Hey Hey!!!!!

Feliz Navidad, y Prospero Año Nuevo!!!!!!!

This week was good, you all sound great!!!!

We had a lesson with the daughter of Humberto Sanchez this week, she is named Lisbet and has a little girl nicknamed ¨Boo¨ like in Monsters Inc. We had a lesson with her and she said that she wanted to change her life and be baptized because the example of her family. She prayed to close the lesson and was crying tons, I love this work!!! I love my Savior and what he has done for all of us, I love being able to share this with others. I know this is God’s true church on the earth, and that it was restored through Joseph Smith. I love you tons!!

Sorry it’s so short, I didn’t have a lot of time this week. Much Love!!!!!

Elder ¨under the equator¨ Johnson :)

To start off I have a new comp his name is Elder Aguirre, from Bolivia, it  was a change of emergency, and now Elder Lazo is in Iquitos with a new Elder.  It was sad to say goodbye but it’s all good. This week has been so awesome and I have had tons of my prayers answered.  Firstly we were in the chapel preparing for the baptismal services and waiting for two people to come to be baptized.  One of them showed up but the other didn’t and we waited for a while and decided to start, I told Elder Aguirre that we should pray for her to come. We went into a room and prayed and then we started and 15 minutes into the service she came!!!!!!! It was awesome!!!! I baptized Ayvi Mandruma, Humberto Sanchez, and a ten year old from the sister missionaries John Peter.  It was a great day and ours were both confirmed Sunday in church, they are really brave because both of their families told them not to be baptized and aren’t very happy with them.  We went to the house of Humberto last night and he had tears in his eyes, but his wife is a member and three of his kids, so he will be ok.

Another prayer that was answered was yesterday we were in the mototaxi of a member and we were going to his house for lunch and his motor died.  He tried to change a few things and then it didn’t even turn over, so I told them we needed to pray. After we did he was inspired to change the spark plug and then it started right up!!!!  Way cool!!!!  The power of prayer is real!!!!

The jungle is crazy-awesome!!! The food here is a little different from Lima, there are a lot more fruits and stuff. this week we tried a fruit that the taste reminded me of mucous and it was sticky and I spit it back out. but there are also coconuts and mangoes, I opened my first coconut this week!!!! It was sooooo goooood!!!!!  We are going to pick more today to put in our fridge, we have a fridge to keep food in because there are a lot of bugs.  Today  we are going to have alligator with french fries for lunch, I have heard that it is really good!! So we will see. :)

I love you all and wish you a Feliz Navidad!!!!!!!!

I agree completely with the words of Scott, the reason for CHRIST-mas isn’t the gifts at all, it’s the greatest gift ever given. The gift of an only begotten Son, by a loving Heavenly Father for all of us. I love him for what He has done for me and want to share with everyone I see.

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

ELDER JOHNSON!!!!!!!

Photos from Peru!

Elder Johnson with his mission President and wife.

Photos from Pucallpa:


Joe with his companion, Elder Lazo, a young girl and former Elder Landon Rich, his companion and others.

Hey!!!!!!! Well this week has been pretty good, we had a baptism! :)  

This week has been good we went to the zoo after email last week!! There were a ton of animals, and I touched a couple of monkeys and about three jaguars!!!! It was awesome!!!!! I have pictures, so they will be coming in a while :) We also set the baptismal date this week for Humberto Sanchez. His wife and family are members and he is so awesome!!! Their family rocks they are new members but they are so strong in the gospel!! Our baptism this week was Luz Clara Goncalvez Velgarai, I remembered her full name because I baptized her. She is a special daughter of God, and really felt the spirit at her baptism. She’s 12 years old and her parents aren’t married so they can’t be baptized. We also talked in sacrament meeting and it went way good, I talked about repentance and it was pretty good. I was shaking the whole time and wasn’t scared, it was cool. Elder Lazo talked about being spiritually prepared. It was good. On Saturday we got in a water fight with the kids of our landlady and pensionista. We were all soaked and Elder Lazo used his talc powder so they were ¨gringo¨ for a little while. :) We also had a water fight with our zone for P-day and it was pretty fun. :)

I love this work! I love this gospel!!! The story about Joseph Smith isn’t just a story, it is fact! He saw God and Jesus Christ in a vision, I know it’s true!!!!! I love you!!!!

