Sablayan Week 4

Magandang umaga pamylia ko!!

What a great week here in my wonderful area Sablayan! Last Monday we had our first zone training! It was great. I love my zone leaders- Elders Tonga and De Dios. They're awesome. At the training they talked about the lessons in Preach My Gospel and how we as missionaries need to STUDY, BELIEVE, LOVE AND TEACH the lessons in chapter 3. It's so true! I'm grateful every day for personal study- to really dive into the Book of Mormon and PMG. My knowledge of the gospel continues to grow. I don't know everything, and I'm for sure not a perfect teacher but man...I know this church is true!!

Tuesday we had splits with the zone leaders. I worked with both of them. They're such amazing missionaries. Hopefully one day I'll be as good as them. I'm grateful to be placed where I am surrounded by these missionaries. I've learned a lot about how to teach, and different skills, and of course trying to improve my Tagalog. 

Wednesday night was one of the most powerful lessons that Elder Santiago and I have taught together. We taught Brother Donald about free agency and how it's a gift given to us from God but it's so important that we use it wisely and follow Jesus Christ! Unfortunately Brother Donald has chosen to give the Book of Mormon back to us and not get baptized because his wife threatened to leave him. I was so disappointed, but Elder Santiago told me, "We did our part. He used his agency- we can't be sad."

 

Thursday wasn't the best day. Elder Santiago felt like I didn't have his back in one of the lessons. I learned from that mistake and I'm growing and trying my best. Our companionship continues to grow. It's strong right now. He's a little impatient and I've had to learn to just do what he says, because he's my trainer. He's a great missionary and his testimony and knowledge of the gospel is incredible. 

Saturday we taught the temple preparation class. It's so fun teaching the members about the importance of the temple. That night we had a Family Home Evening. I love the FHE's so much! The Filipinos here are so awesome. I love them all. I love the Philippines!!

 

Sunday I spoke in sacrament meeting! I feel like the members don't understand me but I'm trying my best. And now today we're on the mainland! I'm in Manila right now.  We're probably going to go to the mall later and then tomorrow is the big day... I get to meet Elder Andersen and Elder Renlund!! How incredible to meet 2 apostles of the Lord. I can't wait. 

Well that's it for this week family. I miss you all. Hope y'all are doing great. It's almost Thanksgiving...geez time flies...I've almost been in my area for a month! Talk to y'all next week, love y'all!!!

Love, 

Elder Johnson

Sablayan Week 3

Kumusta po kayo pamilyia ko!!

I'm still getting adjusted to every day missionary life here, but every day gets better and better. I'm grateful to be here in Mindoro and my wonderful area Sablayan. 

This week I had ups and downs for sure. Elder Santiago continues to push me with his training, teaching me everything he knows. He's tough on me sometimes, but only wants the best for me. He's a great trainer and I continue to learn every single day! There is so much room for improvement, and Preach my Gospel is amazing. This week I learned in my 12 weeks program about how to "teach people not lessons" and "find when you teach and teach when you find." I really struggle with the gift of discernment and discerning what the investigator really needs to hear. Elder Santiago is great at it so it's nice to learn from him. Every day I pray for this gift and of course the gift of tongues. Being a missionary is hard work, and it's stressful in every way, but I love it. Elder Santiago asked me a question this week.. "Elder Johnson, are you truly happy here being a missionary?" I hope soon I can say that I really am. I'm trying my best to lose myself and really strive to be fully committed. I'm excited and so grateful for this journey ahead of me. I truly do need this mission.

 

Great news.. they're making branches here and hopefully soon wards and stakes. The church is growing!! It's so humbling to be here and to help build up the kingdom of God here in Sablayan. I think the most rewarding thing is walking into church and seeing my investigators!! It's incredible to watch investigators progress and make steps to come unto Christ. Sister Mary Ann, Brother Robert and Donnabelle, Lucy (old lady who me and Elder Santiago never expected to come because she's a hard core Catholic) all are progressing so well! Bad news.. our most progressing investigator Brother Donald is possibly not getting baptized this Saturday. His wife is so against it and won't allow it. She's very hard- hearted. Please pray for Brother Donald that he will make the right decision and be baptized. He was so ready but because of his wife, he's doubting. Keep him in your prayers- he's a great man. I could possibly be sending a picture next week with my first baptism. We'll see!

