Hola from under the equator!!!!!! woooo hoooooooooo!!!! and sweating a lot!!!!!!! jajajajajaja 

Well I am great, it’s a new week and I am soo excited to get out there and work hard. Last week we were working and I started thinking a little bit about work and I thought to myself “me gusta trabajar... I like to work” and I remembered when I was little and growing up that I hated work, that it was horrible. I had to laugh to myself because I really do love to work and the more I work here the better I feel, it is a cool feeling!!!! I love to work!!!! (and it took me twenty years to learn that) jajajaja

Also this week Jovita Padilla got baptized!!!!!  The bishop baptized her because he is her grandson, and it went well, she left smiling and when she received the Holy Ghost was also really happy and smiling, sooooo coooolll!!!!! Her grandson will be baptized on the 8th of Jan. and we are working with him and helping him to get prepared.

Something cool that happened was on the 25th we were teaching and my comp, was trying to say that we should be firm like a rock and at the same instant we had the same thought and said the same words and, wow it was soooo coool and the Spirit was there sooo strong. I love the gospel!!! I love being a missionary!!!!!!

I know that the truths I am teaching are changing lives and have changed my life. God lives. Love you alll!!!!!

HaPpY NeW yEaR!!!!!!

Love Elder JOHNSON!!!!!!

Hola from the selva!!!

My new companion is Elder Manuel Moises Sanchez Sanchez from Chiclayo, Peru.  He is a great companion.  Our new area is Moronacocha Iquitos.  It is hot, but it is great!!!

Well, this week was great and I have seen miracles. My companion twisted his knee and he asked me for a blessing and he told me after that his leg didn’t hurt at all. Also on Friday we had an appointment and it was raining really hard so we prayed and the rain stopped so that we could continue with the Lord's work. We are teaching some great people and have found some great families. We also have a baptism on Saturday. She is 73 years and is the bishops grandma. She rocks.

The season of Christ....

I love you tons. Merry Christmas.

Love Joe

Hola!!!!! from under the equator!!!!!! JAJAJAJA

Well this past week has been good and we have been able to invite a lot of people to be baptized and some of them have accepted!!!! Maximo will be baptized on the 25th of December, and Antony and Jonatan have accepted, but couldn’t attend on Sunday so they will be waiting to be baptized on the 1st of January.  We have also been teaching Liseth and the Paredes family and they are progressing.  BUT there is a little problem, I won’t be here to teach them because I am leaving the area! Elder Sanez also is leaving, he will be going to Pucallpa as señor comp!!! COOL! and I am going to Iquitos!!!! And I get to train again!!!!!

On the night before we received changes, I had been thinking if I would leave or not and I said a prayer, and told the Lord that it didn’t matter where I went, but that I would work hard in this new change and that I would accept His will. I feel privileged to be able to train another Elder, again, and I know that this change is going to be great! WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO

Well, this week we have been teaching Karen Paredes and last week she told us that she didn’t believe in God and that she respected what we taught but that she didn’t believe it. So we invited her to read the BOOK OF MORMON!!!!! Woo Hoooo, I love that book!!!!  She read in it and then last night when we were teaching her family, she offered the closing prayer and thanked God that we had helped her to know that he does exist and she thanked Him for the Book of Mormon. It was Incredible!!!!

Well, also this week has been good and we have worked hard and we’ll see how everything goes this week. Thanks for everything!!!! Love you all!!!!!!

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that Thomas Monson is a prophet in our days. God lives and Loves us!!!!

Love Elder Joe Johnson

Fidelidad Hasta el Fin!!!!

Kia Kaha!!!!!  Selva!!!!

I’m good! Well this week has been ok and we found a family that came to church with us on Sunday, that was way cool to see them enter in the chapel! The work is moving forward every day. My comp is good and we are working at being more united in all that we do every day.

Concerning Christmas traditions, Peruvians don’t go around singing and caroling but they do listen to Christmas music (some in English) and they do give presents, and some put up lights. Also, almost everyone has a manger scene, but they put it in the corner of a room and then they put a box under it and cover the box with green paper with drips of paint on it, I don’t know what it means but they always have drips of paint on their paper. They also give gifts and everything as usual in the U.S.

I don’t think that we are going to have a tree but maybe a manger, that is miniature. :) I bought one on Saturday. :)

Well, the Stake President here said last week that God does send angels but a lot of the time they are the people that surround us. The gospel has been restored!!! The church is true. God loves you.

