5-26-14 Humility, and we got water, and cellphones!

Humility...

What is it? Accepting the Lord´s will in place of your own will.

This week was super spiritual mostly because we´re all getting ready to go to the temple and we had conference with the presidente this week. He´s such a boss, like seriously, I have so much admiration for that man.

But anyways, about the humility, that's what I´ve been learning alot about.  I like something that preach my gospel says about humility. "humility is not weakness" many times we think that humility is connected with weakness but it is actually a spiritual strength.

I had an experience with this this week. We had an appointment with a young man but as it would happen this appointment fell through.. this has been happening frequently with this particular investigator and I was a bit frustrated. We left a little disappointed because we had both felt and expected great things, we had a great plan for this particular appointment and thought that the Lord had confirmed it. So for everything to fall was a bummer. Then we left and wouldn´t you know it, two families call us over to teach them. 5 people were waiting for us to just pass by. We didn´t know that and it´s pretty difficult to plan that. What I learned from this experience is that the Lord is in control. When I am humble I accept the changes the Lord makes to my plans. I don´t complain, I just go with it. I want to be humble. Truly humble, one of the first steps to this is giving God his glory. 

Why do I want to be humble?  Because of the promises that God has in store for us. Specifically in  James 4:10. I love it. I know that this is Lord's work and am very happy to be part of it.

Now other news.. We got cellphones! what? what is this? just like the most ancient phones possible, but shoot it´s gonna be such a big help. haha and.... OH! the water came back this week! our month of 5 min showers has come to an end supposedly. Love it. 

haha other than that.... not much has happened. We´re gonna keep working. 

Well love you all and hope you have a good one.

Paz y amor

Elder Johnson

5-19-14 Every member a missionary

THis week we walked a ton for one reason. We went to the chapel everyday.

They had this thing called the week of the family for two branches, and somehow we got charged with taking pictures so mom... I guess I´m unconciously following your footsteps... haha not nearly on that level :) just thought about you.

Other than that we had two people come to the sacrament!!!! whoo!! the bummer is that they live in the other area so we passed them as references... That happens all the time here.. but eh, I understand.

Really I just want to help this branch there is so much work and I honestly feel like I´m not enough persons to do it all. We decided on focusing on the Elders quorum. Got to activate or find the 70 elders registered in our ward basically means alot of fun :) We´re limited on how much soccer we can play so we´re starting to challenge people to basketball games, this English class, and friday night activities.

I've found the people that the Lord seems to prepare know a member. So when we are activating a less active and we find a investigator they are more receptive. Thats the theory and it´s more fun than walking in the dusty tropical desert knocking doors.  We just got to find those with desire, with necessity and application. Those people tend to help BUILD the church in the end.

Here the problem isn´t finding people who listen it´s finding people who will contribute and be a help. I only have two years to do this.  In the end I think "what kind of member will I be? a help? or a burden?" I plan on being a contributor a "doer of the word" not just a listener. I wish I could find a way to communicate this with the members here in a way that would excite and edify them, I just cant find it.. but the Lord knows.. I´ll just wait... 

Today we played soccer and well.... I got alot to catch up on. love it, miss it, but it´s gotta wait

Love you all make sure you take care of yourselves.

paz y amor.

Elder Johnson

Mother's Day Skype

This week's email was even shorter than most!  I'll just attribute that to our having just talked to him the day before.  I've included two video clips from our conversation with him on Mother's Day!  Enjoy!

From Sean 5-12-14

Well, so life in the mission continues.

I have discovered that our new district has alot of personality. Other than that I haven't been pondering very well and this week, work was a bit tough because I've been super sick in a way that doesn't keep me in the bed.  I'm not sure what caused it but I've tried to avoid eating stuff that leaves really fast... haha but well not succeeding.  If anyone has advice I'm very needful of it these days.

Other than that we met a crazy gringo who is from Alabama and living the rich life the problem... he's always drunk. Other than that not alot has happened.

The English class continues and now we have this week of family activities, basically a training on FHE. I'm gonna give bomb FHE when I get home, that's all I got to say..

I know this it the work of the Lord, I'm expecting miracles here, they're gonna come.

Love you all

paz y amor

 

Elder Johnson

5-5-14 Chispa!

Another week has gone by...

My companion and I stayed the same. Nothing has changed here basically we´re the same district. The gringo that was living with us in the other companionship has left me so I'm here with 3 latinos in our apartment and me. There's another elder in our apartment from an indian tribe in Guatemala but it seems like he learned spanish pretty good because he never stops talking, hahaha.

I really feel like me and my companion are babysitting the two young missionaries in our apartment, they both have less than 5 months in the mission. Niether has trained and well... they´re very easily distracted it will be fun haha..

So with this new change I want to change myself to be a better missionary. I have set goals to do this:

1-chispa!!! spark

2-Faith

3-FUN

4-Living in the now haha

I hope these can become part of my life.

Other cool story, we found a half dead boa and well, I just had to pick it up so I did and my companino took a picture I´ll send next week. But hey guys love ya all and have a good week! thanks bye

paz y amor

Elder johnson