Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Prez Rules


August 13. 2012

Dear Dad
haha yah I know who is there.. actually us as missionaries here have a site on the internet where we can see what missionaries are serving where and which are in my house having lunch with you. One skinny white kid with glasses I think right? and one big Tongan guy haha looks kinda funny. I didn’t know that Jenifer Whitaker went on a mission to Mexico either. That really shocked me when I saw her there on the site.
Well I’m good dad. We had a sick baptism service  this week. I think it’s the best one for me so far and I was so nervous haha I haven’t felt so nervous since my first day in high school... I’ll tell you why later. It was great but she didn’t go to church Sunday and didn’t get confirmed so we will see I guess.
Well I love you tons dad and I hope everything is alright there. The yard looks amazing!!! I’m not kidding but I did see a patch of grass that seems to be kinda dead down by the garden ... might want to check that out haha.. just kidding. I love you and I’m so happy your happy.
love
Elder Johnston
Well mom..
This week has been pretty crazy.. we had lots of stuff that happened. Early this week a hurricane hit us pretty hard!! It was crazy... it was the hurricane Ernest or Ernesto in Spanish. It was pretty cool just strong winds and some flooding but everyone is fine and now its hot again. It was cool. I baptized a girl this week named Mari and she didn’t get confirmed cuz she didn’t come to church!! ugh so mad sometimes. Its okay.. her baptismal service was great though and I was really nervous for it.
We had some hard times in the zone this week but we are still doing good. The Lords work always goes on pressing forward.
Well it was really funny what happened the other day because we went to a capasitation of bishops with the stake president and he asked us to say some words and we gave them lots of great tips and stuff but the bishops here are so stubborn sometimes. They think they know everything even when most of them are recent converts or maybe they went on a mission. But long story short they all shut us down on all our ideas and I was sooo mad.... but like 5 days latter pres. Castaneda came to our stake and we had a junta with him and the stake presidency and he told them all the stuff that we said and they couldn’t say anything because I have the best pres in the world. After that they all shut up haha I was so so happy you have no idea... I know its probably not a Christ like attribute to say I told you so but I love it that we can keep moving forward. We told the stake pres and the bishops how things should be and Elder Price is the assistant and was there also. We conducted the whole thing.. it was great.. I can so see he and I running some big company someday haha.
Well everything is good here and I got the picture of the yard. It looks great!! I’m way impressed... still seems like we need more green or trees or something.. maybe I’m just used to the jungle down here haha but it looks magnificent mom honestly. I will go for now.
love you tons
Elder Johnston

The Work Of Prayer


August 6, 2012

Dear Mom & Dad, (But mostly Mom) jk
Well this week was really good. We had a baptism this Saturday and the water was sooo yellow we took one of those things from the toilet bowl that makes the water blue and had to throw it in the water to make it a little bluer... I think that’s the bluest I have ever seen baptism water in my life... hahaha it was really good tho.. the Lord is blessing us so so much and to tell you the truth idk how I’m going to keep up my personal progress when I get home.. everyone says.. Elder how are you going to not drink coca cola when you get home if your whole family is addicted to Coke hahaha its way funny. Well this week my tooth fell out again like Avas did and it falls out about every month so I figure I will have to go back to the dentist here like 2 times at least. Not fun!!
In other news today we played football and I’m not as good as I once was... but... I’m as good once as I ever was if you know what I mean? haha
I can’t believe there is a Texas Road House in Reno!!!! UGHHH I am going to be wasting so much money now. That’s great that terrin got her promotion at work. I’m sure she did way better on the IQ test than I would ever do haha.
Well I’m way happy you watched that movie in my memory haha. Every time someone asks me what my favorite movie is I tell them el regalo supremo... its Spanish for the ultimate gift haha.
Well I love you so much mom. We are having lots of success. This week we are having a bautizona which is where every missionary in your zone baptizes. It has only happened one other time in the whole mission!! Can you believe that? And we are making a plan with the stake that we can have 42 baptisms as a stake the month of September!! That will break the record not only for the zone but for the whole mission!!! Working hard pays off and the souls that have come to the Lord are keeping the work going and that is what makes me happy.
I love you so so much and I know that you are anxious for me to come home... yo tambien. idk what I’ll do but I can’t wait. Speaking of that I should tell you that today I got my official travel plans... and the flight plans.. long story short it is amazing that the time is drawing to a close so soon.
I will be coming home Monday the 15th of October and I think I will get to the airport at 6 in the afternoon!! crazy!!! If there is anything that you want me to buy here for you guys tell me because I don’t think I’ll be buying much stuff ... honestly there isn’t allot to buy here haha
Well I love you tons.. tell the girls to hold their horses I’m still a servant of God and can’t be tempted haha.
I love you tons
love
Elder Johnston

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Fire Up...Push On


July 30, 2012

Dear Dad
Thanks dad I’m doing really good. My comp and I are doing great.. He is a stud and a good friend that I got to know early in the mission. He played American football back home and is from Torrion Quawila Mexico and a big guy... we have so much energy between the two of us and in the first week we set six baptismal dates!!! It is finally picking up again. Prayer works and the time is flying by. I love you tons stay safe
Elder Johnston

