Family!
How are you!? I still
can't believe it has been over a year! So crazy! I hope all is well, and I hope
Ty has a good birthday this week! Wish I was there to spend it with you guys,
but next year at this time, we will probably be in Korea for it! YEAHHH BABBY!
hah Also, I met and was able to help a French family this week. I met them on
the street and I was able to help them go to their destination. I felt like I
got a small piece of Ty hah! Also, Elder Holden speaks a little bit of French, so
it was cool. I wanted to like pull my phone out and call you and ask you
how to speak French hah, because I wanted to communicate with them but then I
realized I couldn't.... haha.
Anyway, this week I
have read a few conference talks, and I have read them with a prayerful heart
asking the Lord which ones I needed to share with my family. I hope that as you
read these each individually, you feel the Spirit of the Lord strengthening our
relationship as I am out here serving our Savior.
Dad: Priesthood and
Personal Prayer. Henry B. Eyring
Mom: Parents: The
Prime Gospel Teachers of their Children. Tad R. Callister
Tyler: Stay by the Tree. Kevin W. Pearson
Me: Approaching the
Throne with Confidence. Jorg Klebingat
Izzy: The Gift of
Grace. Elder Uchdorf
Luke J: I Know These Things of Myself. Craig C. Christensen.
If you feel the
spirit testifying a truth of the gospel as you read these, please share it with
me. I love you guys!
Miracle Story: So
this week as we were meeting with our investigator that I talked about a few
weeks ago (who owns the restaurant), it was about 4:50 in the afternoon and we
had another important appointment at 5, about 15 minutes away that we had lined up
with a member. This appointment was with three people who are very diligent in
attending the Baptist church. One of them has a very keen knowledge of the Bible. Anyway, we kept trying to end our lesson with our previous appointment,
but it just kept on going and going pushing our time closer and closer. As the
appointment ended, we sprinted out the door and ran to the main street (meanwhile, it's blazing hot). Well, on the way, I was praying my heart out for a taxi.
(Three weeks before, we stood in the same spot waiting for a taxi for over 30
minutes.. and the subway station is tooo far..) So as I was praying and praying,
we sprinted across the street to find no taxi.... Kept praying and praying...
Praying and Praying.. finally about two minutes later.. (now 4:52) I turned
around and a TAXI was right behind us. I could see no taxis for miles and as we
turned around, there was one right behind us! Well it gets a lot better! Hah As
we jumped in the Taxi, I said to the taxi driver, "Whoaa, what a miracle! We have
been praying our heart out for someone to come quick because we have another
really important appointment!
LONG story short, the taxi driver was like,
"As I was coming down the street, I wanted to go right... but I had this
thought that there wouldn't be anyone down the right street who would need a
taxi.. so I kept going straight.. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I had a
feeling I needed to flip a U turn and I know if I did there would be people who
needed a ride. As he acted on that random feeling to randomly flip a U turn on
a really busy street, he was able to answer our prayers. I know that the Lord
knows us missionaries and works through others to answer our prayers. As we
continued talking to that man, he said he doesn't believe in God, but I know we
planted a seed in his heart and allowed him to consider the existence of a
being that can give us more help than we can ask for, who knows us more than we
can comprehend, and who loves us each with a perfect love.
I don't have much
time, but my heart has been softened from the Atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ. I wanted to expound on this question but because of time I can't.
I want everyone who reads this email to really consider this question, "When was
the last time you got down on your knees and thanked the Lord for the
Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?"
This week I have come
to understand a little bit more of the truthfulness of this Gospel. I am
eternally grateful for it. I am eternally grateful for all that our Savior did and
does for us as well as my heart is full of gratitude for all that Joseph Smith,
the young prophet, did to restore this truth. I invite all to be thankful for
this gospel and go about sharing it.
I haven't born my
testimony in an email in awhile and this week I wanted to simply do
so,
There is not another
book out there that testifies of the Savior, Jesus Christ, like the Book of
Mormon does. It is real. It is true and I know that with all that I am or all
that I ever will be. Jesus Christ Lives. He is my Savior and understands my
weakness and errors. He knows my heart. I have come to know a little more this
week of the asuredy that this is the true church upon this earth. It is the
Savior's who stands at its head, arming us "with righteousness and with
the Power of God in great glory.") 1Ne 14:14
I am grateful for it.
I am blessed to live and share it. I love my mission and am eternally grateful
for each blessing I have obtained thus far. Alma 37;36-37 is becoming a part of
me.
I love you. Have a
great week!
Elder Cole Thomas
Johnson
Trust(ing) in the
Source. P.A.C.E.
