Sunday, December 25, 2016

Pics and Testimony on Christmas Day!

During our video call on Christmas, Sister Smith shared her testimony of her time serving in Thailand so far (see video at the end of this post).

Jeep was baptized

Jeep and others attending her baptism

At JR Burger with sisters in our zone. 

Playing musical chairs during English class!
Switch-off with my "little sister" in the mission

Sunset in Roi-Et

Sister Smith bears her testimony of the Gospel.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

A week of Adventures and Miracles

We'll start with today since I remember it the most. We woke up early and went sunrise camping, which involved s'mores and hot dogs and deer. It was unforgettable.

Right now we are teaching the cutest investigator, she's the little sister of one of our recent converts; she's 9 years old and her name is Jeep. The other day we went to go meet her and she said, "Sisters, the other day I prayed about Joseph Smith and I have an answer. I know that this church is true and that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon." Children are the best.

This past week I've finally gotten to the Isaiah chapters and there is a verse I'd like to share, it says:
Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word; and it shall not stand: for God is with us. 
I know that when we counsel with the Lord, with our companions, with our friends, and bear testimony, the walls of fear come down as we know that God is there to back us up. I encourage you all to keep sharing the gospel. I know this church is true, and that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.

Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Some Learning Experience From My Mission

I'm recovered! I'm doing so much better, and this week has been full of lots of great events. Here are some highlights:

We had Christmas zone conference, and I watched It's a Wonderful Life, and loved it. It's my new favorite movie and it has such a great message.

We also had a lot of sisters over for that so it's been really fun. Last night they all left and it was lonely only have 4 sisters.

We also got to go to stake conference and I had the privilege to translate for the president's wife, which was sort of hard but also exciting.

We found a gym in Roi Et and every morning it opens up at 6 for the missionaries and they blast EFY music while we all work out.

We helped with our investigators rice farm again. This time we beat rice with sticks. I have a few calluses now, and I feel like I will be really good at beating my kids if that ever comes up

I know that this church is true and I'm grateful for all the great experiences I've been given. I am grateful that you have taught me to live the gospel, and ever since being here I know how important it is for families to raise their children in the gospel. I love you and merry Christmas. Thank you for your stories, I appreciate hearing from your experiences to see how your mission changed you. I can't say how much I absolutely love being here. My faith has grown so strong and I have loved every minute of it, ups and downs.

Love, Sister Smith

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Another Sick Week

This week I got really close to the Atonement of Christ. I felt in a lot of pain these past few days, and for some reason the scripture kept popping up into my head, "the Lord will prepare a way for man". Or something like that. Man has a way because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and because my mission right now is to serve him, there is a way prepared before me, as long as I don't complain like Laman and Lemuel, and stick to the rules like Nephi admonished us time and time again.

I just realized I should clarify. I am alive. No hospitals. Just got a cold last week and then gastro-whatever so I've just been throwing up the past few days. I'm ok now!!!

I know the church is true. I know God loves us. Have a great week!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Testimony

I've gotten sick again so I'll keep it short and share some thoughts that came to me while picking rice this past week.

I know this church is true. I know God is real. Diligence is nothing without faith. I know the Jesus lives and is the Son of God and our Savior.

I love you all, merry Christmas!

Sunday, November 20, 2016

New Companion!

I forgot it was Thanksgiving!!!!

This week has been busy with transfers. I have a new companion, Sister Panasuto! She is from Mahasarakham but got baptized at Roi Et so she knows lots of members here already. She looks likes she is from Tonga and she has an afro but she is Thai. To put it simply, she's cool as.

This week there is a scripture I found this morning:
There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. (Ecclesiastes 2:24)
This week I want to you to

  1. Take time to eat and drink as you celebrate Thanksgiving!
  2. Reflect on the joy and good that your labor brings. At the end of the day, if you don't like what you're doing, you're doing it wrong. Do good and look for the hand of God in your labors, and soon you will begin to see how much joy that you can have in the work--school work, job work, house work, missionary work. 

Also, just curious to see how the family is on that challenge I gave you a little bit ago about inviting those in our life to learn the gospel. Has anyone shared anything yet? I'd love to hear.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Boo baptized, 50-year celebration

Boo's baptism

Our investigator, ปู่สมาน got baptized this week! In Thai we call him "Boo" which means grandpa. (but that depends on the tone though too because Boo also means crab)

50-year anniversary celebration of LDS Church in Thailand

We also had Thailand's 50 year anniversary celebration of the Church being dedicated in Thailand.

