Feliz Navidades!‏ Week 14

Familia!

This week was amazing. We had a baptism on Saturday of our investigator Carlos! My first baptism! And on top of all that, it was my birthday; without a shadow of a doubt, it was my best birthday yet. The baptism was incredible and so spiritual. Carlos doesn´t understand all that well, but he KNOWS that his Savior loves him and that this is the right path for his life. The confirmacion was even greater. Elder Milaf performed the confermation, and I could just feel the spirit in the room. When it was over, Carlos just looked up at us with tears in his eyes, and thanked us over and over. He told us that he feels the power of the spirit, and that he feels like he has a new friend. So true. I love the work. Mercedes II in Corrientes is the best area ever! 

Another miracle that happened occurred during the Christmas conference for the mission. I had been praying to feel the love of my Savior that week, because I was a little discouraged with one of the families we had been working with, and, to be frank, losing weight just takes a lot of energy out of you (I´m buying myself a blender for my birthday so that I can shove more food in my system, so that should help). When Sister Heyman bore her testimony about the love of our Savior, I KNOW that my prayers were answered. I felt the love of my Savior powerfully, and other experiences where I specifically remember feeling his loved flowed into my mind. Its amazing that God answers prayers of everyone in his own manner. Even a 20 year old gringo missionary serving in Mercedes, Corrientes. I made sure to write this experience in my journal so that I may reflect back on it in the future. 

These computers dont have any ports to hook up a camera to send pictures.. So I´ll make sure to send a ton next week!

Sister Heyman is amazing. She made all the new missionaries cupcakes with oreos. WOW. WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW. I never thought I would be so happy about that!

Do you all have any questions for me to answer?

If you want a REAL weight loss program, serve a mission! You´ll lose 22 pounds in two months! Just work your tail off, sweat a ton, and love the work. That´s it ;) 

I love you all! I´ll send tons of pictures next week! Be amazing! The gospel is so true. I know it, and I see it change the lives of the people EVERY day! Our Savior Jesus Christ is so loving, and the plan that God has made for us is just so wonderful!

Élder Johnson

Hola! Week 13

Hola!

So this email is going to be short and without pictures. But I hopped on to talk about Skype, but then realized it was 5 in the morning in Phoenix. So... No one was on.

But this week was great. We held a mission fast to express gratitude for our blessings of the last year. It was so amazing, and definitely the most difficult fast I have ever held. I thought fasting at home was hard... We fast from right after lunch on Saturdays, then end our fasts Sundays after church for lunch (all of Latin America does this because lunch is the big meal). It´s difficult to smile, speak Castellano, walk miles and miles, sweat, and talk to EVERYONE

But it made me realize how many blessings I really have. INCLUDING YOU ALL! I love you friends and family! You all rock!

Mom, I love you tons! You´re the best. Thank you for always being there for me.

Dad, thank you for being the best role model in the world. I mean it. Couldn´t have asked for a better one!

I´ll see you all Wednesday at 7, Buenos Aires time! (be READDDYYYY) :)

Elder Johnson

Christmas Mission Photos

Semana Pasada‏ Week 12

Family and Friends:

HAPPY 2 DAY LATE BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

This week was incredible. Despite the security problems and the set backs

with time, we worked as hard as we possibly could and saw some amazing

results! We visited a family of inactives, and did not know that the brother

and sister in law, who were present, were members of the church as well.

The hombre wanted nothing to do with the lessons. His wife told us that he

had his Santos and believed in Gauchito Gil and wanted nothing to do with

the church. The wife said she would listen, but had her beliefs and had no

desire to change, but wanted to lishis was the second time we passed

for their house. At the end of the lesson, the wife told her husband to show

us his church pictures. He brought outen. Tt pictures of his baptism, a halloween

ward activity, and his wife in baptismal clothing as well. We got to talking

and we could just tell that the spirit moved him. He told us that si o si he

would be at church Sunday. He traveled the long, hot hour and a half ride

with the rest of the branch in the Cumbi to the district conference. Because

of this, his Uncle, his sister, and his sons are all preparing for baptism. He and

his wife are activating themselves as well. I am so excited for them! We are

commanded to teach to all that will receive us, and I think its so important to

give people the chance to feel the spirit and decide if they want the message

before we take their agency and tell ourselves that they havent been prepared yet.

