Coming into the next week...

Hello Mom,

I hope all is well coming into the winter season over there. I promise I'll shovel the drive when I get back.

I was a little sick with some sort of cold/flu. I wasn't throwing up or anything, so it wasn't too bad. I'm also glad the tools are being put to good use. 

This week has been great. This past week was very busy, actually. We had the opportunity to go on switch offs with the Zone Leaders and I switched off with Elder Choechayaphum. Switch offs were a great opportunity for me to see great examples of how I can me a better missionary, district leader, and disciple of Christ. We received some great training that will definitely help us feel the Spirit and do the Lord's will. We focused on desires, prayer, and personal conversion. I really liked the thoughts that were shared and the past few days I've been thinking about how I can further change my desires. I remember talking to Elder Noyce about it before, it it kind of comes down to the question "how do we change our desires". We often speak of consecration, doing what the Lord wants and changing ourselves, but how do we actually do it. I feel it all starts with the small things we do and a conscious effort to constantly be what we want to be. All I want to be is what the Lord wants me to be, but sometimes I ask myself "what exactly is that?". This week is fast Sunday, the next is District Conference in Udorn. I'm very excited for the growth that is happening all over Udorn and all over Thailand, and Laos, too.

Some say the only constant thing in life is change. This is most definitely true. A wonderful truth about this change that we will face in life is that we can always choose what kind of change will happen. We can decide how the changes that happen around and to us will change us. When choose to follow Christ and decide to become more like Him, the change that occurs and the change that we choose will be one for our benefit.

Alma 5:12 "And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true."

Elder Sun

-- 

ขอแสดงความนับถือ,                                           Sincerely,

เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน                                                        Elder Sun

ผู้สอนศาสนา                                                                 Missionary 

ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย                                   Bangkok, Thailand Mission

derrikk.sun@myldsmail.net 

This Week...

Dear Mom,

Oh! How I love being a missionary. Every day is literally bursting with miracles, tender mercies, life changing and faith building experiences. I've recently 'rededicated' myself to thinking positively. It does wonders for the soul.

We may not be able to change who we are, but every weakness that we have can be overcome and made into a strength through the Atonement. I often catch myself thinking, or saying negative things. I've been working on immediately replacing those thoughts and saying positive things instead.

This past week was awesome. We also had another baptism and a confirmation this past Sunday. It was great to see, for sure. The person baptized has come a long way and they said how they felt just full of joy and happiness when they were baptized.

I was pretty sick the past few days to the point where Sister Seppi said I had to stay home and rest for a day. It was a good opportunity to sit and reflect on the past week.

Mission Tour was when a member of the 70 came and visited us. We traveled to khonkaen and received some training from him and President Johnson. It was an amazing opportunity and we also received new phones. This week we'll have have MLC training and get to go off on switch offs with our zone leaders.

Sometimes I still find it difficult to balance being a 'leader' and also humble. I just try to rely on the Spirit and do what's right.

I'm not one with words and there is a lot to do, so I'll suffice it to say that I will try to write more next week.

Elder Sun

-- 

ขอแสดงความนับถือ,                                           Sincerely,

เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน                                                        Elder Sun

ผู้สอนศาสนา                                                                 Missionary 

ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย                                   Bangkok, Thailand Mission

derrikk.sun@myldsmail.net 

10-12-15

Dear Mom,

This week has been awesome with General Conference and this next week is very exciting with mission tour and zone conference. We had a terrific week where we've taught a lot and met with many, many people. We were also able to go out and have some great inviting sessions. I feel like no matter what happens or what we do, we'll always be blessed by the Lord. We're continue to work with part member families and expanding our pool of LA's. There have been several small miracles throughout this week. We've been trying to work with the Branch President to help him feel less overworked. He's building a house, working a lot, and hasn't had much time to work with us (or the Branch). We've been worried a bit because we've seen and have had several Branch presidents fall away from the church when their lives get hectic and they lose balance in their lives. We have finally made progress on one side of the puzzle by finally helping the Branch President get access to his LDS account. It was something long overdue on the books.

I feel like General Conference was a miracle in its self. Having the opportunity to listen and receive direction and guidance from the Prophets and leaders of the Church helped me feel more confident in how I needed to work. There is much, much revelation to be received from the living prophets and I feel like this past session was chalk full. This past week has been a very good time of learning and the week coming us is going to be a time of applying.

Whenever I think about transition periods in life, I think about the opportunity to apply previously attained knowledge in a new situation. It's always easier said than done, but change is a fundamental part of everything. The Plan of Salvation, the Atonement, our lives. One thing that is also true is that one is never, ever 'done' with being a missionary. The various phases of life that I've seen in the lives of investigators and members here have helped me to really see the eternal significance of it all. Every person no matter how young, small, old, experienced, or inexperienced, are all on this eternal path. Each 'phase' is an essential step.

