HELLO PHUKHON SUAY

FAMILY!

That subject line can either mean "hello beautiful people", or "hello terrible people," depending on the tone. Take your pick ;) (It's probably not correct anyway, let's be real, I don't speak Thai.)

 

So many miracles happened this week, I don't know where to begin. The baptisms that we had scheduled for last week did not happen, unfortunately. The dates don't always keep. But we have 3 scheduled for this week, Nim, Gong, and Tong, so keep praying for them! Nim is especially solid; she and her mother are meeting with us, and her son is meeting with the Elders, and now she wants us to teach her husband! It's a pretty awesome family :) We have definitely seen the power of prayer work in our lives this week as well! We don't always know what to do, where to go, what to say, or how to do our jobs, but when we pray, things always work out how they are supposed to! Also I have seen how the enabling power of the Atonement can honestly help us overcome anything. The Atonement isn't just for overcoming sins, but also working through weaknesses and making them strengths. That is for sure.  We had 12 investigators this week, and a total of 18 investigator lessons taught with a member present, 13 other lessons, 7 recent convert/less active member lessons, and 4 new investigators for next week. We started last Thursday with 0 off all of those things. So if that isn't evidence that prayer, hard work, faith, and reliance of Jesus Christ brings miracles, I don't know what is! We are trying to double our numbers for next week. 

In case you were all wondering, I have made friends here. Yes, Sister Anderson has friends. Weird, I know. Especially since I don't speak...ever... but their names are Rose and Kat, and they are the most perfect girls ever. I just want to squeeze them. That's the picture I send home last week... they are 13 and 14. Rose is an investigator, I told you about her last week. But I brought them up today because I am so grateful for them! They show me that you don't always have to speak the language to get a message across. It's refreshing, especially this week!

 

Okay, love you all soo much!!!! Thanks for all the love and support! You all are the best!

 

 

 

COCKROACH SLAYER

Oh Good morning friends :)

I think the subject title says a lot about my week! So if that doesn't get you excited for this e-mail, I don 't know what will! 

A week ago today,  at 3:35 in the morning, I boarded a train that would change my life forever.... haha okay as dramatic as that sounds, it's definitely the truest statement I've ever made in my life. Since that point, I've been on a plane for a total of 22 hours, been on another train for 12 hours, melted a million times, eaten fermented fish paste, and killed cockroaches. All things that I never thought I would do in a thousand years. 

 

I am currently in a little town called Sisaket, with my AMAZING COMPANION SISTER BURBANK. I can't even explain to you all the love I have for this area. I LOVE SISAKET! It's adorable, the people are so kind and humble and smiley, and the food is unbelievable. Also, there are water buffalo everywhere. Doesn't get much better than that. :) Except it DOES!! Because the Branch here is so good!! Ahhh the members are so awesome. They make fun of me all the time, and it's the greatest thing ever because I have no clue what they are saying! :D When the members here are strong, they are STRONG! I mean that. We have had so many referrals from members already, and we always have at least 5 members willing to go to investigator lessons with us- and they all come! Which is good, because I have no idea how to speak Thai, but they do. So that's helpful! But the most helpful thing is the amazing testimony of each and every member. They are such pioneers, and they have such strong testimonies! Ahhhh I get chills thinking about them. :) So you could say I love Sisaket :) As for Sister Burbank! We are so very similar! We get along so well! She is the best trainer ever, even though she sometimes throws me in with the sharks and asks me to explain the plan of salvation on the fly to an investigator... Literally the hardest lesson for me to teach. (I did something cool though... I stole an object lesson idea from my MTC teacher, and compared the gospel to a pen... basically he couldn't follow my hand unless he was grasping the pen with me. Hard to explain in writing, but I felt like a total boss.) Don't worry, that investigator is getting baptized on Sunday. :) And so is his mother! I have to tell you the story of these two. Brother Ef was a referral from a member, and we had tried to call him throughout the week and had no success. We called again on Saturday night, with no success. Then on Sunday morning he called us, 5 minutes before church, to apologize for missing our calls. We invited him to come to church in 5 minutes, and HE CAME and brought his grandma and a friend! So later than night we went to teach him, and he committed to baptism (probably because he was impressed by my pen analogy ;) ...just kidding, it was all the Spirit!) After his lesson, his mom came out and sat in the spot where Ef was sitting and said "okay. Teach me." We taught her, and committed her to baptism as well! I was able to extend the invitation to the both of them, and it was the greatest feeling in the world when they accepted!! AHHH so there are 2 of the 4 baptisms we have on Sunday :) 

