JOHNSON IN WISCONSIN

To begin describing my weekend I must say it was nothing short of amazing. Beth Roe was baptized Friday evening and the service was wonderful. The place was packed with members and she had invited a bunch of friends from school that came and Ina Minney was there and President Barrett! We called him the night before and invited him to come and share his testimony during the minor intermission during us changing our clothes. It was great and I caught the last few minutes of his testimony and the spirit was radiating in the room. The baptism went well and i felt so privileged to hold the priesthood and be able to do the ordinance with her. A small child commented "wow that was fast" referring to the actual baptism itself but the blessings are eternal. Beth's nonmember mother, Anne, was there and she was feeling it. On Saturday night we had been invited to go to a cookout by a young guy named Jeremy. He works at the children's museum that we do service at and he invited us and the Hmong Elders over. He and a few friends run a community house for people to come and enjoy the company of good christian people and every Friday and Saturday evening they BBQ it up and anybody is invited, prime missionary opportunity you see. We went and it was awesome. At 1 time all 4 of us were teaching different people and at the end we had a large Bible study. There were about 6 guys and a few gals that had their Bibles with them, some people that also carry scriptures around. We sat in a circle and went through Ezekiel and Isiah about some prophecies of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and we shared things form the Book of Mormon and gave them all a copy. They meet there every weekend and invited us back which we will do for sure. It was one of the coolest things I've done on the mission. Most of them attend non-denominational churches and we're going back this weekend and will invite them to attend a Sunday with us and see how their Book of Mormon studies went. Yesterday at church Beth got confirmed and she was so happy. Anne was there again but had to leave before sacrament meeting ended due to illness. We are gonna start teaching her, no set appointment yet but it will happen this week. Sweet. Last night took the cake though. Yesterday morning the Beebe's, a young couple in the ward invited us over to their house to meet a friend of theirs who wanted to meet us, so we agreed. Brad, an 18 year old kid in the ward who's getting ready for his mission drove us out to their place in Dale and I must say he's golden. So golden that we set a baptism date with him for the 29th of September!!!!! His name is Rob and he works at the same office that Zach and Tianna Beebe do. He told us that 4 months ago he was really depressed and felt dark in life and he prayed one night that God would send him an angel to bring light into his life, he was looking for friends, some people who don't drink and smoke and live at bars. The next morning at work, Zach showed up at his cubicle and began talking with him and they started to become friends over the summer and his life began to change. He saw the light in the Beebe's lives and realized it must be the church they go to. He didn't tell them until this last Wednesday when they had him over for dinner that they had been an answer to his prayers and he broke down in tears thanking them for having the light that they do and for the next few nights he would come over and they basically told him everything about the church and gave him a Book of Mormon and watched the Restoration with him and they called us because they told him that he needed to talk to us. He already has a testimony and kept talking about the light he saw in us members and that he kept feeling the spirit. Of course we wasted no time in committing him to baptism and we told him that the reason we have that light is because we try to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. We testified of the atonement and how he can repent of his past and receive a remission of his sins through baptism and the holy ghost and he accepted. Awesome huh. I wont complain. He has truly been prepared by the lord. In my studies last week I came across awesome verses in Alma 12 :9-10 about how if we "harden out hearts we will receive a lesser portion of the word and if we don't harden our hearts we will receive a greater portion of the word and we will have the mysteries of God unfolded to our view until they are full." Rob obviously has an open and soft heart which is why the gospel has pierced his heart and brought in him "a mighty change of heart and a desire to do good continuously". That's what it's all about folks. Keep your hearts open and soft at all times and in all things and that's how we will learn what God wants us to learn or as they care called the mysteries of God. I'm so grateful for my mission and the scriptures opening my eyes to so many gospel truths. My life will be so much richer having served a mission for which i am ever grateful. Yes a lot of sacrifice but so worth it. I love this gospel. I love this work. I love my father in heaven and his son Jesus Christ. And i love all of you. May you be blessed with a wonderful week. Gotta go. Love Elder Ben Johnson