Hey everyone! It was great to see you all, too bad I didn`t get to tell you about most of my mission because of time, but maybe next time. So Elder Horton and I for Christmas went and ate at a few members houses, but then at 12:00 at night everyone was lighting off fireworks, they say it will get worse for the new year. So we were supposed to have a baptism this month, but we think it fell through because she didn`t want to have an interview. She even told us that she was ready, we went through the pre interview questions and she seemed ready, but I guess we are going to have to work with her a little more. Like I said there were fireworks going off late last night and they will get worse around Dec. 31st! I think they will have us go in a little early because of all the drunks that will be out that night. Other than that everything is been great, I`m enjoying every bit of my mission. Now we have changes after this week, most likely Elder Horton is leaving because he has been in this area for 6 months. I hope that I get another Latino that only speaks spanish because those that speak English, don't help me out much, but all is well. I`m learning spanish either way. So not much has really happened this week because of interchanges and Christmas. But I want to know how everyone is doing? Tell grandma and grandpa I love them( all of them) I will send a bunch of photos.

Love Elder Johnson

HEY! Comò Esta Con Todo! How is everyone doing? Well this week was a good week, We did way more lessons than we have every done in one week, we also have 3 baptisms dates before my change. YES!! We are working real hard to keep those dates, we are teaching them as much as possible so they don`t get cold feet. So I can`t believe that I'm almost done with my training, this last week I have lead all of the lessons, and that's from now until the end of my training. I have already lead a lot of lessons, but it is super hard because a lot of the times they can`t understand me, but I still have faith and I'm working hard on the language, and yet again I`ve only been out here 2 months, so I expect too much out of myself, oh well life goes on. I'm loving every minute of it though! I received the package you sent me and I loved all of it, you actually sent me a lot, tell everyone I will send a letter. I can`t believe Jason is a Fire Fighter now, which leads me to something I want to talk about, patience! One of the most important things we all need, a lot of people expect an answer, help, or something in their life, but the thing they lack is patience. If we don`t have any patience, how do we expect to receive something. It is in the Lords own due time, for example; Jason has become a fire fighter now, because he has been patient, he has worked hard for that and I'm pretty sure he has also prayed hard. Anyways I love you all, you are all in my prayers. Talk to you soon,

Love Elder Johnson

Ok, before you flip out and go crazy, you need to brace yourselves. We just received a letter from President Glazier saying that we are allowed to skype you or call you, only for 30 min. I think we are allowed to either do it Saturday the 24th or Sunday the 25th, but we can't skype on Sunday, so pick your choice. So this week was pretty weird, we had interchanges Tuesday and that was interesting to see how other Elders teach lessons. We also had lunch with President and Sister Glazier, and that was a nice experience, at the end we all had a testimony meeting, and that was super powerful, everyone here has super strong testimonies. So I only have three more weeks of training and then me or my companion has changes in January. I feel that my Spanish is getting more comfortable, but it is still super difficult, but I always try to keep in mind that it`s not me that`s teaching, it is the spirit, and besides, I got compliments from the Bishops son who said my Spanish is way better than most who are here in El Salvador for only two months, so I'm not too worried about it. So me and my companion are doing pretty good, we still don't have any possible for baptism this month, but we are still striving to work hard with all of our investigators. So I'm reading this book that was given to us in the MTC, it is called "Our Search for Happiness" it is written by M. Russell Ballard, I was reading about when Jesus came to the earth, and one of the thing that hit me real hard and made me think is that Jesus had the power to stop all of the torment, being battered and beaten, and all the sorrow, and the list goes on; he is the son of god, he could have stop all these things in a number of ways, but he let it happen to himself so that we could receive the priceless gift of eternal life, now that is absolutely pure love, we can't and won't be able to comprehend what he did for us. Well I still haven`t received your package, but I'm pretty sure it's sitting in the office right now. Tell me how everyone is doing, and send my love to grandma and grandpa (all of them)I love you all.

