Olá!
My first week in the new area went super well! We had quite a few meetings, but I was still able to get to know a lot of the people from the new ward. On Tuesday we had transfers so we had a meeting with all of the new missionaries. It is a great meeting because everyone is super excited. We received a lot of Americans this time which was a lot of fun because everyone looks super scared. haha. On Wednesday we had a meeting with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. I think that it was a great meeting. They are also really excited. It is great to always work with them. President has done a great job with so many missionaries here. Thursday we had a normal workday, but I was a little sick which made it difficult, but it was a lot of fun still. I loved to get out and be in a new area. This area is much different because there are a lot of buildings and almost everyone on the street does not live in the area, but in different places in São Paulo. We are going to try new ways of finding investigators. It will be a new challenge, but it will be fun to try some new ideas.
Friday we met with the district leaders and then with that we finished up our meetings for the week! The rest of the week we worked normally. We were able to teach a few people and we were hoping to take a lot of people to church. This Sunday there were not a lot of people that went, but my companion had baptized 2 people so there were two confirmations which were nice. It was also cool that I sat by the Ketchesons at church. They are from my ward in Orem and they are serving a mission here also! It was a strange feeling, but it was great to see them. We are going to work hard this week to find even more people and take them to church. I think that it will be great to be here and I am excited to end the mission working. I hope to be able to meet some more people this week and tell some more stories. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, June 25, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
Olá!
So this last week was my last in Campo Limpo. After 9 months in the area, I was transferred. Elder Lucas went home and President wanted to move our area so we are now in Morumbi which is close by the temple here. My new companion is Elder Smith. He is from St. George. I already had met him and have known him for a while. He is a great guy and I am super excited to work with him.
The last week was full of a lot of meetings. We had a couple meetings for Elder Lucas as he was going home and we had two multizone conferences with an Area Seventy. It was fantastic. I really liked the Seventy who came. His name is Elder Carboni. He has so much knowledge about the scriptures as his background is being in charge of seminaries and institutes. It was great to be able to ask him questions and he taught us many things about repentance and the need to change. I really enjoyed the things that I learned at all of the meetings this week.
We were working hard this last week to try and leave the area progressing. Veronica's family is doing well. They went to a stake couple dance which they really liked. They are sad that I am going to be leaving, but I know that they will continue to learn and grow with the new missionaries there. Gabriella was confirmed this Sunday. It is great to see all of these new people at church. I was able to bear one last testimony as I was invited by the bishop to do so. It was great to look out and see all of the wonderful people who have helped me so much. I am grateful that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I truly know that this is His Church. It is amazing to have this knowledge and share it with others.
I would like to end by saying Happy Father's day to my incredible dad. He has always supported me and taught me throughout my entire life. I am so grateful for him and his influence. I love you, dad! I would also like to wish a happy birthday to my sister, Sabrina. I remember all of the moments that we have had growing up together. She is a wonderful sister and a wonderful mother as well. I love you so much!
Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
So this last week was my last in Campo Limpo. After 9 months in the area, I was transferred. Elder Lucas went home and President wanted to move our area so we are now in Morumbi which is close by the temple here. My new companion is Elder Smith. He is from St. George. I already had met him and have known him for a while. He is a great guy and I am super excited to work with him.
The last week was full of a lot of meetings. We had a couple meetings for Elder Lucas as he was going home and we had two multizone conferences with an Area Seventy. It was fantastic. I really liked the Seventy who came. His name is Elder Carboni. He has so much knowledge about the scriptures as his background is being in charge of seminaries and institutes. It was great to be able to ask him questions and he taught us many things about repentance and the need to change. I really enjoyed the things that I learned at all of the meetings this week.
We were working hard this last week to try and leave the area progressing. Veronica's family is doing well. They went to a stake couple dance which they really liked. They are sad that I am going to be leaving, but I know that they will continue to learn and grow with the new missionaries there. Gabriella was confirmed this Sunday. It is great to see all of these new people at church. I was able to bear one last testimony as I was invited by the bishop to do so. It was great to look out and see all of the wonderful people who have helped me so much. I am grateful that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I truly know that this is His Church. It is amazing to have this knowledge and share it with others.
I would like to end by saying Happy Father's day to my incredible dad. He has always supported me and taught me throughout my entire life. I am so grateful for him and his influence. I love you, dad! I would also like to wish a happy birthday to my sister, Sabrina. I remember all of the moments that we have had growing up together. She is a wonderful sister and a wonderful mother as well. I love you so much!
Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, June 4, 2018
Olá!
I had a great week. I titled this email paradise because I went to paraísopolis again. The translation is close to paradise. It was very interesting. It is a huge area where people just build all sorts of houses there. You see all sorts of things there because there are a lot of drugs and parties. It is sad to see the state that some people live in. It makes me want to help them so much. During the day it is a lot more normal. There are a lot of people to teach which is great.
