July 16, 2012 - Clear Skies and Golazos!

Oh yeah my friends and family! Its been clear for 2 weeks now! So the weather is going crazy! It should be pouring rain right now, but hey I don’t got any complaints! So it was a great week-

  Tuesday we had to go help out in the office with the new missionaries that came in! So that was cool. I had to photocopy their passports. But they are all studs they were itching to get outside and speak some Spanish and share the gospel! So they got me stoked! They were all out of it because they had been traveling in an airplane for 1 day, but they were just energized! So I got to talk to them and share with them a little about Chile. Then after we walked to lunch and got the day started. We taught a bunch of lessons so it was cool! We also had sport night at the chapel, and some youth from the city showed up and we played against them. It got a little crazy because they started playing for keeps! And I was like oh no what am I gonna tell president if someone snaps a leg in half! But we started out the night with a prayer so nobody got to hurt! But that was cool, and then we shared a scripture with them.

 Wednesday we had District Class! It was cool. We had a good leaders meeting, half way through it the Assistants came and shared a couple of words with them. And I had to do a practice with one of them so it was cool I learned a lot. Then we went into the chapel and we did presentations. And then we went to the District Classes. I taught about the importance of putting baptismal dates in the first lesson. And everybody had good comments so it really helped out. And then I did a practice, and then everyone else did a practice so it was way cool! Half of my district is former District Leaders so that’s cool they help out a lot. Then we went to lunch with the Elders that work in the office. So that was cool. Then we spent most of the day doing contacts. And we taught a couple of lessons. We are still passing by the family that just got baptized to keep them progressing. Because there is a new new convert program in the mission because a lot of new converts go inactive right away. So its way cool!

 Thursday came around and we started it off well. We went and did a service for a member in our ward who had to move. So we helped him clean out the house he is moving into. The house he is moving into is a former drug addict’s house. So it was super nasty. I found an old syringe on the ground and the member said that one of the rooms was filled with beer bottles and cigarettes. So we had to haul and rake up a bunch of garbage in the backyard. It was like one of those houses on the packrat t.v. shows! So we finished that and then we went and dropped off my dirty clothes and then went to lunch! Then after lunch I took a shower and we got ready to leave. We had a good day. We taught a lesson to one of our new investigators and he had a question about something he read in 2 Nephi ch2. So it was a way complicated doctrine question and the member we were with Igor took care of it. He is a stud he is the member who served his mission in New Jersey! But now he is moving to Utah so we are gonna lose him! haha but it’s alright. But we had a couple other good lessons! So it was way cool!

 Friday was great also! My favorite weekly planning! We had a good session of weekly planning some good words were shared there! And then after we went to lunch and on the way the taxi driver honked his horn at a guy who had run a red light, and the guy that ran the red light stopped in the middle of the street and stared him down and yelled something. Then we turned and we were behind the guy and he stopped and got out of his truck and came over to the window and started yelling at the driver! And I was like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. So then the guy gets back in his truck and starts driving and we start driving and then he swerves over and I was like whoa dude! It was crazy but the story would of been 10 times cooler if we got in a fender bender but that was one of the crazy stories of the week. But then I did a mini exchange with Elder Luna. He’s a Chilean from Santiago and we were in Curico together about a year ago. So it was cool. We put a baptismal date with our Mexican friend Omar! So that was sweet! And we did a bunch of contacts and found a new kid to teach. But it was a long day for sure. But that’s always good when you get back to the house at night and you are just gasssed that means it was a good day.

  Then Saturday we did some studies and did some more contacts and tried to pass by some people but right as we came they were leaving so that was a bust. But we did some contacts in a super rich part of the sector and nobody was feeling like listening about the restored gospel that day. But lunch was good none the less! Then we walked back to the office and switched back companions. Then I bought some toilet paper because we had been out for about a week. So we got ready for the day. Then we left. We did a bunch of contacts an Saturday also, and we taught some good lessons that’s for sure! We stopped by the Verdugos house to see how they were doing and it was Sara’s birthday! And she didn’t tell us! So we ate some snacks and some little pizzas they made and shared a little bit with her daughters who aren’t members. One of them is older and has 2 kids and the other one is 17 and came to the church once with us but lives like 3 hours away. So that was cool! And Sara shared her testimony with them so it was way cool!

