Thursday, December 31, 2009
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Elder Kasper, Elder Perez, Elder Johnson and Elder Terry in their sweaters.
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Monday, December 28, 2009
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The best Christmas present a mom could ask for, PICTURES!!!
President Newman, Elder Perez, Maria, Gerardo and Elder Johnson.
Elder Tooney, Enrique, Eugenio and Elder Johnson.
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Talking to everyone was so cool, I thought it was going to be a little weird, I'm not really sure why I just did but it wasn't it was really nice. Oh good I'm so glad that you got called into the young women's! That will be a lot of fun! Michael put in his papers!? That's awesome! I'm so glad for him, a mission will be a very good thing for him, you grow up and mature a lot our here that's for sure. I can't believe Mark is already coming home, that seems so weird to me. I'm really glad that he is enjoying his mission so much. That seems to be the common theme out here, all the guys that are getting ready to go home soon all say that they don't want to haha. I remember when Endemano and Fish (the APs) picked us up from the airport that was Endemano's last transfer and he wouldn't even tell us how long he had been out. He just said, "a while." That's so sweet that he's having that much fun though, you should tell him to email me.
Mindy got baptized yesterday!! Honestly, I was still a little bit nervous about her just because one day she would be super stoked to do it and then the next day she would be really unsure. It always kinda felt like a 50/50 with her. It was for sure a miracle that her son Danny had just turned 8 because I really don't think she would have done it by herself. But she did it! And I know she knows that it was right for sure now! You should have seen her face after the meeting. She was glowing! She was so happy! Her husband Edwin baptized both of them since he has the priesthood now which was a really awesome thing to be able to see. It was so beautiful to be able to complete this family. Now they can prepare all together to go and be sealed in the temple in a year. It's so humbling to be able to see how much these people have all changed and that this change came because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's so humbling to think that the Lord has allowed me to play a part in his plan for these people. Because he sent me to these people, their lives are changed forever. Now, they can have the fullness of the gospel, they can have the Holy Ghost with them at all times, now they have a chance to live as an eternal family in the Celestial Kingdom, and I will be able to see them there and know that I played a part in it. I freakin love this work!
Remind me again about Stacey's farewell and I want to email her a quick note on the 18th before she leaves. I'm so excited for her.
I love you all so much! Happy New Year! I don't know what Bump Day is!!! Yay!Elder Johnson
Mindy got baptized yesterday!! Honestly, I was still a little bit nervous about her just because one day she would be super stoked to do it and then the next day she would be really unsure. It always kinda felt like a 50/50 with her. It was for sure a miracle that her son Danny had just turned 8 because I really don't think she would have done it by herself. But she did it! And I know she knows that it was right for sure now! You should have seen her face after the meeting. She was glowing! She was so happy! Her husband Edwin baptized both of them since he has the priesthood now which was a really awesome thing to be able to see. It was so beautiful to be able to complete this family. Now they can prepare all together to go and be sealed in the temple in a year. It's so humbling to be able to see how much these people have all changed and that this change came because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's so humbling to think that the Lord has allowed me to play a part in his plan for these people. Because he sent me to these people, their lives are changed forever. Now, they can have the fullness of the gospel, they can have the Holy Ghost with them at all times, now they have a chance to live as an eternal family in the Celestial Kingdom, and I will be able to see them there and know that I played a part in it. I freakin love this work!
Remind me again about Stacey's farewell and I want to email her a quick note on the 18th before she leaves. I'm so excited for her.
I love you all so much! Happy New Year! I don't know what Bump Day is!!! Yay!Elder Johnson
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Monday, December 21, 2009
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Haha you are a dork! It's Christmas! But I am really excited to talk to you guys too it will be fun! I still don't have any idea what we're doing for Christmas. Nobody that I talk to knows either, none of us have been through a Christmas before so I don't know when or where we do phone calls or anything. I've heard that President said that if we reach our goal of 1050 we can have Christmas off like another P day but I don't know that's just what I've heard. Speaking of our goal, we got it!!!! As of yesterday our mission has 1055 baptisms this year! And me and Elder Toney have possibly three more on the 27th. Ah man it's so exciting, that's so many freakin people that have been converted to the truth. It was a crazy goal and we all have been working so hard for it and we did it! And even me, one of the new guys had a part in it, ah we're all so happy right now! Oh man mission conference was so awesome! We all came to the Orange Park chapel (which is where I am at) and President and Sister Newman. Every single missionary in this mission was there, it was so cool! I saw all the guys from my MTC district and Elder Black and guys from my old district, met a lot of new people, oh and Elder Jensen was there too. Elder Jensen was the AP before Elder Fish and Elder Endamano. He left for home literally like 3 hours before I got there so i had never met him but he is a legend here. He's one of those missionaries that was just awesome and inspired everyone to do and be better, he was a dominator! So he came back out to Florida for the mission conference and President Newman asked him to share his testimony. It was really cool because I had heard all these great stories about how amazing this guy was and I watched him and listened to him and I just thought, he's so normal. He's just like all of us, just a 21 year old kid who was out here serving the lord the best way he knew how. It was inspiring for me just because it made me realize that I have the potential to be like that, I can be amazing and I just have to be me, normal.
Yeah I am definitely using the Spanish book you sent me. It's so cool to be using the same book. And I love being able to talk to people. We'll be sitting in a lesson with someone and we'll be talking and then like 20 minutes in I just stop and realize holy crap I've been talking to someone in Spanish this whole time. I still don't catch 100% of what everyone says but I get most of it. Speaking is easier and easier every day. And I love when I walk up to someone and they say, "uh me no speak English" and I pretend to be really relieved and say, "Oh perfecto! Yo tampoco!" That always makes them laugh and more willing to talk to me. I want to get to the point where people will believe me if I tell them I'm from Cuba or something and I don't speak English, I think that will be easier here because there are people from all over the place, Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, a lot of Puerto Ricans and even more New Yoricans. I met one lady from Argentina and I wanted to baptize her really bad but she wasn't cool. Maybe we'll go back in a little while and let the Spirit work with her a little more then she'll be cooler.
I'm sorry I don't have more information about Christmas but I will be calling for sure. I can't wait to talk to you! Merry Christmas! I love you!
Elder Johnson
Yeah I am definitely using the Spanish book you sent me. It's so cool to be using the same book. And I love being able to talk to people. We'll be sitting in a lesson with someone and we'll be talking and then like 20 minutes in I just stop and realize holy crap I've been talking to someone in Spanish this whole time. I still don't catch 100% of what everyone says but I get most of it. Speaking is easier and easier every day. And I love when I walk up to someone and they say, "uh me no speak English" and I pretend to be really relieved and say, "Oh perfecto! Yo tampoco!" That always makes them laugh and more willing to talk to me. I want to get to the point where people will believe me if I tell them I'm from Cuba or something and I don't speak English, I think that will be easier here because there are people from all over the place, Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, a lot of Puerto Ricans and even more New Yoricans. I met one lady from Argentina and I wanted to baptize her really bad but she wasn't cool. Maybe we'll go back in a little while and let the Spirit work with her a little more then she'll be cooler.
I'm sorry I don't have more information about Christmas but I will be calling for sure. I can't wait to talk to you! Merry Christmas! I love you!
Elder Johnson
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Monday, December 14, 2009
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We didn't hit 1050 yet. Yeah we have until the end of the month but we were trying really hard to get it this week. I think we're really close though like 14 more or something. The whole mission has been struggling. Ever since the APs Elder Jensen and Endemano left we've just taken a down turn. I never met Jensen, he left just before I came out and Endemano was here for one transfer with me. I think we're struggling a lot just because the mission is filled with so many new people. I think the oldest leadership in our zone has been out for like 9 months. We just don't have the experience yet but it's ok we'll get there eventually. We'll get 1050 before the year is out and hopefully soon we'll all be able to figure it out and get the mission back to where it was. We have a mission conference on Thursday for Christmas so I hope President Newman dominates us on whatever it is we need to fix. I'm really excited. The entire mission is going to be there! Yeah I just use bikes that are up here. I don't know if anyone really buys bikes out here we just use bikes that people leave. Anyway it's dumb for a Spanish elder to buy a bike because in most of our areas we have a car. I think this area we have to share our car because the Sisters needed the other car. But we are getting our own car pretty soon, that will make the work go so much better!
Holy crap Robyn got married!? Duh of course I remember her I don't remember Jeff though. How old is she? Isn't she pretty close to my age? That's crazy, a lot of the guys out here have friends who are getting married and stuff, I so don't feel old enough to have married friends. Tell her I said congrats and I'm sorry I can't remember who Jeff is but I can't wait to meet him again.
What the heck!? You guys are lame get some dang decorations up it's Christmas time! I don't have anything I really need for Christmas. Oh unless you guys want to send me a Garmin GPS system or money so I can go get one, I don't need one right now, Elder Toney has a GPS but I think I'm going to need one eventually. They're kind of expensive though I saw one at WalMart for 200 so yeah, I'm not expecting that. I don't know how Christmas works for missionaries as far as gifts go. Anyway, I hope you have a merry Christmas I can't wait to talk to everyone! Get some frickin decorations up!
Holy crap Robyn got married!? Duh of course I remember her I don't remember Jeff though. How old is she? Isn't she pretty close to my age? That's crazy, a lot of the guys out here have friends who are getting married and stuff, I so don't feel old enough to have married friends. Tell her I said congrats and I'm sorry I can't remember who Jeff is but I can't wait to meet him again.
What the heck!? You guys are lame get some dang decorations up it's Christmas time! I don't have anything I really need for Christmas. Oh unless you guys want to send me a Garmin GPS system or money so I can go get one, I don't need one right now, Elder Toney has a GPS but I think I'm going to need one eventually. They're kind of expensive though I saw one at WalMart for 200 so yeah, I'm not expecting that. I don't know how Christmas works for missionaries as far as gifts go. Anyway, I hope you have a merry Christmas I can't wait to talk to everyone! Get some frickin decorations up!
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Monday, December 7, 2009
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Holy crap with the freakin questions! Elder Toney is from Houston, Texas. He's been out a little bit longer than me in the field but he was in the MTC spanish so he has been a misionary for quite a bit longer than I have. He was one of the missionaries that was in quarantine with swine flu too so that delayed him from coming out here for a while. Yeah Elder Perez and Trott are the Zone Leaders now. It's cool I guess, I don't know, obviously I didn't get along with Elder Perez that much so now that we're not companions I don't really care what he's doing. But he and Elder Trott are great zone leaders, they both have never done it before but they are already pretty good at their job.
We baptized Enrique from Mexico and Eugenio from Cuba. Eugenio is a homeless guy that Fernando, one of the members just picked up off the street and he's lettin him stay at his house and he invited him to church and so we taught him and then he got baptized! It was really cool, a miracle for sure! Yeah we go out to places like that to eat after district meetings and on p days and stuff. My first district we went to Chilis all the time and there's a really good bbq place called Sonnys that we eat at a lot. Oh my gosh and Firehouse! Firehouse is so good! I don't know what I'm going to do when I come home and have to eat at subway again, I might cry. Firehouse subs is amazing! I've never seen any in Utah but if you find one you have to eat there because it's just so good. Sometimes we go out to dinner but not that often. Elder Toney is actually a really good cook. We go in and buy groceries together and he just cooks like fajitas and chili and pasta and all kinds of good stuff, it's pretty awesome. We also really like to go to the Mexican Tiendas and get carne asada tacos. That's really fun because now we can go in there and actually talk to the people that work there.
Orange Park is a little bit bigger than Sandy/Draper. There's a lot more apt complexes and city stuff like that but it's not super huge. There's also quite a few trailer parks that we go to to tract. In this area we have to share the car with the other elders so we get the car Wed. Sat. and Sun. and the rest of the time we ride bikes. We're getting our own car pretty soon though. Oh speaking of which, we just traded in our car because it had 60000 miles or something on it so we traded it in to the mission office and now we are driving a brand new gold 2010 Toyota Corolla. It's way sweet! It's kinda funny though, we feel kinda bad sometimes driving into trailer parks and stuff in our brand new car but it's a Corolla. I guess President Newman actually got a better deal from BMW for the mission cars but he decided to go with Corolla just because BMW would look to nice.