I was there for two days and the rest of the week I was in my area. It was a good week. We were teaching Veronica's family a lot and they are doing great. They are reading the Book of Mormon and are extremely happy as they are finding peace in their lives. We also taught a couple of other families this week and had a few people at church so it was a great week to teach and find people who have a lot more interest. We are hoping to have a great week as it is the last full week of my companion. Next week we will have a lot of meetings so this is basically his last week of working every day on the street. It has been great being with him so we want to make the most out of the last part of his mission.
One great thing that I learned this week is the power of testimonies. President Thomas tells us to always testify the things that we know to be true. I have been trying to do that. Veronica told us this week that the thing that always stays with her is when we say, "I know that the Book of Mormon is true". It is something so simple, but so powerful. We should always testify what we know. It doesn't have to be with poetic words and eloquence, but it can be a simple testimony of things that we believe in. When we speak from the heart, the spirit testifies and people are touched. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the restored gospel. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. This truly is His work. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
I had a great week. I titled this email paradise because I went to paraísopolis again. The translation is close to paradise. It was very interesting. It is a huge area where people just build all sorts of houses there. You see all sorts of things there because there are a lot of drugs and parties. It is sad to see the state that some people live in. It makes me want to help them so much. During the day it is a lot more normal. There are a lot of people to teach which is great.
I was there for two days and the rest of the week I was in my area. It was a good week. We were teaching Veronica's family a lot and they are doing great. They are reading the Book of Mormon and are extremely happy as they are finding peace in their lives. We also taught a couple of other families this week and had a few people at church so it was a great week to teach and find people who have a lot more interest. We are hoping to have a great week as it is the last full week of my companion. Next week we will have a lot of meetings so this is basically his last week of working every day on the street. It has been great being with him so we want to make the most out of the last part of his mission.
One great thing that I learned this week is the power of testimonies. President Thomas tells us to always testify the things that we know to be true. I have been trying to do that. Veronica told us this week that the thing that always stays with her is when we say, "I know that the Book of Mormon is true". It is something so simple, but so powerful. We should always testify what we know. It doesn't have to be with poetic words and eloquence, but it can be a simple testimony of things that we believe in. When we speak from the heart, the spirit testifies and people are touched. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the restored gospel. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. This truly is His work. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, May 28, 2018
Olá!
This week went very well! It was a pretty normal week. On Tuesday we had a flu shot and I went to the federal police because all Americans have to for visa procedures. We only had one other meeting this week! It was a meeting with the new missionaries. It is weird that it was the last training that I will give with Elder Lucas because he will be heading home. We did all of these trainings 6 times together. I will do all of them one or two more times. I have seen that the Lord has helped so much with all of these meetings and I have learned so much.
One other great day this week is that on Saturday we had an activity with our ward. We organized all of the investigators that the missionaries taught in the past and we sent out the members to visit them with a little present that had the Book of Mormon and an Ensign. We also had a lunch. It was great. Everyone was super excited and we are going to teach a lot of new people because of it!
Sunday was fantastic also because we had lunch with Mateus because it was his birthday! He turned 20. He is a great guy and we have come to be close friends. After, we watched the Restoration film with a family that we are teaching. They felt the spirit strongly so it was a great day and it seems like they are progressing a lot. We are especially excited for them! I am so happy when people accept and are willing to follow Christ. It is a great time to be a missionary. There are so many people who are ready to hear the gospel message. I am grateful to be here and I can't wait to keep working until the end of the mission. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
This week went very well! It was a pretty normal week. On Tuesday we had a flu shot and I went to the federal police because all Americans have to for visa procedures. We only had one other meeting this week! It was a meeting with the new missionaries. It is weird that it was the last training that I will give with Elder Lucas because he will be heading home. We did all of these trainings 6 times together. I will do all of them one or two more times. I have seen that the Lord has helped so much with all of these meetings and I have learned so much.
One other great day this week is that on Saturday we had an activity with our ward. We organized all of the investigators that the missionaries taught in the past and we sent out the members to visit them with a little present that had the Book of Mormon and an Ensign. We also had a lunch. It was great. Everyone was super excited and we are going to teach a lot of new people because of it!
Sunday was fantastic also because we had lunch with Mateus because it was his birthday! He turned 20. He is a great guy and we have come to be close friends. After, we watched the Restoration film with a family that we are teaching. They felt the spirit strongly so it was a great day and it seems like they are progressing a lot. We are especially excited for them! I am so happy when people accept and are willing to follow Christ. It is a great time to be a missionary. There are so many people who are ready to hear the gospel message. I am grateful to be here and I can't wait to keep working until the end of the mission. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, May 21, 2018
Olá!
