Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been such an amazing week with my new companion Elder Montera!

We've started this transfer out on fire let me tell y'all!

In just a few days with Elder Montera we've already been blessed with miracles and incredible spiritual experiences!

I want to share with y'all the way my view/approach on teaching has changed dramatically. I'm so grateful that I get to learn from my companion. Even though I've been in the mission for while now and I understand the principles of missionary work and what it takes to be successful, I've truly, like it has sunk into my heart just this week, what it takes to teach people not lessons. I've been able to watch and learn from the way my companion teaches. It's really helped me talaga. The statement of "you must KNOW the person, in order to teach them" has been made clear to me. I've been a good teacher, a good missionary, successful, etc, but these past few days I've recognized the things I must improve in order to be extraordinary. It starts with knowing the people I teach/talk to.

My companion made sister Estioco (less active) cry during the lesson. It was absolutely beautiful to watch how using the Book of Mormon applies to anyone's life situation. The verse he shared was perfect (Jacob 2:8) and she felt the spirit, I felt the spirit, we all felt Heavenly Father's love.

In another lesson to a less active family (Balbene family.. actually part-member) we used the Book of Mormon and helped them feel the the joy that they once felt dati when they used to come to church. And guess what? They came yesterday for the first time in over 5 months.

I could share with you all the powerful lessons that we had this week, but it's just too long, too many haha. I've felt a difference in the work. The phrase of "teaching by the spirit" has also been made clear to me. Like just now sunk in.  It's weird the differences I've felt this week, but I believe this will change my mission.

We are pumped up right now with our area, the zone, everything. I haven't been this excited in a while to be honest.

We had 12 investigators at church on Sunday. Grabe sobrang masaya. The Lord blesses us. We've been patient these past 2 transfers and now here comes the heaps of miracles.

I love my mission talaga, there are no words to describe-just joy. I can't believe it's taken me this long on my mission to realize the importance of the Spirit. To actually recognize it, and to teach people and know who they are, but the Lord is merciful and has helped me more than I recognize.

Love,

Elder Johnson