 

This week we had exchanges, I had the opportunity to work with Elder Lopez! It was great. I learned a lot- he's a pretty new missionary so we could relate. It's interesting to see how different missionaries teach. One thing that I liked from him is that he likes short, but powerful lessons.

This week I tried chicken blood and intestines!! haha. It was actually masarap (delicious). The food here is great. We eat at like the same 3 restaurants at night. They're little huts. It's so humbling teaching lessons in huts or basically sitting on wood seats outside. It's amazing. These people are so humble. They're looking for the gospel, and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to share it with them. The members are awesome. I love them all so much. Their testimonies are so strong even though they're all mostly recent converts! 

Thanks for the prayers, family. I miss y'all and love y'all so much! I'll talk to y'all next week!

Love,

Elder Johnson

Week 2 in Sablayan

Hello my amazing family! 

This week was so great. I'm still a little homesick and still trying to adjust to the missionary life but it's getting better. This week I've learned a lot. I've realized that I need to change as a missionary and realize my purpose here. I need to be facing Jesus Christ and serve him with all of my heart, might, mind, and strength. 

This week Elder Santiago taught me many things. I learned how to get better at "How to begin teaching," which means to establish expectations, invite the spirit, and to help others recognize that we represent Jesus Christ. My attitude needs to change, my faith needs to grow, and I must give all of myself to this work. So I continue to strive for these attributes. I want to change. I need this mission because I want to become fully converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. I know it is a process and there's so much for me to learn. I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve these wonderful people in Mindoro and to "find myself by losing myself in the work." 

Last Saturday, Elder Santiago and I went up to this beautiful view of the island (its called Parola). You'll see in the pictures I send. It's beautiful here. I'm blessed! This is also where we have our district meetings. It's awesome. 

We had a cool opportunity this week where we walked by this house and were impressed to talk to the old Tatay (grandpa). Turns out he is 102 years old and has been praying for the missionaries to visit him for 9 years! He's a member, but is too old to come to church. We plan on visiting every week. 

Our investigators are progressing!! Brother Donald is going to get baptized on November 14! He's an incredible man, with so much faith. His wife is against him joining, but he knows it's true. He fasted yesterday and paid a fast offering!  He's 40 years old and is excited to be baptized! Brother Robert is progressing too! He's attended church twice now and knows Joseph Smith was a true prophet. Elder Santiago and I can see many of our other investigators progressing too. It's great to see them keep commitments and start to have the light in their eyes! We have high hopes for the next few weeks and hope that our investigators will continue to grow. 

The work here is moving fast!! They announced that they were going to start preparing to build an actual church building here! The members are so amazing. I love them. All the kids love me haha. It's so cute. They all think I'm a giant and love to make fun of my Tagalog and my white skin haha. We had FHE with the members and also a family day at the beach yesterday! It was so fun. The members have such strong testimonies. It's so cool to see. Most of the members are recent converts too! 

Yesterday the people celebrated "day of the souls." I guess it's their Halloween. They remember their dead ancestors by lighting candles. 

Great news...on November 16 all of us missionaries here in Mindoro get to go to the mainland for when Neil L Andersen comes!! We are so excited. 

Well that's it. I love and miss you all so much. Thanks for all the prayers. I will continue to become the missionary that Heavenly Father expects me to be. Talk to you next week!! 

Love,

Elder Johnson

First week in the Philippines!!

Hello my wonderful family!! 

It feels like I haven't talked to y'all in forever! I can't believe I'm here in the Philippines! It's been 9 days! So I arrived at the Manila MTC last Saturday and was there until Wednesday. The Manila MTC was really cool. All the Filipinos loved seeing us Americans.  They love us.  They all thought I was super tall and good at basketball. The food there was sooo good! Of course we had rice every meal but they make some masarap (delicious) dishes here in the Philippines! 

While at the Manila MTC, Elder Sanft and I taught our last lessons together as companions, and I also met President Trask - he gave great devotionals to us and inspired us with his words. He had a lot of success as a missionary in the Philippines and expects us to strive BIG here. 

