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 :)