 Then Sunday came around and it was sweet! Our main man Omar came to church we went by and picked him up. And we got to church and our Bishop finally got back. He had been in Utah for 2 months because he had to go and baptize his grandson. So that was cool. Sunday was the missionaries turn to talk. So Elder Arancibia gave a killer talk about enduring to the end and Elder Fuller talked about the Restoration and it was way cool! And then between the 2 talks Sara gave her testimony! But she teared up and wasn’t able to talk. But the Spirit was so strong from what she was able to say! She is so awesome and her daughters! Then the classes were sweet, and we had some girls from our English class who showed up! So that was cool! And the Elders Quorum class was way cool because Igor teaches it and he is a great teacher. He always relates personal stories and stuff so it’s cool! I always look forward to that class. And then after we had a killer lunch! It was fried fish and mashed potatoes! Then we went home and we changed and went out to work! We found a new investigator named Álvaro, and he accepted a baptismal date! So it was way cool. And at the end of the night we were walking on top of this hill in Las Aguitas in our sector contacting, and it was super dark. And we walked up to a bend in the road and we had to walk around some mud and then this huge Michael Vick dog came out barking and almost tore apart Elder Arancibia so I almost busted out some Jackie Chan there! It was crazy we both had our back packs off ready to go at it! haha But then we did some more contacts and headed home. We ended the week doing  212 contacts that’s like the most I’ve done all my mission so it was cool. We were stoked, and the spirits were high, but the body was wasted so that was a good way to end the week. Then I went home and took numbers, and we played some checkers I think. And today for P Day we played some good ol fashioned futbol!!!!!!! I scored some GOLAZOS for you guys so don’t fret!

 
Well there it is, I hope you guys have a stellar week! Thanks for writing and all of the prayers! I love you guys tons!

  Elder Johnson

July 9, 2012 - The Good Life in the Mansion!

Ya well it’s that time of the month! Exchanges! And I’m staying here in good ol Universitario! So it’s gonna be sweet! Livin it up none the less. One more exchange in the mansion so no complaints! Yayyay! So that’s cool Elder Arancibia and I are staying together! So we are stoked, we know the sector well together and things are going good!

 We started out with a stellarific District Meeting on Tuesday. The Zone Leaders talked about what they learned in the Zone Leader council. It was sweet they talked about how we need to teach simply and by the spirit, and how we can’t ever have excuses! And then we did some practices, so it was way cool! That day we taught a bunch of lessons and did some good contacts.

  Then Wednesday came we did some good studies in the morning, and then we left to go out and work, and it started raining. We taught a less active guy, and then went back home to eat lunch, and then after we had to switch with the Zone Leaders because they had to interview the family that got baptized Sunday! So I went to Laguna Redonda with Elder Wade and we had a killer day. We taught a bunch of great lessons, I learned a bunch from him he is a great missionary. Then since it was 4th of July we celebrated it by eating a pizza from Walmart! It was delicious. Then in the morning we had some sweet studies, and we did a bunch of contacts and taught a couple of lessons. So it was all time. Then after lunch in the house again in Laguna Redonda we switched back comps. And we had a killer day Elder Rancibia and I. We taught a bunch of lessons. We found a guy who is super Evangelical but loved what we taught, and we taught the Restoration. so it was cool, and we stopped by the family we baptized to visit and teach them real quick. So Thursday was a sweet day.

  Then good ol Friday rolled around and we did some weekly planning. We made some sweet plans for this week. And we had a sweet talk. Then we went to lunch, and then we got driven over to the family that got baptized and we started a fast with them. And after we did that we went to the office to do another mini exchange with the assistants. I worked with Elder Weston. He’s great he’s from La Cañada! So it was cool to work with him. We taught the super Evangelical guy about the Restoration and he understood it a little more but didn’t accept a baptismal date. Then we stopped by the mission leader’s house to plan the baptism but he was sick so we gave him a blessing, and then Elder Weston had to do an interview for the Zone Leaders so we went and walked over there. But that was the first time that the Assistants had gone on a mini exchange with someone in this Zone. Because they usually only do mini exchanges with the Zone Leaders throughout the mission. So it was way cool. Then we switched back at night.

  Then Saturday came and we did some good studies in the morning, and then we went to the chapel to clean and fill the baptismal font. And like always something didn’t go right. The heaters for the water didn’t work so we had to fix that. Then we went to the Verdugo family to eat lunch with them and we ended the fast together it was way cool. We had a soup that she made from a chicken that she grew in her backyard! So it was way delicious. And then we had to go to the house and change and get ready for the baptism, and we got to the church. And the service ended up starting way late. But it went good! We took some great pictures, and all 3 got baptized! So it was way special. It truly was a miracle worked by the Lord to see that family arrive to that moment in their life.

  And then Sunday we confirmed them! And we did a family night for them! I made some chocolate chip cookies American style to share with them! So it was cool they were all stoked. We shared a message about the Holy Ghost, and played a game and ate sopaipillas and cookies and hot chocolate! And took a bunch of pictures! It was way cool!