Love Joe

Hola!!!!! From Under The Equator!!!!! woooohoooooohoooohooooohooooooo!!!!

Your emails are great! This past week was great for Elder Sanez and I!

On Thanksgiving day I ate aji de gallina [Peruvian chicken stew in a spicy, nutty cheese sauce - Spanish for chili pepper chicken and is a traditional Peruvian dish which has its roots in the social upheaval of the French Revolution in 1789], it was really good, and we worked hard. :)

One thought for my missionary friends and family is to work HARD!!!! and to be OBEDIENT, it is worth it!!!! Also, “Good, Better, Best, NEVER let it rest, until the Good is Better and the Better is Best.” 

Hey, this week was good. The temple was great and we got to be part of some sealings, and I got to be one of the witnesses! So cool!!!! We also went to eat pizza!!!! at Dominoes jajaja

Thanksgiving went well, we worked like normal and in the night I ate graham crackers with chocolate frosting from my b-day package... it was just like home….. almost...jajaja

I love the Sacrament, and I love the gospel. I would love to understand it all, in the scriptures it says that we won’t be able to as humans, but it is necessary that we learn and progress. Thanks for all of your great examples. 

I love you all. Elder Johnson

Hola!!! From UNDER the Equator!!!! And Proud of it!!!! I love Peru!!! I love the mission!!!!

WOOO HOOOOO!!!

It IS getting hotter here, it’s summer!

This week we played soccer for p-day in the church by the zone leader’s apartment, and then we went to eat pollo ala brasa! It is a really good chicken that they make here, similar to the oven-roasted chicken from Costco or Sam’s Club, but a whole lot better!!!!!

Tuesday we had a training with three Zones; Wiesse, Magnolias and Las Flores. It was mainly about working with the members and what we should be doing in our meetings with the ward and stake, and what part we should be taking. I had to give a training on the Ward Council and what we should do there. It went ok, I was nervous and they could all tell, but that's ok.

On Wednesday we started a three day training on the 8 Simple Lessons, it is something that has come through the First Presidency and the Twelve, and is 8 things that we need to do better at in the missionary work. They are great things that PMG (Preach My Gospel) talks about but that not very many missionaries were using. The three days passed quickly and I learned a lot from them, we also learned that Hermana Blunck makes good cookies!! For every reference that we gave, they gave us cookies, and I tried not to focus on the cookies, but they were a nice help to ask for references, jajaja :)

On Saturday I was with an Elder from my district and on Sunday we had church (I love going to church!!!)

Today isn’t p-day because tomorrow we are going to the TEMPLE!!!  I love the temple!!!!

I love the gospel, it is soooo!!!! true!!!!

We have a living prophet and I am thankful for all of you!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  TURKEY DAY!!!  Eat some good apple pie for me!

Love you all and I’m praying for ya!!!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola!!!! From under the Equator!!!!

Well I’m doing good!!!

I have seen the hand of God this week. I am writing in my journal, sometimes there isn’t time in the night, but I write the day after. :)  My companion was born in Puerto Rico. He is Roberto Carlos Sanez Olmos, and lived in the center of San Juan.

I like to sing in every lesson that we have, but Elder Sanez doesn’t, so sometimes we sing and sometimes not.

This week Willian and Mary got baptized!!!! It went well and the Spirit of the Lord was there with us. Willians Dad and brother got there too, and we are going to visit them on Wednesday to teach them. Willian and Mary both got confirmed on Sunday, and it went well.  Neida, one of our investigators, was there to see the confirming and she told us after, ''good job, you did the laying on of hands!'' which we had taught her about the day before.  It was cool that she recognized it.

I love the gospel and the Book of Mormon!!!! 

Love, Elder Johnson!

Querida (Beloved) Familia!!!!!
Hola from under the Equator!!!!
Well this week a lot of things have changed, I am with a latin companion (he grew up in Puerto Rico), I live in a new room, I have a district of 6 not 12, I am seven days older, 3 investigators accepted to be baptized this Saturday, etc...
This week has been good, and our new apartment is cool, it’s bigger!!! It has a patio and two rooms and when you go in the bathroom you can’t touch the walls at all with arms outstretched!!! (In my last room the bathroom was itsy bitsy!!) Also, there is room to put up my hammock from Pucallpa, and it’s the third level of a house.
We are teaching Willian and Mary right now, they are dating and are both going to be baptized this Friday, and Joel will be baptized this Saturday!!
I love the gospel, it is soooooo true!!!
I wish you all a great week!! Kia Kaha!! Fidelidad Hasta el Fin!!!!!
Love Elder Johnson!!!!

