May 30, 2011

Fam-

      So we got our letters last week!  With them came my package including some chocolate(eaten), two shirts, a bunch of letters(already been read), a pad of paper (already being used), more pens, and a sweet magnet set!  Wow that magnet set is really a hit in our house!  Holy macarole!  I have also taken it to a few peoples houses and it always seems to capture everyone! haha Thanks for all of the letters and Heidi Thanks for the pictures as well!  Love to each and everyone... I hope everyone is happy and healthy . . -Elder Johnson

All-

       So we had district conference in Juazeiro this week and I was able to see pretty much everyone from my first area where I spent 6 months!  It is crazy how many people are now pregnant and also how big the members kids are.  Mom and Dad I can't wait to visit that little branch with you two : ).  I am now with Elder Lima as I said.  He was actually born in this city!   Stayed here until he was 5 and has lived in São Paulo ever since then.  He is a stud and a super humble down to earth guy.  He also speaks english pretty well . . he said I talk fast, I don't agree!  haha.  He is crazy scared of frogs and stayed in the bathroom standing on the toilet for 10 minutes the other day thinking there was a frog on the floor (our bathroom doesn't have lights so he didn't know).  Haha He is a stellar kid.  OH. . . he is from a city called "Bom Jesus dos Perdões" - or "Good Jesus of the pardons" . . . a small city in he interior of São Paulo. The first Missionary from his ward was his sister and he is the second!

     We didn't have any baptisms but we are working with some great people.  I would be fine to spend this whole transfer looking just to find ONE good man that could change the future of this branch and be a worthy prieshood holder.  We are doing our best, pray for the men in Barbalha!  Heading out to the disrict conference we took some streets that were seriously in the middle of NOWHERE . . . we totally went through a river on the bus and almost got stuck in sand as well . . I was lovin it up the whole time, gotta love adventures and new experiences. 

     There is a HUGE party going on down here called the 'Pau Da Bandeira.'  You guys should throw that into google and see what comes up, I would be interested to know.  They have the tradition of cutting down a huge tree and carrying it from one city to another (all while drinking a ton).  When it gets to the final destination they put it in the ground and there is a myth that the wood from the tree brings luck in getting married. . . so the women go crazy trying to get past the men that are carrying the tree to tree and touch it or get a piece.  There were fireworks going off the whole night two days ago. . . the ONLY night that I have been sick on my whole mission, who perfect!  When I say sick I just mean runny/stuffy nose and some sneezing but still. . . that is no fun!  I am super gladto have a day of rest today!

    Well, I love you all, and I wish I could express my love for the mission to each and everyone of you.  I read Alma 26 this week and I fell in love with it.  After many trials and difficulties Amon is trying to express his joy in seeing the conversion of so many people.  In vs. 16 I would like to repeat his words as mine in saying that it just cannot be expressed in words.  This is my life, this is my joy!  What a great man he was.  I love you all . . if you have time, give that chapter a quick read ; ) 

-Love Elder Johnson

Family -
So I can't believe that Taylor Harston is coming home super soon right?! . . . Tell him I want an e-mail update from him his first week at home and give him a hug for me. I hope all is well . . I believe there is a brithday coming up soon .. . : D I still LOVE my calendar that you guys sent me, thanks so much I use it everyday! Thanks for all of the pictures Hales! I can't believe how beautiful our house is! And my amazing family! That really was so fun. When did you find the time to draw with sidewalk chalk? haha. Love you all dearly! - Elder Johnson ps that picture of mom and dad is SO classic! super fun.

All-

Hello! So I will jump right into some updates of the week. We had 3 baptisms this week, and I just pray that they all stay strong. With the track record of this branch (which has about 60 people at church each sunday 20 of which are taken by us the 6 missionaries) they will be inactive soon. But I will do my best to leave them with good habits and strong testimonies. Sometimes I have the fear of baptizing someone before they really KNOW KNOW KNOW, but you can't wait, we all come to KNOW later on. We just do our best and pray that the Lord might bless them.
I did an interview this week that was a miracle. Someone I had already interviewed but was still drinking coffee and thus couldn't be baptized last week. Anyways... she sat down (a woman of about 45 yrs of age) and the first thing she said was "I'm not going to be baptized, I decided." . . .WOW. This is THE BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW. . . haha I calmly told her that I wasn't going to let her say that cause I knew she was prepared. We said a prayer, had a simple conversation, I bore testimony and felt SO blessed to remember some scriptures that I hadn't read for months and the spirit calmed her heart. She ended up saying, "alright, I'm going to be baptized, that is my final decision, above anything, nothing is going to change my mind!" I wanted to throw my arms up in the sky and say something cheesy like, "THAT'S IT.... YOU GOT IT!!" haha. What a miracle. She was already baptized and her son as well.
Two days ago we went to visit some investigators just to see how they were doing and to confirm the visit to church. They were at home, but they were also having a huge catholic celebration with all of their family. We got invited in and I had a flashback to those parties when you got invited by a friend of a friend of a friend and you know no one and you feel like everyone wnats to know why in the world you are there . . . but as we know "awkward is what you make it" so I talked my way out of the situation...made friends, made contacts, we got soda and cake, and it all turned out peacefully!
Love to all of you. Choose something to get better at this week. Mine is more charity. Sincerely, - Elder Johnson

We are at the 5th week without getting mail out here. . . middle of nowhere!