It doesn't really feel like Christmas here either, there's no snow, hardly any decorations anywhere, and it's not even that cold. Plus I'm just working like a normal day every day. It's kinda weird whenever I see someone's tree and think, oh yeah Christmas is coiming up, weird. But it's ok I'll be able to have a normal Christmas in a few years.
So I'm still trying really hard to figure out who I am as a missionary and how to do stuff and how to speak the language, I didn't anticipate how hard this whole mission thing is. I don't think anyone really can until they actually get out here. But I'm having fun while I'm learning and I can't wait to be able to look back some day and see how much I've grown and changed since now. But for right now, it's just a lot of hard work trying to figure out the ways I need to change so in the mean time it kinda feels like I'm not having a lot of "success" as far as numbers go but it's ok I'm still working hard and doing all that I know how to do so the Lord will bless us with that kind of "success" once he molds me into what he needs me to be a little more. This weekend is going to be our 1050 weekend!!!! I know it's going to happen. By this Sunday this mission will have had 1050 baptisms for the year! We are all so excited and we are all working so hard to make it happen we want it so bad! I'll have to email you next week and tell you how it was.
I'm glad everything is good. I can't wait to talk to you all.
Love you.
Elder Johnson
Oh our adress is 6870 103 st #608
Jacksonville, FL 32210
We baptized Enrique from Mexico and Eugenio from Cuba. Eugenio is a homeless guy that Fernando, one of the members just picked up off the street and he's lettin him stay at his house and he invited him to church and so we taught him and then he got baptized! It was really cool, a miracle for sure! Yeah we go out to places like that to eat after district meetings and on p days and stuff. My first district we went to Chilis all the time and there's a really good bbq place called Sonnys that we eat at a lot. Oh my gosh and Firehouse! Firehouse is so good! I don't know what I'm going to do when I come home and have to eat at subway again, I might cry. Firehouse subs is amazing! I've never seen any in Utah but if you find one you have to eat there because it's just so good. Sometimes we go out to dinner but not that often. Elder Toney is actually a really good cook. We go in and buy groceries together and he just cooks like fajitas and chili and pasta and all kinds of good stuff, it's pretty awesome. We also really like to go to the Mexican Tiendas and get carne asada tacos. That's really fun because now we can go in there and actually talk to the people that work there.
Orange Park is a little bit bigger than Sandy/Draper. There's a lot more apt complexes and city stuff like that but it's not super huge. There's also quite a few trailer parks that we go to to tract. In this area we have to share the car with the other elders so we get the car Wed. Sat. and Sun. and the rest of the time we ride bikes. We're getting our own car pretty soon though. Oh speaking of which, we just traded in our car because it had 60000 miles or something on it so we traded it in to the mission office and now we are driving a brand new gold 2010 Toyota Corolla. It's way sweet! It's kinda funny though, we feel kinda bad sometimes driving into trailer parks and stuff in our brand new car but it's a Corolla. I guess President Newman actually got a better deal from BMW for the mission cars but he decided to go with Corolla just because BMW would look to nice.
It doesn't really feel like Christmas here either, there's no snow, hardly any decorations anywhere, and it's not even that cold. Plus I'm just working like a normal day every day. It's kinda weird whenever I see someone's tree and think, oh yeah Christmas is coiming up, weird. But it's ok I'll be able to have a normal Christmas in a few years.
So I'm still trying really hard to figure out who I am as a missionary and how to do stuff and how to speak the language, I didn't anticipate how hard this whole mission thing is. I don't think anyone really can until they actually get out here. But I'm having fun while I'm learning and I can't wait to be able to look back some day and see how much I've grown and changed since now. But for right now, it's just a lot of hard work trying to figure out the ways I need to change so in the mean time it kinda feels like I'm not having a lot of "success" as far as numbers go but it's ok I'm still working hard and doing all that I know how to do so the Lord will bless us with that kind of "success" once he molds me into what he needs me to be a little more. This weekend is going to be our 1050 weekend!!!! I know it's going to happen. By this Sunday this mission will have had 1050 baptisms for the year! We are all so excited and we are all working so hard to make it happen we want it so bad! I'll have to email you next week and tell you how it was.
I'm glad everything is good. I can't wait to talk to you all.
Love you.
Elder Johnson
Oh our adress is 6870 103 st #608
Jacksonville, FL 32210
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Monday, November 30, 2009
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So transfers were really crazy! I did get transferred but it's really weird where I got switched. So in my ward (Orange Park 2nd) there was me, Perez, the ZLs, Sisters, and another Spanish companionship Elder Toney and Elder Trott. Turns out that me and Elder Trott just switched places so I'm with Elder Toney now in the north area and Elder Trott is with Perez now in the south area as the new zone leaders. So I'm still in the same ward and Elder Perez and Trott are still around all the time but I have a new companion and a new area. It's way sweet. Elder Toney and I have both never been Senior companions and he's just a little bit older than me so we both have no idea what we're doing which is great because now we both get to learn instead of just having the other companion do everything while we sit back and watch. It's going to be a very good transfer and I know that both of us are going to grow a lot. We actually had two baptisms this weekend that Toney and Trott had been working with for a little while but yeah me and Toney had to teach them ourselves, resolve the concerns they had at the last minute, organize the baptism service, organize rides and talks and all kinds of crazy stuff by ourselves. Before Black and Perez just kinda did it but this time I actually had to help do stuff. It was very stressful but it was good for me, it gave me an opportunity to grow and really depend on the Lord to direct me what to say and how to act.
I did finally get the package Monday afternoon right before we got transfer calls. Thank you so much! It is just starting to get cold so my jacket came right in time. And it is so cool to be doing Spanish study from the same book that Dad used. Haha and where did you find those Marvel trading cards? Those are way cooler than Pokemon cards! Thank you so much, getting that stuff made me feel a lot better. I'm sorry that my letter last week was so bad. I was so stressed out about a lot of things and I hate to say it but I just didn't get along great with Perez so he was no help. I am excited for this transfer with Elder Toney. I think I'm going to finally start being able to figure a lot of stuff out for myself and it forces me to really rely on the Lord rather than just on my companion. Elder Toney is cool. He's from Houston Texas and he played the trombone in school and he was going to be a music major for a while but then that changed to history major I think. But in High school he played the trombone in a Ska band (ask Austin what that means) he's really cool and really caring, very different than Perez.
We spent our Thanksgiving at a recent convert family's house, the Ramirezes. These guys are way cool. There are these two twin brothers who live in the same trailer park that got baptized a few weeks ago and they love us! They are New York Ricans (Puerto Ricans from New York), so they have that hilarious New York atitude, and for Thanksgiving we had turkey, potatoes, pork, mac and cheese, and of course rice and beans. It was a lot of fun to have the twin brothers and both their whole families there. They are a really cool family. Oh and we went over there the other day and they were watching New Moon! Ah man I know it's going to be super girly but I was shocked about how bad I wanted to watch it! Oh well I guess I can wait ;) Things over here are much better, I'm really excited for this transfer in almost the same area with my new companion, I'm really excited to grow and learn for myself. I think next week we're doing emails at a members house instead of the library so I'm going to try and email some pictures home next week.
Love,
Elder Johnson
I did finally get the package Monday afternoon right before we got transfer calls. Thank you so much! It is just starting to get cold so my jacket came right in time. And it is so cool to be doing Spanish study from the same book that Dad used. Haha and where did you find those Marvel trading cards? Those are way cooler than Pokemon cards! Thank you so much, getting that stuff made me feel a lot better. I'm sorry that my letter last week was so bad. I was so stressed out about a lot of things and I hate to say it but I just didn't get along great with Perez so he was no help. I am excited for this transfer with Elder Toney. I think I'm going to finally start being able to figure a lot of stuff out for myself and it forces me to really rely on the Lord rather than just on my companion. Elder Toney is cool. He's from Houston Texas and he played the trombone in school and he was going to be a music major for a while but then that changed to history major I think. But in High school he played the trombone in a Ska band (ask Austin what that means) he's really cool and really caring, very different than Perez.
We spent our Thanksgiving at a recent convert family's house, the Ramirezes. These guys are way cool. There are these two twin brothers who live in the same trailer park that got baptized a few weeks ago and they love us! They are New York Ricans (Puerto Ricans from New York), so they have that hilarious New York atitude, and for Thanksgiving we had turkey, potatoes, pork, mac and cheese, and of course rice and beans. It was a lot of fun to have the twin brothers and both their whole families there. They are a really cool family. Oh and we went over there the other day and they were watching New Moon! Ah man I know it's going to be super girly but I was shocked about how bad I wanted to watch it! Oh well I guess I can wait ;) Things over here are much better, I'm really excited for this transfer in almost the same area with my new companion, I'm really excited to grow and learn for myself. I think next week we're doing emails at a members house instead of the library so I'm going to try and email some pictures home next week.
Love,
Elder Johnson
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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So, this has basically been the worst week ever. We've been working really hard, we've tracted for hours and hours but still can't seem to find anyone. Our president's interviews got cancelled, and yes transfers are this week and we were supposed to find out on Saturday if we’re staying or not but for some reason President decided that we weren’t, instead we find out tonight if we’re being transferred so we’ll have tonight to pack and then we’re supposed to move tomorrow. No transfer meeting, just get up and get out. I know it’s Thanksgiving week but I don’t understand why we don’t find out until tonight. I really am hoping that I get transferred which I know probably means that I won’t. I’m just sick of this transfer, it has been so hard on me for some reason, I miss Elder Black and my district in Putnam County. On top of all that, my package came on Friday but I wasn’t there to sign for it so I had to wait until today to call them and ask them if I can just come and pick it up. They told me I can’t because it’s on the bottom of something and they can’t pull it. Then the lady told me that the delivery guy could just leave it at the office of the apts. if I told them I was expecting a package so I called the office and they said that they can’t hold packages because it’s a liability issue. So I have no idea how I’m going to get it, especially if I get transferred and have to leave tomorrow.
I have no idea what we’re doing for Thanksgiving but we’ve gotten plenty of offers from the members of the ward here so if I stay that won’t be a problem. I don’t know what we’re doing though because Elder Perez doesn’t tell me anything, he just kinda plans it in his head and then bam that’s what we’re doing! So yeah basically I’m just super stressed out right now and I really want to get the heck out of Orange Park, which I know means that I probably won’t. I’ll probably stay right here with Elder Perez and it will be just fan-frickin-tastic! But it’s ok if that happens that just means that the Lord needs me to learn something more here and do more of his work here.
I’m sorry Austin's birthday was lame, that sucks. But I’m glad everyone got to see New Moon. I hear that it’s supposed to be pretty good and midnight shows are always fun :)! Someone will have to watch that movie with me when I get home. Tell Dad, lo siento pero no quiero escribir mas esta semana. Tal vez la proxima semana yo contestara su cartera en espanol.
I have no idea what we’re doing for Thanksgiving but we’ve gotten plenty of offers from the members of the ward here so if I stay that won’t be a problem. I don’t know what we’re doing though because Elder Perez doesn’t tell me anything, he just kinda plans it in his head and then bam that’s what we’re doing! So yeah basically I’m just super stressed out right now and I really want to get the heck out of Orange Park, which I know means that I probably won’t. I’ll probably stay right here with Elder Perez and it will be just fan-frickin-tastic! But it’s ok if that happens that just means that the Lord needs me to learn something more here and do more of his work here.
I’m sorry Austin's birthday was lame, that sucks. But I’m glad everyone got to see New Moon. I hear that it’s supposed to be pretty good and midnight shows are always fun :)! Someone will have to watch that movie with me when I get home. Tell Dad, lo siento pero no quiero escribir mas esta semana. Tal vez la proxima semana yo contestara su cartera en espanol.
