What a week! May 25, 2014

Elder Proctor

To say this was a crazy week would be an understatement. Tuesday, martial law was implemented. Luckily we had members from Elder Proctor's ward that kept us up-to-date on what was happening in their area. The reports we were getting were that, although he is serving in Bangkok, he is serving in a safe area. Thursday, a Coup d'Etat was declared. Friday, the missionaries stayed inside. The rest of the week they had been allowed to meet their investigators and to teach their English class. By Sunday, all restrictions were lifted. The situation continuously changes. We received a reassuring email from the mission office. 

Here is an update from our missionary:

Well all is well it just a little harder to get work done the hardest thing is not being able to invite. You see all these people and you want to talk to them and spread the good word. But we have been banned until today from talking with anyone. We also were told to avoid soldiers, it is kinda a big deal!It as been crazy, we have not been able to really work well because of the curfews but we are going along. I guess we have been getting appointments and what not. We have 72 hour kits to keep us safe so we are good right now no worries!

Well, things in Thailand are going ok. I guess we really will have to wait and see what happens. I have no clue as to what will happen...... so we will continue to press on and wait.

Well not a lot  happened this week. We just taught a lot and sat around, because  we could not really do anything. Friday, we were inside all day. We were doing this workout called "Convict Conditioning". It was super fun! Then we napped and sat around and played card games. We did not have much to do. We called loads of people and asked if we could meet with them. But in the end, we ran out of that option as well. It was a fun week though, doing switch- offs with members because there were to many people to teach yesterday. It was quite fun! 

It was raining yesterday and we were talking about faith and I said,"God wants you to use your faith." Right after I said that "THUNDER"! It was Epic! 

Due to the coup, we have not moved, yet.  I think we will move pretty soon, just got to wait a little bit It is like a safe haven "bubble" where we live. No worries mum,  the scariest thing here is the Khlong(open sewer)  We are down to 3 investigators now. One is getting baptized this weekend. He is 9 years old and his name is ......Don't worry, I am not afraid.  I am on the Lord's side. The side of light and righteousness! It is like the Devil trying to stop us.... but he will fail, as he always has! 

A man of few words...... May 18, 2014

This week I stopped an abusive man from throwing his wife around.  Elder Gage and I went and called him out and told him he should respect his wife because she is a women. Needless to say that man was cowed and treated her a lot better.  We also saw a spider eat a lizard. 

Well the house hunt is nearing an end. We have found the promised land LOL!

 (The missionaries have been looking for a new place to stay. The current one is not in very good condition and includes poisonous centipedes as well as rats. The one they are looking at right now seems great- they are just waiting for the go-ahead from the mission office). 

We found eight investigators this week!

The Lord always provides a way for it to work. Read the scriptures, pray for help in your nightly and daily prayers. The lord will provide a way!

Meeting wonderful people in Bangkok

Who needs to shower anyway????

 

Teaching English Class

Happy Mother's Day!

 

We had such a fun time and laughed so so much! He is doing so well. Elder Aaron misses us, but he loves his mission. We talked about the future of the Bangkok Thailand mission. He told us that they are working hard to get a  temple in Thailand. The mission is on "fire". There are still rats and creepy crawlers in their home and so they are looking for a new place to live. The Missionaries have to find their new place and 4 elders will share it. The missionaries that were there before them did not keep records very well, therefore Elder Proctor and Elder Gage are starting at zero. Elder Aaron asked for prayers in their behalf. He was talking about how nice it is to have more people to talk to and the be in a ward that runs "regularly". He talked about going shopping (something he could not do in Kumphawapi). He told us several times...."When we are in Thailand together....". He is excited to show us his home away from home. Brian, his little brother was much more involved in the conversation than last time at Christmas. This was such a wonderful gift! Aaron talked about all the rats and how people in Kumphs used to grill them. I asked him to make sure that we do not eat something like that when we go to Thailand......

600 baptims and couting......

So no one really knows when we will be skyping, but its going to be on Monday for us in Thailand and will be for one hour long ! Yep you get to see this mug for an hour long! Well, I ate pizza on the first..... it was good. (That was his one year anniversary! One more year to go! I asked if he burned a tie.....something some missionaries do on their half-way done day)...  well I like my ties to much to burn them... 55555. (555=hahahah in Thai!)

So, we have not so we decided to make the house feel better by deep cleaning it and making our room into what we call the "war" room (I call it that at least!)......(There are rats in the ceiling and poisonous centipedes in the drains and sinks...We (His companion and he) get along way well! We are just getting along super well... We like to "adventure" and what not. It's hard getting to bed on time now... its fun to talk to a ton of people by a ton I mean 4..... (Quite a change for him....having been in a single companionship for 9 months) LOL The church is about a 10 minute walk from our house. I still don't know how big our area is(He and his companion whitewashed the area...meaning they are both new to the area...usually there is one missionary who stays...but not always...)I think its huge!  We still eat out because its still cheaper. I still only pay dollar for all meals. The mission home is about 1 hour away.  

 

Well our baptism, in short, was a miracle. We met her on our second day here and the elders before had taught her once. So, we taught her everything in a week AND SHE WAS BAPTIZED!  We taught her about the 10 commands and talked about how we cannot worship idols and what not. She asked if the Buddha necklace she had on was considered and idol. We said yes, the next day she came again so we could teach her and she had gotten rid of it already. It was way sweet! 

 

We have a new investigator. Her husband is a member and we are going to teach and have her baptized this week. That's the plan! She came to church once so it's a green go! 

The work in the mission is erupting. The mission president wants us to get a baptism a week. It's going to be fantastic! Pray that we can do this because we are going for a temple all the way! 100 percent !We have already had 600+ baptisms this year. We had only planned for 1000 this year... we are now going for 2000 because we can! 

 

The work here is different because the people are willing to serve and give their all. It's awesome! The wars is bigger and there are  more people to talk to! Yesterday was the "May the baptism be with you" (We celebrate May fourth as ...May the fourth be with you..")
ZIS IS THE REAL LIFE!