TAYLORS LAST EMAIL FROM THE CTM

Email/week 8…May 11, 2010

Family - Congrats elder Johnson, you have the greatest family ever. Oh thanks. You’re welcome. I love you all. I know you all spoiled Mom, especially Dad, and she deserves it. Nothing can replace a Mother like we have. It can’t be put any simpler. I’m sure Hales can give you much more doctrine behind that after her talk, but I am thankful for my wonderful family everyday here, and my parents as well, and this month, my Mother. Dad! Tell Darrell Roundy I saw him in a video training here at the CTM and Andrew Bateman as well haha..crazy! I wrote you a letter and tried to explain some of the things I learned this week. To say the least I can’t write fast enough to capture all my thoughts during the week, the spirit is an amazing teacher and I can tell that I’m learning more now than ever in my life. I so appreciate your thoughts each week, I always end up tying it into my weekly talk that I prepare...I love you all***

FRIENDS - We placed 10 more books this week, in downtown Sau Paulo, it is like Disneyland there, no exaggeration. One story in particular from that experience. A man named Martin from Bolivia...I saw him leaning over the bridge thinking, and the spirit told me to talk to him. We went and started talking to him, at first he seemed uninterested, but as we spoke and truly asked him about his life, he told us how hard things are and that he had come to think, because he was looking for something. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and departed. I know that each book of Mormon we place WILL end up where it needs to be. I don’t believe that the Lord would ever let our efforts go unrewarded.

I am departing to Foraleza Next week, 6 days. I’m nervous and excited beyond belief! I can’t wait to finally get to work. "You will change people more by WHO YOU ARE, than by anything you can ever say and do." Don’t forget that. BE what you know you need to be. There is nothing more important than that. We are responsible to act on ALL the knowledge we have received. Every witness we have received requires work. It is like learning to read. You can’t UNLEARN> once you know, you know.. And from then on you are EXPEECTEd to read. We are expected to DO after we learn. I love you all. Read Romans chapter 8 it is amazing! PS I ran into an Elder Jackson from Timpview who is good friends with Austin Engemann (sp) ... I think someone who receives this e-mail might now him ; )

Elder Johnson

Week 7 in the CTM…Tay’s Email

May 4, 2010

Family

I won’t be calling ON Mothers day... maybe after. We’ll see. I listened to your kind words at my ordination and I am SO grateful to Heidi and Justin for recoding that... It was great to listen to and remember the things I have been promised. We ALL have so many promises if we’ll live right! Dad.... I’ve said it twelve times but I am so grateful for you and your updates and your amazing thoughts. It doesn’t surprise me at all that you have been called down to BYU! Even though it did shock me at first if that makes any sense at all. I love you and I miss our Saturdays together! Next time we are together we’ll go proselyting!

To Sister Soresen : ) tell her hi and I LOVE my journal.

One thing... I JUST got a little letter like 4 days ago that was dated March 25th . . .so I f I don’t write back sometimes ... I might still be waiting for a letter that took like a month to send! So no stress ever!

EVERYONE - I ran into 2 friends from a campus here... Elder Jeremy Morgand and Elder Grant Smith. . . crazy small world! And Lucky Elder’s whoa are being called to Brazil when it is the Lord’s time here! Anything sent after today’s date will probably need to go to my new address in Fortaleze! YAHOO! I can’t wait to start the true work.

We taught TRC this week... Brazilian members who act as investigators, It went great and let me tell you why... I promised myself (after a lesson that didn’t go so well) That I would NEVER be unprepared again.. I promised my comp and he promised me. So we do ALL we can to get ready... and the Lord blesses us. I KNOW he will bless all of you in the same way as you do ALL in your power to do your absolute best. Give every last breath and bit of energy to the lord and he will sustain you.

Thanks for that quote dad, it has and will continue to change my mission. I shared it with my companion the other day, and halfway through class I turned to him and I KNEW, I don’t know how... that we was trying AT THAT MOMENT to give his all... so I asked him if he’d been thinking about that quote... He said he had just thought about it and decided he would give more, what a blessing.

