30 December 2013 - The Last Letter

Well,

This past week has been pretty good, the members held the farewell for me on Friday and we had a pretty decent week. We have some awesome investigators that should be getting baptized this next month, and we also have some potential investigators that should be good. It has been pretty cool.

Well, it looks like C was my last baptism. He is awesome and is learning and growing a ton. It has been really cool to have been able to be here to teach him. He is super spiritual, and he really likes to learn about the gospel. It has been an inspiring experience to be with him.

Well, I am not really sure of what else to say. We will be talking a lot about everything this Friday. However, I forgot to mention before, but in the packet to return home it mentions that I should get a tuberculosis test to make sure that I haven´t picked it up on my mission.

I haven´t gotten the package yet...  (*This is the Christmas package we sent to him in November.  Luckily, it didn't have any expensive gifts, just fun things for the elders to enjoy during the holidays.) If the delivery man doesn´t need to see my identification then the other elders can get the package. If they can´t pick it up then they can tell the person that I don´t live there anymore, and hopefully it will get sent back to the states, if not then it might get destroyed....

Thanks for the phone numbers, I am sure that they will come in handy. (*We gave him our new home number so he can contact us if necessary during his travels home.)

Thanks for arranging the release. I couldn't have picked a better time than on the way back from the airport. I was actually hoping that that is when we could do it because I would have felt kind of awkward still being a missionary without missionary things to do.

So far with the suitcases I am doing well. I only have one filled up, and pretty much the only things left that I have are my clothes. So as for weight, I highly doubt that I will go over, and as for space, I am thinking that I will be good. However, we will see what happens as I finish up.

Well, today we visited Santiago as a district. It was really cool and we were able to see a special and unique celebration that they had there. 

Well, I think that that is all for now. Thanks for everything and see you soon!

Elder Johnson

Despedida en Vigo

The Vigo branch held a farewell celebration for Elder Johnson

on Friday, December 27th.

He has been serving there since the beginning of June, so they have had time to get to know each other well.

Here are a few of the pictures sent to us by some of the wonderful members there.

 

 

 

 Thank you, Vigo, for welcoming and supporting our missionary!

25 December 2013

 (That is one fine looking young man!  In my unprejudiced mother opinion, of course.

Even the lady in the background thinks so.)

Today's message comes from me, the Mom.

On Christmas Day we got to Skype with our fabulous Elder Johnson.

At first, there were technical difficulties so he had to switch to a new computer.

Then, the camera didn't work well.

But we saw enough of his face to have a good conversation with him and get even more excited for our reunion in such a short time!

 

This week I have been able to receive several pictures of Elder Johnson from various sources.

Here are just a few:

 

 

(This picture looks very Norman Rockwell to me.)

 

 

 He told us all about his Christmas events and meals and his plans for the last ten days as a missionary.

He wants to finish strong a leave some good work for Elder Dougher.

He also doesn't really believe it's coming to an end.

He only has one more p-day in Spain.

Hoping for the best week ever for him!!

16 December 2013

 

It was Elder Johnson's birthday this week.

A family in Vigo kindly provided him with a birthday cake!

Thank you, Carmen!

Hello- 

So this week was pretty cool, we had the baptism of C, and today for p-day we went to a place called A Guardia, which is on the very tip of Galicia, right on the Atlantic Coast, and also right across the river from Portugal. It was really cool, there are some ruins from an ancient Celtic city there and we also ate with the branch president that lives there as well. The ruins are on a mountain, so we also went to the top of the mountain, which had a fabulous view of everything around it. It was really cool, and surprisingly close by, I actually thought that it would have been farther away.

The Vigo Elders
(Thank you Elder D for the picture.)

I did get all of your cards, during 3 different days, and then Breanna´s card got to me today. But it was cool, thank you. I have not received the package yet.

You have my flight itinerary, right?   In the newsletter they said that there are some parents who haven´t gotten their itineraries yet, so they asked us all to make sure, and then I just wanted to see if I was going to end up on the plane by myself since everyone else will probably be going to Atlanta and then to Utah.  (*Note from Mom: I hadn't received my itinerary, so I contacted the missionary department myself.  I couldn't wait to find out!!)

We will Skype on Christmas - probably at 5:00ish my time, so about 11:00ish your time...

Well, I honestly find myself with few words today, I don´t know of what else to say right now. This week we are going to spend a lot of time looking and finding new people to teach, quite a few of those that we are currently teaching are going to be gone for the upcoming holidays.

