{2.22.16}

Miami traffic gets us all from time to time!

Big things happening in Doral! First of all, we were able to get the Herrez Family of 4 to church! They're super prepared and they loved church. Francisco, the Father, loved Elders Quorum and even got up and shared his testimony. Maria VIcotria, the mom, loved Relief Society as well and also quotes scriptures from the Bible that support the restored Gospel (She studied to be a nun). The two boys, Moises, 12, and Nica, 9, also loved church. They're going down in March on the 5th! They can't meet with us too often, but that hasn't stopped them from progressing and keeping commitments. We were also able to get Marines back to church. She's working on preparing for the temple now, and we will continue to help her.

Siste Simmons Funeral (going home pic)

This week we had tons of miracles finding! one was when we found Stephanie and Alejandro. After we shared a prayer, Stephanie told us that "god is calling to her" and that she knew God sent us. We invited her and Alejandro to baptism, and shared the message of the Gospel in their home. The Spirit was undeniably strong, and every was testifying that they could feel it. They're ready to learn more and are going to prepare to be baptized! She told indefinitely "I WILL be at church on Sunday." Alejandro was equally excited.

There's lots of really great things happening! I hope to continue to have a lot of great things to report on!

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hialeah, FL 33016

{2.16.16} H-Town, Never Down (check the pics!)

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"When you try and fight the trunkiness"

 So this week was really interesting! It involved 3 trips to the doctors (only one was mine!) and a lot of miracles!

This week we were able to find two really awesome new Friends, Arturo and Carlos. Both were super humble guys who are just ready to receive the Gospel and were fascinated by the message of the Restored Gospel (as should everyone be... We are the only church who claims and Divine manifestation from the God the Father himself in the state of New York. That's at least worth investigating!) They are very different. Carlos is very familiarized with the Bible, so he's a lot of fun to teach. Arturo doesn't know much about the Bible, but he does know his Faith in Christ has made his life better when he's had it.

Also, the Herrez family (family of 4 from the Dominican Republic) Accepted a baptismal date for the 5th! They're really discovering how great the Book of Mormon. The mom, Maria Victoria, went to school to become a nun, so she's a lot of fun to teach and she loves comparing the book of Mormon to the bible. They're a great family; super humble and so nice. The two boys are also loving the book of Mormon, and are super respectful and attentive during the lessons.

exchanges with the old MTC Comp

Transfers were this week, and I will be staying! I will also be finishing the training of a new missionary. It should be a lot of fun, and I really feel like some great things will be happening in Doral this transfer. Elder Cancino, Elder Spotts trainer and also serving in the same ward, and I have been doing a lot to strengthen the ward and this transfer is going to be our great "experiment" to see if our plans can change the ward! The ward really needs help; all leadership is borrowed from the stake. But we have plans and we are gonna see what happens!

Love you all, have a great week!

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hiahleah, FL 33016

close up of the damage (if I tell you what happened, you wouldn't believe me)

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{2.8.16} Estamos en la lucha (We are in the Fight)

Where Dad almost died.. I found it before I left Boca!

My comp is the giant in the middle. He's 6'6"Also: Elder Spotts and Lolani in the center from the MTC​

Como le va la vida? There's not much new going on this week. We were able to meet a lot of people who seemed really cool this week--- then they all dropped off and disappeared. It happens. It's the life of a missionary. Elder Davis and I have been working really hard, and we know the Lord is gonna bless us. Brandon and Jordan, the two kids we have been teaching, are still coming to church and want to be baptized. There's just still some family problems there that we're all working to over come.

Despite the less than best week, I had one day this week that really stood out. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it reminded me of why it is that I'm in my mission, and why being a missionary is so great. Not very many people opened doors for us, we didn't teach that many lessons, but I was able to recognize and truly notice how much I was testifying of Christ. As a missionary, I think I take for granted that Christ is on my lips in almost every moment, Every hour of the day is spent testifying to people of Christ, and that through Christ they can change, or become happier, or have more peace, or have a happy family, or that they can return and live with him again. And sometimes, when I'm blessed, I get to see it click with people. The Holy Ghost confirms truth of something I or my companion say, You can see it in there eyes. Sometimes, the accept it, and they invite you back, and sometimes, they change their lives. They discover new truths on their own, because they start seeking it. Their lives take new perspective, they never look back, and they move forward on a path to happiness. And it comes from simply opening your mouth and talking about Christ.

Finally got my camera chord and charger! So here's some 

pics:

That was branch president Fuentes in Camino Gardens.
He was a stake president in Chile. Very Powerful Guy.
Also "threw down" on people a lot hahahah

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hialeah, FL 33016

{2.1.16} Diga me todo (Tell me everything...I think)

Sorry I haven't written in so long. I've been slammed with college applications, but now I've got everything done.

This week was really good, after some very long days of knocking. We haven't been seeing any success for the past 2 weeks or so from knocking. The good thing about this area is there are doors for days, so we never run out of Spanish people to talk to. But nonetheless, not much success. The Church down here in Florida isn't very strong on an organizational level, at least down here in Miami. I have been thinking a lot about the problems the mission has been facing and that I have been facing, as well as some recent counsel received in the world-wide mission broadcast. I have neglected working with members on my mission, even though most of my success has come from member work. In a sense, I've been pretty prideful thinking that I as a missionary can go out and knock enough doors and find enough people and all will be well-- we can do it on our own. But our mission slogan is "establishing zion" which includes the wards in which we serve. I'm really focusing on balancing everything out--getting members involved in all aspects of what we missionaries do, getting them excited about missionary work, creating a missionary-minded culture in the ward, and strengthening the families individual in the ward (because ALL members need strengthening too). Anyways, just some boring thoughts from a missionary.

