Dear Mom,
This week has been pretty tremendous. The highlight of this week was zone training and stake conference for sure. I felt like all of the talks, thoughts, and messages were so helpful to me. The formation of another stake in Thailand is a huge indicator of growth! We went to Ubon Thursday night and got back Sunday night. It was a tremendous serious of days filled with spiritual thoughts, exciting news, and a tremendous outpouring of the Spirit. We were also able to meet up with other missionaries and members from Ubon which is always a good reunion. It's really impossible to adequately sum up all of the things that occur every week here in Thailand. The news of the temple, the formation of a new stake, continual growth of membership in the church, and not to mention all of the wonderful talks, speakers, and insights from leaders, meetings, and conferences. Another major event/change coming up is that President and Sister Senior are close to the end of their mission. They'll be finishing their missions in less than a few days. Their example, help, and guidance have been instrumental in all of the miracles that have occurred in the church in Thailand and in the personal ministry of every missionary here. 3 Nephi 27:10 "...if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it." I've definitely seen divine works in this, His true church. The Lord is a God of miracles and is still working mighty miracles.
I really loved the theme and focus on hope and on the Atonement. It really made me think about what is real hope and real joy. It also helped me help an RC because no matter what happens, we can have hope and joy through the Atonement. We also had an investigator go to Ubon with us and I'm confident that he was touched by the messages also. I know I was. Now we're back in Surin and ready to work. I feel the Lord's hand in the work everyday and am truly grateful for the guidance and blessings that He gives us. There were really too many great thoughts shared to list or summarize them all, but I felt the truth that the Lord is in the details of our lives and we need not fear, only hope and act with faith.
One thing that I wish to share from this week is simply a message of hope and joy. Hope in the Atonement and the promise of joy. I've really felt the truth of the promise that we can feel great joy in the fruit of our labors of missionary work. No matter what happens in life, we can also have hope because the Lord has promised that all things will work for our good (DC 90:24). When we "hunger and thirst after righteousness, we can be filled with the Holy Ghost" which "shall fill our soul with joy". As we search the scriptures diligently, pray always, and remember the covenant made at baptism, the Lord promises to us that we will receive eternal life if we endure to the end. He promises that we will have His Spirit which will give us hope and fill us with joy for we know that we can obtain this gift which is the greatest gift of God.
I know that God lives, that He loves us, wants the best for us, and is watching out for us. I know that He sent His son as an act of love and that Christ really did atone for us and conquer death, both physical and spiritual. I know that as we serve Him faithfully throughout our lives, He promises all that He has will be ours - all of the joy, happiness, knowledge, and blessings that He has. He invites us to become like Him and He provides the way to do it. He has given each of us incredible gifts that, through Him, we can learn, grow, develop, and achieve all that He has set for us. Through both the healing and enabling power of the Atonement, we can make necessary changes in our lives and receive strength to keep pushing through trials that help polish our souls. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary here at this time and so thankful for all of the truly tremendous experiences I have - and will yet have. Thanks for your Christ-like example and for helping me become the person I am.
Elder Sun
I like scripture chains...
DC 90:24 "Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another."
3 Nephi 12:6 "And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."
DC 11:13 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;"
DC 16:6 "And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen."
DC 18:15 "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!"
DC 6:31 "But if they reject not my words, which shall be established by the testimony which shall be given, blessed are they, and then shall ye have joy in the fruit of your labors."
DC 14:7 "And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
