Welcome Elder Thurgood!

Family,

Wow, what a week! I got a new companion and guess what: He is american! Elder Chase Thurgood is from Fort Collins, Colorado and he is a stud. He has only been out one more transfer than me, but he went to the Brazil MTC so his speaking is a lot better than mine. It is actually inspiring to have an American companion because when you feel like you can't learn this freaking language, you see him and know that you can! We don't speak a lot of English together because we both have to practice! But it is so funny because Elder Rocha is training an American from VA!! So now, there are 3 Americans and only one Brazilian :D But Rocha is now taking studying English seriously and he is making incredible progress already! All missionaries are blessed with the gift of tongues. In fact, there is a promise for ALL that if you read the Book of Mormon in a different language, you will pick up that language super fast. That is the gift of tongues! It is working for Rocha and it is working for me.

But other than that it is just work work work. It is a little scary to "lead" an area. Technically, Thurgood is the senior comp but I am the one who knows the area soooo at first there was quite a bit of wandering around in the favelas... SO FUN. We get asked if we are the police a ton by the kids and that is so funny! 

Having 3 Americans here has actually rejuvinated the ward. They are all focusing on creating a branch in Perequê. So we are working even more there and also working on reactivations. We are promised by our Area Authority that for every reactivation, we will get one baptism. Missionary work is 2 sided but only has one word: Baptivisms. We need to baptivate here (baptize and reactivate)! I am so excited for this coming transfer!

By the way: Elder Thurgood's parents went to Sky View the same time as dad did and they even went to USU. Elder Thurgood is going to play football there after the mish. How cool is that?! So, do you guys know any Thurgoods? (Dad here:  Actually, I do know some Thurgoods.....Ronnie and Carnan Thurgood....and yes, they are the parents of Elder Thurgood.  Small world, isn't it)

I was really sad to say bye to Elder Lopes. He is a boss...

...obedience blesses everyone. It is something that is so simple. It breaks my heart when we have investigators that don't make the effort to get to church. It is so easy! One less-active is too ashamed to come because he smokes and he doesn't feel worthy enough to come back. We told him that is why he needs to come! Church strengthens us! It was the most spiritual lesson I have ever had. Thurgood said the same thing. He didn't come yesterday. It makes me want to cry. I know now what it really means to love the people you serve. 

Austin: GET DAT PAPAH MONAY!!! Now, Don't blow it all on the ladies ;) That acoustic song is so awesome! I really love it too. Keep up the good work! Your success has been because of your awesome choices so don't quit now!

Cam - Nice to know that every thing is going great with you! You don't really have a lot to say huh? :P

Lexi - Good luck with the puppy sis :D I am super excited to get your bracelets! I know that the kids here with love them! Stay beautiful!

Have a great week!

Elder Johnson

Week #7 Live from Tucson!

Hey Mom,

 

Tucson is crazy. Literally crazy. We have a relatively small area and we walk everywhere. The weather here is perfect! It is soooooo nice. It gets a bit chilly at night but its not bad when you are walking everywhere! We have one investigator and she is progressing, which is good. Because we walk, we get a couple birds flipped at us and some people say some really funny things. But the members always honk and wave and that happens way more than the other garbage! It's crazy how a mission changes you. I am a much happier person and I find myself really caring for the people we talk to. I absolutely believe I am here for a reason. We have made progress with people who haven't had wanted a thing to do with the missionaries for years. It's not me though. I'm just a tool in the Lord's hands. He just has to find the right size for the people who are prepared.  

We have one investigator who Elder Natane had only taught one lesson to before me. She is really cool. She is super young and has a baby boy. Her husband and her were high school sweethearts, got married way young, and aren't on top of things financially. But she is eager to learn more! The member that goes with us to teach Heather is Sister Lyon. She is from Ireland and is NUTS! She is so funny though. She is very artsy and uses very flowery language to describe the blandest things. But she cares a lot about Heather and it helps a ton. We are also working on an inactive member who got super offended at something another member said and so she left the church and hasn't been back in 12 years. But she wants to change and her daughter wants to get baptized so she is trying to come back. Both people said they would come but had stuff come up last second so it was a quiet day at church.

