February 29, 2016

hey y'all,

its good to hear that all is well back home for all y'all.....

Dang what project did dad have to work on that kept out so late? was it cool?? how big was it??

so those dreams you've been having mom are totally false!!!!! block 'em out

I've been thinking about it as well and also had a dream about me coming home early.

it wasn't fun at all, yeah all my friends and everyone were still around but it just wasn't fun to be around them. I felt in this dream that something was missing.

so you can count on me coming home in February of 2017 on the 8th..... actually probably in march because of the push back of the MTC being 3 weeks instead of 2 i'll be home around the 14th and 15th...

but that's not important right now. I'm staying out and finishing strong.

being a self starter till the end.

this week though has been great, yeah some ups and downs but that's missionary life. its hard sometimes but I get through day regardless.

we were tracting in President and Sister Footes neighborhood and came across this long street, that had these massive houses on it.

we went up and knocked on this ladies house and she came to the door, but what was weird was this....

she came to the door and was like "I don't know who you are" we responded we are your missionaries, again she stated that she didn't know who we are.

so we said it again we are your missionaries. she had her friend come to the door and asked her if she thought we were safe, and wouldn't hurt them........

we stated that all we wanted to do was say a prayer with them. they opened the door and she said are you dog friendly I said yes I love dogs.

so this beautiful German short hair pointer came running up to us.... this dog was really smart and pretty. she invited us into her home.

asked another question, do y'all believe in the power of healing? we said yes, she then asked us another, do we believe in the laying on of hands?

we said yes. she then stated that she never lets strangers into her home.... and that she felt inspired to open the door unto us. that we had some kind of beautiful energy about us and that we filled her soul

we extended the invitation of a prayer after she told us that she has been suffering from a disease called midoconriact. and that her body has a very hard time staying standing for long periods at a time.

we left her with a prayer and a blessing included through that prayer... her eyes filled with tears. and brought a smile to my face, I don't know why but every single time that I say a prayer for someone they are always filled with tears afterwards. I really felt the spirit that day pretty strongly after we left her with that prayer, she stated that she was getting ready to move. we asked her wear and she said that her husband nd her bought a horse ranch on the other side of PTC. we extended our service to help them pack and move furniture for them and she again started to smile and tear up.... she said that they would love our help and then gave us a bottle of water and a hug, and we were on our way.

there was a couple more houses that we left prayers with and got return appointments with on that same street...

what was really weird and cool at the same time was that we ran into what was our bishops house, here in Peach Tree City, he literately lives in the white house... this house is huge and big plus its white so that's why its the white house..... he has a tennis court in his back yard and a huge pool, a full size basketball court, and some soccer nets. this house is three stories, has four car garage below the house, and there is a slide of the back side of the house to go down to the yard.... pretty sick.... but I guess that what a CEO and FOUNDER of a contracting company can get you... he has three daughters and one son...

this town is full of family's like this rich and living in huge houses..

ha well another week has just flown by but I can't wait to email y'all next week.... look on the bright side I'm getting tanner and mom your wings will be there before you know it :)

love y'all and hope that y'all have a great week.

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY( Elder Black) 

February 22, 2016

well another week, another transfer on its way of coming to an end.

so with the whole suit thing.... to be completely honest its getting a little smaller as i go on. the pants are becoming high waters and the jacket is getting to be a little to tight around the shoulders.

when i want to stretch it feels like i am going to tear it right up the back. i could really honestly use a new suit..

with my knee on the other hand it has felt a little better for past day an a half, but i did go to three physical therapy appointments two last week and on the previous week before that.

it hurts pretty bad, like a lot every now and again. all last week felt like my knee had a knife driving itself through under neath my knee.

i have tried so hard to keep pushing through and so far i have done that. last Thursday, i had to talk to the mission doctor who in my opinion both the mission doctor and sister mason are off their rocker!!

i told him what i have experienced  with me knee and he told me along with the PA at the doctors office, that i needed to no longer ride a bike. So i have been walking on it for a week. we finally got a car in this area and it will be here until i get transferred to another area. but the mission doctor said that if it gets worse then i would have to schedule an appointment for an MRI and if that were to happen, he said that it is an automatic ticket home!! so i asked in return what it was that i could do to prevent that from happening and he told me to stay off of it as much as possible. 

