May 4, 2015

well this past week has been full of goods and bad we've had a lot of lessons fall through and a lot of people move out of the ward.

we are finally have my first baptism on this Saturday I'm really excited.

transfer meeting has not come yet it is on the 20th of this month so it'll be here soon but I'm not worried about it the lord will put were ever I am needed. we have so many meals set up for this week I'm really happy because not only do I get food but the meals that we have planed for are with members I have not yet gotten to know so that's really cool. every one thinks that elder Marcelin my trainer is going to be leaving when trasfers come around and that i'll be staying in my first area. I guess we'll find out haha :) I'm really glade that everything is going well at home.

I could of said I told you so to dad :) we aren't cat people haha :) so good to hear that y'all are getting ride of it.

dang I hope y'all can find a female for max that would be so awesome. but all's fails he will still be around for a good time so not worried :)

I love you both and miss you a lot!!!

I can't wait for this Sunday to finally Skype home. I get to talk to my momma yay !!!

so we are going to a members house for mothers day she is going to feed us I think around four my time so I would say because I'm not sure what time for sure. to be watching for Skype to be ringing around two o'clock my time between then and six or seven its a huge block but that's around the time zone of us going over to sister Williams house.

pretty cool that grandma has e a package for me full of goodies :) can't wait for that.

I love you all okay I just found out the for sure time that we will be on Skype we will be on at5pm our time so be ready I don't want to waste any time :)  I love you all and can't wait to hear back from y'all soon say hi to Collin for me if y'all see him.

tell everyone in the ward that I miss them and I hope all is well.

love always JOHNNY

ELDER BLACK  

April 27th, 2015

I'm doing wonderful this transfer has flown by so fast its almost over we have a couple more people on date to be baptized.

and dang mom that really is short haha I didn't pass out :) I haven't got the letter you wrote me but I did get the package it was great I literately jump like twelve feet when I saw the key in the mail box knowing that I got a package :) lots of mac n cheese thanks I think all be set on those for the next few months :)

tell Jill thanks for the letter it almost made me cry but I sucked it up I've come to know for my self as I've dedicated my like to the lord. and have mad a commitment to leave everything in his hands as well as to be exactly obedient to the set rules and commandments witch I have promised to keep those that he has prepared for me to teach will come and miracles will happen in do time.

I smiled ear to ear once I saw my boots I got permission from president Harding to wear them while tracting, man I miss wearing them church shoes hurt my feet when walking some odd miles a day.

the Wal-Mart card helped out a lot I think I finally got the hint on saving money and that I need to watch what I buy and eat everyday. I think last Wednesday was the cheapest I have ever bought food.

that's really cool that dad is in charge of the whole shop now. I hope it stays that way for a long time, how many rookies do we have racing now?

 y'all should film dads races so that I can see them when I come home.

now to answer your questions, how I'm really feeling I still get a little home sick here an there but I try not to dwell on it for too long, what's new?

I guess what is new over here is that its like extremely hot and we have found I think two more family's to teach both really big.. one of the family's has eight girls we actually referred them over to the sisters because the dad is rarely home.

the other family that we ran in to while tracting is a family of nine they have six kids with another on the way this family is pretty solid while we where walking down there street the kids hollered at us to come over and they asked for a book of Mormon probably not knowing what it really was idk but we went over and asked if there parents were home and the mom cam out with a huge smile on her face saying that she has been praying for people like us to come to her door. she came to church last week and at the end of sacrament meeting she gave elder Marcelin and I a hug with tears in her eyes. then she asked when we where coming back over. as well as stating that she was in the place where she belonged. it was a miracle the lord leads us to those who are spiritually fed and that are ready to hear the restored gospel. I'm extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to serve and to represent my heavenly father. in doing his work on the earth to day.

thank you for the package full of mac n cheese I love it, and thank you Jillian for the letter that you sent me it means a lot :) 

can't wait for the other package with the pictures in it of max and everyone else. I love you all and I hope to hear from you soon:)

mothers day is coming fast I can't wait to Skype home...