Love you all

P.S.  I can’t receive email from anyone other than mom, dad or brothers and sisters, so please set up an email for others, thanks!!!

Hola!!!!! from Under the Equator!!!!!

This week has been amazing/crazy/hot/I don’t even know what else.  On Wednesday I left Elder Ruiz and went to the offices and then to the airport and flew out with two other elders and a sister, in a 25 passenger jet for Pucallpa, Perú. There was a little turbulence. I sat next to a soldier on leave from the Canadian Army. We talked and I taught him about the First Vision and the Plan of Salvation, and challenged him to pray if it was true and he said the he would!!!! He was pretty cool. Then we landed and walked out of the plane. I started sweating and haven’t stopped since. :) 

Everything here is so amazingly beautiful and green. There are mango trees and coconut trees everywhere. The people are so humble and amazing. In the first 3 days we had 11 baptismal dates set and we are both new to the area!!! Our goal is 15 baptisms this change and two families, and we are well on our way!!! They are all so humble and in a lot of the houses they will invite you in and offer you soda, such amazing people! I now know why all of the Elders here talk about the ¨selva¨ or jungle, it is amazing! My comp is Elder Lazo de la Vega (his plaque only says Lazo) from Arequipa, Perú. He is the only child in his family and he is 21 years old. He is awesome! Our ward rocks too, we have 2/3rds of a ward and the other part is for other elders, but it is awesome. We eat lunch with members every day and it is way good. They eat a lot more fish here because of the rivers, and lots of bananas and fruit I love it! Our Pensionista is a little crazy and calls us her little gringo’s or Papito which means little papa. :) She’s pretty sweet! 

I know this church is true and that all of it’s teachings are true, that Joseph was a prophet of God and that reading the Book of Mormon will help you with any problem, and that God does answer prayers!!!  Every day in his own way!!!!!

Love you tons!!!! 

Elder Gregory Joseph Johnson!!!! ¨Joe¨ :)

Hola!!!!!   This week has been cool, and Elder Ruiz and I have had some really cool experiences together spiritually. We had a meeting with a third of the mission on the 25th in Lima with Elder Pino. He is an area seventy and from Venezuela. He and his wife talked to us and I learned a ton, and it was really one of the best things this week. Also, Presidente Pérez and his wife talked to us and it was just a really great conference. We also got more baptismal dates this week!!!! Two of them are for the Familia Mundo, a really cool family! They are just amazing. Every lesson we have, the dad, Cesar, almost cries and they have such a hunger to learn. Then we had a lesson in the house of a member and they invited a 19 year old to their house. His name is Armando, and when we started the lesson I had a really cool impression about  all the people he will baptize in the future. It was really cool and he was so ready to accept everything, he just plain rocks!!! 

Last night we had a really amazing lesson in the house of Eder and Consuelo. She was there with her kids and her sister, and we watched ¨El Restauracion¨ and then I bore my testimony and Elder Ruiz bore his testimony and he was crying. We could tell that they felt the spirit. It was one of the most spiritual lessons we have had so far and was ¨lo maximo¨!!!!!!!!!!! 

This morning we found out that I have changes and Elder Ruiz doesn’t, which is sad, but I have loved my time with him. 

I’M GOING TO PUCALLPA!!!! I just found out!  Wow!  This is amazing. I can’t wait. Everyone talks about the jungle, or ¨la selva¨ and says it is the best, so here goes nothing!!!!! Oh, I am so excited!!!!!!

Anyways, I have loved this week and loved being with Elder Ruiz and he is so amazing. I have loved this area and the people here. Oh how I love being a missionary!!!!!! It is the best, and I know that I am where I need to be. I also know that this is true church on the earth and it was restored by Joseph Smith. It’s true!!!!!

Love,

The Johnson under the Equator, Joe.

Hola from under the equator!!!!