Love Elder Johnson

Here is a video of Elder Johnson doing some magic! ;)

Como Està Todo! Well this week was a lot better, I feel a lot better, and the toilet is not my friend anymore. We were working hard this week to find more investigators, so when we were doing LPE, we found a family of TEN! And also they are really super positive, we hope to baptize them this December. I don`t know if any of you were able to see the Christmas devotional, but that was super great, even though it was in spanish and I didn't understand too much of it, but I was able to get the main points. I recommend watching it if you haven`t, and also I'm reading the Ensign and New Era, there is always good things in there, and you will always learn something new. So this week our zone has the opportunity to eat at the Presidents house, I`m super excited for that!! :D My spanish is still coming, slowly but surely, I`m able to understand what they mostly say, I`m also going to write in spanish for the guys at the shop, maybe that will be something good for them to here from me. Me and my companion are striving hard to bring our investigators to church, it`s still difficult, but I know as long as I`m doing my best and coming home tired every night, then I have nothing to worry about. I have almost already trashed my first pair of shoes, there is a big rip in the left part of the sole, I`m already breaking in the new ones, not knowing how long those are going to last. So I still haven`t received the package you sent me, but I`m pretty sure I will get it this Wednesday when the Zone goes to the Presidents house. So I don`t know about the phone call thing, but I will let you all know when I here about it. So Steven better start writing me because if I wrote to him for two years, then he can very well write me, even if it`s short. Well please tell me how everybody is doing especially grandma and grandpa (All of them). I love you all, always trust in the Lord with all your might, because He knows each and every one of us, and what need.

Love Elder Johnson

Cick here to watch the Christmas Devotional.

Hola mí familia!

I'm loving it out here, We baptized a father, we completed the family, it really feels good to complete a family, they were all so happy। So I'm half way through my training program, I'm really starting to get used to everything, the language is still coming, but it´s getting a lot better। We haven´t been able to move in our new house yet, but next week we will। Hey I don´t know if when you were cleaning my room, you found the ELECTRONIC SPANISH TRANSLATOR that Bro। Rockwood gave me, but I want you to send it to me, that will help me so much। PLEASE don´t tell me you threw it away!





Anyways, so far I have six baptism my first change, I hear that´s really lucky for me। I can´t believe your having Thanksgiving with out me, they don´t celebrate Thanksgiving or Halloween here in El Salvador। They already have there christmas stuff up। You can send whatever you want, I have nothing I really want, unless you want to put money in my account. :) Well tell me how everyone is doing? Has it cooled off yet? It will never cool off here, it´s hot everyday. Well me and my companion had a meeting with the bishop, because for some reason when I was conducting our weekly planning, I had a thought to set up an appointment with the Bishop to see what we could do to help the missionary progress. When we went in for our meeting, we asked him how we could help, and the first thing he said was that he was really frustrated with the Ward and that he needs so much help, before no Elder in that ward had ever asked him for an appointment. It made me think of how busy the Bishop is, we can´t even comprehend how much the Bishop does for the ward, they are busy 24/7. So be sure to give your thanks to Bishop Ellsworth and ask him how you can help him progress the work that the Lord has laid on this Earth. Well I love you all, make sure you pray night and day to your Heavenly Father, he wants to hear from you everyday.

Love Elder Johnson

HAHA! Sorry Mommy! I forgot to tell you that we were going to the temple today, so they moved our p day to today। The temple is so beautiful, I just absolutely loved it, I really can`t wait to go in it again. I can`t believe Chase Allen left, I had no idea he got his call, who else has gotten there call? I can`t send pictures at this time because I forgot my camera when I went to the temple today, but next week I will be sending pictures. So this week we have another baptism, I`m so excited, he`s a really positive investigator. We also will hopefully baptize a family soon that we have been teaching ever since we got here. Oh and our wards do need our help with things, when me and my companion were doing weekly planning, I thought of just setting up an appointment with the bishop and discussing some things to help with. What could we do to help the work continue and progress? We just found out we are moving out of our house soon, the land lord told us he was selling it to someone, but it`s ok, we found something way better, with a shower and a toilet that actually works. Our other toilet, the only way to flush it would be to dump water into to it. Anyways, I really love it out here, the more the weeks pass by, the closer I get to these people. My Spanish is still not good at all, but I`m still striving to learn the proper grammar use, at least the people here always correct me and we all have a good laugh. So me and my companion every Friday now are teaching English. We thought it would be a good idea to attract more investigators into the gospel, so we will see how it works. We strive ever day to see how we can strike interest in people, like using objects they have and relating it to the gospel. Well enough about me, how is everyone doing? Tell Grandma and Grandpa hi and that I love them very much (all of them). Who else is getting there call or other important news that I need to know. It`s so weird to hear all this news ever since I left, it goes to show how fast time flies. Anyways I love you all.

