Monday, July 25, 2016
Second week in the Tourist town
Dear Mom,
I am loving Cheang Mai! The work is continuing to progress well here. We've agreed that we're already seeing things begin to change and build. Elder Saunders seems pretty excited for this transfer which is actually going to be his last transfer in Thailand before moving to serve in Laos. We're working hard and giving it our all. I learned so, so much in my last area and I'm seeing ways to apply what I learned in Don Mueang and also from the past entire two years. I'm excited to work with this Branch/District and help them achieve their/our goals.
Elder Saunders is a fantastic missionary. I can see him being super great in Laos. Here, too. His Thai is way good. All the members think he's been here longer than I have. He's got a great personally and is so friendly. He's got a great attitude for the work, but isn't too stressed. He's got a great heart.
We have met with several new investigators that seem very good. We've met several people who, even though they don't know much about the Savior yet, they feel like they have a desire to learn about Him and follow Him. I've seen the power that the Spirit has when we read and pray. We've seen many, many blessings from the Lord this past week in growing our area. I'm very, very excited because we also had the chance to meet with the District leaders and hear their visions, thoughts, and goals. San Sai is very much like Don Mueang was. A lot of the members live here, away from the church and we need to start 'building a branch' out there. We're starting by doing the very same things we did in Don Mueang and I feel like the Lord really did prepare me to come here.
I'm excited to serve the Lord and to serve these Thai people until the last day and beyond.
Pictures:
1. We went to the "Grand Canyon". But we couldn't swim. Okay food and view though.
2. The baptismal font in Chiang Mai.
ขอแสดงความนับถือ, Sincerely,
เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน Elder Sun
ผู้สอนศาสนา Missionary
ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย Bangkok, Thailand Mission
Monday, July 11, 2016
Oh how time flies
Dear Mom,
I hope you had a great fourth of July! We didn't do much here, but it was a great to have a holiday on a P-day.
Every week seems to fly by so fast. It's amazing how much we get done everyday and how when we look back, time seems to get shorter and shorter. It makes me feel the importance of making the most of the time we have. I'll probably be moved this transfer and as the last few days come, it feels like it has come so quick, especially for my companion who will be returning home this transfer. It's a lot of fast changes.
We've meet some new people this past week, and are continuing to meet with the regulars. This last Thursday, we had the opportunity to have our special zone conference with President Johnson and have a great time with our zone. It was a kind of stressful event with so much going on the past week with transfers, jobbers, and all of the preparations for zone conference. We also had to go to the hospital to do a check up for Elder Parker and we're starting to say good bye to people.
On Saturday, we went to a Buddhist style wedding. It made me grateful and thankful to have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and the simplicity of the Gospel. The wedding had a lot of different parts and ceremonies, it all seemed kind of confusing, and seeing it made me think about no matter how complicated the ceremony may be, the real important thing is knowing that through the Gospel, although it may be simple, is what will make it so we can live with those we love forever.
Time feels like it has flown by so fast. Looking back, I am most grateful and impressed by the example and hard work of the members here in Don Mueang. I've seen members really take the lead in fellow shipping investigators and really helping them feel comfortable, loved, and involved at church. I've seen the members really care for our investigators, new converts, and less active members that I've never really noticed in other areas before. On our last Sunday at church, we had quite a few investigators come to church and overall a good amount of people come to church. I saw and also felt the amazing love that comes from when we realize that we are all children of God and come from the same family.
On Sunday, Elder Parker, Sister Beckstrand, and I all shared our final testimonies in sacrament meeting. Even though half way through my testimony there was a problem with the electricity and the power went out with a bang, I was still able to feel the Spirit and love for all of the members.
I'm way, very excited to leave and move onto new and great things, but will also miss this area a lot. I know that no matter where we are, God loves us and watches over us. I've learned so much and I can truly say that there is really nothing that has influenced me more than these past two years. I still have 3 months left and am determined to make the most of it.
