15 May 2012

Mark needs a new watch band.  So, he sent us the measurements in mm.

. . . and inches.

Boxes and boxes of copies of the Book of Mormon and other pamphlets about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
plus some missionaries.

Queridisimo Familia, (My Dearest Family),

15 May 2012

It was SO good to be able to talk to y’all yesterday. Despite the connection that was somewhat lacking. It was a sweet experience to have y’all on the other end of the phone.

This week we have been in divisiones [splits] with some missionaries since Tuesday. An interesting situation. The President said he will call us when he gets the word to know what to do there... I’m missing Elder Erhard, but also enjoying the time I’ve spent with the missionary.

This morning there was a small earthquake! I woke up and thought there must have been a huge tank or something passing (I was tired, ok?) and I jumped off the top bunk, and went over to the window but there was nothing! Then my companion got up too and from behind comes running and says "Get out! Get out! Get out! It’s an earthquake!" We jumped out the door and waited a little. It continued a little while longer and then settled down, returned a little and disappeared. It wasn't much shakage (like the one we passed in Tacna with Elder Stewart) but it was long.

I think it’s a sign of the times when all the buttons on your shirts and pants start falling off. I’m getting good at sewing them back on. The shoe laces: I need a black shoe lace and a white one too.  I’ve also attached a foto [photo] of the measurements of my watch. If you could send athletic socks that would be great too!

Thanks so much.

Saturday we had a really interesting lesson. It was the climax of an idea I have been having all week. We knocked the door of a lady who opened it right up. She is a convert to the Baptist church. She is awesome and very converted to Christ. We talked a little about the gospel of Christ and mentioned about receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We read Acts 8 and 19 with her, but we did not have the spirit in the teaching, but rather a slight contention. I realized that and she did too. I remembered DYC 50:13-22 and asked her to forgive us for not teach the truth in a way that the Spirit could testify, and the Spirit came. We invited her to read and meditate what the Book of Mormon said (which she previously refused to do because the spirit wasn't there citing scriptures like the one in Revelations even though we had explained that and cited the one Deuteronomy to make it clear) And she committed herself to read and ponder and pray for Tuesday. That was a pretty cool moment when we repented and returned to teaching by the Spirit.

This week we received 65 boxes of brochures (or is pamphlets the word?) and copies of the Book of Mormon.  See the picture (by the way I was hunched over my tie is Not too long.)

I think I should follow what the Lord indicates [concerning the mission extension], but I shall look again, study, and fast. In the emails you sent me there are lots of reasons to extend or not to extend. Paul, do the same so we can know what the Lord wants us to do, and the same answer will be come to. Let’s not worry.  Just trust in Him who has called us knowing that His purposes have been revealed to profets [prophets] and to us so that we might know the way to follow. He knows us and desires more than any other thing our happiness and success in life. Trusting in Him and only him, we can know what to do. Alma 37:37

I’m going to work with all my strength this week

LOVE

Elder Johnson

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

 

23 September 2010

Dear Eric (and all),


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WILLIAM AND DAD!

How is school? Great job on the high math class and wind ensemble! Study math hard so you can know what is going on! When I was in seventh grade, I didn't study much at all and it was so confusing. If I had studied every day though, it would have been so much better. All classes on the top floor?? That's how you know you are getting old right there!

I was just talking about snowboarding with Elder Stewart! I really wanna go buuut it is going to be two more years until I will be able to! Elder Stewart snowboards as well, but Elder Weaver likes to ski, and expressed his negative opinion of snowboarders. Haha but really I want to go so bad.

So today is the first day of spring here! The end of winter that I got to experience was quite warm, most days were fine to be wearing my short sleeve shirts, tho a couple were to cold to have short sleeves in the morning. I can´t believe I have been here for a whole six weeks! The time is flying past unfortunately quickly. It seems like just four days ago I was eating Coldstone in Provo!

The other day, I was just talking with Elder Silva, and all of a sudden he starting singing Dora the Explorer (explorer just feels like an ER verb). Apparently, in Chile, the same show teaches Chilean children how to speak English!