then he asked me if it pops, clicks, and or catches at all and i told it does that like all the time!!!! so then he told me that if gets any worse then to call sister mason. when i call sister mason all she ever says to do is drink more water and to take ibuprofen and to ice it. again my opinion, that does squat. in the end my knee still kills me and still pops as well as clicks all the time. in an out of the day.

but besides the point of my knee hurting, my week has been pretty good and you know how sister Foote told y'all that i have a good companion this transfer, "well to an extent"

my companion is a pretty big stiff when it comes to a lot of things.... we only listen to Mormon tabernacle Choir. and he has this stupid dog toy, thats a pig and he squeezes it every morning for our alarm!!!!

can i strangle him now?? :D no, but it kills me half the time and when he drives, he drives like almost ten under the speed limit. like we are on some kind of Sunday drive every day.

anyways he's a good missionary, he can just really get on my nerves all the time. not to mention he has something new every day that he makes up about me that he doesn't like.

who ever said that all your companions will have an attribute of your future spouse...... hahahaha yeah right if that the case i'm not getting married!!!:D

i have a couple pictures that i can send next week. i forgot my camera back at the apartment. but the area that i'm in is very rich. lots of people that work for air lines and other huge company's.

the work is coming and going through out the week. we finally had two folks come to church and two less actives are starting to come back.

i'm pretty glade that i'm not walking any more, because we didn't get to a tenth of our little tiny area on foot, it was hard. now that we have this little itty bitty red car we can finally go out and see people.

but, so dad's got some new boots right on what kind are they? are the Justin's or Double-H's what color are they? probably brown ha go figure they all are that color unless they are black........

round toe or square toe?? my boots are starting to get pretty worn down the heels are almost getting to that point that they might not make it, but we'll see. and i finally got around to polishing them again and now they look new..

yeah. 

well i hope that week go's good for y'all mom i told them that they just need to get you some rockets or some wings and then you would have to deal with this back pain... we'll see what they can do :) i put in a good word for ya.

alright well i hope that y'all have a good week and i love y'all talk to ya soon.

Love Always Johnny( Elder Black)

February 16, 2016

hey y'all,

so i did get a suit but that was back when President Harding was still here....i have been wearing it off and on because it is a pretty ugly suit at best :)

when the Foote's came into be our new mission President and his wife i was trying to pull off the suit that i came out here with for a little while, but then my huge missionary behind tore right through those pants....

haha it was a really big embarrassing day... my face got so red!!! so when the Foote's asked me when i got a new suit i told them that a member got it for me, because one really did he just isn't here any more, i just didn't tell them that part because i wasn't very fond of President Harding at all..... 

i laughed really hard when i read that y'all didn't like the place that y'all went to for Valentines day.... hahahahhahaha i about almost fell out of my computer chair.

it's true that i'm with a better companion this transfer, but will only be one transfer according to President Foote though he will be probably transferring me to to a full time car area because of my knee..

i talked with the mission doctor and he told me that if the knee doesn't get any better through physical therapy, and if they have to scheduled me for an MRI then he said that, that consist of a one way ticket home...

and so i asked him what it is that i can to do to prevent that from happening? he said that i can no longer be in a bike area which bummed me out, cause i love ridding my bike but it kills my knee to put any pressure on it while i'm peddling. so he talked with sister mason and with president Foote and they are trying to see what they can do to help me stay out here.

i went to my first PT last Tuesday, and the Physical therapist told me that prior to my surgery my knee was pretty solid and it was fine. also stating that after the surgery folks tend to baby that knee that they injured. basically "he called me a big baby" ha no but he did pick on me a lot in that session. so after the session was over he told me based on what he was seeing and feeling while he was playing around with my knee, he said that the knee is very weak now and the muscle's around it are pretty weak as well. he was confused on why it was that the church only pay's for three visit's, i told so was i on that stand point. but he did give me some home work and i tell ya what i don't think PT has ever hurt this much in my life. the stretches that he gave me really kill. 

i'm grateful that the mission is trying everything that they can do to help me, to stay out here and finish strong. i want more then ever to stay out here and to do the best that i can, as well as to continue working with those that we are teaching. i love doing this work. i love the people that are in the mission and for the many friendships that i have created. But if i had to come home because of this stupid knee injury.....

would y'all be upset with that decision?? please be honest with me!! i don't want that to be the case. i want to finish what i have started... i ant no Quitter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i love y'all with all my heart. and i will always stand for what i believe in. i know that this the right thing that i need to be doing at this point in time. and i know that i have a lot of folks and family members that are counting on me to do what is right. i just need to know if i was to have to come home because of this injury that y'all would be okay with that.