One thought my time is at 2 minutes.... I realized this week that we ALL receive different witnesses and we are all at different levels of understanding when it comes to the importance of obedience and the gospel in our lives.....AH I don’t have time to explain. I wish I could. I have to go. I love you all.

GIVE EVERY LAST BREATH to the Lord and he will sustain you. Do everything in his name.

All my love - Elder Johnson

TAYLORS EMAIL from CTM

WEEK 6: April 27, 2010

Family-

Oh dearest family I missed you this past week, knowing you were together without me! But our joy was full here of course! I love the CTM! Even when I hate it.... I love :) I’m trying to make everyone love every minute… haha it’s a job for sure! I was asked to replace our District Leader this week as he was being made Assistant to the President so I’ll be assuming his role. It’s a great chance to get outside of myself and be concerned about everyone else.... i can already feel a greater love for everyone as i have been praying for them. Dad I wanted to thank you for you uplifting thoughts...they are always PERFECT for what I am studying and JUST what I need. So don’t stop ok? Deal. I have already been blessed because of the P. blessing summary you made for me... so thank you so much : ) Mom . .. i don’t think I need anything : ) my shoes are p p p p perfect ; ) So I thought it was rude falling asleep during FHE ... try studying one on one and falling asleep in the middle of reading Portuguese aloud to your companion.... wow. The language is fine ; ) It is coming day by day. did fine speaking with the people n the street but I surely can’t say everything! We are trying trying trying. We speak too much English . . . it’s hard to speak Portuguese when everyone speaks English . . it’s always a constant goal to speak more portugues. There is the update on the language. . . I~ll be fluent the first time we speak on the phone... I promise!

EVERYONE - so I learned this week that São paulo has the most helicopters than any city in the world... the rich travel that way... spoiled huh? An amazing city for sure. I only have 21 more days here.... 20 really... it~s flown by. Elder Nelson came to the CTM this last week and his presence was amazing. I think much of it is the reverence that we all had. I shook his hand : ) He said 'this is the Lord’s time for Brazil, and you are privilege to be serving here now'... what an awesome statement from a mouthpiece of the Lord himself! I ran into Elder Rader (Kolton) from my graduating class! haha small world. I’m very excited to hear that Scott and Alex are both coming to Brazil! So I had my best experience yet. This past week we were sent out on the street to places copies of the book of Mormon and to bear testimony of Christ. Talk about shaking in my boots. But with a companion as quiet as a mouse, I had to step up to the plate. We placed 7 books and had some awesome conversations. I have never felt that joy before. The Joy of seeing someone reading a book that you KNOW will change their lives. You pray and hope with all your heart and soul that they will feel the spirit and be led to call the missionaries. I will never forget the faces of some to whom we gave books . . . the joy of hearing that we weren’t selling them a book...that it was for free... and solely to bring them happiness in their life, to teach and testify of Jesus Christ. I can also see the hard times that would be felt when you see someone with much potential slip away... but the joy will ALWAYS outweigh the pain. I have a new motto that is in our missionary handbook and is applicable to anyone anywhere. . .'always conduct yourself in a manner that would allow anyone that sees you to recognize you as a representative of Christ' . . . is there a better self check question than that? I say no. My favorite scripture of the week. D and C 101 : 38 . . . through patience we can possess our souls and receive eternal life. I want to share one experience that I had this week.... we cleaned our room for cleaning check, and luckily I have roommates that enjoying cleaning like I do. Our sheets were squared and flattened, pillows fluffed, clothes away, garbage emptied, etc. The note after cleaning check read as follows 'thank you, there is a great spirit here.' As I stood in my room, with uplifting music playing and read those words, I knew with all my heart that the spirit was there, I was overcome as I looked over the city and knew that this was the work of the Lord. The only reason I was able to feel that spirit was because Our room was in order, and there was uplifting music playing. God’s way is a way of cleanliness and order. Be clean, inside and out. Listen to good music. I wish I had power in writing... but I never feel like i portray my thoughts very well. To say the least, if we do things in the manner that God has commanded. . . we can KNOW that we are being watched over and that we are doing his work. I feel like that was really scattered... but i did my best. I love you all. I know my savior died and lives again...all for me. A small and simple thing of the world I love this gospel.