--
Pictures:
1. She's getting baptized.
2. Moustaches
ขอแสดงความนับถือ, Sincerely,
เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน Elder Sun
ผู้สอนศาสนา Missionary
ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย Bangkok, Thailand Mission
Monday, July 4, 2016
Transfers on the 14th
Dear Mom,
You mentioned Elder Glenn Lambert. Funny story, we went to the mission office for interviews with the mission president, and I saw a list of all of the new missionaries coming in next transfer. I saw an Elder Lambert and I thought maybe it could have been a relative of a Glenn Lambert I knew in high school. There was a picture, but it was too blurry to make out and Glenn wasn't a member of the church. But, I guess it turns out that this Elder Lambert is the very same Glenn Lambert that I knew in high school. That is easily one of the greatest, amazing things I've heard! The world is such a small place and how wonderful it is to hear about Glenn. I've known Glenn since elementary school and now he's coming to serve in the same mission! That's just so crazy awesome!
The members really like us. Especially the former bishop who is now the new ward mission leader and his wife. They took us out to Disney's Dream World last Monday. It was way fun, and some of us got sick from all of the crazy spinning rides, but it was fun.
We went out on Thursday and invited with the members. We went to a market and talked to so many people about English class. The members were excited and enthusiastic to go out and talk to others. I wish I would have taken a picture. It was quite a successful activity.
This will be the last transfer for Elder Parker. It will also most likely be the last one for me in this area, there's a lot of feelings of apprehension and anxiety for the changes to come. It feels like so far away, but also close. We'll make the last week and a half the best week and a half of the transfer.
I'd also like to echo what Sister McCuen mentioned about always being happy on a mission. It is so easy to be happy all the time, but also very easy to get discouraged if we don't choose to be happy. This past week, we have had several investigators stop progressing, stop answering their phone, tell us they no longer want to learn, and not meet with us again. We haven't had very many teaching appointments with investigators this past week, but we've visited members and have learned from this past week. Even though we may see a lot of success, we're not necessarily always at our happiest. Then sometimes you don't have any investigators, but you are still happy. We are happiest when we are loving the people around us. We meet many people who are not interested in the Gospel, but they can still be uplifted as they feel the love that we have for them.
The most amazing miracle that we've seen this week, and I think that is of a mission, is being able to see people change their lives and receive His blessings. There is one investigator that we are continuing to teach. He has been in our area ever since even before I came here. Brother Sorn has been learning with us on and off. This past week, we were able to teach him and he accepted a date for baptism. He has a desire to follow Christ and come closer to God. Ever since six months ago, he is growing in his trust and confidence in God's help.
The Pakkret ward had a baptism this past Friday, too. The investigator has a great, amazing story, as I believe all people who are truly converted have. When people come to know that God loves them, they always have amazing experiences. She had traveled to America to sight see. She went to see the Grand Canyon, didn't think it had much and had heard that Utah had a lot of similar sights. She hadn't planned to visit Utah, but went and met up with a friend who was Thai and had a restaurant. This person was a member of the church and invited her to take a trip to the Salt Lake Temple. She came out of that visit very interested in the Temple and in the focus that the Church has on families. She was then referred back here, Thailand where the other Elder's met and taught her. She is a super nice lady and a solid convert. Her name is Sister Tuun.
--
I am so grateful, so tremendously thankful for the opportunity to help bring joy to others - to be the answer to someone else's prayer. We all face challenges and problems in life. It's part of the test of mortality. Heavenly Father answers our prayers, helps us, and can comfort us through others. As we strive to follow Christ and have the Spirit, we can be a light to others. We will be able to overcome our own trials and then will be able to lift others around us. We all can have a part in the Lord's work. Not just a work of salvation and an eternal work, but a work of hope and a work of love. I know that our Heavenly Father knows us. Truly, perfectly, and completely knows our strengths and weaknesses. Through the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can see that our trials are not insurmountable and we can have hope.
This video was on Lds.org last week. I'd like to leave it as a spiritual thought: Like a Broken Vessel by Elder Holland. It talks about those with mental health problems, but in reality, we've all felt like we've had mental health problems at one point or another.
I know that when I move from here, I'm going to be very emotional.
Pictures:
1. S Tuun - the investigator baptized.
2. At Dream World
ขอแสดงความนับถือ, Sincerely,
เอ็ลเดอร์ ซัน Elder Sun
ผู้สอนศาสนา Missionary
ศาสนจักรของพระเยซูคริสต์แห่งวิสุทธิชนยุคสุดท้าย The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
คณะเผยแผ่ กรุงเทพฯ, ประเทศไทย Bangkok, Thailand Mission
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