April 11, 2011

K just to answer your questions right off, There are currently 6 Elders that speak Cambodian.  2 are in Lynn 3 are in Lowell and 1 is in Nashua as a zone leader and he goes home at the end of this transfer.  There is usually always one cambodian elder in leadership at a time and they usually speak english when in different cities other than Lynn and Lowell.  Today for P-day we are just taking it easy- writing letters, doing some shopping, and what not.  I did a relaxing p day to catch up ha.  Oh and last p day we went to Boston and it was sweet!  we were right down town and i just love it.  It is so awesome there.  I wish i could serve right in the city.  We didn't do much but walk around and eat at a place called Al Capone's where i ate a 20 inch sub! Don't ask me how cuz i don't know haha.

Mom a package would be greatly appreciated!  haha make sure there are candy bars in there.  I've been craving those.  Just so you know, I am finally eating like a growing boy should be eating haha.  I eat so much here!  I don't know whats gotten into to me, but i just put food away.  It kind of worries me cuz i've gained weight.  i now weigh 187!  Im not too worried... i kinda want to get to 200lbs just to say i did it haha but don't worry i exercise every morning and i even got my companions to go out running... even if it was only for 10 mins and they both thought they were gonna die ha.  The weather here has been so beautiful the last 3 days.  Almost time for no suit jackets when tracting. 

Now for some updates.  We haven't seen our investigator very often this last week and he didn't come to church even tho he said he was, so that was a bummer.  He is still having a hard time but he keeps trying.  He is actually being a missionary himself by telling some friends about the gospel and giving us refferals. 

As for M, we still pass by every day and there he is standing outside his house just looking around.  We always give him a wave and he gets so excited.  He is always there to give us a nice pick me up and get a smile on our faces, but we dropped him as an investigator. 

I don't know if i told you about this guy that we met for the 2nd time and we watched the restoration movie and had a good lesson.  He is so awesome.  He loves going from church to church looking for the good things that he can add to his life.  He loves learning from every single person.  He told us that he loves when we come cuz we bring "good energy" (the Holy Ghost once again).  We only get to meet him on Sunday nights each week but he says he will try to come to church next week! I know that once he gets into the church and feels all the "good energy" in there, that he will be converted.  He is also reading the book of mormon.  This guy could not be more golden. I can't wait til he goes to church.

We finally met this lady again that we tracted into about 2 weeks ago.  She is a single mother.  When we taught her the first lesson about the restoration, she was all ears and really soaking it up and asking questions.  She said she could feel something good when we were talking (the HG obviously) and we could feel it too.  We did see her again and teach her about the plan of salvation.  Her son was there too and he was constantly saying, "mom, can we go to church?" The lesson went well so we challenged her to do a few things.  She didn't show up to church... as a matter of fact we had none of our investigators at church.  And we thought it was gonna be a big turnout too so that was a bummer. 

Speaking of church, i spoke in church Ha. I got called on friday to speak in the HP (heritage Park) ward(YSA)  about being converted.  So i prepared the talk and then on Sunday morning 10 mins before the Lowell Ward started, i got called to give my talk in that ward too.  So it worked out quite nicely.  I thought my talk went well especially the second time i gave it.  Here are some highlights of my talk:
-Being fully converted is a lifelong process.  We have to be constantly strengthening our conversion everyday to stay fully converted. 
-Alma the Younger after his "conversion" he spent the rest of his days laboring to bring salvation to others (Alma 36:24) and he could not rest (Alma 43:1)
-The lamanites that the sons of mosiah converted were fully converted.  In Alma chapters 22-27 there are characteristics of these people who are fully converted and we can compare ourselves to see if we are fully converted.  (minister unto others, willing to give all, you would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin, You keep all the commandments, You look unto Christ, You have patience in afflictions, you have love towards your brethren, you inquire of the lord, you fear to commit sin, and my favorite part is that THEY NEVER DID FALL AWAY!)  If we are like the converted lamanites and follow their example, we will never fall away.
-I ended with the challenge of being converted.  And i said that some of you might think you are converted.  I think that is awesome, PROVE IT.  Prove it to God that you are fully converted. In EVERYTHING you do and at ALL times.

So other than that, alot of this week was spent tracting/ trying to meet investigators and not having too much success, but we keep pressing forward.  I love my companionship because we never get down.  We are always keeping each others spirits lifted.  I learned this from my friend Adam but i love it: each door we knock we are one door closer to finding someone who is prepared.  For me, once i start tracting it is so hard to stop because i keep thinking, oh its gonna be the next house.  Or, what if its that house and i didn't knock it.  i don't want to miss the right person so i knock  each door.  I always feel bad stopping cuz i am constantly thinking, what if its that house? Ha so ya as you can see tracting is something that i can do.  Sure its annoying when door after door people say they aren't interested.  I just want to say back to them, "Are you interested in your everlasting salvation???!!!!"

Well thats all i got in me this week.  I hope you enjoyed it.  This is hard work, im not gonna lie.  But there are those few moments each day, sometimes very very small, that just lets you know that this church is true, that God is in this work, and that He knows me.  This is what im supposed to do. 
I love you all very much and look forward to hearing from you again next week.  Keep being so amazing and worthy of all the blessings the Lord bestows upon you.  Don't forget about conference! watch/read a talk or two per week.  Have a good one!

Love,
Elder Brady Johnson