Hola, from under the Equator!!!!!!!

Well I’m good, and a little sad because Elder Divis is going to Pucallpa!!!!  I will be staying here with Elder Sanez. It has been a good change and we have learned a lot!!!! I will miss him!

Also Mom I do know Elder Andersen, he is from my group in the CCM and MTC, and he is great! Also my district that grew to 12 last change will only be 6 this change. 

My area is cool, and is a lot of street (surface), compared with other areas which are dirt roads.  There are very few plants here, but practically all of the house plants that people have in the U.S. are what grows here. The other day I found the same plant that we have growing in the doorway (in Utah)!!! The area is surrounded by really big dirt mounds that they call cerros and that are made of dirt and rocks. Also plants don’t grow there, (it’s a desert), and the poorer people live on the sides of them, and paint their houses so it looks a little bit like a pile of Legos.

I love you all!!!!

I know that Thomas Monson is a prophet of God, Joseph Smith Restored the True church of Christ and The Book of Mormon is the truth, and contains what we need to survive the challenges of the world.- Alma 5:43-48

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola!!! From under the Equator!!!!!

This week was good and we had seven investigators in the church yesterday, and it was great to see them get there!!! In the mission a while ago we had a capacitation with President Blunck and we learned how we could better serve, with 8 simple lessons. This week I realized that I was only putting in practice a couple of them and so I decided to try and put them all in practice, and the obedience brings forth the blessings!!! The more that I read the scriptures I have found that Faith and Obedience are keys to success. Things are going good here!!! I am still with Elder Divis and we are working hard every day!!! I love the Savior, and know that He lives, I love His restored gospel and the blessings that we receive through it. I love you all. Have a great Week!!!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola!!! from under the Equator!!!!!!

The past week was great!  A lot of dates fell through, but this week will be even better.  I have been learning a ton, I don’t have lots of time, but I love you all and I know that this is the only true and living church on the earth.  

We taught a 20 year old named Fran and while we taught we explained the Priesthood and how important it is, and when we finished explaining that Joseph Smith received the Priesthood, he said, the most important part..., and Elder Divis just smiled and said yep!!! He also told us that he would finish the Book of Mormon in a week. It’s been a week and he’s in Alma, which is pretty good!!!!!! He reads faster than I do!!!  Elder Divis is great, and we help each other.  We grew last week to 10 in the District, and today we get two more!  All of the Zone is my District, it’s fun.

I am grateful to be a member of the Kingdom of God on earth.  I know that the affects of the "Fall of Adam" have been taken care of by the Infinite Atonement. The arms of the Savior are open and He invites each of us to follow Him. Joseph Smith is the prophet of this great and last dispensation. He was the chosen mouthpiece for God to open the Heavens and establish the Church of Jesus Christ once again.

Note: I changed the last part of my email from last week.  It’s better!!!  (So check out the modified #5 and the additional #6)

I love the work!!! and the Gospel!!!!!

Love yall!!!

Elder Gregory Joseph Johnson

Well, I don’t know who will read this letter, but I hope it will help YOU.

I am a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and right now I am living in Perú serving God for two years of my life. I would like to explain a few truths about life that I have encountered recently;

First- God lives. He is our Father in Heaven and He loves each and every one of us. Because he loves us he desires our happiness in every way possible. He will help us in whatever way he can, and he understands us - imagine it the Creator, the God of Heaven and Earth wants to help you succeed and he will do everything in his infinite power to help you. Because he loves you.   

Second- God loves us. Our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly, which means that no matter what we do, good or bad, he is there for us with loving arms outstretched to embrace us and help us to be happy again. Also, the reality is that to really be happy again we need his help and that comes through his only son in the flesh, Jesus Christ. 

Third- He sent Jesus Christ to save us. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World because he about two thousand years ago in a garden called Gethsemane suffered for yours and mine and all of our sins, sufferings, afflictions, and diseases. He paid the price for the bad things that you and I do every day in every way.  No man can or ever will understand that, but He did do it, for us. He is the middle man in our Salvation, and he also loves us infinitely. 

