Dear familiia!
This week we had a zone conference. Probably the most notable occurance. It was great as always. Our mission president, and I suspect all [mission presidents], has a gift of inviting the spirit. It is just so strong when he teaches. No wonder he was the instument of the Lord of bringing so many people to repentance during his mission. That's my goal. to develop that gift.
Something that I learned is that the standards of excellence for the indicators of lessons, contacts, new investigators etc. are not randomly set goals, but rather Minimums that the Lord has set for us. So we are going to meet them.
I dunno if I introduced Gerald last week but he is the BEST. Turns out he was talking and meeting with the missionaries a long time ago. When we were teaching about the Priesthood, that it is something that is given, from Jesus Christ to the Apostles, to Joseph Smith, to... to me and my compañion, he really got it! By the way could I receive this list? Oh yea, when we were talking about that he started to tell us about his baby daughter who was really sick when the missionaries visited that time ago. They healed her by the power of God. So basically he already has a testimony. Oh also Friday he fasted (we haven't taught that yet) so that all the people of Leguía can be happier, praying to start and end it. WHAT! Yes I know, but it gets better, he always prays and asks for direction and gets answers! HE IS SO READY.
In contrast we had a few encounters with Testigos [Jehovah's Witnesses]. I think the whole world, apart from us and Gerald, has not appreciated what we find in James 1:5, and all the times Chirst promised that if we ask we receive. The reality of personal revelation through the power of the Holy Ghost, makes it possible for ALL people to know the truth of the message that God has given us to proclaim. I just want everyone to believe in the scriptures enough to pray to know. But it's ok. I really feel like there are angels preaching the truths of the gospel to all, preparing people to talk to us and to have the desire [to learn more].
Well last week I mentioned about how much better was sacrament meeting having prepared [myself spiritually], and this sacrament meeting Sunday was even better, having prepared more! I hope all can have the desire to really renew their baptismal covenants during sacrament meeting and not just eat and bread and drink the water. The Ward Secratary: Elvis, asked me if I could give a 10 minute talk of Service, since the planned speaker didn't show up, and I was quite nervous... not having more than 9 minutes of notice... but after taking the sacrament I just felt so great. In my talk, I mentioned taking dinner to Mario, delivering cookies before christmas and a few other things, and talking, realized that I've been taught a good example of service. Thanks! During my talk basically all the ward was smiling and paying a lot of attention (possibly just because they had to press [pay] attention to understand), and walking back to my seat the stake patriarch (who about every Sunday tells me that an Elder Johnson baptized him) gave me thumbs up. That's just a long way to say that it's important to take the sacrament good [worthily and thoughtfully].
Right. So familiy that's about all for now. I hope everything's going great for y'all and thank you to everyone who sends me words and letters through the various means available. Always the best they are! [Gotta love the influence of the spanish grammar patterns in Mark's sentences.]
Love Elder Johnson
This week we had a zone conference. Probably the most notable occurance. It was great as always. Our mission president, and I suspect all [mission presidents], has a gift of inviting the spirit. It is just so strong when he teaches. No wonder he was the instument of the Lord of bringing so many people to repentance during his mission. That's my goal. to develop that gift.
Something that I learned is that the standards of excellence for the indicators of lessons, contacts, new investigators etc. are not randomly set goals, but rather Minimums that the Lord has set for us. So we are going to meet them.
I dunno if I introduced Gerald last week but he is the BEST. Turns out he was talking and meeting with the missionaries a long time ago. When we were teaching about the Priesthood, that it is something that is given, from Jesus Christ to the Apostles, to Joseph Smith, to... to me and my compañion, he really got it! By the way could I receive this list? Oh yea, when we were talking about that he started to tell us about his baby daughter who was really sick when the missionaries visited that time ago. They healed her by the power of God. So basically he already has a testimony. Oh also Friday he fasted (we haven't taught that yet) so that all the people of Leguía can be happier, praying to start and end it. WHAT! Yes I know, but it gets better, he always prays and asks for direction and gets answers! HE IS SO READY.
In contrast we had a few encounters with Testigos [Jehovah's Witnesses]. I think the whole world, apart from us and Gerald, has not appreciated what we find in James 1:5, and all the times Chirst promised that if we ask we receive. The reality of personal revelation through the power of the Holy Ghost, makes it possible for ALL people to know the truth of the message that God has given us to proclaim. I just want everyone to believe in the scriptures enough to pray to know. But it's ok. I really feel like there are angels preaching the truths of the gospel to all, preparing people to talk to us and to have the desire [to learn more].
Well last week I mentioned about how much better was sacrament meeting having prepared [myself spiritually], and this sacrament meeting Sunday was even better, having prepared more! I hope all can have the desire to really renew their baptismal covenants during sacrament meeting and not just eat and bread and drink the water. The Ward Secratary: Elvis, asked me if I could give a 10 minute talk of Service, since the planned speaker didn't show up, and I was quite nervous... not having more than 9 minutes of notice... but after taking the sacrament I just felt so great. In my talk, I mentioned taking dinner to Mario, delivering cookies before christmas and a few other things, and talking, realized that I've been taught a good example of service. Thanks! During my talk basically all the ward was smiling and paying a lot of attention (possibly just because they had to press [pay] attention to understand), and walking back to my seat the stake patriarch (who about every Sunday tells me that an Elder Johnson baptized him) gave me thumbs up. That's just a long way to say that it's important to take the sacrament good [worthily and thoughtfully].
Right. So familiy that's about all for now. I hope everything's going great for y'all and thank you to everyone who sends me words and letters through the various means available. Always the best they are! [Gotta love the influence of the spanish grammar patterns in Mark's sentences.]
Love Elder Johnson
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