{8.24.15} I'm Gonna Sit Right Here, on the Edge of This Pier...

Don't have a lot of time today because we went fishing all day off of a Pier in the Caloosahatchee (?) River where it meets the ocean so it's gonna be a short one!

This last week was really sweet for a couple of reasons,

1.) Señorita  got the date of her last divorce so she's getting MARRIED AND BAPTIZED this week! So is Señor by default obviously (her "husband")

2.) I got to fish!

3.) We got to experience some severe weather! ( I hear a Hurricane is comin? someone please update me)

Señorita finally put forth the effort to get everything ready to be married after we shared a Scripture in Alma 34:32-34 about how this life is the time for men to perform their labors and not to procrastinate your repentance. Also, her daughter (28)  was present for the lesson as well and she took it to heart by QUITTING HER JOB so she could come to church on Sundays! Super crazy, but when people are ready the Spirit can testify to them powerfully. We are super excited to start teaching her because she is so willing to act and really just wants to do what God wants of her.

Biggest Catch of the day (sick neck tan line!)

Señorita  is doing very good. Thank you everyone for your prayers! ... It still may take sometime, but she is going to baptized which is all that matters. I'm just very grateful to have the opportunity to be one of the missionaries amongst the long line before me that gets to be apart of her conversion process. We were able to give her a blessing earlier this week, and the Spirit was SO strong! She was about to burst at the seams with Tears...

Crazy Weather in Florida sometimes...

Other than that, we get a car tomorrow!!.... that has no miles on it because the missionary who had "knee problems" that took it from us used all of the miles for the month.... so we have enough to maybe get to church on Sundays and (if we are lucky) drive the Library on P-Days!

Hope everyone is doing well!

---Jenna: Did you get the Job?! Mom made it sound like you did!

--_Lorren: Is it safe to stand on your head?! hahaahah

---Gpa & Gma Hink: Got both of your letters! Thank you so much! I'm hoping soon I'm going to have time to write back

--Gpa & Gma Johns: Got your letters too! Thank you so much! Same goes for time to write you back hahaha.

--Mom: got your letter to! And I'm about to pick up a package from the office but haven't gotten to it yet but i'm guessing its from you

--

Good thing our apartment is the only place in FL with a fireplace!

Elder Johns

{8.17.15} #PrayFor Senorita (Craziest E-Mail I've ever sent)

THIS WEEK WAS CRAZY. Well mostly last Monday night. I'll explain. Also, I'm going to try to keep my emails shorter from now on. I'll probably fail but it's the effort that counts.

So last Monday night we got all showered and ready to go @ 6 PM to go out and Proselyte until 9. We get a text .... We hopped on our bike and biked the Bishop's house to let him know the situation--he wasn't there. We called him--no answer. Called his wife--no answer. Called our Zone Leaders--no answer.  Called our District Leader--no answer. That isn't too abnormal, but we needed to know how to handle the situation because it was very urgent. We call the Asistant's to the Mission President--no answer. We call the Mission President--no answer. That's EXTREMELY unusual. The Mission President always answer any emergencies. We try them all several times and no one answers. Keep in mind, we haven't eaten in like 21 hours and it's 97 degrees and 90% Humidity and we just biked at full speed a few miles.

We have no idea what to do, so we quickly said a prayer that somebody would call us back. We sat for a few minutes, and decided the best course of action was to continue with our night as previously planned. We hop on our bikes and start heading towards Pine Manor (Mexican/Honduranian/Haitian Ghetto). We don't get very far before Satan tries to attack us. This crazy lady leans out of the Ford Bronco beeping her horn, yelling at us, showing all she's got to the world stopped next to us at a stoplight! The Adversary is VERY real, and this was definitely no coincidence. 

