พี่น้องที่รักของข้าพเจ้า,
This week was another great one here in the big city of Bangkhae! The work is progressing! It's so awesome to be here and be working with investigators progressing towards a baptismal date again!!!
Monday was pretty สบายๆ, not too much going on, but hey that's what pdays are for right?? Anyways, we started off the day by going out and emailing, and then picked up some stuff for the house. We got a microwave for the house!!! That was pretty exciting. All we've had previously was a toaster and a hotpot. So a microwave is a big upgrade and we were pretty excited haha, and then we didn't use it until this last Sunday night... But it's been a great addition to the house! After that, Elder McCown wanted to go and by flowers for the house so we headed to a nearby ตลาด (market) to grab some. It was a HUGE place. Tons of different kinds of plants and things. Way cool. It was like the outside part of Home Depot except way bigger. Also, they sold all kinds of animals and things there. There was a ton of fish, lots of different types of birds, ferrets, dogs, squirrels, iguanas and pretty much you name it, they sold it there. It was cool to walk around and see it all. We closed out the night with a visit to an investigator whom we challenged to read and pray and hold a weekly FHE and she's been doing alright. The daughters are already members (RCs) and she isn't because her husband won't let her be baptized. So we are trying to work with that. We encouraged them to be good examples to him and be consistent with prayers and reading because those can work miracles!!!
Tuesday, I finally acted on my desires to be in better shape, and so I exercised this morning, and have done so every day this week! I'm a long way set a from where I was at in track season, but when you hit rock bottom there is only one way to go, and that is up, right?? Anyways, we started off the day trying to track down an LA from our handy dandy missionary app, but we could never find his house :/ after that we had s fire district meeting, and then we headed over to ซอย 81, where we've been working at recently and found two of our PIs from last week to get two new investigators!! So how great is that?? And then the classic Bangkok traffic hit us and so we did not have time to get some dinner before english class. But class was great! We had lots of fun talking about school and going over what goes on in school and all that fun stuff. English class, when it's planned and ready to go can seriously be one of the funnest things ever.
Wednesday, we had some ผิดนัดs. Those are not my favorite things in the world. Not at all. And we didn't really have a bunch of นัดs to begin with anyway.. So today we studied in the morning and then went to visit an RCLA at his house. He is such a nice humble guy, but his wife really, really does not like us. She wanders in and out of where we are talking/teaching the whole time muttering about random stuff and how we shouldn't be here and whatnot. She's pretty anti and it's pretty sad to see. We offered to buy some of the fried chicken she sells but she told us it would be better if we didn't. So sad day, but that doesn't mean we will quit on her. ☺ After that, the whole afternoon was pretty much open. And so we went inviting. Which really turned into random wandering around our area. I was getting pretty frustrated because we weren't seeing very many people to talk to, and so I felt like we were wasting our time. But, like Nephi, I will show you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those who trust in Him. First tender mercy came when we wandered upon this factory in kind of the middle of no where. Then we had a random guy who was coming out of the bathroom right as we walked up. He comes up to us and says Elders, how did you know I work here?? (He's an LA) and we were like we didn't haha, but were happy to see you! And so we sat and talked to him before he had to get back to work. Tender mercy number two. We were walking on this road when a lady on her motorcycle stops and talks to us, asking who've we've met with today and stuff. We were way confused, we had no idea who this was, but she had to have been a member. So then were walking along and we stoped by an LAs house we've been trying to meet with for a while, but could never neet face to face, and lo and behold it was the lady that stopped on her motorcycle! So that way awesome and then we set up a day to come back too! Way cool stuff. After that, we had dinner and more ผิดนัดs but those miracles earlier in the day were pretty awesome! The Lord is at the head of His work!!!
