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!