This week was pretty good, we have been trying to help some of our investigators with marriage because a lot of the people here just live together. So we have been helping them with that, and it's going good. We also got a date for a baptism from Cesar Mundo, and we need to get one from his wife and they will be a ¨familia de oro¨. They are pretty cool!!!!  The spirit was really strong in our lesson. We also had one of our investigators skip his interview for his baptism so he couldn’t be baptized, which was sad, but we can't make people be baptized. Elder Ruiz and I are doing good together, and working hard. Changes are the 3rd of December, and neither of us wants to change, I love my ¨papa¨. =) 

This week is Thanksgiving? Where has time gone? Last week was Halloween!!!! =)  Well I'm truly thankful for the miracle of the atonement, for the opportunity our Father in Heaven has provided for us to return to him. I'm thankful for my many blessings here in Perú, and for my amazing family and friends, their support and prayers. I'm thankful for everything I have in this life and for all my blessings in this gospel. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I love you!!! Thanks for everything!!!!!

Hurra por Israel!!  Te amo mas!  Elder XOXOXOXOXOxoxoxo

ps  I got the jerky, but if you send it in a box they will open it and take it.  If you send a box leave the tags on things, and no jerky in the box. 

HOLA!!!!! From under the equator!!!!  I’m am having tons of fun, and tons of success!!!! Thanks for all of your prayers!!!!

Yesterday I baptized Silvia Giron!!!!!  Her husband is a member, and two of her kids, and now their family is complete!!!!!  And in one year they can go to the temple to be sealed, and if I am in Lima, I can go with them. :)))))  During the week we taught her a lesson and she has been investigating the church for years, and we got her to commit to be baptized on the 28th of November. Then Elder Ruiz asked her what she was doing on Sunday, and she said nothing, and we got her to commit for Sunday.  She said that she was excited, and ready for this change, which was a huge difference from the first time we met her because the first time she wasn’t really involved at all, and now she is excited. :) It was an awesome baptism, three times :) The first time I skipped a word, the second time her knee came up and the third time, was the charm. :) It  was awesome :)

We have also had a lot of really good lessons, and found some families ready for the gospel. we did service on Saturday with one of them, The Familia Falcón.  We helped them put cement on their roof because it hardens and is waterproof.  It was fun, and I am still sore from it. :)

Oh, I love this work, and know it is true.  This is the best thing I could be doing right now, and the only place I want to be.  This gospel is true. We have a true and living, and loving, Prophet of God on the earth, and his name is Thomas S. Monson.  I love this work, and the change it brings in other peoples lives, and mine.  I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet and this church is true.

I LOVE YOU MORE :)   LOVE ELDER JOHNSON

Joe answered a few questions for us:

Could I get Elder Ruiz first name?  Otto Alejandro Ruiz

How long has Elder Ruiz been out on his mission?  11 months

From a large family?  5, he’s the only boy

How is the language coming?  good

Are you starting to "think" in Spanish?  um, yeah, it’s harder to think in english and translate stuff in my head

Where do you live in Huaral (what street)?  I don’t know the name, but the area is Las Dalias, close to the Bomberos.

Near city center or on the outskirts?  pretty close to the center.

Is it easy for people to get married in Peru?  No, and we have a lot of couples that want to get married but don’t have the money.

Do your contacts get excited about marriage?  some, more about baptism :)

Kia Kaha!

WOW!! Well this week has been great!!!  We had two baptisms, and I had my first baptism!!!!!! Holy cow it was awesome!!!!! The spirit was so strong there and it was just awesome!!! Her name is Quioni Yeraseli Rojas Talavera, and it was really cool. My testimony of the importance of baptism was strengthened so much! Actually Elder Ruiz baptized her friend Diana Romero first and her hand was out of the water so he had to do it twice and then I baptized Quioni. The water was freezing, but the spirit was warm, such amazing feelings. The baptismal service was good with four strong testimonies, and very spiritual. Then on Sunday we confirmed them, and that was cool, and then we both talked in sacrament meeting. Then we had lunch, and went to Sacachispe and contacted and had a really cool lesson with Pedro and we asked him when he wanted to be baptized and he said “three weeks”, which was inspired because that is all he needs. It was a great two days!!!