We got on our bikes and ran away hahaha, and finally someone called us back! The AP's gave us advice that we had basically already planned on doing, but was very reassuring to have a confirmation to know that our plan of action was right. After talking with them for 15 minutes, we  continued a little further and the mission president got ahold of us. For lack of better words, our Mission President THREW DOWN. He laid out exactly what we needed to do and how to handle the situation appropriately. Once we received the proper counsel, we biked off in front of this old abandoned furniture store off of this highway to call ... and give her our mission presidents number and the appropriate counsel. As we start to call her, this huge, 6'6", absolutely jacked out of his mind, Large black man comes tearing out from around the corner. He was bleeding from his head profusely, swearing up a storm and dropping language of the likes which has never been heard. I look at Elder Warren and he's already on his bike and riding away. I talked to the guy and was able to make sure everything was alright and that he wasn't going to kill us, and we then were able to bike a ways off and make the phone call to Ana.

It was a CRAZY night, and I've never been more grateful for a night to end. But after planning, saying a prayer to Break our fast where we could finally Eat, I've never felt more Happy. I had perfect knowledge that we had done EVERYTHING that we could, and that we were truly fighting against the enemy of God to help our Sister make the covenant with him that she wants and needs. The situation was able to be temporarily resolved, but the prayers for ... need to keep coming! As a mission, we sound out "miracle texts" when we see miracles daily. Our whole zone is using the #hashtag "#PrayFor..." in all of ours, because we know God wants all of his children to be baptized, and all of them to return and live with him again. Our Sister is no exception. No one is every too far gone or in situation to dire.

In about an hour, we are going to give her a priesthood blessing to help her know what God wants her to do, as well as have ... strength ... She's received amazing counsel from the Bishop and the Mission President, as well as the previous missionaries who have taught her that are now living at home (she has maintained contact with all of them). S.....................o Pray for Señorita!

everything else in the area is going really well! Señorita  and Señor will be getting married very soon and we are super excited for them as well! Hopefully I will have more time to talk about them next week. Hope everyone is good!

I............ Can't believe I forgot to put it in the email!

Love,

--

Elder Johns

{8.10.15} Miracle Monday

Burning of the Tie! 6 months

This week was kinda a heartbreaker. It started out SO GOOD. We found so many cool people last week and at the start of this week. We were teaching lessons, and the Spirit was crazy strong in all of our lessons. One example was Zenaida. We found her, asked to say a prayer, and she said no and that she was too busy. We handed her a Jesus card, and she turned around and started to close the door but stopped. She turned around and said "Actually, I could really use a prayer right now." She told us about how she lost her job, so we prayed for her and the things she needed. We set up a return appointment, and when we came back the next day she had found a job! Not a permanent job, but a part-time house cleaning that would allow her to pay the bills until she could find a more permanent fix. We started teaching her, and the Spirit was SO STRONG. She knows the church is true, especially based off her experience with previous churches, and her Faith was so strong. She even called into her new job and took Sundays off so she could go to church. Unfortunately, she texted us Saturday--As did all of other Investigators--and told us she couldn't make it to church this week. Or ever. She said her life was "too busy" right now and some other lame excuses--all this after breaking down and crying saying God was answering her prayers and that she knew the LDS church was Christ's church and that it was what she's been looking for all her life.

Solid Sign on the Muffler Shop

 Our only Investigators we have left are Señorita  and Señor. Señorita is getting her Divorce papers mailed from Mexico and they're getting her next week... which means she and Icidro can get married! Once they're married, they're both gonna get baptized! They've been wanting to get baptized for forever, and they're basically already members in every way except ordinance. We're super excited with that! Hoping and praying everything goes well with the Marriage License.

Good old american red neck country!

 And then we have our Miracle,... She is what we call an "Eternal Investigator" or and "Eternigator." ..................................................................We want what's best for her, and only God knows what that is.

Good old american red neck country! part 2

 Love you all! I promise I'm sending pics this week hahaha -- Elder Johns

{8.3.15} 2-A-Days (just like football) (and my new address)

So Mama will leave me alone:

Elder Jace Johns

3850 Central Ave 

Apt #202

Ft Myers, FL  33901

Remember last week when I said it was the hardest week of my life... I lied. This week KILLED last week. But, as in all things, we have opposition. This week was also easily one of the most Joyous weeks of my mission to date.