Now if you're interested, here's a dose of miracle for your day:

I had a switch off in an old area of mine, actually with my old companion too, Sister Nan. We had an appointment at the university there with a new member. We walked to the cafeteria to wait there, and sat down at an empty table next to another table where a girl was by herself eating lunch. We struck up a conversation, chatting about life until she invited us to sit at the same table as her. Then we start talking about the gospel and why we are here waiting at the university, when our member we planned to teach walked up and sat down at the table with our new friend named Bom. We invited Bom to continue to sit and hear a message with the new member we had an appointment with, and she accepted. It turns out, it's just what she needed. Bom was pretty stressed with a lot of things going on in her life and she didn't know how to deal with it all. Because we made the effort to start a conversation, we were able to introduce prayer and invite Bom to pray before we left. After Bom finished praying, she surprised us by asking how many times she was allowed to pray during the day. Of course we replied happily, "all day, every day!"

What I love about this miracle is that we could have just as easily sat there waiting for our member to come, not talking to anyone, but because we reached outside of our comfort zone, we became useful instruments in God's hands. A comment that brought goosebumps to all of us is that Bom didn't know why she came to eat at the university. She's not a student there, and she said she normally just makes food at home. Something inside her made her feel like she should go eat at the university that day. And because we were putting ourselves out there, a miracle occurred. I can't count the number of times I've sat down and had conversations with people that aren't interested, how many people have rejected our message. But I do know that all we do is for the small moments we can bring to pass like this miracle. I have a testimony that miracles are real and that with faith and lots of effort, they may come to pass.

Love you all, work hard and seek out the miracles!

Getting ready to go to the 50-year anniversary celebration

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Photos!

Sister Donlaya and me at Mission Tour
in Udorn with Elder Wong

This week I can't remember. But I do remember the church is true!

Here's scripture I'd like to share:
Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life. (3rd Nephi 15:9)
I know that as we choose to make Christ the center of our lives we will be granted eternal life. It's the most simple yet most awesome doctrine known on this earth. I am grateful to be able to share it with everyone.

MTC companion!

Road in exercise park

Exercise park

Road by rice fields

Rice fields

Rainy days

Sister Donlaya teaching gospel principles

Teaching kids about Lehi's family

Practicing the song for 50-year anniversary

"Does this orange net make me look cool?"

Homeless in BanPhai for a night

Sleeping in BanPhai

Sleeping at the bus station

Sleeping at the bus station

"Finding sheep" activity
(send cookies to less active families)

Team UNO in "finding sheep" activity

Buffalo

Visiting members

Visiting members

Visiting members

Baking cake service project

Me and my companion

WASHINGTON REPRESENT!
Sister Donlaya, Sister Smith, Elder Bastian, Elder Latimer
(guess which 3 are from Everett/Lynnwood Washington)

Little boy "stole" my helmet

Crazy dog

Biking in the middle of nowhere
with Sister Phosawat

Switch-off with Sister Phosawat

Book of Mormon class

Bishop playing piano

On the road with my companion

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Become as a little child

My companion and I

There's a scripture I found in my studies I'd like to share. It says: 
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (3 Ne 11:38)
I love how pure and open children are. This past week we've had many opportunities to work with younger siblings and friends of our members and I'm always impressed at how open and pure their hearts are.

Primary Program

This past Sunday one of our investigators bore her testimony during the primary program--and she's halfway through 1st Nephi in less than two weeks. Seeing how the gospel brings a light to her eyes makes me understand why Christ wants us to be as children. 

I love you all.

My companion and I during language study

Building a better mousetrap

Our new investigators

Going to Tawatburi

Finding a less-active member before
biking 25 kilos back to the church

Monday, October 24, 2016

Sharing the Gospel at 70

On our way to the middle of nowhere

This week was pretty good. We discovered that one of our less active members shares the gospel like a pro. So we took her way out to the boonies to have her introduce us to all of her friends and share a message with them. It was really exciting to see our little 70 year old grandma tell everyone how good the gospel of Jesus Christ is. Her testimony was refreshing.

I know this church is true and the Savior will take our sins away if we can repent and take upon ourselves His name.

A river in Roi Et

Middle of nowhere with 70-year-old grandma

Middle of nowhere (Tawatburi)

Teaching our grandma's friends

We found a farang house in the middle of nowhere

A sister in Roi Et got her mission call
to Australia Melbourne mission

Riding in a miracle tuk tuk back
from the middle of nowhere

We fix shoes on the side (literally)

Happy "customer"

Cats love Sister Donlaya

The plan is really there to save you

A Street in Roi Et

Catching chickens

Oat's chickens

Re-enacting Samuel the Lamanite

Cleaning crew!

Mission of cleaning crew

Really dirty house...it smelled so bad

Hauling stuff away that was in her front yard

End result of cleaning so far (3 more rooms to go!)

Switch off with Ubon Sisters

Sports night

Switch off with Khonkaen Sisters