December 17, 2012

Hey Everybody! They just told us that we can either call you guys on Christmas Eve like we had planned, or on Christmas Day. Which day would be better? I’m really fine either way, the only difference is that on Christmas Eve it would be in the afternoon and on Christmas day it would be a little earlier like at 11 or 12 or something so that we have time to eat the turkey and shrimp we bought today. Oh ya, today my companion and I bought an 8 kilogram turkey and the other 2 elders that are going to come over for the feast bought 2 kilos of shrimp. It should be pretty cool because we can’t go out in the streets that whole day so we’ll just eat a lot and then who knows what we’ll day the rest of the time. Actually this last Wednesday we couldn’t leave the whole day either because it was the Dia de Guadalupe, and that meant there were lots of fiestas. And a lot of fiestas means a lot of drunk people in the streets. It was pretty fun though we bought pizza with the other missionaries and played my new board game I bought and just chilled in the house. This week we’ve really focused on working with the members, and with doing that we were able to find some people through references and through other less active members. We didn’t baptize anybody this week, but A got confirmed and paid his first tithing yesterday. M couldn’t go to church because their baby girls were both sick and she didn’t sleep until 4 in the morning and our ward starts at 8 in the morning. They are some of the coolest converts I’ve baptized, and A´s dad lives by Cancun so I told him one day we’ll meet up there! There’s a family here that lives in our ward and their son is on a mission right now as well. They remind me a ton of you guys because they just want to do everything for us and love us as if we were their son. I know that for the sacrifices of our parents, (mostly the moms), the Lord blesses both our families and us as missionaries. I’ve seen so many blessings in different ways during my mission. The Lord is always guiding us to exactly where we need to be. I know that He protects us as well, and for as ugly as the environment here is, He always keeps us safe and out of harm’s way. I know that this church is true, and though we as members aren’t perfect, the Doctrine of Christ is and by living it we can really be happy and have joy, no matter what worldly possessions we have or in what circumstances we live. The true definition of joy is being well with God. I love you and can’t wait to talk to you guys this week. ¡Feliz Navidad! Elder Johnson I was washing my clothes so I kept it really classy with the red shiny shorts and white shirt...

December 10, 2012

Hey Mommy! Thanks for all the pictures; it looks like quite the adventure you guys had with the Christmas tree! Was it worse than the time we went and walked forever and you cried? Does it look like you’ll be having a white Christmas or is the snow already melting? So this last Thursday we had our zone conference/ Christmas get together. It was with our zone and one other. First we had training from a stake president, President Morales and the assistentes and then we ate. It was one of the first meals I’ve had in 9 months where we didn’t eat tortillas it was a nice change! Also we have a devastating new rule here in our mission; we can no longer eat tacos from the street! It’s really sad I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to handle it, I love tacos al pastor! No but really it’s because a lot of missionaries have been getting sick to their stomachs and appendixes and everything. Well anyways after everybody talked there was a funny talent show and that was pretty much it. I got 2 packages from you guys, and don’t worry I’m saving them till Christmas to open them. My companion and I have been getting in the Christmas spirit; we even bought a mini fake pine tree and Christmas lights to put on it. The only problem is the little tree is too small to hold all the lights so we’re still trying to come up with a better idea to put the lights. A and M got married on Wednesday, and then on Sunday they were able to get baptized. Their baptism was really cool because M’s whole family came and our mission president came as well to our ward yesterday. They’re a golden couple and are going to be great converts. We actually just got done doing a family home evening with them and some other members in the ward. Hopefully we’ll be able to get to teach the rest of the family as well now. They told us we’ll be calling our families on the 24th. I’ll be skyping you guys on Christmas Eve in the afternoon, about what time would be best for you guys? Are you going to go see Jerry that day? I still haven’t bought the turkey yet but I talked to the sister and she supposedly knows how to cook it. They’re excited for the turkey dinner, and one of the less active sisters I invited already invited her non member son to come. Sorry the letter is pretty short today, its because I haven’t had time and the computer I was using earlier wouldn’t let me type very well so I just reported to the mission president and then we had to leave to go the family home evening. Today we had a zone meeting in the morning and then after we went with 2 other missionaries to eat pizza at Domino’s and then we went to Bodega Aurrera, its a big store owned by Wal-Mart, I’m not sure what the difference is or why they have both of the stores here but ya. I bought a board game that’s the Mexican equivalent of Monopoly today because we’re going to have to stay in our house a couple of days this month for the holidays and safety reasons. I love you guys, I’m really going to miss not being with you guys for Christmas, but I know that this area, and exactly this ward is where I need to be. I’ve seen the Lord’s hand in the work we’re doing here and wouldn’t change this blessing for anything. Have a great week and be careful in the snow! The Elder Johnson El misionero mas guapo de la mision Mexico Ciudad de Mexico Sureste...(The cutest missionary in the Southeastern Mexico Mexico City Mission...) I agree!

December 3, 2012

Hey Mom! I’m glad you guys have had a good and busy week, and it sounds like you guys are going to be busy again this week! How’s the weather in Utah right now? Are you going to have a white Christmas? The mouse story sounds way funny; I can just picture all you guys freaking out ha ha. Everything is going really good here. We went to the temple on Tuesday to accompany the family that got sealed. I got to talk hunting for the first time since I’ve been Mexico because the old man that was working at the front desk lives on the Arizona strip, right by Kanab and told about a huge buck he killed on the Kaibab. Sorry I got a little distracted but anyways the temple is super cool here. First we went with the couple to do a session and take out their endowments and then we went to the sealing room where they were sealed together along with their 2 little kids. It was a super cool experience and the Spirit was so strong there. It was also really neat to go through the temple for the first time in Español. This Wednesday, a couple that we’re teaching is going to get married lawfully so that they can get baptized on Sunday. They have 2 little girls, and it’ll be great for them to get married and then prepare to get sealed with their kids in 1 year. This couple is golden, they actually had gotten to know some missionaries from another mission a while ago, but just barely moved here and saw us in the street the other day and contacted us and told us to come by their house. My companion and I were both amazed when they talked to us, they’re golden! I can see that the Lord is blessing us, although we don’t knock doors anymore or anything, we’ve still always been able to find people in lots of other ways that want to learn about our message. I’ve realized that I’ve really fallen in love with the scriptures. It’s awesome looking for an answer to a question I have and always finding it there. It also helps a ton to really be familiar with the scriptures and to always be able to answer people’s questions with a base rather than just giving them a mediocre answer or using my own opinion. Sometimes people have some pretty interesting questions! Well we have an appointment right now with the couple that’s getting baptized this week so I got to go. Thank you so much for everything. I’m grateful for all the blessings we enjoy as members of the Church. The gospel really does help us in every aspect of our lives when we really live it and apply it. Have a great week, I love you! Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson at the Mexico City Temple