Week 71, May 19 - May 25, 2014

Family and friends, 

Man the week went great, I really wish I could put more lines down here but it was just another solid week of work!

It rained for the first time in a long time yesterday, we slept so well, Ill never forget that, if its a hot day and then it rains at night, my body just drops. Its a good thing, you wake up rested!

The spiritual insights this week have been many, I think each week here in the Phils I see things that are both great examples of things to do and things not to do, things to apply and things to discard. I think back to Henry B. Eyrings talk this past conference about Heroes, and how when you hold the priesthood whether you want to be or not you are an example, you are a light, dim or bright others see you, and form opinions based on your actions, and to me I have seen many examples and read of many experiences of those who have put the church first in their life and given all they have, while still exercising common sense to the Lord and his kingdom, We experience both ends wherever we are those who are consecrated and those who will shrink, but this week was another testament to me of the true blessings that you can bring not only to your own life and family, but the life of others through consecration, The blessings are great, and this week as there is truly both ends of the scale, consecrated and not here within the Branch it becomes a prime opportunity for us as missionarys to grow as we exercise patience and help others come to see the amazing things that really could come out of a result of deeper consecration. So if your not consecrated, if you feel that anything in your life is above that of family and the church, I invite you to prioritize, As we shrink from greater consecration we find ourselves unworthy of the sacrifice of the one who for our sake refused to shrink in his great and atoning sacrifice for our sins. The church is amazing, it is the fullness of the gospel and the only way to true and lasting happiness, So be that example, purify yourself and I can promise the blessings are great, weve felt it in our work. 

I love you

Elder Johnson

Week 70, May 12 - May 18, 2014

Hey family,

The week went well, The heat continues to rise as it was a blazing 94 degrees in our room last night, but were so grateful for the nice tan the sun gives. 

Lance was Baptized this week and it really was quite the experience, Lance is a really special kid, a 15 year old part member family investigator, his older sister and family are really active members here in Lemery and she introduced us to Lance about 6 weeks ago. Lance has completely switched his friend group, he's quit smoking and other word of wisdom problems, he paid a fast offering, fasted, and bore his testimony all before his baptism, I learned alot about the pure workings of the spirit from him, as well as the blessings and testimony that comes as we act on those promptings. He invited all his family and a ton of his friends in his kind of run down neighborhood to his baptism, he said there were quite a few people who wanted to come, the only thing was they didn't have money to get there, we felt strongly that this was an extremely important event and that there was still a way that God had prepared, so as me and Elder Merrill thought about it we remembered a member who has a van, this member is always gone, driving people to the airport, or to weddings, things like that, but we let him know and he said that Saturday, the day of the baptism was his day off, and that he was happy to help. It was quite the experience as we piled 20 people, consisting of investigators, friends of lance as well as his mother and all his siblings.  into this van and got them over to the church. We had spent the morning cleaning the font, and setting up the Relief Society room, the spirit was there and it was a very special experience for all. The talks were great, very personal, Elder and I taught the Doctrine of Christ to those present, and as Lances sister bore her testimony to her family who was there about the eternal nature of the family and the gospel of Jesus Christ, there were some moist eyes. The spirit confirmed to everyone that what Lance did that day was sacred,as we followed up with Lances family yesterday, they seemed to be so much more willing to hear, and think about what we were saying, Baptismal services really are the most spiritual meeting in the church.

The work is going great, I can feel your p[rayers lifting me up.

Love you all!

Elder Johnson

I think we'll go visit the huge catholic church on the hill, then go get some grocerys, then nap, we washed our clothes by hand this morning, so the hard parts over, 

I'll get that money tomorrow, thanks! 

Sleep good 

Love you lots!

Tell everyone I said Hi and that they all look great, especially aimee in her new glasses :)

This is Lance and his sisters family,

I got your package! Thanks for the ties

Week 69, May 5 - May 11, 2014

Elder cook got a pinata in his B-day package!

This is Lance, he'll be baptized this week!

Week 68, April 28 - May 4, 2014

Im doing well, it was a good week, we had our Mission Leaders Council in San Pablo, heard some really great things from president, Next month he goes home and i'll be at 18 months! Time goes by so fast! 

Yesterday was great we had alot of people coming to church, our investigator lance got up and bore his testimony from a prompting from the Holy Ghost, and he's not even baptized yet, theres been alot of part member families that have come to us over the past week and its opened up the door to teach alot of people, we feel really blessed.