-Elder Johnson

Taylors 5^th letter from the CTM in Brazil

April 20^th 2010

Family.....

DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD skunk in the middle a the road....there’s a deeeeaaadd SKUNK in the middle uh the road... I sang that today.. I did.

I hope you enjoyed the scripture last week. everything is great here! I’m so excited about Heidi’s little girl and it was so great to see pictures! I’ve replied to pretty much all the e-mails I’ve received so if i haven’t written back.. i guess i haven’t gotten it ; ( So Mom! Thank you for you e-mail! I am glad it’s warming up for you ; ) I hope you are getting my letters home as well! I got to play the piano (i am a child of god) piece for sacrament this week... I prayed very hard to do alright and the spirit blessed my hands to not shake ; ) Prayer is powerful! I love you all dearly! Thanks for the letters from the girls as well. Dad thank you for you thoughts that you send through the missionary ties.... Elder Walrdon and I have been having some greats talks in the temple and I love that we can discuss things like I used to with you! It’s such a blessing.. I don’t know what I’m going to do after having a companion that i get along with so well! Haley... if you are still moving.. i can’t believe it! mom we got an A+++ on our cleaning check... they even noted give the other missionaries lessons!``

FRIENDS - I want to make sure none of you are a worrying about that status of my hair and balding-ness. . . because without a doubt ill come home bald... so you don’t even have to worry! ha-ha. I got to go to the opera this last week, and by opera i mean barber at the ctm, and by barber i mean little Brazilian man that looks like that father from my big fat Greek wedding! he sang the whole time while cutting my hair.. such a jolly man, i love him.... it took him 5 minutes...FLAT... and he does that alllll day. Try that Haley! We get to go preslyting on the real streets of brazil in three days... I’m going crazy and I’m so excited; nervous...we also have elder nelson coming! Quick thought… I read a quote the other day that I loved "a man is seldom greater than his person prayers'. . . make sure the lord knows the desires of your hearts... if you are aspiring to be great while on your knees... then you most likely never will be... let the lord help you get there. Another thought.... replace the words I NEED with I WANT... seldom do we NEED something... it’s helped me realized how much the lord has truly given me. I love you all, have to run!

-Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson From CTM- BRAZIL

Email #4

April 13, 2010

Family...

I just keep saying I love you.. I know it gets old... but family is what this gospel is about. And love. So I just love you all. I can’t wait to see you again. I was wondering if I could get un update on MVHS soccer possibly: thanks! haha

• I hope everything worked out with Haley’s car... let me know. I pray for you all daily.
• Dad I thought about you and juice when I read Titus 3:2 . . . I hope you get a good laugh out of that... just be gentle alright?? haha
• Haley! Thank you so much for your scripture in 2 Timothy it was PERFECT for the topic I was studying which was godliness! You are inspired :) I have such a beautiful family, inside and out!
• PS mom how much was my watch: and I love it!

FRIENDS…

SO! Guess what we got to do this week??!! You got it! . . . EXACTLY what we did last week! Over and again! haha things don’t vary much here... just your attitude towards the work... so it’s always best to just have a great attitude yeah? Yes.

An update... I have laughed to the point of tears three or four times now... I love my district.. but we are supposed to avoid loud laughter... so I don’t know where the line is but I’m going to try and work on it. I’m not going to fix my typing cause only have 7 minutes left... and counting.

I had an amazing deja vu yesterday... I KNOW I’ve met these elders before in another life... this work was all set forth before we came here, and we are all supposed to be a part of it. If you EVER see someone that you don’t know in your ward...go talk to them and see why they are there... you might just turn out to be the friend that someone needed at that time. This is a gospel of love : )

I had some amazing studying this week... my last week to study in English. I started with virtue... Moroni 10:32 one of my new favorites talks about denying ourselves of all ungodliness... I don’t think there is a better measure of how we should be living our lives. I don’t know if I already shared these thought but here they are again.

