October 3, 2011

My Beloved Family,

Well, I sure enjoyed the letter. I sure got a laugh at the part where the guys dumped the rocks in the canal. When will they ever learn that a CANAL is not a RIVER. What makes this even funnier is that I didn´t make that connection until embarrassingly late in my life. It is too bad about the Priesthood Session, though I really couldn´t tell you, because I was not able to make it either. You see, it was presented all the way in San Lucas, which is kind of far away. Elder Hernandez and I decided it would be better to stay in the area and work. WAIT!!!... Tabernacle as a Temple? When did this happen, and why did I not hear about this? Oh wait, conference right? Yeah, we were only able to assist the two sessions on Sunday. Flooded the house again? I guess that you´ll be pro at cleaning it up really soon. There is a phrase "you can´t teach an old dog new tricks"... or something like that. That would be really cool if they built a Temple in Star Valley. We have an Elder Sessions in our mission who is from there. Great Guy.

Well, this week was filled so full with experiences, that I doubt that I will be able to tell you everything in the time allotted, especially because I can´t really type that great to begin with.

Well, we had the opportunity to do divisions for one day this week! I stayed in my area with the Leader of District Elder Tingey. We really had a blast. It was quite an interesting day, because we had about 5 appointments with various people, but 3 of them fell through. It was quite sad, but it gave us room to actually receive inspiration for the area. We visited some old investigators, and invited just about all of San Jose to the Conferences

By the way, General Conference, way super amazingly awesome. I really just love hearing the prophet, and the apostles, and everyone! I always come away from it edified, and with a passion to be a better and more spiritual missionary. They are great leaders, and I really look up to them. (FYI, I was able to understand everything that was said in conference!) I also celebrated 6 months in Mexico, because my first Sunday in Mexico was General Conference. Really fast right?

I also had an experience very singular this Saturday. I will give you what is written in my Journal, because from memory I won´t do the account justice.

"October 1, 2011

Right now I am feeling a profound sadness. There are so many emotions swirling around in my chest right now, it is difficult to breath. August 10 I met Hna Mayra Meza. Truly a chosen daughter of God. Never had I met a person more prepared and ready to receive the Gospel. When we met her almost two months ago, she related some experiences that had passed in her life. In fact, we arrived at a very critical moment in her life. She had suffered from an unfaithful husband for two years, and when she finally separated with him, he stayed in Acapulco with her 4 year old daughter, and she came here to live in San Jose. In these days, she was really depressed, and she told us very clearly that she felt something different when we dropped by. (obviously it was the spirit) As we began to visit and teach her, it was so easy to have compassion, and understand how she felt. I could literally see my desire change as the weeks passed. It went from trying to teach her and lead her to baptism, to really feeling the desire to help her improve her life through receiving those blessings that can only come through the Gospel. Well, everything was going by just as normal today, and when we passed by the house of Hna Marya Maza, the door was shut and it looked like no one was home. We decided to call her and remind her about the General Conference tomorrow. My companion called and I wasn´t really paying attention to what he said, when all of a sudden he handed me the phone and said that she wanted to talk with me. I greeted her, and then she began talking really fast as if she was holding back tears or something. She said that she was going to go tomorrow, and then she just started to thank me for everything that I had done for her, telling me how much it had all meant to her, and then CLICK. Nothing. I did not really understand what had just happened. I thought that what she had meant when she said that she was going to go, meant that she was going to go to Conference. My companion then explained to me that she had bought her plane ticket and everything, and that she leaves tomorrow. I feel remorse, regret and sadness. A profound sadness that I don´t think that I have ever felt before. It all just happened so fast and without a warning what so ever. We even had a Family Home Evening planned for her this coming Monday. What could I have done? I guess the only thing I can do now is get a hold of her new address and send it to the missionaries in Acapulco as a reference. No regrets huh?"

Well, I was really feeling down, and that definitely is not a good place to be as a missionary. The next day I was able to go to conference, and it really helped to alleviate the sadness.

I love you all so much, and I am sure that God has a plan prepared for each and every one of his precious children. All of us, as disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, have the responsibility to be examples in every place and at all times. I know that this Gospel is true, and with that knowledge comes the deep burning desire to share it with every person. We are are children of our Father in Heaven. We all deserve a second chance. Jesus has told us that he did not come to preach repentance unto the righteous, but to the sinners. We all have things that we can improve in our lives, and I know that our Father in Heaven is waiting for us to take the first step in this change, and then he will swamp us with blessings.

Love your son,
Elder Johnson

p.s. don´t worry about me, I can´t think of anything is specific that I would want. A calendar for 2012 would be cool. Other than that, I dunno. Surprise me!

p.p.s. I love you so SO much Jackie. You are the bestest little sister a Guy could ever want! Take care of Mom and Dad, and remind them that the Pork Roast is always better with stewed tomatoes...