LOVE ALWAY'S

JOHNNY     

April 27th, 2015- Johns testimony

Georgia is pretty cool I wouldn't live here but I'm growing to love the people and the hospitality of witch they have for others.

the south is defiantly a different story every buddy is always in a rush to get somewhere. they do feed you good but everything is pretty much deep fried, the weather I with is was not so hot but what can you do :) I'm serving in the stone mountain area and I'm finishing up my second transfer in my first area. transfer meeting is coming up soon and there is a chance that I may or may not be staying here in stone mountain but I'm prepared to follow and to go where I'm needed. the mission field is amazing I have felt the change in witch I have grown and my testimony has gotten a lot stronger. I have been praying longer and more meaningfully. my companion elder Marcelin is great he looks after me and helps me with the things that struggle with. president Harding is amazing and is also a huge blessing to have he has left a great example in witch the lord has instructed him to do so to help us as missionary's to follow. the vision to baptize has gotten a lot bigger since I have been praying for those that I have been teaching so that I might be able to help them in what they are struggling with as they go down the path of rightness, and strive to that goal of baptism and receiving the gift of the holy ghost. I have grown so close to all of the investigators that I have come in contact with and I hope and pray each and every day that they might be able to see the light in Christ as they follow his example. I love this church and I know in my heart that it is true. I love my saver and redeemer he is my light and my example in all things. I'm grateful for the many blessing that I have in this life. I'm grateful for his atonement and for the great sacrifice that he went through for me to get back to my father in heaven again. I know that these things are true and I leave these things with in his name Jesus Christ Amen.     

April 20, 2015

that was almost a novel haha just kidding, but I'm super glad that everything is going well back home. the mission has changed my life tremendously. I'm so grateful to be leading by an example for not only my siblings but also all of my cousins. its really cool that you are able to walk around the track every time your there mom that's exciting to know that when I come home we can go on walks. dang I told you that we are not cat people haha just kick dad in the butt for being a softy and bring them home. :) jk don't do that but it is his fault :)    

so dad there are three new drivers now who are they and are they any good? well I guess you'll find that out on Saturday when y'all have your practice man excited to hear how the season is going once it starts up again. I'm glad to hear that my truck isn't going anywhere haha that makes me happy. I hope that your car does better for you this time around during the season take video of this season and the next so I can watch them when I come home.

did y'all get any names from grandpa on where our relatives live over here in Georgia so that when and if I'm in the area I can possibly drop in and teach them but also say hi.

nice my package is here I'll probably get it tomorrow at the temple I get to finally attend I've been waiting since I got here to get the chance to go.

this transfer is almost over and I'm either staying here in the same area our getting transferred out to another area. pretty exciting.

Mom the few things that I want you to do for me when y'all go down to New Mexico is (1.) give everyone there a huge hug for me and let them know how I'm doing. (2.) take a picture with everyone and send it out this way that would be cool to have of everyone.( 3.) can you send me a aggies sweatshirt or a Arizona diamondbacks sweatshirt that would be really awesome . and last but not least (4.) some rocky mountain chocolate man I miss that stuff :) that's pretty much it.

give max a hug and a kiss for me.

I love you all and miss you so much talk to you soon god bless.

LOVE JOHNNY

(Elder Black)   

April 13, 2015

I didn't get eny pictures :( but I glade y'all are doing great I still cant believe that y'all got a cat....

haha that crazy that Mr. Mulkey got fired haha that's kinda funny no one liked him and dang Mr. Holland is leaving that was fast I wander who the next principle is going to be?

 that's great mom that your legs are feeling better and that you are able to walk at the track I can't wait to Skype home here in a few weeks!!! I'm so excited.

I hope y'all find a another dog for MAX to have puppy's that would be awesome.

and Jillian is in a play what is the play called?

dang dad smurf is running again hahah that's gonna be something :) send me some videos of some of your races. I hope that my truck's still hanging around :) give max a hug for me, still waiting for that package to arrive. I really need that card y'all are putting together for me for food. and if you could possible send something to help budget my money better for food that will help.