There was a civil unrest in our province as well as Chaco. The cops went on strike.

So the state basically said to the city that it was taking away all of the city{s

governing power. So people were angry and forming mobs in the streets and

the town center. So we got an emergency call that we werent allowed to leave

our pensions on Tuesday. We were allowed to leave the rest of the week, but

we had to be in our pensions by 7. The members, especially an inactive that is

a politician, told us that we were crazy for walking in the streets... But we were

safe and everything turned out well. I got bored of reading the Liahona and the

Book of Mormon for hours on end, so I gave Ramon a makeover. Elder Ramon

has had a change of heart! So proud of him. Things are better this week. We

have to be in our pensions before 8 instead of 9:30, so a little bit more time to

work. Despite all of this, we have witnessed miracles! Blessings of working hard!

Elder Ramon kills all the spiders for us, our dog, and our pension!

I love you all! Stay awesome and remember the Savior during this time of the

year!!! He loves you!

Elder Johnson

P.S. We are going to start singing Christmas hymns instead of clapping up until

Christmas. SO EXCITED!!!!!

¿Trabajando a Ful!‏ Week 11

Dear Family:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!! I HOPE THAT IT WAS AMAZING AND THAT YOU ATE AN EXTRA PLATE OF STEAK, POTATOES, COLD MILK, FRESH VEGGIES, ETC (I need to stop  listing food, the keyboard is

slippery from drool)

This last week was incredible as always. We worked hard with finding new investigators and saw

some miracles. We looked through the list of old investigators in the area book and went to work 

searching. God works in mysterious ways. We did not find the results we were looking for,

nevertheless, the results were amazing, and we found some amazing  people to teach.

This week one of my goals is to listen to the spirit in the way I teach and find. I had a hard time

 figurig out a way I could measure this goal, and I came to find that the only ways I could are

through the measuring activities in Preach my Gospel, and I decided that I am going to use my

daily journal writing in it as well; I am hoping that this will help me recognize when I am following

the Holy Ghost in a more effective way.

Castellano came along with heaps and bounds this week as well, which was a plus! I have been

working on realizing that this language will be a gift of the spirit, and I need to study and work and

 PRAY so that I may receive it!Our companionship is great. Of course we have our little blips, but in 

general, we are fantastic. I love the way that Elder Santana works, and we are begining to learn

more one from another. I think this is how things were with Alma and Amulek. Learning from one 

another and teaching and testifying with the spirit. It doesnt get much better than that! I am always

so excited to go out and teach!!!

I hope that everyone is doing great. Stay faithful and strong! God loves you :)

Elder Tyler K Johnson

 we helped an investigator build part of their house this week! This family is on fire!

We didn't receive any explanation for the snake but a picture of a pot of stew followed, a bit worrisome.

Dios Les Ama! Week 10

I love being a missionary. Yes I sweat all the time and people cant always understand me,
especially when I am tired, but everything is well in Zion (Mercedes, Argentina in case
you were wondering)

This week has been great. Our numbers did not turn out the way that we planned, but we
worked our hearts out. We had a day where basically all of our ilumidados told us that
they no longer had the desire, drive, etc., to hear our message. This day was tough, but
we bounced back harder than we ever had. This week we are focusing on asistencias as
well as finding new investigators. I am beyond excited!

Our baptism fell through this week because our investigator was in a scooter accident and
broke her leg. She was in surgery all this week. We have been visiting her here and there
in order to animarle and we are hoping that she will turn to Christ during this struggle. We
have been focusing a lot in the atonement with her. The worst thing is that she ditched
church, and broke her leg during the time. I am telling you. Church is a good place to be!

This week I had divisions with Elder Taylor from Australia. It was a blast. It was his
birthday the first day so we stopped working 10 minutes so that we could buy ice cream
from Gridos. Then the next day was thanksgiving, so we made more pancakes than a man
could possibly eat. Keyword: man. We are representatives of Jesus Christ! So we ate so
much. With dulce de leche. Delicioussss. Then we got more ice cream on the way to the
terminal for the busses. Yes, the day faulted turkey and everything, but it was great.

