January 16, 2012

     I am glad that you liked your Christmas packages.  I didn’t eat for a month to buy all that crap but it was worth it, haha.  The maca or hammock is mine by the way.  That’s why I told you to save for me on skype.  Save it and I will buy you one if you send me the money.
     The plate is petty cool.   When I get home I will have to show you who is who.  It is very very symbolic and you can find Nephi, Lehi, Lamen , Lemuel and Samuel, the rod of iron, the 12 tribes of Israel, the tree and fruit.  It’s way cool.  Just evidence that it is all true.  Another cool fact is that the Mayans had 12 Gods supposedly…That’s kind of weird…12 apostles.  Who knows, I can’t wait to talk to God after this life and find out all this stuff. haha
     Well, I hope you liked the pictures.  Those are the only pictures I have of my whole mission.  If something were to happen to those I would want to shoot myself, they are so special to me.  I hope they are safe on a memory or something.  I think you sent like 3 or 4 memories no???? How many were there?
     Okay, well, I love you so so much and I pray all is well in the house and I can’t wait till next week to hear from you when you can write on a good computer.
Love
Elder Johnston

(SORRY ABOUT THE UPDATES WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING COMPUTER PROBLEMS)


January 9, 2012

     Well, I will start out with I sent Andy an email and he hasn’t written me back. Tell him to check it.  I received Terrin’s package and two letters from the Johnston’s  but I don’t know who they are from yet because  I haven’t even had time to look at them.  I am running as fast as I can now days.  This week was amazing!!!  Like when the prophet feels the spirit so much they almost faint and pass out or something.  I feel like I have been spiritually drained this week and I just want to pass out but  somehow the Lord is giving me the strength to move on.
     Well, my comps in his second week in the mission and we worked our butts off.  He is like dieing for real because I have been doing everything to the best of my ability, even walking as fast as I can because we don’t have enough time to do it all!!!!
     We baptized 4 people this week.  A family of three kids, Daisy, Juri, and Martin, and a woman named Ima.  It was an amazing experience.  The baptismal service was great but before hand the devil was working so hard….
     The day of the baptism we weren’t going to go by the families house but I had the impression to go…  I arrived and found two Jehovah Witnesses teaching our baptisms…WHATTTTTTT!!!! I about freaked out and pooped my pants…      
      I walked up, though, with the authority of God that he has given me and which I can’t even describe, and when my comp and I walked in you could feel the power.  I asked Daisy if we could sit down and the family sprinted for chairs…I sat my chair down right in front of the unwanted guests and my comp was freaking out.  I was so mad but I looked them straight in the eyes and they felt it… I said some words… to them… haha and they said I think we should leave,  I was like Thank You!!!  Your church is of the devil… ok I didn’t say that.  Afterwards the family thought I was mad at them but all I wanted was for them to be happy and they know I love them so much.  I took them inside and bore my testimony and I cried and my comp did; and the family did and they were like I’M GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!  Sick…..
     Now all this was Saturday and then we were too late for food so I said forget the food we have too much to do.  We went to another appointment that I had set up with a Seventh Day Adventist or Baptist Preacher or Pope or whatever they call them.  Pastor I think.  When we walked in he was like whatever, and said we will pray however we want and got all mad.  We didn’t even open one book we just started testifying!!!!!  My comp cried and I almost did….the room filled with silence and at the end he was like I will pray to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Even his wife could feel the spirit.  Sick!!!!!!  Now we were really pumped!
     We then set up for one of my converts to baptize someone (my comps first) the Branch President one (because he as well is a recent convert) and I would baptize one.  I had to teach them how to do it because I was the only one there who knew how.   Anyway, we had eight in white on Saturday and eight confirmed on Sunday
    Today is Monday - Pday We went to Cascadas Azul!!!  It was so sweet!!!! I don’t have time to go into detail on all that happened  (wow that feels like Nephi when he says I don’t write all the words of my father).  haha I’m not Nephi but I thought that was funny   hahaha  I just have no time and the mission is flying.
     I love you so much and I will send you some pics.
Love
Elder Johnston

January 2, 2012

     I have a new comp, named Elder Zepeda.  He is from Sinaloa Mexico and it’s his first week as a missionary, and I am training him!!!!  It’s way cool but kind of hard to teach him how to teach the people.  He is picking it up real fast though.
     We are going to have four people baptized this Saturday!!  My comps first baptisms!!!  It will be so cool!!!
     It is amazing what the spirit and gospel can do to someone’s life.   What I have learned is; I feel like LDS members keep what we have a secret and don’t say anything about the gospel.  Don’t be shy tell it like it is but remember the spirit is what converts.
     I love you all so much and I am so proud of all of you!!!
Love Elder Johnston

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

January 2, 2012

Friends and Family
On the 13th of this month Jake will have been on his Mexico Villahermosa Mission for 15 months. His first area was Coatzacoalcos in the state of Veracruz on the gulf coast where he served from December 2010 to May 2011. In May he was transferred to Acayucan, also in Veracruz, west and south of Coatzacoalcos about 60 miles. In September 2011 he was transferred to Palenque in the state of Chiapas which is southeast of Villahermosa approximately 90 miles. Palenque is the site of the most well known Mayan ruins in southern Mexico which dates back to 700 B.C. and it is very tropical with jungle type vegetation and an abundance of lakes and rivers in the area. He had hoped that he would have the opportunity to be in this part of the mission and is enjoying it very much. Jake was able to use Skype this year for his Christmas phone call which was excellent in every respect. The family saw and talked to Jake on Christmas day along with some soon to be missionary’s and some close friends. He is doing very well and is just as fun and enthusiastic as ever. He tells us he has not had a real shower since he arrived in Mexico and still must bathe in cold water poured out of a bucket. He only has one meal a day at noon and is now very accustom to rice, beans and tortillas along with chicken feet and cow stomach. “P” days now consist of playing soccer instead of basketball and he says he is much better than when he first arrived when all the natives laughed at him when he played. He has gotten to attend a real fiesta where he took his swings at an unbreakable piñata; learned what rain really is and how to repair a Mexican air conditioner. He has seen monkeys possessed by the devil; alligators; fruit he did not know existed; lots of dogs and poverty like he had never imagined. He has baptized new members every week and has done pretty much every job in the church in the branches and wards where he has been and was also Santa at the branch Christmas celebration. He has used a high degree of creativity in finding new ways to contact investigators and improve church attendance has been very successful and blessed for all of his efforts. He has shared both happy and tragic stories related to those he has gotten to know and has strengthened his testimony like he never thought possible. Jake says that his mission president, President Castaneda, is a remarkable man whose presence inspires all those in his attendance and one who teaches and speaks powerfully and with true inspiration. Letters and packages sent to Jake take an average of 5 weeks as they must all be sent to the Mission headquarters and then dispensed from there to the various areas. Jake misses the seasons as the temperature does not vary much where he is. He is working very hard every day and is determined to proclaim the Gospel to everyone he comes into contact with. He loves the work and thrives on the many challenges he faces on a daily basis. He would enjoy any letters that any may have time to send and asks for pictures in every email. To write to Jake refer to the address here on the blog. He wishes everyone a happy new year and sends his best regards to all.