Howdy!

On January 16, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well this week was a little rough. Unfortunately Silvia and her kids did not get baptized, but we are trying hard to do what we can to help them. They feel really nervous about getting baptized. The man down under is working hard to have them not get baptized. We will be working hard to fix that.

This week chicken pox hit the ward, almost all of the little kids were sick and out of school all week. Sucks for them, but we were able to visit members and talk with them about sharing the gospel. I was worried because my companion thinks he has never had it, but it appears that he has because he hasn't gotten the pox yet. Good news.

We have been having some difficulties having unity with our ward, especially with the bishop, but after some long conversations with him, things are looking up. We should be able to do a lot better work with them on our side. They might even call a ward mission leader (ours went inactive and we can't find him). We are hoping that will happen. It should be good. Real good.

It seems that the time is slipping away fast, which is good because it gives me more of a reason to work really hard. Sooner than we can believe, we'll be seeing each other.

Well, I love you all so much!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On January 9, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello Family:

Well this week went pretty fast. Before I knew it we were in church taking the Sacrament again. I do enjoy bringing people to church who like it and want to go. Silvia offered a wonderful prayer this week and said, "Help us make the change to this church, that it will be smooth for us and that we will feel comfortable there." The only thing I am worried about is her son, Manuel. He doesn't like the primary teacher (she's a yeller) and doesn't really want to go. Please pray for him that some miracle will happen and he will want to go. They have plans to be baptized this week after church. It will be a special day. I am excited to see them all dressed up in white. Please, please keep them in your prayers.

In Mexico there is a day that is called dia de los Reyes Magos. It is the sixth of January, and we celebrate it as the day the Wise Men came to visit the Christ Child. All the ninos get gifts and at night we eat a rosca (sweet bread in the shape of a wreath with dried fruits on top) and drink hot chocolate. Inside the rosca is hidden a little doll that represents the Christ hiding from the evil King Herod, who wants to find him and kill him. After the rosca is cut, everyone grabs a piece and whoever finds the little doll has to buy everyone tamales on the 2nd of February. Luckily I didn't find the little doll, but my companion did! I'm looking forward to the tamales in February. I hope he buys Oaxacan tamales, those are the best.

We will be working hard this week with some family members of some people in our ward. They are very nice, but very Catholic, which is not that new for me, but it will be good to help them pray and receive an answer. They are named Victor, Roman, Rafael, and Carmen.

I love you all!

Elder Iver Johnson

From Michelle:

Today we received a very special package from Mexico! It was filled with wonderful letters and little gifts, handmade by Iver and some of the people he is working with. My heart is absolutely singing!! I have posted a photograph here of the watercolor painting he sent to me. In my letter, he described it with the lyrics to a fabulous song from the movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou: "I'll be somewhere a-workin', I'll be somewhere a-workin', I'll be somewhere a-workin' for my Lord." Beautiful, beautiful Iver.

On January 2, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well, only 22 more letters from Mexico. Crazy.

This week was good! We were able to bring a family to church! Woo hoo! A mam and her three kids (her husband died a few years ago), la senora Silvia, Daniella, Manuel, and Roberto. It was cool to walk up the their house and see them leaving to get in the car and saying, "Hurry! We don't want to be late to church!" They are friends of a member in our ward and are progressing really well. They will be great members when they get baptized.

We were invited to a dinner on Saturday. We had a lot of fun and ate some good food. The family we were with are investigators, one of the hijos is a member of the church, but his parents and sister aren't. We are trying to fix that...We had to leave at nine, but it was fun. When we were at home, my companion wouldn't let me sleep. At midnight we watched the fireworks from our window and ate 12 grapes, one each toll of the bell. Then we got out our suitcases and walked around the apartment. There are some weird traditions here in Mexico. Lookin' forward to that midnight kiss that is tradition in my home and native land.

After that he let me sleep, and we had to get up at 6:30 to get ready. Yup.

I hope you all had a good New Year's Eve and have a prospero ano. I love you all!

