New Area

Well this week was a good one for sure!! We had zone conference on thursday and I just want to share some highlights of the conference.

-In Bacolod Philippines Mission in the month of September there were 590 Convert Baptisms.

-If it is easy we don't do it in Bacolod Philippines Mission, easy things don't need faith to be accomplished.

-You cannot be a missionary without your companion. Everything MUST be done in unity.

-All things are done through our faith in the lord Jesus Chirst.

Also another exciting thing.. right after our Zone Conference President Lopez text me saying "Call me when you get home tonight Elder Johnson." and of course i am thinking uhhhh what did i do and why does he want me to call? but later on that night i call him and he says "good evening Elder Johnson, how are you? can you put the phone on speaker? Elder Monzales how are you? so you two will now be put into a group in Silay area called Aidsisa. You will now be covering the branch in Manta-angan and the group in Aidsisa. Thank you elder for your hard work." And by the way these two areas are 1 hour apart! so now we are incharge of a group and a branch! our goal is for the group to become a branch and the branch to become a ward! That's the big news for this week!! Also the attendance for the branch was 120+ and the attendance for the group was 25! I love you all and hope you all keep up the work of salvation wherever you are!!:)

Love Elder Johnson

Love MY Mom

Elder Johnson

The Apartment

New Area Church and Apartment

Do you Believe

This week didn't have a whole lot going on. Yesterday was probably the most exciting thing that happened. Well let's see, As me and my companion were the first ones at church with the Branch President we were there for about 10 minutes and we see these two people walking to the church in this old old old clothes, One was the father (turns out he is a less active member) and one was the son(non-member). As they get to us the kid is just shaking like crazy and the dad tells us "he's possessed" so i'm like woah wait i've NEVER experienced this before, and this kid is just speaking weird things about satan and his dad is trying to explain us the story and the kid says "i saw satan, he was black and he had horns" and just keeps speaking about it. so we take him to the Branch Presidents office and we ask "Do you beleive in Jesus Christ?" he replies "yes" we ask "what do you feel right now?" and he answers "I don't have any strength in my body and my head is so painful." It wasn't one of those raise the right hand experiences but I ended p giving him a blessing and as I was giving him a blessing he was just shaking like crazy and it was probably the shortest and most powerful things i've ever said. After the blessing the kid stops shaking. He stays in church and I could look into his eyes and see that he was still scared of what happened, but I would just put my hand on his shoulder and tell him "everything will be okay, just have faith in Jesus Christ." I could just see his countenance change and see that he was returning back to his normal state. I know that the Priesthood is real. It is truly the power of God to do miracles here on the earth. I know that according to our worthiness we can do anything that the Lord will have us do. I love you all and pray for you all daily! 

Love Elder Cody Johnson

General Conference

GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! finally the time has come.. yes like all the other foreign countries i was able to watch it a week later. But still, the same message. As i went in with a certain question in my head, of course it was answered. I forgot my notes so i'll share from memory and the spirit, but hey i'll share my favorite quotes that hit me the hardest. "Jesus. was. home-less." have we ever thought about that? i don't think anyone has actually thought that deep about it. Elder Holland explained so well how much we should help the needy and the poor, like Jesus who had NOTHING gave whatever he had to ALL those around him! another one was of course the most common invitation in this 184th session of general conference was Moroni 10:4-5. Sometimes we forget about it. Sometimes as members we just "accept it" we do not actually do because it's what we've been told our WHOLE life! The talks about gaining a testimony and truly asking our Father in Heaven if it's true hit me so hard. I cannot explain how I felt, But the Lord did touch me that that is what i needed to do, and so should we all. We need to know for ourselves that Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of God and until this very day there is a Lineage of authority from Joseph Smith to the Living prophet President Thomas S. Monson. Like David A. Bednard said "you just have to test it." I invite you all read from Moroni 10:4-5, ponder in your heard what is really inside this scripture from God, and to kneel in sincere prayer like the apostles have invited, and ask our Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ if Joseph Smith was indeed a Prophet of God. I know that he will answer. He will give you feeling that you have never felt in your life. And you will KNOW of a surety that Joseph Smith was Gods instrument in these last days. I love you all, I pray for you all, and I know especially that our Father in heaven does truly love you all beyond your comprehension.

Love, Elder Cody William Johnson