Week 96 - May 23, 2016

Family.

What up?

This week was sooo Glorious. 

I want to begin by saying that I am truly grateful for my personal membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints.  I am grateful to belong and to represent the Restored Gospel. It's true.  I know it. 

This week we had Zone Conference and it turned out very well.  There were a lot of good things said and we all learned a lot.  In our mission right now, we are focusing a lot on "Find Teach and Baptize" and so we are constantly talking and thinking about how we can be more effective in these three areas.  The topic of the meeting was on these three things and I was able to share a few things about "Fear and Finding."  In other words, "Opening Our Mouth to Everyone." 

A thought came to me as I was preparing. 

It was this:  Every time we fear, we are thinking of our personal self.  And often times when we fear, we often start our thought or our words with "I," which in some situations can be classified by  Pride.  And the source of pride comes from the devil, so if we focus on the Savior and OTHERS, then all of a sudden we notice that we have no fear within us.

Recently as Elder Brown and I have been focusing on others, we have been able to receive more guidance from the Holy Ghost.  

Elder Brown and I have been able to set three baptismal dates this week.  HUGE MIRACLES!

One was a from a miracle 전도 about two weeks ago after District Meeting. Her name is Sister Moon Jung Sook.  She has come to church two times and 김수경 자매님 has done an amazing job at fellowshipping her. 

Every lesson we have taught has been with her and she has provided all the things that our investigator needs.  The lessons have been packed with the Spirit and after church yesterday, we went to Sister Kim's house and during the lesson Elder Brown and I felt really inspired to ask her to be baptized.  As Sister Kim was bearing her testimony, I looked over at Elder Brown and said, "We are going to invite her to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized." Then next thing we knew was that she was accepting our invitation to be baptized on June 5th.  The Spirit was so strong and Elder Brown, Sister Kim, and I were all very happy.

It was a great day and an experience I will always remember.

Our other investigator we met this week for the first time, we got a baptismal date in our first meeting.  I have never been able to do this on my mission!  The Spirit was so strong and his desire to follow Christ is huge.  He is my little brother, 18 years old and just such a stud!  He said straight to us that our meeting was "Glorious!" and he said he had the chills when we were showing him the baptismal font. 

We had four investigators out at church yesterday which was also Huge!!

The Lord is pouring the Heavens out upon 천안!

I love you!  Thank you for all your support! 

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson  (PACE)

Week 93, 94, and 95 - May 16, 2016

Family.

This week has been soooo good.

(On May 8, 2016, Elder Johnson was able to call home for Mother's Day.)

 (Everyone in the family was able to talk to him.  It was a thrill for them, as well as Elder Johnson being able to talk to all of them.)

 (Elder Johnson and his companion, Elder Brown.)

So many positive and uplifting experiences have come out of this week.  I have fully transferred over to Cheonan now and have been able to get to know the members and the area a little bit more.  I still don't know everything but I am slowly learning!

My companion is Elder Brown from Timpview, Utah.  He is the man.  We are super similar in so many ways, and we work super well together.  He is a great example to me and is filled with faith!

 (Elder Johnson and his companion Elder Brown from Orem, Utah)

 (Eating at a Carl's Jr. in Korea!)

We are really focusing on three things now:

Thoughts 

Others 

Finding ,Teaching and Baptizing. 

We both don't have much time left in the mission field and so we are both learning so much from each other and are becoming very effective instruments in the Lord's hand.  The Lord is strengthening us and giving us revelation from on high. 

I want to share a quick thought that came to us this week as we were talking. 

Putting attention or focus on something that you have little or no control 

over will allow no success or progression and  will do you absolutely no good.

Focus on the now and the important because it's what you can

change and it's what you can do.  Change to Become. 

Focus on the Lord and the Work. 

This week I have been suffering from a cold, but I am now over coming it and am almost back to normal health.

However, we saw some crazy cool miracles this week that I want to briefly describe. 

(Missionaries in Elder Johnson's District)

On the way home from District Meeting this week, it was pouring rain.  It was lunch time and we were on the way home just right out in from of our apartment when we saw an older mother and her son pass by.  We said "Hello" to them and we started a conversation.  It ended very well.  We received their address (which never happens) and planned on going to their house the next morning.  Well, after we finished eating, our other appointment cancelled and we realized that we were going to go out and talk to people in the rain for three hours until our next appointment, but we also realized that we could go visit the address that we had just received from the lady and her 22 year old son.  We had a feeling to go buy some bread and deliver it as a gift.

On our way to their house, the timing was absolutely perfect.  We met a guy in the elevator who was going to the same destination as us.  He was going to fix their sink... Anyway that guy had met with missionaries a long time ago and wanted to start meeting again. 

