Transfers!

Dear Family,

So I didn't reach my goal of finishing the Book of Mormon, mainly because I got distracted as I am in a new part of the city of Guayaquil! Monday night after I wrote you last we went to an investigator and couldn't find him so we went walking towards my first baptism Hector. He was close and I wanted to see if he had gotten my present. I made him a Book of Mormon case with cardboard and pictures covering it of Jesus and stuff. He lives with the Landasuri family and they are strong members and give us lunch every other Sunday. They had expressed how they were happy with our companionship because it was the first time in a while where there were two elders who talked and smiled.

Well, we were walking down the street (we had told people Sunday at church that there might be changes that night) and from far away sister Landasuri saw us. "Elder Johnson!!" she shouted, turning to her window and those in her house, "Elder Johnson didn't get changed!" I was almost in tears. We got closer and explained that we still didn't know if we would have changes or not because no one had called us. She had us sit down and gave us cola, bread, more cola, and more bread. It seemed like everyone in the ward showed up and all of them laughed when they first saw me and said like "I told you so! I knew you weren't leaving!" At the end of all of the emotion (the whole young single adults group had showed up for an activity at a house across the street) We got serious and told them that there was still a chance for changes. I said goodbye to them as they left to the activities, it was a sad moment. I had gotten close to a few of them, especially Juan Jose who will be going on his mission soon. We said goodbye and they said "See you tomorrow!" because no one knew that that wasn't going to happen.

Well, I'd like to say I felt the change coming but the Bishop loved telling me I have no keys or rights to that revelation, haha. The next morning we studied a little abnormally as we were both kind of tense waiting for the phone to ring. Our district leader called and told me to pack my bags, and to tell my compainion to pack his bags, and then said just kidding he didn't know anything. You can imagine the emotion, haha. We continued studying when our zone leader called at 10AM and told my companion to hand me the phone. "You got changes man, it's been a pleasure to work with you." said Elder Wood from Utah.

I didn't know what to think. I had left everything out thinking the change wouldn't come but also feeling it would and then not wanting to pack unknowingly to not jinx anything. So my companion was really nice and got my suitcase ready with all the stuff on my desk and I did the other suitcase with all the stuff in my room. We had to do it quick to be at the terminal within 30 minutes. We got there in 45min but it was fine. It was just the bus terminal where we always do the changes and there I found myself with the assistants. "God trusts you, you're going to be senior companion."  said Elder Duarte from Colombia.

I found out I was going to the Cisne Zone in the Branch Independencia. My new companion is Elder McRae from Peoria, AZ and has one transfer less than me. We are so excited to work here. He is a cool guy and really direct with the people and I like that he isn't afraid to talk in his Spanish. We need to do a lot here for this branch. There weren't the greatest number of people in sacrament meeting but there is so much potential here. Pray for us to have the strength to be perfectly obedient and focused this week!

Love you all,
Elder Johnson