Week 23, June 17 - June 23, 2013 Transfers coming up....doesn't want to leave Lucban:(, baptismal interview with Gonzalo, Mary Joy and June to be baptized on July 13th!

Hey there famiy!

So his week was good, It was he baptismal interview of Gonzalo, the Deaf that you saw when we skyped, He has worked hard and prepared for his baptism, and it was a good feeling to have him finally be able to pass that interview and be ready for he waters of baptism next week. We have two other investigators, Mary Joy and June that will be baptized on the 13th of July, transfer day is the 6th of July, and I dont know whats going to happen, I hope Im not transferred yet, Lucban is too great, we have so much going on that I want to be here for, but I know that its in the Lords hands.

It was an amazing experience this week as we taught June repentance like we learned in Zone Conference. He has explained to us that in he has some pretty serious sins and he has felt as if he cant pray to the Lord, he said that the words just get caught up in his throat like something is holding him back, we have kept following up and insuring him that the lord is quick to forgive as we put forth our effort and come to him, and repent of our sins. and his week he said he had the courage to truly kneel down and repent of his sins, and as he did, the words just started flowing, and his prayer was more meaningful than any he had offered before. He felt the cleansing power of he spirit, and his prayer in our last lesson was so clear and powerful. I know he has felt he power of he atonement in his life, and I can see that through experimenting on he word, his faith has grown. and hes been filled with desire, a desire to follow christ in all things, even unto baptism.

I was a good week,

Thanks for your support!

I love you all

Elder Johnson

Week 22, June 10 - June 16, 2013 4 baptisms scheduled, new mission rules

Hey Guys!

Thanks for the pictures, I remember that place, Its a good memory!

Im doing well, Im learning more and more tagalog and forgetting more and more english every day ha, but Its a good thing, tagalog is the language of salvation here!

The week was good! we are almost finished visiting every less active on the ward directory. Its amazing how peoples hearts soften even if you just make a quick visit, say hello and ask about their life. It makes them feel they're not forgotten. Were experiencing some good success with the Less actives here. Its been a good week for our investigators as well. We had some great experiences using OYM, (Open Your Mouth) the new key indicator that was the topic of Zone Conference, its been amazing to see how some of the people we meet are truly prepared by the lord, He puts them in your path, and if you dont give them the message who will? We really are going to try for that 70 OYM this week.

We found a new investigator completely by the spirit, we were walking and it was raining pretty hard, when Elder Sembrano grabbed my arm and said turn around, so we turned around and went back to this house that we'd already passed. He tao po'd and through the crack of the door we could see there was this older guy, sitting on his couch. He invited us in. His name is June, and he said as he was sitting in his chair he was thinking about his life and he had said a prayer. We passed the house and he thought for a moment that we'd passed him by, but then Elder Sembrano had had that prompting to go back. He said the second we walked back he knew he should let us in. He was very receptive and seemed genuine in his answers in the lesson. Were hoping to see him progress.

We have 4 baptisms scheduled for the next few weeks, Gonzalo(deaf) Sister Mary Joy, Brother June, and Brother Mackey. were hoping they will go through. When you see someone you have grown to love act in faith and make that change in their life it really makes everything worth it.

They implemented some new rules this week, we are no longer allowed to have backpacks! We have to have side bags only, a slim side bag, here in the Philippines, the area 70 are seeing that as we match the message more, we are able to get into the big houses, we rate houses here in the mission, 1 to 10 and the area 70 wants us to focus on middle class houses, 5 to 8's which is really hard for the Pinoy Elders, if they come from a poor situation sometimes, these wealthier people intimidate them. Its been a really big week of change in the mission and im sure we'll hear more about it in the Zone Con this week. Its been hard to adjust but I know its inspired of god.We are becoming more of a mission like in the states, Its pretty hard to be a mission president here, The Pinoy Elders arent used to any rulesat home. Theres really none here, its controlled chaos, and thats why its still a third world country. Im anxious to see if the Elders in the mission will step up to what the Lord wants. I hope they can step up, the Lord needs it.

Thanks for your support,

You all are older in the picture! Its crazy!

I love you all

Elder Johnson

Week 21, June 2 - June 9, 2013 "Its been a week of growth, growth of self, growth of companionship, but most of all growth of testimony."

