Hello everybody!
What a week it has been, and what changes have we seen in the mission with some transfers, and some new missionaries that have arrived in Thailand! I only say that because this is the first time I've been able to work closely with them before haha.
This Monday was a pretty legendary one. I mean, it's not everyday that you get to video call your family from across an ocean right?? It was pretty sweet, and they are pretty much the best, so that was a good start to the morning. After that, we had a normal pday including emails, and eating food, and all that stuff. Brother Golf, an RC here took us to a super good buffet since Elder Mc is leaving this week. It was soooo good, and there was tons of food. So I was not complaining to be companions with Elder Mc at that time and you know it haha. Then we bought some supplies for the house, and then Elder Hanks and I finished the day out with some basketball, and it was way fun. Our evening activity consisted of trying to find an investigator at his house, but he was not there... Sad day. We instead talked to his neighbors.
Tuesday was pretty darn busy. We studied in the morning, and then taught our black friend Bernard who speaks a very little Thai and English, and fluent French. And so our lesson was pretty much him talking with the elders quorum president in French, and Elder Mc and I trying to follow along with google translate on my phone. Which actually wasn't too bad because you could pick out words from what he said since French is so much more similar to English than Thai, and the google app was pretty good, most of the time. After that, we had district meeting, and then errands for the office! We had to order and deliver nametags for the greenies, fill up the mission vans with gas, and then fix some bikes, and finish another project fro President Johnson. It was pretty busy. Lets just say that I am grateful for the aux cord in the van though haha. After that, we taught English, and got transfer calls! We stuck around at the office to help get things organized, and my new companion is Elder Thornock. More to come about him later. After that, we went and picked up the new missionaries from the airport, and brought them home. We were in bed by 2.30 ish.
Wednesday, we were up normal time, 6.30 and at the door, exercising and preparing for a great day again. We spent the time inviting in a park nearby with the new missionaries, and unfortunately did not find any investigators, but it was pretty fun to talk with different people there, even if we did get stuck talking with an older tourist couple complaining about Bangkok. Touring here is alot more fun when you can speak the language. Haha... Then we grabbed some "lunch" with a member, which was really just sweets, and then we herded the missionaries about town, and got blood tests, photos taken and all that good stuff. Once we got all that done, we did some studies, and then had dinner at presidents house, and boy did we eat some good food there.
Thursday was transfers!!! So exciting! And so crazy! It was kind of dizzying actually. Anyways, so we were there, bright and early, and got stuff organized, and people kicked out and all that, and that good stuff. It was just definitely an office elder day, full of different errands and tasks. It was pretty crazy. We helped the international sisters get ready to go as well. They opened it back up for sisters, and so we office elders no longer have to worry about that. But they are so fire! So I am not too worried about that. After that, we went and studied, and tried to visit an investigator at her dinner stand, but she was not there...
Friday was equally busy. We did weekly planning in the morning, and then we headed over to the office to meet with president. But it turns out he was busy. With RMs that had come back to visit. So he ran out of time to meet with us, the office elders. Sad day... So we ended up eating lunch, and studying and doing office stuff, until he said it was too late to meet... So that was pretty sad. Then we headed over to visit with an LA, whom we did not set an appointment with, hoping she would let us in, and she did! We asked how we could help her, and she said that we could help her shell some nut like things. And so we did. And as we did, she unfolded her life story. It was pretty cool actually. She really opened up, and I think we could work with her in the future more. After that, we ran over to correlation meeting, and were late (thanks to the famous Bangkok traffic) Then we headed over to a sketchier area of town, and talked with some people down on hard times, and met with our dater, and she is so awesome!!! She could totally be baptized this transfer! She just needs to come to church!!! So that's what we talked about today.
Saturday, we had alot of ผิดนัดs. It was pretty sad. But we started the day out with studies. And it was way good. We then ran into the office, intending to really knock some stuff out and get it all done, and then things took alot longer than intended and so we were stuck there for longer than we would have liked, but we finally got out, and talking with people. We met a super cool dude who said he has a friend at work who is Mormon and preparing to serve a mission. He said they gave him a Book of Mormon and helped answer lots of questions. So kudos to that fire member. After that, all of our evening appts fell through. It was way sad. But we did catch our investigator at her restaurant and taught her friend. It was way good stuff. So fire.
Sunday was a pretty good day. We started off with studies. And then we headed out to the office to get some tasks we didn't finish up from yesterday, and to open up the office for some RMs who came back to visit. One of which is the legendary Elder Hunt (now Holllis Hunt) who picked me up from the airport as a greenie. He is so full of fire. Then we had a great sacrament meeting, and then we had a baptism!! It was so good!!! After that, we talked with an LA member who is so nice, and we are trying to get him to the temple, and to be better. He is so good. Then we had some food, and then we taught a random investigator who is stubbornly Buddhist, but willing to talk with us. So that's a start I guess. After that, we went an invited in a good neighborhood nearby, but didn't really meet that many peeps interested. After that, we headed to the office, and finished up work there! Next week we might not even have to go in once!! That is so great!!!
My spiritual thought from this week comes from studies.
Mosiah 28:3-4 says:
Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever.
I think espeically for missionaries, but for members as well, to do the things we do everyday, we need to know that they are all true! We cannot be เฉยๆ about it. I love the way that President Nelson puts it.
Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts,12 that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. I might paraphrase President Brigham Young in saying, “I wish I had the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people”13 to the truth and power of the Book of Mormon.
To be true disciples of Christ, we need to KNOW that this is true, and to know, we need to have FELT the power of the atonement in our lives. This comes as we exercise faith and do what Christ has asked us to do. We may start with praying and reading scriptures. And do those things everyday. And build up from there. God is on our side and loves us so much!!
Elder L
--
Elder Ellsworth - เอ็ลเดอร์ เอ็ลสเวิร์ธ
for perfect love casteth out all fear
เพราะความรักที่บริบูรณ์ย่อมขับความกลัวออกไปสิ้น
Thailand Bangkok Mission
picking up greenies
huge lizards that will eat your children
some sweets
and our lesson in French
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