The rest of the week was also good, I went to Lima with Elder Ruiz on Friday, to finish my papers for Perú, and saw some of the Elder’s from my group which was cool. Their areas are in Lima, and I am so glad that I was “born” in Huaral! with such a great companion. Elder Ruiz rocks!!!! I love this Gospel and pray for you always!!!!! This church is true, and perfect. Joseph saw the vision!!! I love you More!!! 

Kia Kaha!!!!

HOLA!!!! ¿QUE TAL? Well I am down here on the other side of the equator, and it is not getting colder, it’s getting hotter!!! Lol  I have fun every day, and work hard every day, and I love it! My companion Elder Ruiz and I had a perfect week this last week, which means we met all of our goals for lessons with members, contacts, and others!!!  Elder Ruiz said that hardly ever does a companionship meet this in their first week, but we did!!! :) We also had some cool experiences this week with investigators. One of them was with Hermana Santos Pastor, we taught her about baptism and the importance of it and she said ¨When can I get baptized?¨ I and Elder Ruiz smiled really big and said,¨in two weeks!!! ¨ It was pretty cool!!!  We also had a confirmation this week of Elias Obispo who had been baptized, but hadn’t been confirmed because he hadn’t attended church. So we got him to come to church, and now he has the guidance of the Spirit to help him, which he needs. 

We have also been working with other investigators, Eder and Consuelo- need marriage first and then baptism, Victor and Gissel- really nice (have a pepper farm and whenever we visit they make us eat) also need marriage before baptism, Diana Romero- daughter of a member and has a date set, Quihony- has a date set a friend of Diana, Santos Pastor- GOLDEN :). We also have many other investogadores, Please pray for them!!! Thanks!! 

I am loving the work and I learn a lot from Elder Ruiz every day. I Love the food, especially Desyuno, and Lomo Saltado. :) Thanks for all of the prayers!!!!!  I pray for you too!!!! 

Kia Kaha!!!! Hurra por Israel!!!!!!! 

PS. Don´t be offended if I don’t email back!!  I can´t email people outside my mom, dad, and brothers and sisters, but I can receive from everyone, so please write, I love it!!!!

Huaral // 26 Oct 09
HOLA!!!!!!

I’m in the Field!!! It is awesome!!! My companion is Elder Ruiz from Mazatenango, Guatemala! He is pretty bomb, and we have had success together!!!! Yesterday we committed two people to baptism!!!  The ward here is awesome to missionaries, and really involved in the work!! Elder Ruiz and I have been having fun together, it’s basically proselyting all day long, which is cool!! Yes, I have a pensionista and she makes some pretty good stuff, for breakfast we have warm milk and sugar and rolls with eggs or stuff, its really good, and for dinner we have a Peruvian dish. Lunches here are the biggest meal and we eat with a member. The first day I thought the food was weird, but now I love it!! 

There is a family down here that has a daughter in Layton, her name is Norma Lindeman her family in Perù are really nice!! and they made me mac and cheese!!! :) 

I am having fun trying to understand people but living here helps. Thats cool about the seasons, here it is getting warmer. 

Oh my AREA!!! is Huaral, the whole city!!! We ride in moto taxis a lot, and walk a lot!!! It´s way fun. We talked to a member of the branch and he said the there are 24 different areas here so they can grow almost every fruit!!! 

I will send a cd with pictures in a while, I can’t email pictures but you can email them to me!! :) I can only email my brothers and sisters and parents, but I can receive email from other people!! :) 

I am having joy in the work and many spiritual experiences with the Lamanites. 

I LOVE YOU MORE!!!  Hurra por Israel!!!! KIA KAHA!!!  Oh how I love Perù!!!  

I love you thanks!!!

LOVE, ELDER GREGORY JOSEPH JOHNSON

From Letter, Lima // 14 Oct 09  

Hola!

I had an awesome time at the temple here in Lima today.  I didn’t think that I would get to go because usually your second to last preparation day is for going to immigration, but last night they said that we got to go, woo hoo!

Elder Delgado and I were pretty excited to go.  We rode an ‘auto bus’ to the temple, which is fun, and then when we went through the front doors, all the sounds of the street were left behind.☺ As I was getting ready to go through, I felt the spirit of the people on the other side waiting for their work to be done.  It was so cool! I hadn’t felt that before, so it was way cool.  I’m so glad we have temples, and I love attending them!

