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