January 20, 2014

Hey family,

This week has been pretty good, and yes mom we had water this week haha.  That's great to hear that Michael is doing good! And thanks so much for the pictures mom, more than anything I love seeing  the pictures, and I like when you send me pictures in the packages!! and the church pictures too! Anyways sounds like you guys are doing good.  I can't believe that Mackey gets home this week, it seems like he just left.  And I can't believe I already have been here 5 months! Hopefully Brandon does alright over there, it will probably be the hardest part for him is the first month or so.  Mom, you're going to want to kill me but I didn't take any pictures this week, just a picture of our pet cats... but I promise I will take some pictures this week!  We had a zone conference this week in Centro Tijuana it was pretty good, it's always good to get together with the other missionaries that we don't see too often.  I'm doing good physically this week, except it was dang hot all this week.  I'm probably going to die down here this summer.  I tried to use the Subway card last Monday but it doesn't work down here.  They said you have to be in the United States to use it. I've had lots of experiences this week that have helped my testimony grow.  This week while meeting with one of our investigators that  is really sick and they don't know exactly what she has but they don't have money to go to the hospital, they don't even have any food to eat.  She's in so much pain but they can't do anything about it. It's experiences like that that make you thankful for the things you have, sometimes when I'm sick for a couple days I think I've got it rough but just to see the way some people live is really humbling. Anyways I have to go now, but have a great week fam, thanks for everything!

Elder Jacob Johnson

January 13, 2014

 

Hey Family,

 

This week has been good, yes I got your package mom, thanks so much! And please tell Doreen Bateman thanks for the toffee! How are the boys doing? They haven't written me for a while, that's great that Brooke has a job in Idaho falls to keep her busy, mom you should send me some pictures of outside please! We went to the offices this morning to go to the border and do something for my visa so I was able to get the packages. Last Monday we went and ate at TGI Fridays, it was really nice to eat real food and listen to American music haha but nothing too exiting happened this week here. Sunday was stake conference and it was a broadcast from a couple of the apostles.  It was about the work of salvation, it was really good. We have an investigator that is going to get baptized this next weekend, but he has to get married first so hopefully we can get him married this week. We found a lot of new investigators this week so that's good, I didn't take any photos this week, I'll try to take some this week! Anyways have a great week family, thanks for everything!!

 

They took the water away in the city for 3 days to repair a pipe or something so nobody had water!

 

Elder Jacob Johnson

 

 

 

January 6, 2014

Hey family,

This week was good, nothing too exiting happened, I'm still alive down here.  I went on exchanges with Elder Peck yesterday and his sector is called Otay, it is right on the border. We were walking along the border fence, its just a normal fence with barbed wire on top but there's a bunch of border control sitting up on the hill watching all day long.  It was pretty interesting to see how things really are here on the border. We actually live really close to the border, about a five minute drive. Mom,  was trying to think of an experience to share with you from this week but the only one I thought of was when we were waiting for the bus the other day, a dog was trying to cross the street to come over to us and got hit by a car.  I'm pretty sure my companion started to tear up haha.   No, but we had a good experience this week with a lady, we talked with her in the street and later visited her and her daughter.  She has cancer and is really sick but she wants to get baptized and her daughter is also really sick from the same thing and they are going to get baptized here in a couple weeks! Anyways thanks for everything family, sounds like everyone is doing great, I'm doing good down here.  Have a great week!

And no, we actually don't eat much ice cream, that was probably my first ice cream since i got here haha and the pizza just makes you really sick! 