19 Oct 09

I also had a cool experience Thursday, thanks to Grandma’s Johnson and Fawson for their testimonies. I also saw Elder D. Todd Christofferson on Saturday.  He talked to all the missionaries in Lima.  I felt bad because I didn’t catch everything in Spanish, but it helped me learn that I need to speak Spanish so other people will understand me.  I love you!  I love this gospel, and I know it is true!  I’m reading in Alma 5, pretty cool!  I’m understanding it!☺

I love you more!

Lim, Peru // 14 Oct 09

I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!! Yes I did see Elder Rich! Tell his mom I gave him a hug for her! I have been loving it in Peru!!!! Elder Delgado and I have been growing closer all the time which is awesome!!!! Proselitismo this week was way cool!!! Oh and guess what?  President and Hermana Perez came last night and talked to us. He is THE MAN, I love him all ready. He talked with all of the elders going to Lima North, and after talking to him we were all smiling from ear to ear! They are really, really nice!!!!  He said that in the North mission he is like the papa and all the elders are his sons :]  It was really cool and now I’m not worried at all about after the CCM. He also said that one of the elders will get to go the the selva or jungle, because there is only one trainer there. I want to go there so bad!!!  But whatever the Lord wants. :] I had a cool time at the temple this morning!!   Thanks for all the prayers and all you do!! I Love you MORE!!!! Kia Kaha en PERÚ!!!

Lima, Peru // 11 Oct 09

Peru is awesome as ever. My Mission means everything to me, this work is of God, but this work is not just what I need, it’s what everyone needs.  It will change hearts and lives, I am here to share it with all the world.  

Yesterday during Proselitismo we did a street contact and I know she felt the Spirit when I shared the First Vision, but in the end she just said, “Yo soy Catalico” or “I am Catholic” and wouldn’t accept a visit from the Missionaries.  When we walked away I felt pretty sad, but all we can do is give people the chance to listen, they always have agency.

I’m so glad for this gospel and for Mom and Dad who raised me on the Gospel and homemade bread.

Love you forever!

Wow!!!! This week has been crazy!!!! So much has happened in so little time, and it didn’t take very much time either! :} 

My Companion is Elder Jose David Delgado Olguera from Tarija, Bolivia. He is really cool.  

CONFERENCE!!!  Wow!!! This conference was great!!!  I loved all of it, my favorites, though, were probably Elder Holland’s and President Monson’s talks. :} The spirit was really strong during Elder Holland’s which was cool!!!! 

All is good here, I can’t wait to send you pictures of everything!!!! 

I went to the Temple today with Elder Delgado and listened to the whole thing in Español, and the cool thing was, I think I got about 80 to 85 percent of what was said!!!!! :}  Also I had been praying to gain a stronger testimony of the importance of temples, and while I was there to day, it came! I know that temples are important and God answers our prayers!!! I know this church is true and that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ !!! 

I’m learning!!!!! Thanks for the prayers!!!!! They help!!! 

Tell everybody happy Birthday for me!!!!! 

I’m praying for you to!!!!!! I can’t wait for proselitismo this week!! It will be really fun!!! 

I Love You More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxox

Lima, Peru // 03 Oct 09


Dear Families,

A new group arrived day before yesterday and yesterday.  Your sons have been wonderful hosts and guides helping the new ones learn ¨the ropes.¨ We appreciate and love every one of them.  This photo shows them with their new companion in their slightly altered District.


With love,    
Hna. Groberg, CCM de Lima, Perú  

Lima, Peru // 30 Sept 09 
HEY HEY HEY... HOLA HOLA HOLA!!!!! :]

Well I have had a pretty good day today, we went with Presidente y Hermana Groberg to get pizza and to see some sights in Lima and look at a cathedral!!! It was way cool, but first thing this morning I said goodbye to Elder Rojas, it was sad, but it’s OK because the next time I see him I will be able to communicate better with him, no matter when that is. :} But after that we went to INTERPOL to get immigration stuff, and then went and got pizza from Pizza Hut, the Peruvians like pizza!! 

