Dear Mom,
--
This past week has been one of good growth and prayer for me. It's always interesting looking back on the past and seeing how fast time has gone by and also recounting all of the amazing things that happen each week. Since coming on a missionary and striving to become a missionary has made me think about how many things I have never noticed or fully appreciated before. I feel like from all of the many things I've been able to experience and do has really made me see the world differently and really learn to appreciate so much more - even the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
There is never a short of experiences to recount or things learned from week to week.
This past Sunday, we had three baptisms in Roi-et. I am always so impressed with the strength and faith of new members of the church. When hearing people share their testimonies about the Lord and their love for God, it really helps strengthen mine. It really shows the converting power of the Gospel when these people who, never knew God before, after learning with the missionaries for only a few weeks, can honestly say that they know God is real. The Spirit works with the hearts of those that the Lord has prepared. In some ways, these experiences seem like a miracles. However, we know that we can expect miracles. Sometimes this amazing conversion that takes place makes us surprised, but it's also something we believe and expect because it's true. I had the chance to read in the January Liahona, and I was touched by the amazing stories that occur in people's lives as they have prayed and pondered the sciptures. These 'amazing conversions' that occur are not always rare occurrences. Many times answers to our prayers do not come all at once in one big flash of light and understand, but just a rising sun, it'll come and when that realization is made we can enjoy the warm rays.
One amazing miracle that occurred with one of our investigators is also something that makes missionaries very excited to hear. We have an investigator who was dropped before and wasn't super interested. The missionaries previous had lost contact for a while, but we were able to meet her once near the start of the transfer. After that, we lost contact again and she was never super interested. After numerous attempts to call and help her, it seemed fruitless. Then, out of the blue, she calls us and says she is coming to church to meet with us. Of course we say yes and meet with her. The first thing she says after we say an opening prayer with her is that she had an amazing experience the other day. She told us that she had prayed the day before and received an answer and knew that God was real. She never told us exactly what happened, but the change in her countenance, seriousness, and earnesty to learn was very clear.
I have definitely seen the significance of finding the elect, those who have been prepared to hear and understanding when it is someone's time. The only issue is, we can really only know when someone's time is as we learn to follow the subtle promptings of the Spirit and act out of love. We can never indoctrinate people into the church or expect only teaching to accomplish the task of converting. It must be based on and centered on the Atonement of Christ and the Spirit. In all we do as missionaries, we can only invite and challenge others to act. Those that are willing to act with faith are promised an answer when the Spirit is invited into their lives. I feel so happy about this. "when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men."
Another awesome experience was going out to visit less active members and looking for investigators with members. We were able to find new LA's to work with that we didn't even know were out there. We went out to visit our 'usual' LAs when the member says 'let's go and visit this person'. We went and they were very nice, accepted us well, and we can see the testimony that was still there. This member also took us to visit a few people that they had talked with before. We met them and they were very willing to listen - what a great miracle from working with members. But the miracle didn't stop there. As we were visiting this referral, we met with another person a long the way. It turns out that she believes in God and want's to be cleansed from her sin, too. She was very happy to have met with us and seemed genuinely interested. Also, it so happened that she thinks she's free pretty much everySunday morning พอดี.
As an act of invitation, if there is anyone who does not know whether or not God is real, whether or not He loves us, whether or not Christ is our Savior, or whether or not the Book of Mormon is true, I would extent a humble testimony that all of the aforementioned is true and encourage the same to seek for an answer as many have done before.
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
11:04 PM (18 hours ago)
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