her until we say something that doesn't line up with her beliefs, and then we are out. Well we started with a prayer like always, and taught the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She was nodding, saying that's right, and agreeing with everything. I think it was one of the most powerful lessons I have been in, and it felt absolutly wonderful to be the instrument of the Lord to bring the message to them. I knew that she was receiving a testimony of all my words by the spirit and thinking of D&C 50 during the lesson gave me lots of hope that I can get to be the missionary I want to be. She said that she will read, will think, and will pray, and that if she knows it's true will be baptized the 16 of April (lots of time because of  General Conference and the Peruvian elections).

 These kinds of lessons, I leave knowing I'm doing/fufilling with my calling.

Love Elder Johnson

 

21 February 2011

Dear family,

A package?? Awesome! I wasn't expecting one till June... haha sounds like it might arrive in June.

Er...a pedometer would be pretty awesome.  I've been wondering how far I'm walking this week... feels like about 4 plus miles per day.

Ademas.. a ver... [In addition. . . let's see. . .] maybe a couple of pictures... talks from conferences... if possible little tiny speakers? Here in Tacna we don't have speakers for P day anymore. and any other space with candy! haha.

I shall raise up the rez [resolution on the camera] I guess, but if I go to 10 megapixels again I can't promise pictures every week due to upload time requirements.

How went this week? Super awesome. Don't even know where to start.

Now that I'm with Elder Stewart it is a little bit harder to talk with all the people... since neither of us are latinos, but it's all good since they almost always understand us. Between the two of us, we can always be understood. Also, I think now that they all have to pay lots of attention to understand us, they also receive the message better!

But I'm really enjoying being companions with Elder Stewart just like in the CCM. When I am tired and am having trouble getting myself to start talking with the people we are close to, he saves the moment and starts contacting. We are learning a ton and becoming better missionaries quickly.

Like I hinted earlier, we walk a TON. Also there is a TON of hot [heat]. The sun is super strong and the air unforgiving, but no is problem [it's not a problem] cuz when we knock doors, the people are really awesome. Well usually, they occasionally just close the door in our faces, but I don't mind so much now... wethering.

And that's the only problem.

In church yesterday, i was a little nervous and praying that the members would have the desire to work with us, since it seems that they haven't really done anything with the missionaries for a long, long time, but the people we asked to help us out were super willing to do so, and one member, Elvis, approached us and asked us when we were gunna go proseliting with him. Marcos told us that he has basically every day all day free, and Kenny almost the same.

Our new ward mission leader is John Wonkawonka. I really like his last name. He is almost 19 and preparing for the mission. Yesterday we did splits (when the two missionaries go with two members as temporary companions to be able to go to appointments that are far apart and the same time) with John Wonkawonka y Kenny. We were out between 3 and 8 and taught 4 lessons, and contacted 118 people. Really awesome day yesterday.

And the week in general. We set a record for both of us, 343 contacts in the week. I think I've passed 2000 but haven't added them up recently.

This week we have found 3 families that are really cool, and have been looking to basically find us. They are laiden with challenges, including getting married (all three... grr) but hopefully they can be willing to start to live this commandment in particular.

Also a lady Maritsa and Ximena her daughter are super awesome. We were talking with them about how one can feel, by the power of the Holy Ghost if the Book of Mormon is true, by reading it. And that by the same power we can know if the church is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God. Maritsa piped up and told us she feels it. That its all true. I was a little stunned not gunna lie. I mean... I just wasn't expecting her to already recognize that. Her daughter just said that she has a lot a lot of doubts. Here in [the[ University, there is a required class whose purpose is to convince the students that religion is a lie. Or at least christianity. It is always taught by a Jew, and leaves all the University students not believing in God. This is her source of doubts.

But in church, or after, she told us that now she doesn't have any doubts!! If all goes well, she will be able to make the covenants of baptism this Saturday with her mom.

Leslie is the other person who maybe this Saturday too will be baptized, but we are in need of a serious miracle. Our last lesson with her, we challenged her to read the Book of Mormon every day 5 chapters. If she really reads, and has been reading, then by now she has felt the change in her heart. She likes to learn the lessons, feels like they are true, but doesn't feel like there is need to be baptized.

