Ya know those weeks that go by and at the end, you're not even really sure what happened...that would describe this past week pretty well. We worked with a couple of new families, and are trying to involve the members more and more. We've got a couple of great family nights and activities that happened that helped the members in the ward get more excited, and we're going to use that energy in this coming week. 

Even with all that great stuff happening, we've had some problems with our Recent Converts recently. M, G and B are all having trouble getting to church. But, we're determined to keep them on track, and help them all get to the temple one day!

1. division with Elder Anderson (MTC buddy) and Elder Foster

2-4. P-day at the park with the ZONE!!!!

 1&2. Capivara

3. Guiacurus statue

4. Campo Grande (arial view)

Other than that, things are in a remarkable state of normalitly (is that a word), and I am as happy and as excited as ever. The mission continues to be the best, and I really mean THE BEST thing ever.

AMEM

Elder Johnson

Hey everyone! This week was great! My new companion is here and we're working a lot! Transfers was the usual stress and craziness (we had one elder get here 7 hours later than planned), but the difference was that this time I was ready for it! novo companheiro, Elder Leão!!!

As soon as everything got settled, we got to work here in our area, and we had a lot of success in working with the members this week, We were able to get some really good visits in, along with a great Noite Familiar with some investigators. Among other things, the gigantic family we found last week is progressing! In our lessons with them, they expressed great desire for the family enteira ( 8 people, 5 with baptismal age) to be baptised. Now we just have to help them keep going to church and get married (of course).

The other big event that went down this week was our last-minute division in Aquidauana. That particular branch had a lot of changes take place in the transfer, so we headed on over on Friday to give them a head start! We went there with President Reber's counselor here in the south, Presidente Oliveira. The entire experience was a trial of patience. We wanted to leave Campo Grande at 2:00 but weren't able to leave until 5:30. On Saturday we had to leave Aquidauana at 3:00 in order to get back in our area in time for the batismo of B at 7:00, but of course, the bus didn't leave until 4:00...Needless to say, I was able to really develop my "christlike attributes" this week.

At the end of it all though, Everything went alright. B was baptised, we helped the Elderes and Sisteres in Aquidauana, and we even had a few investigators at church!

That was basically my week. Here comes another one now!!!

Elder Justus Johnson

1&2. P-day no Mercadão

3&4. Drinking Tereré from a guampa!

Well everyone! It's once again transfers time!!! I'll be staying here in Campo Grande, but with a new companion, Elder Leão! 

With the transfer craziness, I don't have a lot of time to write, but here's some lessons I learned this week.

Priesthood power is real

and

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Other than these life lessons, our week was pretty normal. We're still teaching our little buddy B

1. nosso distrito (antes da transferencia)

2. divisão com Elder Zárate

3. Um membro que ajuda a gente bastante

4. Familia que estamos ensinando (S e F)

(nine years old), and now that he has a member who can be responsable for his progress in the church, he can be baptized this week!!!

This past week we also found a couple of great families who just need to GO TO CHURCH, and all will be well.

Fica firme tudo mundo!

Elder Johnson

Hey! It's 2015 now! How about that? 2014 passed by so fast, I don't know how it's possible. Wtih the new year in front of me, I'm ready to give this last phase of my mission all I've got. As always I've got new goals, a new vision, and a determination to do everything and anything the Lord expects of me.

But as for this week, we started out with a division with the Group in Fatima do Sul, where I was able to work with Elders B and W! It's always a special feeling to be working as pioneers expanding the church! Immediately after that division we headed on down to Ponta Porã, and had an awesome meeting with the stake president there. I learned a lot about how inspiration works to guide chuch leadership. That night, we celebrated the New Year with a member family, and there were fireworks aplenty. I imagine that it sounded something like a warzone for about 15 minutes. the entire horizon was illuminated by the light of all the fireworks, little smokebombs and random gunfire.

Day one of 2015 was a missionary holiday, and we spent the day with two zone's worth of missionaries, eating churrasco, and playing futebol! 

