Monday, December 24, 2012

Today is Vespera de Natal, and I’m missing our family this Christmas Eve!  Although it sooo doesn't feel like Christmas because it’s the middle of summer here.  It’s 90 degrees and there is no snow in sight!   We´re going to visit a lot of people and sing Christmas carols.  I´ve heard from many people who served missions here, that this time of year is the most difficult to teach because many people leave out of town or like to party.  But I´m really excited to share with people Mensagems de nosso Salvador Jesus Cristo and the magnificent gift he gave by coming to earth and being the Savior of the world!

I´m so excited that I have the opportunity to serve Christ this Christmas.  (He didn´t open presents on Christmas either)  

We had our conferência de Natal last week!  It was really awesome.  Ahead of time, President Hall gave us scriptures to study on the Gathering of Israel.  It really is amazing that Abraham, Jacob/Israel and his seed were promised and told over and over again that the gospel would be preached to them in the last days.  And when they accept Jesus Christ, God remembers and realizes the covenant he made with them before.  It´s cool to know that we are the missionaries prophesied that would share the gospel today and help in gathering Israel.  Our work is so important! And Heavenly Father needs all of us to share His gospel in this dispensation to fulfill the promise he made with Abraham! I love this work, and I´m so happy to be here serving my Heavenly Father.  Each of us are so important in this role. :)

I loooove you sooooo much :) you´re the best missionary support ever ever ever ever!  Thank you for serving a mission and being such an example to me.  Thank you for all your amazing letters and your encouragement.   CAN´T WAIT TO SKYPE WITH YOU ON CHRISTMAS DAY TOMORROW!!!!  :) :) :D

Thankful to be in Cabedelo!

Monday, December 17, 2012

So we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving Day here in Brazil but I celebrated by listing 100 things I’m grateful for.  I’ve started doing this all the time now during some long, hot days, and it really works!  Thinking of all the blessings I have makes me want to serve others more.  I’ve been given so much, that I am happy to share this gospel with others.  I am only here for 18 months, and I hope I can learn Portuguese well enough to be able to express to these people how much I love Jesus Christ and His gospel.  The people here were promised that they would hear the gospel in their own language.  Então... this is what I´m doing, and it is such an honor.

This week was amazing.  One day started out not too good at first when one of our lunches fell through.  We have to pay Reals$ 5 to travel there and back and so we were bummed when the lady wasn´t answering the door.  We went to the house of another member but they weren´t their either. What a bummer!  Before returning home to eat we decided to stop by the house of a menos ativo.  She was painting and too busy to hear our message but she told us to visit her daughter who lived next door.  It was hot and we were hungry--but my companion wanted to visit this reference first.  Ok... let´s visit one last person.  

It turned out to be the greatest visit ever! The lady was super welcoming, her house was clean and she totally wanted to learn about the gospel.  And she is a cook for the people on the boat! Lunch was delicious! We totally talked to her and her 18 year old daughter  about how when we are following the Savior and God’s commandments in all things we are always exactly where the Lord wants us to be.  There is nothing that isn´t guided by him when we´re doing what´s right.  And when something goes wrong it´s either to for us to encontrar or help a person who needs our message/our light or some sort of learning experience we needed to have ourselves.

Cabedelo really is a beautiful port town.  Since I’m new here I still see something new and different that is different than in the United States.  This week I saw (and heard) a Volkswagen Bug truck with big speakers driving through the town announcing someone’s death and giving their obituary over the loudspeakers.

At one house we visited, the girls were watching Barbie pop star.  They sang the songs “Girls just want to have fun”  and “Perfect Day” in Portuguese :) it was really fun to hear it in their language :)

Love you sooooo much!  Thank you all for everything,  Love, Sister Johnson

I´m happy being a missionary and planting seeds of the gospel!  It´s so much more fun to think about how I'm doing good by being a representative of Jesus Christ, bearing testimony, saying prayers, doing service.  I love teaching people to do Family Nights, and how to grow closer to Christ.  And when people are ready to hear more, give them more.  But I always try to share what I have by testifying of what I believe in wherever I go.  I will do that more eu testifico!!! vou fazer isso! 

Irmão husband of Irmã played Sudoku with me!  Or well I taught him!  It was awesome!  They´re the older (60 or 70) year old couple that has us over every Sunday night-but we pass by a lot more than that.  I love them.  They told me and my companion, if anybody says that you´re invited over for Christmas Eve dinner, say that you have another commitment.  Todo mundo está na casa deles todos os domingos :) eu amo o la.  Onde eu sinto o mais amor. I made brownies for everyone Sunday night--it was really fun. 

There are many beautiful horses and donkeys roaming wild.

Also, next week is our mission Natal!!! (Natal means Christmas)  I´m so excited!  We´ll get to pick up more letters again! :) 

Tchau ! Tchau! I miss you like crazy, sempre!!!