Week Eighteen - November 23, 2014

FAMILY!  How are you? 

I hope all is well.  I thank you for all your amazing support and love you show me.  I can feel your prayers everyday. 

 Elder Johnson shows how fish are everywhere!

 This week has been great.  I am seeing the Hand of the Lord more and more in my life as I come closer to him and gain a stronger relationship with Him.  I have done a lot of self reflection these past few days on how and why I know this church is true.  I was really trying to look back on my previous life to specific experiences that I have had to help me understand the importance that this Gospel has had on my life.  As I thought of these experiences, I decided to write them down.  I came up with a few and I know that these were things I went through to prepare me for this time I am in now.

 

A cute family in Korea with Elder Johnson

A few weeks ago, Tyler sent me an e-mail that meant a lot to me.  He said, "I think the advice I could give is that in all that you do, search the Holy Ghost.  He is your constant companion.  Search Him and he will give you all things that you can say and do. I know in my tracting efforts, I have been guided by the Holy Ghost.  Don't  seek to be first.  Serve."

Well, I followed his advice.  I have really been seeking the gift of the Holy Ghost in everything I do.  I have been praying to be guided and to receive truth and light from the Holy Ghost.  I have a special experience that happened last week.  First of all, with the oven experience and second I have been lead to people while tracting by the Holy Ghost.  Last week when P Day ended, we had planned to meet with our investigator but things changed a little bit and he ended up cancelling.  So after me and my comp talked about what we should do, we decided to go out and tract.  Well, I wasn't in the best mood.  I was a little down and I had really been praying to receive strength.  Right before me and my companion left our house, I told him I wasn't going to bring my bag  and that I would just carry the Book of Mormon in my hand.  Well, I had this prompting for some reason I really needed my bag.  I ignored it.  I was prompted again.  I ignored it.  I got down on my knees before we left and prayed to feel the Love of the Savior and to be led to someone who needed to hear of the Gospel.  As I got up, I was just about to leave the house when the prompting came again.  Get you bag.  So of course after three hard promptings, I went and got my bag.  I had no idea why I needed it.  I had everything I needed.  All I thought I needed was my Korean Book of Mormon.  

Well, as me and my companion started to tract, we were on this busy road and as we were walking, I just felt like I needed to stop and turn right.  There was a street that nobody was on.  It was pretty dark and I couldn't see anyone. As we continued to walk down it, there was nobody.  So I said, "Lets just walk to that sign and we will turn around and go back out to the busy street."  Well, as we turned around, there was this girl who was down the road from us.  She had a lot in her hands and so we thought we should help her.  Well, as she got closer and closer, I could tell that she wasn't Korean.  She was from the Philippines.  As we started to talk to her, we introduced ourselves and told her what we were doing.  We began to introduce the Book of Mormon. Well, unfortunately we thought we didn't have an English Book of Mormon.  But as we continued to talk about the Book of Mormon, I had a feeling to check my bag.  Well, sure enough, I had an English Book of Mormon in my bag.  I had a prompting to put it in there about two weeks ago, and I kept trying to take it out but each time I had the prompting to leave it in.  Anyway, we were able to give it to her, and I know that we were lead by the Spirit through our efforts.  I am so grateful that Heavenly Father listens and answers our prayers through the Holy Ghost.  That is something I have been praying for, to be enlightened by the Holy Ghost to receive Light and Truth.

Elder Uchtdorf gave an amazing talk in conference called, "Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth."  We all have the ability to gain a personal testimony.  We all have the ability to feel God's infinite love.  Something he said in his talk I really loved, "In the end, we are all pilgrims seeking God's light as we journey on the path of discipleship."  That is so true.  I know God hears and answers our prayers.  I have been praying from the desires of my heart.  We often have MANY thoughts go through our mind and there are many things we want, but I really believe that the real and true things are found in our heart.  As we express our hearts, we can find Light and Truth.

Our investigators are doing well.  I'm working hard and trying my best to learn the language! It is very hard but I am progressing little by little.

I love you and hope you have an amazing week!

Elder Johnson