I am looking forward to some good upcoming weeks.

Until next time,

Elder Johnson

(Check back here tomorrow for pictures from his p-day trip.  I am working on converting them, but have to finish later.)

9 December 2013

Hello,

 (Eating at M's house)

So thanks for the happy birthday wishes. C is in fact getting baptized on the fourteenth, and it is super exciting to be able to be here helping him. He has been really prepared by the Lord and he is super receptive of the Gospel.

 

(To the temple!)

 

So M´s story is actually really cool. It was a Saturday, and every Saturday we teach English classes at 12:00. When the Hermanas were leaving their piso that morning they prayed to have an opportunity to do service that day. On their way to the Chapel, they met a Venezuelan couple in the street that was visiting for the day, that were also members. The members were leaving to Madrid in a few hours, but the Hermanas left them the address to the church just in case. It turns out that as the couple tried to purchase the tickets to go to Madrid, that the ATM ate their card. Which left them stuck in Vigo without money. So they then went to the chapel where we had just finished English classes. When they got there Elder Miner and I talked to them and we then called the branch president to see if there was someone nearby that could help them out. The branch president gave us the number of the hostel of M. After they had spoken we went to the hostel and contacted M while we were there. M was baptized one month later...

So I would love to room with Elder Wilson! Do you know if he ever got the email that I sent him?

So C is from Ghana, and he is doing very well right now. He is good friends with another member from Ghana in the branch. He doesn´t speak Spanish very well, so I translate for him every week at the Sunday meetings. We found him in the streets (*Note from Mom - meaning contacted him on the street, not that he was a homeless person in the street) about five weeks ago, and he has been awesome ever since.

Well, we have an exciting week ahead of us, we are hoping to find at least one family this week as well as other people that are ready for the truth. The mission has been exploding lately we have had about 60 baptisms in the last few months. Which actually broke the mission record from before. The mission is really starting to grow and change. It has been awesome to be able to see all of that happen.

Well, I think that is it for now, I still have to write to Papa and I only have ten more minutes.

Thanks for everything, until next week,

Elder Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

2 December 2013

 

Happy Birthday Dad! I hope that you day went well and that you were able to enjoy your birthday/fast sunday. I wish you well.

So this past week was really cool. We were able to have a lot of really good lessons with our investigator from Ghana. He is progressing really well. This past week he gave his testimony about how the Gospel has given him joy in his life and also how we, as missionaries, have helped him find the light. We also have a great member from Ghana here in the branch that is helping us out a ton, he is an awesome person and he is also very excited for our investigator to get to baptism. Right now he has a planned baptismal date for the 14th of Dec.

So other than that, things are going well here, we have quite a few good investigators right now, and we are hoping to be able to get a few more this week. Today, all of our lessons ended up telling us that they weren´t going to be able to meet, so we will have a good chunk of time to look for new investigators. It happens for a reason. This month looks like it is going to be a good one.

So, the weather is good right now, it isn´t raining and it doesn´t snow here, however it is quite cold here. This morning I realized that I was seeing my breath in the apartment. To start off our morning after studies we went and had hot chocolate and churros.

Exchanges with the District Leader are usually once a transfer for every missionary. So it will influence a companionship twice a transfer. It only happens within the district. Sometimes the zone leaders do exchanges as well, however usually it doesn´t happen. It is always the leaders that will set those up.

So for thanksgiving we actually didn´t do anything. We had a really busy day, but the following day Elder Dougher and I made some mashed potatoes with gravy, which is kind of doing something....

Photo proof of the potatoes and gravy.

 

Elder Dougher and I were both really excited to get Advent calendars!

Well, thanks for everything, until next week.

Elder Johnson

25 November 2013

Hello,

So this week for transfers I am staying here in Vigo with Elder Dougher as my new companion. When I found out I was actually rather surprised, it is definitely not what I expected at all. (*Elder Dougher is an elder already living in their piso who Elder Johnson knows well.) I was sure that I would probably stay because Elder Groves left on Wednesday for Madrid for a doctor's appointment, and I was positive that they wouldn´t whitewash the area.  I was kind of hoping that I would be able to see somewhere new, but at the same time I was almost positive that I was going to be staying here in Vigo. Other than that change, Elder Kinghorn will be receiving a new companion tonight, and Hermana Frost also left Vigo, and Hermana Barbosa (from Barrio 1) will be coming up here. The only other change in the district is that one of the missionaries from Ourense left and the one that stayed will be training. He is currently staying with us until his companion gets here Wednesday morning.  I am sure that there are going to be quite a few cool things that are going to happen. I kind of wish that I could have left. However, I am sure that the Lord has something planned for me here.

