Bago Zone Conference

Bago Missionaries 

Cody with Zone Leader, Elder May

Merry Christmas

It was an amazing Skype ... one that was anticipated for quite some time!!  Only getting to see them on Christmas Day and Mother's Day... we LOVE our Skype calls from our missionaries! We had 20 minutes with Elder Cody Johnson.  He looks so good, so happy and grown-up! He sounds amazing and just like I remembered! Oh the JOYS of getting to see him... one of the BEST Christmas gifts EVER!  I guess Matthew couldn't say prayer before he left, because he was quite surprised to hear he can say prayer on his own now.  So he asked if he could say a prayer for him, so we had our family prayer with Cody!! He also said Christmas there is different.  Some have Christmas Trees but instead of presents they have food under the trees.  The last few minutes are always hard because you know the time is coming to a close... so we asked Cody to bear his testimony in Hiligaynon.  It was beautiful and tears were streaming down my face... he has a testimony.  Whatever language you speak the Spirit will testify of it truth and I felt it and couldn't deny that my son has a testimony of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for my son.  He gives me tremendous strength and my faith has been strengthened by having sons serve missions.  I've been blessed... very blessed!!!

 

 

We had technical difficulties at first... we couldn't see him and then we got disconnected!!

 

And then we get to see his SMILING face!!

 

So grateful for technology that we are able to Skype with Elder Johnson half way around the world!!

 

This is as clear as it gets of his face!!!

 

We LOVE our brother who is serving The Lord on a mission in the Philippines!

Enduring to the End

This week was a decent week. I remember our mission president saying "if you don't have baptisms EACH week you repent every week" and we didn't have one this week sadly.  But this Christmas day we have two baptisms!!  It's crazy how the Lord works! Our vision for this Bacolod Philippines mission is that we baptize weekly. This mission is the highest baptizing mission in the world. we average 100-200 baptisms each month. This is what the Lord's work is about. We are preparing souls to return back to their father in heaven. As we teach, I learned there are three things that we are judged by and 5 things we need on this earth in our life the three are: 

1.  By our words  

2.  By our works 

3.  By our thoughts

But that's how serious our father in heaven wants us to take "our body is a temple" by our thoughts, words and works. The five things we need here on this life are:

1.  Faith in Jesus Christ 

2.  Repentance 

3.  Baptism for the remission of sins 

4.  Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and 

5.  Endure to the very end!!! 

Sounds familiar no? But this is what every person needs here on this earth to enter into the kingdom of god! And how great is it that not only missionaries can share but also members!!! This is the Lord's work not ours and we sustain president Thomas S. Monson but through his commandment to us "members and missionaries work together now, in the LORD'S vineyard to bring souls to him."  The promise to us is that "how great our joy shall be if we but bring one soul unto him, but how great if many" and how great of a promise is that!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!! HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR AND ALWAYS TRUST IN THE LORD! IMPROVE AND WORK

Love Elder Johnson

I Dwelt In a Tent

We had our first baptism and it truly was AMAZING!!  When he was bearing his testimony the question popped into my head that our president asked us, "when we leave the area ... will he stay in the church and is he truly converted?" But as this 13 year old kid ... bore his testimony, with tears in his eyes, and barely able to speak ... says "I know that this is the only true church on the earth". I couldn't help but answer, "Yes, of course he is going to stay!!" This is what this work is about. This is where all the hours and hard work go, to saving souls and bringing them to find happiness. I have been so blessed and guided by The Lord here in Pulupandan for five months. The Lord truly does answer our prayers, if we truly mean it. He will not hesitate to answer them.

I had an experience this week was with a less active member family. We went there and of course, one of my favorite songs was playing next door. I have previously attempted to pray and ask to stop the music, for just a little bit in earlier lessons with other investigators... but I realized I didn't really mean it. But this time was different, I asked from the bottom of my heart, with all my trust in God to stop the song. And to my surprise the song stopped ... for the whole lesson. These little miracles are welcomed to all. I thanked The Lord for what he did and the help he gave me! He truly does listen to each and every one of us!! I promise that he hears our prayers... No matter how simple they might be.