May 9, 2010

FAMILY  - 
   Hales already came through on the more pictures promise. . .Thanks Hales!  I had a wonderful time talking to all of you, sorry about the poor connection in the beginning! . . . I was dying to say so much but it just didnt work to talk fast!  Loved hearing all of your voices. . . Missed talking to Juice and Nean, but I love you both alright? ; ) haha.  Tell Hallie Belle that I always look forward to her cute songs!  I'm glad she has overcome any form of stage fright!  I tried to tell Barrett something funny that I realized a few weeks ago but it just didn't work out with a crackling phone. . . so I'll tell you all now. . . The word FLUFF. . . in the sense of 'He fluffed' . . does not really exist. . .there are VERY few people who have heard that. . . thought it was funny . . we would say fluff . . thanks Mom : ) 
        I wanted to explain every happening, every feeling, every situation, all our investigators and evvverything on the phone, but it just would never work, so I will continue with the weekly updates : ) haha 
        I hope my mother and all of you mothers had a wonderful day!  I realized that when I talk to you all, I don't feel like I really have ever been far away . . because you are all so much a part of who I am and what I will be that you are with me 24/7 . . principally my Mom and Dad!  Mom I hope you were able to feel my and all of our love for you yesterday on this special day in your honor you deserved every single one of this nice things that were done for and said about you.  You will get your Mother's Day card late in the mail . . but it'll come!  I love you! - 
-Elder Johnson


ALL-
    Hello to all and Happy Mothers Day to any mothers out there.  I had a wonderful chat, on the PHONE, with my family yesterday which was just a blast.  Slow connection at first but it all went well.  I didn't cry and neither did my Mom! . . Hallie Belle sang to me and it was just great to hear everyone. 
        I heard that Messia's family, if anyone still remembers who he is, was baptized this week and he will be baptized soon!  So awesome.  I am having the opporunity almost weekly to talk with people that I taught and baptized at the beginning of the mission and it is really a joy to have them tell me "sorry, I have to go, I have to talk at the baptismal service, or 'I would come visit your ward on sunday, but I have to stay at my ward cause I have a calling. . .' " . . I love them all!  
       My recent favorite scripture is Heleman 3:35. . . it is way cooler in português but it is also pretty great in English.  I love that last line . . . in Português, instead of saying "yileding their hearts" it says "delivering their hearts unto god" . . . It is a simple outline of how we can better ourselves! 

PICTURES :  sweet wall. . . animals in the street . . . A new tie I bought for 3.50! . . . A few shots of my area . . . an artistic scene we created with an old bug that we see everyday...The meatballs we made for lunch . . super good : ) A little girl that got ahold of lipstick. . . I told her she had missed a spot on her cheek, nose, and forehead and so she threw some more on . . . haha so classic!

Have a stellar week!  (does stellar have One or two L's?)
Love- Elder Johnson

May 2, 2011

Family-
     Thanks for all of your Letters!  I wil have to read them better on my camera later but I am excited!  Stephy I saw your pictures that Jake sent out . . what an angel of a little boy . . AH man!  I will wait for some pictures of our house and the latest family adventures! . . . (you guys should send me more of those : ] )  Love to all . . . CTR Conserve Tua Rota!  Love you all - Elder Johnson

