May 28, 2012

Hola mama, This week has been really good and really really busy. We were able to baptize 4 people yesterday. I was going to send you pictures today of the baptisms from last week and this week, but the computer isn’t working, sorry I’ll try to send them next week. One of the cool things about the baptismal service yesterday, was that the guy who was possessed, I confirmed him in the morning in sacrament meeting, and then right after church he received the priesthood and baptized his 12 year old son that didn’t want to get baptized last week. It was a really cool experience to see how far this family has progressed in the last couple of weeks. We baptized 2 other girls from a different family, and a boy from a different family. Both of the parents of these families want to get baptized too, but they’re not married yet, so hopefully we can take them to the judge this week to get married. It has been so bloody hot down here this last week. We’ve been walking a ton everyday too. The other day, we didn’t have money for the combi, and our dinner was in another city about 5 miles away, so we decided to walk there. On the way we had to cross a ghetto Mexican bridge made out of a rope and a bunch of sandbags to cross a river. It was a pretty funny experience. I wish I would have had my camera with me. Also I wanted to say thanks for sending me the ideas for teaching the Holy Ghost too, they’ll help a lot for teaching, especially kids. I talk at lots of baptisms too, so I think it would be fun to use some of your ideas at one of our services. Keep me updated on what’s going on. Oh, and 1 more thing... I think the emergency brake problem with the Ranger is my fault. The last time I went hunting right before I left, I drove a ways with it on and looked back and saw the tires smoking and everything. I didn’t say anything because I thought it was fine, SORRY!!!!!!!!!! Use money from my account to fix whatever you need to. I love you mommy!!! Well sorry I don’t have a ton of time this week, we’ve been really busy today. This morning we went and did service, moving a bunch of panels for a roof, and then we rode in the back of a little pickup on the freeway to another house. After that we went to the University to eat with a member, and while we were there I saw a clip of the Boston Red Sox on the TV and got really trunky. But ya that was pretty much our whole p day! Anyways thanks for everything, I’ll let you know when I get the packages. I love you! ¡Hasta luego! Elder Johnson

May 14, 2012

¡Hola! It was way fun to talk to and see you guys yesterday. I’m glad everybody’s doing so well. I told you guys pretty much all the important stuff, so I don’t really have a whole lot to say today. Today we’ve cleaned the house, washed our clothes, took a nap, and went and ate some tortas with the other missionaries. Every week on Monday we have to email the Mission President too and let him know how everything’s going. I’ve been emailing back and forth with Brock, and took the extra time today to email my friends too so sorry the email’s not going to be too long. So we had a family of 9 people that we thought we were going to baptize this coming Sunday, but they didn’t show up to church yesterday, and we have no idea why so this week we’ll have to check with them and see what’s up, and see if they’re really prepared to get baptized this week. We also need to check up with Miguel and his wife too to make sure they come to church too so we can confirm them. We also found a new family this week, and the wife said that she had a dream of me 2 or 3 months ago where i told her we were going to church, and she didn’t know what church that was. It was a crazy cool experience, and it helped me realize that here in this pueblo in Mexico is where i need to go. There are 2 new gringos in our district that just got here 2 weeks ago. It’s hilarious to hear them try and speak Spanish, and know that I was once that bad. It makes me feel good with my own Spanish though, and I realize how much I’ve improved. Keep giving me up the updates on everybody, it’s fun to hear what’s going on. It was so great to talk to you guys, I miss you a lot, but I know I am where I need to be, here in Mexico. I love you! Elder Johnson

May 8, 2012

¡Buenos Dias Mama! So this last Tuesday I got my new companion, Elder Montoya from Mexicali, Mexico. That’s by Tijuana I think. He is 27 years old! He’s really cool though, and knows a ton about the bible and everything. He was a zone leader from a different zone last exchange. This is his last 6 weeks of the mission, so it’s kind of different being his last companion he’ll have and everything. I’ve learned a ton from him, and we work so so hard! In fact I have 3 new blisters this week because we’ve been sprinting from appointment to appointment. We didn’t baptize anybody this week, but we found 28 new investigators. That’s like a record for everybody, when we reported to the zone leaders that we found 28 new people they started laughing because it’s so many. Yesterday we went to El Distrito so I could shop for new suit. He has style so we get along really good, and we both like to shop. So M, the person that we baptized a couple weeks ago has been having some problems. He still hasn’t been confirmed yet because he’s had to work on Sundays as a firefighter. His wife told us he drank a lot the other night too. So our goal is to teach him about repentance and then hurry and get him confirmed so he can have the Holy Ghost with him so he won’t want to drink anymore. He’s still our friend and we went to their house this week for the birthday party of his cousin H, who is the dad of M that I baptized a while ago. We’re also teaching another big family too that we hope to baptize this week. Their uncle actually lives in Farmington, Utah, and just married a gringa in the Salt Lake temple. We got a reference from the church offices to teach them. I got your package yesterday, over 2 months after it was sent! The candy and everything is still good though, thank you I love Easter candy! The missionary papers were cool too, they’ll actually really help thanks! There are actually 2 missionaries from Spanish Fork in this mission, Elder Blake Hunter and Elder Blaylock, I don’t really know either one very well, but the other day they both got packages too, and it took about 6 weeks for theirs to get here. They were sent exactly the same way as mine and cost the same and everything, so I think it will usually take about 6 weeks for a package, mine just got destroyed at customs for some reason this time. The card was opened when I got it, so never send me money or anything. I can’t wait to talk to you guys this Sunday; sorry it’s been so confusing with how to do Skype and what time and everything. None of the missionaries really know exactly what’s going on. The Mexican missionaries are mad too because El Día de Madre is on Thursday here, and the president just gave an announcement that they have to wait until Sunday to talk to their parents too. I’m excited to talk to you guys, it’ll be way fun! Thanks so much for everything. I’ll see you guys in about 5 days! Con amor, su hijo guapo, (With love, her handsome son) Elder Johnson Hey Dad, I actually finally got the package you guys sent yesterday. (The package was mailed 9 weeks ago) There was a letter on it from the post office of Mexico that said it had been opened so they put another clear bag over it to ensure nothing got taken out but ya everything is pretty corrupt down here. I found a 320 gb hard drive for 900 pesos at Wal-Mart, that’s only like 75 dollars I think. Don’t send me the hard drive, I’m worried I won’t get it and I’ll just buy one here. I don’t need garments or anything yet, so there’s no need to send a package right now. There are actually 2 missionaries from Spanish Fork in this mission, Elder Blake Hunter and Elder Blaylock, I don’t really know either one, but the other day they both got packages too, and it took about 6 weeks for theirs to get here. They were sent the same way as mine, so I think it will usually take about 6 weeks for a package, mine just got destroyed at customs for some reason this time. My new companion is 27 years old, and this is his last transfer in the mission. He ´s really cool though, and knows a ton, I’ve learned a lot from him. He’s trying to learn English too he sounds hilarious when he talks with his accent. I’m actually starting to forget some English too. My Spanish still isn’t fluent, but I understand almost anything, and I can say what I want to , I just don’t always say it in the most fluid way. Where are the state playoffs for 3a? Hopefully SF can beat the Delta Rabbits and whoever else is in 3a! Thanks for everything Dad; I’ll talk to you on Sunday! Con Amor