Then after that we went to a little park place in town that had a bunch of really old olive trees that were planted when the Spanish first got here. They were really cool and Presidente talked to us about them and about the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Then we went to the center of Lima to a cathedral and visited the "catacombs" underneath. There were a ton of bones down there, they said the estimate was about 25,000 people were buried there, crazy! There were piles of bones. 

Then we went and took pictures by the "white house of Peru" which is where the president lives. Then we went to these little shops and I got a bag that I needed and a jersey and a hat for about 28 soles, so like 10 dollars. 

It was really cool and then we came back to our new companions. I am going right now to play futbol with him so I got to go. But this week has been great so far and I can’t wait for your letters, please send more!!! They are better than candy!! 

I Love You More!!!!! :] Thanks for the prayers!!!!! Oh and I go out on proselitismo 2 more times at the CCM, and I can´t wait!!!! 

Love ya!!! Elder Johnson

From Letter // 27 Sept 09

Wow!  Cool things happen in Peru!  Yesterday we went out to do more “Proselitismo” which I was excited for, and I got to teach someone about the Restoration in Spanish!

We went out to the are (Habich) in the same bus as last week.  It’s orange and white, and all the writing and decoration on the inside is in Chinese, talk about an ‘import’, and the seats are neon.  We also get a ‘Sublime’ candy bar, similar to a Mr. Goodbar, which is awesome, buy anyways so we got there and Elder Rojas and I went out on the same place as last week.  None of the people we talked to last week were home, so we went to a couple of other peoples houses and taught them the lessons.  In the street in between houses there was a man that started talking to us, and I didn’t understand anything he said, and as we were walking away, the Elder that was with us (who knows very little english) said, “A bunch of lies”, indicating what the man had said wasn’t true.  I just laughed and told him that I didn’t understand anyways.  The thing that was really cool though was the difference between that man and the man at the next house we went to.

We knocked on his door and he was up on the next level looking out a window and told us we could come in.  His wife is a less-active member and so he knows a little about the church.  We started the lesson with a prayer and then proceeded to teach him and the spirit was so strong there, especially during the part about the First Vision.  Then we gave him “The Restoration” pamphlet and he was so excited.  I never thought anyone would be that excited over a pamphlet, but he was.  I don’t think I would have wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment.  It was really cool.  And then we left and went to one other house before going back to the chapel for the ride home.  It was a really good day!

Today has also been really good, we had fast and testimony meeting today because next week is General Conference.  We get to watch it over satellite, so for conference I know exactly where you’ll be too.

This week my companion, Elder Rojas, leaves, so I get a new companion which I’m kind of excited for, but I’ll miss Elder Rojas!

I have also been studying in the Book of Mormon this week in Alma 32, and various other places.  Everyday I read the Book of Mormon in Spanish for 45 minutes, it helps a lot with pronunciation, speed, and comprehension.

The church is true!  I love this gospel!  I love our Savior!  And I LOVE you!  (More)

Much love,

Elder Gregory Joseph Johnson

Lima, Peru // 23 Sept 09

Hey!!!!!! How are ya´ll !!!!!!!! Thanks for all the emails!!!!! I Love you more!!! and miss you!!! :} Peru is starting to get warmer, wore a suit jacket today and it was way hot :} But it´s all good! That´s what I get for living in paradise!! :} hehe We went to the temple today and I listened to the session in español and I only understood a little bit, but thats ok because I didn´t think I would and then I did. :} Thanks for being such a great family and supporting me!!!!! I love our Savior and know I am supposed to be a missionary!!!

From Letter // 20 Sept 09

Mi Familia! Hola! Down here the mountains are BIG. When the “mist” breaks, you can actually see them, and they are really big. There is no snowboarding, and the mountains are brown, because they don’t grow trees, just stubble. Lima itself is really big, about 6 SLC’s together, plus the population is about tripled in each of those.

Yesterday, Elder Rojas and I went and did “proselitismo”, which is where the CCM drives you an hour away to a stake center, and drops you off and they give you a member of the church, (in our case it was a missionary in the Peru Lima Central Mission). You go for four hours and visit less active members and invite them to church. Then you meet at a park, they take away your “member”, (or in our case missionary), and have you street contact for two hours. Honestly, it was really cool and we had a really good time going “two by two” and “preaching my gospel”. I used the scripture in Nephi where he says, “I will go and do”, and committed a lady to go and do like Nephi and go to church.