Do missionary work! Just because you do not have a nametag means nothing. You can
still receive incredible blessings.

I love you all so much!

Thanksgiving Pancakes

  Tacos, tacos and more tacos

Found this last night on President Heyman's blog....   http://theheymansmission.blogspot.com/

"Elder Johnson has the most unique scripture cover...Krispy Kremes!"

¡Invitar A Las Personas a Venir a Cristo!‏ Week 9

¡Hola Hola!

This week has been amazing. We had a multizone conference in Resistencia which
was fanstastic. The best part? FOOD. The president and his wife are incredible as well.

It´s so so so hot and humid in Argentina! And we´re not even in the middle of summer
yet! I´m pretty sure that all of my shirts will be yellow here in a couple months, but
that´s alright. It´ll just be a reflexion of the sunshine in my soul!

This week I loved 1 Ne. 17:51. I´ve been replacing ´´build a ship´´ with everything:
Invite Argentines to come unto Christ, speak in Castellano, Walk across Mercedes,
Smile even though I don´t know what in the world is going on, etc. It´s been my
motivator scripture for this week.

Oh mom, so only boxes go through customs. So you can send envelopes if that´s
cheaper, and it won´t count as one of my four packages! But nothing with the word
Argentina in it is cheap, so four is totallyyyyy fine!

We have an investigator that didn´t want anything to do with baptism, then the
member present bore her testimony, and she wants to be baptized this saturday!
She´s saasssyyyy and a quick thinker. But we´re so excited! She needs to go to
church more before she can be baptized. So we´re shooting for the 7th!

The members are having a nativity play! I´m a wise man. There´s not enough
active members to make a whole cast, so we rounded up some awesome inactives
and Elder Santana and I are wise men!

I love you all! Sorry this email is short. I hope all the pictures went through! I had quite
the battle with this computer.

Élder Johnson

 the branch is having a Christmas play! They always have the missionaries in it, because there aren't enough people to play all of the roles. I´m always a wise man! Haha

Elder Santana and I chilling with our friends, 

¡Tengo Gozo en Mi Alma!‏ week 8

Family and Friends!

I hope that everyone is doing great! This week has been just amazing.

So I am so blessed. I love being a missionary. It´s tough, and I have no clue what Argentines are saying honestly.They talk so differently than my companion and all the Latinos in my district.. It´s difficult, but I love it. All the Argentine women would tell me that I have ´ojos celestial´. Wow. I was getting a flattered for a while, until they told me that celestal is the blue color of the Argentine flag. But half the reason why they talk to me is to ask me how tall I am. And then I smile, and they think gringos are so cute, so the moms and the old ladies will let us in and allow us to talk to them.

Many people in Argentina, especially this part, have never prayed before. They have recitations that they say to their ´Santos¨. So when we ask them to pray to their loving Heavenly Father at the end of lessons, it´s always amazing. They talk to him like they talk to us. We taught a grandma named Norma. We teach everyone on their porches. I think we´ve taught a total of 5 lessons inside of a house. And I always have to stoop down under the canopy of the porch as well haha. Anyways. We asked her to pray, and after the prayer, she just sat in silence for 10 minutes with her eyes shut and her head bowed. I MIGHT have peeked a few times... But when she finally said Amen, she looked up and around with wide eyes, and said she felt something on her back, like all the pain was taken away. Isn´t that amazing? God truly loves every single one of his precious children.

Elder Santana always has to repeat what the Argentines say to me in normal Spanish. I can understand and speak with the Latinos in my district... But Argentines, especially in this part, are definitely speaking a different language than what I learned in the MTC...

So the computer I´m on today is super ghetto, and it won´t upload pictures. So I´ll make sure that I send extra next week!

There are poop water ditches everywhere. On both sides of every road. And their often covered with grass. Haven´t stepped in one yet.

I love you all! :) 

Here is my real address:

Misión Argentina Resistencia

Entre Ríos 435

Resistencia, Chaco 3500

Casilla de Correo #1

Argentina

2 Nephi 22:2

Favorite scripture for the week.

Elder Johnson

Dios Nos Ama‏ Week 7

Argentina Resistencia is the best mission on Earth! Sorry if you served or are serving

somewhere else. Your mission can be second best. But really. I love my mission.