Another distant possibility for this week is Wesley. A while ago he said he would like to be baptized, but he doesn't have support from his parents, or permision to attend church. And that's where we are with him. He is super awesome, and has a girlfriend in the church... which is a little bit of a challenge because [she] provides an ulterior motive that we don't want.

We are also teaching a 16 year old girl who is the bomb. Her name is Dulce, which translates to Sweet. She just needs to be able to go to church.We visited her the other day, and we asked her if she believes that the Book of Mormon is true. She said of course. Now that she has begun to read it, she really knows it is the word of God, and that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet by God and that the church really is the Church of Jesus Christ (read the first paragraph of the introduction to the Book of Mormon and the last 2 paragraphs)

Contacting this week, I was talking with a man on the bus. I gave him a pass along card (now my favorite thing) and when I looked around, the man on the other side of the bus signaled me that he wanted one too. Excited I went over and gave him a pamphlet (cuz I ran out of cards) and we got off the bus by chance with him. Accompanying him to his house, we talked a little bit and he said he wanted to go to church. I really think he has been prepared and is part of the white field that is ready for harvest aka our calling. (D&C 29:7 and D&C  4)

We work in Leguia, Techo Propio, and Habitat in Tacna Peru. And its pretty darn awesome.

Love Elder Johnson --  Rene

October 6, 2010

Dear Home,

I haven´t seen her [Clarice C.]! I was wondering about that... hmm. Maybe it is in some room here waiting to reach me.

Paul: I wrote this down for you on October 1: Wake up, September ended. Also, the computer I am typing on has an external 216 watt power source. So.. watch out Crysis.

We leave Tuesday for the mission field!!! We are all so excited slash tensions are rising. I think a lot of people are nervous about having the real deal: a companion all day with no one else to talk to except investigators, the companion probably going to be native, and the investigators for sure, and a whole new place, whole new schedule. In my district, we cover a spectrum of speaking ability from quite good, to still iffy. I understand near 80 percent of what the latinos are saying during enseñanzas, which is teaching practice. Granted they are talking about church stuff, and speaking clearly. The people I have met outside the CCM tend to speak quietly, and with non-chuch vocabulary that I am not as used to.

BUT, tho I am a little nervous, I am super archey iper mega extrodanario excited for getting there!

How´d the week go? It was hard, stressful, awesome, spiritual, and megasweet. We had Conference! that was definitely the highlight of the week. I have never enjoyed conference so so much! It was cool to be the missionaries speakers were talking about, especially when President Monson did the state of the church thing at the beginning. I took about 12 pages of notes, and am working on a synopsis of conference with the main thing for me in each talk, and when that main thing is something I need to implement in my life, I am highlighting it. I think I might have to summarize the synopsis tho... there were a lot of talks, which we all enjoyed so much. The two days were all smiles around the CCM.

We were the only people in all of Peru to watch conference live at church. Peru had elections, and there is a law that no one can go to church or any other organized meeting. It is apparently to keep the people under control, but means Peruvians watch conference a week later in a re-broadcast. Luckily, the CCM is somehow not technically an organization that falls under that law through some awesome loophole so we got to watch it live!

Did anyone else see the Sherinians (please correct that spelling haha) on the between conference program after Saturday morning??? The whole world saw them! Also very cool, during Priesthood session, my Chemical Engineering 170 study buddy, Andrew Naylor, got a portrait shot for almost 1.5 seconds! He was in the MTC Choir and I about had a heart attack. I didnt see Elder Ian Christensen unfortunately... did anyone else?

I was wondering if lots of people are having trouble converting to Monson with the huge follow the prophet theme. Especially noticed with the repeated 14 points. My favorite points were the prophet does not need qualifications to talk on a subject, and the prophets words don´t need to follow the knowledge of the time, citing especially Joseph Smith with the Word of Wisdom and translation.

