Howdy!

On March 26, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello!

Well this week was interesting. My companion hasn't quite opened up this week, but we keep trying. I'm hoping that soon we will be able to make some progress. As soon as we do, we are going to be good friends. I just need to find a way into his shell.

We are teaching a family that lives in two wards (the parents are divorced). All the children who live in the other ward all got baptized, and now we are praying for the mom and the other sister here in our ward. The mom is named Virginia and the daughter is named Berenice. The mom has recently given up smoking, and so we hope that she continues with not smoking. We are visiting them everyday so that she doesn't do it. We are also teaching a young woman named Liliana who has made the decision to be baptized the first week in April. She is excited and happy. We are hoping to find more families this week so that they can come to church and be baptized and be happy!

I am stating to feel funny, being one of the "ancient" missionaries. It's strange to think that shortly I'll be home again and in a few months I'll be back in school. Time is going by fast, it seems like yesterday that I got to my first area here in Mexico.

I am hoping that in the next few weeks I can go see Benjamin and the other people I taught in my old area. It will be good to see them again.

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On March 19 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well,

This week was good. Elena was confirmed and is so excited about being a member that she brought a friend to church. It is cool to see others have the desire of sharing the Gospel. Elder Nava and I made rice crispy treats for the Relief Society, and they were a hit. We are hoping that from that we will receive a lot of help from the ward. We need to help get them excited.

It seems that right when things "get rolling" in my areas, that they send me to a new area. I was transferred to the city of Queretero again, to the ward called Villas. It's odd, because it is the ward right next to my first area. It is just across the street. My new companion is named Elder Miron. He is from Vera Cruz, and I have yet to see him smile. I hope I can break into his shell and we can be friends.

Well, not much time...

I love you all!

Elder Iver Johnson


From Michelle:

Sorry I didn't post last week. Corbin and I are getting ready to travel to Mexico City to pick Iver up in June, and his letter was just instructions for us.

Howdy!

On March 5, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello Everyone!

Well, this week was a good week, Eusebio was confirmed and this weekend we will have another baptism. Her name is Maria Elena, but she goes by Elena. She is friends with one of the future missionaries in our ward and was really interested in the Gospel. She went to church the first time all alone. We have been working hard with her, and she is so excited about her baptism. I sent a picture of my companion and I and Elena and her member friend Daniel.

It has been hot here this week. But despite the weather, the work continues. We met a family who lives about an hour from our church who is so interested in hearing the gospel. The dad's name is Luis and the mom is named Sonia. They have two kids, Juanita, 15 years old or so, and Luis, 7 years old. Luis, the big one, is very sick, and has to go to the hospital every week to have blood transfusions. They had to do that every Sunday, but changed it to Saturday so that they can come to church. Sonia says that she wants her son to be a missionary also. We are hoping that that does happen. Every time we go, Sonia makes us something to eat, and loves to talk to us.

I have been reading a lot from the Conference Ensign, and have been touched by the talk of President Monson titled: "Stand in Holy Places." I hope you all take the opportunity to read it and pray for how you can apply it in your lives.

With Much Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On February 27, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello All:

Well this week we worked hard and had one baptism. Eusebio was baptized and he has had a perma-grin ever since. I love to see people make these sacred covenants with God, and it's very cool to see them want to keep them. We are working with his wife and kid, Maria and Victor, who have a baptismal date for the 11th of March. They are so excited, and Victor wanted to join his dad in the water. He said, "we might as well just do it, we are here afterall...." It was cool to see that. Afterwards they invited us over for a Mole, (moe-lay) which was very spicy and really, really wonderful. We helped them buy some of the ingredients and make it. Now I have a basic idea how to do it.

We were visited by the area president, Elder Daniel Johnson, who taught us how to support and sustain our leaders, which involves being obedient to what they ask us to do. He was very in tune with the spirit and a few of the things he said were answers to my prayers and said right to me.

I hope you are all well, and such.

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On February 20, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello Friends:

This week we might just see a miracle. Silvia told us that she wants to get baptized. Her kids have not made that decision, but she has. We are soooooo excited and ready to see her get baptized. We also will have the baptism of a man named Eusebio. He is very excited about being baptized, and setting the example for his family. We are working hard on finding new people to teach, and we are hoping that this week we will be able to find some new families. The scriptures tell us to "ask and it shall be given" and we've been asking a lot for families. We will have this week a special meeting with Presidente/Elder Johnson (he's a seventy) which should be wonderful and spiritual. After a brief conversation with him about a month ago, we found that our families are related through some people in the Nauvoo era. It'll be cool receiving help and guidance from a distant relative.

Last week I went to D.F. (Mexico City) to sign my visa (it feels good to be legal again) with none other than my buddy Elder Glover. We had a great time, and it was so cool to see him speak perfect Spanish. He is a district leader close to my old area in Hidalgo, and is having wonderful success. It reminds me of the scripture in Alma 29: 14-17:


14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.

15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!

16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever, and may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen


I marvel in seeing my friends work and return from missions, and my joy is a lot knowing that they have worked and brought our brethren unto God again.

Please give Spencer a hug for me.

Love:

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On February 6, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Well, Elder Hilario was transferred this week, but he is doing so much better! Thank you for your prayers on his behalf. He has decided that he wants to still be a missionary, which is wonderful. My new companion is from Oaxaca (wah-ha-ka), his name is Elder Nava. We are excited to be workin' together. He is short and skinny like me (though I'm not incredibly skinny anymore...) and we should fit better into our tiny house. He wants to be a farmer after his mission, like his parents. He is really nice and we will get along well.

This week, Luis, the brother of Doris came to church for the first time. It has been difficult to get him to church because he works at night. Right now he has a lot of "dudas" (questions, or doubts) about whether or not it's the real church because we don't do exactly what the Pentacost church does. We will be helping him to read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it is true, and if Jose (Joseph) Smith was a prophet of God, that will help him resolve his own doubts and put his trust in God. He is a great guy, and when I'm praying, he always throws in some "hallelujas" and "Yes, God!". That is pretty interesting.

We will be working really hard to find new investigators and bring them to church this week. I hope we can do it!!

I love you all!

Elder Johnson

Howdy!

On January 30, 2012 Elder Johnson wrote:

Hello All:

Well this week in San Juan has been a little cold, with rain and wind, but here we are working along.

My companion and I have been struggling to find people to teach, but we are working at it. We found the mother of a young person in our ward who is not a member, she is very interested, and told us that she has been thinking about getting baptized, which is wonderful. Her name is Araceli, but goes by Celi (said: Shelly...I don't get that one...). I am hoping that everything goes well with that, and that she accepts to go to church this Sunday. We are continuing teaching Doris and Victor, who are getting ready for their baptism in February. We are planning on helping Doris keep away from the bottle by making a box with many pictures of Christ on it, and candies inside with scriptures on them. The idea is that when the temptation comes, that she will take a candy and read the scriptures instead of drinking. I hope it works.

Please keep my companion, Elder Hilario, in your prayers this week. He is struggling and needs a lot of prayers.

I appreciate all the love you send my way and for the support you give me.

Love:

Elder Johnson