I love y'all and i hope that everything go's well for y'all at home. have a great week

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY (Elder Black)

February 8, 2016

hey y'all, so this week has been fun, to the extent of my knee......

I have an appointment tomorrow at 11am with a close physical therapy office, and I hope that all go's well...

it's good to hear that all is well and that things are still kicking over there.

so it's to bad that the super bowl this year ended up being orange and blue.... bummer I guess that Payton can finally retire now. just glade that it wasn't the panthers that won :)

it's super cool what members tell you even though we aren't suppose to know really anything about the outside world....

well at least for another year :D

so being in a bike area, with in the first three days the bike really irritated my knee enough to were I had to get a doctors appointment, they did an x-ray on it and did they're little test thing on my...you know the whole poke and bend/pull thing on my knee and they told me that my left knee is pretty weak and then they gave a new knee brace, well new to them anyway its the same one that I started out with the first time. personal opinion, I think that this knee brace sucks, all it does for my knee is squeeze the heck out of it and leaves bruise like lines all over it after I take it off at night...

so I'm really hoping that tomorrow go's well.

my companion say's hi and that he's trying to keep me in line.... haha he's a character, and which is good because I can't stand having a boring companion, that would suck again.

the new area like I said before is really rich and there are a lot of people here... luckily our area is only six miles by six miles.. grateful for that :D but its good. a pretty good area.

I really need a new suit haha this one is pretty worn and getting small. but just a wandering uhmmmm is there any possible way that I could get a home card so that I can get some souvenirs while I'm out here I really haven't been able to, and it being my last year I would like to come back with some things from my mission. if I can't get one then I guess that's fine but I was just wandering...

I hope that all continues to go well for everyone this week and that y'all have a great reat of your day I love y'all so much.

alright well i'll email y'all next week, love ya'll

always Johnny(Elder Black)  

February 1, 2016

hey y'all a lot has happened hear in that past few days.

i'm now serving in Peach Tree City-Georgia 

my new address is 8207 Merrick Dr. 30265 

i like here I've wanted to serve here since I've arrived in the mission field.

although on a bad note my knee is really acting up on me in this area.

and what really sucks, is that my knee brace is falling apart on me and it doesn't really help much of anything.

my new companion's name is Elder Edwards, also from south Jordan Utah 

went to the same high school as my last companion Elder Argyle.

he is the youngest of six and he is totally a BYU nerd... when it comes to missionary work on the other hand i don't think i have ever seen anyone that is more of a teachers pet to the mission president... he's been a zone leader twice and a district leader three times since he's been out. he came out a transfer before i got out here.

it's cool that y'all are hanging out with Shelley and Darren and that Jillian is able to have fun.. really cool that you got to hold baby goats... wish i was back in a farming community, i'm in probably one of the most richest areas in the entire state... this little town is wear delta workers come to live as well as lawyers come to practice..

there are so many huge houses here i almost feel claustrophobic just tracting down there streets.. being in a full time bike area kind of stinks because of how my knee is feeling and as well as that i'm no longer on y'alls insurance which stinks because i can't go to a good doctors office to see what the heck is going on inside my knee, that's causing the pain. it only really hurts when i'm on the bike and i don't know why:'( 

the mission nurse gave me a couple of offices that i could try and call to make an appointment and every one that i've called and have given information that's on this little card the mission gave me.... they call me right back and tell me that they don't except that kind of insurance anymore, why i don't know but it sucks!!! 

i really regret getting that surgery in the first place then i would have to worry about this stupid knee being an issue. 

the new ward that i'm in is pretty cool very rich and the missionary work is slowly improving, we're trying to get the members back in check haha if only we had an easy button...."that was easy" that would be great.

well y'all i love all y'all so much and i really hope that this week go's well.

oh yeah any news on my suit?? just wondering... 