An inactive family told me that I´m in the Texas of Argentina. So everyone talks really different

and it´s kind of really hard to understand. However. I´m working hard and I work my tail off every day.

Sorry this email is shorter than usual. But they always say a picture is worth a thousand words,

 right? So I´m sending lots of pictures and it will sum up to quite an essay.

This week has been fantastic! I´ve been loving the missionary work. I forgot the questions at the apartment, but next time I will make sure to remember them.

Oh! And I get to wear a sombrero! Cool huh?

Elder Santana is incredible! He´s district leader and such a hard worker. We have been talking

to literally everyone. People are a little less receptive of us when we are soaking wet and

covered in mud. Nevertheless, we try as hard as we possibly can and we do some amazing work.

We´ve been putting all of our efforts into this work and it has been the greatest week of my life!

We can´t really communicate all that well, since he only speaks Spanish, and I try to speak Spanish,

BUT, we get work done!

Yesterday at church was difficult. Castellanos definitely isn´t the Spanish that I learned at the MTC. However, I am understanding more and more every day.

Our apartment is a mansion compared to the area! We have AC in one room, a fan, desks,

a fridge, a stove, windows and a DOOR! Usually you just clap at the gate because people

 don´t have doors here. It´s so humbling, and I´m really realizing what matters in life.

The people are so humble, and I just want them all to have the blessings of the gospel!

We´ve gotten yelled at by a few drunk people, and we even made best friends with our

good friend Fransisco. I slipped a picture of Jesus Christ in his pocket while he was hugging

me and trying to kiss me. We´re going to visit him on Wednesday, and I´m praying that he

sobers up a little bit.

I love feeling the spirit so strongly every day! It´s just amazing.

So I am in Mercedes, Argentina. Country town. But God knows what he is doing! You know why?

You clap instead of knock doors (oh yeah, everyone can hear me) and there are like, 30 scooters to

every car. It´s incredible! And there´s dirt roads everywhere. The last couple days have been super

rainy, but it´s pretty fun to play in the mud!

We have a loving Heavenly Father! How great a knowledge this is that we are his sons and

daughters! I know that the gospel has been restored to this Earth and that our Savior, Jesus Christ died for our sins!

Love you ALL!!!

CHAO CHAO!

Elder (Goliath) Johnson.

(All the members ask what my mother fed me, if Elder Santana is David, etc. etc.)

 Pictures: View from our apartment window, and Elder Santana made me lunch!

Argentina Resistencia Mission week 6

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Wednesday, November 06, 2013

 Dear Johnson Family,

Sister Heyman and I are pleased to inform you that Elder Johnson arrived in La Gran Misión Argentina Resistencia this evening.  We welcomed him to the mission, ate a small dinner and let him rest. Today we had a small briefing of the fun facts and necessary information about the mission.  After that he met his new companion, Elder Santana and they headed off for their area called Mercedes II in the province of Corrientes.              

A mission is a wonderful experience filled with challenges and successes that strengthens the testimony of each missionary.  A great support that you as a family can give your son during his mission is uplifting letters.  In addition to using email, you can send packages and letters to the office address:

 Tyler Johnson

Misión Argentina Resistencia

Entre Ríos 435

Resistencia Chaco CP 3500

Argentina

 You may also send letters (and only letters taped shut; no envelopes) via the ¨pouch¨:

   Tyler Johnson

   Misión Argentina Resistencia

   POB 30150

  Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

 We encourage each of our missionaries to email their parents each week. Please let me know if a reminder to him is needed. You may contact me at:  rheyman@ldschurch.org

 It will be our privilege to work closely with Elder Johnson here in Argentina.  We are blessed to have him join us in this mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for sharing your son with us. 

 Sincerely,

President Raymond S. Heyman

Misión Argentina Resistencia

iMi Alma Canta!‏ - Week 5

Family and Friends!

I leave to Argentina on Monday! Mom! I will be able to call you! So pretty please 

charge your phone the night before :) After I get to Buenos Aires, I have a 10 hour 

bus ride to Resistencia, Argentina. Boy this is getting so exciting! 

This week has been amazing. After the temple last week, this lady came up to us and 

asked if we spoke spanish. We all said "Un pocitititito" and she continued to talk. Basically 

she needed to load more money on her prepaid phone with a card she bought, but the instructions 

when you called were all in English. Everyone kinda looked at her... 

