Week 9, March 11 - March 17, 2013

On Mon, Mar 18, 2013 at 7:56 AM, Zachary Johnson wrote:
Its so good to hear from you guys! Im glad everyones doing well.

So i was thinking this week, and The church has been releasing alot of news about the church in asia lately, It makes me think that we are close to opening up this part of the world. There are chinese congregations all over asia, and with the new influx of missionaries, I think it cant be too far away. The area 70 for the philippines had a challenge for our mission, he told us to fix the philippines. The baptismal rates here are crazy good, but member retention is hard. Weve been working hard at completing families as well as reactivation. The goal is to have china open, and the church wants to send philppino missionarys there. Its close, and they will have the best job opportunities through learning mandarin, but the only way that will happen is through re-activation, good bishops, good wards, and families centered in the gospel. It makes sense, and it is cool to have an overall goal that we can see what all our work is going toward.

The work is going amazing here in Lucban, We had 10 investigators attend church yesterday, and had 14 new investigators this week. It looks like we will have 6 baptism's on the 20th and are hoping with the lords help to get our other 4 investigators who attended church to baptism. We are teaching between 23 and 25 lessons a week, Its been exhausting, but so great! The lord has really prepared people to hear the message.

Its cool, me and elder Knight call it spiritual sonar, But its a real thing. President talked about it. He said, Heavenly father has placed childeren of israel in the world, and put them in places where they have the best opportunity to hear the gospel, and If you are in tune with the spirit, as a missionary you can literaly feel if someone is one of the childeren of israel. One of our deaf members comes from a family with 6 kids, him and his other deaf brother are members, but the other four are still searching. We had them take us to their house one night and as we got inside and settled down, I felt it. I felt that these 4 kids in their house out in a rice field, with a tin roof, 4 beds, a small stove, and their pet duck, had been prepared to hear the gospel. It was a great lesson, and we have a return appointment as well as 2 of the 4 came to church yesterday. It was an amazing experience.

The sign language is coming great, but tagalog is coming more slowly. Each day, I understand more and more. Each person speaks a little bit different, but as my ears become more used to the accent, I can understand better what theyre saying. The hardest is when you get a 75 year old nanay with no teeth. It just sounds like swishing water around in your mouth! But I know through prayer Ill get it, Its hard, but nothing easy is worth it.

Its been easier this week, Ive adjusted a little more to philippino life. The more I understand of the language, the funner it becomes. I talk to little kids alot, its easier because you dont feel as judged, and its helped me alot.

I know the gospels true, I love it so much, and im thankful to be a missionary!

-Elder Johnson

Dad, two answers to your questions:

A) life with a companion is great! Elder Knight is awesome. Preach My Gospel says to learn all you can from your companion. He has some great ideas, and as ive focused on everything good tht he has to offer, Ive learned alot more and grown to love the guy! Its all about the attitude like you've said

B) LIfe in the philippines is different! Its so crazy, I write down the things that I think are strange in my journal each knight, and every day the list gets smaller and smaller ha. If you guys want to hear what it sounds like, look up and listen to the songs, "Call me Mabey" by Carly Rae Jepsen, "Gangnam Style" by Psy and "Pusong Bato" , I dont know who that is by, as you listen t those songs, picture people yelling, some horns honking, and lots of dogs barking, and thats how it sounds here! Here in the philippines, those 3 songs are blasted through every speaker everywhere! ha its so crazy, Ive adjusted to the food pretty well. Im growing to love rice.. Thats what they have here, rice, fish, pork, and sometimes beef! Not too many veggies, but I try and eat some carrots and green beans when I can, and the Mangos here are amazing! Its still different, but I like it more and more each day!

Week 8, March 4 - March 10, 2013 Moving into 1st apartment with 1st companion, Elder Corrick Knight, learning sign language, bucket showers, and apparently eating a popular street food - balut - boiled fertilized duck eggs:)

(This week we happened to be at the computer at the very same time as Zach! So we went back a forth for a little bit. The following is some of our conversation):

I good, im alive, and happy, still trying to adjust, but I love it!

Hey Bay, Yea hes a good guy! it is weird to be in the philippines! I wake up each morning and say that same thing ha! How are you?

Hey guys!

Its been a great week here in the philippines! We did some good work. Im getting more adjusted each day. Its funny, sometimes I will forget where I am, and then I hear "hey Joe," and I see a toothless, small, old, phillipino man grinning at me. And I remember, Im in the Philippines Theres so much to get used to, but its such an amazing experience.