LOVE ALWAYS (Johnny) Elder Black

January 25, 2016

so another week has flown by...

hey y'all, how has everything been this week?

anything new?? so I got transfer news last Saturday and i'll be leaving to another area!!! finally its been to long since I've gotten here. the folks are great here in all but I need a new start in another ward... transfers are on this Wednesday. I still have no idea wear I'm going but that's the exciting part. I just hope that my companion is fun and wants to do work, instead of sit around the apartment all day and talk to every member in the district for an hour a peace. then decides to leave the apartment after lunch gets over. no matter how much I like to just sit on the couch and listen to that, I don't like to be not doing anything at all... I can't stand to be sitting still...

I don't know weather or not I've sent this picture of my last baptism that I had but it'll be in these few pictures that I'm sending y'alls way, we finally got snow here and it was great reminded me a lot of home and I need it, made the best of that day.....

I'm super excited for this next transfer I don't know if I said that yet but I'm so excited to finally go to another area.....

I've learned a lot since I've served in this area, a lot from my district in what not to do, and as well as so many awesome things that I have gotten from visiting the members and doing lots of service projects... its been great to serve along side this ward in missionary work. this area and my last area have been really good with doing missionary work and helping out with the elder and sister in the area....

I hope all is well back home, and that y'all are doing great.

my suit size is a 42R for the jacket and 34-34  for the pants.

and for my shirts they are 16 1/2. the journal on the other hand thank you so much... and dad I have a picture for you to put in the race car... LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY(Elder Black)

January 18, 2016

hey y'all another week come and gone.

i did look in the little stocking, i wear that tac on my suit when i wear it.

i'm glade that dad is getting better, now that he is getting more sleep. 

and that he gets to serve his own way and own version of his mission. 

its even more cool that if you really look at it we are serving at the same time. and if i look at it a certain way we will be returning at the same time!!

that is going to be the greatest day!!!

hey can y'all send me more pictures of the track and of the cars i'm pretty excited for this season even though i wont be there.

so i didn't get any sizes done for y'all because every store that I've gone to. I've asked them to measure me and either they don't understand Oregon or what but i haven't gotten them to do it yet so sorry about that.

and with the Wyman's I am still working on that because we are now only aloud to go over there twice a week, so i'll get that to you as soon as possible.

well y'all i love y'all so much and i hope that y'all have a fantastic week love always Johnny

January 11, 2016

Transfers aren't until the 26th of this month and I don't know where I was at in that picture.. I know I was real close though, unless it was at the district leader meeting that both Elder Argyle and I were suppose to be at together, but we went on exchanges the day before... so that would be why you didn't see me in that picture.

 this week was so cool both the Carterville Elders and us had our appointments fall through so we decided to blitz our area here in Cassville

at this apartment complex and we found some of the greatest folks ever. both companionships/us we exchanged for that blitz and the each of us found at least 8 new investigator family's. and six of them are super solid.

we haven't seen at church just yet but are getting there.

the coolest thing that happened though, was that when we went and nocked on this one door this sweet little lady answered the door and invited us in. she has all of her four adult daughters living with here and each of them have at least six kids form different fathers witch is sad, but when we sat down the fifteen year old granddaughter, came up to her grandmother and said I want to go to there church and I guess this young girl has gone through some really rough patches in her life. with drugs and such along with getting kicked out of school. so everyone was like wow okay yeah lets go to church.... so we scheduled another return appointment with them. came back a few days later and taught them the first lesson and they all loved it and told us there story of growing up learning about Jesus Christ and being good and going to church. then they told us that as they got older they started to fall away. :( sad day.... but they all as they started having kids realized that something was missing in there lives. clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! so we invited them to read and ponder and pray over the thing that they would be reading. out of the book of Mormon. so we gave them one and left them with a pretty strong pray and our testimony's along with tony one of the sisters recent converts, as well. and left.

hoping that this family see's what it is that they need to fallow and that they take it an run with it!!!

tell Brianna and Jacob that they are still in my prayers and that I hope that McKenna is doing well, as well as getting better/stronger.

this week has just been awesome for both my companionship and the Cartersville Elders.

and Its pretty cool as well as quick that y'all are already getting a new sister in the ward. haha is the strawberry blond one still going to be there???

just kidding...........

I got my hear cut but I for got my camera back at the apartment so I cant show y'all..... oh well next week. I will also try and get those measurements for the Wyman's table for you.

