Weeks 77, 78, and 79 - January 25, 2016

Family,

This week has been FREEZING.  But super good.  Seen a lot of miracles. 

I don't have a lot of time, but this week I went on a split in a different area for one day and 

we spent the whole day on the streets talking to the people in the snow.  We shoveled walks, talked to people, went into gas stations, restaurants and just about everything to serve and talk to people.  The Lord gave us so many opportunities.  We ended up getting 8 phone numbers and taught a few lessons.  It was great.  The area that I went to is having struggles finding investigators and so that was our main focus was, finding.  I did the split with an Elder from Ohio that is 28 years old.  He is great!  He went through a lot to get out here on his mission.  I learned a lot from him and thanked him for his great example.

I have recently been focusing on Sacrifice.

Blessings are obtained through sacrifice.  It is a sacrifice to be obedient.  It is a sacrifice to exercise faith and blessings come from obedience and exercising faith.  Sacrificing isn't easy, but it's how we obtain blessings.  If there is a mission rule or commandment that is hard to keep, keeping it will bring blessings.  Sacrifice is one of the biggest acts of Love we can show.  I am focusing on sacrifice and I have seen the blessings.

Last week our investigator Max didn't come to church so we have to move his date back. We are praying for him!

Also, yesterday we were out in the FREEZING dumping snow and we ran in to our old investigator with a baptismal date.  He is from Philippines and said he wants to start coming back out to church.  We are praying for things to go well! 

I love you all and hope you have a good safe week!

Love,

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE

Week 75 and 76 - January 4, 2015

Family!

Not a lot of time this week!  Hope all is well and hope everyone had a safe New Year!

Happy New Years! 2016!  "Monkey Year." (in Korea)

Our New Year's Eve was great!  We spent the last few hours of the night (7-9)  knocking on doors and we GOT LET IN!  We had just got done with an appointment and were waking to the bus stop as our next appointment got canceled!  We had a feeling to go back to the apartment we were just at and knock on doors at the next door apartment.  It was about the 9th door we knocked on when an American couple came to the door!  It was a big surprise and they mentioned they were teaching at the college next door.  They invited us in and told us they didn't have much religion interest but that they wanted to talk.  When we got into the apartment, the man was smoking a giant cigar!  It was huge!  He was really kind and put it away while we were there. 

As we started talking to these people, we introduced to them a little bit about what we are doing and what we are sharing.  I was able to share my personal testimony in English and it was a great experience and blessing from the Lord.  Last second year ending Miracle:)

Also, I was able to experience the healing power of the Priesthood this week!  Recently for some reason my lower back has been in a lot of pain.  It was difficult for me to walk and sit down.  I am not sure why.. I think it come from my 100 burpees I did on Christmas Eve:) haha but it was in a lot of pain.  We came home after a hard day at the work and I asked my companion for a Priesthood blessing.  As I went to bed, I got up the next morning and the pain was gone.  I haven't experieced the pain really at all since the blessing.  It was a miracle.

Lastly, I have been in Korea for about 17 months now and for the first time this last week I ate DOG:)  It was the last meal with our Chinesse investigator.  It wasn't quite what I expected, but It wasn't too bad.  It tasted similar to any other meat, but it's just the fact that it is DOG.

We, also, set a baptismal date with our Investigator Max!  He is planning on being baptized on the 17th of this week and we are working to prepare him!  His mom is still opposing but we are praying that he will be able to be baptized!  He has a desire and is such a humble and pure man. 

This week was great.  It's the start of the new transfer, and we are looking forward to all the new experiences!

Love you.  Have a good safe week! 

Love,

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

Weeks 73 and 74 - December 21, 2015

Subject:  Merry Christmas 

I feel very comforted and grateful for the gift of eternal families.  What a blessing.  The knowledge that we have of the Savior Jesus Christ, as well as His Father, is truly remarkable.  As this last week has passed, I am still blown away at the fact, that the knowledge of just knowing who God is,  is such a blessing.  This last week I have been able to meet with a handful of new investigators and a few of them had personal ideas of who "God" is but don't really know or have knowledge of Him.  They believe in the Deity but don't believe that it is God, nor do they believe that prayer is a way of communication.

The sentence, "I believe in God" and the sentence "I have a knowledge of my belief in God" are very different.  We can believe, but if we don't have a knowledge, our belief can become as sand.