   So it’s going great here. I’m loving it! We are looking to baptize a couple people in the next coming months so it’s gonna be epic! And The weather has been great it didn’t really rain at all this week and we are supposed to be in the dead of winter! So it’s cool. So have a great week and make it stellar! haha

les quiero,  

 Elder Johnson

July 2, 2012 - Muddy Trail Sunday!

  Man how about it, only one week left in this exchange. Goes by fast. We had a STELLAR week!  Full of contacts, rain, lessons, and muddy trails!

  So Tuesday we had a sweet District Class. I asked Elder Arancibia to share a little bit about how no effort goes unseen before the eyes of the Lord. It’s true every word and action does something for the eternal progression of them! So it was cool. And I talked about the importance of using the Book of Mormon in the teaching because if it’s true then everything else is that has to do with the church! Isn’t that awesome! Great book. Oh and we are reading it as a mission in 3 months, and we are gonna end it this week! I’m in Ether. So I’ve learned a lot from that lately! Then later on Tuesday we taught our family that is gonna get baptized this Saturday. And then after we went to the church to play some soccer for sports night. So it was great.

 Then Wednesday We did a lot of contacts and taught some good lessons. We found the dad to a family. He doesn’t work on Wednesday. They are super great, they live on top of this huge hill. But the only thing is that they aren’t married so we gotta work with that. I also did a mini exchange with Elder Glazier. So it was great. We taught some good lessons. We stopped by the Verdugo family, the family that is getting baptized this Saturday to watch a movie but they didn’t have a DVD so she had made a potato casserole thing so we ate dinner with them and talk to them a little bit about their baptisms. So they were way stoked to be baptized.

 Then Thursday in the morning Elder Glazier and I we did some contacts then took our lunch to the office to switch back with our comps, and it was Elder Millers birthday he is one of the assistants. And so they left to go to a restaurant. And then Elder Arancibia and I walked back home because we had another mini exchange because they had to interview the family for their baptisms. So we did a 3 way exchange. I went with Elder Lopez to Lorenzo Arenas. So we worked there all day and I interviewed Pablo for baptism. He was sweet he was way ready to be baptized. He had a huge testimony and a huge smile on his face the whole time! So it was cool. And before that Elder Lopez and I had found a couple people to teach who were new, they were great lessons, so that was cool. Then we got home and I had to take numbers, and then we went to bed. Elder Lopez had left the portable heater on all night so I woke up at like 3 in the morning and my mouth was super dry, hahaha it was pretty funny. Then we switched back early in the morning so that we could to weekly planning on Friday.

  Friday we did weekly planning and it went quite well. After we went to lunch and then came back and got ready for the day.

  We taught a bunch of lessons so that was great. At the end of the night we had English class. Girls came that aren’t members so that was cool. I taught them how to have a basic conversation, and after we gave them Restoration pamphlets, so it was way cool! And Olga also came! She is a great investigator. We showed her the baptismal font. While we were in it she said she was very thankful for having been let in there. And we talked about baptism, and shared some scriptures and a sister from the ward shared her testimony. The spirit was so strong! It made me have goosebumps. And then we said a prayer on our knees to end it. It was way powerful, the spirit was testifying to her that these things are true. She has been given many answers to her prayers but just has trouble taking them to be answers. So that was great.

  Then Saturday we set out on a long walk to Las Aguitas and our appointments fell through so we ended up doing contacts for a while. Then we went to lunch and then home. We taught some good lessons that day, and found some people. At night we watched The Restoration with the Verdugo family. They loved it! And they had their other sister there too. She usually is living in Canyete but came over for the weekend to visit. And we taught about baptism, and she accepted a baptismal date! So it was way cool!

 Then Sunday came around and we had to go to a meeting early. But we got there late because the office elders had to drop off the van at our apartment and the assistants had to take us in their truck to the chapel. And The Verdugo family all came all 4 of them! So it was way cool. We had a good fast and testimony meeting, you could definitely feel the spirit there.  And then after church we went up the hill to a sister’s house for lunch to get to her house you gotta walk behind a bunch of houses down a trail to get to it. So lunch was good. I ate a bunch of homemade blueberry pie! And then after we went down the backside of the mountain down a sketchy muddy trail, because it had been raining the whole week. Elder Arancibia almost slid down it in his suit it was pretty funny, and he put his hand on an electric fence! So that was cool. So we made it down alive it was quite the adventure.