Fourth- Faith is necessary. We need to believe that these things are true, because if they are your life has meaning, and if they aren’t then it doesn’t. Faith is also more than only saying I believe in God, it is saying, “I will act on my belief in God.”

Fifth- The action is Repentance. Repentance is basically to stop doing bad things, but it entails praying fervently to God and asking forgiveness and then not going back to what we were doing, it is a permanent change for good. It brings joy and peace and let’s us feel the love of God more easily and do what we should, because when are humble enough to repent, we are humble enough to listen to His guiding Spirit.

Sixth- We are guided to make covenants, or promises, with Him. The first of these covenants is baptism. The importance of these covenants is so that we can receive blessings and progress to become more Christ-like, also they are to help us learn to be obedient. When we obey God and keep our covenants He can bless us, (and He DOES bless us), these blessings although not usually gold or a new Mercedes-Benz, are what we need and deserve, what God sees fit.

I know that living in obedience to God brings forth His blessings for us and they are so worth it. I am grateful to God for what He has given me; a family united eternally, freedom, hope, love, and more than all else, the gift of His Son Jesus the Christ. I love God, He does Live. I know God loves us each and every one and desires our happiness.

Love Elder Joe :)

Hola from under the Equator!!!

Things are looking up it’s a great day to be UP (do you remember that book, oh the places you’ll go?)  I just thought about the message that it sends - it’s like the gospel and it’s message of hope through the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Well, this week I have had many experiences and I have learned the importance of endurance I think. Enduring to the end, reading the scriptures every day and praying with purpose are so important for our personal salvation and for learning about the gospel, and it blesses the lives of others so much when we do it.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and am so thankful for my fathers that taught me the right from the wrong.  Our Heavenly Father does the same, but if we don’t read His words or follow what the prophets tell us, how will we know what to do??? I hope the Conference was great for you all and, if you missed a part, you can find it on the church website. We will get to watch Conference this coming week for church like we would have done last Sunday. I can’t wait to watch it!!! I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it!!!!!

The other day I was reading in the Liahona from June 2010 and there was an article about the importance of the words of the living prophets because in the church we don’t only have the scriptures, but we have someone that God has provided to tell us what we need to do right now! Thomas Monson is that living prophet today for us, I know he is a prophet of God.

 Also, something that you can do with the scriptures is put the word Temple when it talks about a mountain, you will come to some new conclusions. It is great!!!

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth once more. I know it. I love our Savior and what he has done for us, paying for our sins with his blood.

I love this gospel and I love all of you. Hope you have a great week!!!

Forever Strong, Fidelidad hasta el fin!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola Hola!!  From under the Equator!!!

Elder Calle went to the jungle!!! To Pucallpa!!!  In my first area when I was there!!

And I have a new comp!!  His name is Elder Dustin Jack Divis, from Colville, Washington!!  I never thought that I would be with a gringo, but stranger things have happened!!!  He is great!!!  We are about the same height and he’s blond. 

He speaks pretty good Spanish for just leaving the CCM. It was funny when they told us that we would be together, because I have never heard of two gringos being together here, but it’s great, we talk in Spanish all of the time so that he can get better.

On Friday we had a lesson with the mom of a recent member named Vilma and Elder Divis invited her to be baptized and she accepted, but told us in December, and then we invited her to pray with us and ask if these things were true and when she did so the Spirit was in the room with us and we invited her to be baptized the 23 of October and she said that would be fine. It was great!!!

Also, Saturday Elder Divis baptized Amparo Utrilla!!!  On Saturday we had filled up the font and everything was ready, but the people to be baptized weren’t there and we were a little worried because it was a half hour late and Amparo hadn’t gotten there.  So we went upstairs in the church to pray, and when we came down from talking with God, He had done miracles, she was waiting for us in the chapel!!!  It went well and on Sunday she got confirmed!

This Sunday we will not be watching General Conference because there are elections here and we cant have meetings with any church or other group, we can’t even meet with anyone. :(

I know God lives and that he listens to his children. He loves us no matter what we do.

I love you all tons!!!

Love Elder Johnson!!!

Hola from under the equator!!!

Well there will be a few changes!!!

I am going to stay here in Wiesse, and Elder Calle is going to Pucallpa!!! In the same area where I was!!! Centenario-Primavera!!!

Also I am going to have another son!!! I am Training again! It is going to be great!!!