I am doing good! No worries over here. Not a lot of work in the area ... the storm wasn't bad at all in our area.  The work is moving forward.  We are doing great! I have learned in this weeks training for our  zone about leaving things behind. It really did help me and that was one of my problems. We read the scripture "and my father dwelt in a tent" everyone knows it! But there is more to the scripture than that. It is saying that Lehi and his family left all their "gold, silver, priceless possessions, his house" and more! He was a wealthy man it seems as we read, but that scripture means more. He left all his things, just to listen and obey the commandment of The Lord.  He left all his stuff for NOTHING! That is why that scripture is there. To teach us that he left all his comfy stuff at home and is now living in a tent.  With the things that are really important, his family and The Lord.  This is what I learned. I hope it helped you learn something just like I did.  I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have! 

Love Elder Johnson

Grateful for My Savior

I'm so grateful for My Savior,  the holy ghost, and the atonement. Those three things in our life will take us anywhere we want to! We are all judged by three things.... Our works, words, and thoughts. As we center all we do around our savior we will become what Ammon, Alma, and Nephi were ...   "consecrated missionaries" and like President Monson said, "every member a missionary, now is the time for members to work with missionaries in all they do" ... what a great challenge for people all over the world and how great the blessings will be ...if we accept it!

I'm good!!!! GREAT actually!!! We have a baptism December 13th!! So excited but transfer day is on the 4th! So nervous but ... I'll go where The Lord wants me! But, I am so good here in the Philippines!!! I'll send you pictures! We email in Pulupandan and they don't send there that's why.. but sorry! And everything here is great! Not that much happened this week but it was my week to lead everything! It was a great learning experience and I felt I did well! ! We had thirty lessons this week just to investigators!! Nice... no?? but sorry not much to write! I was late today! But love you love you love you!

Love ELDER JOHNSON

Thanksgiving:  Chicken, Rice, and Potatoes

Another package! He loves his packages!!

I'm GREAT and all is WELL

I'm doing great mom!!!!! Everything here is great!! love it and time is flying bye!! I'm glad Elder Johnson is doing good in North Carolina!!! That's amazing!! It made me so happy to see and hear that!! He's an amazing Elder!! AND Brother!! (on him opening a new area) But not much new this week except James "investigator" finally can be baptized!!!!!!!!!! He and his friend will be baptized December 13th.   He could this week but it's his birthday December ...so we changed it to then.  His problem was here they have scholar students who randomly get picked for school.  If they are selected, they get free rice for a week and water.. but usually they can't join any other churches but the catholic here.  I share your conversion story a lot. They can relate and know that prayers are answered. Because we are all sons and daughters of Our Father in heaven and we are one big family. The dad "less active" knew the intent of his son and he talked to the school coordinator in behalf of his son.  And the said he can be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!! It justs makes me sooooo happy talking about it!!!!! We are so close.. and he is 12 haha but my transfer day is December 12th sooo... hopefully i'm not transfered.. but it's The Lord's  will.  So, whatever he does I will be happy! 

Cant wait to see you December 25th via Skype! Hopefully, we have a "white christmas" here!! ... "baptism on christmas"! We have one scheduled but we will see how it turns out!! 

 President Lopez is amazing no? He and I have gotten very close and he really helps me out! love you not much going on this week except we have follow-up training this week!!! tomorrow.. but the language is great!! Everything is amazing! 

Part of his last email:  Thank you mommy!!! I'm great here and safe!!:) In The Lord's hands!! He will take care of me!
Love Elder Johnson

MP Specialized Training

Another Storm

UZORAIDA TYPHOON UPDATE: Tropical Depression (TD) [ZORAIDA] continues to rapidly accelerate and is now along the coast of Surigao Del Sur...will make landfall over Surigao Del Sur this morning and traverse Agusan Provinces. Its rainbands will continue to bring wet weather across most of Mindanao and Southern Visayas. 
TD Zoraida is expected to continue moving quickly west-northwest to westward throughout the forecast period. On the forecast track, the core of TD Zoraida will make landfall over Surigao Del Sur later this morning...traversing Agusan Provinces...and will be over Gingoog Bay, very near Camiguin Island around 2 PM this afternoon. Zoraida will then move across Bohol Sea this evening...passing over Siquijor and Southern Negros very near Dumaguete City between 8 to 10 PM...and will emerge over Sulu Sea by early Wednesday morning. By Wednesday evening, it will cross Palawan...passing just north of Puerto Princesa...and will be over the West Philippine Sea on Thursday early morning.