On Wednesday I said goodbye to my original Provo district and zone. It was sad saying goodbye, but we'll all be reunited again someday! President Revillo picked up the Quezon City missionaries in the morning and we headed to the mission home. As we headed in I was super nervous. It HIT me...like wow I'm really about to start missionary work in my first area. I met with the President- he's a nice guy, I like him. They started playing videos and introducing us to the goals they expect of me and also the Quezon City standards. I was so nervous. I'm really a missionary. I am really here in the Philippines! I still can't believe it. 

Sooo now to the good part....I have been called to serve in my first area as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the.... MINDORO SABLAYANA area!!!!! I'm on the island!!! I couldn't believe it. Everyone was so surprised, especially me, because only 2 out of like 30 missionaries got called with me. Everyone was jealous of me haha. They all say it's the best area...and it is!! My flight wasn't until Friday morning so I went proselyting with local missionaries until my flight. 

I got to Mindoro Friday morning at like 8 (only a 30 minute flight). The bus ride to my area was 3 hours. Holy cow, the view to my area is beautiful!! Palm trees, the ocean, hills, jungle, open fields...it's the middle of nowhere. There are a lot less people than in the city which I like. The only way of transportation is by tricycle. It's sweet. It's a culture shock for sure but I love it. No houses, just shacks, or huts. I don't even know how to describe them. It's the sticks haha. My companion Elder Santiago picked me up- he's awesome! He's a short Filipino who has been out on the mission for a year and a half. He's a veteran, a fireball, hardworking, selfless, and loves the work and the Lord. He's going to be great for me. 

We dove right into the work as soon as we got there. We taught 5 lessons to investigators. By the end of the day I was exhausted. It's all so real now, it's crazy. What I like about Elder Santiago is that he lets me speak even though I can't. My Tagalog stinks. Geez, it's frustrating. But he backs me up and helps me out. Multiple times he has made me lead the lessons. It's so hard but I'm trying my best. The past 3 days I think we've taught like 12 lessons to investigators. It's amazing to come here and all of the sudden start teaching and inviting people to baptized.  We have 4 investigators right now who we hope will get baptized.. Donald, Robert and his cousin, and Jenny Ann. It's unbelievable to have the opportunity to  invite the Filipinos to come unto Christ and follow his example.  I've only been here 3 days and I've invited 3 people to be baptized and they said yes!! They're so humble here, it's incredible. I love it here. My testimony and knowledge of the gospel continues to grow each day as I study the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. PMG is amazing. I'm supposed to become a Preach My Gospel missionary and it is such an inspired missionary tool.

 

My apartment isn't too bad- better than I thought.  No shower though-only a bucket shower. And no toilet paper.. sooo I've learned to wipe with my left hand hahaha. The Elders next door- Elders Lopez and Sambile know how to cook and they're teaching me.

 

To be honest family, I miss y'all so much!! I've been homesick the past 3 days. I've found myself on my knees crying a lot. I didn't think it would be this hard, but being a missionary is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I'm homesick, and I miss y'all so much, but I know I'm here for a reason. I've thought to myself, "How can I do this? I'm not good enough. I'm not a good missionary. I can't speak the language. Why am I here?" But I know I should be here and become converted and bring many people to happiness that I feel in this wonderful gospel. Keep me in your prayers family. I can feel your love. I love you all so much. I pray for all of you.

I don't know if I forgot anything but time flies emailing and I need to go, but I love you all. I'll try and send pics but I don't know if I can. I'll try to next week. Goodbye family, hope you all are doing well. I love Mindoro, my area, the members in the branch, and all the people here. Talk to y'all next week! 

Love,

Elder Johnson 

Chapter 1: MTC (A Poem by Dad)

Dear Elder Johnson,

A kind  of graduation you might say
The end of an amazing MTC stay
Short stay by calendar days for sure
But spiritual gains will long endure
A pathway of life change you see
The language, people, love to be
A love by message that God indeed
Loves all his children their every seed
The people to know God's love alone
By you--an Elder bee -- no drone!
You will stand all amazed every day
The  power of His Spirit in every way
A graduation, the close of a chapter 1
In a book you are writing--dear son!

Love, Dad

Today we received two pictures from Brandon!  Tomorrow he is headed from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, LA to Hong Kong, then Hong Kong to Manila, Philippines!  Keep him in your prayers as he has a long day of traveling ahead.  

Don't forget that you can always keep in touch with him by emailing him at:

brjohnson@myldsmail.net

MTC Week 6!

Magandang araw pamylia! 

