A Note From Mom...

To Iver's Family and Friends:

Iver is down to two weeks until he is supposed to leave the MTC. As of now, he still does not have his visa. Please pray for him, that the visa will come, and he will be able to get to Mexico to be with those he was called to serve.

Thanks! Michelle

Now the good stuff...

On July 27, 2010 Elder Johnson Wrote...

Hello Family and People I Love!

...Our district has the opportunity to be "hosts" tomorrow, and to greet the noobs and take them to their classes and such. That will be fun.

The temple is open again! Woo hoo! We are going there in about an hour.

I found some swell scriptures this week: Philippians 4:13 and 3 Nephi 12:11-12. I enjoyed them immensely.

We had a cool thing happen yesterday as we were aimlessly wandering about contacting and bearing our testimonies to other missionaries. We met a guy from Nebraska and he was going to Wisconsin speaking Mong, and he had only been here for about six days. My companion, Elder Sonntag, had begun his testimony about families (we usually have a theme, and it differs). When he finished, the Spanish words I wanted to say would not form in my mouth, so I asked him in English about his family, who are all active members of the church except his brother who is sixteen and pointed in the wrong direction. The Spirit kept telling me, as he was speaking (almost audibly), "Do not speak Spanish. Bear testimony." So I did, I told him why I was doing it in English, and bore testimony to him of his example for his brother, and that he needed to tell his brother he loved him every P-day. When we finished, the elder sprang up with wet eyes and gave Elder Sonntag and I a huge hug. Elder Sonntag told me later that as the Elder was talking about his family he was prompted to tell me to speak in English, and thinking, "he better not do this in Spanish." Cool contact. I hope he follows through.

I was told a story about a soldier this week who in battle was near a grenade. He was able to get away, mostly, except for the very bottom part of one of his legs which was instantly turned into hamburger. The medics had no morphine and only a dull baonnette to amputate his leg in the middle of his femur. Imagine that pain, on the battlefield, in the mud, no morphine, a bunch of soldiers holding you down while a few others cut off your leg with a dull baonnette. All this agony caused him to bleed out of one, one little pore on his forehead.

I love you!

Elder Iver Johnson

Mom: The veggies look awesome! I'm so jealous! The veggies here are cooked to death and are all totally mushy...I love you!!

Dreamin'...

On July 20, 2010 Elder Johnson Wrote:

You know you have been at the MTC for a long time when your dreams end in "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." That, my friends, is weird.

Hello Family, Friends, and Those I Love!!

Well only three weeks left in the clin-I mean the MTC. Three weeks left for my companions! No visa for me quite yet. I might be here a while yet.

All here is...the same. Still waking up every morning with a smile (my companions are NOT morning people, and don't smile till around 10:00 or so), and going to class. Still learning and teaching. Still doing my best in the call center. Same old.

We had a cool experience this week. Last Thursday, Elder Sonntag and Co. auditioned for the devotional musical number, and were chosen (we all knew they would be) to perform the next devotional, now two days ago on Sunday. It was cool to see his mug up on the screen singing like a pro. He's gotten, so far, around 226 comments since then on how it was "the best performance in eight weeks" and such. It was cool to be the proud companion on the sidelines, occasionally frantically signing to him to stop playing with the bottom of his jacket. Good ol' Elder Sonntag.

I had a request to write my testimony in Spanish in my next email, which I am willing to attempt to oblige:

Yo se que vive nuestro Redentor y Salvador. Yo se que no podemos sentir solo en este mundo porque Jesucristo sufrio y murrio por nosotros. Yo se que Dios envio su hijo, Jesucristo, para que nosotros tuvieramos una manera a venir a nuestro Dios y padre. Yo se que Jose Smith fue e es un profeta de Dios. You se que porque El es el mismo ayer, hoy, y para siempre tenemos un profeta en el mundo hoy. Su nombre es Thomas S Monson, y las palabras de El son las palabras de Dios. Yo se que El habla con Dios cada dia. Dios nos ama, mucho mucho mucho! Dios dio familias para que nosotros pudieramos aprender, ensenar, amar, y tener gozo y feliz. !Yo se que mediante la Expiacion de nuestro Salvador podemos regresar a Dios para siempre con nuestras familias! !Que gran es esa bendicion! Escribo estas cosas en el nombre de nuestro Senor, el hojo de Dois, Jesucristo, Amen.

I received a package from the ward last week! It was wonderful and full of missionary-minded goodies! I am so thankful for it and for all the prayers and works that go on behind the scene to get me to where I am going! I thank our Father in Heaven everyday for the support I enjoy! I know that there are hundreds of people, some who aren't yet alive or who have already received their promotion praying for me! I love them and so look forward to seeing them someday!

I love you! I miss you!

Elder Iver Johnson

Thanks mom for the pants and the package!!! They fit and we loved the little baggies!!!

On July 13, 2010 Elder Johnson Wrote to His Mom:

.....I just got back from a devotional where I learned about love and hard work. It was great, but not what I really learned about. I was told by the spirit that, yes, it's two years. Yes, it's a long time; but my family and those I care about will be taken care of. It made me happy and made me feel better about that.

The spirit is such a great tool.

