Happy Easter!

This week was pretty crazy, ish? We met a crazy van driver who asked for my help in translating a bio of a lady he met on a dating website. They don't speak each other's language, but he says he normally uses Google translate and gets way confused. We invited him to our English class to learn how to talk to his woman and he says he wants to learn about religion too. He also rigged his van to have automatic doors.

On Sunday I was the musical program. All of our pianists were out of town and I got the special privilege to not only play the opening, closing, and special musical number one, but I got to sing in our other second musical number and play the piano during the Easter activity! Hallelujah! I almost threw up before I was so stressed out, but God helps us in every situation I have a testimony of that. :)

Also, we didn't end up watching the whole Messiah broadcast. We got there and watched the sunrise--it was a little blocked of a view but still fun. Then ate this Thai breakfast that was like really salty oatmeal with fish sauce and chili pepper. Then we had a fireside with some talks, after which we waited for the broadcast to start.

I guess they didn't realize that Handel's Messiah involved more than just the Hallelujah song. We made it about half-way through "Every valley shall be exalted" and then they turned it off and we stood and watched the Mo-Tab/people on Skype sing hallelujah. I was a little bummed because I LOVE the messiah sing along and was reminded back to when we sang it together (with my Dad). But what we did hear was great!

Feeling Overblessed

Sister Peem was baptized yesterday

Here's a fun picture of a baptism from yesterday! Her name is Sister Peem and she rocks.

Guess what I'm going to the Messiah Sing broadcast too! I think it's Saturday for us at 6:00am. We are getting up to watch the sunrise at Chaengwattana building, watching the broadcast and eating breakfast together. Kinda cool we will be at the same broadcast!

Here in Thailand it's hard to tell the time, how fast or slow things go, how much longer I have. I certainly miss my family tons but then I think back to the little sacrifice I am making--being away from my family for a short time in order to help others learn they are part of a big loving family where our God is at the head of it all.

I have also realized how appreciative I am to have been raised in the gospel, and for my parents to have been raised in the gospel as well. It truly is a miracle to have an entire family who is Christian--there is a blessing of unity I never realized until now. Growing up, and I'm sure my parents can agree, there have been little moments where, at the time, it felt like we were not on the same page at all, or even the same book. I think back to those trivial moments where I didn't agree with something my Mom or Dad said, or to that one Family Home Evening (FHE) lesson we were sure it would be the beginning of World War 3, and I think--wow I am so blessed. I am blessed to have parents who want me to follow Jesus Christ, to guide me when I begin to walk astray. I am blessed to have FHE on Mondays where our family tries to try to bond. I am SO blessed to have a family that, amidst all of our ups and downs, truly loves each other.

Sometimes I feel a little too blessed--how come there are so many good people and their family situation is so difficult? Do I truly deserve to have it so good? I feel spoiled, but I also feel motivated to work my hardest here. I hope to help others grow in the gospel in Thailand, so that one day, generations later, someone living here in Thailand will feel the same way as I do know--overblessed--because their whole family has grown up in the gospel, thanks to their great-great-great grandparents who were converted way back when.

Yesterday, we had a crazy experience! One of our recent converts has some special needs and I was never so scared at church before! We are so grateful to have members that stepped up to take care of her so that we could help our investigators. Let's just say that there was a lot of screaming and running and even body-slamming involved yesterday. Looking back, I have some funny images ingrained in my mind. The good news is, God loves all of His children, and everyone is welcome at church no matter what problems you have.

Yesterday I also had the opportunity to study in Hebrews 12:1-2. I think it's my new favorite passage in the Bible. It reads:

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I love this because right now my goal is to have more patience. There's a lot of things I wish I could be better at, things I wish I could change concerning myself. Where missionary work is concerned, I know I need to have patience with my skills as a missionary, with our investigators, and with Heavenly Father's will. I know that as I hand over my sins and am patient with God, He will take care of me to make sure things will turn out. Jesus Christ is the finisher to the things that we lack, so as we look to Him and have patience in ourselves, we will achieve success. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the light it has poured into my life, a light that has penetrated through every single dark spot of my life. I have a powerful testimony of the Atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ and because of it, death has no sting and all can truly be clean without spot. I hope you have a great Easter as you remember and appreciate the glory of our Savior!