I truly believe that it is through our experience by which we gain knowledge.  We can go to Harvard, Yale, Stanford  or any of the top schools in the world, but until we have experienced for ourselves, we cannot have an asurety of that knowledge or belief which brings me to the importance of the special promise given in the Book of Mormon:  To Read, Pray, and Ponder upon the word and gain personal experience or witness that it is another testament of Jesus Christ.  What a blessing.

As I was reading in 2 Nephi Chapter 2 this morning about the fall of Adam and Eve, I was grateful for another strong witness of the Fall and for Lehi's teachings.  Seeing it from the same story but different view.  I was able to apply things in my life and compare a lot of things that have come to pass throughout my service to the Lord.

I am putting all my efforts here.  Focused on the Lord.  I am striving to change.  I hope that I will be at the top of the mountain on the last day of my mission.  I am climbing and am not going to stop.  Fighting everyday to change and see my weakness with a focus on the Savior, always staying positive with my strengths.

I have also been thinking a lot about our life's purpose and the true meaning of Christmas.  I am trying to do all things unto Christ and create a stronger relationship with Him.

I love you.

I am thankful for everything and my family

I dont have much time left here in Korea, and I cannot wait to be reunited with my family.

Love,

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

 On Christmas Day, Elder Johnson's family was thrilled to have a call coming from Korea from their son.  

 Elder Johnson was just as excited on the other end of the connection to see his family, including his grandparents.  It was the perfect Christmas gift for everyone!

Week 72 - December 7, 2015

Family!

Whoa.. Watch out!  I think mom's gratitude is going to send tsunamis across the oceans! Mom, I am so humbled to hear of all your experiences and cherished testimonies you are gaining at this time.  I feel that you as well as each of the members of our family are serving our own kind of missions, in our own kind of ways.  It's interesting that as we accept the Savior in our life, He begins to enlighten and reveal to us the plan that our Heavenly Father has for us.  I can't imagine how God works.  His ways are mysterious, but He asks us to follow His Only Begotten Son and by doing so, He has promised to lead us on that path back to him.  The Knowledge that we have, (not just the Belief) but the knowledge we have of the Resurrected and Living Christ, is truly remarkable. 

I have been thinking a lot this week about my thoughts and my beliefs.  I have asked myself a question that formed as I was reading Elder Rasband's talk this week.  Are my beliefs just beliefs or are they true Knowledge.  It's one thing to believe in something and it's one thing to have a knowledge of something.  As I have been pondering this throughout the week, I  have come to the conclusion that before my mission a lot of my belief was just "belief."  As I have been out on my mission and experienced the Gospel in my own way, It has become a sure, pure, and precious Knowledge. 

(The Korean Thanksgiving feast Elder Johnson and his companion made.)

I have also been thinking a lot on what it means to Become One.

We focus a lot about that in our mission.  We focus on the importance of being one with the Lord.  Our Companionship.  Our districts.  Zones.  And as a mission.

As I have been thinking about this, I have been led to the thought of our Johnson Family.  How special our family and extended family is.  I am amazed at the amount of "oneness" we have within our family.  Our family does a great job with being one.  And I truly believe that it comes from living a Gospel Centered life.  Centered on Jesus Christ.  I have seen families while growing up and throughout my mission that don't have that "oneness," and it has been sad.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus gives anything to anyone, if they will just live according to it.

This week, we have seen lots of miracles!  Met lots of new investigators and have been deeply blessed!  Serious!  Tons of good things are going on right now.  We are Finding.  Teaching and it is leading to baptism.  We have lots and lots of potentials, and we were so close to setting a baptismal date yesterday for the day that Ty left on his mission--December 19!  The person is the guy from China that I have talked about a little.  We met him through a fast, and he is progressing well!  He leaves back to China this month, so we don't really know what to do!  He will eventually come back.  We are just jot sure when!  Anyway, he has a few things to overcome, and he can be baptized.

Cole's new comp Elder Jung Ingyu

We have seen lots of other miracles as we have fasted this week as well.  One of the days we fasted, it was snowing and freezing!  It was like one of five people we were able to start conversations with, and he had had the thought as he walked our the door that day, "Today I want to make a foreigner friend."  Well, sure enough, because we followed the prompting to talk to him and get off at a later bus stop, we were able to meet him and he has great interest.  Lots of time and wants to come to church this week!

