John does not wish to write these other things but would like to come say the words to them. He is not saying that he would write them with something other than paper and ink.
John wanted to visit them but he did not know for sure if he would be able to. Alternate transaltion: "I plan to come to you" or "I want to come to you"
"Face to face" here is an idiom, meaning to speak in their presence. Alternate translation: "speak in your presence" or "speak to you in person" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])