June 15, 2015

so this week was awesome my companion and I had the opportunity to witness on of the investigators of the district that I'm in get married that was very interesting haha i'll send y'all some pictures.

everyone is just getting so big "wow" Lila and Marley are so cute and really funny it stinks that Charlie is gone he was one of the greatest dog's in the world I'll miss him. James look's just the goofiest in his treky uniform haha but I did to so :)

along with this week being just the craziest well mission life is always crazy and full of up's and downs but along with all of the fun we've been having bummer news has come into our court and tried taking over the game. one of our investigators fell off date and has been pretty evasive with us not answering any of our phone calls or texts hasn't been to church and his baptism was suppose to be last Saturday. unfortunately it didn't happen. we are still trying to get a hold of him and figure things out can y'all pray for him his name is Yusuf.

this library that I'm at is really lame so I might not have any more time to email here in a few minutes i'll try to email a little later today.

let every one know that I love them and miss them so much.

love you mom and tell dad that I miss him and love him too.

make him a fathers day card for me. LOVE ALWAYS

JOHNNY   

June 8, 2015 testimony & email

scripture Mosiah ; 18:7 is what I've picked

testimony: I know that this church is the true restored church and that joseph smith is a true prophet of god who was given the authority from god the eternal father him self to go forth and re-establish the church of Jesus Christ of later day Saints, I know that President Tomas S. Monson is the prophet here on the earth today. I know that I was sent here and given a body and two amazing Earthly parents to lead and help guide me as well as teach me the gospel, I know that through there strong and faithful testimony I was able to learn and grow in the church. I know that Jesus Christ loves each and ever one of us and that he livestoday. I know that I have a loving and caring heavenly Father that sent his only begotten son to die for us so that we can live him again once more. I know that as a missionary I can learn to love the one's that I come in contact with and I can be the hand that helps them when they fall. I can show them the path which heavenly father has laid out for them. I love this gospel and this church I love my savior Jesus Christ and the example he sets for me. I love being a missionary and serving my heavenly Father. I love teach the amazing people here in Georgia, this mission is wonderful it has taught me so much. already even though I haven't been out that long. I love my mom and dad and the example they set for me and my siblings. and I leave these things with you in the name of our beloved savior and redeemer Jesus Christ amen.

so yesterday was fast Sunday and probably one of the most funniest fast and testimony meeting I have been so far it was suppose to be just short and brief testimony's but we have a lot of members that are resent converts form Baptist churches and they got up well some of them got up and when it was there turn it kind of turned into story time and they used a lot of body language it just was the funniest thing ever I tried to hold it in and be quiet but I just could not stop laughing I was a little quiet and we were in the back of the gym so we didn't make to much noise but man that was a great testimony meeting. and later on after church on of our investigator's that we went to go visit came out side and told us that she wanted to be baptized and that she wants to learn more about the church. yesterday was just awesome. differently strengthened my testimony.

this church is so true It hurts in side to see people just reject us or tell us that they are not interested. we had one older lady yell at us before we could even get to here drive way, to don't even think about it. just busted our bubbles and we kept walking. Elder Hope say's hello and so does the rest of our district they are all here at our library today. I' really excited for this week to continue and to go out and find more folks to teach this beautiful message that we have to share with them. my heart just fills with joy when I see them except this great blessing of the gospel into there lives. I hope to sent y'all some picture this next week my camera has been dead for the past transfer because I haven't had any batteries for it so hopefully I can get some to you here soon.

 I love you all and miss you  keep me in your prayers and pray that Elder Hope and I continue to do well and keep baptizing and finding folks to teach the restored gospel.

 LOVE ALWAYS

JOHNNY (ELDER BLACK)

June 1, 2015

haha why don't you want to give max a hug and a kiss you'll just smell like wet dog for awhile and have nice slobbery kisses on your face :)

anyways haha its really nice to here everyone is doing well it feels like yesterday I emailed y'all so it's like I don't much to email but I can tell you a couple of story's that have happened here recently.

transfers came around and now I have the hulk as my comp and we baptized three people last weekend, I was very excited and spiritually over happy if that makes sense. we are trying to teach our new investigator her name is Michelle Taylor and she is just full of story's its like story time every time we go over to her house. :) we are also teaching a pretty solid family the lowery's  there name is spelt differently so the computer doesn't like it but they are a really cool family of five ages from 18 to 48 Dalton sr. is 48 and his wife Barbra is 47 and they have four children but we only see three so we say family of five Dalton jr. is next and he's a police officer he doesn't like it when his brother and dad call him five-o haha I think its kind of funny and he's 25, the next one is Walter he performs every night at the club he raps brother cairns calls it crap and gives him a hard time. his stage name is wolf and I call him wolfy but he say's I'm only aloud to call him that he calls me black so I guess it works. last one is Desiree she just turned 18 last week the whole time I thought she was like 21 but I guess not everyone picks on her cause she's the little one they feed us pretty good every once in a while. they're pretty solid as well. we have another baptism coming up which will make this one number four if you count Ashley's baptism but its Just three for me on the mission his name is Yusuf he's from Nigeria and he's really big into soccer age is 22 and he doesn't talk that much but he is super solid and ready to be splashed into the waters of baptism haha:) so far that's it other then that the mission is doing great I'm doing well and healthy we had a really good breakfast this morning I made pancakes bacon and eggs for my companion and I it was so good. today is kind of like our calibration for our baptisms we are going to Applebee's for lunch today a member is buying the district lunch there and then we are eating at another members house for dinner tonight. pretty busy day I love you all and hope to hear from you soon. still waiting on those packages y'all said were coming. hope my home card comes with them :)

alright well gotta run lave ya and miss you lots!!

