Wow this week was even faster!

สวัสดีครับทุกท่านนะครับ

This week was another really quick one. I really don't know what it's been with the past couple of weeks but I really do fro like I blink and before I know it, it's Sunday again. Life of a missionary I suppose. Anyways...

Monday we had zone conference! Zone conference is always so much fun! We slept over at the DLs house for the night and we were up by 5:30 to jump in a taxi and get to Asoke by 8:00. Then we got things set up, grabbed some breakfast off the street real quick and it began! We had some really solid training from the APs and president Johnson in the morning about raising mission standards of excellence, and being obedient and better missionaries by opening our mouths! Great stuff. After that, we had lunch and then more training. Sister Johnson talked about humility, and We learned about how to be better planners. After that we had some great dinner and then a couple other activities and finished the night with the ZL/STL training on how to effectively work with members to find people to teach. So I encourage everyone at home to make these easy for the elders by letting them work with you!:) after that we had ice cream which is the best part of zone conference haha.

Tuesday, we had a pretty ok day. We started out by going out to find a PI at his store where he sells cupboards. Unfortunately he was not there and the lady we met there told us he would not show up until it got dark. So we left and invited for a little bit more in the neighborhood before heading over to the church. There we had our English meeting to get English class เรียบร้อย and ready to go for the evening. So that was fun. No district meeting this week because we had zone conference. After that we had our studies and lunch and then we called some peeps, taught some other peeps, eventually got around to dinner and then we taught good ol English. Fun times. English class is really fun to teach. I rather enjoy it. After that, we taught some peeps and then headed home.

Wednesday was pday! Fun stuff. We emailed in the morning, and then headed over to Big C (the Wal-Mart of Thailand) and grabbed some groceries for the week. After that we were going to go and get some Mexican food with a couple other peeps, but decided it would take too long and so we decided to stay in our area and go to a zoo which was waaay fun!! Got some cool pics that I will be sure to send. Finally got the typical TBM picture with a lion and an elephant and stuff like that. We also watched a super goof magic show, I was really impressed, and they had an crocodile show and elephant show as well that were both pretty cool. After that, elder Siebert went and worked out and I pointed out a couple of emails. After that, we headed home and changed and ran over to the church for scripture class and then we taught our fire investigator โอ่ม!!! He's so good. He actually would have been baptized already except he graduated this month and so hasn't been able to come to church because of how much stuff he has going on for school every Sunday. But he has a solid testimony of the Book of Mormon which is awesome to see.

Thursday was a bit of a slow day unfortunately. We tried but could not find appointments to teach except for one. So we started off the day with some service and we went and bought some fried chicken from the wife of an RC who really does not like us. The only problem is she wasn't manning her cart that day. Her friend was for her. So we didn't even get to see her. Sad day. Anyways, I bought some of that stuff and then we headed back home and started weekly planning but did not finish. It was actually pretty good though because we really tried to go in depth about what we should teach who and how to help them progress. So that was good. After that, we grabbed some lunch and then studied before our appointment in the afternoon. And that actually went a little long, but it was pretty good. We've got these interns we are teaching at a members house that are actually kind of curious about the church. Not hungering and thirsting after it, but they are curious. It's fun to teach them. One of them asked me if I'd ever met with a spirit, and then asked if we believe in zombies. Fun times. After that, we headed back to the church and because we did get back in time for dinner we had correlation meeting and then grabbed dinner with the WML at KFC. Delicious. Then we began our switchoff and Elder Eckersly and I were up until like 1 in the morning talking. Gotta love switchoffs.

Friday was another slow day... :/ ผิดนัดs are no fun. Started off kind of awkward too. We went to visit the house of a member who we believe is LA. And so we find it from a miracle turn onto a random street and ask if she is at home. Turns out she's not, but her nephew is (he's the one who answered the door) and he calls her for us and gives us her number. Anyways, while I'm talking with her on the phone she wants to know why we went t her house (of course) and I explained that because I was relatively new to the area I felt like I hadn't met with her before and so we figured we would drop by (แวะไปเยี่ยม) and talk with her. She then asked me how long I've been in Bangkhae, and then said she went to church last week. Oops... guess she wasn't actually LA. So we gave her nephew an English card and we headed out. Then we had studies at the church, followed by lunch, followed by a ผิดนัด so then we finished studies and then went and visited an LA. Good times. He's pretty satisfied with his life right now though. Sad to see. After that, Elder X and I went to eat some food for dinner and had some หมูกะทะ and it was way good!! See pictures. It's basically a cook your meat yourself meal. Good times. After that we headed to the church, taught some peeps, and then switched back.

Saturday I felt like was my most successfully planned Saturday yet. I don't know why but I feel like Saturdays here are pretty tough to plan for. But this time around, it was pretty good stuff. We started out the day with some fishing in the neighborhood of an RC, and then went and visited him with his kids. The visit went long, but it was good. We're really trying to get there faith boosted a little bit more than it is right now. But it's getting there. Slow but sure. After that, we headed over by the church, and went to try and visit people referred by an LA, but they weren't really interested at all. So that was a sad day. After that, we grabbed some lunch. Then headed to the church for some good ol studies. I finished up the talk that I gave I'm Sunday. I felt like I prepared pretty well for it. I finished hoping that the spirit would carry me the rest of the way there, as far as language goes, and my ideas as well. After that, we got to video call an RC while he was at work. That was way awesome. These video calls I'm really starting to like haha. After that, we finished studies, taught บ. โอ่ม and then grabbed some dinner. Good times, and after that we finished up planning for a couple of peeps, waited for an investigator who never showed up to the church :/ and then we finished up out weekly planning before going out and trying to find another LA. We got to his house right as his younger brother was locking the door and leaving. He told us that he doesn't know where his brother is, and then gave us the number he has for him, but it doesn't work... :/ so that's a sad dead end there. After that, we headed home.