So the reason for the subject of my email... is because every day when I came home, it felt Exactly like coming home from 2-A-Days. We biked around 150 miles this week.. and no that is not an exaggeration. We have a map to scale and we measured it out each night. If anything, that's on the conservative side. But it was definitely super worth it. We were able to get to new parts of our area and see tons of members. Members are so key in missionary work!!!!! In areas like Miami, members are so helpful. Anywhere else, members are NECESSARY. We can't do anything on our own.. so this week our goal was to get tight with as many members as possible.. which meant lots of biking. It definitely paid off! Most weren't able to share any friends or neighbors we could teach, put we were able to find Spanish neighborhoods and trailer parks from them, so we have 4 new areas to knock!

Even better however, we received a huge blessing from the Lord (through a member). We were biking home, and a member flagged us down. He's this crazy successful Venezuelan that lives no where near where we were. He made us lock up our bikes, and took us out to Steak-N-Shake, BUT even better than that greasy burger and tall milkshake was the referrals he gave us! Robert and Erika! They just barely got here from there (left due to the Political oppression) and they already loved the church! Roberto is one of the coolest guys ever (siempre esta deciendo "chevre, chevre"), and Erika is crazy smart but super humble. We taught them the Restoration with the members who referred them, and the Spirit was in that room hitting everyone like a sledgehammer! Probably one of the most Spiritual lessons I've had on my mission. They're super humble people and just really want to know the truth and follow Christ. We can't wait to see where everything goes with them!

Señorita and Señor  are finally going to get married so they can be baptized! (maybe) more to come on that another day hopefully.

We went to pick up two investigators for church on Sunday... the were wasted in the front yard... with a less-active member. This is why we need new areas to knock hahaha, and member referrals.

This area is transforming before my eyes. I'm so pumped! It has required so much diligence (and biking) on Elder Warren and I's part, but in reality it has come own to our willlingness to be obedient, try our hardest to follow his will and do his work here, and keeping our Faith and Hope high when all of our plans and back-up plans and back-up-back-up plans fall through (which is basically everyday).

Also, I love the members here so much! They're amazing. And there's a less-active family of 7 youth--ages 13-20. They were all basically shipped here from the Dominican Republic to live with their Aunt, but she's a bum and not a responsible adult so they basically have no accountability so they don't come to church. The oldest wants to serve a mission (20, Abel) but he feels crazy pressure from the Aunt (who's on "disability") to work and support for his siblings/cousins he lives with. It's super sad. I really want to help him and so does the ward. He and the rest of the fam are a huge priority right now as well.

Shoutouts---

Lorren, Jenna: thank you for your emails! stop trying to make me so trunky for home! I'm glad you all had so much fun, and don't worry about me! That ship has already sailed!

Grandma Johns: Thank you so much for you email I loved it! I wish I had more time to write back. I need to write you (and all the grandparents) back I just never have any time :(

I feel like there's more I'm forgetting.

DAD-- your family from Australia sent me a package two weeks ago! I got "lollies", scarf, beanie, and some other Australian stuff! It was so awesome to read their note as well. I hope all those that I baptize become as awesome as them in the church

Hope everyone has a great week!

--

Elder Johns

{7.27.15} Hardest Week (The Best is Yet to Come!)

I'm sure you're all anxious to hear where I'm at... well, at least my parents hahah. But I've been transferred to.. RIO VISTA WEST. which tells you nothing hahaha, but basically I'm in Ft Myers and Cape Coral (where NASA shoots off space shuttles). I've gone from Miami (Atlantic Coast) to the Gulf Coast! It's a whole different world... I dont' have pictures yet (sorry). I'm still Spanish speaking... but the area is like 80% white. White people definitely suck (more to come). 50% is Cape Coral (loaded, rich white people) and 20% is black (half are Haitian Creole), 20% is really redneck, and 10% is Spanish.