After all the festivities, we finally got back to work in our area on Friday, but due to some randomness (that is becoming more normal than random), I once again spent the weekend in...DIVISION! This next week should be a lot more organized, and me and my companion are excited to end the transfer working hard!

Até mais!

Elder Justus Johnson

Hey everyone! I'm just about heading out for a trip to Dourados, so I havn't got a lot of time. But, my Christmas was wonderful, and we're looking foreward to a great New Years as well.

We've recently been trying to use the new year to our advantage, talking about new starts, and important decisions. We're teaching a lot of people that really need to make some big changes, and now with 2015 around the corner now is the time to make them! 

Happy New Year to you all!!!

2015 here we come!!!!

Elder Johnson

We spoke with Justus via Skype for Christmas.  He loves the mission and is doing well.  He expressed his desire to extend his mission by 6 weeks which means he might not return until mid September.  More from Justus:

  Hey everyone! I loved seeing you all on Christmas, and I hope that next time we can organize a better time for you all. The past week wasn't super productive because of Christmas smack dab in the middle, but we did our best and were able to help people get to church. 

Today me and my companion are leaving to do some long distance divisions, and we'll only get back in our area Dia 1 de Janeiro. But, I'm excited to get to know some new areas and new missionaries!

1 & 2. Christmas eve with Members

3. Christmas presents!!!!! (the shirt is a gift from some investigatos, don't worry I don't use it to go prostlyting...yet :)

4. the killer Braziliancat!!!

Well, Christmas is here again! I can hardly beleive that a whole year has past since I was there celebrating my first Christmas away from home in Texas. This past week, we had a great Christmas conference, and sadly, some big dissapointments this weekend. BUT, who can be sad at Christmastime!? 

The Christmas Conference was this past Thursday, and it was great to get together with so many missionaries. Here we have seperate conferences in the North and South, and so we had all the missionaries here in the South together. During the conference we learned about being a more consecrated missionary, and we studied a powerful talk by Tad R, Callister. The talent show afterward was a blast! Our zone did a missionary version of "A Christmas Carol". And to end the conference, we presented a new mission song!

But, unfortunetaly, as the week went on, we ran into more and more moleza. Saturday just about all of our appointments fell through, and on Sunday we were only able to scrape up one investigator to go to church. ALL the families that we had been teaching throughout the week dropped off the face of the earth, including the couple with a baptismal date for the 27th. But, it happens...

Despite the remarkable lack of progress in our investigators, we're still excited and working hard. After all, it is the season to be jolly! Christ gave so much to us, it's the least we can do to use this time to give just a little bit back.  

Merry Christmas to all! 

Elder Justus Johnson 

picture below: the three remaining "sons" of Contor...RIP

Other friends at the Christmas Conference 

1. a house we destroyed

2. big toad

Hey everyone! It has been quite a week. With transfers, there have been many missionaries coming and going to and from Campo Grande. As the missionaries who live closest to the bus terminal, my companion and I were responsable for receiving and sending each and every one of them. So, we spent the first two days of our week running to and from the station, once even at 4o'clock in the morning. Talk about sleep deprivation.

One of the missionaries that arrived was one fresh from the US. He spent a day with us trying to get him registered here in Brazil, and it was quite the experience. I was reminded of when I got here. I didn't understand anything and I must have seemed so lost!! 

Even with the transfer craziness, we were still able to keep up with our progressing investigators. It was great to teach and help J prepare for his baptism this Saturday. He accepted the commandments so humbly and sincerely!! I was struck by his "broken heart and contrite spirit". It was wonderful being able to see him in white!

As is now the standard, I also spent a number of days in division this week. I was able to work with my new LD, who just happens to be an old companion of mine, Elder T!! We had a number of great lessons, in particular a lesson with a part member family. The father of the family is a great guy, but as of yet he's never wanted to go to church or get baptized. We had a great experience as us missionários, along with his his son testified about the blessings of having the Sacerdócio in the home. This father was touched, and finially expressed interest in applying the Gospel in his life as an example for his family.

I am so grateful for the blessings of the Gospel and the Preisthood in my family. It's real and true!

Ate mais!

Elder Justus Johnson