COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!

HOLA HOLA!

So I'm lovin the google translator! haha. Anyway, it is starting to get a little colder here....it's super nice in the night, because now we don't even have to turn on the air conditioning and we save a whole lot of money! haha. But all other things are going well here....we had a pretty tough week with finding people to teach. We had to drop almost all of our investigators that we had because they all just stopped progressing at the same time...big bummer, but its ok, because there are people that are waiting for this gospel, and although I may not know where they are right now....THE LORD DOES!!  It's so cool that we have the knowledge that our Heavely Father knows each one of us personally and he knows exactly what we are going through! He also is constantly preparing the hearts of the people to accept this gospel and the message that we have! And we as missionaries have the ability to receive direct revelation to know where these people are at, we just need to be worthy and plead with the Lord to know where to go!

Oh also, sorry I didn't write yesterday...we were super busy and did not have any time to write the fam! But yesterday, we had a Family Home Evening with a member family in one of the ranchos where we work, because it was the birthday of one of the members (less active) in the family! So we went to celebrate his birthday and also to share something short and sweet....we watched "the Testaments" with the WHOLE family, including aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, brothers, sisters....basically the whole rancho! haha. We had a TON of people and it was SUPER good! there were a lot of family members there that arent members of the church and they all felt the spirit super strong!  I honestly could not stop smiling the whole night, it was a way cool experience and I know the Lord brought every single one of those people to that family home evening for a reason....and I hope that we will be able to see some "fruits" from the activity!

Anyway, my card expires in February....comin up soon! haha. I'm glad you reminded me of that....haha. Also, I'm super stuHOKED to hear that there is another package heading my way! haha. I really really like sour patch kids for some reason....the only conclusion I can think of,  is that you must have eaten sour patch kids when I was in your tummy and made me addicted to them before I even had a chance to choose! haha.

So 250 huh?? that's super wild!  The time is going soo fast here in the mission....sometimes I think about how all my life has been looking forward to my mission and now I'm already 8 months into it! WHAT!! super cuhRAZY.  Anyway, I'm honestly loving it here and I'm learning a lot about myself and about this gospel that is perfect in every way!  I love to know that this work is eternal...without end...we will literally be working and continually progressing for eternity! Gods plan is perfect, Christ is the center of all we do, and I couldn't be more happy to be a part of this great work that He has set forth before me! I love you all, I love my Nephew (that looks EXACTLY like Jessica by the way!! haha). well I'm gonna get to work right now....peace. out.

con amor,

Elder Johnson


p.s. hope you are liking the piccccs! I'll send more soon.  l8r sk8rs.

Lovin' Dis Work!

hola hola hola!

So I'm basically super super stoked to hear that things are going so well back at home! I really can see the progression in each and every one of you...including me!! haha. Really, I can't even tell you how happy I am right now! Anyway, things are going SUPER good right now! Every week I'm here, I progress more and more....not just as a missionary, but as an overall person or member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints! We really are starting to see a lot of progression right now in this area...the other day, we were working in the afternoon and we had a few appointments with people that still hadn't had a baptismal date so we were super determined to put a batismal date for these people! I was feeling really good and I knew that we had the spirit with us, and when we were teaching, the spirit was super strong! Then at the end we challenged them to be baptized and every single person accepted!!! We actually had one appointment with someone that had already had a baptismal date and her daughter, who is about 30 yrs old showed up right before we were going to teach....we had planned to teach about keeping the sabbath day holy, so we started to teach and they both understood super well and at the end of the lesson, I felt that we should challenge the daughter to be baptized....keep in mind that this is the first time this girl has ever listened to missionaries in her life so I was a little bit nervous or timid at first to challenge her to baptism, but I knew that I had recieved that prompting from the spirit, so I grabbed the Book of Mormon and I started to explain a little bit about what it was and explained that if she reads it and asks God to know if it is true she will know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that if he was a prophet, the church of Jesus Christ is on the earth today....and it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints! We challenged her to be baptized, and she accepted!! WHATT!  I honestly could hardly believe that we challenged someone to be baptized after teaching about the Sabbath day, and they accepted!  I learned that if we truly have the Spirit with us, and that same spirit touches their hearts....THEY WILL ACCEPT!  So that afternoon we had 3 people who all accepted baptism on November 19th! We are super stoked right now, and I know that we are going to start to see many more miracles here in Angostura!

This branch is continuing to progress....we have at least 55 people every week in sacrament meeting, and we are hoping that we can increase in the weeks to come! We actually had a few members who have been inactive for a while come this week so I was SUPER happy about that! The branch is working a lot harder now and I know the Lord sees our hard work, and is blessing us right now! The Lord truly wants this branch to grow, and we are doing everything we can to help him!