 

Church is super different here. The ward choir is 1/3 of the ward and they sing almost every hymn then the congregation joins. It's weird. But the members here are amazing. They feed us almost every night. They either host us at their house or they bring it to us. They rock. Missionary work is huge with the members.

We are at the Library. If i'm here in april, we get ipads. And we get to keep them if we leave the mission or go home! How awesome is that?

 

Elder Natane is a stud. He is so awesome. He is the greatest trainer I could ask for. He works hard and is obedient. We come home exhausted every day. We play rugby on pdays and friday nights we play flag football with some of the investigators and members (the mission pres told us to do it so it could be a misisonary op for the members haha). We can listen to music here. Imagine Dragons, Bastille, and Jack Johnson are on the approved list! We don't have a car so we can only listen to music at home but that's good and keeps us talking to each other. Netane is sooooooo funny. Polys are the best. He always calls me "Toks" which means brother in tongan. I love this guy! 

Other than that, we work hard every day. We come home absolutely exhausted. I'm still sore and we last tracted on Thursday. We played Missionary League Baseball while we were tracting so it was bearable. Getting rejected isn't as hard as I thought it would be. You just move on to the next house and hope they have been prepared!

We eat well and the apartment is relatively neat.  The bathroom is the worst part though.  Mom would probably barf!  haha. We eat Ramen for lunch and the members feed us dinner.  I'm so grateful they do that!  But sometimes they give us the ingredients for something and we have to make it.  Talk about an exercise of faith!  We had pasta and tomato sauce given to us last night and Elder Natane makes this amazing dish.  He just randomly put stuff in and made up an oven temperature and time and BOOM!  It was good!  Though it was probably Elder Ontiversos's fervent prayer that made it better or at least edible.  Elder Onti and Elder Daniel share the area with us.  They are super cool.  I'm lucky to have awesome elders here.  They are class acts but can have fun too.  I'm so happy that I'm here.  I love it.

 

Okay crazy story time! We were walking down the Highway to go visit a new member family, and this truck randomly pulls over in front of us. This guy gets out and is like "Hey are you guys Mormon?" We were like "Ummm yeah, can we help you?" He starts talking about how he wants to learn more about the Book of Mormon and asks if we have anything he could read. So Elder Natane, stunned, hands him a Book of Mormon, testifies of it's truthfulness, and then is speechless. The guy thanks us and promises to read it, says that he will give us rides whenever he sees us walking, then leaves. It was insane! We found out he doesn't live in our area (of course, right?), but he is talking with the other missionaries in is area. It's still awesome though! Miracles happen every day!

Love you tons,

 

Elder Johnson

Arrival in Arizona Tucson Mission!

December 10, 2013

Shawn Derek & Shannon Johnson

Williamsburg, Virginia  23185

Dear Brother and Sister Johnson;

It was a very special experience to personally greet your son, Elder Zachary Derek Johnson at the airport upon his arrival in Tucson.  We were impressed by his great spirit and desire to serve.  We are grateful to have him serving here with us.

From the airport we took him and the other missionaries to the Mormon Battalion Monument in downtown Tucson, where we talked about commitment, and leaving behind all the cares of the world to focus on the work of the Lord.  After a brief stop at the mission office to have lunch and meet the office staff, the Elders and Sisters received instruction and training from the Assistants to the President, Sister Killpack and myself.  I had the pleasure of interviewing your son and getting to know him personally and to feel his wonderful missionary spirit.  Later that evening we dined together, took photographs and took the opportunity to discuss our purpose as missionaries.

Elder Johnson has been assigned to the Tucson East Zone, located in Tucson, Arizona with Elder Netane as his companion.  If, in case of emergency, you need to contact your son, please call the mission office at 520-577-7076.

As you write to your son, please encourage him to continue to serve faithfully, being completely obedient throughout his mission.  We know that he, and the Tucson Mission, will be in your prayers.  We also know that the coming months will bring many blessings into your lives by your son’s faithful service and the sacrifice you are making for him to serve the Lord and his fellow men.  Thank you very much for having prepared your son to withstand the rigors of missionary life and now to be serving with us here.

May the Lord bless you.  We send our love and appreciation.

President Roger E. Killpack                                                                                          Sister Bobbie P. Killpack

Arizona Tucson Mission

Enclosed is a photograph of your missionary with us.