 Then we spent Sunday doing some contacts and we found a college student from Mexico. So that was cool. And we taught a lesson to a part member family. And at the end of the night we taught Olga with a member. So that lesson was great. We are just trying to get Olga to notice the answers she receives, and to help her know that this is the only true church.

  But we had a stellar week! I’m really looking forward to this one! I have the feeling that we are gonna find a great family! And it’s the last week of the combio, and we are gonna have 3 baptisms! So we are way stoked! I love you guys tons and hope that you all have a great 4th of July, and that you eat all of the peanut butter squares for me! I love you guys tons, and thanks for the prayers!!

   les quiero muchisimo!

   Elder Johnson

June 25, 2012 - Big Mansion, and Pirate Cave Point Break!

Hey FAM BAM! What’s up! How is everyone doing! Congrats Uncle mark for getting engaged! That’s so cool!

  Well what can I say! We had a stellar week! We are really seeing a lot of blessings and progress here in the heart of Concepcion! No complaints!   It started out with a nice bag packing afternoon so that we could move into our new mansion! We moved into the apartment of the assistants. They moved out so we took their room. It has its own bathroom, and the shower is so hot it burns me! So that’s sweet, and it has carpet I haven’t seen carpet in like a year and a half! So I’m loving it! So we did that on Monday, and we taught a couple lessons. We taught Sara Jennifer and Franchesca, and that went well. Then we taught another family we are teaching and it was good. Then we went home and planned and I started preparing for District Class.

 Tuesday came around and we got a taxi to district class, and it was sweet. I shared D&C 4:5-7 and about how we need to keep an eye single to the glory of God when we teach. And we talked about how our testimony can do that so it was way cool. Everyone had good comments and we left stoked! Then we went to lunch, and then to work. We found an older lady and put a baptismal date with her. So that was cool, and we taught another lesson, and then at night it was sport night. We played some ping pong, and Jennifer and Franchesca came and they went to young womens. So that was cool. And then we went and taught a lesson to a member that lives close to the church.

  Wednesday we went out and contacted in the morning, and had lunch. Lunch was delicious and filling. And then we taught a bunch of lessons. So it was way cool! We taught a bunch of lessons with members. We talked to a less active mom about letting her kids being baptized but she said she would have to talk to her husband about it. And we taught Sara and her daughters about the importance of reading and praying. And we found a new person to teach. So it was a pretty good day. It had been raining off and on all week.

 Then Thursday came and it was the same, we had lunch with some Ecuadorians and it was delicious they gave us fish! And then after we went and taught Jacob and Jessica. They just got married Jessica is the lady from Washington that teaches English. But they didn’t really accept it. Jacob is less active and he doesn’t believe that baptism is necessary to enter the kingdom of God. So we taught another less active family later on and got them excited to go to church but they didn’t end up coming.

  Then good ol Friday came and we had weekly planning! It was great we started it out with a song like usual, and we planned out our week. We planned what lessons we needed to teach each of our investigators that are progressing, so it was way sweet. Then we went to lunch. We taught Sara and her daughters about the importance of baptism and what it really does, so that was cool. And we gave a blessing to Alvano because he was sick. We went with a member from our ward named Igor. He served his mission in New Jersey. He is a stud, he shared a scripture in James about giving blessings so it was way cool! I know for sure that Alvano felt the Spirit. Then we had to sprint to English class, because we had the keys and some people were waiting to get in. so we ran like a mile through the mud and we got there and we were sweating bullets. Elder Glazier gave the class. We learned how to sing I know that my Redeemer lives in English. Olga one of our investigators came and she loved it! Then we went home, and planned.

 Saturday came and we walked over to Olga’s house and we talked about how the Lord only wants to see your desires and that he doesn’t require that we have read every scripture and that we understand everything. So it was good! Then we had lunch and we ate a lot. She made some rice with like chicken and vegetables and she gave us 2 desserts so we were way full. Then we had to go to a meeting with our Mission Leader and that was good, he’s super animated to get things going in this ward. Then we taught Sara and her daughters again, we talked about the importance of keeping the commandments, and how we are blessed and truly happy when we do it! So it was great, and we got them excited to read more in their Book of Mormon and to go to church so it was way cool! Then we taught Marcos and his family. We watched the movie Together Forever. It was great! They loved it, and we talked about Eternal families and what baptism can do for them, and how it can make their lives better! And then we went home and planned for Sunday!