Hey Family,

You guys sound like your doing well. I hope the wedding went well! I am here in the SM in Lucena, I bought some MaineWood rubber shoes, because the rainy season is officially here, It is so good for the work, but the rain is like nothing ive seen! Its so thick and never stops! Its pretty cool honestly

This week was good, but It started out really rough, School started this week, Tuesday we had 20 names down, and got punted 17 times, It was truly discouraging, but I was confident that the next day would be better. So I woke up confident and faithful that we would have a better day, We did our studies, got out of the house on time, but to no avail, we were punted 17 times again, We came home and Id never felt so discouraged, I felt like i'd never given so much spiritually, and had so little visible results, I sat down and after we prayed to end our planning session with aching feet and heavy hearts, I started crying, Im not sure why, It was just a little bit too much at that point for me. It want because It was hard for me physically, I knew that the aching feet and back and whatnot were part of this when I came in to it, but I feel such a responsibility and a love for these people that we have met and I know how much they need the gospel in their lives , so I guess I just didnt know why it wasnt working. It wasnt like we were being lazy, we worked hard the whole day, we go to bed on time, and get up on time, we really are striving for obedience, I dont know what the break down was, but I got on my knees and prayed, and immediately felt better. I thought about it, and there were too many good days in Lucban, I , even though the poeple were of a perfect faith, walking in the ways of the Lord, the lord seeth fit to test his people. We kept praying and striving for that obedience, kept planning and preparing, and kept working and there was a turnaround, as we stayed faithful and kept working in patience, things started to work out, people were home, and our lessons seemed more powerfull than ever.

Its been a week of growth, growth of self, growth of companionship, but most of all a growth of testimony. I was humbled this week, and just like in the book of mormon, when a person (like Alma the younger), is humbled unto repentance the lord can truly make them an instrument in his hands. I can truly feel it in my life now, there is a part of my testimony that is there now that was completely non existent before.This week was another testimony to me that when it gets hard, to really dig down and study the word of god, they are powerful, and they have a way of answering any question and giving comfort that any person in any situation might have or need in this life.

The words of Joseph smith keep running through my head that "Sometimes the lord brings us low so he can lift us higher"

Ive felt it and I know its true.
Have fun in California!

With Love from the Phillipines,

Elder Johnson

Week 20, May 27 - June 2, 2013 Joel, Kathy, and Eden baptized! Rainy season begins....sheets of rain

Hey everyone,

This week was great, Elder Sembrano is awesome, my tagalog has gotten so much better in just the week alone, he dosent speak much english, Im trying to help him, But really no complaints, hes a good guy. This week it was the baptism of Joel Kathy and Eden. The 3 investigators that Elder Knight and I started teaching. It was great. Everything went well. We had the Sister missionaries from Tayabas there, we had some members of their families there, We wanted to have more investigators there, we invited everyone, we called again the day of, but something always seems to come up and their not able to make it. It was a good service, we felt the spirit. You could see the change in their countenance. I know they'll be great members. It was a long time that we spent teaching them, But its good because I know their truly converted. They're converted because of the teachings of the church, not to the missionaries who brought them to them.

But the funny part is yesterday, before the confirmation, we realized that Kathy's real name is Katrina. I said kathy in the prayer, so luckily, inspired by the Lord, I had left my baptismal clothes there at the church to dry overnight, bishop hadnt drained the font, and there was an extra set of dry baptismal clothing that Kathy fit into, so we had all we needed to get it done before the 3rd hour when Kathy was confirmed.I know the Lord knows when we make mistakes, and for something as big as the ordinance of baptism, he'll provide a way to get it done, but boy did I feel sheepish, Bishop Alpuerto, the Lucban Bishop was a little bit upset with us, but as time went on He just laughed about it, boy was it a crazy sunday! This is just one of the Life lessons im learning here in the philippines, gods a god of order and his records are there for a reason, they are truly important to the work!!

Im jealous of al the family out for the wedding! I miss you guys,

The rainy season is starting here in the phils, Its like nothing Ive ever seen, just sheets of rain that can tear right through your average umbrella and soak through any bag! But I love it. Everyone here is walking around with a big jacket and a sweatshirt, but it still feels like a summer night in utah to me ha,

I know the gospel is true and Im thankful for it,

Read the Book of Mormon!!

Love Elder Johnson

Week 19, May 20 - 26, 2013 A new companion, Elder Sembrano, Eden, Joel, and Kathy scheduled for baptism

Hey Family!

So Elder Knight is home, and I'm here with my new companion, Elder Sembrano. He's Bicyan, from Mindanao and he's a really cool guy. He is taller than me, and really slim, which is different from alot of the fiippinos i've been around.He's a really good teacher, he's been in the mission a year and a half, so he'll be finished with his mission here pretty soon. He's got a strong testimony.