So the 17 year old is doing well. He is looking for the truth, so we invited him to pray and read, he is doing both right now but he still hasn´t received an answer about these things. The other man from Africa is doing well, he wants to learn more and we should be inviting him to a date.

So all the other recent converts are still active and M is doing really well. He has invited two people to listen to the missionaries in the past week.

So the trio was kind of difficult, it just got a little complicated because we were trying to visit all of the investigators for both sets of missionaries.

So there actually hasn´t been much rain these days. And it is cold in the morning and in the evenings, but during the afternoon it is pretty pleasant. 

So something really cool this week is that yesterday I was able to eat at the ward mission leader´s house and while I was there they had all their family there to eat with them (at least the ones that live in Vigo), and while I was there it was really cool because it reminded me a lot of an eternal family. It was really cool to have that experience and reminder about eternal families. It was also really cool because both of the grandparents in the family are converts to the church. It also reminded me a lot about our family.

Well, I think that that´s it for now, thanks for everything, and until next week, 

Elder Johnson

Saying farewell to Elder Groves.

Elder Dougher is in the yellow tie and is Elder Johnson's new companion!

18 November 2013

(Newest members of Vigo - taken a few weeks ago.)

Hola,

So this past week was really cool, we were able to have the zone conference, and it turned out to be really great! I was able to be in the hotel with the AP´s (both I know well) which was really cool. So for  the p-day we went to a lighthouse, supposedly where Hercules killed a Giant and put his head underneath the lighthouse. Afterwards we went and played soccer with most of the zone. For the evening some missionaries had interviews with President Jackson, and the rest of us had a testimony meeting and watched the movie of the restoration. It was all very good. The Spirit was very strong there. On Tuesday we had the zone conference, they talked a lot about obedience, about sacrifices, and about diligent work. It was a really good meeting. Since then we have been applying a lot of the things that they have told us and it is working out really well for us. We are getting a lot of new investigators these weeks and the work really seems to be increasing. 

I don´t know how often zone conferences are, before they took place every 3 months, however it was 4 and a half months since the one before.  However, I am almost positive that this last one was my last.

So the picture of us eating the food from the foil took place in our district conference in Santiago. It is a rented building that we used for meetings. We were eating rice with chicken. (*The picture included last week.)

I think it will be great to be able to go with the missionaries on splits when I get home. It will be strange though doing it from a member's perspective.

So for transfers, they are Saturday and I have no idea of what is going to happen. I feel like I could stay and end here, or I could move and go to a completely different place. I am sure that someone(s) in our district and probably in our companionship are going to change. I am rather anxious to find out what happens.

So I finished Christmas shopping today. I hope everybody likes their gifts... (p.s. I learned that the pokemon cards are fakes, but that doesn´t make a difference to a young boy, they still look like normal Pokemon cards, but it´s a disapointment anyway).

Well, I am glad that everything is going well for you guys in Mass. Things are going well here too, we have quite a few new investigators these past few weeks, and most of them are really looking good. I am getting really excited for the area right now.

Time is kind of weird now, I don´t really want to go back home because I don´t know what it is going to be like, however whenever people talk about time or future events, it is always present that I will not be here for some, or that I do not have much time left. Honestly though I felt like it was going to be a little harder to stay focused, but I have found it easy so far.

Well, I think that that is about all for now, thanks for everything and until next week,

Elder Johnson

11 November 2013

The Vigo Elders

(picture lifted from Elder Groves blog)

I don't know where they are or what they are eating, I'll have to ask in the next letter.

Hola,

So this past week was kind of slow. We didn´t have a lot of things to do, however I still felt like we were running everywhere. Right now I feel really tired and am excited to have a p-day today. So we are in A Coruña right now for the zone conference, we have the entire zone getting together  for p-day, and then tomorrow we are going to be having the zone conference. Personally, I am really excited it will finally be some time where I don´t have to worry about anything, so today I can just relax and de-stress.

I don´t have as much time so the message may be a little bit shorter than usual. 