  Sunday was great! We got up and got ready for church, and we went and looked for some of our investigators, but they were asleep or not home like they said they would. So that was lame, and then we started to walk to church and we helped a guy push his car to his house. And then we had to run to the church because Sara and her daughters were gonna be there before us. So we ran another mile or so in our suits, and they had beat us there so we were sweating bullets again. Church was good. I met a guy named Garry Zebarth. Hes from Fountain Valley and had served his mission in Ireland. He’s teaching Linguistics in a local college so I talked to him for a bit and that was cool. He’s looking for an apartment nearby. And then we went to lunch and we ate a lot. It was good, then we had to walk to the house and change and then we started to work. We spent most of the day looking for people because we were behind a few. And at the end of the night we found a young family. They aren’t married yet, but had been to the church before! So it was a sweet little miracle. And then we went back down from Las Aguitas and went by Amrcos and his family but they weren’t home, so we went to the Ecuadorians house and said hi to them and saw how they were doing. And I ended the night calling in numbers. So it was a long week I was way tired at the end of it. But that’s always the best because that’s when you know that you had a good week, and that the Lord is happy. Now we just gotta keep up the good work. This sector hasn’t been like this for more than 6 months. The Lord has blessed us tremendously, it truly is a blessing to be able to be here. I just have so much joy inside it’s hard to keep it in some times! Sometimes I just break out in song! haha

 But we are looking to have 3 baptisms this Sunday. So Pray for Sara Jennifer and Franchesca that they are ready for Sunday when it comes around. I know they can do it. They have made a lot of changes since we first found them and they have truly been touched by the Spirit of the Lord.

  I love you all! Enjoy summer!  Thanks for the prayers and love!

Elder Johnson

   

June 18, 2012 - To Las Aguitas and Back!

Hey how about it! One week came and gone!

  Well here we are again in good ol´Concepcion Chile! It was a great week! Full of everything!

  Monday we bought some stuff in Centro and we taught Sara Jennifer and Franchesca a family that we are teaching so it was great!

  Then Tuesday we had District Class like usual! I had Elder Glazier give a little lesson on planning and it was sweet! It helped me out to become a better planner, because if you plan good you plan for success! Then I had a mini exchange with Elder Wade our Zone Leader. It was epic! We saw a bunch of miracles. We were walking down the street to go to an appointment, and we decided to ring a doorbell to an apartment complex, and the door opened and we walked in and two ladies walked down the stairs and started yelling at us that we couldn’t be in there, and while that was happening I shook the hand of a college kid that walked in, and he went to a door and was talking to a girl , and then as we were walking out after being yelled at he yelled and said hey come in here! So we walked in and there was 2 girls and him. So we taught them a lesson about the Plan God has for them, and the blessings that come by living the gospel. And we asked them about being baptized, and it turned out that that kid was an inactive member of like 6 years. So we used him to teach the lesson with us. It was sweet! Heavenly Father always leads us to his children if we are looking for them. So that was a way cool experience. Then later on we taught Sara and Jennifer and Franchesca about the Word of Wisdom. With Brother Labrin the 1st counselor. It was great they accepted to live it. And then we were walking around doing contacts and then we were on our way home, and Elder Wade rang a doorbell and a college kid came out and let us in. We started teaching him, and then all of a sudden a lady walked in. And we invited her to share with us, and she sat down and we put a baptismal date with her. She is from Paraguay. And she knew a little bit about the church, and was ready to hear the gospel. Her name is Olga! So it was a sweet day! We got a lot done.

 Then Wednesday we did some work in the morning, and we ate lunch and then we went to the office and switched back. And all of Tuesday it was raining off and on. Well the whole week it was raining off and on. Then we went home and got ready to work. We went and taught Daniela and Fernanda again. The 2 girls that we found the night we were walking to Olga’s house and right as we got close a member stepped out of a taxi, and we invited her to come help us teach and she came! It was so cool! It was great! And we did a bunch of contacts also.

  Then Thursday came around, and we did our studies in the morning, and Elder Aranibia and I had a good talk about desires, and being diligent. And we taught a bunch of lessons on Thursday! We were both super animated to work, and talk to everyone so it was cool. And with Sara Jennifer and Franchesca we shared with them the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet. Because her daughters are 13 years old. So it got them really excited, and that is something that Sara wants for her daughters, good morals and values! So it was way cool, and we committed them to reading it.

  Then Friday we did weekly planning, and that was great. Now we have a bunch of people to teach so we were able to plan what we are gonna be teaching them in the upcoming weeks. So we did that all morning, then we had lunch with Sister Salazar! (not the one who lives down the street! hahahaah) Lunch was good and we went with her to teach a less active family but they were busy, so we said a prayer and left. Then the rest of the day we did contacts, and we weren’t able to teach anybody so that kind of stunk, but at the end of the night we had our meeting with the Mission Leader so that was cool. And then we went to English class, and we got there a little late because the meeting took a while, and we walked in and we didn’t see anybody there for it, so we went to the bathroom and we came out and the 2nd counselor said Olga was there! So she came to English class. I taught them how to say a prayer in English so it was pretty cool. And we shared a little bit about the Book of Mormon with Olga because she had some questions so that was cool! And then we went home and planned for the next day.

