Hola!

Well I think that right now I am on a Spiritual high. We just got back from the Temple.  There wasn’t enough space in the room to do a session, so my comp and I did initiatory work.  We  were going to also do some sealings.  But, they were short a couple of workers to do a couple things so we started doing initiatory, and then while inside we had to wait about 35-40 minutes while the workers helped out in other areas.  It was alot of good thinking time..... I feel wonderful when I’m in the Temple. I love it.

One of the elders of our Zone that was going to train didn’t receive a companion.  So he was with us as a trio.  He went to Iquitos on Sunday, so we are now short 2 missionaries in the Zone, but he was happy to go to Iquitos.

This past week my comp also was a little sick for something he ate and so he was down for a day.

On Friday we had a Zone conference that went really well, the assistants to the President taught us and I learned alot. :)

We have found some new investigators this week, one of them is another family, and one is a Dad that is separated from his family right now.  He told us that he wants to change his life, that he has a problem with alcohol, but that he wants to change. 

I feel very blessed to have such an amazing family in my life and to have the restored gospel as well.  It is interesting to know that we always have the opportunity to choose. We can choose to follow the gospel plan, or we can not, we can choose to obey the commandments, or we can not. God has given us the freedom to choose, and I have chosen to share the Gospel, to do God’s will. It’s amazing to me the blessings that one receives while sharing.  In the world’s view, the more you give means the less you’ve got. With the Lord is the opposite, the more you give, the more you’ve got. But it all depends on us and what we choose. 

Christ lives and hears our prayers!!

Love Elder Joe.

HOLA!!!

This week we have had some fun!!! :) On Monday we went to Chiki’s to eat as a Zone. On Tuesday we had to pick up the Zone Leaders from Moyobamba (the jungle) to sleep over in our room.  On Wednesday we had the Zone Leaders Conference. :) Then, on Thursday night we had to pick up two Elders that are finishing their missions, Elder Moore, and Elder Smith. So all week we have had other people sleeping in our room!  On Thursday we also gave service to a member in the morning, fixing his roof, and on Friday we gave service sanding down a room to be painted. On Saturday we planned for this week and the new changes and yesterday we taught a family that is really awesome!!!!!!!  So our week has been really busy and so many things have been happening that I was going a little crazy this week. :)  But, such is life. The craziness continues as a new week starts and today we have to set up a new area in the zone.   Tomorrow are changes......... I am way excited to work this change and to see what we can do!!!!  I will finish here, but three elders are leaving the zone. :(  So we still have a lot of work to do.  The work is moving along and we are focusing on the families, and working hard to find 4 families that will be baptized.  We are looking for the families that the Lord has prepared for His work.  Families are Forever!!!!

My favorite food if it is food food, is Aji de Gallina, and if it’s a dessert, then alfajores!!!!  And my least favorite would be……...burnt kidney!!!!!

Well, I know that the Lord has formed again on the earth His gospel and I am so excited to be part of this great work!  We have a living Prophet on the earth today, and he is the Lord’s messenger to guide us in our path. I love the gospel and the many blessings that it brings in my life.  I love the Lord and I am happily serving Him.  Life is awesome!!!  I love you all soooooo much!!!!

Love Joe

Hello from under the equator and in PERÚUUUU

This week went well and we had an awesome baptism. Her name is Mabel.  A couple of months ago her foot got run over by a motocar, so she is using crutches still and the water was really really cold!!!!! I baptized her, so we entered the water and we were both a little chilly.  When I baptized her, her foot left the water.  We had to do it again, so we put a chair in the font and she sat on it, and when I went to baptize her, she didn’t even go under...…  Sooo, I kneeled down in the water and she sat on the steps of the font and she was baptized!!!  It was awesome!!!!!  Third time was the charm...... :)  Then she shared her testimony and couldn’t get it all out because she said that she felt a peace inside, and then just started to cry.  That moment was soooooo special and the whole room was quiet. Awesome!!!

We have also found two families this week that are great!!!! One of the other families that we are teaching accepted to be baptized on the 23rd!!!  The work is progressing!!!!

My companion and I cover more than one ward, but we don’t work there always, just with references.

I have seen Elder Wood, from North Ogden, in my area a couple of times.  He looks good!

Our visit to Parque de la Imaginacion was awesome!  There was an earthquake room that shakes, a giant piano, a big bubble maker, an electric chair that works, a human gyro, a room that rolls and makes you dizzy, a giant human heart that lights up, and a couple of other things.  The photo’s I sent are from the Imagination Park.

I know that this is our Savior’s church and that He is at the wheel today, guiding and directing us.  I love the work and am excited to endure to the end!!!!!!

Also I found out that I will be finishing the mission here in my area right now!!!! And it is fine by me!!!

Happy 4th of  JULYYYYY

Love, Joe

HOLA!!! From under the equator!!!

Thank you for the photo’s and emails.  I also read one of the Hymns not long ago, “Like Ten Thousand Legions Marching” (#253), very awesome. But your song is sweet too!!! (# 325)  I was reading in the book of ancestors stories that was made for me, and there are some awesome stories in there.  They had such faith in the Lord!!!  We also need to have that faith to follow in their footsteps!  There was a quote that I read once that said that we receive as inheritance our name and that to live up to what we receive, we need to make it our own, or something like that, (it was a tradition by me) :)  Thanks for the inheritance!!!  I’m making it my own!!!