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Monday, November 16, 2009
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Ok, so I want to try to tell a little more about the stories of the people we baptized at least. Gerardo was the one who would drink like 36 beers a day! His wife Maria is the one who got baptized last week. Friday, we found out that Gerardo went out drinking. We tried to talk to him but he was drunk or hungover or something so it was just stupid. We were really worried that he wouldn't be able to be baptized now but we talked to him with the APs on Saturday and he knew it was wrong and he really did want to change so the APs interviewed him to make sure he was good and he was so he got baptized. The family of four is the Caicedos. They are way sweet. We didn't even really get to teach them that much but they were really sensitive to the holy ghost. Every time we came over they would tell us, "It just feels better when you guys are here." We told them that they could feel that when they read the book of Mormon too and so they did that and they felt it and they knew it was true just like that. They were all really excited for baptism even though we didn't really teach them anything. They just knew it was the right thing to do. The problem was that they hadn't been to church yet. So we got it all set up and then they all of a sudden had to go to Orlando for the weekend. So we got online and found the closest church to them and called the bishop there to get the number of the Elders there so we called the missionaries in the Orlando mission which was kinda weird and got it all set up with them. We were really worried all Sunday because we weren't sure if they were really going to go and there really was nothing more we could do to make sure. But they went to church in Orlando, came back home at like 6 and then got baptized at 7! It was so cool! It really shows me that it really isn't me converting people. It's God and the Spirit that really converts people, I just am kinda there showing it to people but I don't really do much. It's very humbling and it makes me so happy to be in this work.
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OK, so I just wrote you a huge long letter and then the server freaked out and kicked me off. Basically we baptized a family of 4 and Gerardo yesterday! The other missionaries in the ward baptized a family of 6 so we had 11 people baptized in one day! It was freakin awesome! It was very stressful and a lot of things happened that tried to stop it but we worked through it all and it all came together in the end. God is definitely watching his work here for sure. Perez is cool. It's not that I don't like him but lets just say we wouldn't be hanging out if we were at school together or something but he's a very hard worker and he knows what he's doing. I'm sorry this is so short maybe next week I'll have to send part two of this week. I really took like a half hour to write the letter the first time.
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Monday, November 9, 2009
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That's really comforting about the whole raising the bar thing. This mission, is ridiculous! We're the FJM! We have a goal of 1050 baptisms this year, in July we had 117 baptisms, in August we had 130 something. The MTC actually just had someone come down to have President Newman make a training video on some of the things we do here, the AP's give us ridiculous goals like teaching 200 lessons a week and we run between houses when we tract and it's just a lot of stuff we do that is crazy and I did not expect. I think writing off everyone is part of the "raising the bar" as well. Honestly, I still don't understand it and it was/is really hard for me to do. I just hope that sooner or later I will understand why I had to do it and be able to see the blessings from it.
Yeah we have eight missionaries in one ward. It's definitely different than Utah for sure! We just have a bigger area to cover for one ward I guess. And then on top of that the Spanish missionaries overlap a few of the English missionaries areas so it works out. Haha Small Frey (pronounced like fry) is basically the coolest kid ever. He's 18 years old but he looks like he's 14 so that's fun, and he is so excited to go on a mission! He comes to every Zone Conference and transfer meeting with us, he goes on trade offs with us all the time, he just can't get enough of it. Plus on top of that he just is great friends with all the missionaries. He comes over to our apartment almost every other night and just hangs out with us after we plan and stuff. He actually called me this morning just to tell me a story about Elder Black. It's really cool, for me at least, because I didn't ever go on trade offs with the Elders. I didn't even know or see any of our Elders in Utah or Arizona. I wish I would have now, it's gotta be great preparation for him. But anyway, that's Small Frey.
I'm so glad that Space Camp and PTC was good for you. And I'm glad you didn't get shot by the creepy guy too. I knew PTC wouldn't be bad for you, from what Grandma tells me all the kids in your class love you so why would their parents have anything to complain about?
I'm so excited for Stacey! That's way sweet that we'll get home at the same time! I really want to know where she's going, maybe you should tell her to email me so she can tell me. Maybe that would be weird though, I don't know I just want to know where she's going. Grandma Nettie sent me a package! She sent me all kinds of Orange stuff like Cheetos and Reese's and even some orange cough drops. Tell her I said thank you so much! I loved it, especially the sunflower seeds! It's just fun to get mail sometimes, it doesn't matter what's in it it's just fun. I'm not saying I want mail like every week but if you guys wanted to send stuff every once in a while that would be good and I'll tell you if I need anything that I can't get here. But I do need my coat. I hear that it gets really cold here and humid cold is really different and weird so yeah I need my coat pretty soon.
Oh my gosh I almost forgot! We had a baptism yesterday! So last Saturday, we went down to Flemming Island with the ZL and President Newman so they could talk to some Haitians that live there. It's kinda a far way away and we didn't have a lot of miles so we bummed a ride with them to go tract there. So while they were talking to the Haitians we talked to all the Hispanics there. The Haitians turned out to be pretty lame but we found a guy named Gerardo that said we could come back. So we went back to teach him and we found out that he has a really bad drinking problem and he was drunk when we talked to him. He wanted to change so bad though. He told us that he usually drinks 36 beers a day and it's a really really big problem! He's been hit by two cars while he's been drunk, he gets beat up by his friends, his wife was wondering if she should leave him, just all kinds of trouble because of it. We taught him and his wife and gave them a Book of Mormon and they've been reading and praying and he hasn't had one drink since! So we taught them all week and his wife decided that she wants to get baptized! President Newman had to interview her because she had an abortion when she was like 20 (she's 60 something now) so he came and talked to her and made sure she was good to go. So she got baptized yesterday and I confirmed her in Spanish (which was not great, not bad, but not great)! Gerardo still needs a little bit more time but he's planning to get baptized next weekend! So yeah, that was sweet! :) President and Sister Newman came to the baptism, which has never happened to me before, so that was awesome!
So yeah, good times! I love you!
Elder Johnson
Yeah we have eight missionaries in one ward. It's definitely different than Utah for sure! We just have a bigger area to cover for one ward I guess. And then on top of that the Spanish missionaries overlap a few of the English missionaries areas so it works out. Haha Small Frey (pronounced like fry) is basically the coolest kid ever. He's 18 years old but he looks like he's 14 so that's fun, and he is so excited to go on a mission! He comes to every Zone Conference and transfer meeting with us, he goes on trade offs with us all the time, he just can't get enough of it. Plus on top of that he just is great friends with all the missionaries. He comes over to our apartment almost every other night and just hangs out with us after we plan and stuff. He actually called me this morning just to tell me a story about Elder Black. It's really cool, for me at least, because I didn't ever go on trade offs with the Elders. I didn't even know or see any of our Elders in Utah or Arizona. I wish I would have now, it's gotta be great preparation for him. But anyway, that's Small Frey.
I'm so glad that Space Camp and PTC was good for you. And I'm glad you didn't get shot by the creepy guy too. I knew PTC wouldn't be bad for you, from what Grandma tells me all the kids in your class love you so why would their parents have anything to complain about?
I'm so excited for Stacey! That's way sweet that we'll get home at the same time! I really want to know where she's going, maybe you should tell her to email me so she can tell me. Maybe that would be weird though, I don't know I just want to know where she's going. Grandma Nettie sent me a package! She sent me all kinds of Orange stuff like Cheetos and Reese's and even some orange cough drops. Tell her I said thank you so much! I loved it, especially the sunflower seeds! It's just fun to get mail sometimes, it doesn't matter what's in it it's just fun. I'm not saying I want mail like every week but if you guys wanted to send stuff every once in a while that would be good and I'll tell you if I need anything that I can't get here. But I do need my coat. I hear that it gets really cold here and humid cold is really different and weird so yeah I need my coat pretty soon.
Oh my gosh I almost forgot! We had a baptism yesterday! So last Saturday, we went down to Flemming Island with the ZL and President Newman so they could talk to some Haitians that live there. It's kinda a far way away and we didn't have a lot of miles so we bummed a ride with them to go tract there. So while they were talking to the Haitians we talked to all the Hispanics there. The Haitians turned out to be pretty lame but we found a guy named Gerardo that said we could come back. So we went back to teach him and we found out that he has a really bad drinking problem and he was drunk when we talked to him. He wanted to change so bad though. He told us that he usually drinks 36 beers a day and it's a really really big problem! He's been hit by two cars while he's been drunk, he gets beat up by his friends, his wife was wondering if she should leave him, just all kinds of trouble because of it. We taught him and his wife and gave them a Book of Mormon and they've been reading and praying and he hasn't had one drink since! So we taught them all week and his wife decided that she wants to get baptized! President Newman had to interview her because she had an abortion when she was like 20 (she's 60 something now) so he came and talked to her and made sure she was good to go. So she got baptized yesterday and I confirmed her in Spanish (which was not great, not bad, but not great)! Gerardo still needs a little bit more time but he's planning to get baptized next weekend! So yeah, that was sweet! :) President and Sister Newman came to the baptism, which has never happened to me before, so that was awesome!
So yeah, good times! I love you!
Elder Johnson
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Friday, November 6, 2009
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I am enjoying myself a lot more now. We had Elder Ringwood of the Seventy come and talk to us at Zone Conference and he gave me some really good perspective. He told us that as long as we're working hard and doing our best to do the work that the Lord will bless us no matter what. That's a promise. He told us that we may not always see the direct results of those blessings though, sometimes the Lord will manifest those blessings for our work in another area because we are all one mission and we are all working together to reach our goal of 1050 baptisms this year. That made me think about all of the blessings I have seen here, like the totally random referrals for really sweet people or the awesome random calls from members who are willing to help us and it made me realize something; the actual work that I do doesn't really have to accomplish anything. This is God's work, he wants people to come to him so it's going to get done with or without me, he will find a way. That in turn made me realize how lucky I am to be able to be an instrument in his hands, how much of a privilege it really is that he allows us to help him. Missionary work is not an obligation, it's a privilege, and now I'm finally starting to be able to see that. Before, I would think that I must be doing something wrong if I didn't see a lot of success but this different more broad perspective of all of us in the FJM really helped me see the fruits of our efforts (even though Crescent City is closed). I don't know why they closed Crescent City, I've heard there's a possibility that they might open it back up after a few transfers but I don't know. But yeah, we'll definitely have to go there after my mission.
My new ward is the Orange Park Second ward with Bishop Ross (I think that's how you spell it) what's your friend's name again? Yeah this ward is so awesome! Some of the coolest members I've ever met live here! Oh remind me to tell you about Small Frey next week. We are allowed to eat with the members, in fact it's encouraged, but there has to be an investigator we can teach at their house too. I have no idea how Thanksgiving is going to work or Christmas or anything like that. I don't know if it will be any different for us. I kept forgetting that Saturday was Halloween just because we don't do anything different than normal. Just work work work. I didn't even see any kids out trick or treating when we went tracting, it was kinda weird. Elder Perez and I live in an apt with the Zone Leaders Elder Terry and Elder Kasper, they are really cool guys I like them a lot. They are English speaking and we are Spanish so that's kinda weird, it almost feels like that's separating us sometimes just because we try to pray and plan and everything in Spanish and they can hear us down the hall and they do everything in English. It's not anything bad just different. Yeah there are actually a lot of four man apts. here in this mission. Our ward we're in has 8 missionaries in it. There's us, another Spanish companionship, the Zone Leaders, and Sister missionaries. It's a lot of fun for sure.
Haha space camp sounds awesome. I remember I loved Space Camp! We didn't have cool training like you guys are doing though. I'm sure parent teacher conference will be good. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a few unhappy parents just because you can't please everyone, and it also doesn't help that people are crazy. Just relax, fix what you think would actually be constructive and just let the rest of the crazy people deal with it. That sounds kinda mean but you can't please everyone so don't try to that will stress you out too much.