Elder Silva and I had to teach the other Sunday in our districts again! We taught about the Plan of Salvation and.. wait for it... yes you guessed it! We used the Oscarson Plan of Salvation diagram. Only difference was we added a timescale to show what occured antes y despues [before and after]. Oh and we did it in Spanish.

Part of the crazy time distortions means that starting last night, I am in my THIRD companionship! So for review, Elder Weaver and Elder Cruz were my companions at the MTC and of whom you have heard a lot.

They are great. Then we came here to the CCM after three weeks, and my new companion was Elder Silva of Chile. He taught me so much Spanish and most importantly made it so I can understand at least what the words are when native Spanish speakers talk (their vocabulary towers above mine but I am able to pick out the words I dont know-- which is surprisingly difficult). Now, I am companions with Elder Stewart, one of my district mates from my MTC district, who also was in my first district at the CCM! I am super excited to be his companion. We have already taught several practice lesson together, and we seem to teach well together, he is definitely the strength of the lessons.

Also with this change means we get a new room. Our last room had six people in it, Elder Lowe, Elder Hatch, Elder Lambraño, Elder Leiva, Elder Silva, and I. Quite cramped with something like 100 square feet between all of us. Now we have a bigger room with four people instead of six! Our new room has my companion, Elder Stewart, Elder Weaver, and this Elder Falk character who we are getting to know, who seems great! We have these gigantic closets with I think 32 cubic feet of
pure storage. Alright not soo big but an improvement for sure. The kicker here is that we have our own bathroom! Only two rooms of all those availiable to Elders (we suspect all Sisters apartments are this way) have the shower deal. It is awesome. This morning when all the other Elders were showering in the main bathroom, all the hot water ran out, yet our bathroom was just as warm as ever! We blame our new Zone Leader, Elder Weaver for our good treatment. And the fact that we
four are probably the best, most humble missionaries who have ever been through the CCM.

So now that we are "avanzados" (spanish for advanced), we are the old fogeys around here. Thirty three of us now have three weeks under our belt, and 152 new missionaries will be arriving over the next two days. They are more or less half and half Norte Americanos and Latinos. Part of the avanzados title means we can do the translating from Spanish to English in the meetings we have for all the new Norte Americanos. I could do a fairly good job at this point.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit us last night! I didnt even wake up... of course... but most people did with the shaking cabinents and stuff.

Your that-was-easy trick sounds ridiculous haha. Did Paul invent it? He would.

Did anyone find an answer to my questions last week? I have another question for this week. Read Doctrina y Convenios 130 all 8 [Doctrine and Covenants 130:1-8] or so verses. It talks about Joseph Smith´s brother in the Celestial Kingdom, having not at the time of the revelation been baptised. The question is... How? Our district has come up with the possible answers: since time for God is a vastly different thing, maybe it didn't matter that the baptism had not occured yet, but that the fact
that Alvin would accept baptism in the future meant he could enter into the Kingdom of God (see also Juan 3:5 [John]). The other possible answer was that it was a vision of the future, since Joseph Smiths mother (we think) was still alive at the time of the revelation. The problem is we dont have many more documents than the scriptures, preach my gospel, and Jesus the Christ here.

Oh and by the way, James E Talmage is quite a celebrity around here. Haha. We are all reading and loving Jesus the Christ. To those who haven´t read it, READ IT! Ok the first couple chapters are admittedly hard, and one must get used to his rhetoric, but it is suuuch a good book.

Thirdly, I have arrived in 2 Ne 3 in the Spanish Book of Mormon. I have been reading out loud for about 30 minutes everyday (time scrounged from my morning prep time and night prep time by getting ready super super fast). Reading out loud helps so much, tho I will admit, I missed some key story points due to imperfect comprehension.

Oh...I am very sad to say that my left to go home. I miss him, his abilitly to cite most important scriptures when we forgot, and his doctrine pop quizes, and I really really regret not trying harder to be a better friend to him.


Love
Elder Mark Johnson