So the hand continues to bother a bit....but right now it is not preventing me from working, but I do need to take better care of it! haha. Oh and by the way, the package arrived last week but I forgot to tell you....whoops! but yeah, I'm loving every bit of my package right now....the only sad part is that I tend to just tear open the sour patch kids and finish them super quick! haha. lovin dem sour patch kids!

Anyway, all is well here. We are going to continue to work super hard here and I know we are going to see many miracles! The Lord truly has a great work in store for me here...and thats exactly what we are going to be doing....WORK!

Speaking of work....gotta go! Lots of people to baptize.

love you all, Elder Johnson

 

 

BOO!!!

Happy Halloween family!

So this week has been good....kinda crazy and all over the place but good nonetheless. We didn't have a whole lot of time to work this week, due to a lot of traveling and unexpected things that came up that we had to leave our area to go help someone else, but thats alright! So it's a lot different having a "gringo" companion! I didnt think it was going to be a lot different, but it is. But it's really good, we don't hardly ever speak to eachother in English which is really good....we actually have a goal to not let oursleves fall into the trap of speaking English to eachother, because if we do....were gonna forget how to speak Spanish real quick, and that would be a problem...considering were in Mexico and all! haha.

Anyway, we had a really good zone conference this week in Los Mochis! It was unexpected and super random, but it was super good! President Cantu had just gotten back from a 5 day training thing in Mexico City, where he learned a bunch of stuff, and then he came back and taught it all to us! I learned a ton in this zone conference and we are really trying to put it into practice! We have a lot of people that we are working with right now, and I know that if we work hard and are diligent, we are going to see baptisms real soon! I'm super excited to be working here in this area right now, the members are helping a lot and we are closer and closer every week to having a chapel here in Angostura! We just need to make that extra effort and show the Lord that we are willing to sacrifice and work to have the blessing that he has prepared for us here in Angostura! I know that the members will be blessed so much to have a chapel here, and also the people that are not members here will recieve great blessings! The Lord wants so much for this Branch to grow, we just have to show him the effort!

I'm so thankful for each and every day I am here on my mission! Sometimes it's difficult to take new chances and try new things, because sometimes it doesn't work the way you planned....but that is how we learn! I have learned to accept that as missionaries....we are not perfect, we make mistakes....but we continue working with all our heart, might, mind and strength....and the Lord takes care of the rest! I really love this work, and it is WORK! haha. Also, tell Bishop Andrews that I really enjoyed getting his letter, the home ward sounds like it is doing great and you are all taking advantage of the many blessings that you have recieved!

I love you all so much, and I'm so happy to hear that all is well! By the way, that picture of Asher is hilarious!! haha. Keep working hard, love the Lord with all of your heart , and remember that I love you all!!

con mucho amor,  Elder Johnson 

Angostura, Mexico  

Sacrament Mtg. under a Tree  

2 Plates of Sushi? 

Trust in the Whisperings of the Spirit

Bad news...................i brought my camera cable and i was just about to put the photos on....and then my camera died...............hahahaha. sorry, no photos once again! 

Anyway.....haha. The work is going super well here! I just recieved a new companion named Elder Talbot....he's from Utah Spanish Fork and he has about 10 months or so in the mission. He's a really good guy and likes to joke around a lot! haha. Should be a pretty fun change! Honestly, I'm super stoked to be here right now! I feel like I have prorgressed more in my mission in this past month than in any other time in my mission! I really have learned to trust in the whisperings of the spirit, all my life I have always had this wierd fear of following the whisperings of the Spirit, because I always just thought it was MY thoughts or something...I'm sure I'm not the only one! haha.  But we had divisions this week with another area and an elder named Elder Marquez came and we worked SUPER hard!  He taught me a lot of things that I needed to hear and I'm super grateful to the Lord for answering my prayers!  We have a few new investigators that we are working with. one of them is the husband of a recent convert in the branch here in Angostura! His family is Jehovas Witness and he has grown up in that religion, but just recently he was talking with his wife saying that he has just about everything he has ever wanted in this life....a nice house, a wife, kids, a car etc. but then said that there is something missing.......something bigger than things of this world that have to do with money! He still is warming up to us a little bit, but he's honestly a great guy, and I can see the Spirit working in him! We're super stoked for him! haha.

Anyway, the branch is doing super well! the Branch President is super stoked!!! He's starting to plan activities for the branch to go visit less active members...which I'm honstly super stoked about!  He is just talking a lot about how we need to unite the branch and see more excitement and work together!  I honstly feel like we are going to have a chapel here in Angostura super soon!  Please pray for the members here!!!  It was actually a really cool experience, because this whole past change I felt like I needed to stay here and help the members and this branch more and I was praying that I would be able to stay here and help the memebers here more....I really feel like there is something bigger that I need to do here....and then the changes arrived and I have the opportunity to stay here and I'm going to work every moment I can to take advantage of it!