I love you and hope you have a safe week!  Plant your seeds of guided gratitude and let it grow!  Mine is starting to grow slowly.  This week I have been extremely grateful for Change

Change to Become.

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE Trust(ing) in the Source

(Elder Johnson got his pre-Christmas presents.  He was pretty excited!)

Week 71 - November 30, 2015

Family and Friends!

Hope all is well and hope every one had a good safe Thanksgiving week end!

This week was solid!  Full of a million things and we were able to see a lot of miracles.

It is crazy to measure your self progression over the course of a transfer or even a week.

I constantly feel like I am growing and learning.  Our potential is infinite and we have but a short time on this earth to fulfill it.  I have grown a lot over the course of the last 6 weeks.  I have learned things that will help me throughout my life and have strengthen me as an individual and instrument in the Lord's hand.  I look up to my Mission President greatly, and he is truly an inspired man.  I learn great amounts from him and I am truly blessed to be able to follow his counsel.

We had Zone Conference this last week and preparing for it was a BEAUTY!  We only had like a total of two days to completely prepare for it, but with much sincere prayer and communication, things went very well. The Spirit was very strong and each member of our Zone felt a special spirit.  Elder Butterfield and I relied on the Lord so much and we know He honored our preparation and gave us so much more in the exact moment we needed it.  We are focusing a lot on becoming one--as a mission, but especially in our Zone.  We didn't have any baptismal dates these last two weeks, but two days after Zone Conference, we were able to set two in our Zone!  Huge miracles!  We are focusing on giving a gift to Christ for Christmas. Time is short and things are getting tight.  We are going so 열심히 here in our area and have seen lots of miracles! 

We followed the Spirit very well this week and were led to an apartment where three people out of 70+ rooms accepted us!  One of them invited us in to share a message!  That was huge.  Another guy seemed interested and then another guy came to the door with no shirt on with a mouth full of food--hahah super funny.  He said he couldn't talk, but I quickly asked for his number and he gave me it!  Crazy!  He seems interested and wants to meet with us!

We met with a guy from Sir Lanka, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Korean, American, and African haha.  That's exactly how the Lord wants His Gospel going forth.  We had a miracle church attendance this last week.  The first week with my new companion we met this really cool 28 year old on the street and he said he really would come to church.  He came out yesterday and had a great experience!  It was his first time ever in his life going to church!  It was hilarious singing hymns with him!  I also gave a talk in church yesterday and talked about JOY.  I asked a question, "What is Joy to you?  When have you experienced Joy?"  I didn't have much time to prepare cuz we had a million other things, but it went really well!  The members were really excited to have our investigator at church, and he said in two weeks he is coming out with a friend! 

 

It snowed a million this week!!!!!!!!  Holy cow!  It is also super cold!  I love it:)) hahah  Also, I am having a blast with my Korean comp.  He is the best.  We get a long so well and I am learning so much Korean from him! 

I didn't tell you this, but someone who I found on the street and met with was baptized three weeks ago!  He works across the street from our church in the area right beside our area, and we found him right directly in front of our church one day when we were waiting for an investigator to show up.  I had a feeling to go outside and talk to people, and we met him. He was baptized three weeks ago!  Such a good guy!  He has overcome smoking and drinking!

I love you and hope you have a good safe week! 

Love, Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE Trust(ing) in the source.

Week 70 - November 23, 2015

Family!

How are you?  Sounds like everything is going well there at home.  First of all, Shout out to my beautiful younger sis Iz.  HAAPPPY BIRTHDAY, SIS.  I miss and love you.  I hope you had the best day.  I saw a video Mom sent to me of you eating whipping cream or something super funny!  I was dying.  I miss and love you, Iz.  You have grown up so much since I have left.  Two birthdays have now passed since I have been a missionary, which means for your 18th, we will be partying together!  Love and miss you!  Big 17!

This week has been super busy.  Very different and pretty stressful.  I had to go in several different areas this last week for Zone leader responsibilities.  It was great.  I was able to learn a lot and am really excited for the next up-coming transfer.

New transfers!  I am staying here in Onyoung  Elder Bombasi just moved over to the area right next to me.  He is in the bigger city, Cheonan where we have district meeting.  I just got an Elder from Korea who was originally in our zone!  I went on a few splits with him, and I am soo pumped to serve with him!  His name is Elder Jung.  He is super fun and we get along well.  I am excited to work with him and to serve together.  I am speaking Korean with him all day, and I am so excited to learn Korean on a different level!  Last year at this time, I served with a Korean, but I was fairly new to Korea and missionary work, so I couldn't soak up quite everything I wanted to, but now I can converse and speak how I want to with him.  I can understand more and my learning ability will grow!