  Saturday came around and we went early to Olga’s house at like 11 with a member to share with her. She had forgotten so she had to go change because she was in her pajamas. So we shared about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless her life and bring more life into it. It was way cool, and she was able to meet a member. Then we spent the rest of the morning doing contacts, then we went to lunch and lunch was good! We had chicken and mashed potatoes! My favorite! Then the rest of the day we taught a bunch of lessons. We stopped by this one house of a kid that came to one of our sport nights, and we knocked on the door and the grandma came out, and she said they weren’t home, so we left and went and knocked on a door in front of the apartment, and the dad came out and yelled hey come over when you are done over there! So we walked over, and we started teaching them. They are real nice, the dad said he wanted help to stop drinking and smoking. So we taught them about the Restoration and Atonement. And we put baptismal dates with them! But they had a lot of questions, and we had to be super direct with them. I think the dad had been drinking that morning also. But we were way stoked to finally be able to find that family! It’s much more easier to teach a family then a bunch of single investigators, and it’s what God wants. Eternal Families! So it was way sweet. Then we taught Sara at night and shared about the Atonement and The plan of Salvation. It was great! She has had some pretty hard challenges in her life and with her daughters. People that live in their part don’t treat them very nicely. But she was feeling better after a hymn, and that lesson. She is so great she and her daughters are so special. We found them one day when we were walking up a hill to contact, and Sara was working in her garden and we offered to help her, at first she wasn’t very receptive but we convince her to let us in and say a prayer. And she wasn’t really feeling it at first but we kept coming back and they felt the Spirit as we shared the Restored Gospel, and now they want to go to church and be baptized! So it’s so cool how Heavenly Father works!

  Then Sunday I had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. I talked about Capitan Moroni and the title of Liberty, and the baptismal covenant. And how we make covenants to have a better life, and receive blessings! And as I was sitting there singing with Sara I looked out of the corner of my eye and Olga had come and sat down next to me! So it was a way sweet Sunday!  Sara’s daughters went to the campo with their dad for the weekend so they couldn’t make it to church. But it was way cool. And Elder Glazier gave a great Gospel principles class about the Restoration. So all in all it was an epic week!

  And now we are here on Monday with our P Day taken away because our house failed the clean test. I can only assume that everyone is laughing right now! But hey I tried my best to do my part. Our oven had like Ghost Buster Goo on it and I annihilated it with some steel wool. And the bathroom had mold and fungus and I destroyed it with a brush and everything. But in the end everyone’s gotta give their part in keeping their rooms cleaned. So I hope they have learned their lesson. And we also got news that we are going to be moving in with the office Elders and the Assistants today! So no more cold showers! So we’ll see how it works out. Wish us luck!

  So I hope everyone has a stoke-tastic week this week! I’m gonna do my best to have one to! Thanks for the prayers and love,

           les quiero,

                           Elder Johnson

June 11, 2012 - Sopaipillas, and Electric Shower!

Epic week none the less! Started out with a sweet District Class. The Zone Leaders had their Zone Leader Conference last weekend so they gave the class. They talked about diligence in finding people so that we could be able to baptize more people. It was way cool! We read a talk about Mediocrity also. It talks about how you gotta give it your all so at the end of the mission when you get off the plane there should be an ambulance waiting for you! It’s just like a sprinter in a swim race. If you get out of the pool and you aint breathing hard and you can’t walk, you didn’t give it your all in that race. So it was a way cool class. We had some good practices and left feeling great. We went home and ate lunch with a member, and then went out to work.

  Wednesday we had a great day. It was sunny this whole week. And being sunny didn’t mean that it was hot. In the mornings it was freezing cold. (Good thing we bought electric blankets.) But our house has an electric shower, and it has made me a more humble person. The way it works is you gotta turn the water on, and if there is a lot of water it’ll be colder and if there is less water it’ll be warmer, so if you put less water it’s just trickling practically. So now I’m a world record shower taker. You just gotta get in and out. It’s so freezing! But I’m becoming more of a fan of the cold because of it so it’s good. We taught Sara Jennifer and Franchesca they are the family we have been teaching. So it is sweet. We had a great lesson about the restoration. One of the daughters thought she was gonna be baptized on Sunday! But we explained how you gotta go to church first 3 times. Then after we went to the Ecuadorians house and we taught them about being a light to the world by being good examples. It was great, and they gave us rice with scrambled eggs! It was great!