This week flew by and I don't have a whole lot to say about what happened because it was pretty normal. We have been working quite a bit to find new investigators to teach. It has been a little hard since we have been in the area for so long and many times we talk with the same people on the street, so now we are trying new ways to find people. The ward is extremely excited and we are too. We are going to do a couple of activities this week to invite a lot of new people to come to church and be taught. We are also going to do an English class and also go out with all the members to make new contacts and visit old investigators. It will be an exciting week.
This last week I also had the chance to do divisions with Elder Eggers. He was in the office a little while so we have gotten to know each other. It was a lot of fun and it was a very effective day. A sad moment from this week is that we were teaching Fran who is an older lady and she was ready for baptism. She even stopped drinking coffee and was excited to invite all of her friends. One day we saw her on the street and it seemed like she was avoiding us. We went and talked to her, but she said that she was giving up. She doesn't want to go to church anymore and doesn't want to be taught. It was super sad to see because she is such a sweet lady and was changing her life. We saw a huge difference in her life. We think that her friends told her a lot of negative things about the church and for that she doesn't want to go anymore. I hope that she returns one day. We are going to still try to visit her and some members will go there also. It is sad when someone is so close, but they decide not to follow. We I know that the Lord loves her and wants her to follow Him and so I hope that she remembers the things we taught her and that it blesses her and helps her have the desire in the future to follow.
We have also been teaching a great family, but this week they were not able to go to church because they had to visit a family member on the other side of the city. We were super sad, but then in the afternoon they called us and said that they felt that they needed to go to church, so they found a church there and went to a self-reliance course that was going on after the meetings there. It is amazing that their hearts were touched and they decided to go, even if it were just a random meeting that was going on in the church. I hope that the Lord continues to guide them and that they continue to follow.
I have seen the difference that the Lord makes in our lives. When we follow the Savior, though it may be difficult, we always become better. I have seen that in my life especially on the mission. I am grateful that the Lord has changed my life and I hope that I can continue changing to be more like Jesus Christ. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
This week flew by and I don't have a whole lot to say about what happened because it was pretty normal. We have been working quite a bit to find new investigators to teach. It has been a little hard since we have been in the area for so long and many times we talk with the same people on the street, so now we are trying new ways to find people. The ward is extremely excited and we are too. We are going to do a couple of activities this week to invite a lot of new people to come to church and be taught. We are also going to do an English class and also go out with all the members to make new contacts and visit old investigators. It will be an exciting week.
This last week I also had the chance to do divisions with Elder Eggers. He was in the office a little while so we have gotten to know each other. It was a lot of fun and it was a very effective day. A sad moment from this week is that we were teaching Fran who is an older lady and she was ready for baptism. She even stopped drinking coffee and was excited to invite all of her friends. One day we saw her on the street and it seemed like she was avoiding us. We went and talked to her, but she said that she was giving up. She doesn't want to go to church anymore and doesn't want to be taught. It was super sad to see because she is such a sweet lady and was changing her life. We saw a huge difference in her life. We think that her friends told her a lot of negative things about the church and for that she doesn't want to go anymore. I hope that she returns one day. We are going to still try to visit her and some members will go there also. It is sad when someone is so close, but they decide not to follow. We I know that the Lord loves her and wants her to follow Him and so I hope that she remembers the things we taught her and that it blesses her and helps her have the desire in the future to follow.
We have also been teaching a great family, but this week they were not able to go to church because they had to visit a family member on the other side of the city. We were super sad, but then in the afternoon they called us and said that they felt that they needed to go to church, so they found a church there and went to a self-reliance course that was going on after the meetings there. It is amazing that their hearts were touched and they decided to go, even if it were just a random meeting that was going on in the church. I hope that the Lord continues to guide them and that they continue to follow.
I have seen the difference that the Lord makes in our lives. When we follow the Savior, though it may be difficult, we always become better. I have seen that in my life especially on the mission. I am grateful that the Lord has changed my life and I hope that I can continue changing to be more like Jesus Christ. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, May 14, 2018
Olá!
We had a lot of meetings this week, but it was great! On Monday we had our weekly meeting with President. We planned out the rest of the meetings for this week and the rest of the day we were preparing for the week. On Tuesday we had a meeting with all of the new missionaries. It was great. The missionaries are always so excited to start the mission so it is one of my favorite trainings.
On Wednesday we had a meeting with all the Zone Leaders in the mission. It was a really great meeting also. Thursday was a normal day for us and then on Friday, we had one last meeting with all the District Leaders. I really enjoyed the meetings this last week. They helped me a lot and I feel like it was a great week to start our transfer.