I can't believe it's already been four months! It's almost Christmas time! I'm really looking forward to calling home that will be sweet. But I think you should still send me stuff. I'm trying to find stuff that I can send home but it's hard because we NEVER have time to just look for stuff and we don't have a whole lot of money. Even on P-day we're ridiculously busy all the time but I really want to send stuff home. I feel really bad that I didn't send Dad anything for his birthday but I'm looking for stuff so I'll send something home eventually. Hopefully I can send home some little Christmas presents for everyone.
Well, I love you all! I love being a missionary, I'm so excited that I get to be a part of the Lord's work! There's no place I'd rather be right now than here in the FJM. That's more valuable to me than any prize; preachin' love and peace with other well dressed guys. (Name that movie!)
My new ward is the Orange Park Second ward with Bishop Ross (I think that's how you spell it) what's your friend's name again? Yeah this ward is so awesome! Some of the coolest members I've ever met live here! Oh remind me to tell you about Small Frey next week. We are allowed to eat with the members, in fact it's encouraged, but there has to be an investigator we can teach at their house too. I have no idea how Thanksgiving is going to work or Christmas or anything like that. I don't know if it will be any different for us. I kept forgetting that Saturday was Halloween just because we don't do anything different than normal. Just work work work. I didn't even see any kids out trick or treating when we went tracting, it was kinda weird. Elder Perez and I live in an apt with the Zone Leaders Elder Terry and Elder Kasper, they are really cool guys I like them a lot. They are English speaking and we are Spanish so that's kinda weird, it almost feels like that's separating us sometimes just because we try to pray and plan and everything in Spanish and they can hear us down the hall and they do everything in English. It's not anything bad just different. Yeah there are actually a lot of four man apts. here in this mission. Our ward we're in has 8 missionaries in it. There's us, another Spanish companionship, the Zone Leaders, and Sister missionaries. It's a lot of fun for sure.
Haha space camp sounds awesome. I remember I loved Space Camp! We didn't have cool training like you guys are doing though. I'm sure parent teacher conference will be good. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a few unhappy parents just because you can't please everyone, and it also doesn't help that people are crazy. Just relax, fix what you think would actually be constructive and just let the rest of the crazy people deal with it. That sounds kinda mean but you can't please everyone so don't try to that will stress you out too much.
I can't believe it's already been four months! It's almost Christmas time! I'm really looking forward to calling home that will be sweet. But I think you should still send me stuff. I'm trying to find stuff that I can send home but it's hard because we NEVER have time to just look for stuff and we don't have a whole lot of money. Even on P-day we're ridiculously busy all the time but I really want to send stuff home. I feel really bad that I didn't send Dad anything for his birthday but I'm looking for stuff so I'll send something home eventually. Hopefully I can send home some little Christmas presents for everyone.
Well, I love you all! I love being a missionary, I'm so excited that I get to be a part of the Lord's work! There's no place I'd rather be right now than here in the FJM. That's more valuable to me than any prize; preachin' love and peace with other well dressed guys. (Name that movie!)
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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Elder Perez is from Idaho somewhere way up north. He's been out only one transfer longer than me so we both kinda are still learning. It makes things a little more stressful that way but I think it will be good in the end. I definitely miss elder Black and the people in Crescent City. We had some way sweet investigators there that we became really close too. I would feel a little bit better if there were other missionaries there teaching them but they closed Crescent City :( It's ok though I'm sure I'll see them again some day.
Ok so yeah it's not just me Elder Black thought for sure she had a crush on him too. I don't know if she just like was trying hide it and she ended up overcompensating which made us think she liked Black but yeah that's definitely what it seemed like. What can I say? The ladies just love me! yeah I was pretty mad at Elder Brown. I even called him back and told him I thought it would be a bad idea to do the trade off but I told him that he's the DL so it's up to him and I'll respect his decision whatever it was. It was ok though, we still got to go say bye to Rosa and the Noriegas so it wasn't too bad. He's a great DL though and I love him a lot.
Church was really good, this ward here is awesome! It's like completely opposite of Crescent City! Here the ward is pretty big, the Members are really involved with missionary work, and the bishop really seems to understand the things that President Newman is doing. It's a really really great ward! And yeah, that's my address.
Oh man tell Jill I said congrats! That's so awesome! Dang so when the baby is born I will have been out for a year! That's pretty sweet! You should tell them to name it after their favorite cousin and if it will work if it's a boy Aaron or a girl Erin :)
Well, Orange Park is definitely not Crescent City. The roads here have stoplights and are made of asphalt here it's crazy! And we go tracting at apts. instead of trailer parks here haha. I like it here a lot it feels more normal to me. The thing I don't like is that in Crescent City we were the only missionaries there so we talked to English and Spanish people. Here, we are not supposed to talk to English at all. We just ask them if they know if their neighbors speak Spanish. That would be find except it's really hard to find Hispanics. We can go tracting for like four or five hours and only talk to three people. It's very frustrating at times, but when we do find people it's sweet. And now tracting for me is just meeting a bunch of interesting people because most of the time I don't get to teach them so I just watch how they react when they see the missionaries and laugh, it's pretty entertaining. We just need to find the places where there a lot of Hispanics all together and we just haven't found it yet. We will, we just need to keep looking. Well I'm glad everything at home is going well. Have fun with school and PTC and stuff.
Love you!
Elder Johnson
Ok so yeah it's not just me Elder Black thought for sure she had a crush on him too. I don't know if she just like was trying hide it and she ended up overcompensating which made us think she liked Black but yeah that's definitely what it seemed like. What can I say? The ladies just love me! yeah I was pretty mad at Elder Brown. I even called him back and told him I thought it would be a bad idea to do the trade off but I told him that he's the DL so it's up to him and I'll respect his decision whatever it was. It was ok though, we still got to go say bye to Rosa and the Noriegas so it wasn't too bad. He's a great DL though and I love him a lot.
Church was really good, this ward here is awesome! It's like completely opposite of Crescent City! Here the ward is pretty big, the Members are really involved with missionary work, and the bishop really seems to understand the things that President Newman is doing. It's a really really great ward! And yeah, that's my address.
Oh man tell Jill I said congrats! That's so awesome! Dang so when the baby is born I will have been out for a year! That's pretty sweet! You should tell them to name it after their favorite cousin and if it will work if it's a boy Aaron or a girl Erin :)
Well, Orange Park is definitely not Crescent City. The roads here have stoplights and are made of asphalt here it's crazy! And we go tracting at apts. instead of trailer parks here haha. I like it here a lot it feels more normal to me. The thing I don't like is that in Crescent City we were the only missionaries there so we talked to English and Spanish people. Here, we are not supposed to talk to English at all. We just ask them if they know if their neighbors speak Spanish. That would be find except it's really hard to find Hispanics. We can go tracting for like four or five hours and only talk to three people. It's very frustrating at times, but when we do find people it's sweet. And now tracting for me is just meeting a bunch of interesting people because most of the time I don't get to teach them so I just watch how they react when they see the missionaries and laugh, it's pretty entertaining. We just need to find the places where there a lot of Hispanics all together and we just haven't found it yet. We will, we just need to keep looking. Well I'm glad everything at home is going well. Have fun with school and PTC and stuff.
Love you!
Elder Johnson
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Monday, October 19, 2009
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Elders Johnson, Perez, Jackson & Wily Elder Johnson with his new companion Elder Perez. Isn't Elder Johnson the most handsome missionary you have ever seen?
October 2009
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Sister Noriega told us about that! That's so funny! I'm glad you got to talk to her though, she's awesome!
Ok so Monday night the DL calls me and he's like, "Ok I want to do a trade off with you so me and Elder Black can try to get a few last minute baptisms in." I told him that I thought it would be best if me and Black went and saw these people, not Black and a stranger! Plus this was supposed to be the day when we had dinner with the Noriegas for the last time and try to get the Dad baptized. He told me we were doing the trade off anyway. So all of Tuesday I was so mad because I was up tracting into nobody cool up in Palatka while Elder Brown (the DL) was visiting all my investigators. So we switch back Wed. morning and Elder Black took me back to the Noriega's house because Hermana Noriega wanted to tell me something. She told me about how she talked to you on the phone and yes, she gave me a hug from you it was really funny. But then she told us something else important. She told us this story about a young man who fell in love with her when they were younger but the man never told her that. So he just kinda waited for her. I guess he even tried to wait out her and her husband's marriage for a while. So she says, "I don't want that to happen to my daughter so I have to tell you something. She wouldn't admit it because she knows you guys are missionaries and aren't allowed to, but she likes you Elder Johnson. She says that you think you are ugly but she doesn't think so and you are nice too Elder Black, but she likes Elder Johnson." I felt a little bad but me and Elder Black just started laughing! Hermana Noriega is very blunt and straightforward and we just thought it was hilarious! So I told her, "Well, I am a missionary so I'm not thinking about stuff like that for a very long time." trying to tell her, ya know, don't wait for me! But she's like, "Yeah but maybe when you come back with your family you can go with Venezha out to places or go on walks and just see what happens." Oh man it was really funny but really awkward! Especially when we went back later that night to say bye to the rest of the family (Hermana Noriega was the only one home). Oh it's funny.
Anyway I got transferred to Orange Park South area. It's a lot bigger than Crescent City that's for sure. My companion is Elder Perez. He's a lot different than Elder Black. He's very strict about staying focused and stuff. He won't let me talk about music or movies or anything and Elder Black was like, "Ok I missed this movie what happened in this one?" Haha so it's a little different but it's good. My new adress is
2020 Wells Rd #25G
Orange Park, Fl 32073
So, yeah you should send me stuff. I don't know what but stuff. Oh and you should send me a SD card so I can send you the one I have. I have a lot of pics on there and videos that I want to save on a computer or something. So yeah. Ok I have to go but I'll write more about my area next week. I had to tell you about theNoriegas.
Love,
Elder Johnson
Ok so Monday night the DL calls me and he's like, "Ok I want to do a trade off with you so me and Elder Black can try to get a few last minute baptisms in." I told him that I thought it would be best if me and Black went and saw these people, not Black and a stranger! Plus this was supposed to be the day when we had dinner with the Noriegas for the last time and try to get the Dad baptized. He told me we were doing the trade off anyway. So all of Tuesday I was so mad because I was up tracting into nobody cool up in Palatka while Elder Brown (the DL) was visiting all my investigators. So we switch back Wed. morning and Elder Black took me back to the Noriega's house because Hermana Noriega wanted to tell me something. She told me about how she talked to you on the phone and yes, she gave me a hug from you it was really funny. But then she told us something else important. She told us this story about a young man who fell in love with her when they were younger but the man never told her that. So he just kinda waited for her. I guess he even tried to wait out her and her husband's marriage for a while. So she says, "I don't want that to happen to my daughter so I have to tell you something. She wouldn't admit it because she knows you guys are missionaries and aren't allowed to, but she likes you Elder Johnson. She says that you think you are ugly but she doesn't think so and you are nice too Elder Black, but she likes Elder Johnson." I felt a little bad but me and Elder Black just started laughing! Hermana Noriega is very blunt and straightforward and we just thought it was hilarious! So I told her, "Well, I am a missionary so I'm not thinking about stuff like that for a very long time." trying to tell her, ya know, don't wait for me! But she's like, "Yeah but maybe when you come back with your family you can go with Venezha out to places or go on walks and just see what happens." Oh man it was really funny but really awkward! Especially when we went back later that night to say bye to the rest of the family (Hermana Noriega was the only one home). Oh it's funny.
Anyway I got transferred to Orange Park South area. It's a lot bigger than Crescent City that's for sure. My companion is Elder Perez. He's a lot different than Elder Black. He's very strict about staying focused and stuff. He won't let me talk about music or movies or anything and Elder Black was like, "Ok I missed this movie what happened in this one?" Haha so it's a little different but it's good. My new adress is
2020 Wells Rd #25G
Orange Park, Fl 32073
So, yeah you should send me stuff. I don't know what but stuff. Oh and you should send me a SD card so I can send you the one I have. I have a lot of pics on there and videos that I want to save on a computer or something. So yeah. Ok I have to go but I'll write more about my area next week. I had to tell you about theNoriegas.