This week was such a great week here at the Missionary Training Center. I felt like I got back on track from a rough week last week. General Conference definitely lifted my spirits.  I loved listening to the words of the apostles and prophets and their testimonies of Jesus Christ. I learned so much and every talk applied to me being a missionary and servant of the Lord. 

Sunday night, BYU Vocal Point came and sang to us. They were so good! Not gonna lie, I think I've sung more here then I ever have before and I love it. I sing in front of my district- for some reason they think I'm good. I'm not too bad, I can keep a note haha.  

Anyways the language is coming along more and more. Practice is key when learning a language. I have to be trying to practice and speak out loud what I've learned in the classroom if I want to improve. This week Elder Sanft and I taught 4 lessons.  They were good- we followed the spirit and spoke with confidence hoping that the spirit would be right there with us helping us speak Tagalog.  My testimony continues to grow as I dive into the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. I've come to love the Book of Mormon. I know that it is the true word of God. This week i was reading in the introduction and the back of Joseph Smith History with Oliver Cowdery's declaration and his testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. His testimony is so strong! He knows that Joseph could not have translated the book without revelation from God. I know this to be true as well.  Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God to restore His true church on the earth today. I was able to watch the film "The Restoration Through the Prophet Joseph Smith" this week- so powerful!

On Friday, we had in field orientation. It was great! We got to practice different teaching situations and watch some clips on how to be a more effective missionary, but my favorite part was being taught how to set goals and how important that is. I must use key indicators and set goals! Also, numbers do matter- the numbers mean something. They are souls, human beings, real people waiting for me to bring them unto Christ! Why wouldn't I want to bring as many souls unto Christ as possible?! If I want to baptize a lot of Filipino people, I have to work as hard as I possibly can, fully committed to the work! I'm so excited for that! The next time you'll hear from me I'll be in the PHILIPPINES! I'm so excited! (obviously nervous) but mostly excited to get to work! Quezon City here I come! 

Love,

Elder Johnson 

MTC Week 5!

This week was definitely the hardest week so far being a missionary. I was going into this week confident from last week, because of how the lessons and language were coming along. But I was humbled this week, multiple times. The lessons that Elder Sanft and I taught didn't go very well. I forgot words, made dumb Tagalog mistakes, and simply didn't know what I was saying. My confidence was shot. When we skyped a Filipino who was in the Philippines, I realized I didn't know how to keep a conversation going without it being basically English. Although it was a cool experience, it's frustrating because there's so much I want to say, but I just can't say it. There's a lot to learn, and Tagalog isn't going to come unless I continue to work as hard as I can. Then the Lord will help. Like James B. Martino said in this afternoon's conference, "Be like Nephi, Have faith. For faith without works is dead."

Wednesday I had the opportunity to host the new missionaries that came in. I started to remember how I felt coming into the MTC as I watched the missionaries get out of their car, and say goodbye to their moms. Man, that was tough. I tried to have a smile on my face as I welcomed the missionaries out of their cars, and acted like the MTC was the happiest place on earth haha.

Unfortunately a few missionaries went home this week. It wasn't easy to take that in. Honestly, this week I questioned a few times.  But I always remember to doubt my doubts before I doubt my faith. 

Today was much needed, being able to watch General conference. Here they call it the "superbowl" for missionaries. I agree. It is amazing. Many of my questions were answered and my faith has increased. Hearing the words of the apostles of the Lord is exactly what I needed. It's such a blessing to be able to listen to all the general authorities that are called of God and to think that I was also called of God to serve in the Philippines! I wish I could share with y'all all of my favorite things from conference, but here are a few.

"We cannot jump out of the old ship Zion. We must stay on because God leads us to exaltation."

"Walk in the faith of discipleship - faith, hope and charity."

"Our lives must be centered on Christ if we want true joy, happiness, and peace."

"It will all work out."

"Be humble enough the ask, but faithful enough to ACT."

Many more but not enough time to type them all haha.

Good news family...I leave October 15, not the 21st. I've been here for almost 5 weeks. 1 and a half more weeks until the Philippines. I got my flight plans yesterday. Also, more great news- in LA I get to call y'all at the airport before I head to Hong Kong, then Manila. I'll have more info next week. I hope this week will be better for me. Keep me in your prayers. I love and miss you all!! 

Love,

Elder Johnson