Hi again! =D
Let's see, what is there to report this week?
I am sorry about the weather there. If it makes you feel better, Chiang Mai has been cold again too. Not your level of cold but cool enough that I don't want to get out of bed in the morning. Yeah. Sorry about all the snow. :)
This week has been soooooo good. At least, from what I remember, it has been so good. Last Monday we went to a really pretty Buddhist temple on a mountain. I'll have to send you the pictures next week if I don't have time today.
Tuesday: Taught Mana (investigator). We've been teaching her for the last two months. She is getting baptized this Sunday (she decided this herself). She is really excited even though she still has a ton of questions. I'm excited for her to get the gift of the Holy Ghost so that she can get help with all her questions.
English class was good as usual. I love my students. I really like teaching small classes because you can have really good conversations. And the program is improving too.
Wednesday: Taught Mana and Amy. Amy is an interesting lady. She reminds me of a lot of Bible stories because she told us that she had lots of experiences in her past with evil spirits. Teaching her is interesting. It was cool to be able to promise her that God is stronger than all those spirits. They are more afraid of us than we should be of them because we have bodies and therefore have more power than them. The Book of Mormon can protect her if she reads it every day.
ALSO!! Guess what! I taught a monk! :) His name is Mike and he has been coming to english class for a while (with some of his other monk friends). He is friends with one of our other investigator (Bob) and was standing nearby while we were setting up an appointment to teach Bob. Bob asked Mike if he wanted to learn too. Mike said yes. So Wednesday night we taught them both. We started teaching them together but somehow the lessons split. I taught Mike with Tuu (a member) and Sister Ng taught Bob with Ry (a member). Mike is sooooo cool! He has so many questions about the plan of salvation. He is so curious. He has read part of the New Testament before. We taught him about the purpose of this life, about the pre-mortal life, and about what is happening after this life. We taught him how to pray and he was totally willing and comfortable praying for us at the end of the lesson. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he was excited to study it. He is super cool. I'll keep you posted on any future lessons.
Thursday: Mana passed her baptismal interview. Yay! =D Amy didn't show up for her lesson. :( This actually happens a lot - investigators just not showing up for lessons. It's always exciting when they actually come for lessons. Had choir again. The choir depends soooo much on missionaries being there. It's hard. We are happy to help but they shouldn't need us.
Friday: Taught two amazing new investigators. Wii is a 19 and so cool. She is already Christian but totally seems to understand the Priesthood and is excited to be baptized again by one holding the authority of God. She is really interested in the idea of temple work for those who have passed on already. Gob is the investigator. We met him on the street Thursday night. He was smoking. He asked us baptism (we were inviting everyone to be cleansed from sin) and we told him and then asked if he wanted to quit smoking. He is also super cool. He is Buddhist but really wants to learn and change. He is willing to keep every commandment and has a goal to be baptized on the 15th of next month. Friday night we did not go to Sports Night but we went to a special FHE with some long-time members. One of the members is only free on Friday - hence the date change. It was a lot of fun. There were three families there. These families have been married in the temple and have been members for a long time. It reminded me a lot of home. It's a rare sight. I watched some of the siblings playing together and it reminded me soooooo much of our own family. It was a lot of fun but there may have been a little bit of homesickness involved. But it was sooooo much fun =D
Saturday. Taught Wii again. Taught a recent convert and a less active. And there was a baptism service that night. 5 people got baptized. It was cool! =D And our investigators went and really enjoyed it.
Sunday. Was really good. Choir preformed at a fireside. President Smith and his wife spoke. They were the mission president in Thailand before President Senior. It was really good. And church was good too. It's so nice going to church and seeing the members we love soo much.
Sister Ng and I love contacting (inviting) in front of the church. It is so nice. If people are interested, we teach them right then. And now more people know what the church is. There are people there. We teach about being cleansed from sin. It's fun. :)
Today we are going to another palace. We are excited. :) We are going with our entire district. Yeah district unity.
Also, in case anyone was wondering, things are great with the Elders. Last night told us that they really care.
So Sister Ng and I were done earlier and had the option of going home and planning or staying at the church and planning. We decided to stay at the church and plan for how to help our investigators and other members that we are working with. We went into the chapel because it is the closest thing we have to a temple (we really miss the temple). We talked for a long time and, apparently, looked very serious. The elders had looked into the chapel and were worried that something was wrong. Being elders and not knowing how to deal with possibly emotional females, they just waited outside of the chapel. They kept on asking the other sisters if anything was wrong. The other sisters kept on saying no (which is true). Those 6 missionaries had no reason to still be at the church but they were concerned about us so they stayed. And stayed. And stayed. Sister Dow (a member who is basically our mom) came in and told us that the elders were really worried (they did not ask her to do this). We came out (we were done anyway) and the missionaries were all just standing around talking to each other. Then we left and everyone else left too. I'm not a great story teller so I apologize. But, it was actually really endearing that they all cared so much. They were sooo concerned and it was kinda funny. Even though they don't know how to show it, they care which is nice to know. :)
Um...yeah. Don't worry, we have not gotten distracted by any pranks. Nothing really big happened this week and there are usually a couple of days in between. We sisters are taking a break because the elders have still not gotten us back (even though they have promised they would). I'll keep you posted. :) It's a lot of fun and we aren't letting this distract us from the work, don't worry.
Oh, Mom. So you said that you were teaching about Lamoni and his father. I love the conversion story of his father. I remember reading Alma 22:18 in my first area and it really hit me. How badly do we want to know God? How badly do we want to know our Father who loves us more than we can even imagine? Are we willing to give up all our sins to know God? All our sins, even the small ones. Even the ones that don't seem like a big deal and have been our companions for most of our life (like cursing or stuff life that). How badly do we want to know God? Are we willing to do as Lamoni's father and give away all our sins? I love this chapter and this verse soooooo much!
Hope everything is well in the States. I love you all very much! =D Please continue praying for Thailand to get a temple soon (or at least one announced). The goal is to have one announced in this upcoming October conference. :)
I LOVE YOU ALL VERY VERY MUCH!!!!! =D
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