Zachary Justus Johnson

So we finally got permission to drink Maté in the mission--which is something that all of the missionaries of Latin descent have been dreaming about for years. It's a pretty big deal because the whole point of not allowing Maté (or its cold counterpart Tereré) has been a big part of not only the mission's rules but also it's culture. It was a symbol of obedience, a symbol of sacrifice, something that says I can do hard things. I don't have to do what I have been doing for years before.  I can change We are only allowed to drink or "intake" (as the direct translation would say) Maté and Terere in our own house and using our own "equipo" or set up. You can't just throw the herb in a cup and start swigging. There's a process. You have choose which cup or "guampa" you're gonna use. Are you gonna drink it warm? Most people have an automatic boiler which is actually a pretty nifty and cheap way, but I prefer drinking it cold. The clas...

4/4/2022 Hightower Psalm 144, My deliverer and my shield my stronghold and hightower I have always been told how to deal with stress, why it's important, why you can't let yourself get too stressed out and all that. I think I have passed through a lot of stressful experiences in my life just like anyone else but I've never really considered it a problem. I actually thought it was a positive thing. It helps you learn, make decisions, it keeps you on your toes. I think life would be awfully boring without it.  I would always say this to my friends, "if you don't have girl problems your life isn't exciting enough." What they never told me was how to deal with the "lack of stress." In the mission if there's a slow moment or a little bit of down time it's pretty easy to find something to do. In fact it's good to always be doing something, especially for me otherwise I would just get bored and trunky. But a lot of times when I should relax ...