Feliz día del pavo!

Dear family,

I am happy to report that I will be staying here in Huelva for at least one more transfer! Hna Brown is leaving to serve in Alicante, and I know it will be so good for her to be with a native companion who came from her group, although her spanish has improved a ton. Hna Daines (who came in Hna. Brown´s group) will be my new companion- she´s a very enthusiastic girl who doesn´t care what others think about her, and I´m sure she´ll help us pick up a bit on contacting, although we´re in a good rhythm again.

I´m thankful to stay here for many reasons, but there are a couple of big ones. I´m glad I´ll spend the holidays with people I know and love, and will be able to visit and take care of the people I know will have a hard time this holiday season.

I´m also glad to stay here to work with Sandra´s family- Gustavo wants to wait for his baptism until the 8th so his dad can be there, and we´re pleased as punch. We had a lesson on Joseph Smith, and his testimony of the restored gospel is really growing.

I´m also happy to continue to cultivate this patch of the Lord´s vineyard- the work is growing immensely- we were just one lesson short of the mission standard this past week, where this area has usually only had half that. We met an incredible family this week that has just been waiting to hear about the plan of salvation. We had an amazing first lesson with them and are so excited to see where things go.

This week my testimony has definitely been strengthened that this is the Lord´s work, and when we do it in His way, we will be able to be instruments in His hands.

I´m still enjoying reading the Book of Mormon so much- right now I´m in Alma around chapter 60- there is so much to be learned even from the stories about war in the Book of Mormon. Not only has this strengthened my testimony because no man like Joseph Smith could have invented such a book, but because it teaches eternal principles so clearly, and I feel the truthfulness of the words every time I read it.

I´m grateful to be here. I´m grateful for this work and for the chance I have to be so deeply involved in it. I´m grateful for the people who help us, and the people we teach. I´m grateful for the gospel in my life, and for you as a family for raising me in it and for being examples to me. I´m so grateful that none of us have fallen away, and that I can look forward to an eternity with you so long as I live worthily. I´m grateful for the present moment, and for the good moments to come. Thank you all so much.

Love, 

Hna. Johnson

P.S. Eat a lot of rolls with jam. And potawatami (sp?) jelly.