Our area is MASSIVE. It is supposed to be a full car area, but Salt Lake took the car so we were sharing it with English, but before I got here one of the English Elders "hurt his knee" (he can sure dunk just fine off his "wounded knee") so they have full car and we have full bike. I could easily cry wolf like him based on all my knee problems, but I don't like to think of myself as a baby and I know I'm fully capable of riding a bike.

It is extremely difficult. It takes two hours just to get into cape coral on bike (3-4 to get to certain points), but there's hardly any spanish there so we only go if we can get a ride. We basically have 3 or 4 areas we can knock.. and they ALL know who we are already. The biggest, most concentrated area is very very ghetto, and it's really hard to find someone who isn't drunk at all hours of the day. Like needle in a hay stack hard. trying to find someone ready to receive the gospel? needle in a hay field.

Hence the title of this weeks email. The Elder in this area before me was disobedient, lazy, and didn't want to work. He also refused to Speak Spanish. My new comp, Elder Warren, is very much the opposite. He's a hardworking farm boy from South Central Utah. He loves to hunt fish and all the things I love! but most importantly work hard. We made a gameplan my first day, and have attacked the area this first half week.

Coming into the area, my spirits were a little down. I was homesick for Miami, I had white people yelling at me and throwing me off their property (it's really hard not to punch people sometimes), rednecks doing the straight armed hitler salute as we drove passed, and riding bike full speed for an hour just to get to a spanish area. To hurt my pride a little more, I was feeling sorry for myself due to news from home. Not to mention, it has done nothing but RAIN since i've been here. There first few days we worked SO hard and were so diligent.. but we had no one to teach, no new investigators, and nothing to show for our efforts.

Then I got sick. Sooo sick. I couldnt breathe, my throat was on fire, I had diahrea, the whole nine yards. two days in and I was just feeling sorry for myself. As I sat there in the apartment, I started thinking about why i came out on my mission. I read in the Book of mormon about the importance ofgiving ourselves over the lord, like ammon and amulek and alma, in order to convert the people over to the lord. I was reminded of how much this Gospel has blessed me, all the lord has promised me, and all the times he has carried me from the dust into the light. I got up from personal study, but on my rain coat, and told Elder Warren we were going out. Despite the Flood Warning issued, we got on our bikes and road down to Pine Manor (where all the drunks are) and we knocked, and knocked, and knocked. The efforst paid off.. we got 6 new investigators this week! The most this area has seen in as long as any of the Leadership in this area can remember.

Sorry my email has been all over the place.. I'm pretty much out of time too. But we have big things coming in this area. If there's a will, then there is a way. We can either choose to acted upon, or we can act. Elder Warren and I are determined to see success here, and we know that we can and we will. We have a couple getting married soon named Alma and Icidro! there super boss, and all they're waiting on is marriage to get baptized.

Oh also... i forgot to mention. Half of our investigators dont speak Spanish... or English... or even creole. They're brazilian. And they Speak Portuguese. But they want to be baptized. Somehow, we understand eachother and communicate. The Gift of Tongues is real. The Church is true. I love my mission,  I love this Gospel. I love the people here in Ft Myers. Even the ones who yell at me and cuss me out and tell me they hate me hahaha. Hope everyone has a great week! I will be more organized next time.

love,

--

Elder Johns

{7.21.15} TRANSFERS and Yovana's Baptism

​Yovana's Baptism!

Yovana finally got baptized!!!! None of you have any idea how amazing that is! We have been Yovana for MONTHS. She was Buddhist and she had so many questions but she finally got her answer that this church was true! It was so amazing, and the coolest part is I SAW her receive her answer and could physically receive her answer.