This week has gone well and I am trying to work my hardest here.  I know that there are lives and futures to change.  We had one baptism!!!  Mirko got baptized, and we were waiting for him at 6 in the chapel, when the baptism should have started.  But he didn’t show up at 6 or 7 so we were a little worried.  So we offered a prayer, and he got there!!! Just goes to show that when we do our part, and then put our faith in the Lord, He will never abandon us. Also, we are teaching a family that is awesome!!!!!  On Friday we talked with the father, Rudy, and he told us that he had prayed and that he had received his answer.  So we invited him to be baptized and he told us that he had an addiction to playing cards.  So we are working with him to help him beat the impulses that he has.  They also came as a family to church!!!  It was awesome!!!

The other two people that were to be baptized are waiting a little bit longer. Mabel will be baptized on Saturday, and Betty will be changing a few things in her life that are out of order and will be baptized at the end of July.

Winter in Lima is just a little cold and it mists a lot!  In Lima we can’t use the motocars, so we walk a lot!  We do exchanges if there are members to go with.  Right now we haven’t done it often, but are trying to.

Today we are going to the Imagination Park, or Parque de la Imaginacion, here in Lima.  I will send you pics this next week.

I know that God is our Father and that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of mankind.  I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Thomas Monson is a prophet of the Lord, and is guiding us today. I also know that this is the only true gospel on the Earth!!!  I know that these things are true.

Have an amazing week!!!  Hurrah for Israel!  Kia Kaha!

Love

Elder GREGORY JOSEPH JOHNSON aka Joe  :)

Hola from under the equator!

Well things are going great here in the work.  I am way excited for all the things going on here and there!!!

We have been working hard and had a great week!  This week we have three baptisms planned, and we are looking for more people that have been prepared to hear the gospel message. I love the work!!!  I am doing great, don’t worry about me at all, I am happy as a lark!!!  We are teaching some good families and we are hoping that one of them can get married this month, and that another one can be baptized, because they are already married.

Betty will be baptized on Saturday!!!  And she is inviting all of her family to go to church with her!!!  AWESOME!!!  We also have two other investigators that will be baptized on Saturday!!! Coolio!!!

Today we went to the Temple and it was great to feel the wonderful spirit there, I love our family and am so glad that it is an eternal one!!!  It just reaffirmed my testimony of eternal families and renewed my desire to have an eternal family someday. I love the Temple!!!

I know the Gospel is true and has been RESTORED!!!  The book of Mormon is God’s word!!!  The Temple is God’s house!!!

Thank you for your kindnesses!!!

I love you sooo much!!!  A ton!!!

Love Elder Joe

Hola!!!  From under the equator!!!

Well this week we have been working hard.  On Sunday a whole family we are working with went to church!!!  It was cool!!!  Also Betty, the mom of one of the brides from the massive marriage went to church, and SHE IS GOING TO GET BAPTIZED!!!!! WWWoooot!  Raul didn’t get there, but we are still working with him so that he can convert to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are still having awesome experiences and working... DURO!!!! (HARD!!!!) 

“In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that.  When disappointment and discouragement strike --and they will--you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection (see 2 Kgs. 6:16-17).

They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed.”

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Awesome Quote!!!!!!!!!!!  I’ve got horses and chariots of fire with the angels of heaven at the reins to my aid. I think I’m in really good hands. :)  I know that we are in the last days, but we don’t have to fear, if we are ready for the Battle.

My love to all the family and friends from the ward, I’m doing great thanks to all their prayers. I love the opportunities and experiences that I am having and the testimony that I am gaining. I know that the scriptures are true!!!  I know that this is our Lord and Saviors gospel!!! He is the Holy One. I’m not the great one, the Lord is, and I’m just His servant.

Love you a ton!!!

Elder Joe!

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

Well, this week we had changes, but I was not changed!!!!! Wooohooooooo we got two new elders in the zone and we are happy with that. On Wednesday we had a zone leader council and it went well, we learned some new things, and we made a couple of new goals as a mission.  Also, Sister Blunck talked a little bit about the importance not only of what we do, but of who we become in the mission and in our lives.  I started thinking about when I was little and mom and dad asked me what I wanted to be.  I told them “an honest man”.  Well, it is still true.  I want to be an honest man in all I do, including being honest to God, and thanking Him for all that He has given me.  It was cool for me to remember that far back, and to think about who I am and who I have been and who I can be in the future.

On Thursday we taught Raul, and we read about Alma the Younger’s conversion with him. It was a cool lesson and we could see that he started thinking because of it.  Then that same night, he sent a text to our phone that said that he wanted to prepare himself for the last judgement and that he wanted us to pass by and tell him when he could be baptized.  We were just looking at each other like “wow, the Lord is amazing.…”  Raul has a lot to change, but he can do it and we are here to help him.

Yesterday we made banana chocolate chip cookies for breakfast!!!! Mmmm with milk.  Also Yesterday was the elections here, so we couldn’t teach lessons in the morning or anything.  So we watched Legacy.... :) We also found an awesome family contacting in the street!!!!! 

The work is progressing, and no hand can stop it from doing so.  I know that this is the true gospel of the Savior Jesus Christ, and that His will is that all of His children can return to His presence and have joy.  I love the work, and I love seeing the miracles it produces.  I love you all!!!! Have a great week!!!!

Love Elder Joe!!!!