The rest of the week has been really good as well. We had a good time at the Temple and then today, we had a special fireside just for Perú from SLC with Elder Holland and President Uchtdorf.

I am getting used to the food here, rice with every meal, and every once in a while ice cream! Mmm!

I love you More!!! :} (And don’t you forget it!)

A note about the CCM:

Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints begin their service in one of about 16 Missionary Training Centers (MTC's) in the world.

The Lima-Peru Missionary Training Center (CCM) was dedicated on August 27, 1998 by Élder Russell M. Nelson. It is the third largest MTC in capacity. Every 21 days groups of missionaries begin or end their training at the CCM. The administration, teachers and leaders provide the best care to every missionary who enters training.

The normal duration of stay for the Latin American missionaries is 21 days. While for the missionaries who need to learn Spanish, the stay varies between 42 and 64 days. During this stay, the missionaries develop a greater love and understanding of the scriptures and doctrines of the Church, as well as learn the Spanish language.

Currently, the CCM can train up to 152 missionaries every 21 days. The campus includes 3 buildings, beautiful gardens and 3 fields for sports and physical activity.

Great blessings come as the Missionaries learn how to teach the gospel in Spanish and assist in the establishment of the Church and Kingdom of God.

Hola Family!!!!

Hows it going?????? Peru is fun/humid :} jajaja it really is humid here, and it´s the winter, kinda crazy. All the Peruvians wear jackets and scarves, and all the Americans wear white short sleeved shirts. They all think it’s cold, it’s really only about 70 degrees. :}

My companion is Elder Elvis Arturo Rojas, and he is the coolest Peruvian here! We get along great. :} He comes from a small family in Trujillo, I think, and he hadn’t been to the Temple yet, so when we went today for Preparacion day I got to be his escort, it was really cool. The Temple is pretty inside, and the session was in Español so I got a headset that I used for part of it. It was way cool though! Getting there was crazy though, the people here honk a ton and drive insane!!!! It’s like video game driving, they just honk and keep driving and the other guy stops or gets hit, wow! It was cool though.

I have been doing good, and I taught one of my teachers yesterday in Spanish and did ok, I just need more vocabulary and it would have been great. Also, one of teachers Hermana Arriaga says “hi”. I think i’m getting used to the food here, lots of rice with everything, and soup and interesting flavored juices for every meal, except breakfast, which is 2 rolls, cereal, and eggs usually. It’s ok, but I miss apple pie bars and cinnamon rolls, mmmmmm. They do have pizza down here though, Dominoes and stuff,mmmm mmm. At the 3 week mark Presidente and Hermana Groberg take the norte Americanos to see Lima and a cathedral and then to pizza!!!! mmmmm jaja oh well. Well time is out so I LOVE YOU MORE!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Gregory Joseph Johnson :}

Dear Families,

I am sending you this photo of your sons with their district companions so you can think of them here at the Lima CCM. Each one is kneeling in front of his assigned Latin companion. As you can imagine, the Spanish is picking up at hiperspeed in the environment of immersion. We currently have 67 missionaries at the training center, 26 of whom are North Americans. We LOVE them. We always pray for you, their families, as we pray for them.

Love, Hermana Groberg, wife of the President.

Lima, Peru // 10 Sept 09

Hola mi Familia!!!! ¿Como estan? Gracias por las cartes!!! I love the letters you have sent me, thanks for all you do!!! Peru is very humid and everything sticks to me; my clothes, paper, the air, in Lima it doesn´t rain it mists. :} The Peruvian people are very nice and welcoming, everyone we have met has been so nice.

My companion’s name is Elder Elvis Arturo Paredes Rojas, he is really nice and I can’t understand almost anything he says, but that will change.

We drove through Lima last night and it took about an hour to get from the airport to the CCM, on our way we saw the Temple, and KFC, and Pizzahut Mmmmmm. The CCM down here is nicer than the Provo MTC because there are always hot showers that you don´t have to wait for, and the grounds are really beautiful.