Then dududududa!!! (superhero noise) I stepped up and talked to her! She was so smiley and 

happy (she was probably laughing inside how white I am) but it was awesome! I carried on 

a conversation with her in Spanish!

Oh! And a new Elder that actually got moved up to the intermediate program because he's 

from Columbia originally (went to Westwood High momma) came up to me after I said 

the prayer in priesthood and said that I sounded fluent during my prayer. A Columbian 

was impressed!! Awesome huh? These experiences have been so comforting to me and  

just have gotten me so excited to go to Argentina!

One thing that I love about Spanish is praying. As missionaries, we have to talk in the 

formal tense Usted. However, when you pray, you talk in Tu, which is how you would 

talk to a close friend. I love that! Isn't that so true? We should talk to God like he is our 

closest friend. In all reality, he is, or should be. I've been praying more and more in Spanish,

 just because I love the way that I can feel closer to my loving father in Heaven.

The zone is doing amazing. We've been working so hard with HSI (Hable Su Idioma) 

and it's going great. The district and zone averages are slowly improving, and I feel like 

it is becoming something fun for everyone to do rather than a chore. I love Spanish!

I think a concern could be to fellowship each other. Often times it seems like there are little 

groups forming in the zone, when in reality, we should be working together as a team. 

Other than that, I think our zone is doing amazing. I hope the Sister Training Leaders see the 

same.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be zone leader! It's such a blessing. It forces 

me to my knees often times, which I am so grateful for. It's definitely a humbling experience. 

I realize more and more every day that I need my Savior's help to be the leader that he wants me to be. 

I love our zone!

The MTC has changed me. It's been one of the most humbling experiences I've ever gone 

through. Our "investigator" Eloy was so excited to be baptized yesterday! When we challenged 

him to keep improving with his word of wisdom problems he was receptive. He told us that he

wants to live better, come unto Christ and be baptized. Right then and there I wanted to get up 

and high five him or chest bump him or something! It was seriously one of the happiest moments 

I've had for a long time. I cannot wait to go out into the Argentina, Resistencia Mission and invite 

people to come unto Christ. People NEED this gospel and I can't wait to share the joys of it with them!

I feel like I'm so much more in tune with the spirit. I listen more. I pray harder. I study with the 

most intent that I can ever muster. I work as hard as I possibly can. I was reading in the Bible 

dictionary under Grace yesterday. The atonement talks so much about grace, and I realized t

hat I didn't really understand it. I love how grace is an enabling power, and I have felt it so 

much lately.

I'm so grateful to be a missionary!

I love you all and I love this Gospel!

-Elder Tyler Johnson

Oh, here's my address!

Elder Tyler Kenneth Johnson

Argentina Resistencia Mission

3800 Clubhouse Dr. #8

Chandler, AZ 85248

United States

Argentina

Happy Fall Y'all

Travel plans!!!

FAMILIA!! :)‏ WEEK FOUR

Hola!!!
How's everyone doing? I'm so happy to be out here. It's been incredible.
Sunday I was released as the District Leader, and Elder Harding and I were
called to be the zone leaders. It's pretty exciting actually. I've realized the
importance of praying so much for help with your callings. There is no
possibility of doing this ourselves! So it's so important that we turn to the Lord
for everything.

Sister Hemi (the Hermana from New ZeAland) pulled a muscle in her neck that
has prevented her from turning her head left (hahahaha Michael-- i can't turn left!)
for like three days. It was so bad that the doctor told her to take 12 anti-inflammatory
pills every day so that the swelling would go down. She asked me for a Priesthood
blessing last night, and within an hour, she could almost look over her left shoulder.
Awesome. During the blessing, I said words I never would have said before. The
spirit is real. And her pain went away almost immediately. The priesthood is real. Isn't
it amazing that God has trusted in us this power to act in his name? My testimony
of it has grown so much this week!