I love you all so much and I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well!  Keep studying those scriptures and stay close to the Lord!  Hay que ser constantes en todo que hacemos!!

Love you,

Elder Johnson

I Would Give Up Everything to Receive a Remission of My Sins!

ho la!

This week has been a good one! haha. Although the baptism of Guadalupe fell through (sort of kind of a big bummer), we are still working hard with her and with all the other people we are teaching. We actually found a new little rancho where not too many missionaries have worked before....but the whole rancho is family (literally every single person is related)! And not only family , but family of one of the strongest members in the branch! haha. We went to visit some people that live there the other day and we took the member with us (Hna. Julieta) and it went super well!  I really think that we're going to see a lot of success there, and the good thing is...it is super close to Angostura so its not too difficult for the people to go to church on Sunday! Good things good things.  Also, we are teaching the son of Hna. Julieta who never was baptized and he's prgressing really well!  We read with him the other day in the Book of Mormon Alma 22 and we talked about how the king was willing to give up everything to follow Jesus Christ and recieve a remission of his sins and Alvaro felt the spirit super strong!  Then during the next week he was talking with his mom about everything and he told her that he wants to be baptized and he said that when he does, he wants to give up everything bad in his life and just go all out following Jesus Christ (JUST LIKE THE KING!!!). It was super cool to see the words of the Book of Mormon have that much of an impact on someones life!  We are really excited for Alvaro and I know that he is going to be baptized and be a super strong member in the church!

The English classes are still going well and also we had a service project in the church this week to try to unite the members more and it went really well also! We had a few members come out and we all worked super hard...we actually cut down this big lime tree that was just in the way of everything and super ugly! We cut the whole thing down with pure machette (spelling?) haha. It honsetly wasn't easy but we got it done! haha. anyway, the goal of the project was just to unite the members and get everyone working in the branch, and this Sunday we had about 60 people in church which is really great! We have everything we need for a chapel...we only need more faithful tithe payers! We are SOO close its unreal! I'm not kidding when I tell you that there are almost enough members here in Angostura to have a small stake! haha. About half of this pueblo is baptized and are members, but all of them are inactive! We are trying to start to involve the members more in visiting the less active members of the branch....I hope it goes well!

Anyway, that's basically the work here in Angostura! We are just fighting every single day to find more people, activate the inactive and animate those who are active! AMAR, BAUTIZAR, RETENER! That's our motto of the mission. Also, changes are this Saturday and I think that Elder Fernandez might be leaving...so I might be having a new companion this next week! We'll see what happens.

but yeah, thats my life.....what up!

Elder Johnson



p.s. pics coming soon (I'm always forgetting the cable for my camera....sorry!)

just send me a text to remind me.................................................:)                                              
 

I'm Teaching English!

Hello my family,

So everything is going super well here!  We are progressing so much every week here in Angostura...especially this week!  We..or I, am teaching english classes like 4 times a week!! It's super fun and we are seeing a lot of good things come from it!  We just started it pretty recently, but we have a bunch of members come and a few have brought their friends! we are hoping to have more and more people each week... actually we are going to make little invitations so that the members can remember and they can give them to their friends and all that "jazz"...I think we are going to see a lot of success come from it! Also, the sacrament meeting under the tree is going super well also...we have about 25 people that are coming regularly and there are a ton more inactive members that live out there that we are going to work with...we NEED A CHAPEL really soon! between the 2 parts of the branch we have around 65 people coming to church each week, and the requirement for a chapel is 50 with 20 full time tithe payers!  We are super super close!  Pray for the members here and just for the area in general, we are seeing a lot of progression and we can't go back, we need to keep moving forward! I'm honestly so happy to be here right now and be a part of this great work and see the Lords kingdom being built up here in a little pueblo in Mexico!

Also, I think I forgot to tell you that Elder Fernandez Paz is back here woring with me...he is feeling much better and we are working super hard!  We have made some goals to "Abrir la Boca" (open your mouth)! haha. We are constantly with people every single day and at times we have a little bit of fear to talk about the gospel with some people because sometimes the situation just seems wierd...but thats only because Satan puts something small in our path to make it seem like we cant share the gospel at this time, but when we do, the Spirit is able to testify to their hearts at thet very moment that what we are saying is true! We have seen A LOT of success by doing this and we actually have a lot of new investigators that we are working with!  We actually have a baptism planned for this Saturday!! She is an investigator named Guadalupe, she lives in a family with a bunch of members so we decided to invite her to listen to our message and so we taught here and challenged her to be baptised and she accepted!  She watched conference and absolutely loved it, she was actually tell us which of the talks she liked and explained what they said! Also, she is reading the Book of Mormon every day!  She is super special and I'm really excited for her! pray that everything goes well this week so that nothing gets in the way of her baptism!

