{2.25.15} Turning Outward

Wow, this week has been absolutely amazing.

It started of really rough. After P-Day, my companion Elder Kalama got really sick with the flu. We had to all stay in our Casa for 2 days--which meant missing class and not teaching our investigators. It was super frustrating. He asked me to give him a blessing, and although Ive given other blessings before and felt directed by the spirit, this time I could hear the prompting clearer than I ever have before and knew exactly what to bless him with.

The first day he got better, I got sick after lunch. So ive been sick 2 of my 3 weeks here, which is ridiculous. It progressed over 4 days from nausea, to diarrhea, to strep throat, to sinus infection hahaha. At least thats what it felt like. I refused to miss class tho, so every time I prayed (which is at least 20 days) I just prayed to my heavenly father to give me strength to make it the next scheduled event on our schedule. Each time I was somehow able to make it, despite having a pounding headache, burning throat, or whatever symptoms were nagging at me. I was also blessed because everytime we taught an investigator, my sickness would be ENTIRELY gone during our lesson, and would come back about 20 mins after.

Because we had fallen behind with our investigators, our lessons werent going as well as and we were super frustrated as a companionship. Thats when we decided to evaluate ourselves to see if the problem was something we were doing. We decided to change a few, small things to try and be more exactly obedient as we read about in the book of Helaman. The following day, we had TRC (where we teach real people who live in Mexico City). Our first lesson was a father and 2 boys, and we taught them about how to prepare for a mission. Our second was with a bishop, who actually ended up teaching us hahahah. Our 3 was with a sweet old woman. She was pretending to be an investigator. As we asked her questions, I could barely understand was she was saying because she spoke soooo fast, but also because she had a very soft, high voice. Although I could not understand what she was saying, the Holy Ghost told me exactly what I needed to tell her. I gave her a simple overview of what wed be teaching her based on her needs, as we are taught to do in our first lesson with an investigator. I told her about families, and how they can be together forever. I shared with her that because God is our loving father, he wants our families to always be together. Because of this, he has restored the same church with the same Priesthood authority that Christ lead during his ministry. I testified to her that it is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that families can be together forever, and that is why God has restored his church through a prophet in our day. 

We asked her to offer the closing prayer, and as she did she thanked Heavenly Father for us, our preparation, and our willingness to serve. She began to cry, and she thanked him for the missionaries that taught her and her family originally. After the prayer, she broke character and talked to us for 20 mins. She said that we reminded her so much of the missionaries that originally taught her. She told us about all the family members of hers that had been baptized, and the those who hadnt. She said she knew we were an answer to he prayers and that she knew now she needed to work harder to be a missionary to her family so the rest could join the church. Through their baptisms, she can be with them forever.

We had a similar experience with one of our progressing investigators, Mirna. Our progressing investigators are our teachers, but they base them off of investigators they had on their missions (usually that didnt accept the gospel and werent baptized, i think). Our lesson had the same fluidity, the same spirit, and our teacher Hermana Aguirre told us, like the sweet old lady Carmen, that we had taught to something that she had needed to hear for her own personal life (as Hermana Aguirre, not Mirna).

My testimony this week is that when you consecrate yourself, and turn yourself over entirely to God´s work, you can and you will bring others closer to Jesus Christ. Elder Bednar taught at the Christmas Devotional in the Provo MTC a few years ago that missionary work, and charity, is completely selfless. Instead of turning in, and saying ``Im working so hard, why am I not about sucesss? Ive left this or that or my relationship or whatever and the Lord isnt blessing me´´ If we do that, we will not be as successful, or happy. Instead, we need to not turn inward, but turn outward towards others. Just as Jesus did. After fasting 40 days and being tempted by the devil, he called his angels not to him, but send them to John in his trials in prison. In your hardest moments, turn outwards towards others. Its not about you, but what you can do for others. 

{2.18.15}

Well I just deleted this email after finishing it.. so this is my second attempt.

First of all. Mexican doritios are way better than american doritoes. Theyre the same, but they have a little bit of spice. Also, their milk isnt actually milk. Its half and half. No complaints tho hahaha.

So it turns out that our first fake investigator, fransisco, is our new night teacher. When we saw him in the class and had all hugged him or chewed him out for pretending to not now any english, he told me that I had ´´good spanish´´ and asked how many years I took in high school which was surprising because I never conjugated a single verb hahaha. So the gift of tongues is defnitely real. He did say I was also the most improved... so maybe it was more like a pity compliment hahaha.