  Then Thursday we had weekly planning early. So we did that and we went to lunch but it didn’t fall through because it was gonna be at 3 and that is late for us. So we went to Doggys. It’s the Chilean McDonalds. They sell completos French fries and ice cream. So it was good. The rest of the day was spent doing contacts, and we taught the less active family non-member family we teach. It was cool. We watched the story of John Rowe Moyle. The handcart pioneer that got his leg cut off but continued walking the 40 miles to the temple to finish the granite work. It’s one of my favorite stories!

  Then Friday we had a mini conference in our chapel. President Humphrey talked about this new program they have made to keep the new converts active in the church. It is sweet. Because here in Chile lots of people get baptized but very few stay active for that long. So this program is going to be great. Then we watched a talk that Elder Holland gave in the MTC where he talked about how we need to make the mission a platform for our lives, and how we need to become more dedicated to studying preach My Gospel and stuff like that. It’s super inspiring! Then the assistants talked about how we need to always find people to teach, and why it’s important to find, and we did some practices about teaching a quick 5 minute lesson. Then later at night we taught Sara Jennifer and Franchesca again. We taught them with a new convert Ximena. It was great we talked about the Book of Mormon and the importance of reading it. So it was great and Ximena shared a great testimony. Then we walked to English Class. Franchesca and Ximena came. And I taught some English, and then we had to walk Franchesca back home so we ended getting home a little late but it was a great day.

  Then Saturday came! We left in the morning and started contacting. We went to contact this reference, and this guy opened the door and said no, and slammed it right away so that was lame. But I guess that guy doesn’t live there he is like the neighbor or something. Then we did some more contacts, and we found Geraldo! He is an older guy who is retired and has a lot of faith in Jesus Christ. He has a basic concept of the gospel, and the desire to share. So that was cool. Then we went to lunch and after lunch we went right to work. We went to stop by a less actives house, but she wasn’t home so then we went and started doing contacts. And we taught a college student named Oscar. He was cool. He had some great questions to ask us. He studies karate also he told us and there he learns a little bit about some Japanese religion.

  Then we found Mauricio a couple of houses down. He was a little busy so we couldn’t share that much. But he’s a dad with 2 little kids and his wife. So we shared for a minute and gave him pamphlet and left. Then we went and found a less active that we had previously contacted during the week. His name is Manuel. He lived in Germany for 30 years. He is way cool. He had a cool story. Of what he did when he was younger and how he got to know the church and some cool members he met in Germany. So we talked to him for like 30 minutes on his door step. So we are gonna try getting him to church more often. So we are excited. And then we taught another less active couple who is going through some hard times. They are like 21 years old and have twins that are 1 and a half years old. The wife goes to school, and the dad works. So we shared with them, to get that fire burning inside of them again. They are real great and have a lot of potential in church. But they didn’t end up coming. But we are just getting started with them so it’s way cool!

  Then we went later to Sara and Jennifer and read some scriptures with them about baptism, so that was cool. Then we went home for the night.

  Then came Sunday morning! We woke up early showered and made the long walk to Las Aguitas to have breakfast with Sara, Jennifer and Franchesca. We brought bread and cheese and cookies to share for breakfast, but they woke up earlier and made sopaipillas! They were so good! They were warm, and I put some dulce de membrillo on them. Dulce de membrillo is like a jelly that comes from a fruit that is super sour, but they just add sugar and it tastes delicious! And I also put some cheese on a couple of them so it was good! And we talked a little bit about church and they were way excited! Then we walked down the hill together and took a colectivo to church. Our collectivo got there before them, but we didn’t know that so we went running up the hill to find them but they weren’t in the church so we went running back down the hill and there they were walking up. I felt bad because Sara broke her ankle a couple of months ago so she walks with a crutch, and they had to walk pretty far. But hey they’ll get more blessings for that!

  So church was great, Sacrament meeting was cool. One talk was about the importance of mothers and daughters! Which was perfect for Sara, Jennifer and Franchesca. Then the 2 daughters went to young womens and loved it! And Sara loved Gospel principles class, and Relief Society. After we walked down the hill with them so it was way cool. And the less active family with non-member kids came and her mother in law! So it was way cool! And another less active lady we have been teaching! So we were way stoked, we were way blessed Sunday with all of those people in church!

