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By Deborah Carl
New Stake President Loves Missionary Work
COLUMBIA, MARYLAND -- Clarence E. Johnson, age 61, credits missionary work
as the preparation he needed to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to
help prepare him to lead as stake president of the Columbia, Maryland Stake
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Missionary work "is what planted my feet firmly and helped my understanding
and testimony of the Gospel grow and helped me develop a closer relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ. For a young man of 20 to be given that kind of
responsibility and opportunity is unparalleled," Johnson said.
Johnson wants the members of his stake to learn to love one another. "If I
were somehow able to persuade people that they are children of God and that
he loves them and desires to bless them, and if I could somehow help people
understand how significant that really is, that is what I'd like to
accomplish. If we view everyone around us as brothers and sisters of God .
. . that helps us treat each other with greater kindness, love,
understanding and compassion."
Johnson is the father of six children ranging in age from 36 to 13. He met
his wife after returning to college from his mission. He taught political
science and history in several colleges, including Valley State College in
North Dakota and Lake Michigan College in Michigan. Currently he is the
chief information officer at Optical Capital Group in Columbia.
Source:
Mormon president missionary at heart
Baltimore MD Sun 30Mar01 D2
By Diane Reynolds: Special To The Sun
Service: Clarence Johnson says his experience as a young man
spreading the word of Christ was not unlike his work in the church
today, urging kindness and compassion among the 2,500 members he
serves.
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