I will stay as District Leader and they are dividing the zone, so it will only be Wiesse zone and Wiesse district jajaja. It’s going to be a great change!

Also this week I baptized Bertha!!!  She has changed a ton. At first she told us that she wasn’t going to get baptized on Monday, and we talked and invited her to pray about what she should do, and when we passed again on Tuesday she was crying while reading in the Book of Mormon when we knocked on her door.  She told us that she would be baptized and that she was ready to change her life!!!

Also, well lots more has passed too, I am great, and I wish you all a great week!!!

I love you all and am learning the importance of reading the scriptures and following their counsel. READ the scriptures!!!  They will change your life!!!

I love you all tons!!!

Fidelidad Hasta el Fin!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola from under the equator!!!

These two weeks have been really good and I have learned and progressed in many ways. On Sunday we had Stake Conference and two families went to the conference!!!!

It was great and they did it in two sessions because there are lots of members and the building is a little small, we got to assist both of the sessions and they were great, the Spirit was there with us. This week I have been working with many different comps, because my comp and some other Elders had a capacitation in the mission offices. It’s the same one that I had a little while ago about the 8 Simplified lessons. It is great, and uses a lot of Preach My Gospel and the scriptures.  Putting in practice the things we learned there has helped in the lessons that we teach, and more investigators are gaining better and stronger testimonies with the 8 things we learned.  

Also this Saturday Bertha is getting baptized!!!!!!!

I am really good and I love the work, and the Scriptures!!! I love you all!!!

Have an amazing weekend, I will write on Monday!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola!

This week we had a baptism on Saturday that completed the Salgado Family, Elder Calle baptized Jesus Granda at 5:45 on Saturday and it went well!!!

I have felt the Spirit this week and I am soooo excited for tomorrow because we are going to the Temple!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like my area because lots of members assist church every week, and the ward mission leader is great and really animated.

Sunday we were in church and the Stake President taught the Gospel Principles class about faith. It rocked!!! He had some really good examples that he shared, and then at the end he invited me to the front and asked an investigator, that was there for his first time, if he saw something different in my eyes that he didn’t see in other youth of the street. He said “si” and then he explained that the more faith that we have and the more we follow the Savior, the more we look like him, it reminded me of the song, “Have you received His image in your countenance…”  and the Scripture Alma 5:14.  

Answers to a few questions:

How big is your area?  — It is big, about twenty blocks by forty! It is only half of the Weisse Ward.   

How many missionaries in your district? — 10;  Your Zone? — We were 18, but two got taken out so now we are 16.

How often do you have district meeting and zone conferences?  — District Meeting every Wednesday, and as a Zone once every month and a half.

I know the work is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Johnson

Buenos Dias!!!!!!! Hola!!! From under the equator!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I am doing amazing!!!!!!!! I have seen miracles this week.

On Monday we taught Bertha about the Book of Mormon for the second time and invited her to read and to pray about it (which we had done before, but she hadn’t done it). When we passed on Tuesday she told us that she hadn’t read because she didn’t have time, so we invited her again to read and pray, and we passed on Wednesday to see how she was and we got there and sat down on the couch and she told us all excited that she had to tell us something.  So she started by telling us that she had read in the morning, and that she had gotten up early and had read all of the introduction and the testimony of Joseph Smith and that she had gotten to 1 Nephi and didn’t have too much time left, so she decided to open the book and to read what she found. When she opened the book (she opened to 3 Nephi 11) she started to read how Jesus came down in the middle of some people and started to let them touch His wounds in His hands and His side and that he taught about baptism and how we should be baptized in lots of water and in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. She told us “Jesus is talking right here and He talks about baptism and I want to be baptized like it says here”.  She also explained that he was teaching his “doctrine.”   Elder Calle and I just looked at her and smiled saying yeah it’s true and testifying that it is true and the Spirit was so strong there. I am so grateful for the moments when I can be a tool in the Lord’s hands to bring His children to know the truth. I love this work and know that it is true.  
I also love all of you!  Hope you have a great week and take luck!!!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola From under the EQUATOR!!!!!