We are working hard at finding with people that are deaf here in Lucban. Its been pretty tough mentally to try and learn two languages, But I feel like as Im learning sign language to help these people, the Lord is blessing me with the ability to pick up Tagalog a little quicker.

Its been a really cool experience to teach these people! They are so ready for the gospel. We teach them what we can in sign language, and with the help of our translator, and the pamphlets, they get the message. Its a group of 4, and all of them have their own personality's and it comes out through their sign language.

After lesson 1 on Monday We had a member, Raymart, who's deaf, bare his testimony to the group. His testimony is so strong, and even though there was no words, the spirit was so strong! It was truly amazing. After Raymart bore his testimony I had the opportunity to invite each of them to baptism, and they said yes! It was such a great feeling. They each got up after and talked about how they felt during the lesson, and I have no doubt that all 4 of them will make it to their baptismal date on April 20th.

The gospel is true, ever part of it, and the feelings of the spirit are universal, regardless of who you are or what language you speak

On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:17 PM, Michelle Johnson wrote:
Us: Isn't it amazing that different personalities can come out through sign language too!! That's so neat. So are you strictly assigned to people with hearing disabilities ?
On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:20 PM, Zachary Johnson ‪‬ wrote:
Z: No, we have other investigators as well! we have 8 people with baptismal dates, its been really cool!

Us: When is your first zone conference? Did you get a good chance to talk with your mission president when you arrived? How do you like using the weekly planner? Has it gotten to be a habit yet? I can't believe you have 8 baptismal commitments, awesome! Are you working with a branch or ward? Do you think your next companion will be Filipino? Is it unique to have an American companion?

Z: I have zone conference on the 20th, and yea I got to spend 2 nights at the mission home, and we had a good interview when I first got here. He and sister are really great people! Were working with a ward, its a really good ward to with strong priesthood, and an amazing bishop, Bishop Alpuerto!

On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:13 PM, Michelle Johnson ‪‬ wrote:
Us: That is such great news. What is your companion's full name? How can I reach his family? Are you enjoying him and how long has he been out? Is there a ward or a branch where you are?

Z: My companion's name is Corrick Knight. I sent his moms e-mail, This is his last 2 transfers, after me, hes going home! Hes a good guy.

On Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:29 PM, Michelle Johnson ‪‬ wrote:
Us: How is the weather there? Is it humid? Are the towels too big ? Do they work? What is your apartment like? bucket showers ??

Z: Yea! bucket showers every day! and the weather is not too bad, its really humid comparative to utah, but were up in the mountains so theres a nice breeze sometimes. Because were in the mountains though, the water is SO cold! Its like jumping in a lake! you have to phsych yourself up for 10 minutes before you pour that water on yoursaelf!! haha but the towels are great! our apartment is super nice.It was humbling. When I first walked in It was so different from what im used to, I was like, I have to live here? but then elder knight said it was one of the nicest in the mission, and it really is. We got it cleaned up and i really love it. ill send pictures in a minute
I good, im alive, and happy, still trying to adjust, but I love it!

Week 7, February 26 - March 4, 2013 Assigned to his first area - Lucban, his first field companion - Elder Knight from Logan, Utah, and meets his Mission President and his wife - President and Sister Peterson from Arizona

Hey Family!

Its SO good to hear from you guys!

Im sitting here in a Internet Cafe in my first area, Lucban Philippines With My companion Elder Knight from Logan, UT. He told me to tell you he says Hi! Its been a crazy week! The flight was good, I was able to sleep for quite a while. When we arrived in Manila I met President and Sister Peterson. They are SO nice. We had 2 hour drive from the airport to the mission home.Once we got to the mission home, President took us in for interviews. We talked about the Philippine and how the work is here. Here in the Philippines everyone believes in God. Everyone believes that god loves them and they all love Jesus. Its great! but satan has managed to confuse everyone. He makes them think that everyone will get back to heaven. They think all religion is good, they all teach good things, they all teach about god, but we will all make it back in the end. This is where our missionary work comes in. We have to stop the confusion. We need to let people know that the only way back to god is through his plan that he has established on this earth through his prophets.

After interviews we had an orientation. They went over healthtips, Do's and Don'ts and then we had dinner and went to bed. The next day was transfer day.

