Service and the Fulness of the Gospel

Good afternoon my friends. I hope you're doing well. I enjoyed this week a lot. 

The first cool thing that happened this week is we had the chance to do a lot of service which I really enjoyed. Ghanaians are super nice and don't like to be served, but if you're observant and just a little forceful you can help people do stuff. This week we helped Gifty, one of our friends, close her stand where she sells backpacks and purses and stuff. We also helped our members chase their wayward chicken out of a thicket. And we've washed a lot of dishes, which is always fun. It's been cool to pray for service opportunities and actually get them. God will use us if we're willing to be used. 

This week we also had zone conference which was awesome. I love seeing so many missionaries that I know and love at big meetings like that. So many powerful brethren. There are also sisters in my mission but I've been in all-elder zones for most of my mission so I don't know most of them. I'm sure they're also great though. 

Every zone conference I once again gain a testimony that God called President and Sister Morgan to lead this mission. They know the will of the Lord. It's so cool to watch. 

We also had some interesting teaching experiences this week that I want to share. On Saturday we went to visit the Apraku family, who were all baptized a few months ago, to help brother Kingsford (the dad) prepare his sacrament talk. We got there and were just kind of visiting when two well dressed older ladies walked up to the house and greeted us. They introduced themselves to us, but it was clear that the Apraku family already knew them. The situation progressed and it turned out that the two ladies were Jehovah's Witness missionaries who also had an appointment to teach our members! Brother Apraku suggested we all just learn together, and before I could say anything, we were all sitting on our stools outside the Apraku house. 

I was nervous because of some past experiences I've had teaching missionaries of other faiths, and the last thing I wanted to do was get into a Bible bash in front of our members. I inwardly committed not to be contentious and the lesson started going. 

I shouldn't have been nervous though. The two women were very respectful and really believed in what they were doing. They shared about how the Bible is like a light that helps us make sense of the darkness and confusion of the world. They then allowed us to talk, and respectfully listened as we taught them about how the priesthood authority from God has been restored by a prophet today and how the Book of Mormon is evidence of it. We both walked away with respect for each other and also both set a return appointment with the Apraku family (at different times, of course). It was interesting. 

The main thing I realized is that there's a lot of good everywhere. However, I am so grateful to be teaching about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness. 

It reminds me of a lesson we had on Sunday with a pastor named Alex. He just finished Bible school and is building up a congregation to start his church. He was very willing to listen though, and we as tactfully as we could taught him the restoration of the gospel. He was also really nice. He was very respectful and I could tell that he is truly a sincere follower of Christ. He is doing what he thinks is right. But Christ's true church has been restored to the earth. I've felt that very deeply this week. I'm so glad to be in that place and to be proclaiming the true gospel every day. Life is good and the church is true. 

Love,

Elder Johnson

1. Me, Elders Mutombo, Holt, and Momoh looking fresh at zone conference. 

2. Me and Elder Momoh crushing it at the same zone conference. 

3. Me, Elder Niangbo, Elder Bukasa THE GREAT who is opening a new area and who I love very dearly and was very happy to see, and Elder Momoh at zone conference.