We had a fun experience the other day, we used a members printer/scanner to print our progress record, his mother livces with him and his family, shes about 70 years old, and here in the Phls when you get to a certain age you thought process changes a little bit, we forgot to shut the power off on the printer and we left, usually that would be ok, but when the member left, his mother was there alone, she heard the printer reset, kind of a "wherr: then a "click click"and in her old age and lack of knowledge about technology she thought the printer itself was about to explode, so she went out back of their house and resumed her reading there, until the member came home and found her there, he was surprised that she was outside, and he later found out why and told us, so the moral of the story is that you just dont know what technology can do to old people, so turn off the printer after you use it.

The week was great :)

I feel great, I actually lost a big toenail back in Lopez and its grown in wrong its effecting my walk, so today were going to get it worked on, it'll hurt, but it'll be good to get it fixed, other than that i'm alright, drinking alot of water, Fasting is pretty extreme with this heat, but it was really neat to feel the Lord lifting us up as we did it yesterday. The members feed us well, Im not full if I dont have rice with my meals anymore, we bought 25 kilos for the transfer, life is good! 

How are you guys doing anything else that happened, funny storys?

Theres actually no card reader here, i cant send the pics, but next week we get to skype! I'll call you guys at around 6 PM Sunday night there, is that OK?

I gotta take off! Is that alright 9 AM here 6 PM there sunday evening? We'll make it the plan

I love you guys

Elder Johnson

Week 67, April 21 - April 27, 2014

Hey Family

The week went great, its getting hotter and hotter each day. 93.5 last night in our room, but the work is still moving right along, we see miracles each day. 

I think the biggest miracle we saw this week is with our 2 favorite investigators sister Joy and sister Vilma. They really really enjoy church, they are extremely smart. but their knowledge has kept them from really humbling themselves, getting on their knees and asking god if these things are true. We had a really great lesson on Tuesday, and when we came back, sister Vilma had done it. She felt it, and she read all of 1st Nephi as a result, but sister Joy, she didn't seem to get it, she hadn't put these things first in her life yet, so we challenged her again, we came back Saturday night and she still didnt seem sure, we invited them to church and they came again, they've come quite often, and seem to enjoy it, they went to general conference, everything seems to make sense in their heads, but Joy was still lacking that witness from god that these things are true. Yesterday in our gospel principles class we discussed faith in Jesus Christ. It was a really great lesson on how every action we take in this life reflects our faith in god, and the blessings promised from righteous living. The spirit was there, and we had sister Joy say the prayer in the end. She began and then stopped, we waited with our heads bowed and heard her through tears ask god clearly if these things are true, she asked for forgiveness for her sins, and committed herself within her prayer to strive to do what was pleasing to him. It was a very special moment to see this individual make such a step, to humble herself enough to ask and I know that she now knows from no other power but god of the truthfulness of these things. 

We tracted alot this week and found many more souls that the Lord has prepared, I know hes prepared them in all of our lives, there are people waiting to hear these things, and I know that the work will continue until everyone has heard it, We have Lances Baptism coming up on the 17th. and Joy and Vilma we hope on the 24th. There is so much good happening in a place that 12 weeks ago hadnt experienced a baptism in a year and a half. Its amazing what the Lord can help you become as you make yourself something he can work with. Im thankful for the growth we've seen. 

Love you all

Elder Johnson

Wow, thats sad about brother christofferson, he left a great legacy.. He'll be missed, I hope Elder Christofferson is alright. 

Good job tuck! Thats awesome, 

Those scooters look pretty heavy duty, everyone looks great in the videos! I cant wait to see that picture of tucker and his lady!

Wow, time flies! Well thanks for the videos and your love, I can only hope to reciprocate it to others that I serve here! 

I love you all

Till next week

Elder Johnson

Batangas boyz.

fishing boats and the sunset,

Manny paquiao came to church!

Week 66, April 14 - April 20, 2014

Hey family, 

1) Happy Birthday Tucker! Its tomorrow here, but its still pretty far away for you, I'll celebrate it in my mind and heart!

2) The week went well, it was Holy Week here in the Phils and the processions of those whipping themselves and the insane amount of people who were outof town made the work a little bit rough, It was literally a ghost town the past few days, but it gave us a chance to talk to alot of new people and find some new people on thew Lost Member list. 

3) I got my first cocroach bite, (if you can see on the pictures, it kind of looks like I got punched in the eye) it was an expereince, but the swelling has gone down, and its all good now.

