Missionary Presidents Training--Bago Zone

Member Missionary Work

Just want to share something that I learned in my studies this week and what I shared in my lesson for district meeting. 

                                                            "Members and Missionaries" 

This is something that is sooooo very very important for us. I'm sure some of us have that one person that will come with us all the time just to be with the work and i'm sure there are some that don't have anyone to work with. But it is very important for members to work with us that meet the needs of the investigators! they don't just come with to stack up the member present but to fellowship and to get to know the investigator so that he is comfortable. 

"Work with members of the Church to find people to teach. The ideal situation is when members invite others to be taught and are present for the teaching. When members do this, more people are baptized and remain active in the Church. Association with members is important because it softens people’s hearts and often leads them to investigate the restored gospel. This often means that they are brought into the circle of friends of Church members, including active and less-active members, recent converts, and part-member families.

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system. The member bears testimony of the truth of the work. He is anxious for the happiness of his investigator friend. He becomes excited as that friend makes progress in learning the gospel. "

Something that really hit me here was when we had a recent convert well investigator because she was getting baptized that saturday, but we went to an investigators house and invited her to come to church.  Then, the recent convert jumped in and said "Yeah come to church and don't worry, we will come and pick you up ... you can come with us.  We would love you to sit with us at church so you can feel God's love for yourself." I just thought, "Woah.... what just happened?" I've NEVER had that happen and it hit me sooo hard! The spirit was there and I felt it testify and strengthen the investigator. This investigator came to church and is now baptized.. and the promise was fulfilled like in Preach My Gospel, "The COMBINED EFFORTS of members and missionaries IN SUCH SPECIFIC COOPERATION ... yield an ABUNDANT GATHERING OF PRECIOUS SOULS." That is the promise to all of us! So, to missionaries ... do it!!  To members, be that member and try it also. This is how we hasten the work and save an ABUNDANT of precious souls.. we invite members to teach and fellowship in the way they need to! 

WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND LOVE YOU ALL!! Thank you for everything.. 

Love Elder Cody Johnson

Pictures updates from his Week

Baptism of a father...completes the family.

Chicken Head ... Yes those are eye balls, too.

Have to love typhoon season in the Philippines.

What he has been going though to get to his investigators homes.

Yes he said...it's the long path they take!!

Come Follow Me

As I was studying, from the bible, and pondering want is it to KNOW Christ.. but for you WHO IS CHRIST? I love that question. Just pondering what he has done and who he really is. 

Sometimes we forget how powerful this man, prophet, brother was. JESUS CHRIST is the creator.(Ephesians 3:9) He is the JEHOVAH of the Old Testement (1 Corinthians 10:1-4) who lead Moses and his people in the wilderness.  He is EVERYONES personal Savior (Luke 22:41-44). He is our Shepard and Guide (John 10:14) He is our Great News (Luke 2:10-11) He is our loving Master (Matthew 23:10) and He is The Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16) This is why we are here.. to know Him and what he has done for each and everyone of us. (John 17:3) He knows us but do we truly know Him? He loves each and every one on this earth and by his example ... so should we. There were no "ifs" in the Atonement of Christ.  He payed the debt for "every living thing" how great of a gift is that to us. 

And the great thing about it is that no matter how much sin or how much we don't feel God's love, it is ALWAYS there because it does not change. (Hebrews 13:8) What a great knowledge we have. It is such a blessing for each of us to know what we DO.  Now we must make it known as Jesus did, who always made the invitation to "Come, follow me." 

Love Elder Cody Johnson

One YEAR Mark

Well Today is the day of my one year mark!!!! But I've been great here in the Bacolod Philippines mission. There are some things that I've learned on the mission that have impacted my life and what I do after this and what I'm doing now! There is something different about people and how I look at them. We all have mistakes and that's that. There isn't one perfect person here on the earth, but that is our goal, why we are here. Everyone around us needs to know that they are loved, because they are!  Everyone here on the earth is a spirit child of our Heavenly Father. There is no picking ... poor, rich, good looking, ugly, tall, short ... It doesn't matter who or what their circumstances are.  But they are children who ... some have lost their way and need a helping hand.  Some that are doing good in life. But I know that what we have is what those lost ones need. I've learned to appreciate EVERYTHING that I have been given and am given. Here in the Philippines you can't pick and choose. I remember when we had one member who said to us "Elders we don't have any money to buy food for dinner tonight". That was a family of seven ... who were active in the church and striving with all their might "to come unto Christ".  I could only think, "don't you worry, The Lord will provide" like "I The Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say ye have no promise." It cannot be wavered or changed.  The Lord's promise is ALWAYS there. I've loved every day here in the Philippines and appreciate everything that The Lord gives me. I appreciate every day he gives to me to labor among his fold and find those who are lost. I love you all and hope everything is going great!!! 

Great Week

Well this week was GREAT. So many spiritual experiances that bombarded my week!!! The one that really hit me was one of our investigators that we have been teaching for two weeks and hasn't come to church, we taught her on saturday and taught her about there only being two ways "satan" or "God" and we told her she always has to choose the right way in order to return back to heavenly father and Jesus Christ and to be happy in the life and eternally. But as we reminded her about church she said "Elder don't worry, I ALWAYS choose the right now." She even said it in english so you know she means it!! It was like wow, she took something from our lesson! haha and she came to church that Sunday with her new investigator friend!!! 

Another was the blessing of having another baptism. The mother of a family of all recent converts finally decided to come unto Jesus Christ by showing her faith through church, reading, praying, and being baptized and comfirmed! It has been a great week and have had so many spiritual experiences. I know that The Lord  provides for us as we excerise faith like Nephi in him! I LOVE YOU ALL and don't ever stoop down levels, stay high and always look at the eternities! 

Love Elder Cody Johnson

Rough few Weeks

We found out that a little girl deleted all his pictures ...so going through and making sure all are uploaded. He also had a uniriary track infection and said it is the worst pain he has ever experienced.