TD Zoraida will likely maintain its strength within the next 12 to 24 hours...but will intensify once the system reaches the West Philippine Sea. Advance Intensity Forecast (AIF) shows its 1-minute maximum sustained winds increasing to 75 km/hr by Wednesday morning.

Continued Prayers!

TYPHOON ZORAIDA UPDATE (We were not affected by this typhoon- All missionaries are safe!) 
Tropical Depression "Zoraida" weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) after making landfall in Mindanao on Tuesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
The agency said in a bulletin issued at 3:30 p.m. that the weather disturbance was last located in the vicinity of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur or at 40 kilometers west northwest of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.
All public storm warning signals are now lifted with this development, PAGASA said.
But it warned that moderate to heavy rainshowers are observed over Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Central and Eastern Visayas, the regions pounded by Super Typhoon Yolanda last week.
PAGASA said the rainfall is expected to continue for the next six to 12 hours. Light to moderate rainshowers are also expected to persist over the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.

Such a relief to hear from Cody

Yes you will hear from me! haha but i am doing great!! It wasn't bad at all in Pulupandan area.. we just stayed in ourapartmentt we weren't allowed to evacuate to the church. It wasn't bad at all in Pulupandan! It was very windy and rainy alot more than the US but... not like horrible!! It was way bad in Cadiz that is up north by the ocean we weren't close to it.. we only had one and half days of rain and wind.. President Lopez was texting us that he would update you all on facebook and I said.. that's probably my mom that is worried. but all is well.... no damage, no injuries, no deaths, no house damage in Pulupandan so all is well here. Don't worry and I am doing great!!  It really wasn't bad at all in our area!! We did service that next day and just brushed leaves because they were everywhere and all over the place!!! Tell everyone I am perfectly fine! Just a normal rain storm in Pulupandan, but up north it was WAY bad I heard! Not sure tho!! We weren't allowed to go out for three days tho because of the warnings and just incase it happened! But I am good!

Well I've noticed lately how important it is to have Christ-like love and charity. That is the most I have been praying for.. It is sooo important that people feel your love. That is the source of where everything starts, if you are warm and caring or if you are not. Like Jacob, I have been praying to feel the pains and trials of the people I teach! I want to know exactly what they feel and suffer with them! That is the only true way that we can become perfect like our Savior, to love those around us. The first commandment is "Thou shalt love the lord thy god and second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as unto myself. " There is a reason that these two are the first two commandments. That is because they are the MOST important! We need to love those around us and treat them how we would want to be treated... If you were in the middle of the hardest times in your life. That is my testimony and I know that as we love those around us and become more Christ-like we will find more opportunities to reach out to those around us! And will see many miracles in our life!!

Love you mom!!!

Love Elder Johnson

This is mom:  I was so relieved to hear from Cody.  We weren't sure if he was one of the ones without power.  There is still a lot of the Philippines that won't have power till later this week and some till January, they say.  

After talking with Cody, I realized that he didn't know the reality of things.  He had heard that Northern Negros Occidental  was hit hard.  And it was ...but he had no idea about Leyte or Iloilo... Nor did I go into detail.  I asked him what he did for three days.  And it was just like I invisioned... Studying, drawing, and eating candy corn (he said the snack are all gone).  And why my package got there in two weeks... Tender mercy ...no other reason!

I'm just beyond grateful he somehow weathered the storm and thought .... This isn't too bad! Looking at the storm pattern, I'm just overwhelmed that the typhoon didn't slam Bacolod or Pulupandan. It very well could have and I don't ask why...just beyond grateful.  I will echo what the mayor of Bacolod said, "It is a Miracle!" It was a nerve racking few days, full of emotions, tears and waiting for news.  He has no idea ... And from reading reports a lot of missionaries reporting to parents they are not aware of the panic.  Amongst all the devastation and destruction ... All missionaries in 21 mission as have been accounted for and are safe.

What a HUGE blessing from The Lord. I included some pictures below of the Phillipines ... It is crazy how it can touch one spot and miss another...not all of these are in Cody's Assigned Mission but are from various areas over there. He will be amazing when he gets home and sees all the destruction and his area was spared.