We were in the middle of a lesson, and Elder Chaparro was reading something. We were talking to her about Eternal Families, and while he was reading I looked from her to him and I could just see it in her countenance. I don't know how to explain it, but I could feel the Spirit testifying to her. As soon as Elder Chaparro finished reading, I cut him off before he went to the next section. I looked at her, and asked "Yovana, how do you feel right now?" She just stared off and brought her hands up to her head, and said "a voice just whispered in my ear "you are ready to be baptized." We challenged her right their to do it Saturday. She accepted, we had her interview two days later. It was SO SICK!

Future Eternal Family!

Her baptism was amazing. She's a very shy person, so it was mostly just the family of her Husband, Jimmy and his family (they are all members). The family has been praying for her baptism for a long time, because they know the joy that this Gospel brings to families, because since our Church has the Priesthood Restored en la tierra otra vez, families can be together para siempre through Temple Sealing! In one year from now, I will be able to enter the Florida Fort Lauderdale temple to see Yovana, Jimmy, and their 1 year old Son, Massimo, be sealed together for all of eternity. Not to be fruity, but I'm honestly tearing up right now writing about and envisioning it in my head. There is no greater promised blessing that can be given to us than this.

I'm sure many of you are wondering if I'll be staying in Fontainebleau for another 6 weeks or transferring to a new area tomorrow. The Phone call came in last night and I am...

.

.

.

Recent Convert Juan's puppy, "Cheese Pizza"

.

.

.

.

TRANSFERRING.

If you've sent any mail to the 9300 FONTAINEBLEAU BLVD address... I probably wont get it for awhile. I will send my new address next week!

I'm really sad that I'm leaving this amazing ward, all of the people I've baptized here, and all the friends I've made. This ward has been amazing. Especially the Quesada family (side note: Brother Quesada was 1st counselor in the Bishopric here in the Spanish Ward, and was called to be BISHOP in the ENGLISH ward this week. That is so crazy! But God has his will, and he needed Bishop Quesada in the English ward at this time), as well as Roberto Ramos, Paul Garcia, Keven Vieco, and the Masferrer family! This has been my home away from home for 5 months. I'm SO nervous I'll get transferred out of Spanish... my Spanish is FINALLY getting to where I'm confident, and Latins are SO MUCH cooler than white people (sorry not sorry). We (as white people) are insanely prideful and do not appreciate our families as much as they do (sorry Fam I love you and I've changed for better and will be better after the mish!) In our Interview with President last week, he commented on how much my Spanish has improved. I'm not sure if that instilled confidence in him to keep me in a Spanish area and not transfer me to english, or if he will think I will be able to speak english and retain my Spanish (definitely not true). Anyways, I find out tomorrow and I'm SO NERVOUS. At the same time I'm super excited to see more of the mission.

I'm really grateful for all of the experiences I've had here, and for how much Elder Chaparro has helped me grow. I've definitely changed SO much this transfer. It's amazing. I keep thinking I can't possibly change anymore.. than I do. I love my God, I love my Savior, and I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all have an infinite potential. The only thing holding us back is ourselves.

My New Life Slogan

Love,

-- 

Elder Johns

---Lorren I got your letter! No worries! Thank you so much, I love and miss you and Scott and Cal and I cannot WAIT to meet Nolan Warren in 18ish months!

--Auntie Sue! I also got your package! It was soooooo good I already ate all of it (with help from my friends because I didn't want to pack it for transfers hahah.

--Grandma and Grandpa Johns! I also got your letters! They're so entertaining hahah I'm always laughing. Also, thank you for your love and support as well! Thanks for raising my father into the man he is, because he's my biggest role model.

{7.13.15} Best Birthday Ever

No mission rules were broken in the taking of this photo.

So that happened, I'm 21! I can buy booze and stuff hahaha. My Birthday was definitely very different than that. BUT I DID GET TO GO TO THE BEACH.

So yeah I finally got to go through Downtown Miami for the Miami Lakes Stake Service day. We were cleaning up a beach on Key Biscayne. Downtown Miami was so cool, and the key and all the beaches were SO beautiful. We weren't allowed to step on the Sand (mission rules, obvious temptation haha) but we were able to admire from a far and pick up all the trash in the parks. It was mostly cool to get to drive on Key Biscayne and see all of Downtown.

