Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
19 July—Brazos (LAST LETTER HOME)
Hello family and friends!
This week was a good week. We had our buddy, Juan Garza, come to church again. He is a cool guy, plays in a band that travels all over Southern Texas singing and playing all kinds of instruments.
We have seen miracles this week as we have put our disobedience acts on the alter as an act of obedience. We had a day where everything fell through at 7:30pm, and we didn't know what it was that we were to do. Then we realized this is not our work. We are doing the work of the Lord. That is when we humbly sought for the guidance and direction of the Lord. When we prayed, we felt the impression to go and try a certain part of our area that we hadn't really tried before. It was over by a members home. When we got there we found a trailer park that we had never been to, and we started talking to people asking them if they would be interested in hearing a message about the gospel of the restoration. The third lady that we spoke with was a less active lady that we had been looking for, and her father who is not a member of the church. It was a great miracle. Then the next day we went back to the same area and tried another section and we found another part member family with a son named Cesar who is a very nice kid that we are going to start to work with.
We have seen miracles this week as we have put our disobedience acts on the alter as an act of obedience. We had a day where everything fell through at 7:30pm, and we didn't know what it was that we were to do. Then we realized this is not our work. We are doing the work of the Lord. That is when we humbly sought for the guidance and direction of the Lord. When we prayed, we felt the impression to go and try a certain part of our area that we hadn't really tried before. It was over by a members home. When we got there we found a trailer park that we had never been to, and we started talking to people asking them if they would be interested in hearing a message about the gospel of the restoration. The third lady that we spoke with was a less active lady that we had been looking for, and her father who is not a member of the church. It was a great miracle. Then the next day we went back to the same area and tried another section and we found another part member family with a son named Cesar who is a very nice kid that we are going to start to work with.
Things have been running very well in the zone. This is the first time my whole mission that we have been hitting all of our goals. Every single one, except for our keys goal, which is average sit downs and OYMS. It is amazing experience to be able to pray each night about each companionship, and know them well enough to be able to ask the Lord for what they need, and praying for their investigators. I have loved being a zone leader for the Houston West zone for eight transfers. I have been able to serve in each district in the zone throughout my mission and it has been very humbling to see little tiny seeds that I planted earlier on my mission grow into a beautiful family tree.
Quick experience on Saturday. I was talking with the district leader in Houston 8 and he was telling me about a family that I taught when I was there. I had the privilege of baptizing two boys, Max and Steven, there. Their mother always had a doubt that she would never tell us. Well, it turns out that she finally opened up to the missionary's and she wants to be baptized! She knows the church is true! Another family in Houston 8 is progressing very well, and they come to church every Sunday and all they need to do is get their marriage license and they will get married and baptized. I can honestly say that my joy was full that night. Other families in Houston 1 have been able to bring their bothers and sisters to church and be baptized.
Quick experience on Saturday. I was talking with the district leader in Houston 8 and he was telling me about a family that I taught when I was there. I had the privilege of baptizing two boys, Max and Steven, there. Their mother always had a doubt that she would never tell us. Well, it turns out that she finally opened up to the missionary's and she wants to be baptized! She knows the church is true! Another family in Houston 8 is progressing very well, and they come to church every Sunday and all they need to do is get their marriage license and they will get married and baptized. I can honestly say that my joy was full that night. Other families in Houston 1 have been able to bring their bothers and sisters to church and be baptized.
The standard of truth has been erected and no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. I know that statement is true. The only thing that will stop ourselves from progressing is ourselves. We need to make sure we keep the natural man in us dormant, or even cast it out. My favorite scripture that I have been able to say is my favorite, since I have been on my mission, would have to be Mosiah 3:19. It has helped me to really submit myself and to try to really become a disciple of Christ, to become one of his friends not an enemy.
The thing that has changed the most about me as I have been on my mission has been to do the little things. I am going to pray in the name of Christ (see prayer in Bible Dictionary) and I am going to read my scriptures everyday, and apply them to my life. And I am going to magnify my priesthood callings, whenever they are given to me. I am going to be obedient and follow my church leaders. I know that by doing this things I will be able to cut out the natural man in my life.
My favorite thing to study on my mission has been to study the mighty change of heart. It has to do with everything. This is really the purpose of life. To give our hearts to him. And to show that we have given them to him through our obedience to his commandments and diligently seeking to become more like him everyday. I know that the mission has given me a foundation to build upon for the remainder of my life. I have a firm foundation in Christ and know it's time to build the temple. I want to live my life in such a way that I can have the spirit to be with me always. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He appeared to Joseph Smith and called him to be a prophet. The Priesthood has been restored and through it we can partake of the saving ordinances of the gospel. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can have a mighty change in our hearts and really have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. I love this work and I love being a missionary. The badge comes off after the mission, but not the change.
-Elder Johnson
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
12 July—Brazos
Hey Family!
Things here in Texas are going great! This month the mission is focusing on obedience and the zone has been applying it and we have been seeing miracles happen here!
The other good thing is that right now we are teaching Sandy and Frank, and they are progressing well. They really have the desires to change, and those are the type of people we are looking for to help the work move on. They are actually a member referral. We have been receiving a lot of them lately and they help out a ton. President Saylin shared some interesting information with us that I want to share with you. And that is that almost 70% of baptisms that happen in our mission are from member referrals. So I can promise that if you have a little bit of faith, and invite friends to church and to visit with the missionaries, you will see results and you will be able to have some of your best friends with you at church. If you are afraid just remember this. We are in the Church of Jesus Christ. This is His church. We have a secret weapon and that is the spirit. It will testify of the truth of the Restoration to everyone. It is then up to them to accept the message or to reject it.
Things here in Texas are going great! This month the mission is focusing on obedience and the zone has been applying it and we have been seeing miracles happen here!
This week was a week of hard work for us here in Rosenberg and Richmond. We have really been trying hard to find newbies and we had a funny experience happen this week while we were out talking with people. We found a bike trail that lead to the back of a trailer park that we had been to before, so we decided to take it to the trailer park for the first time. We were going kind of fast and my brakes don't work very well, when suddenly I saw a little stream right in front of my path. I tried to brake but it was to late. Splash! I rode into this little stream that was probably five feet wide, and jumped off my bike and the only part of me that got wet was my right foot. My companion was laughing at me, but the cool part is that when we got to the trailer part we talked to a lady who has a brother that is a member of the church. His name is Angel and we have been trying to find him for ever! Turns out that this summer he is out of the state visiting his cousins and wont be back till school starts. But we are now going to teach Jessica his sister and we will see what happens!
The other good thing is that right now we are teaching Sandy and Frank, and they are progressing well. They really have the desires to change, and those are the type of people we are looking for to help the work move on. They are actually a member referral. We have been receiving a lot of them lately and they help out a ton. President Saylin shared some interesting information with us that I want to share with you. And that is that almost 70% of baptisms that happen in our mission are from member referrals. So I can promise that if you have a little bit of faith, and invite friends to church and to visit with the missionaries, you will see results and you will be able to have some of your best friends with you at church. If you are afraid just remember this. We are in the Church of Jesus Christ. This is His church. We have a secret weapon and that is the spirit. It will testify of the truth of the Restoration to everyone. It is then up to them to accept the message or to reject it.
I have been studying prayer lately. And the Bible Dictionary is totally cool! It talks about praying in the name of Christ, and says that when we pray in the name of Christ, we pray in a way that our mind is his mind, that our desires are his desires and our ways his ways. It says that most prayers that are not answered is because we don't pray in the name of Christ, but instead we pray for the selfish desires of our hearts. So that is what I am trying to do. Align my will with His.
I love you!
-Elder Johnson
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