When I am teaching, and if I'm prepared, I won't lack words to use or say. If I have prepared and practiced and petitioned for the spirit, and I come to a word in Spanish I don't remember, the spirit shows me the way around it, or different words to use instead.

...I put one of our family pictures out so I can see it everyday!

I love you, mom!

Love:

Elder Iver Johnson

Pictures From the MTC!

I apologize for the quality of these photos. Iver was not able to send them electronically. Only three weeks left in the Mission Training Center, then off to Mexico City on August 10th!!

Howdy!

On July 13, 2010, Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello Family!

First order of business: my district has been eliminated. My companions and I were moved to another district, new teachers, and a new branch. That's just how missionary work is though. My new MTC mailbox number is 96, but Tuesday is still my P-day.

A few words about some things: The Provo temple is interesting. It was built in the 70's and looks like it; weird shape and slightly resembles a muffin with a lit candle on top of it. The inside is large and has many stories. One thing is for sure, I like our temple's organization system way better...Not that it's bad here...This is one of the busiest temples in the world, which is cool, but...I don't know...Gotta love Utah.

The cafeteria had "gyros" for lunch a few days ago...They weren't anything like poppa Pete's.

The USPS recently put out some stamps entitled "Cowboys of the Silver Screen." They don't sell them here, but if you feel so prompted, I would enjoy some for the remainder of my time here, to put on my letters.

My companion Elder Sonntag is auditioning for a musical number for one of our upcoming devotionals, along with the accompanying piano, there is a cello part. Being in the practice room with them made me remember and miss the nights I would fall asleep to Shakira playing her cello. She is way better than the guy we have, but I don't dare tell him that. Some people can really bear testimony through music, like Shakira on her cello. This last Sunday we had a devotional from Jenny Oaks Baker, who is the youngest daughter of Dallin H. Oaks, and a violinist known around the world. It was cool because Elder Oaks was there, and the whole devotional was music. You ought to look her up, she can really play.

I came across a scripture in Mosiah (3:20) I think you will enjoy.

Our new district leader held a testimony/getting to know each other meeting a few days ago. I am excited to meet and get to know and work with my new district. At the end, our district leader told all the new guys what he admired about them. He told me that I was wonderful and meek, and when my investigators look at me they will see Christ. It touched me and my heart was burning inside me, a testification of the truth of the Gospel and of my Heavenly Father's love for me. I love to teach and am so excited to go out and do so, because I so want the people I teach to feel that love that radiates from Him for us!! I know my Savior lives! Because He lives, I am! Because He lives, I can live forever! Because He lives I never ever ever have to be alone! Because He lives I can be with my family and those I love, happy, forever! Because He lives, I can believe something enough to teach it! And I DO believe!!!

This next week will be interesting getting to know new teachers, but it won't be too bad. The guys in my district are great, hard working guys, and they will be great missionaries.

I love you all so much!!!

Elder Iver A. Johnson

Honk Honk (This is Iver's title, not mine!)

On July 6, 2010 Iver wrote:

Howdy Family, Friends, and Whoever Reads This Letter!

Mom and Shak: Thank you so much for the package! The pants are good. The treats were good. And the pictures are sweet! I loved being able to see your faces again! Dad: Thanks for the Salmon info. Thanks for the picture of Estellar (Stella). It's cute and really captures "her". Give her a pat on the head for me.

Unfortunately, the computers here won't let me put pics with my emails, so I am sending some picks via super-slug to my mommy, and grandma, and grandma. If you desire to see my face, please flock to those areas near the end of this week.

This week has been pretty good. While I'm still having troubles in the call center, I'm slowly progressing. This week I received a letter from a Kendall (I don't know which one...but I know it's from their address). I have been receiving a letter from them every week or so, with the heading at the top, "The Gospel According to Spaulding". This week I received chapter 3 which was about Spring Training (baseball). I was really touched that said Kendall sent me this particular letter. There was a part about working on things one piece at a time, and it helped me to really see the big picture. While it was Gospel mingled with Baseball, I found it incredibly wonderful and uplifting. Please find said Kendall and thank them and let them know I am thankful for their letters.

While searching the scriptures I came across a scripture in Alma (Alma 26:25-26ish) which basically states that if we put all our trust in Him we will receive success. Thanks to Ammon. That scripture plucked at my heartstrings, and I continue to strive to live up to the point where God will give me success because of my faith and hard work.

We had the opportunity to teach in Spanish the "second" lesson, and I had the personal opportunity to teach the Atonement. How beautiful the Spanish language is! How descriptive! How lovely sounding! One of my companions described it as "the language of angels," and so it is!!!! I'm progressing well and my tongue is becoming looser as I practice!

We were able to watch the fireworks on Saturday from the "ring of fire" at the BYU stadium. It was cool. The work for fireworks in Spanish literally translates to: artificial fire. It was especially cool when everyone began to sing "Army of Helaman." There are a little over 2000 of us in the MTC now. We are as the army of Helaman, and that has never made so much sense to me. I almost cried. But I didn't.

I doubt not. For my Mommy knew it. I love my mommy. :)

Tell the ward hello, and give them hugs for me!

I love you all very much! Be safe! Be smart! Pray always and be believing!

Love: Elder Iver Johnson