Sunday, we got up, and had one person confirmed to go to church. So that was way sad. We got to the church and talked with a couple of members and all that good stuff and then church started before we knew it. Today I sat on the stand because I gave a talk, but more about that in a bit. Sitting on the stand gives missionaries an advantage because then we can see everybody in the congregation haha. And our one investigator showed up about a minute and a half after the sacrament. Sad day. She came though, so that was awesome! That made me happy. After that, we had our normal classes and things, priesthood and all that. Then we had our typical lunch after church, which was delicious and we snagged our investie before she could leave and taught her real quick. Her name is หน่อย and boy she is desperate for the gospel. She needs it so badly in her life, and wants it to help her. She has a heart disease and says everyone at home is not very nice (she actually said and I quote they have evil hearts, so that's way sad) but I'm glad she has found friends here at church, and has been able to come and learn. After that, we went inviting, and met this cool dude named เอก (Egg) who is an electrical engineer, and learned English from the internet, and YouTube and stuff. So we showed him around the church but he said he didn't have time to talk very long so we set an appt for Apr 3rd and as he was leaving he kept saying don't forget, don't forget. So that looks way good. After that, we headed home and studied, and then headed back to the church to video call a dude who is a navy soldier and at the base right now, so can't meet. He's on a boat right now, and he showed us the view from his phone, and wow it was way cool. Made me want to be part of the navy haha. After that, we went to a members house, and visited with an awesome family. The dad is a previous counselor in the mission presidency, and the kids are both returned missionaries. Way way awesome. They also fed us dinner and then took us home so that was super nice of them. They are way fire. Numbers wise it wasn't the best of weeks, but still seeing miracles!! Thailand is the best!!!!

Spiritual thought this week comes from my talk. I spoke about eternal families, and how we can be together forever. Then I mentioned four things that every family should do to help their family be stronger together. The four things were 1 Praying together daily 2 Daily scripture study, 3 FHE every week, and 4 going to church as a family. In preparing for my talk I used the family homne evening resource manual for ideas on what to talk about, and I found a story on family prayer and the power that it has, and I want to share it, and support it, for what it talks about has true power.

“One of the greatest joys of my life came when my family was spiritually united in seeking the Lord’s aid in my behalf, supporting me through a time of intense struggle. I learned by experience why the Lord placed us in sacred groups called families.

“When I was a junior in high school I contracted a kidney disease. Over the next few years my health gradually declined until my condition became critical. Despite the best medical care, the disease eventually destroyed both of my kidneys. …

“I learned a great deal during those three years on a kidney machine. My faith in the Lord grew as I watched his hand guiding my life. I was close to my family, and in spite of the machine I loved life more than ever before. I had never been so free, nor as happy. Yet, I yearned to be free of my mechanical companion.

“This goal, like so many others, became a family project. We often spent family home evenings and family interviews discussing alternatives to dialysis and the justifications for a transplant.

“I recall one memorable week when the family was all together. …

“During that week we spent a great deal of time talking about my health. We had all researched the possibility of a transplant, and each member of the family had personally volunteered to be my donor. …

“Then one evening a marvelous and unexpected event occurred during family prayers. My father was voice, and when the prayer was completed we all knew what was to transpire. With tears in our eyes we discussed our feelings. Yes, each had felt the same confirmation. We should go ahead with the transplant.”

Explain that Brent’s brother Craig gave him one of his kidneys. After the operation, Craig was very ill, and Brent’s body was trying to reject the new kidney. Then continue with Brent’s story:

“The medical reports indicated that I was rejecting the new kidney. It appeared that we had failed. Drasticmedical measures were taken, but with little success. Asit turned out, the most powerful aid of all was prayer.Etched deeply into my soul is the memory of manynights when family members knelt around my bed andone by one prayed to our Father in Heaven. I listened asmy brothers wept, praying that I might live. Then,silently, none of us able to speak, we’d touch hands tosay good-night. And they were good nights, for we eachexperienced the pure love of Christ.

“The kidney rejection was finally overcome; Craig, too,rapidly regained his health and strength. Today, mydoctors report that I am one of the healthiest kidneyrecipients in history. …

“I can testify that one of the greatest joys of mortalitycomes when a family is spiritually united in seeking theLord’s aid and comfort.” (D. Brent Collette, Ensign, Oct. 1981, pp. 42–44.)

This is powerful. I can testify that there is true power in family unity. It is a marvelous and wonderful thing. I am grateful beyond words for every member of my family. They are so good to me. I know Christ lives, and that through Him and His atonement we all can live together forever as families.

Fam’lies can be together forever

Through Heav’nly Father’s plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

Have a great week!!!

Elder L