Well I’m doing great!!!!! We had a baptism on Saturday!!!! I baptized Carlos Salgado and it was crazy good!!!!!  His wife passed away a couple of months ago and he is great!!!!! His daughter got baptized a while ago, and his son will soon be baptized. We got to the chapel at 3:30.  The baptism was at four, so we were getting the water ready and it was dirty.  We had to drain the font, and it took a long time, so we got out buckets and started to bail the water and dump it in the member closet. We worked for about 45 minutes doing that, and I said a little prayer that we could get the water out and that the font would fill quick, and it did!!!!! By the time we went to his house and returned, the font was half full and so we started the service and by the time we were going to enter, the water was full!!!!! The only thing I forgot to ask for was hot water, it was ice cold. jajaja But we entered and it went good and everything. Then afterwards we asked him how he felt and he told us that he had asked God to help him do it so that he could enter the water and not feel the cold and he said that he only felt the cold water when he entered and then it was warm!!!! It was cool!!!!!!

We also had service on Friday and we were moving sand (for cement) up a steep hill, and we also moved giant steel doors up the hill and it was fun, I love service. Then to get down the hill 14 Elders got on a little motor taxi and we went down the mountain!!!!! It was worse than a can of sardines!!!!

I love the work and I know that God loves each and every one of his children, He loves us and we can ask for His help any time we need it.

I love you all!!!!

Elder Joe Johnson

WOOOOTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!! An uncle again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hola!!!! from under the equator!!!!!

Well my new comp is Elder Geovanny Leonel Calle Sanchez from Quevedo, Ecuador!!!!!!!!

He is lo maximo!!!!!!! He has six months in the mission, and has been in the same area the whole time. Well, my new area is different from my last area, I no longer have a  branch and a ward,  I have half of a ward!!!!! jajaja The reason why we are sharing is because the ward is gigantic!!!!!! It is about the size of all of North Ogden and Pleasant View, and  it also has part of the Cerro or mountain where there are houses.  The difference here is that the rich people live in the city and the poor live on the Cerro.   The area is split though and we have more of the pavement in my area than the other area, so it’s a little bit easier to get around. Also, our apartment is one room and the bath room is teeny-tiny. IT ROCKS!!!!!!!   Our pension lives a block away, and the Stake Center is around the corner, so it is very convenient to go to church and everything. :)  

This week we also have helped four people to put dates for their baptisms!!! Two are going to be baptized this Saturday!!!!  A father and son named Carlos and Jesus.                

Also yesterday we were teaching a family about the restoration and Elder Calle taught about Joseph Smith and the Spirit was really strong, I love this gospel and say that the things that I am teaching are true and necessary for the Salvation of every person. The Gospel is the only bridge to the presence of God and we only have this Gospel because Christ suffered for our sins and errors in the garden of Gethsemane.  I am so thankful for Him and the role he plays in the  eternal plan of God. 

Happy Birthday Annalyn!!!!!!

I love you Moms!!!!!!! I love you Dads!!!!!! and FAMILY!!!!!

Love Elder Joe Johnson

LO MAXIMO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, this week has been so great, Yoela got baptized on Saturday and confirmed yesterday, but the story of what passed with her is really special.

We taught her on Tuesday about the Sabbath day, and about how we shouldn’t work on Sunday, and her face went a little sour and she told us that she had a job where she had to work on Sundays. We were a little surprised though by what she said after, “but if it’s a commandment I won’t work on Sunday”.  We were way happy with the decision that she made, but before we could offer the closing prayer she left to go to the bathroom, and before she came back we heard her talking on the phone. She then entered in the room and said that her boss from work had called and told her that she had to work Sunday and that she had told him “no,” and that he hung up. We got caught off guard by the faith that she has already, and all of the changes that she has made.

Also we saw trials on Saturday because a young woman of the Branch died and so they were using the chapel for her funeral, and at first we thought that it would have been better to have her (Yoela’s) baptism on Sunday. But she told us that she needed to be baptized Saturday, so we went to another chapel and I got to baptize her there.

Also, we talked in church on Sunday and I talked about how God exists and how we need to raise the “voice of warning” to every people as members of the church.  Elder Peña talked about charity and many people from the ward said that these talks were needed on Sunday.

I am also going to BAYOVAR!!!!!!!!!!  My change is as a District Leader in Wiesse with Elder Calle!!!!!!

I have had sooo much fun in this change and have learned to really love the people that we teach and also Elder Peña.

Also.... HAPPY B-DAY GWYN!!!!!!!

I know these things are true, and I love all of you!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder JOE Johnson

WOW!!!!!! Well this week has been a crazy one!!!!!