So this week we taught a 17 year old kid that wants to know if there is a God. It is really cool because it reminds me a lot of Joseph Smith when he wanted to find the trut. He also is looking for the true church if there is a God. It was a really cool experience and a really cool lesson that we had with him. We invited him to pray, and when I called him last night he said that he is praying, but that he hasn´t received an answer yet to his prayers, but that he will keep trying. It was just really cool for me to see that there are some people that want to find the truth and that are willing to get closer to God, because it seems that a lot of times that we, as missionaries, have to awaken the hibernating desires to know if there is a God.

So something else that happened this week is the District Conference, it was really cool. The meetings all have an increased focus on missionary work, and on the importance of the help of the members in the mission work. It is really cool to see the progress of the members in the work.

So it´s about time to wrap up now, but things are going well,  I am really excited for the meetings today and tomorrow, I think that they are going to be really edifying. Well, that´s about it for now, thanks for everything, until next week,

Elder Johnson

4 November 2013

  

 Elder Johnson and Elder Groves having some fun!

(Thanks to Hna Piscoya for her pictures on facebook.)

Hello,

So this week went well, we had three baptisms here in Vigo this past weekend. The service went very well, and it was really cool to be able to see all those people make those changes in their lives. It was also an interesting baptism because all of the people that were baptized spoke Portuguese as their native language. Our investigator from Angola was able to sort things out in his life, so he was also able to get baptized this past Saturday, He was really excited and gave a great testimony in the service. This past week we also found an investigator from Ghana that we are teaching, he came to church on Sunday, and seems pretty excited to learn more. I think that the best part of finding these people is that there are two members from Africa, that speak different languages than most of the branch, and they therefore found it difficult to fit in and have friends, however, with our now recent convert, and with our new investigator, it looks like we may have just found a good friend for each of them to help them out in the future. It makes me very excited to be able to help in more than one way, and it is awesome to see how perfect the Lord is in everything that he does. 

So this week we have a zone meeting, a District Conference, and then next week we have a zone conference, so these next few days are going to be filled with a lot of traveling. 

So the majority of our investigators are starting to progress well and show potential for entering into the covenant of baptism, so I am really excited for these next few weeks, there is going to be a lot of success here in Vigo.

So I brought my camera cord... and I forgot my camera, so I am hoping that next week I will be able to send some more pictures, sorry.

So the mission is doing well, we are getting better, and President is doing a great job of helping out the mission. It is really cool to be a missionary right now.

Well, something cool that happened this past week is that I was able to hear the testimonies of a few people as they talked about the power that priesthood blessings have had in their lives. They bore testimony about the powerful Spirit that they felt and the change that it had in their lives. It was something really cool to be able to hear about, because I know that many times we don´t see or recognize the difference that we have had in the life of another person. Sometimes, down the road we are able to listen to the testimonies of those people as the tell us how we helped them in an important moment, etc. However, many times we do not. Therefore, we just have to press forward doing good works, and trust that the Lord is able to help people through us and that he is able to make a difference in the lives of others.

Thanks again for everything!

Elder Johnson

The Elders of Vigo enjoying dinner with a wonderful member!

28 October 2013

Hello, me again!

So we have a baptism this Saturday! Surprise! We invited one of our investigators to be baptized this Saturday and he accepted so we should be having another baptism here, which is really cool. He is from Angola, so he is the first baptism that I have had that is from Africa, however he is a great guy and he has a lot of faith in God, and he isn´t afraid to leave behind anything or anyone that would keep him from following God´s commandments. There is also a member in the branch that is really helping him out. 

So things are still going here. However during this past week we have found quite a few people that look like they could be really good investigators. We also found a man on the street that came to church this past Sunday, even though we haven´t yet had a lesson with him. He also has 5 kids and we are hoping that he starts to bring them all to church. We also have a few more that we are looking forward to visiting this week. 

So a scripture verse that I read this week that I really like was in Mosiah 23:21-22. It talks about how at times the Lord sees it fit to test our patience and our faith. I just really like the principle and I think that it is an amazing manifestation of the Lord´s love for us. Because he knows that it is through trials and challenges that we draw closer to him. So in an effort to help us do what´s right and get closer to the Lord, he allows us to go through trials, and and as we pass through them, our faith is increased and we grow.

I feel like I have changed as a missionary, though I was trying to think about it the other day, and I am not quite sure in which ways. I think that I just have to sit down and compare who I am with who I was. I know that if I have nothing else, I have just gotten two years of experiences that confirm the truthfulness of the gospel. I know that I have changed, however, it is just hard for me to remember exactly how I was, so I don´t really know that well what has changed.