We met with the mom and the son.  They came out to church yesterday and a member invited them over to dinner last night.  We all ate together and shared about the Book of Mormon, its importance and what blessings we can receive from it.  It was a very spiritual night!  I feel very good about both of them, and I feel that they can be baptized in three weeks.  It's a huge miracle. 

We also had a bunch of other crazy miracles like right after we got done praying to know where we needed to go, we were directed to go right by the Spirit and we met a little kid who took us to his house and introduced us to his parents.  The next thing we know we were in these people's home teaching the gospel to a family!

They didn't have much interest, but the Lord led us there and they let us in to share our message! 

Prayer is so real!!!!!!! 

We met so many cool people on the street this week.

We have Zone Conference this week!  Pray it goes well!  I have a lot of preparation to do.  I love you!  Skype was glorious and I look forward to seeing you all so soon.

Follow the Spirit. 

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE

Week 92 - April 25, 2016

Family,

I love you and feel prompted to tell you that, God is in each of your lives and we must continue "look(ing) to God and live(ing)." 

This week was a great week!  Lots happened. 

 (Elder Johnson stated: 

"We had a BBQ party yesterday for our three new converts. 

They are seriously my brothers.   I love them.")

I don't have much time, but I want to briefly describe this week. 

I had to go to another area this week for something and had to take an hour and a half bus ride. 

As I was waiting to get on the bus, I noticed a familiar face in an army uniform.  He looked at me and we both relized we had met each other when I first came to Onyang and we hadn't seen each other in a long time because he had gone off to the Army.  It was great to see him.  I also saw his parents who were with him.  They are less actives and we are going to try to reactivate them.  It was a great miracle.  But that was not all. 

As I went to stand in line to wait for the bus, I also saw another familiar face.  We greeted each other and we both came to realize that we had met two months before on the subway while I was going to District Meeting in Chenoan.  He is 24 years old and the Lord placed him in my path again!  I know this. 

When I first met him, he said he didn't want to give me his contact information because he was in the Army and didn't have much time, but this second time when we met, we were able to talk for an hour and a half and I was able to teach him the full message of the Restoration. 

 

He told me that he wants to come out to church when he has time to leave the Army on the weekend. 

He also told me that when he gets done with the Army, he is going to be going backpacking from Canada to Brazil.  He will also be making it down through California, Utah, and so forth. 

I know the Lord sent him in our path again so we could have the time to teach him and invite him to follow Jesus's church. 

Our investigators are progressing well!  Also, we met a really cool investigator this week who is very humble and seeking answers to the Plan of Salvation. 

We met a kid on the street after following a prompting, who had met with missionaries four years ago.

He wants to come back out to church and he had a lot of questions about baptism. 

Lots of miracles continue pouring down form the Heavens.

God gave us our agency and He gave us His son, Jesus Christ, to show us how to use that agency.

I heard this yesterday in church and  have been pondering upon it. 

Very deep and true. 

I love you all!

Have a good safe week and remember to follow the Spirit in all things.

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson 

PACE

Weeks 89, 90, and 91 - April 17, 2016

Family,

This week has been great. I have been listening to the 182 Semi-Annual General Conference because it has been on my i-pod shuffle and I haven't known it..... But I have been uplifted in so many ways by the Spirit of the Lord.  I have listened to the talks repeatedly and have learned a great amount.

I want to invite you to read or listen to Elder Holland's talk in the Sunday morning session and Elder Hales talk in the Sunday afternoon session.

Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You 

By Elder Holland

The Holy Ghost 

By Elder Hales

(Click on the links above to read or listen to the talks Elder Johnson is referring to.) 

This week was great. 

I can't remember if I shared this with you, but Richard has the Aaronic Priesthood and is ordained to the office of a priest.  He is the man.  My best friend. 

This last week was very special as well as our new convert Lee Min Seoung received the Aaronic Priesthood, being ordained to the office of a Priest as well.  He is such a stud.  His attitude towards all things is so great.  He is always smiling and is positive.  My favorite member in Onyang bought him a suit and gave it to him yesterday at church.  He loooks super goood.

This last week we have been focusing on finding new investigators to teach!

It has been very upbeat and uplifting.  We have found so many cool and interesting people this last week.  We have met with them and they seem to have a little interest in the message we are sharing.  We are excited to continue teaching and helping them progress.

One of our investigators now is living alone.  He is divorced and has had a very rough life since his divorce.  We are helping him to understand Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  He has a firm belief in God but doesn't understand why we need Christ.  We invited him last time to pray in the name of Jesus Christ and to ask for understanding.  He did so.  The next time we met and followed up on our commitment, he told us of his experience and what he came to know for himself (testimony).  He said, "Without Christ we are nothing.  We can't go anywhere and we cannot progress."  Very cool experience and we look forward to continue helping him on his personal path to salvation!

Dad just sent me a quote that I want to end with. 

