Howdy!

On June 4, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well, not much to write this week...seeing as I'll be home real soon...

We had the baptism of Rodrigo this week. It was very cool, he really needs the church. Now we can only pray that the ward will visit him. He feels a lot more at peace in his life since he started going to church. He is a great guy. We will be having a baptism this week of a girl named Nahomy (9 years old). She is excited and ready to be baptized, we only needed for her uncle to get home from the mission to do it, and now he's back!!! It is a great way to finish my mission, right?

I love you all, and hope you are well!

Until real soon:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On May 22, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well, we went on an adventure yesterday, and did not have time to write, so I just want you to know that I'm O.K. and that I love you a lot!!!!

Berenice and Virginia got baptized!!! WOOO HOOO!!!

I am excited to see you really, really soon!!!

Love:

Elder Johnson

And on May 28, 2012 Elder Johnson sent two pictures and simply wrote to all:

I love you all so much!!!

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On May 14, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello Everyone!

This week was really groovy because I was able to talk to my family. It was wonderful to be able to see their faces, and talk to them. We have been looking forward to the day when we could say, "Well, one month and we'll come and see you in Mexico!" Now it is one month minus one day...Woot woot!!

Our investigator Berenice who could not get baptized because she smoked is going to be baptized this week! She is very excited, and happy that it is finally time. Her mother will be baptized shortly after, in the coming weeks. We have been working hard at being willing to contact people in the street. It's difficult to stop them and talk to them about Jesus. I really do, however, enjoy being able to see lives get changed from the message that we share.

My companion is doing great, he is such a hard worker and a great teacher. He can make a special connection with the people and help them understand the message of the restoration and apply it to their own lives. I figure it's pretty hard to be with someone who is going home in a few weeks, I give him credit for being such a good sport.

I included some pictures from my birthday. A sister in our ward threw me a party, and we ate cake.

I love you all!!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On May 7 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello All!!

Well, this week was fun. It's cool to be with another Elder Johnson. He and I are working really hard. We should have a few baptisms this week. Evelia, our political friend, and Susana, the girlfriend of a future missionary. We are hoping all goes well with their special days! Elder Johnson is really helping me with the work. He has a great fire for the mission and is helping me stay strong. We have been stuggling with trying to got our investigators to church, but we realize maybe it's just not their time yet.

I hope you all are staying up-to-date with the bible videos of Jesus that the church is putting out (these can be found at lds.org). They are fantastic. They are really captivating the Old Jewish culture really well. The only thing I don't like is the accents, but that's the good thing about being able to understand Spanish...when they record them in Spanish, it'll all be in a Spanish accent, and not muddled accents. Woot woot! Looking forward to that!!!

I feel impressed to write a little about something...I don't want to, but I feel I should. I have been thinking a lot about tragedies, specifically when one close to us experiences them. It's difficult. There aren't many things to say to help us feel better...but there is hope. When we are focused on the happiness that follows the tragedy, we will feel at peace. This is not the end, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even though it may be dim, or invisible, it is there. God taught the Prophet Joseph Smith that his "adversities and afflictions (would) be but a small moment." It sometimes seems endless our suffering, and we may cry out, "why me?" but I have the hope that we will not be called upon to suffer such pains forever. I know we won't. President Uchtdorf taught that "hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness." In what should we hope? In the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ. Christ has overcome every sickness, every worry, every pain, every mistake, and even death itself, if and when we are willing to put out hope and faith in Him. Hope is real. Hope leads to faith which leads to knowledge, but how can we ever have the knowledge, happiness, peace, or forgiveness, if we choose to be sad and mope around, and not ask to apply God's love and grace through the Atonement of His Only Begotten? There is no way. He died for you. He rose again for you. He lives, for you.

I love you all so much.

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On Monday, April 30 Elder Johnson wrote:

Family and Friends:

Well, we had transfers and now I have a new companion. His name is Elder Johnson. Ha ha. So Elder Johnson and Elder Johnson will work together. It's interesting because we are the only "Elder Johnsons" in the mission. He is from Utah, and has the same amount of time as my companion Elder Schultz, about 14 months. We are excited and look forward to calling our Mamas in a couple weeks.

We are teaching a lady named Evelia who wants to be baptized, the only problem is that she is soooooooooooo busy. It's election time here in Mexico in about a month to two months, and she is working really hard campaigning for her party, which sucks up all of her time. But she loves it. We are hoping that in the next few weeks that the work cools down and she will be able to be baptized.

It's strange being at the last transfer of my mission. Looking back, I have learned a lot, and I am pleased with the progress I have made. Please keep me in your prayers so that I will be able to work hard and "endure to the end."

It's time to tell you all to stop sending me things in the mail, because I will not get it!

I love you all so much!
Be happy!

Elder Iver Johnson

Howdy!

On April 23, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote: Dear Family and Friends: Well, these last weeks have been crazy. My companero was changed last Monday and I'm with an elder called Elder Mamani, he's from Peru. We are getting along well. He and I go home the same day, so we will be expecting other companeros in the coming week. I am working hard to find the people that God has prepared, I know they are there, but they are hidden really well. I hope that in the next weeks we can find them. It's looking like my favorite fruit "tuna" (cactus fruit) will get ripe a week or two before I head home. It's going to be weird being on the official count-down here in a week. It will be my last transfer in the mission. It's too bad I don't have more, however, I am looking forward to the other very important things that come after. We are teaching a wonderful lady named Evelia, she has the desire to be baptized in the coming weeks. I love you all so much. Elder Iver Johnson

Howdy!

On April 2, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

That was a good conference! I really enjoyed it and was able to find many answers to my questions. I was happy to find that when we got to the stake center, there was a room set apart for the English speaking people and I was able to hear the Prophet's voice in English, which rocked. It is always more powerful listening to him and not a translator. When we got there some people from my first ward told me that Benjamin was there, I looked and looked as soon as it was over, but I couldn't find him. I hope in the next few weeks we can get together. We were able to take Virginia and Berenice to the conference, they liked it a lot and definitely felt that the spirit was there.

We have a baptism planned this week for Liliana. She chose her own date, the 6th, which is significant in the church, and will be very significant for her.

We are working hard on getting closer as a companionship. We have made little progress, but little is better than none.

Today we went to a large Catholic Cathedral and it was interesting. It is a very reverent place inside, however it is not the same reverence as what we have in the church. It seems to say: It's good here, but we're missing something. It helps me connect with the people here better. They always say they feel good when they go to their church, and that's why they like it and don't want to change. I understand, because it is way different from the outside world, however, it just doesn't feel like the happy reverence found in our church buildings and especially our temples. I am happy I had that experience and I hope that it will help me understand the needs of the people better so that I can teach them the Gospel according to their needs, especially when they don't want to go to our church. God is a happy God, not a sad, reverent God.

I was amazed and astounded this week during the conference. On Saturday, President Packer spoke. That poor guy is getting old, and having a hard time. I could see that. As he was speaking, to my amazement, I saw angels ministering unto him and helping him as he spoke. It brought peace to my heart and tears to my eyes to see that God is indeed interested in his sons and daughters, and is willing and wanting to help them when they need it. How I pray that we can live our lives as to be worthy of the heavenly aid that is in store for us.

I hope you all study and re-study the words of the living prophets. Heaven forbid we don't listen and follow, for God has spoken.

I love you all so much!

Elder Johnson

From Michelle: The picture above is Iver art, sent on the back of an envelope all the way from Mexico...thrilling to see when I opened up the mailbox!!!