I have always thought it interesting that we have Portugese missionaries (*in our ward in Boston). I also think that it is interesting how I am in Galicia right now, because Gallego is almost the same as Portugese. It is cool how the Lord might be setting things up so that I help out the Elders and Sisters there at home afterwards.

So the past 3 or 4 days have actually been sunny. Which is quite a shocking surprise. It is definitely not what I expected. However, today it has started looking rainy again. Usually our things don´t dry out in time. (Because it is the winter, if it was summer they would be dry in no time at all). There is some waterproof spray here that I might try and use.

I forgot my camera today, sorry...

So unfortunately I have to get going now,  we´ll talk again next week.

Elder Johnson

21 October 2013

 

(Picture taken by Elder Groves and "borrowed" from his blog.)

 Elder Johnson studying hard.

 

Hello,

So this past week we have still spent time finding. We have dropped some investigators and we are looking for some more people that we can teach. The man from Angola is still doing well, he is just having trouble accepting a baptismal date.

So we are still working on our goals, the end of the month is approaching fast and I am hoping that we can find some more people who are ready for us to teach.

For the lady from England, we teach in English, it is different, however it is also pretty good.

So as of right now we have around 3 or 4 investigators at church on Sundays (but we are working on that). Also, the average amount of lessons that we teach are around 15ish each week. The highest that I have had is 28. I actually don´t really know how many people we contact in a week, I actually don´t really count.

We usually contact people we know by phone. The phones are pretty much on an honor system, however you can´t make long distance calls, and the office also sees all the numbers that you call so they notice strange calls and the sort.

So a moment when the Spirit was with us was when I had to give a practice in our District Meeting of missionaries. I wasn´t a hundred percent sure on everything that I was going to do, but I am sure that the Spirit was there because it helped me to learn something new which we were then able to apply to other people. Also, I was able to give a descent practice for all the other missionaries there and I didn´t have to struggle through it. 

 

So something that I felt inspired to do was to start visiting the branch leadership to find ways that we can help them and their auxiliary groups and to find a way to get the members more excited about the mission work and to help them help us find more people to teach.

Something that I have learned during my time with Elder Groves is how important it is to focus on people and to only look to help them. A lot of times missionaries are so focused on the lessons that they have trouble focusing on the real reason that they are teaching, which is for the people, all lessons have to be adjusted and changed to fit according to the needs of the people.

So something that I have learned from the branch here in Vigo is the importance that every leadership position has in the church, every calling has an important role that needs to be completed, and here in Vigo I have been able to see how, when all the leaders work together, that they can really make a huge difference. 

 

We visited a fortress today and saw a replica of the Pinta. I would send pictures but for some reason my camera isn´t loading them up on the computer today.  Columbus landed in Baiona, a city close to Vigo, when he arrived from the Americas.

 

(*Note from Mom - Maybe we will get lucky and his companion will have sent some photos.  I'll check later.  I love having companions that share pictures!)

 

 

So thanks for everything, until next week,

Elder Johnson

14 October 2013

Me quedo (I'm staying),

So I am staying here in Vigo for another transfer! I am still with Elder Groves, and there is actually only one change in the entire district, which is in the other companionship of elders here in Vigo Elder Alhovuori left, and Elder Kinghorn came up from Madrid. (Elder Kinghorn was in my piso when I was back in B1).

Anyway, we are getting some newer investigators to church which is really exciting. However we still want everyone to come. Hopefully we will be able to see the rapid progression of a few of these investigators so that they can start making these covenants with God.  I feel like we are going to have a lot of success, but we are still looking to find quite a few more investigators.

The work is going well. This month President Jackson had every companionship set some goals for the number of baptisms that they want to have this month. So by the end of the month of October we should have quite a bit of success as a mission in whole.

So the rain has started. It started raining yesterday and some of the members have told us that it will probably continue until the end of the year. It rains a lot here in Galicia. So today I bought an umbrella, my previous one got lost somewhere between the office and B1, and nobody has seen it since... Very disappointing because I really like that other umbrella that I had.

Could you please send me my line of authority. (by email or mail, either is fine).

So when you mentioned our investigator from Africa, I don´t know which one you are talking about so I´ll tell you a little about one from Angola. He is doing really good. We have talked with him about baptism various times and so far we haven´t been able to set a fixed baptismal date with him. However, he has told us that he fully plans on being baptized, he just doesn´t know when because he wants to feel prepared.