The week went well, I enjoyed working with Elder Mendoza, I learned alot working in a different place and being with a different companion. It makes you better. The work in Lucena is alot different than here in Lucban, Here in Lucban the wealth distribution is relatively the same. Everyone has that 2 story concrete house. But in Lucena there are 8's and 9's (we rate the houses here in the mission from 1 to 10, for tractng puroses and establishng he church, you want houses between 4 and 10, but you rarely see a 10) everywhere, but then you'll have a whole barangy of houses behind those 8's and 9's where there are dirt floors and a rickety lean too houses all clustered together. Its different, but it was good to see how the gospel message is the same to everyone who hears it, regardless of your situation. We have three baptisms coming up his week, Eden, Joel, and Kathy. Its been a long process with these 3 but I know they are ready now. We are inviting everyone we can. We have told them to invite all their friends and family, and the Ward Mission Leader and Bishop here are great, so hopefully everything will run smooth.

Im excited for that, transfer day was cool, everyone in my batch looks a little older already! It's crazy how many missionaries are coming into the mission and 60% are sisters!. 31 total missionaries in this next batch, and 25+ in the next 4 or 5 so president says he needs people to train. Hopefully next transfer I can!

The work is going good, l'll keep working hard, I hope everyone is well!

The gospel is true, I love you all,

Elder Johnson

Week 18, May 13 - May 19, 2013 Elder Knight heading home, Zach's new companion, Elder Mendoza, 13 investigators at church!, Joel and Kathy commit to baptism

Hey Family!

So this week is pretty crazy, It was the Pahiyas festival, I got my camera stolen, I finished my training, Elder Knight is on a plane home, I have a new companion, Elder Mendoza, the ZL here in Lucena, and transfer day isnt until thursday, so i guess ive stepped up to Zone Leader for a week!

Lots of change! but its good, change means progression. I'll meet my new companion on thursday. Hopefully he's Filippino, My tagalog is getting alot better just in the 2 days ive had with Elder Mendoza. Hes Bicyan, (from the south) so he speaks so fast, you wouldn't believe it. It is the coolest thing when he talks as fast as he can. I dont know howhis tounge can form all the words! Hes a good guy, and a great leader. His Dad is a District Leader in Mindanao and Elder Mendoza will definetly go on to do great things to establish the church here in the Philippines.

The work was a little bit pangit this week, we didnt get too many lessons because of the festival. Many people were out, but the lessons we taught were good quality. We taught with power we had prepared good lesson plans and it was a great feeling to have the spirit be so strong. It was a testament to obedience, and sunday was even more of a testament as we had 13 investigators at church, 13! That never happens! We committed Joel and Kathy to be Baptized on June 1st. They will be great members, Im looking forward to that. The work is moving forward here in Lucban pretty well.

The MTC is 60% Sisters and 40% Elders, the mission will be that way soon. We have 21 incoming missionarys, 11 sisters, and 10 Elders!

It makes me think I might be transfered and Lucban might become a sisters area. I hope not, but I know its all in the Lords hands.

So thats the week, Elder Knight worked hard until the end. I was proud of him! I gave him my info, i'd e-mail his mom to get the homecoming info!

Im feeling blessed,

Love you guys

-Elder Johnson

In answer to some questions we asked him, he responded:

Elder Mendoza and Elder Haws were the Zone leaders, but Elder haws became the new office elder, hes being trained right now in san pablo, and Elder Knight is in san pablo for 2 days before he flys home wednesday as well so its me and Mendoza whos been here a year and 8 months as Zone Leaders until Thursday. I hope im not transfered! But if I am its alright, It would be col to have Elder Mendoza as a companion here in Lucban.. We wont know whats happening until thursday.

Of the 13, 3 are deaf. It was pretty amazing to have that many there, and it gets the ward excited about missionary work.

I can translate the sacrament meeting from tagalog to english sign language now, its really helped my understanding of the language, now I just gotta work on the speaking.

Great pic of max and tuck at the temple. tuck is sooo tall now!

Week 17, May 6 - May 12, 2013 Mother's Day Call Home!!

Today we heard from Zach for Mother's Day (6 p.m. Utah time). It was so special to see his face and hear him laugh and to know how comfortable he feels in the Philippines. He feels at home and we could tell how much he is loving his mission and the people there.