Elder Johnson

On December 26, 2011 Elder Johnson wrote:

It was a good Christmas. We were able to take a big box of toys to an orphanage that our members donated. They were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy and so full of energy. We also took some pictures of the decorations of San Juan do Rio. My companion gave ma a new oil vial, which was much needed. I have him a wallet of his favorite soccer team. It was a good Christmas and we were both happy. My letter this week is mostly pictures because I said a lot in my call with my family yesterday. I hope you enjoy them!

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On December 19, 2011 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello:

This week we went to "la pena de Bernal" which is a big rock. It's the biggest rock on this side of the world (that's what they tell me). It was cool. If I can, I will send pictures. I have been having a rough time finding a computer that will read my card. I don't know why.

We went to the Temple in Mexico City this week with a couple of our investigators. It was cool. Their names are Jose Luis and Neri, they are pretty interested in the church now, more than before. The only thing is that Jose Luis needs to quit smoking. He doesn't want to because he is a poet, and the cigs are where he "gets his inspiration." He'll realize pretty soon that he needs to stop. He publishes a magazine of poems every month or so, and put my companion in it (who is also a poet). It was cool to see that. We were able to get Lourdes confirmed on Sunday. She is a lot happier than when we met her. It is so cool to see that the Gospel does that to people.

Last week we had our ward Christmas party, it was good and we were able to bring Vanessa. We sang and ate and watched some videos about Christ's birth. It was good. There was an area seventy who came to the party. It was a spiritual experience for everyone. When we went home, there was a party going on in front of our apartment building. That type of party (yes, there are different types) is called a posada (the others are: fiesta, baile, pachanga, etc...). There were a lot of nativities and dancing and LOUD music and A LOT of fireworks. We couldn't sleep until about one when it started cooling off. It was interesting, but cool to see.

I hope you all have a very happy Christmas and that you all remember Christ in this time. It is for His triumph that we celebrated, nothing else.

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On December 12, 2011 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well it is not Christmastime in Mexico without a celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Last night on our way home from an appointment, we decided to go through the center of town, only to find a huge celebration of the Virgin. There were thousands of people! Almost everyone buys balloons to send a note to the Virgin in Heaven so that she can talk to Jesus so He can talk to God. There were a lot of balloons flying away, and a lot of fireworks and a big parade with a very big Virgin statue. Everyone was singing and dancing and eating. It was chaos! It's a good thing we got home alive. We couldn't take any pictures, because we didn't have our cameras.

This week Lourdes was able to get baptized! It was a wonderful service and the spirit was strong there. The day before her baptism she had her baptismal interview and as we were waiting for our leader who does the interview, she helped us sweep the church! She is such a great lady, and is going to be a great member of the church.

I have been pretty sick lately and had to go to the doc. He says that it's only a cold and I don't need to worry. That's always a good thing to hear.

This week I received a package from my parents and my grandparents. Thank you for the packages! Elder Hilario says thank you also!

I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

Friends and Family:

This week was a good week! Vanessa came to church!!! Woo-hoo! We also came into contact with a couple (Jose Luis and Neri) who came with us to the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. They told us that they didn't like it, they loved it! They are continuing to progress well, the only thing is that Neri likes to sleep in on Sundays, please pray so that she will be able to wake up and go to church! If all goes well, Lourdes will be baptized this week. She is excited and knows that it is a good step to take, little does she know (but we're helping her understand), that it is the defining decision of her life and she will have to stick with it. How wonderful it will be to be with her in the presence of God! Please keep her in your prayers!

If you were unable to see the Christmas Devotional, repent. You can access it online (LDS.org), please watch it. You should never lose the opportunity to listen to the Prophet of our God, for how blessed are we to live in a time where a man who talks with God is just a mouse click, or a channel change away (the BYU Channel). Please recognize the importance of that.

This month marks the one year anniversary of the baptism of one of my dearest friends, Olivia Bright. I hope you all take the opportunity to congratulate her, she is a very special person.

I love you all!

Elder Iver Johnson