We are children of god, yes....but we are also set apart to be kings and queen....gods. If something is not fit for a god in Heavenly Father’s kingdom. We shouldn’t be thinking doing or saying it. It’s hard... but possible. I ask myself more often than ever... what would Jesus do?

....new thought... if you don’t have a song to get your mind away from bad things... I have one that i just chose... I’m trying to be like Jesus. SING it... the words are amazing! If you don’t know what to study this week... study James 3... It’s about the power of words and the tongue… And it is amazing!

WORDS ARE SO POWERFUL SO WATCH WHAT YOU SAY AND SHARE YOU LOVE FOR ALL..

even if you don’t have too much of it. I have 2 minutes... so my last thoughts. I love you all. Share you love with everyone. When hard things happen Smile. Come what may and love it. love love love love love love. .. Got it: okay

-Elder Johnson

First Pictures at MTC in Brazil

our room..the night before our brazilian roomates flew out.  Elder Eyre(tall) Elder Wahl, Elders Sobriho and Amaral

My comp Elder Waldron!

 our view from our room.... doesn't that look like a plasma:  and i'm holding the remote...yes!

TAYLOR 3^rd

Email from the CTM in Brazil

April 6th 2010

Family-

I’m currently at Mr. Cheney’s writing a message! I just picked out my twelve cookies and needless to say my whole district is excited! haha I just bought a tie : ) my first major purchase... I’m guess being a missionary doesn’t take away my frugality. I’m so sorry to hear about the tough weekend, I will continue to pray for you and think of you often, I know that the Lord has a purpose for everything he does, he is the master of this universe and anything within it.... he knows how to accomplish his purposes. Barrett I just wanted to let you know that the journal you gave me is one of my prized possessions here at the CTm. . . Paper is scarce and I LOVE my journal... and the picture in the front as well. thanks : ) I sent another letter out today but I’ll mention those things again. I couldn’t help but think about my amazing parents this WHOLE weekend as I listened to the words of the lord through his servants. Mom you really have the most Christ like love I’ve seen on earth and I believe you served in the primary because that is wear the lord wants his most Christ like children to share their example, their love, and kindness. Dad... simply said, I miss being able to talk to you and help you with your latest endeavor. You are the greatest example, if I can be a missionary like you are a home teacher.. the Lord will be pleased. Quickly.. mom I love my watch : ) and as an official record, i weighed 162 when i reported and I think now i weigh 166 or so . . . I’m trying haha. I was wondering if maybe someone could forward me Kyle Hansen’s emails. I might not have time to read but I’d love to hear from him! ]

Tell Grandma Johnson that I love her and that things are going great. They tried to serve the same chocolate ball that she made us... but hers was twelve times better...probably 100 times.

Hallie belle! I thought of you so much as i heard the message about strengthening youth... I’m so excited for you baptism and I know you’ll do great! You are such a great example to your family especially your brother and sister

Friends-

Not much time, but I have a few things to say! I love the temple. I was able to go for my third time today to the Sau Paulo temple. As we were arriving home... I couldn’t stop thinking about how bad I just wish everyone knew what we just did and how important it is to everyone. It is really ALL that is important... simply said, nothing else matters. I wish I could have realized that before I came out here....of course it is a daily battle to live in the world and not be of it... there are things we are required to do see and hear that we can’t get away from. here ta tthe CTM... that is all that is really different. A chance to think only about the Lord and about those who need to know how much he loves them and that he would do anything for them...even send his son to die for them. I know that he did. And I know with all my heart that he lives.... he lives to grant us rich supply, he lives to guide us, he lives to comfort us when faint, he lives and while he lives I’ll sing... I KNOW that my redeemer lives. I often try to think about those whom I need to bring the gospel to when I feel like I don’t want to study language anymore, we just can’t think about ourselves. Conference was amazing... it always is... why? because there is nothing better than hearing the One who loves us more than anyone tell us how he would like us to live, through his prophets. I’m learning the language slowly but surely as everyone must! We are teaching only in Portuguese now and it’s always an adventure! Never forget what matters most. I love you all. - Elder Johnson