So after a long day of trying to learn Spanish, I pulled out that envelope you guys gave
me on the Trek when I was fourteen. I read your letters first, and man.
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST PARENTS IN THE WORLD!
Any of my friends that are reading this? Sorry. Your parents can be second best ;)
You both have always loved me so much and set the greatest examples ever! Those
letters definitely got me going! After that, I pulled out the letter Great Grandpa Douglas
Johnson wrote to all of his kids, Grand kids, and great grand kids. Wow. What a powerful
man. He's just incredible. I've just been so blessed to have great people that came before
me to help me in my life, and especially help me in this work. We sing High on a
Mountain Top all the time in the MTC! And every time we do, I just can't help but
think of Great great great great something Grandpa Joel Hills Johnson being proud of me
for being here. I know that people like him are watching over me, and over every other
single missionary in the field right now!

I ran into two friends! Elder Joseph Babbel and Sister Giles from mission prep! So nice!

We taught our pretend investigator Eloy about "La Palabra de Sabiduria" (the word of wisdom)
yesterday. I was so nervous. However, the spirit was THERE! Man was it incredible!

We drink so much IBC soda it's a little ridiculous.

OH! So I only gained 3 pounds this week! Anyone proud of me??? All you do here is eat, sit,
eat, sit, then get half an hour of gym. I love it though!

Shoot.. I was going to say something super cool and important but I forgot..

Oh! Shout out to the Country Gables ward primary! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF
THE LETTERS AND COLORINGS! Everyone in the district loved them!

Oh, and guess who I'm going to be for Halloween! One of them Mormon missionaries!
Clever huh? Maybe I'll wear a cool tie or something to stay a little on the festive side.

The gospel is so incredibly true, amazing, and peaceful! I find so much joy in the scriptures!

Oh! I read the Book of Mormon again! It was incredible. I focused on the love in it, and man.
I just loved it. I learned so much!

Well, Hasta Luego!

Love you all!!

Alma 26:27

Elder Tyler Kenneth Johnson

 District at Provo Temple

Notes

este semana (is that spelled right?)‏ Week Three

Family and friends!!!

I love you all! Thanks so much for the Dear Elders, letters etc. They're like Gold 

here at the MTC!

So I totally forgot to say it last week, but guess who came to the MTC for the Sunday 

devotional last week?!! VOCAL POINT!!!! So exciting huh? It was awesome. They 

sang all these hymns and it was just a fantastic experience.

Last night Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the 12 apostles came and spoke to us. Wow was it 

amazing or what?! I loved it! I got within like five feet of him. PLUS I was in the MTC 

choir. There was 588 singers in it, and we all sang Praise to the Man. Oh boy oh boy. 

That was an amazing experience. 588 missionaries bearing their testimony of the prophet 

of the restoration, Joseph Smith and glorifying our God. I loved it. My testimony of the 

reality of the restoration was fortified during this. I love experiences that build my faith. 

Oh mom! Do you have any more of those twisty highlighter pencil/pen things that hold a 

bunch of colors? They sell those here, and I guess those work best for Argentina because 

the crayon kind will just melt in your apartment. So if you still have any, could you send 

them and I could just buy the refills here? If not, i'll just buy one here. We get 40% off  

everything.

So I guess Argentina has this new thing called a travel visa that the church is taking 

advantage of for the missionaries? Basically you get a temporary 6 month visa, and you 

go to Argentina while you wait for your real visa. It still doesn't work for a lot of missionaries, 

but for the majority, it does. So probably 70% of missionaries head straight for Argentina, so 

I don't know if I'll get to serve state side for a while? We'll see!

Oh mom, can you take the SD card out of my phone and stick it in the safe? I want all my 

pictures from my phone to be safe.

I always have so many things I want to write throughout the week, but then forget once I'm 

sitting down at a computer! Oh well. Maybe I should start making lists.

We are teaching two "investigators". Pure spanish. It's hard, but so rewarding all at once. 

Members of the church come once a week for us to practice teaching, but they don't pretend 

to be investigators. Our purpose as missionaries is to invite OTHERS to come unto Christ. 

Not just people that aren't members of our church. So we just gave them a lesson on faith in 

Jesus Christ and it was amazing! They're so sweet. We taught this native Mexican lady who 

was just visiting the states, and I couldn't understand a word she said. But we taught an RM 

from Chile and she was just great, and a lady from my companion's stake. And they spoke 

slow for us :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CHOCOLATES!!! :) They were so amazing! And the 

postcards were great :) 

Being district leader is so rewarding. It's great to have the opportunity to serve and love those 

in my district. I just always remember that I need to forget myself and turn outward toward 

others and just love them. So I'm doing that more and more every day!

