Things to do before the year ends

-Read the whole Book of Mormon in Spanish (voy por Alma 50)
-Learn how to teach the doctrine of the restoration in a way that can't be denied. Talmage is helping me with that. -Write something more meaningful my journal.

Dear Family,
I have got a lot in my head. I hope that what comes out today will be of use to your lives and your testimonies. I invite you all to learn how to speed read. There is something that happens to the mind when it is done. What is read is explored by the deeper part of the mind and new insights are given. I would describe it as "pondering in the moment." The scriptures are opening up to me in a way I never thought possible. The time I spent before the mission trying to learn how to speed read wasn't in vain after all, haha. I think I am reading better right now in Spanish than I ever could in English. I think part of it has to do with the grammar of the Spanish language. It flows better with the mind, haha. (It's funny how I'm getting a red squiggly line under every word I type because this computer is in Spanish.) Anyway, I want to shout through the computer so that you will all read the Book of Mormon. I love the words of Alma as he describes faith and its growth into a pure testimony and how we can apply it to the things of God and this world.

¿Y no es esto verdadero? Os digo que sí porque es luz, y lo que es luz es bueno por que se puede discernir. The Book of Mormon is true because it is light. It teaches man to do what's good. I'm not sure how to describe in English pero lo que es luz es bueno. Dios existe, esta es la unica iglesia verdadera. It's got to be so obvious. Just read the history! I'm going to try to teach the people here of the false tradicions of their fathers as the sons of Mosiah did with the Lamanites. And they did it using the words of Christ. We've got to search the words of our dear prophet. What he said in this last conference will have a deeper meaning as we are not to cast our pearls to the swine. With the spirit we will be able to find the deeper meaning. Let's learn this lesson now. Learn wisdom in thy youth. God will open up our minds to the truths of this world if we are willing to learn them. Doesn't that get you excited to learn? I know I don't have any of my science books here, but there is a Joseph Smith translation that says the key to science is the fullness of the scriptures.

I'm grateful to be a missionary, I love you all with all my heart. Search the prophets. Merry Christmas and a HappyNew Year! Make some goals and let me know what they are so I can pray for you!

Elder Johnson