Thursday, we did weekly planning, which is pretty boring to be honest, but it's important, and if it's done right, it can be super successful. That's just the key, is doing it effectively. Anyways, after finishing up with that, we had a massive meal from McDonalds, and I will attached a picture of my meal (that was delicious by the way, but probably not all that healthy...) After that, studies and then we got out of the house! I was getting some serious cabin fever in there. So we met with two of our investigators that I had originally invited. And I don't want to sound vain in anyway, but I walked away so pumped from those lessons because I finally like I'm getting to the point where I have enough of a hold on the language to effectively set up lessons and find new investigators, so long as I open my mouth. The first one, บ. ชาญชัย, we taught him the 10 commandments and he was willing to keep them all and change to be better. His only problem is coming to church is tough because his mom is way old and sick alot and so he has to take care of her alot and she always tells us she's too old to get up and walk and get to church so she doesn't want to go. But this last time, she said if her son wants to go, she might go too! So we are way pumped for him this upcoming week!!! After that, we taught the plan of salvation to ต๋อย our way เก่ง statue making friend, and he agreed to baptism as well as go to church! He told us he had some kind of conference this last week, but will clear his schedule to come the rest of the other Sundays. He's way good. Then correlation meeting.
Friday started out with some ผิดนัดs in the morning, and an unsuccessful attempt to find an LA member, and pretty soon it was lunchtime. We ate at this ตามสั่ง (restaurant) on the road near where we were that we had never eaten at before. And the owner of the place was this nice lady that works ther all by herself, but she is so happy. She and her customers that we met (who apparently all were regulars) were way impressed that we could speak Thai and they were all super nice. After the others left, she was talking to us as she cleaned the tables and she has a serious heart of gold. She's so nice. There was a homeless man that we noticed, and she looked at him and was kind of like oh there he is. Apparently she gives him a small meal every day free of charge. So if you ever feel there is no good I'm this world, remmeber this lady!! She's awesome. Then we had a couple other appointments to close out the day, but that was probably the most noteworthy part.
Saturday, our morning plans fell apart as we planned them that morning. So that was stinky. We ended up inviting for a but, and then got a call from an investigator who we're not actually sure who he is... But more of that later. When we got to the church before the appointment, we randomly met with a guy who was sitting outside of the church grounfs and taking pictures of the church because he told us it was a beautiful building. So that was cool, even if he wasn't interested and did not want to sit down to talk about the church and stuff. After that we met with this guy who won't keep his story straight. He's an investigator, but may be a crazy member that's messing with us too.. His story kept changing and stuff. Anyways, after that we quickly taught sbother investigator and then planned out what we would do for our part of the fireside tonight. And it was way fire!!! In our ward, we have 9 people who are preparing to serve missions and as of right now I think at least 2 of them actually have their calls. So thays way cool! The fireside was om missionary work, how to do it as a member and how to prepare to be one. And then we had pizza afterwards which was way fire. The fireside was seriously so good. The spirit was way strong and I really enjoyed it.
Sunday came around and we had a couple of investigators show up to church! That was exciting! So after normal awesome meetings, and a delicious lunch, we taught two of them. The two we taught are the some of an RC from last transfer who is now the 2nd counselor in the young men's presidency!!! So that's way legit. His family will for sure be baptized and sealed in the temple!! Families!! Let's go! After that, we invited around for a bit and found an absolutely crazy guy that we sat as talked to for a bit before heading home. He's คนไทย but I have attached a picture of the front of his house haha.
Spiritual thought from this week comes from my language study. I love being able to read the BoM in Thai! It's so good and such a powerful language resource. It also helps me get cool new insights into scriptures, like the one I'm about to share with you now! In Helaman 15:3...
It reads: 3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.
This is a great verse in and of itself. The Lord will chasten us and teach us because he loved us enough to cut us down and tell us how to be better. I love the imagery that the Thai version provides for it. In Thai, the word chasten translates to ตีสอน. It's literally a combination of the words hit (ตี) and teach (สอน). As I read this in Thai, I immediately thought about the 121st section of the doctrine and covenants which is pretty much the best sermon on leadership ever given. Verses 43 & 44 read:
43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
Seems to me that the way the Lord has taught us to correct others and help them continue along the covenant path as described by President Nelson is loving and teaching, the same way he helps us become better. Love enough to tell us what we are doing wrong (maybe he needs to hit us upside the head to let us know what's up) and then he will love us and teach us what we need to do to be better. I hope that most of this makes sense to those reading this.. it made sense to me when I read it but I hope others can follow my train of thought here.
If not, well the important part is God loves us and wants us to be happy in life and he loves us enough that he sent his son to suffer and die for us! What a prospect!! It's pretty fantastic! Look up 1 Nephi 11:17! God loves you, it's something I know and I testify of every day!
Have a great week everyone!
Elder L
Comments
Post a Comment