I have gained a HUGE testimony that this gospel is truly a gospel of miracles, God is a God of miracles! I know that as I work hard, and dedicate myself to this work, I will truly see so many miracles. And that's what I'm here for! I am here to bring others unto Christ, and to see many miracles done by the hand of God. And I have already seen so many in the past few days. Even though this is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, and I can't understand a SINGLE word that is ever said, I have been so happy... even in the saddest moments. It's hard to describe. But it's hard not to be happy when you're literally serving other people all the time, and serving the Lord 24/7. I have been so humbled by all my weaknesses and inadequacies, but I know that I am being qualified, because there is NO WAY I could do all this on my own. I love the strength I get from my Savior every day. It's an amazing thing.

UMMMM CAN WE SAY TEMPLE

I think since coming to the MTC I have grown 5 extra, overly-active tear ducts in each eye. I swear. With that image in your head, please just try to picture the obnoxious scene that I made over the Temple announcement! Seriously though, it went something like this: "AHH *squeals and screams* *Leaps on Sister Olsen* *Bursts into loud, heaving sobs* I LOVE THAILAND AND I LOVE HEAVENLY FATHER!" Haha.... I wish this was an exaggeration. Poor missionaries trying to listen to the Prophet... they couldn't hear him over me. It's okay, I don't think I was the only one. Anyway, how amazing is that though! I am overjoyed for Thailand right now. God is truly mindful of all of His children, and His work is truly spreading across the whole globe. It's amazing to see these miracles, and recognize how much God's hand is truly in the lives of all of us. Those Thai people will be SO blessed- seriously THOUSANDS of people- and I can't even control my emotions over it! Plus, I get to go there and help people prepare to attend the temple that will now be in their beautiful city! Ahhhhh I love this gospel. :) 

And can we just talk about how amazing conference was!? I went in with a prayer and 13 questions that I wanted answers to, and I left conference with 13 answers and a completely full heart and increased testimony! I can't even choose a favorite talk... but if I had to, it might be Elder Andersen's, because he talked about Thailand ;) haha. Actually, I really loved Uchtdorf's talk on Grace. Grace unlocks the gates of Heaven! We need to enter into the gates of Heaven, and we do that with a change of heart. We need to be converted to the gospel, and allow His grace to work more fully in our lives and help us become our best selves! I also loved Gerald Causse's talk, and not just because he has a French accent that you all know I'm obsessed with... But I LOVE how he reminded us all that we always need to MARVEL at the WONDERS of the GOSPEL. I put all those words in capital letters, because sometimes we take advantage of the little blessings and miracles that we see every day... but we need to truly find them MARVELous! And recognize that every little blessing is WONDERful! Every night I have been recording 50 blessings that I've noticed throughout the day, and it has helped me really recognize the Lord's hand in my life, and makes me want to marvel more at each little thing. That is one thing that I will change because of conference: Marvel at each little wonder, anchor my faith in the plain and simple truths, and cherish the Holy Ghost in my life. I invite each of you to pick at least 5 things from conference that you are going to apply and change in your life (it's only 5! I should make the number higher...) It should be easy peasy with all of the wonderful counsel we received!

 

Oh, on Friday we got our travel plans. No big deal or anything but I'm FLYING TO THAILAND NEXT MONDAY! 3:35am we report to the travel office... then we fly to Minnesota (how random is that?) and then straight from Minnesota to Thailand! I will be in Thailand by next Wednesday :) Oh and guess who the travel leader is? The one that has to be in charge of making sure 15 rowdy missionaries behave themselves and make it through security and onto the planes? Me. Yep.

Well family, I hope you all had an amazing Easter! I hope you remember the Savior in your lives everyday. Remember that He lives! And because He lives, we will all live again, we can all overcome physical and spiritual death, because He has conquered both. He pleads with the Father in our behalf, so that we can be forgiven and keep trying everyday. Never forget to apply the amazing Atonement in your life everyday. I know that Christ is my Savior, the head of this wonderful gospel, and the only way that we will be truly happy and return to live with Him and our Father after this life.