Transferred!!! Sao Vincente, Brazil

Hey there!

Sao Vincente Chapel

So, I was transfered. I am now in São Vincente Ala 3, whose chapel looks like a temple... it is 3 stories and absolutely gorgeous! My new companion is Elder Dourado, he was Elder Bushman's first companion. Small mission huh? So I am in the city of São Vicente and it is wayyyyyyyy different than Enseada was. But I love it! It has been a crazy week, with transfers being so late in the week. However, I love it. The city is getting amped up for the Cup and I will be here for it! This will be an 8 week long transfer so it will be super cool here:D

I live one block from the beach in a TINY apartment on the 12th floor of a skyscraper. Our area is weirdly shaped too. We have members that live 5 blocks from other chapels, but they have to come all the way down to our chapel for church. 

Elder Johnson and Elder Bushman

I am in the same zone as Elder Lopes and have already seen him three times. It is so good to see him often. He is such a stud and is one of my closest friends! Elder Dourado is from a town that is 10 minutes away from the border of the Santos mission... But he is super funny and we laugh a lot. I am just so grateful to have a brazilian companion. This will be the transfer where I grow a ton in the language and on the road to fluency ;)

Elder Johnson and Elder Rodgers (both from Virginia)

I'll send some more pictures that I tried to send last week but I havent taken any pics of the new area yet. But I have a video of Elder Dourado singing Frozen in English... Just wait til you guys see it. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Have a great week everyone!

Nothing but love,

Elder Johnson

Transfer?

Family,

Guess what?? Still nothing on the transfers. It looks like this will be a repeat of last transfer... Ugh. Anyways, we had the baptism of Monica and her daughter this week, which was one of the highlights of my mission. After spending so much time with them, it was awesome to finally see them baptized. What is even better, her husband has become active in the church, received the priesthood and was able to baptize his daughter and wife. It was a perfect night. Really saturday was a perfect day, being able to call home then the baptism. Just perfection. 

Elder Johnson and Elder Bushman at Zone Conference

It has been a good four weeks with Elder Bushman but who knows if he will still be my companion next time I email you. The next week will be crazy. The mission has marked the 24th and 25th of this month as a mission wide Day of Baptisms, where every missionary in the whole mission will baptize. This will be a test of faith, especially for me but we will see how it goes!

I really dont have a whole lot to say today because of the phone call but I will definitely have more next week! 

Austin - It was great to see you! So you are definitely taller than I'll ever be. Congrats. But bro, smile! Caramba, cara. Sorria!

Cam - Bro, you are getting tall too! It is crazy how much difference 6 months makes! You better not be taller than me when I get back, that's all I'm saying. 

Lexi - You are so tall too. Everyone is so different than when I left! It is crazy! Keep playing that hippy whistle ;) And the braces are looking good!

Elder Richards and Elder Johnson

Nothin but love,

Elder Johnson

Mother's Day Skype!

Satan:1 Elders: 0

Hey family, 

This week has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. It has been one of the more difficult weeks of my mission (up to now). Our baptisms that we had marked did not happen. We got some news about the family situation that have delayed the process. From things I had already noticed I had already deduced this but I was hoping and praying that I was wrong. But I was right. It is incredible how Satan always finds a way to try to delay the work from progressing. But all it is is a delay, they will be baptized but not this transfer. 

Speaking of which, transfers are next week! President Cabral has made this a 4 week transfer and I think I will be leaving this area. I feel like I cannot progress anymore here. Maybe I am wrong and will stay but I dont think I will.

It is a 2 week long national holiday here and so no one is in school and a lot of people arent working. We have received promptings to not visit investigators only to later here gunshots coming from the area by their house. Yes, it has meant limited success and few lessons but I know that it has been for our physical protection and is all thanks to your prayers. Thank you for all your prayers for me. It blesses me in ways that I will not notice until after the fact.

Mothers Day is just around the corner and I am so excited to talk to you guys! I hope my English is still good... I have been practicing with my comp haha I think I will be skyping you guys on saturday if every thing works out. If any of you wont be home then let me know asap :D. The mission isnt giving us a ton of time to skype/call but we will see!

Austin - "Desculpes enfracessem a caráter dos homens" - Gordon B. Hinkley. Hahaha no, I'm just pulling your leg :D And no, the police havent caught me, nor will they. I am a ninja. Everyone here has been talking about Captain America 2. Have you seen it yet? There are a ton of movies that I wanna see but I'm living one right now! That is crazy that all the youth are moving. That is what we get for having so many moving in a couple years ago. Best of luck on the AP human test. I did not take that class so I have no pointers for you. Not like you would even need them you smarty pants you.

Cam - I had this dessert called sweet hominy which is basically like rice pudding but with white corn put in there as well as rice. It was pretty delicious but reminded me a ton of home! I am sure that your physical growth has been astounding. Just dont send another shirtless selfie ya weirdo :P

Lexi - Hey Sista! I cannot believe that you are 10! Double digits! That cake looked super good! I hope you had an amazing birthday and I'll be wishing with ya that you get a dog next year! But so much is going to happen in a year, goodness gracious! My companion is pretty cool and is kinda like JT and Wes Adkins (I dont think you remember wes) But anyway, have a good week!

I hope you all have a fantastic week,

Nothin but love,

Elder Johnson

Almost 6 months.....

Hey there family!

Well I am almost at my 6 month mark... Can we just take a second to think about how fast time flies?? It really does not feel like I should be a quarter of the way done with my mission. But wow I am so grateful for every thing that has happened. Every trial, test, joy, and adventure.

I totally forgot to tell you about what happened the day of transfers. Elder Thurgood and I had no money to get to Santos, so we had to stop by a bank to withdraw some money from the ATMs. It was 5:45 in the morning and all ATMs are inside banks here in Brazil. We tried one bank but it was closed. We headed across the street to another bank. The door was unlocked so we walked in, relieved. As we turned to walk to the ATMs, THE BANK ALARM GOES OFF. Like what the heck?? The door was unlocked!! So, we booked it out of the bank and just decided that we would never go back there. No police showed up, and we ended up getting money at another bank. Moral of the story: Missionaries are too gangster for Brazilian banks.

Well this week has been pretty good. We have two baptisms marked for this coming saturday so if all goes well, we will baptize a single mom and her 11 year old daughter :D The work is progressing but people's agency is frustrating sometimes. 

President Cabral came to our ward yesterday and also to the group in Perequê. He drove us home but drove on the beach. In the water. Saying the whole time "Look at these apostate missionaries going to the beach in front of the Mission President. It is always the Americans!" He is one of the funniest men to live.

I know the gift of tongues is real. I know that God watches over us. I know that. I have understood words that I have never studied. I have given blessings and said words that I still to this day do not know. How great is this calling!

We also got power back after being without power in the house for 8 days. We have been blessed with really cool nights now but being without a frigde, light, and a washing machine was hard. We dont know what was wrong or how it came back. It just came and we are so grateful!

Dreams are crazy now. It is like my mind is caught in this limbo between English and Portuguese. Needless to say, the phone call will be interesting. Yes, it will be a skype call. It makes things so much easier that way! It will also be on the saturday before so keep an eye on the email and i'll let you know!

I hope you guys have had a fantastic week and have an even better one this week!

Count your blessings,

Elder Johnson