Feeling the Spirit

April 26, 2010

Well my life has officially been changed. This mighty change of heart has certainly taken place. What sealed the deal this last week was our Zone Conference with Elder Kevin Pearson of the quorum of the 70 as a guest speaker. He blew my mind in so many ways. Like it was truly amazing how great of a speaker he is, but also just how many things that he said that will directly help us as missionaries carry out the work. He was not only a powerful speaker but really related with us amazingly well. Words cannot express exactly how amazing the conference was, but I have changed and I can boldly declare that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. ...not simply because of my name tag, but because that is what I want to be. I want 3 Nephi 3:15 to be my life long creed. What he said was so motivating for me its hard to describe...I feel like as long as I am relying on the Lord, anything is possible. There were so many amazing principles that I will not only apply in my day-to-day as a missionary, but also for the rest of my life. Basically, general authorities are awesome lol.

Anyways, the week was still good without the life changing conference...but it seems like in comparison everything else just falls so short of the level of amazingness. And I wish the above words did the conference justice, but I feel almost like Moroni because I am weak in writting to be able to describe exactly how powerful that meeting was... One really cool experience was with a member (Bro. Chocho) just last night. We stopped by his house, just kinda cuz we had nothing else to do and called so he could let us in. He said that he had been feeling super sick and asked us to give hm a blessing. We did, naturally. But the great part about it was the fact that his family members (non members who never join us while we are there unless we are watching a movie about Christ) came an joined us for the blessing. Afterwards the Spirit was strong, as it always is after an ordinance is performed through priesthood power, and I began to bear strong testimony to his family. Testimony about what we had just done (a blessing) how we could do it (the priesthood) and what they were feeling (the Spirit) ...and why all of that was possible (God's love for each and every one of us). It was a truly powerful experience...and then I felt inspired to sing "The Spirit of God" ...for sure not something I thought of on my own, it had to have been a prompting lol. It was a great experience and hopefully it leads to more interest in the church for Bro. Chocho's family.

It has kinda hit me this last week how crucial the Spirit is in everything that we do as missionaries...when its there the lessons are powerful and lives will be changed. Elder Pearson helped point this out and I have been trying super hard to invite the Spirit into my life every chance I get...I am noticiing a diff. 2 different lessons this last week tears were shed by those we were teaching because of the powerful feelings of the Spirit that we could feel in the room. ...And no doubt I have just scratched the surface of this power and authority that I have the opportunity to use.

......random kinda funny fact...this wildly drunk man we taught for the 1st time on sat. showed up to church. He was drunk, but he came. We were shocked...we had seen him in the street a couple of times and each time he said he'd come. But this time he actually did. Maybe even through the haze of inebriation he was able to feel something during our lesson. But it was the first time I've seen a drunk man talking about how the bible says its okay to drink during the sacrament =S ...Jose is his name. We'll see what happens with him lol

Hope you all are doing great... till next week!

Elder Johnson.

ps-Can you believe April is almost over already? ...what happened to the time?