I hope that all go's well this week back home.

good luck this season at the track and could y'all please take lots of pictures of the races as well as the track for me.... please and thank you!

LOVE Y'ALL LOTS  ELDER BLACK

(JOHNNY)

January 4, 2016

hey y'all,

this week has been great with the new year we were all able to share our new years resolution over a zone call... ha that was interesting with out saying. there was a lot of funny ones although there was also a lot of very good ones. mine was to give out at least 75 book of Mormons but at most I don't know so many. my other one was to make sure that I work out every morning.

so in my area we have as a district 2 folks on date for baptism and 4 more that are working their way to the top as well.

we have transfer on the 27th of this month and to be honest I'm ready for a change of seen.... being the same area for almost 5 months is a long time.

I hit my year mark in my next transfer!!!! "yeah buddy" 

we went tracting two days ago and found eight people that wanted us to come back, and we went over there yesterday Sunday afternoon and had some of the best lessons that I've had since I got in this area. the spirit was pretty strong in those lessons. we now have at least five new and pretty solid investigators. that are progressing really well.

this Monday feels so weird for some odd reason........... it feels like I haven't spoken to y'all In a very long time. and I almost feel like I've been away from home for what is a very short time but feels like a really long time.

its good to hear of all the changes that are happening with family.

I'm super glade to hear that McKenna is getting well taken care of. and that they are trying to figure out what they need to do. And its crazy that now every one is move towards Oregon. hahaha its the promise land for sure!!!

dang uncle Ethan has lost over 100 lbs that's really good.

aunt Josey said awhile back that when I come home, I wouldn't be able to recognize him at all.... cause he's been workin out!

right on that's good.

so other then that not much has changed?

everything else is still the same?

well that's good I'm glade to hear that.

so I know I got some really cool things that I said I needed for Christmas.

and they are great things I wear them all the time now. but............

I really really need a new suit there is a bunch of great looking suits here in town and in a couple different stores. but the suit I have now is getting to be a little to small and its starting to kill me every time I put it on. my back is getting a little bit more broad and my shoulders are getting bigger to.

luckily my shirts still kind of fit well some of them do. I could really use a couple new shirts as well. I don't want to seem needy at all but if there was one thing that I really need it would be those. my shoes are doing fine I got some new shoe laces so that's not a problem. I'm down to three pairs of tracting slacks because of all this great southern food, haha but other then those few things I'm doing good.
I have gone and got my flew shot it sucked cause I think I have a cold now, but no big deal.

the weather is getting colder they keep telling us that we are suppose to have snow on the ground by January 14th but we highly doubt it..... I guess we'll find out when it gets here. my thermals do wonders and are some what keeping me warm. I just have to put another lair on. my bike has frosted over through out the night and it is hard to peddle some times in the mornings, but that's a great exercise for your legs. its awesome let me tell ya. I slipped twice and ate turf pretty bad but now I learned not to peddle so hard on ice like peddles. wish I had clips.

that's pretty much the low down for this week and last week combined.

I have a couple recent photos to share their not the greatest but they will do. love always johnny  

December 28, 2015

alright y'all that was a great Christmas!!!!

I'm thankful that I was able to have the time that I did have. and thankful that I was able to talk with all y'all individually. thank you so much for the Christmas presents that I received I love them. we had a great Christmas conference that was previous of Christmas and really set the holiday spirit for all of us this year. I have such gratitude for the mission and for all that it has taught me in my life thus far. my testimony has definitely grown strong since I have left home.

this Christmas season we were able to have much success with our book of Mormon referrals and inviting those folks to baptism. we have a really solid family that we are teaching and they are progressing so good, with us and the lessons. my companion and I have worked hard together thus far and are planning on having a baptism along with praying for one this transfer. so far we have had luck and answers to prayers.

I have had the opportunity to have a conversation through prayer for some of the thoughts and questions that I have had. with answers that I have received I am thankful for the things that I do know about this gospel and for the opportunity to share it with others. I am thankful for the teaching that I received growing up as a young boy. and for the man that I am becoming. the power of prayer is so strong and has lead me along thus far in my life and through the holy ghost and reading the book of Mormon, my testimony will never be shaken. I know what is true.

I'm extremely happy that I was able to speak with y'all this Christmas over Skype that truly mad my whole day even more so Happy and exciting.