A nice view from Key Biscayne

Juan and his wife!
Dora loved the service and we are teaching her now too.

Spiritual Stuff now. WE HAD A HUGE BAPTISMAL SERVICE! It was so awesome! Elder Chaparro and I got to see all the people we've been working with these last 5 weeks (some from Elder Gomez and I's companionship as well) enter in the waters of baptism and come out SO happy! The Spirit was UN FUEGO. When I baptized Juan, I was so stoked and put him down in the water pretty forcefully (oops hahah) and there was a big splash. He came out of the water a little surprised and laughing but still with that Huge grin and glow about him, and then gave me a big hug. Juan has been my favorite miracle from this last transfer. We found him on the last door of a knocking session (like everyone this transfer) and he seemed decently interested but not super willing to act. But by the time we had returned to his house a few days later, he had prayed and was determined he needed to change his life, and that this Church was where he needed to do it. He was baptized less than two weeks later! I wish we all had the same spiritual conviction as Juan. If we would all recognize the spirit like he does, and then immediately act on it, we would all be so much happier and so much closer to God. It's funny how you can learn so much from someone who two weeks ago hardly knew anything about God, Jesus Christ, or his teachings.

That night, I came home and the english elders had decorated the apartment for my birthday. It was so much fun! they made me this fruit drink they may or may not have had a lot of caffeine.. hahah, and we piled all the mattresses in the living room and did community sleep. That, on top of the spirituality of the baptism, made it the best birthday of my life.

Sunday was just as boss! We did all the confirmaciones in sacrament and the spirit was so strong. The Ward came out SO strong to the baptism, way more than any of my other baptisms, and sacrament was packed. Everyone in the ward is getting so pumped about missionary work! Members are coming out with us every daily and asking to come out with us. Its so awesome to get to help these wards out here build, because a lot of them are struggling and the church isn't as big out here. Yet, the members of the church here are SO solid and so faithful. I think people from good ole Eagle Idaho need to fly down to Florida and see how important a ward truly is in missionary work. These wards, which over half have been baptized in the last 10 years and half of those in the last 5, are enflamed in the work of the Lord.

Speaking of Eagle Idaho, Elder Dunn is in my zone! That kid is so cool. He went to my high school, and we were never friends. Super bummed about that. We're going to Buffalo Wild Wings for my today.

We're going to be having another baptismal service this Saturday. unfortunately, one of the families we were teaching is having some issues because one of the Sons likes the pentacostal church (he's obsessed with music) and the rest of the family won't be baptized without him. It's super sad, because everyone else knows its true and want to be baptized so bad! It's so frustrating, but all we can do is rely on the Lord, pray, and invite him to do the same.

Elder Chappie. Car Selfie

-Grandma and Grandpa Hinckley! Thank you for the card and all the letters! I got it right on the 11th! Thanks so much for the gift, i did receive it! and thanks for always writing Love you guys so much!

-Nana and Hayward! I got your package as will as your gift! thank you so much! Love you guys so much, thanks for the packages

-Mom and Dad, thanks for the gift as well! I got your letter so mad I missed hawaii!

-Sista Jenna, your letter was awesome! I plan on writing back when I have time. Love you so much you're the coolest!

-Lorski, I didn't get your letter for some reason... Florida mail reaaally can suck sometimes. Elder Sandoval is from here and he says its not unusual for stuff to get lost. Hopefully it's coming today though! But I love you too and I know your letter will be boss when I read it and I believe you sent it on time, don't worry :)

-Thanks to everyone else who wished me birthday through my mom! I got the message and I appreciate you all too! 

-Everyone else who sent an email for my birthday-- you are the best! Also shoutout to Fred and Kam for writing me just about every week. True Bro's!

Hope you all have a good week!

Sending tons of pictures in the next email

--

Elder Johns