Dear Mom
geez mom don’t work too much!!! That’s like praying for a blessing and then slapping the Lord in the face and hurting yourself again!! Anything you over do is bad for you. Too much of anything can hurt you. Be a little more careful. Well yah they called me the other day and said I’m going home the 18th but who knows.. and as well I would love to eat at Texas road house but.... when I left there was no Texas road house in Fallon or Reno so idk what... idk. Just make the plans and at some point I have to get released as a  missionary.... UGHHHH WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS. I’m still a missionary haha I have a long long time left before I go home haha.
Well I love you so so much and can’t wait to get home.
My comp and I are doing great. He played football before the mission and was a full back.. he is a big kid from Northern Mexico.  We have so much energy together and we gave a sick class the other day with all the Elders and we were running across the room yelling at people it was like a game day for football or basketball and all the Elders got excited and we set goals and in our first week we set 6 fetchas or baptismal dates!!! Its so cool and we are really working hard.
I love you so so much and I pray for you everyday. Stay safe
Love Elder Johnston

New Comp


July 9, 2012

Dear Mom,
Well today I got a little freaked out and happy at the same time to come home because they sent me a form I have to fill out to come home now haha. Its crazy!! I will be coming home Thursday the 18th of October I think so that day will be pretty amazing for all of us I am sure. I love you so much you have no idea.
Well this week I will be getting Elder Fonseca as a companion. He went to a school of the church called the Benamerito and speaks really good English. Actually he is the nephew of my mission president but he is way cool. He played American football and is really a big kid. I will send you some pics to see when he gets here. Well a few more months and I will be home.. that’s way crazy.
This week I have passed through some trials but I’m getting through it all now. I’m fine and I’m allot more happy and relaxed. I know the Lord has control of everything so I’m not worried.
Well great news is that one of my converts that was baptized in November in Palenque is going on a mission... for 5 months I was trying to talk him into going and now he finally is going and I am so happy for him. I love you so so much and the Lord is so loving as well.
You need to start making lots of plans because I’m coming home before long... I don’t care what I do as long as I’m home haha. As long as I’m with my family who loves me and takes care of me...
Well not much more to say... the weeks just keep passing on.
One more thing I guess my best buddy Elder Price basically my comp in the MTC is assistant now... and he is going to hook us up with seats next to each other going home and a great dinner to finish off the mission.... He will be a great assistant. I’m really happy I will be able to talk with my bud for reports now haha.
Well I’ll talk to you later love you mom so much. Keep up the good work I’m so proud of you and talk about how I have the best mom in the whole wide world and how we used to play basketball with the paper towels in the old kitchen and you would always beat me haha.
love you tons
Elder Johnston

Old Glory


July 9, 2012

I hope all is well and I hope Jason is doing good. I know he is my boy. Well I am shocked that you email off your phone. I find that amazing mom haha. I’m sure you have changed allot like we all have. I know the Lord is helping us grow our talents everyday and help us be better people. He loves us so much and I can’t wait for the day to thank my Lord and Savior in person for the love He shows me. Well my comp this week had his last interview thank goodness... he is going home in 2 more weeks if he can make it. He is really struggling here and I feel bad for him and its kinda getting me dismantled as well but I wont let him. I’m always behind him punching him along but I’m excited that I will be getting a change soon. The president said in his last interview that I would not be finishing here where I am thank goodness because honestly it’s a hard area. We have had a hard time finding people to baptize and I’m struggling for some last breaths.. it doesn’t mean I’m not working hard but my area is very small and its very of the world. The people don’t want anything to do with God in their lives and its hard to not have people with desires.
I’m working hard though and this last week we had the zone leader consejo. It was great and very spiritual. I love being able to go and hang out with Elder Price and Elder Williams my best buds in the mission here. It’s like a two day vacation in heaven like I leave earth for 2 days and come back really fast. I was in charge of giving the last prayer and the spirit was very strong. I did get your package by the way and my comp thanks you for the book. He says you are really amazing getting the book to him that fast. It was funny. The  4th of July I was in the consejo and I woke up in the morning and realized there were 22 of the best missionaries in one room and at 6 AM in the morning I put on the American flag like a cap and went around waking everyone up! They all said the pledge of allegiance to the flag it was way funny and great!!
Well I love you so much mom. I am doing my best. Not for you or anyone else but so all glory goes to my Father who is in heaven. I love him so much and He has blessed me beyond measure. I love you and thank you for everything you do for me. The Church is True !!!
love
Elder Johnston

Viva America

July 2, 2012

Dear Familia

haha  That's all so great.. I love hearing that everyone is good and happy and honestly this is and always has been my favorite time of the year... I just remembered this week that the silver state rodeo and the 4th of July with ice cream and brownies is going on and I about freaked out. It's so amazing the life that the Lord has given us.. the way to learn; the ability to desarrodiar talentos and stuff its just so amazing. I love life so much and I just wish it went forever... oh wait i guess it does. Anyway this week was kinda good. Its really hard here in my area because the president always sticks the zone leaders in the hardest areas. We haven't baptised very much lately and its the part of my mission I have worked the hardest but I do know that the zone is receiving blessings for the work of my comp and I. We already have 24 baptismal dates in our zone and that's amazing because usually in the whole zone we only baptise like 14 and that's way good so this month I think we are going to break a record of baptisms for the zone so I'm way pump and excited to work...
I love you so so much mom.. I will be going to Villa tomorrow for the consejo with our president so i will get my package I think and celebrate the fourth with all my best buddy zone leaders. Remember Elder Price in the MTC... well he is a zone leader as well and my buddy from Palenque Elder Williams and the assistant Elder Liston we are the best friends of the mission and basically run the whole dang mission. Its great we always call and match our ties for the zone counsels and are always sharing our revelation with each other.. Its great and helps us have lots of success. I cant believe that me and Elder Price have come this far and we are in the same place now... now we only need to be comps...
Well tell Billy he better be practicing up. haha I love that kid. Okay I love you so much mom, don't worry I will be living with you for a long long time.. I'll be like the movie failure to launch mom and you'll just want me out of the house haha. I love you so much. Happy fourth of July
Elder Johnston
muchisimo amorrrrrr