4) We had really really good Zone interviews. An interview with a man like president is always too short.

5)  Its transfer week, we'll see what happens! 

6) The lord has really been working in the lives of our investigators, there has been a real focus in the mission of getting investigators ready to endure to the end before their baptism, and we've really been focusing on that, there are new standards for baptism here in the Phils. and president really stressed that each investigator needs to meet every requirement in full before baptism, there was some murmuring among other missionaries, but there's on thing I learned this week as I studied priesthood keys and though back to the opportunity I had to talk with Elder Nielsen of the seventy. He told me that there is one thing that is on every seventys mind, don't dissapoint the keys. As a missionary of a man who holds keys, that is my job to not dissapoint the keys, not because the man who holds them, but because of our savior where the keys come from, Its been a slower process, but I know its what god needs us to do having come from men who hold the authority to tell us. Just as when im at home I am loyal to the things an Elders Quorm President instructs, not because of him, but because the keys he hold that come from Jesus Christ. Loyalty is a huge thing to our father in heaven.

The mission is great!

I love it!

Elder johnson

Congrats Bailee! Yea, its the power of con bro chill, 

I got my camera, i was able to hagle for it, it was a really nice camera 16MPX for less than 100 bucks, we had a good macdonalds meal, food for the rich here, with wome of the other money., Thanks a ton!

Ha, yea, it felt like I got punched hard in the eye! It was swollen and tender, the bite was on my eyebrow, it swelled up the most, but its gone now

The standards are really a great thing, if we teach a member of the family there has to be the father present, which makes scheduling a little difficult, then there are certain reading requirements, live the word of wisdom for more than 4 weeks without a relapse, and they need to pay fast offerings and truly understand tithing before baptism, things like that, just giving them a better understanding of what their coming in to, and helping them to see if they want to make that big of a change, if they want to commit to as big of a change as it truly is. Its really inspired, It'll help alot!

Everyone looks good! The yard looks great! Congrats on No more braces.. Thats good news! Its really crazy how fast time is going by, its almost may! Max is leaving soon!

Were in the middle of summer right now, May it starts to rain, the summer break here is April and May, they go back to school in June, It was 92 in the apartment last night haha, the fan feels more like a blowdryer 

My comp is downloading some videos for some lessons later on, proboably about 5 minutes or so left

The language will be rough for him, there are still things I dont understand completely in tagalog, but its amazing how the lord just sticks those words in your mouth, Its pretty fun to feel that

I got the video, you all sound great! I love you too, were taking off! 

Have fun, be safe

Elder Johnson

Week 65, April 7 - April 13, 2014

Hey family,

Our p-day was switched this week! 

We had quite a long week, from a Zone meeting last Wednesday, temperatures of 105 degrees again, to General conference, the closest location being a 2 hour van ride away, on Saturday and Sunday, then to our Zone Interviews on Monday, another 2 hour van ride away, and through it all god taught me a spiritual lesson, It made me think of the importance of a day of rest in every week, we were feeling it yesterday as we felt the 8 day week toll on our bodies, and it made me thankful for gods knowledge, he was the one who created these bodies we have, and he knows how important that day of rest is to it. The sabbath can be that day to recharge in things both spiritual and mental so long as we are prepared to let it do so, 

Im really grateful for conference, Its a pretty great thing here in the mission, its like a movie premiere, I honestly enjoyed every talk, They all had something that related one to another, I thing its amazing how god can get all his servants on the same page even without an assigned topic. My favorite talk was from ELder Scott, I self titled it, how to help others, it was the proven simple way to help others see their potential and change, the quote he said that I love so much was about when he decieded to change as a result of his grandmothers words. he says ichanged because "I knew she loved me, and I knew she loved the gospel" Its a simple thing but it impacted me, as others see that we love the lord and his gospel  with a true love, not only for others to see, it makes them think theres something there for them, and as that love is coupled with a love for that person you want to help change, that change happens.

Im excited to apply it with the Zone,  

The church is true, and I felt it again as I listed to the Brethren speak.

Love you all!

Elder Johnson

Hey guys, I hope your all well, I gotta go! I'm excited to read your report next week! 

I love you all so much and I love my savior Jesus Christ, I was moved to tears this morning as I saw this video (http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694) , I know he lives and I know that all of us have that chance as a result of his sacrifice. He is my reedemer and my friend.

Happy easter,

Love Elder Johnson