Howdy!

On April 25, 2011 Elder Johnson wrote:

Greetings!

It was nice to receive all of your birthday wishes! I appreciate them all! Thank you so much!

This week we were able to baptize three! Woohoo! Karen, Kevin, and Kenneth! It was cool to think that twenty years ago I was born, and twenty years later I was standing in a baptismal font helping three people be "born again" (about the same time, relatively).

After we got out of the font, Kenneth told me, "That was so cool! I feel so great! I wish I could be baptized ten more times!" It was a great feeling yesterday as we celebrated together. We had warm water, too. That makes the first time on my mission, it was nice!

As the week progressed, the celebrations did too. My companion and I saw a parade as we were knocking doors, with a bunch of roman soldiers leading a guy with a big beard carrying a cross. They were followed by a HUGE procession of people. That explained why absolutely no one was answering their doors. My companion told me that there is a place in Mexico City where they do the same thing, except at the end they nail the poor guy to the cross. You just don't see that in the states.

Well, I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELDER JOHNSON!!!!! He is very loved!!!

On April 18, Elder Johnson wrote:

This week I had a few adventures. I got out of being robbed twice this week. Let's just say there are a lot of drunk bums around here. They aren't even happy, just drunk. It was cool though, because they all went away very, very confused.

The kids here are pretty cool. They like it when you join in on their soccer games, and are always willing to talk to you. I wish their parents would learn from them. That would be good.

So, here is a little known fact about Mexico (little known because I didn't know it before now): it rains in Mexico. A lot. There are many floods that happen, actually, as a result of it. This week I am thankful for my umbrella, because I have been using it a lot lately. It rains basically from 4:30 to 7:00, nonstop. Things are starting to be very green here.

This week we also had transfers, and Elder Norlund got transferred. I am now here with Elder Martinez, who so far seems like a good guy.

This week we are planning on having six baptisms, I hope that all goes well! They are: Matilde, Kevin, Kenneth, Karen, Josephina, and Carlos. We are pretty excited and will be breaking our backs for them this whole week. I hope it all goes well! We knocked into a guy named Manfred who is a great guy, but who has some problems with drugs, we are helping him to get over those problems and to get some Jesus in his life. These people are really wonderful people and I hope you will pray for them!

This week is "la semana santa" translated to : the holy week, which has a lot to do with the Catholic celebration of Easter. They have weird things going on all week long, and none of the kids are in school. It's a bit strange to see all the kids around, usually they are all in school right now. We had fireworks going on yesterday during church (the neighbors) and there seems to be a lot more drinking and going to church than usual.

Well, I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On April 11, 2011 Elder Johnson wrote:

Family and Friends:

What a week. We had a good week, and are pleased today. We had splits with our District Leader on Wednesday, Thursday our Zone leaders came over and gave us compliments (that hardly ever happens here, unfortunately), and on Friday the Assistants to the President came over and we went on splits with them (really great guys). On Friday afternoon, the people we were going to baptize went on vacation, so we can't baptize them this month (surprise vacation). On Saturday we had to basically start over, and we found ten people that day, and on Sunday we were able to bring five of them to church! After that my companion and I saved a man's life as he was having a seizure on the sidewalk (my companion is a former paramedic). It was cool, and he let me help save his life, so that was cool. It's too bad that he doesn't live anywhere near our area, so we can't teach him...

Anyway, crazy week. Yup. The people we are teaching right now are: Marcela, who's husband is never sober; Matilde and her grandsons, Kevin and Kenneth, who are really interested in the church, and have spent time together reading the pamphlets and the scriptures; and Angel who is a teen, and really happy about learning about the church, and came all by himself to church because the rest of his family didn't want to go. Please remember these people and pray for them! They are such wonderful people and need our prayers!

I enjoy living in the city. It is a lot different than Denver, a lot of people in not a lot of space and so many cars it is not even funny. A lot of people who drink, just because they have nothing better to do, and hardly ever are sober. A lot of ninos (sorry, cannot make an enyay on my American keyboard) who like to play "trumpo" which is a type of top. I bought one...I need a lot of practice. It seems like the only thing that the kids know in English are "wat iz jour nam?" and the "f-word", both of which they yell at us, and then quickly hide. Silly ninos. The only thing I really don't enjoy about the people here is the fact that they lie, all of them, all the time, and they aren't even good at it. It drives me crazy. Other than that, it's all great down here. We are going to have to have a hot chili eating contest when I get home. I'm fairly certain I will win, or at least place second, after my dad.

Well, that's all for now, fellow space explorers. I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On Monday, April 4, 2011 Elder Johnson Wrote:

Friends and Family:

Well, this week we were unable to get any of our investigators to come to the conference, and boy did they miss out! Sometimes, actually, most of the time, it is difficult that we work hard and teach well, and still people don't make it to church. All we can do is move on and keep smiling...eventually we will see fruits!

I love listening to the Prophet. What a man! Imagine! That man speaks with God. How cool is that? i was deeply impressed by his comments on the temple, and was pleased to listen to his talk. I really enjoy the fact that I can understand Spanish, and that I listened to the conference in Spanish. I really am looking forward to reading all the talks again in the Ensign, that'll be so cool. I learned so much from the last one, and look forward to studying this one. Being a missionary helps one understand the importance of having a Prophet. We teach everyday that God has always called Prophets to guide His people, and the fact that we have a Prophet today blows my mind. If only every one knew that he was a Prophet, and listened to him!

I am finding it very hard to take and send pictures, because, quite frankly, I don't want to carry my camera around in this area. I will try harder next week and hopefully I can get it done. I hope you all know I love you and that I pray for you all.

Elder Johnson

Mom: I love you mom! Gosh, this month is the month of our birthdays! I hope you know how much I love you! I love getting your emails each week, they make me really happy! Thank you! I love you!