  And then we went to lunch after, then had to walk home, and we walked back to where we ate lunch, and we did some contacts, and found a family. But we weren’t able to teach very good, so we left them with a pamphlet. But we'll go back again and see how they are doing. And we did some contacts, and we taught Alvano. We hadn’t seen him nor his wife for like a week. but he is doing good we talked about the Book of Mormon and what it can help him achieve and become, and also how it can bless his family! So we are just waiting for them to get married!

  Then we did some more contacts and contacted a reference.

   So all in all it was an epic week! We just gotta keep the animo flowing and the diligence up and well see some miracles! I’m loving it here!

    I hope you all have a great week! Thanks for everything!

   les quiero,

                 Elder Johnson

June 4, 2012 - Holes in the Rain Pants, but a week of progress!

Hey how about it! Here we are again! Time flies! We had a great week this week!

 Monday was a great day. We found a couple of sweet investigators at the end of the night! So that was a great start to the week!

Wednesday morning was District Class. It was great. We all introduced ourselves, so that was cool. Then I gave the Class. It was great! We talked about the importance of teaching the investigator and not the lesson. And the importance of asking questions to figure out what really is the problem they are having. So it was cool. Everybody gave comments and we did some great practices! And it was a nice day out. On Wednesday we were contacting and we found a sweet older lady. Her name is Silvia and she has trouble seeing. She was great we talked about the Restoration for a bit and about the Atonement, and baptism.  She was way cool, we could really feel the spirit with her. We also taught Alvano and Nilvia with Igor one of the members in our ward. It was a great lesson. We talked to Alvano the whole time because his girlfriend was in the other room with their little baby. But it was a great lesson. We talked about baptism and the importance of it in this life. And Alvano accepted a baptismal date. And the member that came with us is a returned missionary that served in New Jersey. He is sweet. He talked about the importance of the Law of Chastity and the blessings they can could receive by being married and keeping that commandment. It was great! Alvano liked it, and it made him think a lot.  So that was great.

   Thursday was also really cool! We were walking down the street in the morning and we always pass by this apartment complex. But this time the gate was opened so we James Bonded it into the complex, and we were like...hey where should we go contact. And we walked to this building and we touched the doorbell, and a lady walked  out and we started talking and she invited us in. And we started talking, and she said that we came at just the right time. Because she lives with her boyfriend. They have been together for 7 years, they are an older couple. But she said that the son of her boyfriend started living with them, and he is a drug addict and him being there started to mess up things in the house, but finally the son left. And she was telling us that she thinks like it was her fault. But we testified of the Atonement, the Restoration and the Plan Heavenly father has made for families. And then invited her to be baptized like Jesus Christ. And she accepted. The Spirit was real strong there, I could feel it testifying to her that these things are true. The only problem that we would have with her is getting her married. Because you can’t be living together without being married. That seems to be one of the bigger problems here in Chile....no one is married. But we find all of these great people, and that’s the only thing that impedes them from entering the waters of baptism.

But Friday was crazy. We had weekly planning, and then it started raining. So I put on my new rain pants I bought last Monday. And we walked from appointment to appointment the whole day. We taught 3 lessons, and walked the whole time in rain, it rained for 6 hours straight! But my pants kept me dry, but at the end of the night when I took them off I looked at them and to my surprise there was a giant hole in the butt! So I guess from just walking or something they got destroyed. So that was pretty funny, walking around with a whole in my butt the whole day! But we had a sweet lesson with Alvano and Nilvia! We read The Family A Proclamation to the World and we talked about Eternal Families and the plan Heavenly father ha for them. And they really like the sound of Eternal Families and Alvano really wants to be baptized, but they said that it isn’t something that is to urgent for them. So we have some work to do with them still. But they loved church when they went and everything. So pray for them!

   Saturday was a great day. We taught a couple of lessons. One was with a family that is part less active and part not married, but the parents are sweet members. So we shared a lesson with them about the Atonement, and it was good, the parents gave a lot of great complements. We teach the daughter of the parents who is less active. The parents live in another sector, in the other mission actually. And the daughter’s husband is not a member. But it was great. We just need to get the daughter going more to church. I know that if she starts going more her husband will see that and want to go. So we’ll see how it turns out.

   Sunday was great. We had Alvano Nilvia and Lucas all committed to come and at the end of it when we called them they said they had to go to a birthday party. So that was lame. But church was great. And we had a good day. We found some people and set some sweet lessons up. We ended the night at a Family Night with a new convert. It was cool there was a couple of families from the ward there. We ate some crepes with Manjar. Amnjar is like thick caramel! It’s so good. I’ll have to send some home one day!

  But that was our week! Pretty sweet we are excited for this one to see what’s in store!

I love you guys a bunch, thanks for all of the prayers and love!

Have a great week!

    les quiero,

                     Elder Johnson