So we started teaching a lady from England this past week. She very nice and is also somewhat religious (though not really in any particular faith). She just showed up to General Conference last week with a member who works with her (they are both English teachers). So she could have some awesome potential to get baptized, however, she also has some different viewpoints in certain aspects of doctrine. However, that isn´t anything that the Spirit can´t handle.

So congratulations on Arya´s birthday. Everybody is getting big really fast. In no time at all you are going to start having grandchildren and everyone is going to be married. 

I hope that everything is going well for you guys. Keep praying for us, and thank you for all the support that you all give me. I can honestly say that it is something that I look forward to all the time. 

So I think that that is all for now.

Until next week

Elder Johnson

 Farewell to Elder Alhovouri

(he is being transferred to Gijon)

Octopus, yum!

It is somewhat chewy. It isn´t bad, however I get bored of it quickly so I have to eat it with other food. I can´t eat it by itself.

Most of the Vigo District before the transfer.

We have 3 companionships in Vigo, 1 in Ourense, 1 in Pontevedra, and 1 in Vilagarcía de Arousa in our district.

A view of Vigo.

 We were in a fortress on a hill in Vigo. The fortress consists of only a wall. But it is still pretty cool.

 

7 October 2013

Hola,

So this past General Conference was really awesome. Unfortunately I only was able to see the Saturday morning session, the Priesthood session, and the Sunday Morning session. But the talks that I was able to see were really great. I was able to learn a lot of things from the talks that were given.

So our week was definitely better than last. We are finding more people, and it seems that we have more people that are ready to be prepared for baptism. It´s really cool. We still aren´t finding that many new people that we can teach, but we still have a few new investigators showing up here and there.

We found a man the other day from Angola (Africa) and we had a pretty good lesson with him in the church, and then a few days later we had another lesson with him and we invited a member who was also from Africa, and it went really, really well. The member was really excited to see our investigator (1. because they were friends a year ago, and 2. because I think that the member feels lonely sometimes being the only member from his country in his district.) So the member was so excited that he was talking about baptism a lot, and how our investigator was going to get baptized, and our investigator just said that he needed a little bit of more preparation to get baptized, but that when he was prepared, that we would get baptized. So we will probably have another baptism in a few more weeks.

So transfers are this Saturday, hold off on the paper letters, until we know what is going to happen.

The branch is starting to help us out more, it is really cool, because it is exactly how the mission work should take place. 

So being a trainer is a little bit harder than I thought, I think that the hardest thing about it is trying to be perfect, because in all honesty that is exactly how new missionaries think that their trainers are. It´s not bad and Elder Groves is a good missionary and a good person, so he makes it easier for me too. But I think that the best part of it will be seeing Elder Groves continue in the path that I am setting him in so that he can continue to work hard and grow, and learn.  In all honesty I think that I won´t even be here in the mission by the time that the best parts of training would be showing. I imagine that it would be a lot like having a child, that the best parts of it are seeing them grow older and make good decisions.

There are a lot of cruise ships that pass through here, and though we usually don´t contact the tourists, we do go out contacting. (We don´t plan to go contacting when the ships get in town though). Vigo doesn´t really get snow in the winter, but it is going to get a ton of rain. Pretty soon here it will start raining every single day until the summer comes back around.

So I think that is it for now, our work load here in Vigo is increasing, and the mission work worldwide is starting to grow. Pretty soon there are going to be huge miracles worldwide. I am really excited to see what is going to be happening in these next few years.

So I think that that is all for now, Thanks for everything... I need to take more pictures,

Until next week, 

Elder Johnson

 

Well, I´m afraid that I don´t really have any cool pictures this time, so this is one of my companion when we went to a park two weeks ago.

 

30 September 2013

Hello,

So this past week we spent a decent chunk of time looking for new investigators and making plans to teach the new investigators that we are going to have during the week. So, right now we are searching for the next baptisms that we are going to be having. We are really searching for the Spirit and we are trying to use every minute of our time wisely.Something cool that President Jackson taught us is that if we ever want to quadruple or triple our success, all we have to do is learn how to use our time wisely.  Just a thought for the day.

To be honest, I wasn´t exactly wondering how much time I have left, but thanks for letting me know.

I am excited for General Conference, though I wish that we could see all of the sessions. The branch is only going to be showing 3 of the sessions in the chapel here. (*Due to the time difference from UT to Spain.)