On transfer day, all the new missionarys sit up on the stand and they read off the new transfers and areas. It was exciting to see everyone getting their new companions. I was second to last in getting my compnion, I was nervous, but When I saw that I was with an american, It releived alot of that nervousness. Its been a really good couple of days with Elder Knight. After transfer meeting, we traveled out into our area. Lucban is beautiful. Its up in the mountains, so theres a little breeze most of the time. Its not a good thing for our bucket shower though! Its freezing!

Saturday we tracted alot and met with the ward mission leader. Sunday we went to church. The ward here in Lucban is great. There is a strong priesthood group, an amazing bishop, and alot of them can speak pretty well in english! They pray every night for success in missionary work! After church yesterday, I was feeling pretty tired. I have felt good up until yesterday, but I think the culture shock, Jet lag, change of diet, fast sunday and everything else just kind of all caught up with me at once. It felt like I got hit by a truck! I had a fever, and chills, and I was so sore! but Ive slowly been recovering throughout today. Im feeling alot better.

The philippines is a crazy place, but I love it. It's so loud, all the time. Everyone here has a big set of speakers blasting music all the time.There are dogs barking, people yelling, rooster crowing, motorcycles revving, Its complete chaos, yet there is such order to it! It just so different from anything I'm used to. Its been hard, but through prayer Ive received the strength to get up each day and do what heavenly father needs me to do.

One really cool thing I get to do here in lucban is learn Sign Language. We have 5 investigators who are deaf. We went to a sign language class yesterday, its so cool! Im excited to learn more, all 5 of them are really interested, and have expressed a desire to be baptized, but we just need to teach them the lessons first!

Im so grateful to be here in the philippines, it will take some adjustment, but I know in time, I will grow to love everything I now think is different. The people are so ready to accept this gospel and Im so glad I can help them do it. Thanks for all the support from home. I know the gospel is true and im so thankful for it.

Have a great week I love you guys!

Elder Johnson

P.S. It should be around this time that I email each day, Im not sure what time it is in Utah! So just expect it around this time, Love you!

Week 6 MTC (last), February 20 - February 25, 2013 and headed to the Philippines!

Hey Mom,

It was a bummer that the phone cut out so soon! But I made it safe to taiwan, Im sitting in an airport at an internet kiosk and its just past 6 oclock A.M. on wednesday morning! there are no americans! the keyboard is in Chinese letters, with small american alphabet on each key! We fly to manila in about an hour! It was a crazy day yesterday and I still have another long one in front of me, but i'm more excited than ever! Tell everyone I love them It was really good to hear everyones voice!

With Love from Taiwan,

Elder Johnson

Week 5 MTC, February 13 - February 19, 2013

Kumusta pamilya ko!

I hope everyone had an amazing Valentines Day! I loved your package! Thanks for all the letters mga kapatid (siblings)! I love you! Everyone in the room ended up with a package, and I honestly don't know how we are going to finish all of the candy!

So..Big news! I have flight plans! We got them on Friday, I leave the MTC at 4:30 on monday February 25th, My flight from SLC leaves at 8:00 and we fly for 2 hours to San Francisco. Our flight leaves San Fran at 12:05 AM on the 26th and then we fly all day, over the International Date Line, and arrive in Taipei Taiwan at 6:15 AM on February 27th! The flight from Taipei leaves at 9:30 AM on the 27th and arrives in Manilla at 11:50 AM after that I take a 2 hour Jeepney Ride to the mission home in San Pablo where I'll interview with President Peterson and then be off to my first area! Its weird to think that i'll lose an entire day of my mission while sitting on a plane!

It's exciting, yet terrifying to have the day be so close. I feel like through the lords help I am prepared spiritually and as a teacher, and I'm working hard on the language, I know i'm doing alright, but I know i'll get there and not understand a word! But I know that in the Lords time through prayer and faith that I'll understand the amazing language that tagalog is. The more I study it, the more I grow to love it. Its a beautiful language, and whats more amazing is that through it, there are 62 million more filipino people that i'm able to share the gospel with. Its truly a blessing.

