S L O W Week

I've forgotten to tell you all I've been taking ice baths for the past 3 weeks. DON'T take for granted a hot shower. Also, in other news, I heard that WW3 started... I found out from a Mexican in another language!!! Where's the 'MERICAN PRIDE??  It's been going on for three weeks and I haven't got a clue! You've got ta come on now!

Pretty bummer of a week. A lot of lessons fell through and we didn't have any money. So that's always fun. On Tuesday we just didn't have anything. The highlight of our day was when we ate with a guy in our ward named Hermano Perez. He's a short funny old guy who doesn't have any teeth. But he's super strong in the gospel! He's a great role model and I'd like to be like him, but keep my teeth at the same time. We will see what happens.

Wednesday was a pretty good day! We started off by going to a missionary conference in one of the stake centers and it was for all the missionaries in the world. It was really cool, but I wanted to hear Elder Holland talk because he's the president of the missionary work, but he didn't. At the same time it was cool to think that I know missionaries all over the world were listening to this conference at the same time!!! Later, we had a lesson that felt like it was eight years away. But it's an older lady and her daughter. Both are good, but I think the daughter will be baptized for sure! Their names are Dulce and Berta if you want to add them in your prayers! *hint* *hint*

Thursday was another day of nothing. We walked everywhere so the day took forever and everything fell through.  Our final lesson was even further than the last one I talked about and in the middle of the forest. It was completely dark and we used our phone light to check the house out, and it had a chain around the door. I'm 100% positive that a witch lives there. So we ran out of there and headed home. Very slow day.

Friday I hit my SIX month mark! Boom! What up! It's crazy to think about and it's gone by faster than I thought it would!!!  But again, as for the work, nothing. And we finished our day off with a random dinner meeting with a member at his house. I was grateful for the food but it was weird because us 4 ate in a small room with dark lighting and he had his wife shut the door. And the whole time he talked super quiet so we felt like we needed to talk super quiet as well. I felt like I was in a movie here the head of the mob called us in to have dinner with him. Weird stuff man. Also Cyndi Lauper says it best when she said, "and I see you true colors shining through". Elder Freitas, the Elder from Brazil, is a little bit more annoying than he seemed to be at first. He's not terrible, and he's a great missionary, but sometimes I wonder whats going on upstairs if you know what I mean.

Saturday was our service and we went to help clean the church. And might I just say, wow. It sparkled!  When we started we cleaned up outside first and some lovely person, who is a spirit brother or sister of ours, had hucked a bag of open diapers in front of the church. That was an experience, I tell you what! Afterwards, you guessed it, all, and I mean every single one, of our lessons fell throuh. It just went so slow this week. but we can only press on! 

It's getting a little hotter here too, so another slow week of no lessons and walking. I'll sweat off another 30lbs. Heaven help me! Once again, I really am thankful for your prayers!

Stay Classy

Elder Johns

My Mother's Worst Nightmare...

Well, it's been a good one. I've got good companions and a great area. Pretty much paradise. Despite the fact that I was almost SHANKED this week.

So Tuesday we were pretty excited to get our new comp! And we had to cancel a couple lessons and move stuff around but it was ok. And right before our "last lesson of the day" when we would get our new comp, we get a call that he wouldn't be there until the next day. So we just had to wing the rest of the day. That was a horrible 3 hours without lessons.

Wednesday, we started the day off by getting to know some more people. We headed over to one families house that I was told lived there. We knocked and they let us in. They gave us cake and we were just talking. But then they went NUTS. They started trying to hold our hands, and hug us and stuff. I looked over and saw the same look in my comps eyes that I had. PURE FEAR!!  Being missionaries, we tried giving them a lesson. That didn't work. So we decided it was time to go. But they wanted pictures with us because "we are handsome". Can I blame them, no! But we are not here to do that. So we practically ran out the door. Then around 4, we got our new comp! He speaks pretty good Spanish and the past couple of days have been awesome in this trio. Normally trios are the worst, but it's working out pretty great here.