Although there are three companionships here, we don´t divide the branch geographically. It is the entire city, so all the missionaries travel to whichever part of the city. There are no boundaries or divided areas.

I went looking today a little bit to find something to buy for Christmas gifts, I haven´t found anything yet though. I´ll keep looking.

I am in the same boat as Elder Dougher. (*Not going to elaborate on his "intestinal distress")

So thanks for everything, right now things are going good, we are just looking for more awesome people and for some more miracles right now.

So until next week,

Elder Johnson

23 September 2013

*Note from Mom:  The email system seems to be really iffy lately.  His letter for today came through in pieces from 12:07 to 3:49 this afternoon.  And it said he had written it at 11:46.  At least we finally got all the parts!!

 

 

 

Bo dia,

 

 

 

So this past week was kind of difficult. We met a lot with our recent converts but we are having difficulty in finding new investigators that we can meet with on a regular basis. So this week we are going to focus a lot on the Spirit and looking with faith.  We hope to be able to find a lot of people to teach in this coming week.

So we had a baptism!! I forgot the cord to my camera so I can´t send it in this week, but next week I´ll be able to. Sorry.

 

Luckily Hermana Piscoya took a picture and posted it on facebook.

I love the members who take such good care of our son!! 

 

For this week we are going to be looking, and I expect to find. There are a lot of cool miracles going on in the mission right now that I thought I would only hear in a mission in South America. The work is really growing in Spain, and I know that the Lord is working beside us in this work. It is really picking up and it is really cool to see these prophesies coming true about the work coming to Europe. These are the last days, and it is getting very close...

*Now a list of questions from the family:

Are you really tan?

I don´t think that I am that tan, but I suppose that I have tanned a little bit. 

 

Are you taller?

I have grown in the mission, though my  pants still fit well. 

 

Is this our picky brother eating all this food and liking it?

I realized that I missed out on a lot of good food by not trying out new things. 

 

What kinds of service do you do in your mission?

 We teach English classes every week, so I would assume that that would be a service. 

 

When do you feel closest to Heavenly Father?

I feel closest to Heavenly Father in prayer. 

 

Before you got called, where did you want to go on a mission?

Before my mission I wanted to go to Russia, but I know that Spain is the mission for me. 

 

What is your favorite part of missionary work?

My favorite part of missionary work is seeing people change, and my least favorite is seeing people choose not to.

 

Thanks for everything, 

Elder Johnson

I "borrowed" a few other pictures Hna Piscoya posted.

This is Elder Johnson with the Piscoya family and his previous companion, Elder Miner.

 

Elder Johnson and Elder Dougher at a recent Noche de Hogar (FHE)

 

 Elder Johnson and Elder Groves enjoying some tasty food in the chapel in Vigo.

 

16 September 2013

Hello,

So this week we had an interesting week. For some reason we didn´t receive any references in the street, but we had two people call us and tell us  that they wanted us to visit someone, or that they wanted us to visit them. So things did not go according to plan, however, I suppose they did go according to our Heavenly Father´s plan. Just another testimony builder of how the Lord has his hand in the work.

So this week we had the grand privilege of eating Octopus, Calamari, and Shrimp!! I felt bad though for Elder Groves, he really is not a seafood fan, he didn´t really enjoy it that much... But it was one of our recent converts that took us out to eat, so it was kind of a surprise/something that you can´t really prepare for.

Elder Dougher is awesome, he is a really good guy and he really wants to work hard. He is also very on top of things and is very responsible. He is going to do well in the mission.

Our piso, is rather old, it is actually from the Bilbao Mission, which was dissolved around 4 years ago. But it is pretty good.

Vigo has only a few hills, however, we are always going up or down them, so it seems like a lot sometimes. Vigo is a gorgeous city and has a beautiful view of the bay and surrounding mountains. I believe that the initial settlers were of Celtic descent. So Galicia (the province) is also part of the Celtic Nations.

We walk usually around Vigo (I am going to have Captain America thighs when I come home with all these hills here.) We take buses too, but there is no subway system.

There are usually around 145+ members here in the church. It is a very big branch. And the members are awesome.  There is only one branch in all of Vigo, for now...

Something awesome that my companion did is involve himself in the lessons, set goals for our companionship, and present ideas on how we can further help our investigators. He is going to be a very good Elder because he really likes to take a big role in the work and he isn´t scared to speak up.

