Week 1 Quezon City

Hoy!

My first week in Quezon City, Bago Bantay area was awesome! It's been a blast working with my new companion Elder Enari! Hes a stud. 2 foreigners teaching the restored gospel in the Philippines...nothing much better than this. We have a lot in common. Best of all, we both understand our purpose and have a burning desire to serve the Lord. Our zone needs some work, but we are excited to be together and to be able to change the culture here in Quezon City.

Our miracle this week was incredible. The Lord blesses those who are righteous and obedient! So, I had a feeling to buy a drink from a tindahan on Thursday as we were walking to one of our appointments. As we stopped, this 12 year old kid came up and asked us "Are you mormons?" We were surprised because 1. He spoke fluent English and 2.He sounded like he's been waiting for us. He then talked about how his Lola (grandmother) is Mormon and that when she used to live here she would take him to church every Sunday (she now lives in America). He told us, "Ya I've been waiting on you elders to come and visit me, but none ever came.  Then, "I want to become Mormon." haha. We were shocked man. We then went to his house and talked to his yaya and his legal guardian. They are super nice and have no problem with kuya Mark coming to church and becoming a member of the church. 

Anyway, on Sunday we picked him and his yaya up and took them to church. They met some friends and we are going to try and baptize Mark on Feb. 25. This will be a miracle baptism and a solid start to me and Elder Enari's transfer.

My companion and I both have the mindset to baptize weekly, and it's gonna happen. We met with the stake president this week, had a missionary fireside with the stake and are planning to visit all the members of our ward and help them get fired up about missionary work. A lot of good things are happening. I'm excited to let y'all know about the miracles the Lord will be working in our area and in our zone.

We baptized brother Jubert this past Saturday (he's a part member). There are a lot of part members here in our area that we are going to try and get baptized in the next month or so. The area isn't hard (I don't believe in that) but it is different. The way to find new investigators is going to take more effort on us working well with the ward. Tracting isn't effective here so we are working on doing some unique finding ways :)

Ingat,

Love,

Elder Johnson

After 6 months in Pasig..I'm going back to Quezon City!!

My dear family!!

After 6 months in Pasig, I'm going back to my 2nd area- Quezon City!!! If y'all remember, I was there with Elder Petilla for 2 weeks and then got emergency transferred to Antipolo Cogeo. I'm not in that same area like last year, I'm in Bago Bantay! I don't really know what it's like, but my new companion is Elder Enarie! He's Tongan. I've never had a foreigner companion so this will be a cool experience for me. I'm still a Zone Leader, now over the Quezon City zone. I'm excited for the miracles that we'll experience! It's gonna be awesome. 

I'm gonna miss these people here in Pasig. It's been a life changing journey for me here. I've grown the most here these past months. I can't even describe my happiness for this work.

I couldn't be more excited than to serve the Lord the absolute best I can these next 7 months of my mission. It's truly incredible to be a full time missionary sharing the restored gospel to these Filipino people. It's so special. It makes me sad to think that my time is coming to an end soon. But, this is just the beginning. I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I love y'all so much! This work is true, the church is true. Let's follow the commandments of our God and experience the joy of this sweet Gospel!

Love ,

Elder Johnson

Pasig Week 22

Pasig Week 21

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

I love y'all. Mom, have a great birthday on the 24th. I'm doing well here. Kind of a hard week but we continue to press forward with faith in Jesus Christ. And, we have a baptism this Saturday, so like President Hinckley used to always say, "It will all work out!" 

Love,

Elder Johnson

Pasig Week 20

We've just been working hard this week. Missionary work is my life! I love it.

We had a great zone training on Tuesday. President has focused on striving to really help each companionship in every zone to have at least 1 baptism every month. Our workshop was on finding and using a new tool- the MY FAMILY booklet. Talking, testifiying, and finding families is what we do 24/7 now. There's no stopping. It's been effective. We don't go somewhere without opening our mouth, to literally everyone. Miracles have occurred in our area because of it.

Ryan Gutierrez is preparing to be baptized this Saturday. We need your prayers family. Heavenly Father has already tested our faith by giving us challenges with him. He's not making this baptism easy. We are working for it haha.

I'm in the mode where if I'm not teaching the restored gospel to people, I feel that I'm not fulfilling my calling. I couldn't be happier with my companion. We are really striving to help these wonderful recent converts, investigators, and less actives here in Pasig. 

I love y'all! Have a great week! 

Love, 

Elder Johnson

Pasig Week 19

Magandang hapon!!

We just got done with a successful service project with one of the members in our ward! We built him a new gate for his house. It was fun!

I loved this week, mostly because of how many times we were led by the Spirit in our work. 

Elder Montera and I couldn't be happier. It's frustrating somedays when we don't even want to go home- we run out of time! On Saturday we taught the most lessons in one day than ever before, 10! It's was a miracle. We just had such a successful week and have found so many new potential investigators like the Ramirez family who came to church on Sunday. It's such a joyful feeling when we are able to listen and teach by the spirit. This week, we had countless lessons that were powerful, but the sad part is, unfortunately almost all of the people ignore and don't follow the spirit that they feel. That's whats hard. But needless to say, everyone has their agency, and at least we as missionaries raised a voice of warning. That's what my companion and I have been doing, really teaching repentance. It's been awesome.

Some of these less active members that we've been teaching forever (Real, Escobanes, Aneban family) , we have done everything, taught everything, and still nothing. It's hard when they don't follow the commandments. It makes us sad, it really does. I have really come to know that Heavenly Father will bless us,"if we but have faith" (Ether 12 in the Book of Mormon). It's just having the trust and faith in Christ, that's what we need to be successful in life.

Ryan and Edgar are doing well! They continue to progress and follow the commandments. We are hoping that they will both be baptized the Jan 28, but we aren't sure. We need your prayers! Pray that Edgar's dad will allow him to baptized and that Ryan will continue to live Gospel and avoid the worldly temptations of being a teenager! :) 

I love y'all!!

Love,
Elder Johnson

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year...2017!!!

It was another happy and successful New Years here in the Philippines! I can't believe this year I'll be coming home, but I'm so glad that I still have many months to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary! 

We ate a ton this week. Members are too kind haha.

We are doing well, still teaching the Restored Gospel to our fellow brothers and sisters here in Pasig. I'm gonna send a lot of pictures so y'all can see what I've been up to :)

I love you all!

I hope y'all are excited for this new year! It's great to be a member of the true church and to have the gospel in our lives! Be grateful!! 

Love,

Elder Johnson

 Choir at Eastwood Mall :)

 Christmas Conference 2016

 We had a gift exchange with the zone. For New Years we had to be home by 5, so we balled up the kids at our apartment!! Check out the shirt me and my comp made :) esteeg