I'm grateful for the gifts tat I have gotten. I have felt the spirit so strongly this Christmas season and along with that I have been able to teach even more so through the spirit.

I'm pleased to be able to wear this name tag and to be called a missionary.

I want to thank you for being concerned with all the things tat I do, want you to know that I am well taken care of. I am eating well and trying to stay healthy. thank you for your concerns for my well being and for all of y'all praying it has helped out tremendously through out my mission here in the Atlanta Georgia mission.

I also want y'all to know that I am focused on the work that is at hand. I have been focused since day one, there has been home sickness here and there, but I have been focused. I want y'all to know that I have prayed long and hard both by my self and in the temple. I have received my answer and I have been doing my best to keep my end. I feel that as I am obedient and I am following the things that I need to while being out here that I will be blessed with out end.

the area is still the same as always except for the new family that we are teaching Liz Chubb and her family. they are progressing good and have committed to come to church this up coming Sunday. we are super excited for them and there opportunity in the gospel to learn and to grow as well as bring their family closer once again.

tell everyone back home in the word and all of those folks that have asked about me, that I am doing good and the mission field is great. tell them that I miss them and I am grateful that they have such love and respect towards me and as well as y'all. let bishop Peterson know that if there is a way that I could just email him my home coming talk in advance that would be awesome and that I could totally do that, I would have it to him in heart beat and then I would be covered.... hahaha he could read it off before I get home. no that probably wont happen but it was worth a try.

I love y'all with all my heart and am thankful to have y'all in my life. And I want to thank you y'all for all that you have givin me through out my life growing up. give max and lady a huge hug and kiss for me and tell James and Jillian that I love them and miss them.

how's McKenna doing have y'all hear any news??

and will y'all please tell everyone else that I said merry Christmas and happy new year.

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY

December 21, 2015

I'm so ready for Christmas to be here 4 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the area is doing really well. we just got this new family last week and they are super solid they came to church yesterday and stayed the whole three hours.

the church is true and the book is blue, hahaha :) I don't know if y'all know the running back that is starting for Georgia his name is nick chub its his family that we are teaching.... pretty cool ya.

Christmas this year is going to be good I have already decided. being away from home sucks but its so great to be able to teach and learn from those that are so prepared to have the gospel in there lives.

did I tell you that we got to shake Elder Holland's hand it was so so so so awesome when he looked into me eyes... and asked me what my name was with all confidence I told him my name and where I was from..... even though he said after words that he wasn't going to remember anyone's name that he shook hands with. it was so cool and I will never forget that one.

I love this area and all those who are in it. I can't wait to be able to Skype home.

I will call y'all before I Skype you so that way you will be ready. cause I don't know when exactly what time we'll be on. I know that this email is short... but I'm super excited for Christmas and we got here pretty late this morning so we don't have very much time. but I love y'all so much and I can't wait to hear your voices and to see your faces.... LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY 

December 14, 2015

hey y'all

this week has been pretty great..... okay super exciting!!!

we got the opportunity to go and hear from Elder Jeffery R. Holland.

last Saturday and it was... wow... I mean it was great I took a lot of great notes.

I even got to shake his hand and look him strait in the eyes, and tell him my name and were I'm from. he is such a great man.

we did get our transfer news yesterday and both Elder Argyle and I are staying in the area for another transfer.... 3 rounds here we go.

last transfer we were just on exchanges that's why y'all got different pictures.

I'm super excited because I get to stay in the same area for Christmas and the new year.. its awesome!!!!

say hi to Briana and Jacob for me and tell them that they are in my prayers. its good that McKenna is getting taken care of and that they are doing all that they can to help her. she is the cutest little girl. has Jacob finished schooling yet? he wanted to be a nurse right? or was it something else.

so because of our transfer news :) you can let everyone know that my address is still the same... 204 governors court, Cartersville-GA 30121.

its so col that I get to stay in the same area. a little less exciting when its with the same comp for another month an half. but what can you do...

I love this ward though that I'm serving in right now. it reminds me a lot of our ward back home. well except for the bishop that is here he kind keeps to himself he doesn't really speak to the missionaries. but that okay his wife still has some real good cooking.

Mom- did they figure out how to make you fly yet??? I need to get on to them about that!!! pronto!! ASAP, I need to have you around for all the fun stuff...