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY

ELDER BLACK  

May 27, 2015

well this week has been pretty fun labor day week end was bla no one was home and we tracted for like all day it seemed and not a single door opened up. my new companion is 6'5" and out weighs me by 100 pounds tall blond guy from Idaho Dra-Rome, Idaho his name is Elder hope.

He's really into football and basketball we get along a lot better then Elder Marcelin and I Did. he's a lot laid back and for some reason likes to try and wrestle me all the time. turns into our morning work out. the mission field is getting a lot better I'm kind of excited that I got to stay in my area but at the same time I wanted to move. I finally got my baptism last Saturday we baptized five people the sisters had two and we had three. one of my converts moved out of our ward boundary's so we have to referral over to that area to start his new member lessons the other two are doing well.

what else is new back home I know y'all are heading to New Mexico here soon that's really cool be sure to say hi to everyone for me and to give everyone a huge hug too. don't get too tan while your down there I still need to beat you and being tanner haha :) I love you all and miss one last thing before I go can you send me a sweatshirt that I can wear in the rain its really to hot to wear my heavy coat and it rains so hard here you get soaked in two seconds it rains so much.

love you and miss you hope to hear from you soon.

LOVE ALWAYS

JOHNNY(ELDER BLACK)      

May 18, 2015

well its really good to have the privilege and ability to have this emailing I don't know what I would do with out it.

transfer news is that I'm staying in the area and Elder Marcelin is leaving so my address is still the same. but if you have already sent things off I'll be at transfers on Wednesday.

the family that fell off is back on date and are getting baptized this week end we didn't want to hold it back any longer just in case they decided to bail again. so I will finally get my first baptism on the mission I'm really happy and excited.

alright so I sent off a letter and it has the rest of my list on it as well as my scripture for my plaque.

but I guess this way would be faster right :)

so here are some of the other things that I need. I did bring my list.

1.) shorts same size that you got my other shorts in will do fine. (Large)

2.) wranglers I need a size 34-34 on those because of the way the members have been feeding us lately I might gain some of that weight back I hope not but just in case that size will be good.

3.) sun glasses nice ones if you can ones that wont break on me.

4.) I need another pair of PJ's light and not so thick so I can wear them in the summer time it gets so hot hear last night it was 85' degrees out side and pretty humid we have like three fans running in our apartment with the AC running on high and at its lowest temperature. (Large)

5.) I need a couple more shirts (crew neck) if you can. LARGE.

6.)I need a tooth brush and tooth past

7.) I need batteries for my camera because it douse not charge. it takes double AA's

8.) I need a pair of compression shorts so I don't get my garments all gross anymore then they are already getting when I play basketball and work out. (Large)

9.) sweatshirt LARGE and if y'all could send two, one for when its cold and one for p-days the one for p-days can it be not as thick so I can also work out in it and go on hicks in it both hoodies.

that is everything so far if there is anything else I will let y'all know other wise I love you all and miss you so much.

I'll talk to you next week and I'll email you some picture next week I forgot my camera back at the apartment.

LOVE ALWAYS

JOHNNY            

May 11, 2015

Marley is getting big and so is McKenna they look cute Lyla is so funny she like posses in every picture haha that makes me smile.

little Ethan isn't so little any more. and haha grandpa is pushing dad that funny :) the garage is looking good. this email wasn't a noval this time haha I love you mom and I really happy I got the chance to talk to you and everyone else. I got Collin email finally and he said that he is looking forward to helping dad out at the track and that he is soon to be out on his own in his own house. pretty crazy I know haha but he's doing well with work so far.

I'm excited to Skype again at Christmas I will have longer time to Skype then is what I have been told so I can talk longer. I for got my list at the apartment so here is just a few things that I can remember,

1.) I need a new pair of shorts

2.) I need some more soap

3.) a hoodie and a couple of nice sweaters not so big but so I can wear them with my church cloths

4.) I need a flash drive the assistants are going to put some music on it for me, elder Marcelin is leaving and he has all the music that we are aloud to listen to and I don't have anything.

5.) if you could send me two pairs of wrangles now that I have lost a lot of weight I need new pants.

6.) I need a new tooth brush and some more tooth past.

7.) I need some nice sun glasses the sun is killing me over here.

8.) some more socks preferably socks that I can also play basketball in so I don't keep ruining my church socks

9.)pictures of everyone and of max...

10.) I'll email you the rest off the list that I need next week but for now that is what I need.

If you want to put music on the flash drive for me that would be grate, we can listen to the tabernacle, EFY, national tribute, the work, conference talks, primary songs, hymns, and john by the way.

I love you all and I will talk to you next week

LOVE ALWAYS JOHNNY     

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