I also really liked Eyring´s talks, and his recounting of how he realized what he was to talk about. In the MTC we watched a talk by Elder Bednar who mentioned how the talks at conference are not collaborated, yet always show trends. It was very cool to see that happen, as speakers would often set up the next speaker, and introduce his topic, and the overall themes of following the prophet, being close to the spirit, honesty and agency, and obedience. Bednar in that talk spoke to those who wonder: how do you know when it is the spirit. His response, was: "Don't worry about it, be a good boy." He cited three examples in his own life where he didn't even know it was a prompting of the spirit.. yes that's right an apostle didnt know... but definitely without question were.

The first, he just gave a large amount of money to a traveling general authority while on his mission in Germany. Thought it was a good idea at the time just to help him out, but didn't know it was a prompting. The Authority later that day got stopped by an east german officer to check his and his wife's identification. His checked out, but his wife's didn't. The authority didn't even realize the severity of the situation, and that they almost arrested and took his wife from him, They had no money but what Elder Bednar had given them. When they handed it to him, he left them alone.

Another was when he was a stake president. His son and the son of one of the Elder's Quorum Presidents´were playing a championship game during some Saturday Stake Conference thing. He struggled with his conscious, thinking that he was just rationalizing leaving, but did leave with that other father. They talked for 2 hours, had a long interview, watched the game, had fun. Six months later the President´s son died in an accident when chopping wood. That game was the only one the dad was able to watch his son play.

The last was when Elder Bednar was an apostle. He just felt like he should change the topic of a conference talk one morning only a few days before conference. He ended up changing it, and to his suprise, found that his new topic meshed perfectly with the speaker before, and the speaker after him.

I am going to continue studying the talks.

Question: Sister Cook in the Sunday morning session mentioned a Carmen Cutler. Are we related through the Cutlerites? That would be sweet!

Question: I was swirling my hot chocolate, and a bubble formed. The bubble moved to the center of the vortex and stayed there. It would happen every time I swirled it. I think this happened because of the inertia of the spinning liquid and the displacement in the surface it takes to float the bubble. So cuz it is bouyant, it got moved out of the way towards the middle kind of like if it was below the surface. Is that right? So that would be why ships would be sucked into a oceanic whirlpool too, right?

Today after going to the temple, we went to Metro and Tottus. I finally gave in and treated myself to a 3.2 sol slice of chocolate cake. I haven't bought anything else tho! except pens I guess. Anyway it was very very very good. Probably helped by the fact that I missed breakfast. Metro had biodegradable plastic bags! Do any stores back home do that or are they just way ahead of the curve here? On the way back we hopped on the bus, but unlike the normal somewhat high g ride, this guy drove more similar to Paul. He was passing busses, slamming the breaks, stealing passengers who were about to board other busses. Not saying Paul does that.

¡Estoy animado para el campo! "Pues he aqui, el campo blaco esta ya para la siega. Y he aqui, quien mete su hoz, con su fuerza, atesora para si, de modo que no parece, sino que trae salvación a su alma." Es muy interesante para veo los cambios en mí vida. En los ultimo dos semanas, cambié mucho mucho, y tambien cambié los semanas antes.. pero en un camino bueno. He aprendido mucho sobre español y el evangelio. Estoy en jacob 6 en mi leyendo en el libro de mormon. Cada dia leo en voz alto para mas o menos trenta menutos. Entonces leo muy rapido en español, y aveces tengo un accento bueno. En dos mes, seré muy bueno en español, y para eso, estoy animable. Ayer, Elder Stewart y yo damos un libro de mormon a un mujer de la comedria. Ella ha leido! En cena hoy, preguntaremos que fue. Bueno, necisito me preparo para cena y nuestro charla fogonera. Me encanto Peru y mi llamamiento misional! Tengo mucho gracias porque estoy en el servicio de dio. Tengo deseos de servir a Dios, y soy llamado a la obra!

[I'm excited for the mission field. "For behold, the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul." It is very interesting to see the changes in my life. In the last two weeks, I've changed a lot and I have also changed in the weeks before that. But, in a good way. I have learned much about Spanish and the gospel. I am in Jacob 6 in my reading of the Book of Mormon. Every day I read out loud for more or less thirty minutes. Then, I read really quickly in Spanish and sometimes I have a good accent. In two months, I will be very good at spanish and for this, I am very excited. Yesterday, Elder Stewart and I gave a Book of Mormon to a lady in the cafeteria. She read it. At dinner today, we asked her how it went. I love Peru and my missionary calling! I am very grateful that I am in the service of God. I have desires to serve God and I am called to the work!]

