Taylor’s Email #11 May 31, 2010

Family! Dad thanks for the updates and the thoughts. We are always trying to think about how we can improve our finding teaching and converting... focus! Oh this world can be distracting no? Good Luck with the Mercedes.... and I got a good chuckle when I imagined Nate’s face while trying to drive the red truck! Oh... and tell Mom that because it is my money... she can own the Mercedes for one day... now she can say she has owned her dream car! She always used to point that out in my hot wheels... "I want dad to buy me one of THESE" hahha LOVE YOU MOM! AND DAD! I’m glad the family is doing great! I pray for you... even with my investigators haha so I know the Lord is watching out, no doubt in my mind! Our Mom! She is a machine is she not? Always thinking about others and go-go-going. I didn’t realize until now that everyday of her life was like a missionaries daily life! minus the tie and for me minus the sweat. I love you all and I see your faces everyday. Haley sent me a picture of all the girls. First – Jeanine and Steph - love the Hair! Second... my goodness I have the prettiest sisters, nieces, and mother. I just wanted to stare at that picture and think about all of our fun times, how blessed we are, and shed a few tears... time only allowed for one of those... I’ll let you guess which it was!

My love Elder Johnson

Everyone - Jumpin Juh-ho-za-phats. This week was an adventure and a half. As to save you all from worrying about my life, especially my Mother. I’m not going to tell you any of it, I'm alive : ) haha. So don’t worry. Just now that the Lord is watching out, always! This week is crack down week; My Mom asked me if we have been able to teach people, and will they listen... That is one problems here ... everyone wants to 'hear the good word of the Lord' hear... so it is hard to know who is prepared to receive the restored gospel and who just wants to talk. That is where the Spirit of the Lord comes in. We all, those who have been baptized, have received that gift, and we cannot forget! For this reason we are reminded with the same words every Sunday in the sacraments prayers. And for that reason, we need to be there every week! I don’t have too much to say, but I want to relate a story quickly. We are teaching a family that has nothing...why? because before the father accepted the gospel, he drank, and he sold all they had to buy beer. Their lives have changed immensely. They still don’t have furniture, we still sit on the floor to teach, and they still only have a fan and a hammock... but they have the gospel, and one more thing...the Book of Mormon. They have found so much strength in the Book of Mormon, so much that Betanha (Mother) told us yesterday that she began to see a change in her husband when he went 3 days without reading with her. We challenged them to read EVERYDAY together and personally. Don’t take advantage of this gift that we have! There is TRUE POWER within the pages of that book...It cannot be explained, but the results can be seen, in endless numbers of different cases. This family is trying for the 3rd month, to gather 40 Dollars, so they can be baptized, and eventually go to the temple... why? Because they have SEEN the change in their lives, and I have too. Alexandre always says to us "tudo alegria"... or "all joy." That is our purpose. And we have been taught how to make it happen. We are truly blessed, and truly responsible to act upon the things that we know. I have a challenge... Watch only Disney movies this week, and read the book of Mormon for at least 10 minutes, and see if the spirit increases in your life, I promise it will : ) I love you all.

-Elder Johnson

P.S. If you take the challenge and you have an experience you’d like to share. Go ahead and tell me at this address! I can’t respond but I'd love to hear!

TAYLORS EMAIL

Week 10! May 24, 2010

Wow... there is too much to say once again. It’s been a long two weeks since P day. I had a four hour flight a week ago, met president Batt (awesome) and was assigned to my first area Jauzeiro. My first Comp... Elder Fonseca. He is the man, and this is the best city in the world. I then had an 8 hour bus ride through the night... arrived in time to start my first day of real work.

Talk about real work! Missionary work is amazing...It is truly a refining fire... There is no way a person could make it 2 years thinking only about themselves. I’ve still got to improve and get outside of myself. I lean on the lord more than I ever have in my entire life. And he leads us to those who are ready. We taught 50 plus lessons last week and walked more than... I have no idea... more than I’ve ever walked in my life! I sweat like I’ve never sweat before and the sun is literally brighter here. Enough about the temporal ~eh:

We will work, the Lord will bless...It is that simple. The Lords gospel is meant to be simple. That is why conference is so amazing... we have six month to son fuse ourselves and then the leaders of the church have two days to remind us of how stinkin simple it is. Just be obedient, work, and even though we will all pass through Gethsemane, all will work out. TUDO VAI DAR CERTO. It’s going to work out. The language is coming for all who have asked. . . I am not where I want to be of course, who ever is... but I can teach and understand most all people are saying, but oh how sometimes I feel like an infant haha. I’ve learned that for children, MAGIC is a universal language... and that has saved me a few times. People also like to hear other languages... so I’ve survived to say the least. The Lord will watch over his children, he knows them each by name, no exceptions. Don’t forget...a gem can’t be polished without friction, and man can’t be perfect without trial. It is a simple process but it isn’t easy. Call on the Lord, and he’ll sustain you.

Thank you for your prayers, I know they have held me this past week. I love you all. Don’t forget to build the kingdom of God this week.

-Elder Johnson

TAY’S EMAIL

MAY 18^, 2010 Week 9

To All-

It is not P day... so I can’t write anything else or reply/read e-mails.... but I get to write just this one! Can you guess why? I will tell you why... because I’m sitting in Fortaleza right now...AGORA...RIGHT NOW! believe it. I sweat a bit today. Mostly because of my suit, but It’s all good! I met the Assistant from Orem....imagine that! He knows Natalie Carlson Taylor Young Megan miller Dane Anderson...etc. Flashback to home. Anyway...we get to REALLY GO to work tonight. And I’m stoked. I’ll talk to you all in a week. I love you all dearly...My desire is that others can enjoy the blessings that we have as a family..."it is not enough to be satisfied with your families’ happiness, you will desire all mankind to be happy" -Joseph Smith movie. Let’s think about others a little more this week yes? I will try. So can you : )

My love - Elder Johnson

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