One Year in the Mission!

our christmas tree!

Christmas lights in Mexico!

Christmas Eve dinner!

Christmas dinner!

ONE YEAR IN THE MISSION!!

Hey family and friends, I HAVE ONE YEAR IN THE MISSION!!!!! Yesterday was the 28th of December and a year ago from that day was when I walked in through the doors of the MTC and began the journey that is my mission. I have never grown so much in one year in my life. This year has been hard, far harder than any other year of my life. I believe that the fact tha tI have grown the most in this year and that it has been the hardest year are related. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and is helping me to reach my fullest potentiel. Ive learned a foreign language (forgotten how to spell in English), Ive learned how to live 24/7 with a stranger, Ive learned how to enjoy super spicy food, Ive learned lots of scriptures, I have a more complete understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but most of all I have learned that missionary work is AWESOME! I love being albe to help others come unto the light of the gospel and live it so that they can break the bonds of wordly living and rise to a higher plain of existence and understanding, where they can find the greatest happiness here on the earth. I am going to be sad when it is over.

I just had a fantastic Christmas week. On Christmas Eve, our zone and 3 other zones got together to do a talent show and watch a presentation by the president and his wife about the true meaning and importance of Christmas. I really enjoyed it and I felt the Spirit. That night we went to a less active members family (the husband isnt a member and we have started to focus on teaching him) to eat dinner. Although I dont really know them very well they were friendly and we had a good time. Plus they gave us a delicious Mexican style christmas dinner.

On Christmas we went to our Stake Center to have a short District meeting, and then we got to watch Kung Fu Panda!!!!!! President let us becasue it was Christmas. It was really funny and it was fun to watch a movie in spanish and be able to understand everything. Then we went to the offices to call our familys on skype. President let us use his super awesome laptop so that was really cool. I got to meet my companions family briefly so that was kind of cool. Then I got to call my family!!! I really enjoyed talking to you guys and seeing your faces! It was the best present I got for Christmas. I also enjoyed meeting Angela, she seems pretty cool. oh and seeing Copper was almost too much, I think you guys might need to send him here so tha tI can snuggle with him. Abby is getting really tall. Wow it has been an entire year since Ive seen any of you.

On Friday we had a big meeting called "el concilio" (council) and it was pretty cool. All the Zone Leaders from all over the mission came and we had a big meeting. I couldnt be there for a lot of it becasue we got two new missionaries from the states and my comp and I had to give them some training presentations. It was fun being with all of the Zone Leaders from the mission and get to know them better, 5 of them slept at our house last night becasue they are far away from the city so they had to travel here the day before. In the meeting they talked about the plan for the mission and how we can improve the missionaries.

I am so glad that you all had such a great Christmas week! Only one more short year and Ill be with you for the next one! This next year will pass by super fast.

Have a wonderful new years and make new year resolutions that you will keep (but write them down or you wont end up doing anything)!

con amor,

Elder Johns

Hey mom and dad, could you guys do a special post on Facebook saying that I have a year in the mission now? It might increase my mail and I would really love to hear how alot of people are doing. Thanks!