In the papers they gave us they said not to send packages because the importing taxes are expensive, so I will find out for sure and tell you later what is up with that. They said to send money instead, because I can buy almost anything I want. Say Hello to all the family and Grandma´s :} My address is:

Elder Johnson Peru Lima North

Av. Melgarejo 159

Urb. Campo Verde

La Molina, Lima, Perú

Use this for four weeks and then use my mission address so that letters will get to me faster. I love you more than you love me!!!!!!!!!! Know that I´m safe and Happy, also I have only had one meal here, and the cereal is not! the same, no sugar... lol :} I love you, I have p-days on Wednesdays.

Love you!!! :}

(Note: Both Dad and Mom got quick phone calls from Joe while he waited at the airport in SLC on Wednesday, 09/09. He sounded good and said he was happy and excited. We shared ‘loves’ and he was on his way!)

Hey!!!!!! I Love You!!!!! More!!!!!!!!!!! I miss you all! I'm so glad that things went well with Lydia, and am glad Annie is good as well. I'm good here at the MTC and am having a good time with my comps, we have a lot of good times. Yesterday we taught a lesson at the Teaching Resource Center down here and it was really good, we had the spirit with us and the lesson went really well, we were teaching a couple that had both served missions so they had some really good feedback. :] The food is ok down here, but nothing close to Moms. I am in the same room as Scott just on the next level up, so I have seen him a couple of times, he's doing well. I'm glad to hear that grandma J's stuff got fixed, tell her I love her!!! and also that grandma F has been up, tell her I love her too!

Basically everyone in my district is sick except for my companionship, so we are really lucky! Every week day except P-days we have gym which really rocks, because we get to let out our energy. :] Thanks for the love!! Thanks for all the prayers and letters and packages you have sent me!!! They rock to get! :] I went to the Provo Temple this morning and had a really good session and then ate breakfast in the cafeteria, it was really good and filling. Yum :] Also, one of my teachers went into labor yesterday and it was over a month early so please pray for her and her baby, and put her name in the temple, her name is Stacie Kozlowski aka Hermana K. Thanks! The last two weeks has seemed like forever, but also it has flown past, which is a kind of weird feeling! Tell all the family I love them especially the niños. :] Take luck! and Kia Kaha!!! Love You More!!!!

Elder Johnson (the younger) :]

My flight leaves on september 9th at 9:50 am and connects in Peru @ 10:50 pm so an all day flight with no layovers Woot!!!!! I'm excited and I love You More!!!!

Notes from other letters to Mom and Dad: “I’m excited! I know I’m where I’m supposed to be and that our Heavenly Father loves me. My testimony is growing.”

Hola, como estan? How's it going in the north? :] hehe How's the family? I miss you tons!!!!

Please send more letters, they are the best, after the studying all day. :] I love my companions here, Elders Westley and Sutterfield, we have lots of good times together, studying and laughing, I thought having a companion would just waste time but it really doesn't and it makes you feel safer because you know there is always someone there with you, other than Heavenly Father.

We get to use the elevator because Elder Westley sprained his ankle @ the airport on his way here, but he's doing ok and can walk on it. And Elder Sutterfield is from Springville,(he doesn't know Sam though :[ ),but he's way cool, and he knows the gospel pretty good.

We taught the first lesson last night, we were really nervous at first but after praying we were a little bit more prepared. We had the spirit with us and it was great.

On Tuesday we had a devotional with Elder Richard G. Scott, he was AWESOME!!!! and the spirit was really strong, he said that he knew the Savior loved us and gave us a blessing of protection, and that we could learn the language easier, it was awesome!!!! :]

Tell everyone Hello from me.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!! KIA KAHA!!!!

ELDER G. J. JOHNSON

Well, he's off!

It takes longer to tell you about the curb side experience than it really took! Mom and Dad got a good hug and this photo across the street from the MTC entrance. Then we entered, parked at the curb as directed, opened the trunk, when immediately 2 Elders grabbed his bags, he gave us a quick shoulder squeeze and some other elder was dragging him off up the sidewalk. Then we were kindly asked to move along, they needed our parking space for the next one.

We got a short note from Elder Johnson saying he is safe and happy, and in a threesome as the senior companion. He say he loves you all.