June 24, 2013

Holaaaaa, Bueno, Things are going alright here, we´ve been really busy. Like it was said in the conference last night, the missionary work is really starting to pick up. The members are all so willing to help, and we always are being so blessed for the things we are doing, and even things we aren´t doing. It´s crazy to see how the Lord blesses us when we do what he asks us to do. As long as we are obedient, we are allowing him to apply His will. I really feel like some times I´m not having any success, but I´m doing everything I know I have to do and then all the sudden out of nowhere a random blessing just falls from the sky! We´re teaching this girl, her name is Jahaira and she is from Peru, she is very shy and very timid. We invited her to church last week, but she didn´t want to go. We figured it was because she wasn´t going to know anyone and would feel super uncomfortable. So we thought and prayed about what member her age could go with us to make her feel more comfortable and help her go to church. We took a girl named Luz, to be her friend, all through the lesson it was just pure awkwardness, neither of them talked and we felt like we were going nowhere and making no progress. Then we told them that they should look for each other on facebook and be friends on there. (We had the revelation to do missionary work through facebook before the Apostles announced it ;) ) When we left the lesson my companion and I just kept thinking to ourselves... "Oh no, that was terrible, we´re never going to be able to get her to church." We were really worried, but the next day, Saturday, we went by and the firs thing Jahaira said to us was, "Luz invited me to go to church with her, she said that I could sit with her in all the classes and that she could take me home afterward too." We were surprised, and very happy. The fact that she talked to us and said more than 10 words was a miracle in its self! In the end, Luz didn´t make it to church for some other problems, but Jahaira still went, and the members all treated her so well, she said afterwards when we asked her what her favorite part was, "The whole thing!" Then after that we were worried about how were going to get her home, then a member came up to us and said Elders, are you taking her home? I can go with you guys, so next week I can pick her up for church! It was so great. We have transfers next week, on tuesday, so don´t froget I wont write on monday. We´re hoping she will be able to be baptized on sunday, but that depends on her actions and the Lord. I know this is the only true church on the face of the earth, and that this is the most important work we can do. The best way to prepare is read the scriptures and pray every day, and go to church every sunday. I promise that as we do that, we will grow faster than we even knew was possible. I love you lots, thank you for all your prayers! Love, Elder Johnson

June 3, 2013

Family, Well things are continuing to go incredibly well. The Lord is blessing us a ton! My companion and I have had so much work this week, every night we have gotten home just completely exhausted, in reality its such a great feeling. This week alone we found 7 new investigators. The members here are so willing to help and invite their friends in any moment. We have a baptism set for this weekend. His name is Meliton, his wife and kids got baptized a little over a year ago, and he still had some doubts. His wife has made him read the Book of Mormon basically every day since she got baptized and has taken him to church plenty of times. He finally decided that this was what he needed to do with his ilfe and told us that he knew these things were true and that he waws ready to get baptized. He´s going to be an incredible leader in the chucrh. Then on sunday, we were walking to an investigators house to invite her to go to church again, and when we went there her mom answered the door. It surprised us, because the mom had told us that she works on sundays and was´t giong to be able to go to church. She told us that she got really sick and that she wasn´t going to be able to go. Our meetings start at 9 but we start with the classes and sacrament meeting is last. It starts at 11. So we said a prayer with her, and afterwards invited her again. She said that if she was feeling better by 11 she would go with us. So we went back to the church to be with the other investigators, and whenw e walked in a member came up to us and said that there was a lady named Victoria outside parking her car that was coming to church for the first time. So we went out and talked to her. She told us her boyfriend is living in the united states and that he´s Mormon. She said they were talking and that he told her about marriage in the temple and everything and invited her to go to church and she had been reading on LDS.org all week and came and told us she just wanted to learn a little more before she made any decision. The members treated her really well and the testimony meeting was great! Then after the bishop talked to her, and he taught her about the Holy Ghost and she started crying and said she´s never felt so great before. Afterwards there was a baptism from the other ward and she stayed for the baptism. We invited her to be baptized, and she said with a big smile on her face that she would. So we will also be having another baptism on the 26th. So goign back a littlebit. We went back to the house of alejandra a little before 11. We called and called and called and she didn´t answer. So once again, we decided to ask our Father in Heaven for help. We said another pray, and on the next call, "Hello? Are you outside? Okay, I´m all ready, ill be right there!" It was super awesome!ª Everything is going so well. It´s awesome to see that the Lord really blesses us so much whenw e are entirely dilligent and completely obedient. I´m so grateful for all the people that the Lord is allowing us to meet. I know that they are going to progress so fast in the gospel! It all comes down to reading and praying every day. That is the way the investigators gain testimonies, and the way that we will strengthen ours too. We just need to be obedient to the teachings of Christ. If were not obedient, we´re not going to be happy. I love you all, I hope that you will all push yourselves to do what you know is right in every moment. The Lord blesses us even more for doing the things we know we should when no one is watching. Have a great week!