I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk on the gospel is simple. It is not necessary to over-complicate or over think. 

I also loved Elder Holland's talk on love and mothers. I noticed a theme of women/moms/chlidren, too. It was quite interesting because of the membership of the church here is mostly women and nearly all of our investigators are female.

Each of these talks I thought about investigators. Sometimes, I honestly feel like a mom, or a parent who, like Elder Foster said, wants to teach their children and let them know of their love and let them know that no matter what they're going through, the Lord has been there too.

The themes of gospel, faith, answers to prayers, the Spirit, parents. Prophets, and revelation were just what I needed and I'm definitely going to study through and review these talks.

He lives, and He loves us.

-- 

ขอแสดงความนับถือ,                                           Sincerely,

เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน                                                        Elder Sun

ผู้สอนศาสนา                                                                 Missionary 

ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย                                   Bangkok, Thailand Mission

derrikk.sun@myldsmail.net 

Moving Forward...

Dear Mom,

I hope all is well over there and the cold season doesn't cause too many problems. The cold season here...will probably feel the same as the rest of the year. We go to the hospital every week because Elder Noyce has some back/neck problems. We're really hoping it'll get better, but he Lord gives the hardest challenges do his toughest soldiers. I know that this is definitely so true. No matter what we are faced with, it is an opportunity to grow. Either the Lord will chasten us to make us turn back to Him, or the trials the righteous face area a test of faith to strengthen us further. We do switch offs for training, balanced work load, and if plans don't go as planned and the day turns into a little bit of chaos. haha.

This past week has been awesome. A new transfer is always full of exciting new changes and experiences. The beginning of the week seemed to pass by slow as we got ready for transfers, but as soon as we got back we hit the ground running by teaching, visiting, and working hard. I was so grateful to be able to go down to Bangkok even though we didn't move. Which is another thing that I'm really excited about and thankful for. I feel like we saw a lot of miracles and mercy from the Lord last transfer and we have the chance to serve together again and continue to see miracles. It was also great to see the large group of new missionaries coming in. Sometimes I feel like I'm too old. On the first day of the transfer, the zone leaders told us that our zone was the youngest in the mission. Our district is very, very young, and the first thing that I thought was how much trust the Lord has placed in us and how much faith and 'young enthusiasm' we have. The Lord must have a lot of faith because I'm now the oldest missionary in our district by about 8 months and I'm the district leader. The other companionship whitewashed out and the two new elders both speak Thai fluently already.

This past Sunday, we saw one baptism. It was the friend of a member that we had been teaching for a few weeks. He has a great desire and really wants to get to the celestial kingdom. The biggest trial for him in getting this far was his lack of confidence in himself. He is afraid that he wouldn't be able to keep the commandments. But this humility is also a great strength, too. He's a more quiet, shy person, but he knows what he needs to do. We invited him to take things one step at a time and rely on the Savior through prayer. For sure we'll face trials in life, but we don't have to be too worried about what is going to happen in the future if we plan well today and resolve to do what we know is right.

We also had 5 people confirmed this past Sunday. It's great to see more of God's children coming into His church and coming unto Christ.

I'll have to say that I'm not ready to be a District Leader (having more responsibility), but I know that I really am ready because the Lord will help me. I have a lot to learn about being a leader, a missionary, a disciple of Christ, and while I may not be sure what I should do and feel like I don't have a lot of experience, I know that it all comes down to what I do know. Following the example of Christ, listening and following the Spirit, and being consecrated to the work. There are a lot of details, things to do, and plenty of reasons to be stressed or discouraged, but I know that it's not something too big, too hard, or something to become discouraged over because we don't have to do it alone.

I'm always very impressed with my companion, Elder Noyce. He's a hard worker, diligence, exceedingly loving, consecrated, humble, obedient, focused, happy, patient, and in-tune with the Spirit. He makes me want to work harder and I honestly believe that he is one of those few missionaries that people talk about will change the mission.

This past week was great because all of the investigators that we've met, transfer meeting, the people we've visited, the baptism and confirmations we had, the growth in this area and the enormous faith that our companionship has. I know that miracles can happen. They do happen. They occur all around us. Miracles in the work are just a small showing of the Lord's love for us. The desire that sprouts in the hearts of investigators, the Spirit that they feel, and the love that missionaries, members, and investigators share is something that I feel is a miracle in itself. This transfer will be great. The Lord will lead us and we will allow Him to work miracles through us.

I'm excited for this transfer, mission tour, zone conference, and for the work that we'll be able to do.

-- 

ขอแสดงความนับถือ,                                           Sincerely,

เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน                                                        Elder Sun

ผู้สอนศาสนา                                                                 Missionary 

ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย                                   Bangkok, Thailand Mission

derrikk.sun@myldsmail.net