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

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

Mourning the Loss of Thailand's King

The late King Bhumibol the Great

Well I'm not exactly sure where this week went. It was a pretty big week. I don't know if you keep up in the news but this is probably the biggest and most affecting news I have for you. The king of Thailand died a few days ago and I'm not allowed to explain to you what that means for Thailand and for us as missionaries but I encourage you all to learn a little bit more about this great country. This is really sad for Thailand. I've heard and learned lots of great things about the King, so I too mourn for Thailand's loss. This also means that we will have to wear black for awhile.

Last week was pretty crazy some stuff happened at the church but that'll be a story I save for later. Let's just say my companion and I have been hanging out with some gangsters.

I had a couple switch offs this week and on one of them we hopped on a bus and went way out into the wilderness where we helped a member teach English to some kids in her neighborhood, and then we visited some of the families and taught them about prayer. It was a great experience to see what members can do to share the gospel.

There was a lunar eclipse or something like that the other night, which I didn't get pictures because we forgot our cameras but it was way cool!

I came across a scripture I really liked this morning in Helaman 12:7-8. It reads:

"O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea; even they are less than the dust of the earth. For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God."

I think it's a good reminder when I feel like the Lord owes me something, I should remember that actually not really because dust doesn't get anything and that's something perfectly obedient to the Lord.

Love you all, pray for Thailand!

Sister Smith

General Conference, and a Long Story

Our General Conference setup

It's insane exactly how inspired that general conference was for me. I feel so selfish, I didn't realize the speakers got all of my questions

Jokes, I hope you all enjoyed it and received answers too. I loved it. I wish I could tell you exactly just how much I loved it. Every talk was my favorite. In lack of not knowing how to describe my love of this past weekend, let me turn to the scriptures to find an answer:

There's a scripture in the bible that reads: "In the light of the King's countenance is life; and His favour is as a cloud of the latter rain." (Proverbs 16:15)

I loved general conference and I think this is how I felt listening to it--literally in the presence of God, because my soul was filled with light that brings eternal life. And the answers and wisdom that came to me from those hours poured down like rain, which it just so happened to rain the day before general conference พอดี

I love you all and have a wonderful week.

Dog whisperer behind the church

Here's a long story:

Sister Donlaya and I had an appointment and needed to ride our bikes to get there, which were at the church. But we got to the church and it's locked and the man with the gate key has gone home and he's really old and we felt bad to ask him for the key (even though he lives across the street from the church). So I'm like, no problem, I'll just climb over and I'll lift the bikes over to my companion. So I climb over, and just before I'm about to lift the first bike and I'm like, hold on. This is way hard probably impossible. Then the bishop then pulls up and is like, do you need any help? (this is general conference worthy)  And we're like, yeah, so then he opens the gate for us. We take our bikes out, lock the gate back up, and the bishop who just happened to be driving by, heads back home. Talk about miracles.

....Then the other sisters come walking up perhaps not more than 1 minute after the bishop pulls away and are like, wait, is the gate locked? We need our bikes.

Getting help "finishing the job"

So I'm like, okay take two. I climb the fence (again) and then this time I bring the bike over and start lifting it up and sending it over (the other 3 sisters are on the other side to receive the bike), and holy schmutz it was not only the most difficult thing I've ever done but also perhaps the funniest scene anyone has ever seen because พอดีว่า a couple of guys saw us, laughed, and ran over to help us.
So I have an answer the question, "how many people does it take to steal a bike from the church?" which is, as many people as you need because in Roi Et they don't ask questions when you look fishy... they laugh and come help you finish the work.

And now I have 3 bruises.

On a different "note", I did find the "Bell of Life", and here is proof in this video.

Thai Fan Clubs, Scripture to Ponder

Shadow Team: edition waterfall

Here's a crazy thing I just learned about Thailand last night. You know how celebrities have fan clubs? Here in Thailand, apparently they do the same thing here at the schools. If you are popular at school, you have a fan club, and they make a Twitter and Facebook for you and update everyone about what you're doing and where you've been and stuff. And then they pool their money together and buy things you like and send them to you, like chocolate or flowers...or, for example, one girl at our church is popular because she dances really well, so her fan club bought her the latest way expensive VIP album of her favorite K-pop group.

Here's a really great scripture I came across in my studies the other day to remind me of my purpose. I'd like to share it with you too because I think it really applies to us all as members, no matter what calling. If you have a friend or anyone who is not a member pray to have the courage to share a message of the gospel with them and invite them to learn with the missionaries. Members have great power and responsibility to do the work of the Lord.

"And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him." Moroni 7:31

View from the "wat"

"holy idols"

eating lotus