31 August 2015

Mom,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!! You have a letter coming but the post office is having problems here in São Paulo so I hope it gets/got there in time. 

Holy cow I just barely saw the email that had my itinerary attached. Needless to say, I am excited but really dreading that day. I mean, I have waited my whole life to serve a mission and now it is almost over. I'll never be a missionary like this again. I'll have the rest of my life to remember it. It is hard. I hope that makes sense. I will try to put some of the pictures of the chapel on Dropbox. It will be super cool when you guys see them. The other night we saw fireworks that were fired from the next city over, Caraguatatuba, from the chapel. IT was super cool. 

Anyways this week we have had a lot of people to teach. We have 3 baptisms marked up for this Sunday. But we will see how they go. On friday we have a mission conference with the São Paulo temple president and I am really excited for that. Maybe the package will be there :D 

We had a great lesson with a lady called priscila. She is a little stubborn and has a lot of incorrect beliefs about basic doctrines thanks to these evangelical churches. There is a war here between the catholics and protestant churches and the 7th day adventists are quiet participants as well. So, amid this war of beliefs, we have had to combat various false and misinterpreted teachings. But she is trying to keep herself chaste (4 kids, 3 dads, and a current boyfriend who is in hiding from the drug traffickers) and we are helping her with that. 

There is another family that just needs to get married. Their son, 10 year old Caique reminds me a ton of Cameron and I am pretty sure I am his hero. I met him for the first time last week and he asked if I could stay forever with him. He is a great kid and will probably be baptized before his parents (because they need to get married). They have a haunted shed behind their house and want us to go there with the Branch President and expulse whatever is in there... That will be an interesting experience, right? 

We have another lady who just needs to stop drinking coffee. We will go there today to challenge her to stop once and for all. She was sick at Sacrament Meeting yesterday and asked for a blessing and was feeling great after the meeting. 

I had a couple chances to bear a pure testimony like Alma did in Alma 5. I felt the Spirit so strong and i could just feel my testimony burning in me. It was a great experience. I just want to give my all so I can feel like I fufilled the mission that my Heavenly Father has given me. I am down to the final minutes and they need to be the best. 

How was your birthday?? You didnt say anything! I hope it was fantastic!

These 30 day will fly by! I love ya!

Elder Johnson