Love,
Elder Johnson
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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Oh my don't worry about it. Grandma has told me that everyone is really busy right now with school and everything so I just figured that everyone was busy. Besides, Austin wrote me an email. It's really no big deal I promise.
We did get transfer calls on Saturday. Me and Elder Black are both leaving Crescent City, they call it a white wash when both the Elders in the area leave so Crescent City is getting white washed. I'm really excited to have the opportunity to serve somewhere else (hopefully that is a little bit bigger) and have a new companion and all that stuff. What I did not expect was how hard it was going to be. We went to church and told everyone that we were leaving and there were quite a few people who were really sad. Venezha Noriega was really sad (I think she has a crush on Elder Black which is really funny) and their parents were out of town so I don't know if they know yet but we're going to see them on Tuesday and I'm betting Hermana Noriega is going to be even more sad. We've gotten really close to that family over these two transfers. There's a lot of other investigators that we are going to miss a lot. We went over to Rosa's mom's house for a birthday party for her little baby brother and we played with Rosa's kids Jose and Brittany and Jenny and Antonio and those kids are really cool and they seem to like us a lot. I didn't think it was going to be this sad to get transfered. Rosa was telling us that she's going to wait for us so we can come back after our mission :)
Conference was so awesome! I loved all of the talks! Especially Holland's talk about the Book of Mormon. Holy cow it was so powerful! We watched it in the church by ourselves since everyone else just watched it on tv at home. I'm really gald that you feel better about your calling. I had a very similar experience to you I think. I was up in Palatka to do a tradeoff with the guys up there to someone who spoke Spanish and I got to go with our Zone Leader Elder Lamborne. He could tell I was pretty bugged the last couple of weeks and he really was able to help me. He told me that I was not happy here on my mission and baptisms and "success" would not make me any happier. He told me that I need to find a way to be happy for myself before I can get to work. He said I need to find that fire, that light in myself before I can let the light shine forth to others. So I've really been trying to do that. I am really trying to just have fun and learn stuff for myself right now and then I will be able to share the stuff that makes me happy with others and then I will have more success. I'm not slacking off or anything, I'm still working hard but I'm just not beating myself up and I'm having fun :) Ah man that's another thing that's hard about transfers. I have to leave my whole district! Lambo and Gaisford and Brown dang that stinks. It's ok though I'm still excited.
I'm trying to think of stuff that you could send. How about some pictures? I don't have any pictures of my family and people ask to see all the time. And maybe like a photo album. I have pictures but they're just sitting on my camera right now and I don't know what to do with them or what's the best way to send them home. Oh and I'm hoping I forgot to pack my black jacket that I was going to bring because I don't have it but I need it I guess it actually gets cold here. I don't know but it's always fun to get mail.
Well I'm gonna go but I'm glad to here things are going well. I'm really excited for transfers and going to all of our investigators and saying good bye. It will be hard but exciting at the same time.
We did get transfer calls on Saturday. Me and Elder Black are both leaving Crescent City, they call it a white wash when both the Elders in the area leave so Crescent City is getting white washed. I'm really excited to have the opportunity to serve somewhere else (hopefully that is a little bit bigger) and have a new companion and all that stuff. What I did not expect was how hard it was going to be. We went to church and told everyone that we were leaving and there were quite a few people who were really sad. Venezha Noriega was really sad (I think she has a crush on Elder Black which is really funny) and their parents were out of town so I don't know if they know yet but we're going to see them on Tuesday and I'm betting Hermana Noriega is going to be even more sad. We've gotten really close to that family over these two transfers. There's a lot of other investigators that we are going to miss a lot. We went over to Rosa's mom's house for a birthday party for her little baby brother and we played with Rosa's kids Jose and Brittany and Jenny and Antonio and those kids are really cool and they seem to like us a lot. I didn't think it was going to be this sad to get transfered. Rosa was telling us that she's going to wait for us so we can come back after our mission :)
Conference was so awesome! I loved all of the talks! Especially Holland's talk about the Book of Mormon. Holy cow it was so powerful! We watched it in the church by ourselves since everyone else just watched it on tv at home. I'm really gald that you feel better about your calling. I had a very similar experience to you I think. I was up in Palatka to do a tradeoff with the guys up there to someone who spoke Spanish and I got to go with our Zone Leader Elder Lamborne. He could tell I was pretty bugged the last couple of weeks and he really was able to help me. He told me that I was not happy here on my mission and baptisms and "success" would not make me any happier. He told me that I need to find a way to be happy for myself before I can get to work. He said I need to find that fire, that light in myself before I can let the light shine forth to others. So I've really been trying to do that. I am really trying to just have fun and learn stuff for myself right now and then I will be able to share the stuff that makes me happy with others and then I will have more success. I'm not slacking off or anything, I'm still working hard but I'm just not beating myself up and I'm having fun :) Ah man that's another thing that's hard about transfers. I have to leave my whole district! Lambo and Gaisford and Brown dang that stinks. It's ok though I'm still excited.
I'm trying to think of stuff that you could send. How about some pictures? I don't have any pictures of my family and people ask to see all the time. And maybe like a photo album. I have pictures but they're just sitting on my camera right now and I don't know what to do with them or what's the best way to send them home. Oh and I'm hoping I forgot to pack my black jacket that I was going to bring because I don't have it but I need it I guess it actually gets cold here. I don't know but it's always fun to get mail.
Well I'm gonna go but I'm glad to here things are going well. I'm really excited for transfers and going to all of our investigators and saying good bye. It will be hard but exciting at the same time.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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Oh my gosh homecoming at the Lake why didn't I ever think of that? That would be so much fun! I'm glad he had a good time, but I'm also super jealous that's he's going for backflips! What the heck? That's insane! How was his date? cute? nice? did he kiss her? Haha I need to know this stuff since I can't do it. I need to live vicariously through him (I think that's the right word).
So we had interviews with President Newman on Tuesday. That helped me out so much. I had come to the conclusion that I wasn't having much success because I needed to be more obedient to the mission rules. I told him that and he asked, "Are you a disobedient missionary Elder?" I said, "I don't think so." and he said, "but you must be right since you aren't having success, you must be being disobedient, you must be being selfish, right?" I told him that's basically what I had come to. He then told me not to worry about it. He told me that all the good missionaries go through a time like this where it seems like not a whole lot of success is coming. Yes, I'm going through a lot of mental and physical challenges right now but it's not because I'm being disobedient it's because this is the time where the Lord is pushing me and molding me into what he needs me to become for the rest of my mission. He also told me not to beat up on myself too much. He said, "Wherever it is you're going, you will get exactly where you need to be exactly when you need to get there. The only thing that will slow you down is if you try to walk on that road while beating yourself up. I will tell you if you I see anything you need to be beating yourself up about but other than that, don't worry about it." So I'm trying really hard to be easier on myself and just kinda roll with the punches and let God turn me into what he wants me to be for now.
Oh speaking of which. I translated for some of Sacrament meeting on Sunday! I just did the announcements up until after the sacrament prayers but it was good, I didn't say 100% of what was being said but I got the jist of it. It was pretty fun but really scary. My Spanish is coming along though. A few weeks ago I couldn't have even thought about trying to translate, so it's going good.
So that's what's been going on this week. I'm working on patience and longsuffering and it's going pretty good. I'm trying to just enjoy myself like you keep telling me to do, and I think that in a few more months I'll be able to enjoy every second of my mission so much more!
I love you all I miss you!
Elder Johnson
So we had interviews with President Newman on Tuesday. That helped me out so much. I had come to the conclusion that I wasn't having much success because I needed to be more obedient to the mission rules. I told him that and he asked, "Are you a disobedient missionary Elder?" I said, "I don't think so." and he said, "but you must be right since you aren't having success, you must be being disobedient, you must be being selfish, right?" I told him that's basically what I had come to. He then told me not to worry about it. He told me that all the good missionaries go through a time like this where it seems like not a whole lot of success is coming. Yes, I'm going through a lot of mental and physical challenges right now but it's not because I'm being disobedient it's because this is the time where the Lord is pushing me and molding me into what he needs me to become for the rest of my mission. He also told me not to beat up on myself too much. He said, "Wherever it is you're going, you will get exactly where you need to be exactly when you need to get there. The only thing that will slow you down is if you try to walk on that road while beating yourself up. I will tell you if you I see anything you need to be beating yourself up about but other than that, don't worry about it." So I'm trying really hard to be easier on myself and just kinda roll with the punches and let God turn me into what he wants me to be for now.
Oh speaking of which. I translated for some of Sacrament meeting on Sunday! I just did the announcements up until after the sacrament prayers but it was good, I didn't say 100% of what was being said but I got the jist of it. It was pretty fun but really scary. My Spanish is coming along though. A few weeks ago I couldn't have even thought about trying to translate, so it's going good.
So that's what's been going on this week. I'm working on patience and longsuffering and it's going pretty good. I'm trying to just enjoy myself like you keep telling me to do, and I think that in a few more months I'll be able to enjoy every second of my mission so much more!
I love you all I miss you!
Elder Johnson
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Saturday, September 26, 2009
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I heard from Grandma Gus that you all went to Lake Powell... again... without me... your oldest child. Just kidding, I'm glad you had fun I am super super jealous though. So is Elder Black, I still can't believe that he lives there I am so jealous that would be so much fun. I'm glad that Ryan and Jill and everyone was there too. Yes I remember Diane! She's so cool! I didn't know she lived out here that would be so cool if I found her in my area one day we could totally convert her ;) That's so funny, yeah there are A LOT of rednecks out here. It makes me laugh. We either get Mexicans, black people, or rednecks here in Crescent City.
That's great that Austin got a date to homecoming I knew he would. Dad told me to write an email to him because he had written me. I thought I did last week did he not get it? I just hit the reply button so he should have got it. I don't have his address because i just hit reply to everyone so if he didn't get it tell him to write me again. The German kids sound pretty cool. I love that about Lake Powell, you can make friends with just about everyone there. It also reminds me of me here trying to learn Spanish. All the kids speak English so they help me when they can but a lot of the parents speak very little English and I speak very little Spanish so it's hard. So I'm glad that you all could communicate and get along well. Fabien may look like me but I'll bet I'm way sexier.
I wasn't going to say this in this letter but, tracting is not really getting better for me. I'm actually having a really hard time right now. I feel like I'm never being led by the Spirit as to where to go or what to say because we never have any successful lessons, even with our investigators. They all are either not home, too busy, or just don't want to listen to us. So we say, "well we know that if you read out of the Book of Mormon every day you're life will be blessed." and that's all great and fine but it's not very convincing when that's all we have time to say to them. We know it's true but they don't, and we can't ever teach them about it because they never have time to talk about it so it just never gets done. Then we don't feel the Spirit, they don't feel it, and it just feels like a waste of a lot of time. This whole week has just been filled with days like that, one investigator or street tracted at a time. I'm trying to better recognize the Spirit so I can know where to go to find people who are prepared to hear and what to say to people when I find them better, and I've read that section in Preach my gospel about how to recognize and listen to promptings of the spirit probably 100 times and I still am not seeing anything different. I don't know what else to do. I have an interview with President Newman on Tuesday so I'm going to talk to him about it and hopefully he'll be able help me. I don't want to make you worried or anything with this, I'll figure it out eventually, but I write to tell you how I'm doing and right now I'm really struggling. So please pray for me.
That's great that Austin got a date to homecoming I knew he would. Dad told me to write an email to him because he had written me. I thought I did last week did he not get it? I just hit the reply button so he should have got it. I don't have his address because i just hit reply to everyone so if he didn't get it tell him to write me again. The German kids sound pretty cool. I love that about Lake Powell, you can make friends with just about everyone there. It also reminds me of me here trying to learn Spanish. All the kids speak English so they help me when they can but a lot of the parents speak very little English and I speak very little Spanish so it's hard. So I'm glad that you all could communicate and get along well. Fabien may look like me but I'll bet I'm way sexier.