Love Elder Johnson

There, I sent you some pictures, hope you love them. So this week has been a really crazy week, we had a lot of meetings, we had a multi zone meeting, a zone meeting, and a district meeting, so some days here we didn`t work much, but we were still able to get two baptism, I actually have an experience, so after we baptized Marina and Louis, we were cleaning up everything, we already shook hands with them and said congratulations etc. but the boy louis came back to me and my companion and gave us a hug and said thank you so much, right after he did that, It struck me so hard, that this is what i'm here to do for the next to two years of my life, I mean I`ve always thought that, but this time it hit me, and it brought so much joy to know that they were happy, and that me and my companion guided them on the right path. Oh and I have another experience, so when me and my companion were filling up the font, we decided to leave for lunch, my companion said the font takes about two hours to fill, so after lunch, a thought came to me that we should go checks on the font, I told my companion, but he said no that it took two hours to fill, so I thought well he knows, he`s been here for 4 months, but when we returned to the church, the whole church was flooded, we were able to clean everything thank goodness, but my companion learned his lesson, it was kind of funny, but at the same time it wasn`t because of how much water flooded the church. My Spanish is starting to pick up, I talked to one of the Elders that`s leaving in three weeks, he told me some really good ideas, and not to worry to much about the spanish. Anyways, how is everyone doing? Tell Tara and Steve congratulations on the wedding. How are grandma and grandpa doing(All of them)? Oh and I really love my boots, I'm thankful that I have those, when it rains here, it rains a lot, so I wear my boots so my feet don`t get wet. I heard from someone that it`s supposed to rain more than what we have been getting, and it has rained quite a bit here. Also, mom! don`t loose your hinges, but of course that`s how mothers are supposed to be, but yes we do listen to CD`s but we can only listen to CD`s with the church signature on the back of it. I have been trying to use my stuff for my fingers, but I forget most of the time because of how tired I am at night. Anyways I love you all, practice faith and be strong in the gospel, you can only improve in something that you practice at, it`s like exercising a muscle, the more you work it out, the stronger it gets.

Love Elder Johnson

Well, This week has been great I really love it here a lot, there is nothing better than getting attached to the people you love to teach. I also am really improving when I teach in lessons, before, my companion would have to teach most of the time because I had a real hard time explaining things, but the more I try to teach lessons, the better I get. I`m starting to understand them really good, but I can`t seem to comunicate as well as I can understand, oh well, I know my language is coming, slowly but surely. Well we were hoping we would get a few baptisms this week, but it didn`t seem to work out very well, we moved it till next week, i`m pretty sure next week will be better anyways. Man! time really does fly, even when you don`t want it to. The only fear I have is that if I blink I will almost be done with my mission, and I don`t want that, the better I seem to get, the more time seems to pass by me with out me even knowing. Well, the food here is absolutely the best, my favorite type of food is pappusas, there the best thing I have had. Me and my companion were eating at a home that sells pappusas, I ate thirteen of them, and I asked the lady how much any one has ever eaten there and she said the most is five to six. Hahaha! don`t worry I have pictures. Anyways I`m really loving it here, nothing is better than serving the Lord. I have put more trust in him than I have ever in my life unfornately, I can`t believe i`m even saying that, I have learned so much. There is a scripture that i`m thinking of right now, but I don´t remember where it is, but it talks about that man is nothing with out god, and I believe that to be true, I have felt his help more than anything out here in the field. Anyways how is everyone doing? Tell the guys at the shop that I will send a letter soon and that I say hi. Tell grandma and grandpa that I love them and they are in my prayers,(all of them)! You need to give me Stevens email address so I can write him letters. Maybe he will get to talk to me when I call this Christmas. Well anyways, I have to write my president now, I will send pictures soon.