So that´s all the time that I have right now, we have to buy food still and p-day ends shortly here. Thanks for all your letters!

Elder Johnson

 We will have a baptism soon.

The husband will be baptized - the rest of his family are already members.

 The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

People from all over the world make a pilgrimage to come to this Cathedral were the bones of the Apostle James are supposedly buried.

The elders of our piso in front of the Cathedral

From L to R - Elder Alhovuori-who is from Finland, Elder Groves, Elder Dougher, and me!

Another picture from the boat last week.

This is a shot of the opposite side of the shore from Vigo.

Letter From President Taylor

10 September 2013


Dear Brother and Sister Johnson,


This letter is to inform you that your son, Elder Johnson, has been called to be a trainer. He has demonstrated his ability as an effective, obedient missionary.  As a trainer, Elder Johnson will be responsible for teaching and training a new missionary. This is a 12 week program, which includes an additional hour of daily study, including language study. Both your son and the missionary he is training will be responsible to report their weekly progress to the President. Only the best and most dedicated missionaries are called as trainers. He will serve as a role model for his new companion, and will hold a special place in the heart and memory of that companion.


Thank you for sharing your son with us.  Sister Jackson and I love him and pray for his continued success in this important calling.


Our best wishes to you,





President Scott T. Jackson


Spain Madrid Mission

9 September 2013

Hello,

So this past week was a pretty crazy week for me. We were in a trio until Wednesday, when our companions got here, on Wednesday and Thursday we worked, then on Friday we had Zone meeting, and then in the afternoon we had exchanges because the District Leader had to come over for a baptism, and then Branch Council in the evening. Saturday we had English classes, and eating appointment, and then we had to help the Hermanas with their baptism because neither one of them really knew what to do. Then on Sunday we were able to work again as normal. My companion also got lost for an hour on Saturday, he got off on the wrong stop on the bus back to Vigo (when we ended the exchanges).

Anyway, today I am pretty glad that it is p-day.

So our investigators are doing fine. Unfortunately we didn´t have a ton of lessons with them this week, however, we still have a few progressing. One of them already quit smoking, and another has drastically reduced it. Another one is struggling, but we talked about relying on the Lord, and he should be doing well here pretty soon. He should be getting baptized on the 21st of this month.

So my companion Elder Groves is from American Fork Utah, he is the oldest of 3, and actually speaks Spanish really well since he took 2.5 years of Spanish in high school. He just turned 19 on Friday.

He is going to be an awesome Elder, he is really excited about the work and he really loves it, and he doesn´t like to waste his time. He has a lot of potential to be a really great Elder and I expect him to be a great leader in the future. He isn´t scared to talk to anyone.

You are awesome, thanks for all that you do, I´m glad to be your son.

Well, that´s my time for today, things are going well,

Elder Johnson

My new companion!

 The view of Vigo from a boat we took last week.

2 September 2013

So we have transfers today!

So I am staying here in Vigo, and I am going to be training!! It will be the first time to have a companion younger than I am, so it will be a very unique experience. Elder Miner is going to a place called Vilagarcia de Arousa, he will be the first companionship`of missionaries ever assigned there. They also opened Pontevedra back up. The other companionship of Elders here in Vigo also changed. One of the Elders went home (he finished his mission) and the other one will be training as well. The hermanas here stayed the same and the other elders in the district stayed the same as well. Elder Miner and the Elder in Pontevedra are also training. So there are 4 new missionaries in our district. There were also some changes in the other side of the zone too, but I think that there are only 3 training over there. There were 45 new missionaries that entered the field this week. I am also no longer a zone leader, it is sad, but I also feel exhausted so I think that it is a great idea.

So here in Vigo we had another baptism! And we had two more investigators tell us this week that they want to get baptized!! So these next few weeks are going to be incredible. This new missionary is going to have an amazing first transfer. Now we just need to find some more amazing investigators because all of our current ones are getting baptized.

So right now the mission is doing absolutely amazing. I don´t think that I have ever seen so much success. It is really cool to be able to see the change that we have gone through as  a mission. It has changed completely from what it was before. Also, I think that the mission has an incredible amount of faith. It is absolutely amazing. I really feel like my faith has increased as I have gone through the mission. It has been an amazing experience.

Well, I think that is all for now, thanks for everything!

Elder Johnson

 

 

 

These are the missionaries in Vigo before the transfer.

Our baptism!