Mom and Pop. I got some letters today! There was an emergency transfer here because they are opening up a new area here in the interior that has never had missionaries. In the end, we got letters. AND, I got your package Mom! I know that I'm weird, but I like suspense, so I haven't even opened it yet. . . it is just on my bed waiting. . . I am VERY excited : ) Dad I got your letter about waiting 2 -3 weeks and then heading down here. . . that does sounds like a great idea! Then we could all get to know some of the beautiful areas here as well neh? Lets stick with that idea then! Like you said, we won't have to worry about certain dates and what-not. AND. . . I missed Father's Day Dad, at least in e-mail form. I know you know how much I love you but if you didn't know (which I didn't know), now you know. You are my hero. You will get your letter soon (I hope!).
Dearest Barrett! I hope you also had an awesome birthday! Your letter is on it's way! I got some pictures of your birthday from Hales, so fun : ) Your family is beautiful! You made my week with your e-mail and the family picture you sent last week! keep me posted! Love, Your bud, Elder Johnson.
Hales- that picture of mom with the grandkids is SO perfect! Oh man. . . everyone is growing so fast! Someone take a short video of all the grandkids to send to me?!
All-
One more week flies by! We baptized a young man named Carlos this Sunday. He was really excited and was also supposed to be baptized with his 19 yr old sister but she bailed at the last minute : ( We went to pick him up at his and set off for the chapel. After 5 minutes we turned around and his mom and his friends mom were running after us! They had decided that they wanted to come watch, what a blessing! It was a great service and his mother is loving everything about what her kids are learning. Everything ran smoothly until my comp stepped on Carlos' toes after the baptism. . . he cried a little bit (he was super sensitive last night, I think he's a mommas boy like me) but he got over it!
We are teaching an AWESOME man in our area right now, who could be the light at the end of the tunnel for the church here. He Is trully searching. . . but he works every Sunday morning. . AH. We got him started reading the Book of Mormon and he surpised us pretty good on our second visit. We went in, chatted quickly, prayed, watched the video about the first vision, testified, and prayed to end the lesson. We were determined to be quick and leave the spirit in their home; not wear out the welcome. The spirit surely was there. The situation was perfect. No noise, no distractions, good tv, nice sound. . . just perfect. As we left, you could tell he wanted to talk more. He got up and said, "I started the Book of Mormon, that Nephi is a persistent one neh?. . . Went back to the city with faith, found that guy drunk on the floor, and it was easy from there neh?" Haha. We were stoked that he had read and understood. Pray for him! Marcondes is his name. (MAR-CONE-JEES)
One more experience. We were teaching the first lesson the other day, and for some reason the strong realization hit me that they were NEVER going to understand the message if the spirit didn't testify. I began to pray my heart out as my companion talked about Joseph Smith. After a minute of fervent prayer, I trully FELT the spirit come into that room. It was the most directly answered prayer I think I have ever had. I kept my eyes fixed on my companion, praying that everyone was feeling what I did. We left, and later as we were talking about the lesson, my comp said, "I can't believe Neide (the mother in that lesson) cried during the first vision." I about screamed with happiness! I never took my eyes off of my comp so I didn't see her, but she had truly felt the spirit enter into the room as well!
Last thought. I started reading about the wars in the book of Alma and I learned a great lesson this week. Alma 43:38 is where I found it. The Nephites had protected every vital part of the body before they went to war as to not leave themselves vulnerable to anything. In this case, every person has the same "vitals" to be protected (heart, head,... etc.) In the spiritual application. . we all have different vital areas. Each of us has a different weakness and many times we are the only ones that know about that weakness. We have to pinpoint it, and do everything to fortify it, as to not be vulnerable to any attack. I realized also that THIS is why we can't compare ourselves with other people. . . "ah, so and so does this and that, and goes to this place and so on and so forth. . . I can too" . . . It doesn't work like that. We have to do everything to protect our weaknesses and make them strengths, even if it means not doing something that seems so normal to the world or even another member. I don't know if it made as much sense for all of you as it did for me . . . but it helped me out a lot this week.
I hope you are all doing great! Life goes on. . . we continue to move forward in this great plan. It is perfect! As I heard an Elder say yesterday . . "Everything is possible in God's hands, and in God's hands, are we." . . Believe it! Try to feel it!
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