On Sunday we had the confirmations of Lana and Rayssa. It was fantastic. I loved seeing them there and they even took a friend so it was a great sacrament meeting on Sunday. After we had the opportunity to talk with our families. It was amazing. I loved seeing everyone. It felt like the time went by so fast, but I love my family and am so grateful for the technology we have to be able to talk on other sides of the world. I would also love to say that I am so grateful for my mother. She has always helped me so much. I have learned so many lessons from her of faith, hope, charity and all other attributes of Christ. She has always been an example to me and I am so grateful to be her son. I love you, mom!
It has been really crazy today, and my time is up, but thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
We had a lot of meetings this week, but it was great! On Monday we had our weekly meeting with President. We planned out the rest of the meetings for this week and the rest of the day we were preparing for the week. On Tuesday we had a meeting with all of the new missionaries. It was great. The missionaries are always so excited to start the mission so it is one of my favorite trainings.
On Wednesday we had a meeting with all the Zone Leaders in the mission. It was a really great meeting also. Thursday was a normal day for us and then on Friday, we had one last meeting with all the District Leaders. I really enjoyed the meetings this last week. They helped me a lot and I feel like it was a great week to start our transfer.
On Sunday we had the confirmations of Lana and Rayssa. It was fantastic. I loved seeing them there and they even took a friend so it was a great sacrament meeting on Sunday. After we had the opportunity to talk with our families. It was amazing. I loved seeing everyone. It felt like the time went by so fast, but I love my family and am so grateful for the technology we have to be able to talk on other sides of the world. I would also love to say that I am so grateful for my mother. She has always helped me so much. I have learned so many lessons from her of faith, hope, charity and all other attributes of Christ. She has always been an example to me and I am so grateful to be her son. I love you, mom!
It has been really crazy today, and my time is up, but thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
Monday, May 7, 2018
Olá!
This week was fantastic! It was the last week of our transfer and we were trying to work really hard. This transfer has been difficult because we feel like we have worked so hard, but there has not been a lot of progress. These last couple of weeks we have seen a lot of miracles though. We have found a lot more people who seem to want to hear about the message and follow Jesus Christ. This week two of these people were baptized! Lana and Rayssa are two little sisters who we met a couple of weeks ago. They are 10 and 9 years old and they have been going to Church and were so excited for their baptism.
On Sunday we got to their house and Lana and Rayssa were ready to go at 8:30. They had woken up at 7 and got ready all by themselves. They were even using little hairbands that some members gave them. They went to Church and were so happy. We also had some other investigators at church and it was an amazing fast and testimony meeting. I heard some of the most touching testimonies I have ever heard. It also helped so many of our investigators feel the Spirit.
After Church, we got everything ready for the baptism. We went and picked up the girls and a lot of members went also. It was an amazingly sweet baptism. The messages were great. Another little girl that is a member bore her testimony. She was so nervous, but she bore a sweet and powerful testimony. The Spirit was so strong during the entire meeting and especially when they were baptized. After the baptism, Lana came up and told me and Elder Lucas, "I will never forget you". It was such an amazing moment. They come from difficult families and I have seen that through their faith, they have changed their lives. We were only tools in the hands of the Lord. I know that He is the one that makes these miracles happen and I know I will never forget these precious moments and these amazing daughters of God.
I know that this is the work of the Lord. I have never had such a strong testimony of that. I know that this is His Church. He leads us and guides us. I am so grateful for these experiences that I am having. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
This week was fantastic! It was the last week of our transfer and we were trying to work really hard. This transfer has been difficult because we feel like we have worked so hard, but there has not been a lot of progress. These last couple of weeks we have seen a lot of miracles though. We have found a lot more people who seem to want to hear about the message and follow Jesus Christ. This week two of these people were baptized! Lana and Rayssa are two little sisters who we met a couple of weeks ago. They are 10 and 9 years old and they have been going to Church and were so excited for their baptism.
On Sunday we got to their house and Lana and Rayssa were ready to go at 8:30. They had woken up at 7 and got ready all by themselves. They were even using little hairbands that some members gave them. They went to Church and were so happy. We also had some other investigators at church and it was an amazing fast and testimony meeting. I heard some of the most touching testimonies I have ever heard. It also helped so many of our investigators feel the Spirit.
I know that this is the work of the Lord. I have never had such a strong testimony of that. I know that this is His Church. He leads us and guides us. I am so grateful for these experiences that I am having. Thank you all for your love and support!
Amo vocês!
Elder Johnson
 |
| Lana and Rayssa |
 |
| Kentucky in Brazil! |
 |
| We didn't see the movie, just the poster! |
 |
| The Food Group to rule them all. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)