"If, in the end, you have not chosen Jesus Christ, it will not matter what you have chosen." - Neal A Maxwell

I love you all.  Have a great week and be safe.  Follow the Spirit in all things.

Love,

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE

Week 88 - March 27, 2016

This Week:  Another Wonderful Baptism!

 

 

 Elder Johnson performed the baptism.

 

 Companions:  Elder Jung and Elder Johnson at this week's special baptism. 

 Zone Conference with Pres. Shin

 

Week 87 - March 20, 2016

Family.

This week was Glorious.  So many good and positive things. 

I can see that you all had a great week as well.  Mom, that is so unreal that you saw Sister Lee at the MTC.  I am so happy.  I prayed for you to run into her!

My companion and I have been sick with a pretty bad cold, but we have been working hard and seeing so many miracles. 

Yesterday was incredible.  Our investigator was baptized and the baptismal service went really well.  The Spirit was strong and he was so excited to be baptized. 

We met him while we were fasting about six weeks ago from today.  He accepted all the lessons with a humble and pure heart and his desire to follow the Savior Jesus Christ was very big.  He is a great example to me and I know that the Lord sent him to us.  God hears and answers our prayers. 

 (Baptism held on Easter Sunday.)

Yesterday, also, I had the opportunity to bear my testimony in Sacrament Meeting.  I had no idea what I wanted to say, but I got up there and the Spirit gave me exactly what I needed in that moment. 

I shared two very special experiences that I have had on my mission that have come from fasting.  They both resulted in baptisms and I felt the Spirit very strong.  Each of the members felt a strong Spirit, of that which I felt.

After the meeting, one of our amazing members approached me and invited us to fast with her to help her husband be baptized. 

Before, she never wanted the missionaries to teach her husband because she was scared, but as we have been praying and asking how he is doing, she has gained our trust and wants to do a fast with us. 

Her heart was opened and she told us that after the fast we can decide according to how we feel if we will start the lessons with him.  She handed us over her trust, and we are really excited to fast with her this week.  She is the best.  (Mom, this is the family with the two kids that we went to Costco with a few times).

I love you all and pray for you each day. 

PACE.

Pray for me.  Big week!  We have Zone Conference and we might have another baptism!  A huge miracle will happen this week!  We are inviting our other investigator who came out to the baptismal service yesterday to be baptized this week!  He has been out to church three times and he told us yesterday he wants to be baptized!  He is 18 years old and we have to get his mother's permission, (which should be okay because she came out to church as well a few weeks ago).  He is the man and we are really close to each other. 

(Elder Johnson stated:  "We had MLC (Missionary Leader Conference) 

this week in Daejeon.")

(President Shin, along with Elder Johnson.)

I love you! 

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

Week 86 - March 13, 2016

Family,

This week has been GLORIOUS.

I don't have much time but I will try to tell you a few really cool experiences that came out of this week.

Yesterday, Sunday, we had four investigators out at church!!  And also one less active that we found last week.  He is from the Philippians and he is such a cool kid.  He and Richard are becoming such great friends and Richard's testimony is helping him back into activity. RICHARD IS THE MAN.  His testimony strengthens mine, and he is keeping all commandments and is being so blessed.  He has shared countless sacrifices he has made for the Lord and each time we have been able to trace back and pull out many different blessings that both he and we have received.  He is one of my best friends, and I am so grateful to be able to spend time with him and to grow in the Gospel together. 

Our investigators with baptismal dates didn't make it our to church yesterday because of a last minute thing that occurred, but we will be moving them back a week and trying to get them baptized then.

Another one of our investigators that we have been preparing for baptism is super close to accepting a date. 

There was a crazy story that happened this week. 

I will explain it really simply. 

On Friday morning after we fasted as a zone, Elder Jung and I were sitting at home in the morning and right before we were starting personal study, a phone call came.  We answered and it was someone who saw our English advertisement and wanted to meet.  She sounded a little bit older and she also told is she didn't have any English interest at all but that she wanted to learn about our church and attend our worship service.

After the call was ended, we called one of our members and asked if she would meet us at the church at 7 pm for a lesson.  We ended up meeting the girl who called with our member at 7 that night and as we were getting to know her, we realized that she described her family the exact same way as our other investigator.

We had no idea if they were related, and we didn't ask any questions of that sort.

She was so Golden.  She was talking about how she felt something special and that she felt that she needed to call our phone number...

 We waited and then met with our investigator the next day, but we didn't ask him if he happened to know this girl... We knew that they both had planned on coming to church and we could ask them if they knew each other when they got there....

Long story Short.  The girl who called us is our investigator's MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEY BOTH CAME OUT TO CHURCH TOGETHER yesterday and it was amazing!  They have so much potential and we are trying to get them baptized together!!

So incredible.

This week was incredible, and I am so grateful for all of the Lords continuous miracles. 

Love you have a safe week!

Elder Cole Thomas Johnson

PACE