I was able to go to Daejeon this week as well.  Elder Park went home and Elder Butterfield became the new Zone Leader with me.  I am so excited to work with him.  He is super great, and he is who I replaced when I came here to Onyoung  It's super funny because he went from Onyoung to Cheonan just like Elder Bombasi did.  They are now living together again. We got a lot of new members in our Zone, and I am excited to work with them.  Elder Butterfield and I are praying super hard together trying to lead the Zone and to pull out baptisms this transfer.  If our mission gets around 22 baptisms this month, we will beat the record of 200 baptisms in one year.  We, as a mission, are working hard and relying on our faith in the Savior to lead us along.

 (The foreigner family in the branch, with the investigator on the right.)

I have studied about faith as well as what I talked about last week, "Changing to Become." In and through all things, if we act in faith, the Savior will be there.

We are focusing, also, in our mission to give a present to Christ for Christmas, and I want to close with a scripture I found this morning during studies.  It goes hand in hand with what we are doing here in our mission and with what you can do there:

"Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith."  Ether 12:9

Have a great week!  I love you!  Be save and Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, 

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE Trust(ing) in the Source

Week 68 and 69 - November 16, 2015

Family,

This week has been great! I have learned a lot and have been able to change myself in many ways.  I have been focusing on two words these last two weeks and they are two words with great power and meaning. 1. Change.  2. Become.  These are two words that have helped me constantly strive to be better and to recognize my many weaknesses and make them strengths through the Savior.  As I have pondered upon these two words these last few weeks, I have come to understand through the Spirit that these two words are made possible through one person, the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Only through Jesus Christ and His Atonement can we Change.  He gives us a Change to Become.  A change that cannot fully be explained or comprehended.  It is something that I am continuing to ponder about. 

We change to Become.  We change to reach our potential.  We change to become humble. We change not for us but for Him.   We change then become.. change then become..change then become..  It is a constant process.  The Savior is the start of that process and has promised us that if we change, we can become who He would have us be. I hope that as you ponder upon these to words, you will feel of that same power and reality of which I have felt.  Our potential is divine.  And we can reach it if we will just change our ways to His ways.  Change to Become.

 

This week is transfer calls!  I will be getting my call today at three.  I'm thinking I will probably stay here for another 2 or 3 transfers.  On this transfer, the other Zone leader, Elder Park, will be going home. I love him and have learned so much from him.  He is an outstanding missionary. His knowledge is crazy, and I was so grateful to have spent the time running the Zone here in Chonan.  My responsibility is now doubled, and I am so excited for what the Lord has in store.  Our Zone is going great and it should be changed a lot as these transfer calls come in.  I am excited and ready for new opportunity, realizing that I still need to Change to Become.

 

This last week after one of our appointments with our Chinese investigator, we were coming home and ran into our old investigator who almost got baptized last transfer.  He had a baptismal date and due to a few other things, the baptism just didn't end up going through. He hadn't answered our calls for about 7 weeks and we were able to see him on the street! Huge miracle.  I was so pumped!  We are hoping to get back in touch with him.

 

It rained and was super cold this last week!  Also, we were able to have a very special lesson with another one of our investigators who is almost ready for baptism. He didn't quite understand the importance of the Book of Mormon, but we shared Alma 37:36-37.  It was when we were following up on the commitment to pray and he said he had felt a very positive feeling when he would pray in the morning.  He could feel the Love of God and understand that God will really help him. So we shared this scripture with him and He said he felt something.  He said he needed to make the Book of Mormon a priority in his life and that he needed to memorize that verse!  So cool!

 

This week I had crazy octopus soup!  Brain and intestine.  Everything.... It was alive at the time it was being boiled!  Crazy!  Super different but kinda gooood! 

 

 (Above:  Elder Johnson with friends in Korea; picture below is Elder Johnson with a good buddy who came back to visit the mission--Elder Skinner.)

 

Love you! Have a great week and be safe!

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE Trust(ing) in the Source

My ponderize for this week has been Mosiah 4:27. I invite you all to ponderize as well. What great blessings and inspirations!