To All - 
          ALRIGHHHTY then!  The week was a good one and all is well of course : )  We had the baptism of Isabelly this week, an awesome 11 year old who went to church 4 weeks in a row alone(that includes getting the bus and everything)!  There is a rule here on the mission that anyone younger than 15 has to go 4 times or have a family member that is active in order to be baptized. . . so missionaries don't go around baptizing young people who will soon be another inactive member.  Anyways, she is a cutie and is truly a bright young girl.  She will be a great example to her parents who both drink and wouldn't even go to watch her baptism.  punks.  
          I got a call this week . . from my last comp.  He was at Messias' house (the man/family I almost baptized before leaving that area, who was smoking)  and he passed the phone over so I could talk to them.  They told me that the whole family had made the decision to be baptized and that Messias was done smoking.  One more 'full joy' moment.  She was going to pass the phone around but they were all crying and no one could talk haha.  Love them!  What an awesome family they are and will be, wish I could have been there for the baptism!    
          Like I already said, we live here in a house of 6 missionaries (the only house like that on the mission) and we don't have lunch nor dinner with members. . . So we have to make our own.  Last thursday was our day and we left in the morning to buy the stuff.  When we came back, the door was locked and we had no way to get in.  So what do you do? . . . I started trying to bend our little metal window thingy that we have on the door and saw that it just MIGHT work.  I found a rock and stick in the street and using the little muscle I have left and the slighty knowledge I have about the power of leverage. . . I got the gap open wide enough for my comp to throw his arm through the window and open it up.  Long story short, we broke into our house, proved that it was possible, and made an . . average lunch. . . haha.  It wasn't as tasty as the first I'll say that much!  
          We are excited about the work.... juicing our minds of every idea we might have to get and keep the branch here a little stronger.   This week we will start English class to see if we can get to know a ton of people who live around the church and then convert their families : )  . . gotta be blunt right? . . that is why we are going to do the class!  gotta run!  Love you all!!
-Elder Johnson

April 25, 2011

Family-
         Well Heidi I got a letter off and I hope you had a wonderful birthday and I hope that ALL of you had a great easter weekend.  I am SO glad that we have an understanding of how to celebrate such a great time. . . here it is many times done with aloholic drinks and many things of the world.  I am SO excited to get pictures ; ) and news about this new angel that has come into our family!  Dad, I will have to read your e-mail later I didn't have time but thanks for taking the time!  - Elder Johnson

All-
        Happy Easter to all!  What a wonderful.  We wished we could have shared it with more people on Sunday.  We had a long list of 16 + people to go to church with us on Sunday. . but long story short, it just didn't work out for them.  We had worked super hard and had very high hopes, and so we were both pretty bummer. . . but we decided we would stay here on the mission and not give up ;) haha  God is surely giving us some tests and seeing what we are made of.  I know that our righteous desires (which is to strengthen this branch here in barbalha) will be granted!  
       One man that we are teaching named Damião is a real high hope of ours.  We need priesthood here and he could be that for us.  He used to collect trash for the government here and the last time we were over there just as we were going to teach about the Book of Mormon and explain to them what it was, he told us to wait real quick.... a minute later he appeared with a book of mormon that he had found a month or so ago while collecting trash.  He had felt the desire to keep it and so he held onto it.  He had read a few parts, and the way he held it with such care, showed to me that he really felt of its sacred nature.  
      I can't let Easter go by without leaving my testimony of our Savior.  I heard a testimony a while back that I would like to make mine.  I know that the Savior lives.  I know that in the coming day, I will be able to feel the nail marks in His hands and in His feet.   And I won't know any better then, than I know now, that he lives, and is the Savior of the world.  

Gotta run. . no more time. 

Happy week for all. -Elder Johnson

I had some fun pics to send.... but this computer is super struggling and so that just isn't going to happen!

April 18, 2011

Fam -

  First off..... You'll have to send things Sunday night because we are going to use the internet earlier now on Monday!

Hales. . don't think that you are going to stress me out with a letter. . . if worst comes to worst I can take a picture! 

I hope all is well!  First week here went great. . . stinkin awesome companion.   Heidi. . . happy b day comin up! .. . I didn't get a letter off in time : (  But I think you should get some kind of message from me : ) we'll see.    Love you all!

Ps. Would it be more convenient for you to come get me at the end of my mission?  . . let me! know!

To all-

      Well, we (me as the guide with four new missionaries) caught our bus at 9:30 tuesday night and started the 8 hour jouney that I took 1 year ago to start my mission . . only a few changes. . . now i was the one that knew where I was going and I can now speak the language.  I also wasnt the one starting my mission but now returning to my first zone!  We got here at 7 and after showering, were ready to head out.

      They call it Zion here. . . love the Interior.  It is a whole different world in Barbalha... google it haha.  Here are some pictures the show a little bit about it.  Dirt/sand roads, small houses, and animals everywhere.  We are currently focusing on getting a strong priesthood base to get this branch here set-up for success in th future.  We live in a house of six missionaries and we also make lunch because there are not enough members to do it.  My comp an I made Panquecas this week . . it is like a crepe but with meet and food and not sugar-y stuff  . . it was delicious. 

    My companion is the man, Elder Ingersoll from SLC - Cottonwood HS who just spent 8 months as Exc. Secretary.  He has a year and 7 months on the mission and is also planning on marrying his girlfriend who has waited for him. . . I am invited to the wedding already  ; ).  Our Zone here is stacked with 6 elders that used to be ZL's and are now training here . . which also means that we have 6 new missionaries in the zone!  There are certainly challenges but with 100% harmony in the companionship and the same goal to be successful and obedient, we know the Lord will help us here. 