Love Elder Johnson

29 September 2010, Part 3

So since we have been here for so long now, we have gotten to know the

CCM leadership more. Hermana Whetten has eaten with us a couple times!

She is the wife of the CCM President. Hermana Slingerland, wife of

area doctor, teaches a class on how to lead music every three weeks.

We went to both just cuz they are so cool! She is really the most

excited person about leading music I have ever seen. We were loving it

so much, and have adopted her favorite hymn as our own, number 9 in

the spanish hymn book... i dunno about the english one...

In class we were taking turns leading with a little blue plastic

pointer. It has a little hand on the end with index finger pointing

straight, which makes it just about the coolest things around. Our

excitement caught on to all the rest of the class of 50 or so, as the

new and unsure people gradually started singing during practicing, and

having almost as good a time as us. At the end when we went to thank

her she said we set the mood! Hermana Whetten was there, and took note

of the blue pointer.

Two days later we had a Large Group Meeting. Elder Bardzinski, who is

the best and the only Australian here (who was in my first district)

got to to lead the music at the LGM. He used the blue pointer to the

delight of EVERYONE. Hermana Whetten was struggling at not laughing so

bad, Hermano Whetten even smiled, and I could hardly control myself.

Elder Bardzinski is such a character. We are lucky to be his favorite,

he comes into our room every night and shares the most mind blowing

sections of his daily reading in Jesus the Christ in such a thick

accent that we often don't understand his English in the most excited

parts of the summary.

Soccer has been a blast! The new Latinos are very different from the

group of Latinos that we had in our first three weeks. They pass the

ball! I have no idea why it is so different. I would think that with

this many people, it would be more similar than different. They are

all stunned when Elder Stewart dribbles past them all. Oh by the way

Elder Stewart is from Saint George Utah, and is going to Arequipa like

me.

We didn't get to go proselyting last Saturday, and won´t be able to

next. Next Saturday we can´t because of elections and general

conference. Every year on I think the day before elections no one is

allowed to go out on the streets. I believe it is to prevent riots,

chaos, civil unrest... something. We are all super excited to hear it

in English. I´ve never been this excited for conference before!

Oh guess what. All the water fountains here have sheets of instruction

that tell how to use them. I thought that was pretty cool. Also they

have a button for cold water, and another for un-chilled water. It is

pretty odd. Another shocker, I fully averted my first sneeze at 3:30

pm on 9/27/10. I have done so again once since, but never before in my

life. I am learning so much! haha

ummm... the juices the other day were phenomenal. Passionfruit juice

and Watermelon Juice. The latter tastes just like the juice left in

your bowl after eating diced watermelon. It is my favorite here I

think.

I got some Dear Elders!

One from Aunt Carmen, all the news sounds awesome! I think it is one

of my life time goals to cut something with those giant scissors. We

don't seem to have any scissors down here.. it's odd. Were they heavy?

Jared, best of luck haha. I have never heard of such an event. Ryan is

a freshman? That's so cool. It was fun to be in with Paul for two

years. Also I love soccer too. The shoes I brought are ripped up so

bad from playing soccer every day. Hahahaha Andrew's hair!

Did y'all know I volunteered at that Pow Wow the last fall? It was a

lot of fun and I got a sweet shirt out of it for free. Also I learned

about crime prevention! Always good.

Mom sounds like mornings are super chill now. I have changed my

sleeping failitude! We have lights off as per rules at 10:30 every

night, but I am usually in bed at around 9:45. I try to write in my

journal, for fifteen minutes, read the libro de mormon for fifteen of

30, and if I have time, read Jesus the Christ for 15 minutes. Then I

wake up at 6:00 every morning, to be ready before 6:30, to allow for

about 30 minutes of extra study in the morning. We are asked to rise

between 6 and 630...but I am about the only one who gets up at 6. So

there! Elder Stewart and I work in about another hour of extra study

by doing things quickly than we would have if we relaxed and went by

the schedule. It is great.

Mark