It´s just as Preach My Gospel says, `Nothing occurs until an investigator is found.`  How are we supposed to find people to teach and bring to Christ??  Through opening our mouth and proclaiming the good news.

Speaking of good news, Elder Vasconcelos and I began having a bunch more success this week!  We shared a few of our beliefs with a older couple, Jehova Witnessess, and it went really well!!  They´re new in town and have a bunch of dogs.  One dog realy caught my attention.  His name was Homey (after Homer Simpson :) ).  He was an absolute sleeping machine!!  When we came to the gate, he ran out, barked once, then immidiatley laid down.  Multiple times during the lesson I would find him sitting on the floor with head cocked to one side...SLEEPING.  Homey even started SNORING (and I mean loud...louder than my companion at least).  I think it´s because he finds a hard time breathing through his nose (which looks like he got run over by a semi).  Sadly, Alexandre and Marivone were a tad hard on a couple subjects like Christ being the God of the Old Testament, another `Mormon Bible` and more than 133000 people on earth being saved, yet the whole experience taught me something.  Sharing is the first step to create a bonding relationship.  I learned that JW don´t give blood, don´t vote, were persecuted during WW2, believe Christ was nailed to a stake (not cross), and they´re homemade bread is Fabulous!

After leaving the Jehova Witnessess with our testimony and a Book of Mormon to read/examine, we encountered members Rose and Gabriel (son of Rose) along with Malu (Rose´s sister and nonmember).  We entered their house and taught about the Restoration of the Gospel at night.  One of my favorite parts was when we were explaining about the Apostacy.  For an simple example, I reached for the light switch and turned off the lights.  Utter darkness dominated the room.  I explained that there was a period of confusion and darkness without the fulness of the gospel on the earth.  I then stated, `In 1820, everything changed (I flipped on the lights again)`.  The spirit was extremely strong.  Vando, the father, said that not one of the past missionaries that had passed by had taught with such knowledge and power.  We explained that it was just the spirit opening his heart in that moment.  

I know that we must share to show that we care for each one of our Heavenly Brothers and Sisters here on earth.  And I pray for more opportunities each day.

See ya next week!!

Elder Johnson 

Hi everybody!!  One more week past and gone here in Campo Largo, Brazil!  Man time really flies!  I´ll be quick because this Lan house is pretty darn expensive and I only have 20 Reais to live off for the next 4 days!  I´m getting really sick of Ramen, ya´know?  

This week was really cool because us missionaries planned out a huge activity for the entire church!  The activity was called `Campo Largo Espasoso`.  We essentially made a giant `tree of life` out of paper and put Christ in the center.  We had every participant write their names on a white sticky-note in the shape of a fruit (which us missionaries collected and slapped on the tree) before comencing the activity.  We tied ties around all the participants` eyes then led them to a cord (the iron rod).  They followed the rod until they entered the church.  Then they were loosed to try and find their way through obstacles to find the tree.  The holy ghost (us missionaries) whispered the way to go, while other helpers tried to distract.  In the end, everyone was laughing and having a good time.  

With the help of the spirit, EVERYONE made it to the tree (Christ).  What´s more, is that, when others arrived in the chosen destination, they returned to help their families who were struggling along the way.  What a great example, right?!!!  We always will have friends or family struggling to arrive in the kingdom of God, therefore, WE have a great duty to look back and help guide.  We are all one big family...the Family of God.  Why don´t we help out our fellow brothers and sisters along the rough path of life?  It´s so easy to do.  So let´s go!!  Hope to hear from you all next week!!

Elder Kumen Johnson 

Just to start it off...if you ever want to visit Brazil there´s a few tips you should know.  Some of the biggest ones are: the toilet water pressure is weak, everyone wears flip-flops inside and outside the house (to not get bitten by spiders and not get foot diseases), and mousse de maracuja is an instant tranquilizer.  By tranquilizer, I mean, this dessert is so powerful that it´s rare to see missionaries leaving a members house walking in a straight line after eating.  They´re literally sleep-walking!  

             Anyway, let´s see...about my week...Well, this week was pascoa (Easter)!  It was quite fascinating to see this holiday happen in a different country because it´s a tad different here in Brazil than the US.  They fill the whole supermarket full of giant football sized, chocolate eggs (Which you wouldn´t even believe me if I told you how expensive they are).  They don´t have easter egg hunts But they do have cool german chocolate eggs that have starwars figures inside (we bought 22 eggs in order to find the whole entire collection to the girlfriend of Elder Vasconcelos).  YEP, that was FUN!!!  

Also, we had a gargantuan conference with President Hart, wherein every dupla brought a member and their family.  The focus of the conference was members and missionaries working together.  WHY?  Because 1) an apostle promised that the mission of Curitiba would have success if missionaries and members worked together and 2) All the prophets since David O. Mackay have been COMMANDING it!  Since that conference we missionaries have been visiting members, marking appointments/lessons with them, explaining the necesity for effort on both sides (missionaries and members), and helping families create plans to bring friends and neighbors to the church, or in better words, to Christ. At the end of each visit, we left each house with an invitation for every member to bring 1 special individual to the Waters of Baptism or bring 1 person back to attend Sacrament Meeting. This invitation I extend to all of you, because every single soul on this earth has his/her part to do.  

Elder Johnson