This week I have grown a lot not only in spanish, but in my understanding of the gospel. Especially the atonement. Im finding so many cool scriptures about it and I cant wait to share them with investigators. part of me wishes I could be out in the field tomorrow, but part of me never wants to leave the ccm because it is so fun and its such an amazing opportunity to learn and grow.

Yestderday was super frustrating. Probably my hardest day so far because we did an english fast where we go solo espanol for 6 hours (eventually building up to a full day) and It was so difficult and  Icouldnt say anything except gospel related items hahaha. we also had to prepare our lessson for one of our two new investiagators without speaking english. We tanked it so bad because no one knew what the other had prepared and we jumped all over the place from doctrine to doctrine. As much as Im learning, i definitely have so much more to learn. Luckily Elder Southwick (zone leader) was there to have my back again and talked me down from my frustration. It amazes me how good of a missionary he is at 18. It definitely has strengthened my testimony about the age chance. It turns out him and elder banez (from the phillipines) are both going to BYUI spring semester when I get back too (since we are only 6 weeks apart in our report dates) and were already planning on living together. Super great guys and both have been huge helps with the language and adjusting.

oh also this week  I got called as one of the new district leaders. Im excited and humbled and intimidated.. I have to sacrifice a lot more study time now which I really really need but I know the lord will bless me.

Nana thank you so much for the cookies! they were so good and they are already gone hahaha. Also thank you to everyone who has sent me real letters! I know it costs more but it means so much and its so nice to have something physical to hold from people. A day when I get a letter or a package is instantly 10x better

Love and miss everyone!

Elder Johns

{2.11.15} Week 1

Querido Familia y Amigos,

Well ive survived my first week at the CCM! My spanish is no bueno hahaha, but its slowly getting better. We had to teach a lesson our second day entirely in spanish to an investigator who knew absolutely zero english. That was really rough. Luckily my companion knew some spanish and definitely had the gift of understanding, and was able to translate for me. I knew what he needed to hear and what I wanted to say, so I usually speak in really rough spanglish or look up phrases in the missionary phrase book. I also know how to bear my testimony in spanish so I can always go to that too.

The food here isnt all that bad, most of the time hahah. They serve some really weird stuff... like chicken nuggets and sandwiches for breakfast? and sometimes they serve hashbrowns as the main course.. which isnt enough. They have beans every meal but that doesnt really agree with my stomache at all hahaha, but luckily my digestion has actually been pretty good.

I was super sick for the first 5 days with a cold. Its been difficult having to ask my companion to always go to the bathroom with me cause I had to blow my nose alllll the time. The first 3 days were all really long boring meetings too that were super repetitive and boring and long, but all the other elders and hermanas told us to just make it through sunday and then it goes by so fast. Its so true! its so much fun too.

Unfortunately, mi companero went home this morning. Honestly if it werent for him being my companion we would probably never have been friends, but he was such a good kid. Thats why it was so shocking when he went home. I honestly grow to love him as a brother and a bestfriend. Hed come to the gym with me and Elder Lolani and Elder Kalama (polynesian companions we share a room with who are great guys) and Id teach him how to lift. When he lift, it was really emotional. It didnt really seem fair. He was a great missionary and we worked great together.. we were the first in our district to commit our investigator to baptism.He will be missed a lot, and while Elder Lolani and Elder Kalama, who Im a trio with now, are great guys and also my best friends, it wont be the same without my first companion.

My most spiritualy experience of the week was when after our second lesson I got super frustrated with the language. I couldnt understand anything fransisco was saying and when I did I didnt know how to respond in a way he could understand. Thats when my zone leader, Elder southwick who´s a great missionary (and barely 18?!?!) bore his testimony about how he began his first week in the same situation with the same frustration. He told me how he fasted for 24 hours and every time he prays he asks for the gift of tongues and understanding. Ive folllowed his example and fasted for uhm lets just say longer than that and have been doing the same in my prayers. They language is definitely getting better but is still something I{m really struggling with and have to work very hard at.

mom: I love you and miss you so much! I didn{t get your donuts until 4 days later because our district letter never got our mail key. I miss you a lot and think about you all the time.

Jenna: thank you for your letter! its the first one I got and ive read it at least 20 times hahah. Its so nice to have actual letters to hold and read. I hope i answered all your questions!

Dad: ive told your australian fight story several times and all the Elders love it! hopefully im not encouraging them to do wrong hahah oops.

Syd: Congrats on your mission papers going in this tuesday! youre gonna be an awesome hermana.

Coleson: dude so good to hear from you!

Kam, Mckay, David: Thanks for the emails elders! so good to hear from you guys.

Love, Elder Johns