Just A LITTLE rain!

Prayer of Faith

This week was another blessed week. We had some great miracles and i cannot deny that there is a God watching over us. First we had an investigator names Arian, she has not been accepting a baptismal date and every time we ask why she says "I don't know" so on Saturday we just went in there planning to follow the spirit as we always have but this time we asked as usual "What is keeping you from being baptized and returning to our Heavenly Father?" and she says "I don't know." and then we ask "Do you believe that Joseph Smith was a Prophet called of God?" she replies "yes I know that" so we say "are you scared of baptism?" she says "no" we ask "are you scared of praying if you need to be baptized?" she said "no ... I'm scared of the vision I'll get if I ask if I need to be baptized." Ahhhhh,  that's it!!! We fixed that, she came to church this Sunday and accepted a baptism date on the 4th of October.  The next one (Sunday night last lesson) we went to a investigators house who name is Stephani. She is nine years old. But DO NOT judge that she is nine. This little girl is VERY receptive to the Light of Christ and promptings of the Holy Ghost. We taught her only for two weeks then stopped because of some problems with the family. So, two months later we started to teach her again and we follow up on her reading in the Book of Mormon, she read EVERY day and she was then in Jacob! We told her that we will find a way to talk to her mom (she doesn't have a dad.. he died a few years ago) and see if there is a way she can be baptized and hopefully her mother with her. So we go back after one week and it was friday last week, we ask her how her Book of Mormon reading was and she just finished Alma Chapter 38! We asked why do you still read even if we don't visit you? and she replies "Well, I can't be baptized yet and I want to be saved."  We then taught her the plan of salvation, which allows us to have our family forever...  IF we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We set an appointment on Sunday so that her mother and family is there. We come back on Sunday night at around 7:00 we get in there and YES her mom and sisters are there! Ends up that the elders eight years ago stopped teaching them for some reason... but they were VERY warm and welcoming to us.  As we start teaching God is our loving heavenly father and the importance of families of course... it starts POURING! AND to make it worse, their roof is TIN! SO, even if we are right next to each other yelling we CAN'T hear each other!!!! Ugh.. so instead of doubt and fear entering into my thoughts or thinking "this is impossible" I offer a simple fervent prayer "Father, please stop the rain. This lesson is SO important." And after a minute of it still pouring nothing crossed my mind negative. and after another minute it just stopped. just nothing. And I sure did give thanks to my Heavenly Father for that miracle. And ended up teaching a powerful lesson and getting a return appointment with this family of five girls who can be baptized and a mother. Our Father in Heaven listens and he loves us and will always answer the call of help ...from a prayer of faith!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Love Elder Johnson

Questions and Answers

A really good week and the Zone Leader Training that we had was amazing.   I am inspired to share you what the spirit has taught me through it.

Q:Why do you study effectively and prepare to teach? 

A:So you can “answer your investigators’ questions and concerns.” As you study for the sole purpose of helping others to come unto Christ- everything else will be added upon. You must keep your studies within the teachings found in the Preach My Gospel. Do not teach beyond the basic principles and doctrines of the gospel. We do not study for ourselves. WE STUDY FOR OTHERS, not to increase our own wisdom. This is why we are here, we are not here for Elder "_____" or Sister "_____" to have the most knowledge in the mission, but we are here for all our brothers and sisters. So what we have to do is do it for them! Don't teach it so they can just understand, Teach it so they CANNOT misunderstand! Boldness is how we show our Love!

Q:How do we apply what we study?

A: Simple ELDER in companionship study EVERY DAY

E.xplain

D.emonstrate

P.ractice

E.valuate

R.e-practice

Sometimes it is awkward but this is how we improve!

For some personal thought....

Q:What kind of a missionary do you want to be?

Q:What are your expectations as a missionary?

Q:Why should we do this?

A: Joseph Smith taught "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."

It is not easy.. It never was for Jesus Christ so it never will be for us. It requires some work and yes we will fail and fall but those are the times that we learn and build off our mistakes. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a missionary church. The work never stops it only moves forwards! 

I love you all and honestly pray for the best for you all every day! Wish the best for you all and love hearing from you all!

Love Elder Johnson.