Elder Jacob Johnson

December 30, 2013

 from Mexicali

and part of my new sector in Tijuana

 

Hey family,

This week was good, it was so good to see you guys on Christmas, it looks like everyone is doing good.  This week was good down here, we had a baptism of nacho (Nacho libre as I call him) on Saturday.  It was really good, it was the first baptism of Elder Flores, it was really funny.  He is a pretty big guy and when Elder Flores baptized him he let go when he was in the water so he pretty much just swimming in the font, trying to stand up but the baptism was really good.  We have been teaching him for a few weeks and he is a really good guy, he is progressing in the gospel very well and is learning very quickly. We went to do service on Friday morning, we sealed the grout joints in a children's hospital and helped clean outside and everything. It was really good, I was able to see Elder Mejia again, he is in the same zone as me now! On Sunday morning we woke up and we didn't have water in the house, a pipe had broken down the road a ways and now the street is just filled with water.  So we went to the bishops house to shower, but now we have water in the house again! but anyways that was pretty much my last couple days.  Every day is an adventure here that's for sure, have a great week family!!!!

Elder Johnson

December 16, 2013

Hey family,

Another week has gone by, today was transfers.  I got transferred to Lago Tijuana. My companion is Elder Flores, he has 3 months in his mission.  I'm pretty exited to work here with him, he seems really good. I'm sad to leave Mexicali, I really liked it there. On Wednesday was the zone conference and the Christmas dinner thing it was really good, and yes I got your package mom and a package from Grandma and Bobbi.  Thanks so much for everything.  My companion is staying in Mexicali and training a new American. And there are 10 new sister missionaries from the states that came here today.  It's the first time that there has been American sister missionaries here, it will be interesting to see how it goes. There is an elder here from Idaho Falls his name is Elder Tall, his dad is a doctor.   I think you guys know him, he lives in Ammon.  I can't believe Brooke is going to be home tomorrow, or whenever I don't know.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by, it seems like she just left. I'm gonna miss the ward in Mexicali, there are a lot of good people there, one of our converts Julian received the priesthood on Sunday.  It's been a neat experience watching him and his family progress in the gospel. I finally found a mountain dew this week, I haven't had a mountain dew for 4 months!!

I'm going to skype on Christmas day 25, at around 5 o'clock Tijuana time! Sounds like you had a good week, yes mom I'm warm enough thanks for everything and have a good week!

idk how I packed all my stuff up,  I had to leave some stuff there, and yes we just ride the bus to Tijuana, but its a nice bus, tell Bri hi!,

My apartment is alright, but there isn't a washer so we have to carry our clothes on a bus to a different place to wash.

Elder Jacob Johnson

December 9, 2013

The bike of the other elders


Family,

This week was alright.  Yes mom, it's been pretty cold here in the nights.  No I haven't used your coat yet. It's hard to pack it around all day just to use it in the night, cause its still pretty hot in the afternoons but then it gets pretty cold.  The people here don't like the cold at all.   It's really hard on them because their houses are usually just made or cinder blocks or wood, and they don't have any way to heat them. I can't believe you guys tore out the carpet.  That's cool, I think it will look awesome with the slate in the living room.   Mom sounds like you had a good time this week in Utah.  Can't believe they tore down the Cheese Factory, its a shame. Have they started on the temple yet or have plans? No, I haven't gotten any more packages but the zone conference is on Wednesday so probably then.  I went on exchanges with an elder this week, he's only been out como 2 months.  We left the house and were walking for about 20 minutes when he tells me, Elder Johnson, I forgot my shoes in the house.  He had been walking for 20 minutes in his sandals haha idk why he didn't tell me earlier haha it was an interesting day. One thing I have learned this transfer is patience, and that people have different ideas of what a perfect missionary is.  One more week.... anyways have a good week!!

Elder Johnson

December 3, 2013

To answer your question mom, yes there are spiders. We found this guy with a few others this morning while cleaning en frente de nuestro casa.

Family,

This week has been good, I hope you got my pictures.  I can't believe it is already December, these last few months have gone by fast.  Sounds like you guys are doing good though. I hope Thanksgiving was good, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving down here, but the sister that signed up to give us food that day, her husband used to work in Wyoming.  He knows a little English and they cooked ham for us! It was a great break from all this Mexican food.  I went on exchanges with the zone leader this week.  It was really good.  And we did a service project on Saturday morning, it was so nice to wear normal clothes for a couple hours!!  The work is going good, there is definitely a lot of work to be done. Anyways, I hope everyone is doing good, have a great week!

Elder Johnson