The hastening of the work is amazing! We do service at 6:00 AM every monday morning, and this monday, we put a third bunk in all the Elders rooms, The MTC is already 1200 missionaries over capacity with another 800 coming this week! The dinner lines ared so long that i've often called it a day and resorted to eating cold cereal! They come on over the intercom and ask missionaries who are done eating to leave the cafiteria because there is absolutely nowhere for anyone to sit! Its hard, and stressful at times, but Its honestly amazing that so many people have that desire to serve a mission!
This is my first e-mail as a 19 year old! I'm finally old enough to go on a mission! My birthday was amazing here at the MTC. We had an early celebration on saturday, because there was no way I could save the amazing buttercream cake from Mom until sunday. We invited everyone from the zone to the picnic tables outside. The weather was beautiful, everyone brought any extra snacks or food they had from packages to the middle of the table, we cut the cake, and tried to light the candle, it was at this point we realized the matches Mom sent were not strike anywhere! haha, so in all the pictures, we acted like the candle was lit, and we sang happy birthday, and afterward I pretended to blow out the candle! It was definitely a birthday to remember. Its amazing how great of friends you can become with people over the few short weeks that your here at the MTC, there's alot of good people here, it's been fun.

Thanks everyone for the birhtday wishes, and Mom Thanks so much for the birthday package! Everyone was exrememly jealous of the burritto from Guals. Everyone who has tried to get a burrito in in the past has had it confiscated! I'm not sure how you did it, but that buritto just might be the only one to pass through the walls of the MTC in a very long time! the tie you got me is by far my favorite tie i've ever owned! thanks sooo much!

I'm so thankful for this gospel. It has blessed my life immensly. I finished the Book of Mormon last week, and I prayed once more to my heavenly father to know if it is true, and I got an overwhelming sense of peace and a confirmation of its truthfulness This gospel is amazing. It brings a happiness that nothing else can. I know that as we seek to be obedient to the things that the lord has commanded us that he will not hesitate to bless us. I know my savior Jesus Christ lives, and i'm thankful for his hand in my life. I can see it every day. I know this gospel is true, every part of it.

I love it, and I love you all

Thanks for all the love and support!

Mahal ko kayo!

Elder Johnson

Week 4 MTC, February 6 - February 12, 2013

Kamusta pamilya ko!

Another week down here at the MTC, I'll be leaving to the Philippines in 13 days! its crazy how fast the time has gone by. We will get our travel plans on friday, and then get out of here on the 25th. We have been going over Filippino Culture and History, and it has got me so excited to go! The language is coming as a consequence of the many prayers on my behalf. I can honestly feel your prayers working in my life. Thanks so much, it means more than you know!

I had a really cool oportunity this week. with the hastening of the work, they need new teachers in MTC's around the world, so my teacher, Brother Langer was selected to train on how to teach a grammar lesson. We were just told to come to a different room from where we usually meet. When we walked in, there were 2 TV screens and a large camera, We came to find out that the language lesson we were receiveing was being broadcast live to the MTC in Manilla, Philippines! Brother Langer was able to show the new teachers in the Philippines MTC how to conduct their lessons properly. It got me so excited to go as I listened to them speak and saw their faces. It is hard to believe I'll be there in just a few short days! I've been told that video brodcasts like that don't happen much in the MTC, it was so cool to be a part of it!

On sunday, our lesson was on enduring to the end, It was a great lesson, but the one thing that stuck out to me was when our Branch President said there are a few reasons why people come out on missions, 1) Fear, fear of the world, fear that a girl wont marry you if you don't serve, things like that, 2) Responsibility, they believe its a priesthood responsibility, they feel responsible to do what they're expected to do. 3) Obligation, they feel obliged to serve because they recagnize heavenly father's blessings in their lives. Most missionarys are out beacause of one of these reasons, they embark on a noble cause, and regardless of why your out, it is one of the best decisions you can make. I've seen the impact its had on me in just the last month, but there is something wrong with these three reasons, they all come from the outside, in. There is only one true reason we need to be on missions. Its been repeated multiple times to me this week, that reason is Love. True Christlike love. When a missionary has this love of Christ for those he serves with, but even more so, the investigators he meets, that is when he experiences true success. That really hit me. I need to develop that christlike love for the filippino people. I dont know them yet, but I know that they are children of our Father in Heaven and that they are truly ready to hear this gospel. I feel utterly responsible for them. Its what drives me each day to become better, both as a teacher and in the language. Its a scary thought to think that if I don't give my best effort, If I don't work hard each day, and contact and teach as many people as I can, that someone will suffer. It scares me to think that one of heavenly fathers chideren that he has prepared for me to teach won't hear the gospeol because I wasn't giving 100%. But I know that through prayer to my father in heaven, he will bless me with the strength to give that 100% each day.

This gospel is true, God is our loving father in heaven. Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and he was led by god to establish the church on the earth. The book of mormon is the most correct of any book on earth and I know that if you pray about it god will manifest the truth of it unto you.