This week we found a SWEET family of 4 from the Dominican Republic. They are so cool! They have so many great questions, and a really truly searching for answers. They're studying, reading, praying, and truly meditating and pondering on the message. We are really excited about them. they're extremely humble, really polite kids-- they're just a great family. I hope to have lots more to report on them in the future!

Quick spiritual thought--Faith is really important. I was reading from Lectures on Faith this morning, and I don't think we realize (I definitely don't) how integral Faith is in ALL our lives. Faith is more than just belief in God. It's assurance of things not seen. Faith drives all activity in our lives, mental and physical. Every actions stems from a belief of a result that is hoped for. That's about it from me. Hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hiahleah, FL 33016

{1.19.16} Soy un perdedor

What's up friends and family! So I have no time this week. This email is going to be really short, but I need work on college applications. For anyone who cares, I'm considering other pastures for post-mission life: specifically back to Provo or possibly Utah State. Feel free to send me pro's and con's of either if you've been there!

Also I need to give a shout out to my boy Mario Quesada in the Fontainebleau Ward. He got his mission call to BRAZIL! I'm jealous. I want to learn Portuguese after the mission. He's probably gonna lose all those muscles though, just like I did:)

This week was very good. Elder Davis and I found A LOT. We are currently working with a 12 year old and an 8 year old named Brandon and Jordan. Their special kids. We are also working with an old Cuban man named Guillermo. Neither of us can understand a word he says. But it works.

The work goes forth. Everything is great in Doral. Love you all!

Also, I posted the wrong address last week. But I still got a letter from Mom even though it was "NW" instead of "W" 20th Lane. But yeah.

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hiahleah, FL 33016

{1.11.16} El Doral

HAPPY BDAY MAMA! LOVE YOU! 
a windy November day in Rexburg!

Hey everybody! I made it over to Hialeah and I'm back in another country! Its great being fully immersed into the Latin Culture again. The Doral ward is really awesome.. there is so much work to be done. Our area is kinda weird... because half of it is Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens (basically the new Little Cuba) and the other half is Doral.. which is super new and super nice. It's ALL Spanish. Occasionally you run into English Speakers, 9 out of 10 of them are just second generation and still speak fluently in Spanish.

And no one at Walmart Speaks English. It feels so good to be back.

It's also been kinda humbling. I realize my Spanish isn't quite as good as I thought it was. It's hard adjusting to all the different accents. My "gospel vocab" isn't suffering at all, but this will be a great area to really up my conversational Spanish.

I'm district leader and living with a new greenie who is...... Elder Spotts!!! For those who don't remember, Elder Spotts was actually my first companion in the MTC. He had to go home for awhile, but he's back! It was an awesome experience getting to see him again and be back with my brother. I'm really proud of him. It's gonna be a lot of fun. Also, having a greenie in the house, we will be speaking A LOT of Spanish all the time (that's the only way I learned).

We are doing lots of Finding again, but we have a ton of potentials and references to contact this week! Right now, we are working with this Cuban get named Michael. He's not much older than me, and he played college football for Minnesota as a Safety. He made some wrong choices and wrong turns in his life, and so he's currently sitting on 4 months of House Arrest. It's actually a huge blessing in disguise... he was facing 25 to life. He's a really good kid, and he's really grateful for this second chance God has given him. Right now his Monitoring officer is being a bum and won't let him Go to Church (he's given him permission to go plenty of other places) so we will get that taken care of this week. He really wants to be baptized.

Other than that... life is good. Oh, Elder Gomez (my trainer) is my Zone Leader. So that's really fun! I get to talk to him all the time. He should be coming down today so we can go play some ball at the church.

Hope everyone has a great week! new address is below.

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

5841 W 20th Lane

Hiahleah, FL 33016

{1.5.16} transferred

Nice so what's up folks! So this week was transfers. Elder Oaks and the missionary council changed it up a bit so I already know where I'm going. I'm headed to Doral South! Back to Miami in the land of Cubans and Spanish. I'm pretty excited for that, i'll continue being DL over there.

I'm pretty distraught about leaving the area, though. Aura's baptism is on Saturday and we won't be able to see it. In fact, we haven't even told her we are leaving yet (we are both getting transferred out). We don't know how she will take it.. she really loves us and calls us her ''Ángels" and always refers to us as her Grandkids. She was super excited about us doing the baptism and confirmation, and when I suggested earlier last week that her Member friend, Alex Perez, do them, she replied that she wouldn't want anyone else to do the ordinances because we were the ones who "taught her the truth." There's a lot of work to still be done. This week we had a really good week, and saw a lot of success and have 3 people lined up for baptism. I'm just really sad I won't get to see all that happen. I am however, grateful that I got to be part of it and that most importantly the branch is growing and that Andres, Aura, and Edin are changing their lives and coming closer to Christ.

I know that God has a plan, and I'm needed in Doral for some reason. It is right next to my first area I served in--about a stones throw away. I will be able to see Felix, Juan, and some of my other recent converts. i'm excited to solidify my Spanish a bit better as well, as I'll be back in the best of another country that is Miami. I'll have my new address next week.

Elder Juanes