Hola coma esta? Estoy Aprendiendo muchas Español! Well it`s been 2 weeks now out here, and I`m still loving it, it`s been actually super crazy here, but I`m getting used to it. I`m loving it here alot, nothing pleases me more than going out teaching the people of El Salvador the gospel, we baptized three people Saturday, and that was the best feeling ever. Oh and my companion is from Costa Rica. I really can`t believe everything is changing in the world so quickly and I`ve only been out for three months. It rains so much here, but it`s hot as well, so it`s like I never left Arizona. We hopefully will baptize a couple of people this saturday. You need to get me the Hancock's house address both of them, they haven`t been writing me, but I think I was supposed to write first. Tell grandma and grandpa (All of the them) I say hi and that I love them. Que Mas? Well tell me how things are going in Arizona? It`s defiantly wierd and different to here people talk about everything they have to say, it`s more different than the united states. I haven`t seen Bro. Walker yet, he is not in my ward. I`m not going to lie church without an organ or even a piano is terrible, lets just say it`s super hard to sing when everyone here can`t sing to well, but the thing I love about these people is they have a big heart, and alot of them are willing to listen to what you have to say, but I have been rejected alot which is heart breaking, but I still press on and find other people who are ready and prepared for me to teach them. Anyways Everything here in El Salvador is going great I love it alot, I`m starting to get used to everything, one thing I love is that we pay someone to do our laundry, she is literally the only one with a washer here, you would be lucky to find someone with a washer, and there is no such thing as dryers here. Anyways I love you all, and send everyone in the ward my love and that I say hi!

Well I guess I will write you, ha-ha just kidding! Everything is going great here, my new companion is Elder Horton, he speaks Spanish and English, it`s really hard trying to talk to people or understand them, I seriously can`t understand them at all, so the language is probably the toughest thing for me right now, but I`m told not to worry about it will come। I believe it will happen, I just need to be patient. Anyways, this mission is probably really close to dads mission, my area that i'm in is really poor, our house isn't big what so ever. I bathe in cold water every morning with a bucket, it`s really rare that you get showers here, and if your lucky, maybe a built in hot water heater for the shower. Anyways, there is a lot of sickness that I need to avoid here. I can`t even drink out of the tap otherwise I will get real sick, I really do feel fortunate to live in the states! I really don`t know how people survive here in El Salvador, I have learned a lot from these people. Probably the most funniest things that I hear in El Salvador is when we are trying to teach someone about the gospel, the first thing they start talking about are these weird visions they think they are having. I try not to laugh and do the best I can to teach them. It is real hard sometimes to get investigators to come to church, especially since it rains! Usually 160 members come to church, but since it rains, members get real lazy and don´t come, this Sunday we only had 60 people at church! What happened? I have no idea! We are really super busy with everything. We had two baptisms hopefully this saturday if we get them to stay committed. Time is flying by way too fast, it hadn`t dawned on me that I have been out here for 2 1/2 months. I really try my best to do everything I can to be obedient and be receptive to the spirit, and yes I being more obedient than I ever was at home. ;). Anyways tell me how everyone is doing, how is grandma and grandpa doing, both of them? Tell Grandpa I am learning spanish, just at a slow, slow pace. I`m going to start writing letters the best I can to everyone. Anyways I love all of you and I'm going to try to start sending some photos now. Please keep me in your prayers!

Love Elder Johnson

Well next week I'm leaving for El Salvador, on Monday! I'm really excited to go, my spanish still isn´t that great, but I heard by the time I call in December, my spanish will be good enough to understand and listen। We watched general conference and it was the best conference I´ve ever heard. Probably my favorite session was Priesthood, Elder Holland's talk was great. I liked how he talked about how we need missionaries, believe it or not we do! It´s so much better with more people, Mom and Dad, your next in line for a mission, so you better start preparing for it, ha-ha just kidding! But seriously I have really enjoyed my time at the MTC. I have grown so much in my spanish and in the gospel, I feel ready to leave now, I know it´s going to be extremely hard out in the field, but I know the Lord will help me in everything. I heard a talk by Elder Holland yesterday, he was talking about our missions and how we grow and learn to love the people. One thing that struck me so hard I started to cry, he said one thing that pains him is how can missionaries go home and fall away from the church when they were telling people to repent and bared testimony of those things. I know once I get home from my mission, my work will never be over, its forever! Anyways, sorry, but I felt that I needed to say that for some reason. I love you all so much, this is the greatest thing that I have ever felt or done, the best decision of my life. I have a strong testimony of this gospel, and I know that everything I'm going to teach is true. I will answer your questions when I get to El Salvador, they will give me a lot more time.

Love Elder Johnson