     A drunk guy told us this week that the devil showed up at his house and said he was taking us down with him . . . Elder Ingersoll kept provoking him asking "really??....He came to your house?..... appeared to you?" . . I was at his side dying of laughter. . . it was so bad my legs went jello and I had to prop myself on a wall. . . I love laughing, always in the appropriate place and times right?  I am sure (if he even saw me) the drunk man will not remember me laughing at him.

    I killed a spider this week the size of the palm of my hand... the WHOLE palm of my hand.  I saw it on a guys back and said to myself "He HAS to know it is there, it is so big he must feel it. . . it is probably his pet" . . long story short, I told him it was there and he got nervous haha, grabbed the brush out of his hand and knocked off of him . . and he lived . . whew! 

   Seeing as how I spent the first 6 months here at the beginning of my mission, the people I baptized found out that I was coming back to the Interior. . . when we got here at 7am on Wednesday there were some people waiting at the bus station to greet me.  A family that we baptized and a young man as well.  I got a little choked up in seeing that they were all doing well and that almost everyone we baptized is doing well and most are leaders in the branch now.  One more moment of true joy in my life. . . how awesome it was to have that reunion as 'brothers in the Lord.'  We are already planning to eat lunch at their house and spend a pday together.  I have to run.  Love you all!  Until next week! -Elder Johnson

April 11, 2011

Fam-
     Dearest family-
           Oh, my dear family-
                      My loved ones!-
                               Family-
                                           Thanks for your e-mails Mom and Dad.  I didn't get details about the ward splits and what-not but that is A-O-Kay sounds like something big changed! : ).  Mom, how exciting about your wood floors!! haha I laughed just imagining Haley and her clients hearing the pounding!  Think about the memories that were made on the lenoleum floor!  I won't even recognize our family or house in a little bit...goodness!  Dad I can't believe that it might be possible for you to get that mazda!  haha Good luck!  Or as my old companion says it ...GOO-JEE LUH KEY haha.  Love you all! 
 -Elder Johnson
p.s. - I had one more person come out and tell me that their daughter had fallen in love with me. . . Oh dear, why do people have to make things awkward . . luckily I am leaving this area haha!  When people say things like that. . . I just act like it was never said and erase it from the records of History!  

To all-
           So this was a week of success and also change!  We were able to baptize Vitor who is 11 and had a great desire to be baptized.  The miracle was the fact that his whole family (none of whom we really expected to show up) we able to go to the baptism.  We left Sunday morning in the rain and as we saw from a distance Vitor's Dad we couldn't believe it!  Then...His Mom, Brother...other Brother... almost everyone!  They were all waiting on the corner for us sheltered from the rain.  At the baptism everyone made Vitor feel like a million bucks and everyone helped the family feel super welcome. . . I really dont know what happened but it seemed as if everyone was on "welcome to church steroids" the family was swarmed, hugged, invited, thanked, greeted, loved ect.  His Dad even stood up in the baptismal service to give thanks and talk a bit (He talks a LOT).  Interesting thought was that the day before the baptism he had told me that Vitor wasn't ready. . . talked him outa that one quick!  Now he just needs to get married and keep going to church so his family can be eternal!!  
         Sad as it is, I am not going to be able to see the baptisms of some AWESOME people that we are teaching and that the Lord truly prepared for us.  I am being transferred back to the interior!  I wish you could all understand how there are almost 2 different missions here....Fortaleza and the Interior. . . I started in Juazeiro (Interior) . . . came to Fortaleza.... and now I am going back!  It is seriously a different world out there!  Animals in the street, farm, lots of slang, etc.  The church has only been in the city that I am going to (Barbalha- BAR BALL YUH) for a year and a couple months.  I am super excited to see many of the people that I baptized at the beginning of the mission that are really like family to me.  I hope to be able to help the zone as well!  I will be living in a house with 6 missionaries!!  Including my 2nd to last companion Elder J. Santos.  . . ...  I can't express my excitement!  My great friend Elder Bills is going to be taking my place in my current ward which will be sweet!   Spent time yesterday and today saying goobye and thanking the wonderful people here.
         Forgot to mention that last week I was able to play ping pong forever. . . I am thankful for many nights of practice with my friends, dad, brothers, powdered doughnuts, chocolate milk, and slurpees that prepared me to be declared the champion hahaha.  
        The mission is a Joy.  It is a back breaker at times, but take it on with a smile and some prayer, and it all turns out well. . . Grab a stick and make a bow out of wood instead of complaining about the broken steel . . . and it makes everyone else happy including yourself!  (NEPHI : D) . . . Love you all!  
-Elder Johnson
p.s. Now I will get letters every month or so . . . whelp, what can ya do? haha



VITOR who was baptized this week. 
Some goodbyes with members and also with missionaries!