Thank you for the love and support!

Mahal ko kayo!

-Elder Johnson

Week 3 MTC, January 30 - February 5, 2013

Kumusta po kayo pamilya! Ayos?

So were heading in to week 4 here at the MTC, pretty crazy! my time is more than half way over. I'll leave on the 25th of February. We fly to Los Angeles, then to Hong Kong, from Hong Kong to Manila, and then a 2 hour Jeepney ride from the air port to San Pablo. Its so exciting!

I had the amazing experience to sing in the MTC choir at the devotional last tuesday, it was so cool to be a part of something so powerful! There are as many Sisters in the choir as Elders now if you can believe it. The lord is hastening the work! There is a 3rd bunk bed going in to all of the sisters rooms! space is already limited in the residence halls, and the turnover of missionaries is increasing each week. Tomorrow we are getting 1000 new missionaries, but only 400 are leaving, by the summer they expect to have 8000 missionaries in this place which had an origional capacity of just under 3000. How you ask, im simply not sure! but the lord has a plan and I know the MTC can make it happen with a little pananampalataya (faith) :)

Its really cool; to see familiar faces, I always see Nate Lant, and this week I saw Tanner Hancey, Danny Gainer, Nick Gagon, and Brookston Jeppson. Its so great to see all these guys out serving, it inspires me to be better!

Its been a stellar week here, It went by really fast! Ive learned alot of language, and I am begining to feel confident during lessons. I can bare my testimony and my prayers are becoming more and more sincere as my vocabulary increases. During sacrament meeting here, everyone speaks tagalog. They usually call on 4 to 5 people randomly to give talks in a normal sacrament meeting, but during fast and testimony meeting, theres time for nearly everyone to get up and bare their testimony. It is amazing to hear the progression of the districts who came before us in their language skill. It truly is amazing that missionaries are able to pick it up so quickly. I know that it is truly a gift from our father in heaven. I guess thats what he had in mind when he commanded that every man should hear the gospel in his own tounge! As everyone got up and shared their knowledge of the gospel, not through eloquent statements, but through the simple, yet powerful phrases we know in tagalog, the spirit was so strong. It is funny to think how its not with eloquence, but with simplicity that true conversion happens. Its just as Nephi has said, "I speak to you with the plainness of my heart... for my soul doth delight in plainness". Like Brigham Young said, "the world .. with all its eloquence, sinks into perfect insignificance, when compared to the simple testimony of a servant of the lord." Simplicity brings the spirit, and without the spirit, I as a missionary can't do anything.

Here at the MTC we usually have 3 hours of Language education in the morning, and then 3 hours of fundamentals of teaching in the evening. The fundamentals of Teaching has been a huge blessing in my life.Ive grown so much personally as well as growing in the ways of how to teach. One of the fundamentals of missionary work is revelation through the Book of Mormon. We talked alot about that yesterday. One thing that I have loved over the past few weeks is having time for personal study. I have taken my scripture reading to a level I have never taken it before. It has been so amazing to see what a difference it has made in my life. I have read nearly the whole Book of Mormon over the past few weeks. Im In Ether right now and I hope to finish if soon. What inspired me was a talk given by David A Bednar called "The Character of Christ" in the talk, he challenged us as missionarys to truly feast upon the words of the Book of Mormon. He invited us to read it with a purpose, or a question in mind. He said we should read it cover to cover with any questions we have, marking each verse that we see which is applicable to the problem in mind. I took the invitation, I read with a purpose. I wont say what it is, but I bear my witness that that book has answers that nothing else has. It has brought me great comfort and strength over the past few weeks. I add my witness to the truthfulness of it. If you haven't read it in a while, do it. If you haven't taken Moroni's promise to ask god if it's true, do so. If you have, do it again, it's a good feeling! I know that god answers prayers, and when he answers your prayer through the gift and power of the holy ghost, you will feel a peace and contentment like nothing in this world can bring.

Alam ko po na, totoo ng ebanghelyo. Alam ko po na, totoo ang aklat ni mormon. Alam ko po na mahalaga nagpapabinyag para salvacion. Nagpapasalamat po kami para kay Jesucristo at nagbabayad sala ni Jesucristo. Nagpapasalamat po kami para kay Joseph Smith at alam ko po na, propetabuhay si Thomas S. Monson. Mahal po ako ng Diyos. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, Amen

I love this gospel, and I love all of you. Thank you for the love and support.

Mabuhay pamilya,

Elder Johnson