I wasn't going to say this in this letter but, tracting is not really getting better for me. I'm actually having a really hard time right now. I feel like I'm never being led by the Spirit as to where to go or what to say because we never have any successful lessons, even with our investigators. They all are either not home, too busy, or just don't want to listen to us. So we say, "well we know that if you read out of the Book of Mormon every day you're life will be blessed." and that's all great and fine but it's not very convincing when that's all we have time to say to them. We know it's true but they don't, and we can't ever teach them about it because they never have time to talk about it so it just never gets done. Then we don't feel the Spirit, they don't feel it, and it just feels like a waste of a lot of time. This whole week has just been filled with days like that, one investigator or street tracted at a time. I'm trying to better recognize the Spirit so I can know where to go to find people who are prepared to hear and what to say to people when I find them better, and I've read that section in Preach my gospel about how to recognize and listen to promptings of the spirit probably 100 times and I still am not seeing anything different. I don't know what else to do. I have an interview with President Newman on Tuesday so I'm going to talk to him about it and hopefully he'll be able help me. I don't want to make you worried or anything with this, I'll figure it out eventually, but I write to tell you how I'm doing and right now I'm really struggling. So please pray for me.
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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Elder Johnson at Zone Conference! I did not know this was happening, because my letters have been very short. I found out from another blog that there where new pictures posted! Of course I did not waste any time, checked out the Florida Jacksonville Mission blog and found my awesome missionary son. He is so handsome! I am one proud mama!
Ok, so I know he was just in this picture by accident, but a mom (who never gets pictures) can not be to picky! Look for Elder Johnson in the very back of the crowd, and obviously busy figuring out where he is going to go do his speed tracting! Good luck Elder, we love you!
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Monday, September 14, 2009
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Ok I know this is short but I've had it with this computer. That's good that things are going at least a little bit better with the new ward and everything. You got that calling for a reason you are supposed to be there. It will be fine. I'm glad that Lauren is doing better too.
I'm doing better with tracting. It's definitely teaching me patience. I know that as we keep working hard we will find the people who are ready. And every day I become more and more confident and comfortable talking to new people. A lot of them don't listen but it doesn't bother me as much anymore because I know what I'm doing is right and it's up to them whether or not they want to accept it. I think that's what was bugging me before. I thought, " nobody is listening to me so maybe I'm doing something wrong." I'm not excusing myself and I'm working to get better every day, but I'm realizing that in the end it's up to them whether or not they want to accept this message. So things are looking up. We're good, we're having fun, it's awesome.
Love you all,
Elder Johnson
I'm doing better with tracting. It's definitely teaching me patience. I know that as we keep working hard we will find the people who are ready. And every day I become more and more confident and comfortable talking to new people. A lot of them don't listen but it doesn't bother me as much anymore because I know what I'm doing is right and it's up to them whether or not they want to accept it. I think that's what was bugging me before. I thought, " nobody is listening to me so maybe I'm doing something wrong." I'm not excusing myself and I'm working to get better every day, but I'm realizing that in the end it's up to them whether or not they want to accept this message. So things are looking up. We're good, we're having fun, it's awesome.
Love you all,
Elder Johnson
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Monday, September 7, 2009
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Oh my gosh guess what I saw at Wal-Mart! I saw an ad for The Beatles Rock Band!! Holy cow holy cow santa vaca! Anyway, I'm so excited about Lauren's baptism! I'm so sad that I can't be there but I was thinking about her. I can't get on facebook though to see pictures. I saw the ones on the email though that's awesome! That's weird that she has been scared of our house but I'm sure the Holy Ghost is now helping her with comfort.
I'll bet a lot of people are out of town for the weekend so I'm sure that the ward will get better. This branch that I'm in right now has nobody. Men have to bless the sacrament every week (one is English one in Spanish) and I think there are two young men who pass the sacrament and then maybe two more young men. Our branch is so small that they only built part of a building for us. It's kinda funny looking but it's still nice and it works. As far as a calling goes I'm confident that if the Lord needs you in with the young women he will put you in there but if he doesn't then he doesn't and everything will work out for what is best for you.
Ok what the heck is wrong with that girl? She doorbell ditched him to say maybe next time? That's stupid if you don't go with someone you don't tell them like that you just tell them face to face! Did she say why she won't go with him this time? Ugh girls are dumb and so is this stupid Utah-ask-them-to-the-dance crap. She shouldn't have done it like that. But it's ok there are plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sure Austin has a list of girls that he could take. It's just a process of elimination until he finds a good one.
That's funny that you asked about tracting this week. I'm actually having a really hard time with tracting this week. We walk around for hours and hours going to thousands of houses and we will actually get to talk to maybe five people and of those five maybe one of them takes our message seriously. The rest just aren't home, don't answer, or tell us to buzz off. "Sera bautizada en la iglesia de jesucristo?" "No, soy Catolico!" People are scared and religion is a very touchy subject and I shouldn't complain but it's hard. It's hard to walk around all day in the humidity and the sun and feel like you're getting nowhere. But that's part of being a missionary I guess. I am getting better at Spanish though. Elder Black even trusts me enough to talk to people by myself now. I finished reading the whole book of Mormon in Spanish on Saturday so I'm learning a lot very quickly. I may even translate in Sacrament next fast-Sunday we'll see that just seems too scary.
Miss you tons! I'm so glad things are going good with school and everything!
Te quiero mucho!
Love,
Elder Johnson
I'll bet a lot of people are out of town for the weekend so I'm sure that the ward will get better. This branch that I'm in right now has nobody. Men have to bless the sacrament every week (one is English one in Spanish) and I think there are two young men who pass the sacrament and then maybe two more young men. Our branch is so small that they only built part of a building for us. It's kinda funny looking but it's still nice and it works. As far as a calling goes I'm confident that if the Lord needs you in with the young women he will put you in there but if he doesn't then he doesn't and everything will work out for what is best for you.
Ok what the heck is wrong with that girl? She doorbell ditched him to say maybe next time? That's stupid if you don't go with someone you don't tell them like that you just tell them face to face! Did she say why she won't go with him this time? Ugh girls are dumb and so is this stupid Utah-ask-them-to-the-dance crap. She shouldn't have done it like that. But it's ok there are plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sure Austin has a list of girls that he could take. It's just a process of elimination until he finds a good one.
That's funny that you asked about tracting this week. I'm actually having a really hard time with tracting this week. We walk around for hours and hours going to thousands of houses and we will actually get to talk to maybe five people and of those five maybe one of them takes our message seriously. The rest just aren't home, don't answer, or tell us to buzz off. "Sera bautizada en la iglesia de jesucristo?" "No, soy Catolico!" People are scared and religion is a very touchy subject and I shouldn't complain but it's hard. It's hard to walk around all day in the humidity and the sun and feel like you're getting nowhere. But that's part of being a missionary I guess. I am getting better at Spanish though. Elder Black even trusts me enough to talk to people by myself now. I finished reading the whole book of Mormon in Spanish on Saturday so I'm learning a lot very quickly. I may even translate in Sacrament next fast-Sunday we'll see that just seems too scary.
Miss you tons! I'm so glad things are going good with school and everything!
Te quiero mucho!
Love,
Elder Johnson
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Monday, August 31, 2009
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Haha of course they all take everything you say seriously it's the first week of school and they're old enough to know how to suck up. Once they get more comfortable with you it won't be so easy to keep them focused I would imagine. Yeah I bet Austin is excited to go back to school and see everyone. Zac and Kevin emailed me last week and they had just moved back to Cedar City and everyone's coming back and I miss them all so I'm kinda jealous that Austin gets to go back. Oh my gosh tell Erica to tell Mrs. Cabellero that she is my sister and she will love her! I don't know what I did but that lady loved me! If she doesn't remember me just tell Erica to tell her that she has a brother who is on a Spanish Speaking mission and that should get her in pretty good too. I think Mrs. Cabellero used to be a Spanish teacher at the MTC so she'll love it. I'm so excited for Lauren that she is getting baptized on Saturday that is so cool! And that also makes me really happy that she wants to invite all her teachers.
Our branch members have been giving us a hard time for a little while about helping us, they complain when we ask them to give rides to investigators and we don't ever get any referrals from them, oh man and we told one guy about Latisha who we met on Tuesday and baptized on Sunday and he got mad at us because we did it too fast I guess. He said, "now Elders maybe I am the only one who is brave enough to ask this but do you care about retention? I know Elders only care about numbers but the members care about people's salvation." Oh I was so mad at him! I didn't say this (I should have) but I thought you know what, we are the ones who are supposed to find them, teach them, and baptize them, if they aren't coming anymore it's because your home teaching sucks and they don't feel welcome! We don't care about numbers, ugh I was so mad! So Elder Black and I gave talks yesterday in Sacrament meeting about every member a missionary and basically called them out on all flojos in the ward (sorry Spanish for lazy).
Hermano Noriega is being a little difficult. He's the nicest guy in the world and he loves it when we come and visit him at his house but he isn't coming to church with his family anymore, I'm not sure why but yeah it's kinda lame. We'll keep working with him and teaching him and hopefully he'll come around. Latisha is awesome we were at one of our investigators houses and she just happened to be over there and so we taught them both. She really loved the eternal families and wanted to get baptized. I'm not sure how she lost her son but about six years ago, her fiance died in a car crash but she still has her six year old daughter Ineesha. But she's doing great!Ugh my eyes are bugging me. I hate it I thought the humid place would help too but I guess not. I don't know maybe I'll have Sister Newman get me an appointment with an eye doctor here and see what we can do it's so stupid. Things are going great I love tracting and everything (probably because we have a car with ac) and my Spanish is coming slowly but surely. I even went to the Spanish Sunday school yesterday and learned with them. I didn't say much but I understood most of what was going on so that's good. I still feel like an idiot whenever we go tracting or contacting and we find Spanish people but I will get better, I've still only been out for almost one transfer so I will get better. Oh yeah transfer calls came in and Elder Black and I are both staying here for at least one more transfer. I was so happy everyone kept telling me that Black would probably be leaving and I was freaked out. If I had to be the one to show a new Elder where all our investigators lived and talk to all of them and all that stuff this area would have been screwed so I'm glad he's staying a little longer.
Our branch members have been giving us a hard time for a little while about helping us, they complain when we ask them to give rides to investigators and we don't ever get any referrals from them, oh man and we told one guy about Latisha who we met on Tuesday and baptized on Sunday and he got mad at us because we did it too fast I guess. He said, "now Elders maybe I am the only one who is brave enough to ask this but do you care about retention? I know Elders only care about numbers but the members care about people's salvation." Oh I was so mad at him! I didn't say this (I should have) but I thought you know what, we are the ones who are supposed to find them, teach them, and baptize them, if they aren't coming anymore it's because your home teaching sucks and they don't feel welcome! We don't care about numbers, ugh I was so mad! So Elder Black and I gave talks yesterday in Sacrament meeting about every member a missionary and basically called them out on all flojos in the ward (sorry Spanish for lazy).
Hermano Noriega is being a little difficult. He's the nicest guy in the world and he loves it when we come and visit him at his house but he isn't coming to church with his family anymore, I'm not sure why but yeah it's kinda lame. We'll keep working with him and teaching him and hopefully he'll come around. Latisha is awesome we were at one of our investigators houses and she just happened to be over there and so we taught them both. She really loved the eternal families and wanted to get baptized. I'm not sure how she lost her son but about six years ago, her fiance died in a car crash but she still has her six year old daughter Ineesha. But she's doing great!Ugh my eyes are bugging me. I hate it I thought the humid place would help too but I guess not. I don't know maybe I'll have Sister Newman get me an appointment with an eye doctor here and see what we can do it's so stupid. Things are going great I love tracting and everything (probably because we have a car with ac) and my Spanish is coming slowly but surely. I even went to the Spanish Sunday school yesterday and learned with them. I didn't say much but I understood most of what was going on so that's good. I still feel like an idiot whenever we go tracting or contacting and we find Spanish people but I will get better, I've still only been out for almost one transfer so I will get better. Oh yeah transfer calls came in and Elder Black and I are both staying here for at least one more transfer. I was so happy everyone kept telling me that Black would probably be leaving and I was freaked out. If I had to be the one to show a new Elder where all our investigators lived and talk to all of them and all that stuff this area would have been screwed so I'm glad he's staying a little longer.