Thanks for all the emails!!!!!!!!! they rocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I got the packages on Tuesday of last week after our District meeting. They gave me three!!!!!!!!! I was surprised, and I took them all the way home without opening them, then I told my comp that I would wait to open them.... we worked hard all day and when we got home I couldn’t wait. So I opened them and me and Elder Peña gained about 5 pounds each. jajajajaja  He loved the root beer licorice and got a kick out of eating Cerveza de raiz. :)

I still haven’t made the brownies, because on my birthday Mama Rose, Liseth, and Dejay (some members) gave me cake. Thanks so much for everything that you guys sent me!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well then we worked all week long and did service on Friday painting the new apartment of the ZL’s and then on Sunday I got to baptize Dejay!!!!!! It was pretty great, and when I was in the water I thought about when I got baptized, it was the same day as when he got baptized!!! I told him about that after, and he was surprised.  He thought it was cool that we got baptized on the same day.

Then we had cake in the church for his baptism and then we went to their house and they gave us oven chicken -really really good!- and papa a la huancaina (potatoes and cheese sauce) with Inca Kola and after that, they had another cake just for me and it was way good! I felt like I was home for a little while... It was cool. Oh! I almost forgot that she told me that if we wanted chicken I had to kill it, so on Friday I killed the rooster... yeah.... I     killed    it.....

Then on Monday we started the four day training that the President was going to give us. It was sooooo amazing, and I learned sooooo much about how we can really help the people that we teach. Also, the Spirit was really strong and I just loved being there and feeling it.

Also, today we went to the center of Lima and went through a Spanish Inquisition museum and I got left behind with E´ Peña and E´ Ruiz in a market there.

This Saturday we also have the baptism of Yoela Barrios planned, and she is so ready to make this step in her life, she has changed so much and has so much Faith in the Lord.

I love this work, I love all of you, and I will finish responding on Monday!!!!!!!!!!!

I am also getting changed, President told me in an interview I had, tell you more on Monday!!!!  

I love being a MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Elder Johnson

Hola!!!!!!! from Under the EQUATOR!!!

Well I got to baptize Hermana Dora Rojas on Saturday!!!!!! It was awesome!!! We got to the church on Saturday to help fill the Baptismal Font and the valve that lets out the water was open, but it’s outside and they had recently painted over it, so we couldn’t open the lid to turn it off. We tried about 15 times before we could finally lift it out, the lid weighs about fifty pounds and is cement and we found out that to lift it up we had to pull together and at the same time on the two handles. We finally got it out and then we found out that the water wasn’t filling very fast so we got out the hose to help fill it up. So, needless to say we started late, and at the same time the Branch was having an activity so all of the people were there to participate, and it went good. The water was really cold, and she was really nervous. But she told us after, that when she left the water she was at peace, in the exact moment when she left the water. She will be a great member here and a strength too.

This week was good, and yesterday we found a man selling cheese in the street and we started talking to him, and he let us taste his cheese, and it had a little of the taste of cheese curds from Beaver, it was pretty good. :) 

Also in the Branch party we did a little skit that was pretty good, but I won’t tell you about it because I will do it after the mission! :)

Well this week was testimony building, and I’m glad that I had so many opportunities to learn. I am also grateful that I have the gospel, I am glad that I have to live the true Gospel of Jesus Christ like it was taught by Christ himself. I love the feelings of the Spirit that fill my heart when I read the scriptures, pray, and participate in these things. I also am grateful for the love of an eternal family and I am starting to understand the ties between Heaven and Earth, like Elder John Groberg says in ¨The Other Side of Heaven¨, they make ¨all the difference.¨ I love The Work. I’m good, really good.

Love you all, Eternally.

Elder Joe Johnson

Hola!!!!!! From under the Equator!!!!!!!

Wow! sounds like your week has pretty full!!!!

I loved the pictures, the youth Spectacular looked great!!!

I wish I could have been there, to enter the temple with James too, send them my Congrats!

This week was good, I felt the Spirit guide me and also the reason why I didn’t write yesterday is because today we went to the temple!!!!!!! wooooooohhoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!! 

It was great, we woke up at 4:15 am to get there in time for the first session, and it was really good, I got to sit there at the end and just feel the Spirit and to thank God for the opportunity to enter the Temple after 10 months. It felt soooo good. :)

Let me emphasize this again, I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!

