March 23, 2015

so far this is the only really fun thing that we got to do is go watch one of our investigators play soccer at this huge football stadium. and what really got me was that this stadium is a high school stadium I wish haha but that was fun today my companion and I are going to a members house so that my companion can record a rap song that he's been working on. my companion is from hadi but he lived in Idaho with a very rich family of one of his buddy's from high school his mom still lives in hadi. my companion's name from the MTC also lived in a pretty wealthy fam as well his name is elder shepherd and he's from Utah. I've had hation food and I didn't like it at all I was grateful that there was juice to wash it down but I did eat all that was on my plat. I have not had grits yet but soon though maybe. my knee has been bothering me for a while now because of the weather it's been coming down hard here as well with rain, but when it doesn't rain it is extremely hot and humid I miss the cold weather on the cost and the beach haha. the family that we where supposed to be baptizing we post boned it for two weeks because we as a companionship feel that are not ready quite yet but we're getting there. on the bright side we have two new family's that we are teaching and I think that they are pretty solid. the day's are going by faster it seems like but there are some day's that feel like they are taking for ever to go by witch is probably the hot ones. I hope all of you are feeling better I have been praying for each and everyone of you every night before I go to bed as am I for my investigators. the word that I'm in is slowly getting bigger and shrinking at the same time folks keep moving out and new family's are moving in here and there. I love tracting mainly because it helps keep me calm and my thoughts have a chance to wonder alittle bit spring is here and it is beautiful but really hot. elder marcelin keeps telling me that its just gonna get hotter I'm so not ready for that. some how I need to get more garments pretty soon I don't know how to do that. oh and president Harding just interviewed me about my goals for the next transfer and my goals for baptisms. again I hope all is getting better back home I miss you all and love you very much. tell max that I love him as well. I wont have very much time to e-mail today so if you could tell everyone els that I love them too and thanks for all that they do. for there support and love that they have for me tell little Ethan, Lila,  Marley, Lincoln, and baby McKenna that I said hi and that I'm having fun :) give James and Jillian a hug for me and tell them that I miss them and mom and dad thanks for everything. love always Johnny (elder Black)  

March 16, 2015

this week has been a lot better, we have been teaching like crazy and have two family's that are getting baptized on the 28th of this month I'm really excited for them :) president Harding and the assistants are helping me out tremendously  through out the weeks. I'm sending y'all a few pictures of the past few weeks. the area that I'm in is starting to blossom and change colors:) its not so cold here eny more. haha so that's good. did James get his package that I sent him? :) I hope that he liked it. its great to hear that all of you are doing good. I can't wait to see more pictures of the family and how everyone has or will change over the next two years. I love each and every one of you and miss you guys so much the lord is working hard with me at this time in my life to hasen to his work and to hold to the iron rod. I'm starting to come more an more closer to the people that I have been teaching and my testimony is growing bigger each and every day. my companion say's hi and he is doing well we have been working hard to come closer as a companionship and as a team to work through the spirit. the MTC has blessed me but the mission field so far has blessed me even more. I love serving and teaching the gospel. now that I know that everything will be taken care of back home and that my old life isn't going enywhere I have put all of my focus in the lords work and my will and heart is in his hands he is leading me and guiding me to those who are in need of his gospel. I'm so excited to see how the rest of my mission turns out and to go out and teach all of those family's that are out there waiting for me and for what heavenly father has in store for me to teach them. the spirit is strong with this one haha  :) eny ways I miss you all and love you guy's so much. 

March 9, 2015

here some pics from the mtc I'm trying to get the ones off my camera so far of the mission field i'll send them soon:) I got to see the out side of the temple here its beautiful but yet so far away from my apartment. my companion Elder Marceline says hollow to all.  my week has been a lot better sense the blessing and from all the prayers that I've felt over the past couple of days. mom and dad I love you both very much and I miss you guys a lot I know that the mission is going to do a lot not just for me but also the people that I teach and come in contact with I sent some letters home I hope ya'll got them. yesterday I had my first person bash with me for like an hour but in the end I barred my testimony and shared a lot of scriptures with that person and through the spirit I don't know how but I gave that person a book of Mormon they took it and then I told that person to pray and to ponder on what I had told them they walked away with a desire and a change of heart to learn more we have another appointment with that person next Tuesday I'm excited to go and teach them. I love this work and I love the lord I can admit that I have changed into a better person sense I have left home and gone out to serve heavenly father this is a marvelous work indeed the gospel is true there has been so many miracles that have happened sense I have been here we have so many people in direr need of our help and teachings I love tracking and knocking on doors my companion on the other hand does not so I have to motivate him to do so some how :) sitting down in some ones home is great but I feel that working with the members and going out and visiting family's plus knocking on doors is so muck fun I love doing it plus as you all know I like to talk a lot so that helps me in a way like a lot haha you would think that I would get annoying to some people or maybe they just like to talk to :) idk haha I'm gonna try and send ya'll a lot more pictures the computer that l'm using only let's me send alittle at a time I love you all and miss you greatly

Love Johnny (ELDER BLACK) 

March 2, 2015

I am sorry but there will not be an email for this week. The email sent was intended for our family only. We look forward to sharing next Mondays email.

February 27, 2015

Elder Black with his mission president and his wife president and sister harding

February 23, 2015

wow i miss you guy's so much. this week has been really special and spiritual.

my comp and i taught an investigator last week and were so close to getting him to commit to baptism. but sour news is that it didn't turn out we we're bummed but i think that probably one of the best lessons that i have ever taught.

it snowed here a couple of times and it was funny watching all the internationals take pictures holding it because they have never seen snow before haha i could not stop laughing.

the past two weeks  have been great i love it here but sadly i'm fly out tomorrow morning which is good i can't lie it's been so much funn :) 

but i can't wait to get to Georgia tomorrow and meet my mission president.

February 16, 2015 - Well its Monday haha I guess that means that I made it :)

I miss you all so much. The second night I was asked if the first night was hard. I didn't answer them because i felt like i had too suck it up. :) but it was kinda rough. The first night I was here i was with all internationals because i guess i showed up early instead of on Wednesday but no harm done i got to have the privilege to meet a bunch of elders from Tonga and Australia,it was amazing. they are great and i feel very blessed to have shown up a day early its a sign, i think haha.  My testimony has defiantly grown tremendously. My comp is really cool elder, shepherd and I get along great granite there are those times where we butt heads and don't see eye to eye on somethings. but i love him anyway, he has taught me a lot since he has been assigned to be my companion. the district that I have been assigned to is amazing we're defiantly a family here at the MTC, I'm extremely grateful to know that i'm here doing the lords work. everyone in my zone has been getting letters and packages left and right the look on there faces not only makes me feel a little home sick but happy as well.  I had a very spiritual experience yesterday when my branch president and I had a heart to heart interview, when i bared my testimony I felt the spirit so strong..... I cried my eyes out, he gave me a hug and told me that I am going to be a great missionary.  We had a beautiful fireside last night elder Bednar talked and one of the things that really stood out to me was that we need not be committed to our companions in our missions but we need be committed to Jesus Christ, and heavenly father. you could not be committed to going to church but as long as your committed to the lord your mission in life will always be successful in enything you

- Love Johnny!