Pues, tengo mucho amor por ustedes!!!!!!

Su misionero favorito,

Elder Tyler K. Johnson

 Ty's poor companion nodding off in class

                                      

 With zone leaders before they head into the field

 Package from Oregon!

Donuts for the district from Grandpa and Grandma!

Este Semana!‏ Week Two

Familia!

Como le va?! 

You have now witnessed the extent of my abilities to speak Spanish. Just kidding.

I'm actually learning so much. It's crazy! My brain is always on an overload, but 

it's a happy overload. Makes sense? Maybe?

So this week was great and tough. It's hard to feel adequate for the work of the Lord, 

but at the same time, I know that he called me to do his work. This gospel is just so 

incredible!

So the government shut down?! Uhhhh... can someone fill me in? Dear Elder me por 

favor so I can read it before the whole US explodes.

Wasn't conference amazing? I went with some speicific questions I just really needed 

answered and some help I needed. A pretty extensive list actually. And every single 

point was answered thoroughly and more than once! I was just spiritually edified. 

Wasn't Holland's talk amazing? Uchtdorf's talk in Priesthood was also great. And the 

Harold talk... the one about the cookies? Wow. I want to be like HIM! He is just so 

excited and happy about the gospel.

So we have two investigators right now. Jorge and Eloy. Neither can speak a word of 

English. It's difficult, but as Dad always said: "Mind over matter." It's just great to know 

that I have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost at all times, and that this is what 

Heavenly Father wants me to be doing. 

I keep eating and eating here. It's a problem... Hermana Davidson is like my new mom. 

She controls how much I eat, so it's all good :) Besides, I'll probably get a parasite in 

AR and look like the grinch when I come home anyways. So I might as well eat crazy 

well now :))

Thank you so much for the Dear Elders and the package with my camera in it! I'll send 

your camera back ASAP momma :)

Sorry for sending so many pictures! I couldn't leave any out! Maybe I'll start taking them 

at a lower resolution so I can send more at once? I'm not sure.

I have had so many incredible experiences throughout the week. Isn't the gospel just so 

amazing? I just love how happy it makes me.

Oh, so guess what else was amazing about conference.... *drum roll*. 

I SAW KAJ!!! (Astre Johnson). All the west campus missionaries went to main campus 

to watch conference, and while waiting for lunch, I saw him. Man, I was just so happy! 

It was just great to see such a great friend from home. We hung out basically all of conference 

weekend, and he is doing amazing. I sent a ton of pictures of us. Hope you enjoy :) 

The gospel is  amazing. It has given me so much peace this last week. The power of 

prayer is so good.

In the MTC, little things like checking the mail "cartas?!?!?" 6 times a day, "spooning people" 

(sticking spoons in their pocket and they find out later) and the chocolate milk serve as great 

entertainment. I'm trying to just think about serving and the work, but sometimes I catch 

myself singing Disney songs, thinking about Military Surplus, school, being warm again, etc. 

But I'm working at it!! 

Everything is going amazingly. We sing tons of hymns, and talk Spanglish all the time. 

We have a goal to speak as much Spanish as we know. So if we know a word in Spanish, 

we throw it in our sentence. It's ridiculous, but it works and it is awesome!

My BOM reading has helped me so much throughout this week! I love the 

Book of Mormon so much. I'm so glad that we have a Heavenly Father who 

loves us so much and gave us these incredible tools so that we may return to 

live with him one day.

Some of the Elders and Hermanas here think that I don't know a crap load about the

 gospel, but I DO. (If only we had an Elder Libre in the field...)

I know the Gospel is true! I know that we have a loving Savior and that the gospel 

was restored by God through the prophet Joseph Smith. It's so comforting!

I love you all! Dear Elder me, write me letters, email, send smoke signals, carrier 

pigeons, etc!

Read the end of  Matthew 11! It's helped me so much this week!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Tyler K. Johnson

                                     

 Johnson boys reunited! 

Ramone and Elder Johnson studying hard