Keep it real :)

Thoughts about the Work, Pics around Bang Khen

Sometimes as a missionary, it's hard to keep track of everyone because there's so much we are trying to do. Just go look up on YouTube "Plate Spinning". It's like that. So when members are pro-active it's an absolute miracle. I also never realized the power missionaries had in conversion. This last week I had the chance to read an article in one of the church magazines about a lady that was called to be a ward missionary. She wasn't having any success sharing the gospel with her friends, even though she had them over and taught them principles of the gospel. One day she had a spiritual prompting to include the missionaries. She invited a friend over to learn from the missionaries, and they accepted the message of the gospel. I'm not being prideful in any way when saying this, but I do believe the missionaries are set apart specifically to bring the Spirit of conversion to touch the hearts of those who are prepared. So I definitely encourage members to continue involving the missionaries as much as you can in member missionary work! The greatest thing about missionaries and members is that we're all in it together :) 

Also, learning that about my grandpa and grandma makes getting my endowments at the Seattle temple that much more special. I miss the temple! So excited for when Thailand gets one. (like in 5 years).

Sister วิ and I like food if you can't tell

Fun news: transfers are this Monday so instead of having P-day on Monday we have it today (Saturday) and on Monday it's a regular work schedule for me since me and Sister วิ aren't transferring. Anyway, here's some cool pics from this week!

our addiction to all the cheap
milkshake drinks they have here.

Thais are the most happiest people I have met. They don't even have running water and they live in a house they made themselves out of a broken down car and roof shingles leaning against a tree. They are always smiling though and they have adopted me while I'm here.

my พอ่แม่ (adopted parents)
in Thailand!

A little food vendor called Uncle Mustache has Thai-Falang food that runs for about a dollar a meal here but would be about 15 dollars in America. Quality...delicious. Although they are always out on sketchy sidewalks. Probs why it's cheap.

Uncle Mustache has
delicious, cheap food.

We cook on the floor of our apartment. It's a super Thai thing to do.

Yes that is a stove on the floor :)

Lunch is almost ready!

Treats at La Moon Milk

We go to La Moon Milk for treats so much, and every time, they take a picture to post online. So somewhere on Instagram or Facebook, I'm pretty sure we're famous. Basically just volunteer models and whatnot. In hindsight, a downright awful hair-day for me--what can I say? It's beginning to be hot season--but also we ate ส้มตำ (papaya salad) with 10 เม็ด (grains). It's kind of a big deal. My stomach still hurts a little.

Sister วิ and Sister Smith at La Moon Milk

Church on Phahon Yothin 43 Alley in Bang Khen
Fun fact: this meetinghouse has 2 stories

Google Maps street view of Church

Looking East on the street in front of the Church.

Looking West on the street in front of the Church.

Never Too Old to Learn

Well another month is over--where is the time going?

The work is progressing. I've realized that everyone has ups and downs in the work. And some days you have investigators and other days no one listens. But I've found peace and better confidence in finding my success not through asking myself whether or not we met the mission standards for balance, but when I self-evaluate my obedience and my love for the work. Every day I repent and pray to be more obedient in order to please God, and every day I pray to enjoy the work that I do. Everything else is just extra blessings.

Such as....

Yesterday we met an old grandma who at first thought she was too old to learn. Well perfect, because we taught the lesson with a 76 year old convert to the church so she had no excuses. But it was way cool to teach her, and to tell her that she was a child of God. Her face lit up during the lesson, and you could tell our message was certainly something that she has been waiting to hear. By the end, she accepted the challenge to be baptized! When we asked her to pray for the first time, she asked God to help her follow all the things that He wants her too.

Also! While we were teaching this girl named มาย [My], she had a lot of questions about religion and she still hadn't received an answer to her prayer about whether or not the Church was true. Our next meeting with her we taught her about the Plan of Salvation and the way she can return to live with her family forever. We also read in the Book of Mormon together. After reading, and asking her how she felt about all the things we were teaching, she told us that she just received an answer to her prayers through the scriptures--which blew my mind because here I am thinking, wow I am not very good at explaining this in Thai. But because of the Spirit she felt, she received a witness from God that the things she was learning were true and because of her faith she received an answer.

This week I'd like to share my favorite testimony in the Book of Mormon! Alma 5:48

"I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name."

I leave my testimony as well. I know that this gospel I share with everyone in Thailand is true and complete, that it was once lost but today is restored on earth through the power of God. I know that Joseph Smith really received an answer to a sincere prayer he uttered one spring morning and was called to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of this incident, I know today that Jesus Christ lives and is the Savior of the World.

 I LOVE this gospel and I love Mormon Tabernacle Choir too.