Well, I have also had a good week. We taught a family yesterday that isn’t married and they have one son, and the wife, Isolina, wants to be baptized, so we talked with them and explained the importance of marriage- but we will see what happens with them.

Also this Saturday Dora is going to be baptized, and she is way excited, she has already read to Alma 17 in the Book of Mormon and she loves the scriptures!!! Every time we talk with her I see how prepared she is and how the Spirit has testified to her of the truth.

Well, I love this gospel, I know that IT IS TRUE.  This morning I felt again the Spirit testify to me that it is true. I also finished the Book of Mormon this week, and I know that this Book is true, it was written by Prophets of God under the direction of the Spirit. I love this work and I also love our Savior and know he loves me. 

READ the Book of Mormon, 

PRAY about what you read,

FOLLOW what the Spirit tells you to do.

Love you Infinitely,

Elder JOE 

(Mom and Dad attended the Peruvian festival in Centerville last Friday.  We told Joe something of our visit there and the food we ate, he starts with his response.)  

Well did you like the Bisteck con papas???

How was the hot sauce?  If it was creamy and yellowish it is called Papa ala Huancaina and it is amazing!!!!!

Also the cookies with caramel, aren’t with caramel :) They are called Alfajores and they have Manjar Blanco- from Tarma- it’s a regional thing here, and it is a milk product I think. :) google it :)

Did you try the Chicha Morada??? (the purple corn juice)????

It’s really good, and if it isn’t from the package, if it’s fresh, it is amazing!!!! But it does take a little getting used to.

Well I had a great week this week, we had a lot of lessons that were spiritual, and I saw a lot of miracles. One of them was with Hanibal, we were walking in the street and contacting people, and we came around the corner in his face and started to contact him and he said that he had listened to the missionaries in the Dominican Republic, and that we could visit him.  When we could finally get there he said that he wanted to be baptized but that it would have to wait a little while because he is going to travel in two weeks, but it was still pretty cool to find him the way we did.

We also were working all day on Saturday, and the appointments weren’t home, so we were a little disappointed (jijijaja) and I remembered that the Branch president had given us a list of families to visit, and I could only remember one family’s name. We went to visit them and they introduced us to a family friend that we taught and she accepted to be baptized too!!! It was pretty amazing, and after Elder Peña told me that it was a miracle and that the Lord had blessed us for being obedient.

I love my Savior for all that He has done for me to rescue me. HE IS THE WAY, THE LIGHT, and THE LIFE.  And I am grateful for Him and His love for all of us that made it possible for us to return to Him.  This is HIS church restored on the earth.  I testify of this in His holy name, Amen.

Elder G. Joe Johnson

Hola!!!!!! From under the equator!!!!!!!

Happy Fourth of July to you!!!!!!!!!! All !!!!!

This week has been good, I have felt the Spirit a lot in our lessons and his guide in the things that I and my companion do every day.

This weekend, on Saturday, we were in the house of Ricardo’s aunt Zadith, she is a member, and he wasn’t there, he was sick so he couldn’t talk to us. We were a little sad, but we found ourselves with his cousin and we taught her and the Spirit was really strong, and she accepted to be baptized!!!  The only problem that she has is assisting the church, and she didn’t assist yesterday which was sad, but in ‘Preach My Gospel’ it says that we shouldn’t get discouraged if someone doesn’t accept what the Spirit teaches to their hearts. But I’m good and my companion too, we are working hard and trying to work smartly, but sometimes things just don’t go according to our plans. 

Last night was cool, someone was lighting off fireworks and I was thinking about all of the fireworks at Weber High that they light off.  It was great!  Happy 4th!!!!

My companion is cool, he reminds me a lot of Elder Aguirre and we get along pretty good, his dad works for the church in Guatemala.

I am still in the NORTE!!!!!!!! (Lima Peru North Mission)  It rocks!!!!!

We also had interviews with President Blunck (New Mission President) on Friday, they went well. He is from Oregon, and his wife is learning Spanish as her mission language!!!!  She can barely talk, but she uses one of the gringo Assistants to the President as her translator. :)  She reminds me a little of my Mom. :)

Well Love you Eternally!!!!!!!

Kia Kaha!!!!

Fidelidad Hasta el FIN!!!!

Elder Joe Johnson!!!!

p.s. I don’t know the direction (New mission home address) yet, but I will tell you next week.