Anyway, we are super excited right now and I cant wait to get back out and work!  I'm actaully on divisions right now with my zone leader Elder Torales in his area so we are going to be working here tonight and tomorrow all day. I really enjoy divisions because I learn a lot from other missionaries, just being able to see how they work and try to put it into practice in my area that I'm in...its a good way to learn and to progress as missionaries!

So about the package..........hmmmmm....I really dont know what I need, sometimes I feel like I have way too much! haha.  As missionaries we really do live the most simple life possible...haha.  a washer for my clothes would be awesome...but I'm not sure if you could fit one into a package?? haha.  The shoes are holding up super well, I don't think I'm going to have too much of a problem with that here.  oh cologne, I need more cologne! Also, a few copies of the Book of Mormon in english would be awesome...just the simple blue ones with either the hard cover or soft!  And ties, ties, ties! but no skinny ties...I have grown to not like skinny ties, kinda wierd how that happens! haha. anyway, I can't think of anything else...but I'm positive that I will love anything that is in it!  Its super wierd that I'm not gonna be there for Christmas, its gonna be much different but I'm excited to see what Christmas is like in the mission! haha.

Oh also, I had to go back to the doctor for my hand because it had liquid inside of it and we weren't sure if it was infected or not, but right now I have medications to help it and has gotten much better so no worries there!

Anyway, thats all the news for right now! Espero que ustedes sigan adelante firme en las palabras de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. ¡Hay que ser muy firme y tener un testimonio muy fuerte en un mundo  muy cambiante! Se que ustedes puedan hacerlo, hay milagros y muchas bendiciones que les estan esperando, solo hay que ser diligente y obediente en todas las cosas! les amo muchisimo, y espero que todo este bien!

I love you all,

Elder Johnson

from Shawna:  I google translated the last part.  Here is it is English.:  I hope you keep going strong in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Be very firm and have a very strong testimony in a rapidly changing world! I know you can do this, there are miracles and many blessings that are waiting, just have to be diligent and obedient in all things! I love you a lot, and I hope everything is okay!

Fam Fam Family!

WHATTT!! so many good things are hapenning its unreal! ha. Tell Taylor that I'm super stoked for him on his call to the Philippines!  It really gets me stoked to hear about all the calls and new missionaries that are going to come into the work....we need ALOT more!! Also, I found it super funny that basically everyone that wrote me this week commented on how their favorite talk was Elder Yamashito...because that was my favorite too! haha. Besides the talk in Priesthood by Elder Holland.....simply unreal. ha.

So this week was SUPER good! We are progressing so much right now, we have a few baptismal dates for this month and they are all super excited about the gospel!  Also, we got a ride from this guy named Jose yesterday night and he was one of the coolest guys I've met so far on my mission! We just started talking immediately and he was way friendly....I told him that I was from Arizona and he told me that the D-BACKS are almost in the World Series!!! whatttt!!! first of all.....is that true...???? haha. anyway, that doesnt matter right now...ha.  Then we started to talk a little bit about the gospel and he said he had never talked with the missionaries before, but that he wanted us to come to his house and teach him about what we believe! We told him that we might be able to fit him into our schedule......he's just one of our first priorites right now, thats all! haha. He's super cool, and I felt the spirit immediately with him, he's about 23-25 and has a girlfriend, but they don't live together!!! What a miracle!!! I'm hoping that we can also meet his girlfriend and teach them both so that they can get married in the temple and have kids that are going to go on missions and bless the lives of thousands! thats the plan anyway. ha.

So this was my first General Conference in spanish....much different. but it was super good! Its still super wierd to me that I'm able to watch General Conference...or anything for that matter in spanish! haha. It was different solely because I'm used to hearing the voices of the prophet and the apostles, but it was just some random translators voice...it makes a little bit of a difference honestly, but it was great. I love having the opportunity to recieve the counsel from our modern day leaders of the church, but it makes all the difference when we put into PRACTICE what we learned! We will receive so much of a greater testimony of the things that were said when we see it blessing our everyday lives! love it. Don't have fear to DO the things that Heavenly Father is asking us to do....if he gives us a commandment, there will ALWAYS be a way to accomplish it!

I love my family...a lot. Also, the talk by Elder Packer for the youth...follow the counsel given!

love, Elder Johnson