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Monday, August 24, 2009
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Oh my gosh this Sunday was so sweet! We had four baptisms! I took some pictures that I will try to send really soon. Hermano Noriega decided not to get baptized yet which made us really sad but his wife and his two kids all got baptized so I know that their example will push him to do the right thing. They are such an amazing family and I'm so happy for them. I'm sure that Hermano Noriega will want to be baptized this week or maybe the next at the latest. But they had us all come over for dinner, (Elder Black, me, Elder Gaisford the district leader and Elder Smith) and they made rice and beans and tortillas and the best pico de gallo I've ever had! It was really really good, I love serving with Mexican people, especially when they feed us haha. They are all so awesome. The other person who was baptized was a black girl named Latisha. We found her on Tuesday when we were teaching an investigator and Latisha just happened to be over at her house. She said that the missionaries had taught her before but every time she moved they would lose track of her but then new missionaries would find her. She has lost her fiance and her son so we taught her about eternal families in the temple and how you can only go to the temple if you are baptized so she was all over that. We met her Tuesday and she got baptized Sunday!
Haha ok horchata is not spicy. It's like a cinnamon rice milk drink they have. The next time you go to Costa Vida they have an horchata machine by the fountain drinks so just get a soda cup and get horchata it's really good. And I'm sure that there are people from all over up here but I think most of them are Mexican. I know Hermana Noriega is from Mexico City for sure and a lot of our ward is from Mexico.
You'll have to tell me all about Lauren's baptism and take pictures! Tell her I said that I know she is making a very good choice and that Heavenly Father loves her and that I love her! Tell everyone good luck with school starting, especially you. It will be awesome, you are living out your dream! Have so much fun!
Love,
Elder Johnson
Haha ok horchata is not spicy. It's like a cinnamon rice milk drink they have. The next time you go to Costa Vida they have an horchata machine by the fountain drinks so just get a soda cup and get horchata it's really good. And I'm sure that there are people from all over up here but I think most of them are Mexican. I know Hermana Noriega is from Mexico City for sure and a lot of our ward is from Mexico.
You'll have to tell me all about Lauren's baptism and take pictures! Tell her I said that I know she is making a very good choice and that Heavenly Father loves her and that I love her! Tell everyone good luck with school starting, especially you. It will be awesome, you are living out your dream! Have so much fun!
Love,
Elder Johnson
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As far as the storm goes we have had some little rain storms that were pretty cool but nothing too big. I've heard from members that a hurricane might be coming but I don't know. Nothing too serious right now. I'll let you know if I hear anything else.
Things here are going really great! We saw the Noriegas again and they came to church again this week and they even bought us some horchata because I said that I liked it so she just gave it to us. They really are the nicest people ever. So we taught them and as of right now, all four of them are getting baptized this Sunday! Oh we are so excited for them! They all seem really excited too, especially Hermana Noriega. She tries so hard to do what's best for her kids and I think she understands that this is it. So I'll take pictures and tell you all about the baptism next week.
Everything else is going really well. We're doing a lot of tracting to find some new investigators and we're finding some really cool people. We're finding a lot of weird people too. Like one guy we talked to was a pastor at another church. He said he'd read the Book of Mormon but I don't think he did because all he talked about was Joseph Smith and his magic glasses. We tried to explain that he translated with the power of god with the Urim and Thumum but he just called them magic glasses and said that he doesn't believe in any "land of moron" prophets (he said that and I thought how old are you? You can't come up with something more original than "mispronouncing" Mormon to sound like moron?) But we smoked him and he ended up just running away from us because he knew we were right. It was sweet. I'm able to speak a little bit more Spanish now. I talk to people about the first vision and the Book of Mormon a lot and I still mess up with some of the past tense stuff but it's getting better.
Oh zone conference was awesome! President Newman is such a great guy. He's very powerful and intimidating but very warm at the same time. You can just tell he loves this work. And he pushes us, oh man he's crazy! We got 117 baptisms last month as a mission and he just keeps pushing it higher and higher. We have a goal of 1050 this year and I don't doubt at all that we'll be able to reach it. We learned a lot of good things about what he calls gathering through the grove (our door approach) and how when we talk about the first vision it's not to teach about Joseph Smith but it's to show people that God wanted everyone to know that He, His Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate people. He explained to us that he didn't need to come down and visit Joseph, Jesus could have done that by himself, but so many people kinda forgot about God or thought he and Jesus were the same that he came and showed himself to Joseph. It's really good to tell people, especially the Catholic Mexicans we talk to so much. We have another conference tomorrow for just the Spanish speaking missionaries tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to that. I just hope I don't make myself look like too much of an idiot if we do role plays or something. But things are going great and we're having a blast in little ol' Crescent City, Florida. I love you all and I miss you!
Love Elder Johnson
Things here are going really great! We saw the Noriegas again and they came to church again this week and they even bought us some horchata because I said that I liked it so she just gave it to us. They really are the nicest people ever. So we taught them and as of right now, all four of them are getting baptized this Sunday! Oh we are so excited for them! They all seem really excited too, especially Hermana Noriega. She tries so hard to do what's best for her kids and I think she understands that this is it. So I'll take pictures and tell you all about the baptism next week.
Everything else is going really well. We're doing a lot of tracting to find some new investigators and we're finding some really cool people. We're finding a lot of weird people too. Like one guy we talked to was a pastor at another church. He said he'd read the Book of Mormon but I don't think he did because all he talked about was Joseph Smith and his magic glasses. We tried to explain that he translated with the power of god with the Urim and Thumum but he just called them magic glasses and said that he doesn't believe in any "land of moron" prophets (he said that and I thought how old are you? You can't come up with something more original than "mispronouncing" Mormon to sound like moron?) But we smoked him and he ended up just running away from us because he knew we were right. It was sweet. I'm able to speak a little bit more Spanish now. I talk to people about the first vision and the Book of Mormon a lot and I still mess up with some of the past tense stuff but it's getting better.
Oh zone conference was awesome! President Newman is such a great guy. He's very powerful and intimidating but very warm at the same time. You can just tell he loves this work. And he pushes us, oh man he's crazy! We got 117 baptisms last month as a mission and he just keeps pushing it higher and higher. We have a goal of 1050 this year and I don't doubt at all that we'll be able to reach it. We learned a lot of good things about what he calls gathering through the grove (our door approach) and how when we talk about the first vision it's not to teach about Joseph Smith but it's to show people that God wanted everyone to know that He, His Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate people. He explained to us that he didn't need to come down and visit Joseph, Jesus could have done that by himself, but so many people kinda forgot about God or thought he and Jesus were the same that he came and showed himself to Joseph. It's really good to tell people, especially the Catholic Mexicans we talk to so much. We have another conference tomorrow for just the Spanish speaking missionaries tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to that. I just hope I don't make myself look like too much of an idiot if we do role plays or something. But things are going great and we're having a blast in little ol' Crescent City, Florida. I love you all and I miss you!
Love Elder Johnson
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Thursday, August 13, 2009
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Elder Johnson's first Zone Conference! August 13, 2009
With Elder Taylor and Elder Endemano
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New elders with their trainers:Back Row: Elders Black, Webb, Tate, Taelor and Huff
Front Row: Elders Johnson, Murdock, Schroeder, Leavitt and McFarland
Don't you think the white shirt, tie and name badge look great on Elder Johnson?
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Monday, August 10, 2009
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I'm doing really well. The Spanish is coming ok i guess. Not as well as I would like it to but it's coming. I'm not very patient with myself. I want to just come out here running and speaking just like all of the other missionaries who have been out here for a while and then when I try and I can't do it I get upset with myself. I know it will come with time but like I said, I'm not patient. Angela dropped us. We went over to her house one day and she just said look guys I'm not really interested so I don't want to rude but don't come back anymore. Oh well, her loss. But the Noriegas are awesome! Two weeks ago the Mom and the daughter Venitia both came to church. So we went to teach them again that week and asked them how it was. They liked it a lot. This time when we taught them too we went over later so we could catch the Dad so we taught the whole family! Mom, Dad, Venitia who's I think 18 and then Brian who is 15. So we taught them about the Plan of Salvation which they loved and I think it made a lot of sense to them. They have really strong family values so they really liked the idea of eternal families. Then this week the whole family came to church together. Ah they loved it! Even the dad who we were kinda worried whether or not he would like it loved it. So that was great. Not only that but it also got Bro. Reyes from the ward excited about missionary work and he asked us if he could come with us the next time we teach the Noriegas because he really wants them to be baptized as well. So yeah they are awesome! I'll bet we get them baptized this Sunday or the next. I'll keep you posted.
I sent some pictures I took in the MTC through the snail mail today but there aren't a lot of me. I don't take pictures of myself like a girl, sorry. P day is good here but yeah I don't have a lot of time to write people and I would print it off like you said but P day is the only day when we're supposed to write home so this is basically all I've got. We get to wear our normal clothes on P day I hope it doesn't change. Last week we went to the YMCA almost all day and we met some people who play volleyball there every Monday so I think we're going back to play with them. Other than that we do mail and shopping and then play sports basically anywhere we can find them.
Tell Lauren I said happy birthday! That's so cool that she is getting baptized! To missionaries that's like the coolest thing in the world! I wish that I could be there so bad! But I'm proud of her and I know that she is making the right choice.
Congrats on the whole teacher thing. You'll have to let me know how that goes. That's so exciting that you are living your dream! I can't imagine being a teacher so you and Stacey will have to tell me all about it. I can't wait to hear stories about the little kids. Ah memories of elementary school.
Well tell everyone I love them and that I miss them all. I hope everything is going great with all of them. Especially Austin with his job. I told him before I left that the money is awesome but pretty soon it feels like you're working all the time so you can't even use the money. Just tell him it will be worth it and to hang in there. But also take some time for himself, I know you want him to work as much as he can you said the same thing to me but trust me he doesn't want to work ALL the time tell him to ask for a few weekend nights off every once in a while so he can go play. It's great to have money but he needs to party too ok? Ok well I'll mail you again next week I guess. Peace
Love,
Elder Johnson
I sent some pictures I took in the MTC through the snail mail today but there aren't a lot of me. I don't take pictures of myself like a girl, sorry. P day is good here but yeah I don't have a lot of time to write people and I would print it off like you said but P day is the only day when we're supposed to write home so this is basically all I've got. We get to wear our normal clothes on P day I hope it doesn't change. Last week we went to the YMCA almost all day and we met some people who play volleyball there every Monday so I think we're going back to play with them. Other than that we do mail and shopping and then play sports basically anywhere we can find them.
Tell Lauren I said happy birthday! That's so cool that she is getting baptized! To missionaries that's like the coolest thing in the world! I wish that I could be there so bad! But I'm proud of her and I know that she is making the right choice.
Congrats on the whole teacher thing. You'll have to let me know how that goes. That's so exciting that you are living your dream! I can't imagine being a teacher so you and Stacey will have to tell me all about it. I can't wait to hear stories about the little kids. Ah memories of elementary school.