Thursday, nothing happened... oh wait, I lied. It rained a little. But it was just one of those days where you can't find anyone. AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FO' DAT!!! 

Friday I went on interchanges with a zone leader, Elder Williams! He's awesome and a really funny guy! He taught really well and I learned what I can do better. Purpose of the interchanges accomplished!!! Our last lesson was with a less active. They are less active because of what someone else said or did... You've Got To Be Kidding Me! You're going to let someone else's action make it so you don't go to church?  They have only hurt themselves by taking away their agency. Either that or they used it wrong, if that's possible. I don't know, I just got a little fired up in that lesson.

Saturday we had service! We went to help a lady remove a tree trunk. #missionimpossible She gave us a bunch of tools to use and we went to work! We dug, axed, hacked, beat it with a sledge hammer, pure man force, nothing worked. So I decided to start a fire around the base. That was pretty cool, but it didn't work.  After 2 hours of working this thing, it moved a half inch both ways. We went home defeated that day.   That night, walking home, Elder Valera saw a guy following us and when he turned to see him, he had a knife half out. So being missionaries, we contacted him!!  When he put the knife back, we talked to him. All in all, he didn't want to listen to our message dang it. oh well, maybe the next psycho.

Thank you all once again for everything! 

Stay Classy

Elder Johns

Bug House and a New Comp!

Hello one and all. Its been pretty crazy around here for the past couple days! But awesome none the less.

Tuesday was the last day I saw Elder Cowdin... yes, I cried. But not as much as the first time I Heard "Have you ever needed someone so bad", by Def Leppard. Yes, another Def Leppard reference. And yes, its true, ask my mom.

After the changes I went with Another Elder to his área because we weren't going to get our new comps until the next Thursday. So we went around in his área and at the end of the day we got these giant crepes for like a "buck fiddy" in US dollars. They were fan-freaking-tastic!

Wednesday was pretty darn boring. I went with two other elders than the day before and we took the 2 hour, 2 bus rides back to their house.   Then I sat and watched them pack because my stuff was all ret to go from the day before.  I was pretty scared to know who my comp was that night.

Thursday was the Big One. We got our new comps and mine is named Elder Valera!  He's a short little Mexican who's awesome!!! He came up to me and gave me a big hug.  I later found out it's because his last comp was the worst. I don't even know the guy and I'm having nightmares of him. My comp doesn't speak to much English but it's all good in the hood because I can communicate pretty good now. We've been together for like 5 days and we've already had some good laughs!!! Our área is huge, like 2 or 3 times as big as my last one. And I'm in the new área of our misión. But there is a ton of work here to do! When we got to our house, two elders from the other misión showed us around.  Then, that night, we had a problema. 4 elders, 2 beds... so I called the floor.

Elder Valera

Friday we woke up, and little did I know  (thanks to the other elders) that it was a little dangerous to sleep on the floor. As I was cleaning up the blankets, a scorpion slinks out from where my feet were all night. Without hesitation, I smashed it with my size 15 shoe. Hush Puppy. It had no chance. But then I found out we also have big spiders and centipedes. Good times.

Saturday was just more getting to know the área. We have 2 wards and ward 2 is Great! Ward one hasn't had a bishop for 5 months... we like ward 2 better. There are also some great members here!  I love it just as much as Ozumba!  Later that night, my comp found a dangerous centipede under his bed. I had the idea to capture it! We now have a Colosseum where we put 2 bugs in and try to get them to fight. No scorpion has entered the ring, but one day he will.

My comp is the district leader, and tomorrow he will start training another Elder. He's from Brazil and doesn't speak a lick of English. It should be pretty awesome!!! Also, thank you all for your prayers. I need them in the bug house I'm in!!!

Stay Classy

Elder Johns

Hector

Hector's Baptism