I love you all so very much and miss you!

our baptisms are coming along I haven't had my first baptism yet we had to tell them because we as well as the ward felt that they aren't ready so we saw them yesterday and asked them to be honest with us and tell us if they were ready they said now so we went through all the lessons twice and got nowhere they still don't know who joseph smith and it doesn't help that they can't read and have a learning disability.

so we ask them to commit to two things one was to start having family home evening and teaching at least one of the lessons that we have gone over so that they can have a better under standing on everything. and two was to pray as a family on there baptismal date so that we don't keep setting one up for them to achieve for and end up not knowing squat that we've taught them.

enyways that's pretty much what my week consist of.

love you all and miss you!!!!

LOVE ALWAYS

elder black

JOHNNY

April 6, 2015

well I'm in the same area for another six weeks transfers are tomorrow but I don't get to go haha cause I'm staying :)

we are have our baptism this week can't wait and we have two more family's on date for two weeks down the road.

how's the cars coming along?

is my truck still exciting?? Mom the weirdest food that I've had so far is hation food, I had grits for the first time and I like them more so with brown sugar and butter with alittle bit of chocolate chips :) hation food is not he greatest but I ate it mainly because well I didn't want to be rude and I 'll eat anything thing y'all know that :) man it rained off an on this week back home I wish it would rain here..... its just getting hotter and hotter my tan is starting to come back and I'm starting to talk pretty funny haha. my companion say's hi.

we where suppost to go to a members house for conference on Easter but they past a rule that we had to watch conference at the church. Conference was a mazing guess what I didn't fall asleep haha yea :) I took a lot of useful note and a lot stood out to me. me favorite talks were from elder Holland about a brothers love and that leap of faith. my other favorite talk was when that first lady talked on Saturday how she talked about family's and how a priesthood holder or a man does not have more love for his spouse/wife then when he fulfills his priesthood authority by fulfilling his callings and living worthily to hold the priesthood. I really liked those talks. we had a brunch Easter morning It was really good like wow I had raspberry's and we were eating out side in the members yard it brought back a lot of childhood memories of picking berry's at grandpa bob's house when James and I where little. I love raspberry's and then for Easter dinner we went to another members house and we had raw milk it was soooo good  and we had turkey and ham with fresh green beans out of their garden that was good. this weekend was not only really spiritual but is was probably one of the best Easter weekends that I have ever had.  that would be really cool if y'all found another dog like MAX so that we could have puppy's I would love that I'm happy to hear that he's doing good and that he's healthy. how are James and Jillian doing? what have they been up to lately in school and sports? I can't wait for mothers day to Skype home and talk with my momma! I miss you all and love you soooooooooooooo much!!

can't wait to see what all is in my box when it finally gets here.

love always Johnny    

March 30, 2015

so the family that we have on date are still getting baptized it's on the 11th of this month pretty excited for that.

my knees are doing good I'm just now starting to get over having food poisoning from a few nights back that was the worst.

I was asking for more garments because I only have eight so I would like at least six more pairs but I can do for now:)

that's funny that max was doing those things he's a momma's boy haha but so am I.

transfers are this week but I think I'm going to be staying in this area for another transfer which is fine I'm getting realy close to the ones that I've been teaching and I don't feel like it's my time to leave this area just yet. but the lord may have somewhere els in mind for me to go we'll see:)

dad did you take eny pictures of the trucks that were there I should have ask last week but I forgot. and that's cool that the garage is almost done can't wait to see what it looks like.

which place did they send you mom because you should really go to the one I went to they are amazing :) I hope that they will fix that for you.

dang I hope Jill don't get what ya'll had cause that would stink :) love you all and miss you a bunch.

dad you should have James or Jillian record this season so I can see is if ya'll could send or so I can watch it when I get back home.

there are so many things that I can't wait to see and do when I get home to all of you. the mission field is doing great and I'm having fun.

one thing that I did get permission from president Harding is that if I can find out the names of our family members that live in Atlanta area that when I'm in that area or near it I could go on an exchange to go and visit possibly share a message with them that would be cool you think.

oh, and I was wandering if ya'll could send me some more ties in need more of a variety to choose from :)

love you all and miss ya can't wait to hear back.

love always   

Johnny ( Elder Black)