Well tell everyone I love them and that I miss them all. I hope everything is going great with all of them. Especially Austin with his job. I told him before I left that the money is awesome but pretty soon it feels like you're working all the time so you can't even use the money. Just tell him it will be worth it and to hang in there. But also take some time for himself, I know you want him to work as much as he can you said the same thing to me but trust me he doesn't want to work ALL the time tell him to ask for a few weekend nights off every once in a while so he can go play. It's great to have money but he needs to party too ok? Ok well I'll mail you again next week I guess. Peace
Love,
Elder Johnson
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Monday, August 3, 2009
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Hey everyone!
Yeah Spanish speaking! It's so crazy! I feel bad for my companion because he ends up doing most of the work because I still can't talk to people very well. Oh by the way yes my companion is Navajo so yes he is a werewolf you Twilight weirdos haha jk. But he's teaching me a lot of Spanish and I've got a couple of books but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have more. My mission pres told me that if I can read the whole libro de mormon in one transfer that I would have it so I'm working really hard to do that too. Elder Black is awesome and we get along great. He's been out here almost a year so yeah he's an awesome missionary. I don't know if that lady is going to get baptized that I talked to. Her name is Angela and she's white and speaks English. She seemed really interested when we talked to her and she said she would be baptized but we went back over there a few times and she's still smoking her gross cigarettes even though she said she would stop and just kinda blowing us off. I don't know we'll see what happens. We did have another baptism though this Sunday. A gringa named Donna. Elder Black found her before I got here but I helped teach her the second and third lessons in preach my Gospel and she got baptized! It was so cool! She's such a great lady. We also found this way cool family, the Noriegas who seem very interested in the church. They speak Spanish and English. Anyway they came to church on Sunday and stayed and watched Donna's baptism. We haven't talked to them about it yet to see what they thought but I'll keep you posted.
Ok one thing I want to put on this blog you made is kinda cool but very nerdy at the same time. The mission president made us part our hair the first day we got out here so yeah my hair is parted. So one day I was getting dressed, I had on my black pants, long sleeved white shirt, no tie so the top was unbuttoned, and I had my glasses on. I looked EXACTLY like Peter Parker in Spiderman 2 when he decides he doesn't want to be spiderman anymore and he's walking down the street and that song is playing, "Rain Drops Keep Fallin on my Head" so yeah watch that and you'll know exactly what I look like. Things are going great! I can't wait to keep learning Spanish and keep teaching the Mexicans here. They are way cool and very humble. Except for the Pentecostals. They are impossibly stubborn and they just fight with us. But other than that everyone is pretty cool. I love it here I'm having a great time and I hope you all are too!
Love,
Elder Johnson
P.S. Keep writing me even if i don't write back sometimes I just don't have enough time on Pdays to write everyone so the blog is a great idea. Thanks mom :)
Yeah Spanish speaking! It's so crazy! I feel bad for my companion because he ends up doing most of the work because I still can't talk to people very well. Oh by the way yes my companion is Navajo so yes he is a werewolf you Twilight weirdos haha jk. But he's teaching me a lot of Spanish and I've got a couple of books but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have more. My mission pres told me that if I can read the whole libro de mormon in one transfer that I would have it so I'm working really hard to do that too. Elder Black is awesome and we get along great. He's been out here almost a year so yeah he's an awesome missionary. I don't know if that lady is going to get baptized that I talked to. Her name is Angela and she's white and speaks English. She seemed really interested when we talked to her and she said she would be baptized but we went back over there a few times and she's still smoking her gross cigarettes even though she said she would stop and just kinda blowing us off. I don't know we'll see what happens. We did have another baptism though this Sunday. A gringa named Donna. Elder Black found her before I got here but I helped teach her the second and third lessons in preach my Gospel and she got baptized! It was so cool! She's such a great lady. We also found this way cool family, the Noriegas who seem very interested in the church. They speak Spanish and English. Anyway they came to church on Sunday and stayed and watched Donna's baptism. We haven't talked to them about it yet to see what they thought but I'll keep you posted.
Ok one thing I want to put on this blog you made is kinda cool but very nerdy at the same time. The mission president made us part our hair the first day we got out here so yeah my hair is parted. So one day I was getting dressed, I had on my black pants, long sleeved white shirt, no tie so the top was unbuttoned, and I had my glasses on. I looked EXACTLY like Peter Parker in Spiderman 2 when he decides he doesn't want to be spiderman anymore and he's walking down the street and that song is playing, "Rain Drops Keep Fallin on my Head" so yeah watch that and you'll know exactly what I look like. Things are going great! I can't wait to keep learning Spanish and keep teaching the Mexicans here. They are way cool and very humble. Except for the Pentecostals. They are impossibly stubborn and they just fight with us. But other than that everyone is pretty cool. I love it here I'm having a great time and I hope you all are too!
Love,
Elder Johnson
P.S. Keep writing me even if i don't write back sometimes I just don't have enough time on Pdays to write everyone so the blog is a great idea. Thanks mom :)
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Monday, July 27, 2009
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Hey family,
OK you got the picture from President Newman but you didn't get my letter yet? Maybe he just emailed that one and is sending the letters later. Ok guess what! I got here in Florida my first day and we went over to President's house and everything for dinner and a little bit of training and stuff. The training he has us doing here is way different than what we learned in the MTC. It's so bold and forward I was a little skeptical at first but it really works it's so cool! Actually yesterday I committed someone to be baptized on August 9th. We're going back to teach her this week but she said she would so this could be my first baptism already! Our Mission Pres is really inspired with this method he has. But anyway back to my first night here. We were training and stuff and the President took us back one by one for an interview. I was the last one to go and so I go back there and he started telling me about the work he was doing and how we are opening a new branch up here pretty soon that is Spanish speaking. He also told me that a lot of the guys get up here and are switched to Spanish. I told him that if he needs me to switch in a few months I would love to! He looked at me and said, "Actually I need you now Elder." So yeah I'm speaking Spanish now! Well, trying at least. It's tough but I'm really excited. I'm getting pretty good at the door approach in Spanish already but it's really hard just talking to people about regular stuff and a lot of the people in the ward are Mexican and only speak Spanish. So I know what dad was telling me about being totally lost for the first couple of months out here but it's coming and I'll get it eventually.
My companion is Elder Black. He has been out for almost a year. He's like me and was asked to switch over to speaking Spanish but he had a few months of English before. He's from Paige Arizona so I'm pretty sure he knows what Lake Powell looks like ;) He's great and he's teaching me a lot. Ok yeah I did try to call you on Wednesday but I had to call collect again and it said that your number didn't accept collect calls so sorry. But I talked to everyone at home. Everyone told me you went boating but nobody said anything about Lake Powell! I'm so jealous! The pictures are really cool though and that's awesome that you found where we carved our names. Stupid people really just need to mind their own business it's ridiculous.
I really love the missionary work out here! It's so much fun even the bad stuff. Like we've already had a guy where we walk up to his trailer (most people live in trailers here) and we heard people talking in there but as soon as we knocked on the door they all went really quiet. I just laughed and said pretty loud, gee I wish the people inside would open the door! But they just stayed quiet. It's pretty funny what people will do so they don't have to talk to us. One person said, "No tengo tiempo estoy comiendo!" So we said, "No tiene tiempo por Dios? Como es mas importante comida o Dios?" and he slammed the door in our face. But when we do talk to them it's awesome! The spirit is always so strong and they can feel it and they know it's true even though a lot of the Catholics and stubborn crazy Pentecostals will fight with us for a while. It's so much fun! And we have some really cool investigators already and a few baptismal dates set and we're expecting at least one more pretty soon.
Ok pictures... I printed some off in the MTC and I can mail those ones or I think I can load them onto this computer and email them but that might take a long time this computer is kinda slow. So maybe I should just do the two memory card thing but I only have one so I need another one. I think I put them in the white drawer under my desk in my room. As far as a bike goes I don't need one right now we have a car. I'm not sure if all of the Spanish missions here have a car but I'll let you know if I need a bike ever. So things are going great here. I love the area, the weather, just everything. I know I'm in Florida but sometimes I feel like I'm in South America or something because it looks kinda like a jungle and everyone is speaking Spanish. It's way sweet! But yeah I love it and I'm having a great time. Oh and if you need to send me stuff don't send it to the mission home because I won't see it for like 4-6 weeks send it to:
Elder Aaron Johnson
603 Magnolia Avenue
Crescent City, FL 32112
And pass the message onto Stacey and Nan and everyone else and tell them if they sent me something and I haven't replied I'm sorry I just don't have it yet. I love you all and thanks for the stories and the pictures!
Love,
Elder Johnson
OK you got the picture from President Newman but you didn't get my letter yet? Maybe he just emailed that one and is sending the letters later. Ok guess what! I got here in Florida my first day and we went over to President's house and everything for dinner and a little bit of training and stuff. The training he has us doing here is way different than what we learned in the MTC. It's so bold and forward I was a little skeptical at first but it really works it's so cool! Actually yesterday I committed someone to be baptized on August 9th. We're going back to teach her this week but she said she would so this could be my first baptism already! Our Mission Pres is really inspired with this method he has. But anyway back to my first night here. We were training and stuff and the President took us back one by one for an interview. I was the last one to go and so I go back there and he started telling me about the work he was doing and how we are opening a new branch up here pretty soon that is Spanish speaking. He also told me that a lot of the guys get up here and are switched to Spanish. I told him that if he needs me to switch in a few months I would love to! He looked at me and said, "Actually I need you now Elder." So yeah I'm speaking Spanish now! Well, trying at least. It's tough but I'm really excited. I'm getting pretty good at the door approach in Spanish already but it's really hard just talking to people about regular stuff and a lot of the people in the ward are Mexican and only speak Spanish. So I know what dad was telling me about being totally lost for the first couple of months out here but it's coming and I'll get it eventually.
My companion is Elder Black. He has been out for almost a year. He's like me and was asked to switch over to speaking Spanish but he had a few months of English before. He's from Paige Arizona so I'm pretty sure he knows what Lake Powell looks like ;) He's great and he's teaching me a lot. Ok yeah I did try to call you on Wednesday but I had to call collect again and it said that your number didn't accept collect calls so sorry. But I talked to everyone at home. Everyone told me you went boating but nobody said anything about Lake Powell! I'm so jealous! The pictures are really cool though and that's awesome that you found where we carved our names. Stupid people really just need to mind their own business it's ridiculous.
I really love the missionary work out here! It's so much fun even the bad stuff. Like we've already had a guy where we walk up to his trailer (most people live in trailers here) and we heard people talking in there but as soon as we knocked on the door they all went really quiet. I just laughed and said pretty loud, gee I wish the people inside would open the door! But they just stayed quiet. It's pretty funny what people will do so they don't have to talk to us. One person said, "No tengo tiempo estoy comiendo!" So we said, "No tiene tiempo por Dios? Como es mas importante comida o Dios?" and he slammed the door in our face. But when we do talk to them it's awesome! The spirit is always so strong and they can feel it and they know it's true even though a lot of the Catholics and stubborn crazy Pentecostals will fight with us for a while. It's so much fun! And we have some really cool investigators already and a few baptismal dates set and we're expecting at least one more pretty soon.
Ok pictures... I printed some off in the MTC and I can mail those ones or I think I can load them onto this computer and email them but that might take a long time this computer is kinda slow. So maybe I should just do the two memory card thing but I only have one so I need another one. I think I put them in the white drawer under my desk in my room. As far as a bike goes I don't need one right now we have a car. I'm not sure if all of the Spanish missions here have a car but I'll let you know if I need a bike ever. So things are going great here. I love the area, the weather, just everything. I know I'm in Florida but sometimes I feel like I'm in South America or something because it looks kinda like a jungle and everyone is speaking Spanish. It's way sweet! But yeah I love it and I'm having a great time. Oh and if you need to send me stuff don't send it to the mission home because I won't see it for like 4-6 weeks send it to:
Elder Aaron Johnson
603 Magnolia Avenue
Crescent City, FL 32112
And pass the message onto Stacey and Nan and everyone else and tell them if they sent me something and I haven't replied I'm sorry I just don't have it yet. I love you all and thanks for the stories and the pictures!
Love,
Elder Johnson
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