MOM I could really use a good hug right about now... I don't know why but ha I just got all teary eyed...... man I miss y'all so much!!! this Christmas is going to be pretty hard I'm not going to lie I'm probably going to cry when I Skype home.. I'm trying to old back the tears as week speak...

I just want you to know that I love you so much and i' grateful to have you apart of my life... thank you for everything!!!!!

I hope that this transfer will go well and that it ends well too.... I need this transfer to go as good as possible. Christmas isn't even here yet and I'm all ready tearing up. I really hope that have a great Christmas this year and that y'all love my gift that I got for y'all...

give max a huge hug and kiss for me and tell him that I love him.

one last thing can y'all please please have Collin over for Christmas this year. so that I can Skype with him as well. and if Rhett can please invite him over as well. then my Christmas will be pretty good :)

alright y'all I gotta get runnin. I love y'all so much merry Christmas and happy new year... let's make it a good one!!!!!

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY (Elder Black)       

December 7, 2015

hey y'all

its so crazy that week's are just dropping off the calendar!!

its really good to hear that everyone is doing great.

bishop emailed me today and pretty much mad me cry...

told me that he was proud and grateful of the example that I have set for the ward, that everyone in the ward family has felt so many miracles happen since me and the other two missionary's have left and gone.

its crazy.... how so many little things have happened and seem like they are major..... other then that I'm so grateful that all is well back at home

well fam.... this week has been up and down and around.... the Christmas devotional was the greatest I loved every minute of it... I think I was the only one that didn't fall asleep at one point... that whole time.

this week we finally get to go and listen to Elder Jeffery R. Holland  this Saturday at the Brocket building my kind of old stomping grounds... I'm super excited and so stoked to hear from him we get to shake his hand.... I think I'm going to get a selfy with him.... hahaha yeah probably shouldn't do that but I'm going to try....

well y'all this week will hopefully continue to get better and the maybe the sun wil stay out while its at it... tel the ward that I said hi and also don't let dad give the missionary's a hard time... just kidding tell him to give them lots!!!

I gotta get runnin here In a few minute gotta email the Mission President and then we are outta here... going to play some volleyball down at a place called lake point.. in Emerson Georgia totally coming back to that they have a wake park as well its really to bad that we aren't aloud to play in water I miss it so much...

alright well I love y'all so much and hope to hear from y'all soon LOVE JOHNNY   

November 30, 2015

hey y'all

another week.... feels more like day's then weeks.

its really weird that the days start to feel like weeks and the weeks feel like day's.

I guess I could put it this way. only one more thanksgiving and only one more mothers day.... I miss y'all so much thanksgiving was hard!!

I haven't gone and done anything for my knee cause it hasn't been hurting...

and I will go and get my flue shot... this week.

its really good to hear that y'all had a good thanksgiving this year haha was there a lot of food??

what did y'all have...

transfers are Dec.16th and we haven't got any news yet about that, but will let y'all know.. I really hope that I will be able to stay here in Cassville next transfer both because I feel that I still need to be here and because its so close to Christmas it would stink to be transferred to another area right before Christmas and not know any buddy.. the area is doing great we had a test alarm for tornados here last week and we are suppose to have another one here next week, I didn't know that they could get tornados here... haha let's hope that doesn't happen any time soon!!!! that would suck.....

just yesterday we were able to find three new gators for our teaching pool, I'd say finally... we have been a little dry lately and the people we are teaching now are struggling to keep appointments around the holidays. we have this one family that we are teaching, that just like to butt heads with us and so I finally put my foot dawn and flat out told them why we are here once again.. and then told them that the next time we are over at there house, that we would be starting from ground zero and reading from the new testament all the way through the book of Mormon.. and we left them with a video from elder Holland that they watched before we left. I'm really hoping that we will be able to get through to them as we start to read with them.... sometime gators are so frustrating and you just want to picture that your throwing something at them... haha jk but really...... so I'm hoping that with these three newer folks we will be able to get some were. soooo good news though that I'm super excited about is that, we get to go to the temple with one of our recent converts. that young lady Kimberly that I told y'all about... so we're pretty excited about that.

anyways I really hope that this week go's good for y'all and the the doctor's will be able to help both you and dad, mom I can't wait to Skype home love y'all so much have an awesome week...

Love Always Johnny