Thrusting in Your Sickle

For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

Well there were a lot of interesting things going on this week. To go in order:

On Tuesday we went out to our Branch President’s house to do some service. The Branch President lives about an hour and a half outside the city, by bus. The service ended up being really intense. He has this lake and he raises fish in it and once a year he takes some fish out. So he was getting ready for that but the problem is, all of this grassy viney stuff grows on top of the water, so he can’t throw in his net. So we went there and helped him clear all the vine stuff of the water. It is the closest to swimming I have ever gotten on my mission, just walking around this lake. To get all these vines out, you cut them with a sickle. This really puts a new spin on the scriptures when it talks about thrusting in your sickle with your might. So, that was a lot of fun and now the lake is cleared out and ready to catch fish. I just wore regular missionary clothes for this. My clothes got very dirty and wet and by the time we got back I didn't have time to change, because we had a lesson. So I taught that lesson, then we had to rush over to teach English. I was still way dirty and we had no time to prepare. Thankfully, I have a lot of experience teaching English so we still had a good class.

On Wednesday, we had a gigantic miracle; something that almost never happens in missionary work, the people called us to meet. To give the full story, we were sitting, eating lunch, and I got a call from a number I didn't recognize. I answer it and this woman says, ‘Hey I am at the church with about ten friends and we want to learn about your religion.’ So we pay for our food and rush over to the church. And sure enough there are eleven people just sitting in the chapel waiting to be taught. So I just start teaching the restoration discussion. They were all so interested, they were all taking notes and asking a bunch of questions. It was probably the most in depth restoration discussion that I have ever taught. They all just had so many questions. It was also cool, a member walked in about halfway through and just started helping teach. That was another miracle that doesn't really happen, ever. So at the end of the lesson we had given out 11 copies of the Book of Mormon, had committed 11 people to read and pray about the Book, and had 11 new investigators. It was really amazing. 

Friday we had a missionary broadcast. They made a new change to the rules so now we have a little bit different schedule and we have less key indicators to report.

Saturday we had another cool miracle where got a call from the Elders in Chonburi saying that they had members up in Khon Kaen that had a relative in the in the hospital. They wanted us to go over and visit and give a priesthood blessing. So we go over to the hospital and the member that was there was a member that I actually knew. Back when I was in Samutprakaan, he was a member there. So it worked out well that we already knew the family and we got to give a blessing with the member.

Also a cool thing that happened with our investigator Summer on Saturday. For background, she was previously Christian in a different church and she has been facing a lot of persecution from people at her old church since she has been coming here. Then on Saturday a member showed me one of her posts on Facebook. In the post it basically said that everyone should just leave her alone with regards to religion because she knows that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church and she feels like she is finally at home and where she needs to be while she is here. So that was really cool to see; the faith she has in that regard. 

All of our investigators are still doing good and are all progressing very well. 

Summer, Sky and Oom will be baptized this coming Sunday. They are all way awesome. They have learned everything already. Sister Mo is also doing really well and is still progressing toward her baptismal date. So right now all is going well with them and they will be baptized next week.

Well that is all for this week. It was a lot of fun. Today we are going to ride some dinosaurs, so pictures to come next week.

--Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

Laos, Zone Conference and Amazing Church attendance

This week was a very good full week the first part was very good. In Laos we got to visit a lot of members and we had a few activities with them at one of the member’s houses it was really good, even though we still weren't able to share the gospel, it was just good to see that they are all still doing well. It was weird; while we were there we were on Tourist visas. Because of that we were just there in normal clothes the whole time and we didn't have any name tag at all because we couldn't be missionaries and we couldn't be volunteer's for DIC so we were just tourist's. It was kind of weird talking to strangers and having them ask why I was in Laos and I would just reply ‘I am on vacation’. That was really weird. We just stayed at our old house because the rent agreement hadn't expired yet. That was fun. On Wednesday we traveled up to the Lao members in the north. It took us about two hours to get up there but it was worth it. We got to spend the day with them and it was way awesome. Sadly, later that night we had to go back to Thailand. We took a bus back to Udorn where I met up with Elder Christensen. 

We got to Udorn late at night, so we stayed the night there, then in the morning we went back to Khon Kaen. We had all of Thursday in Khon Kaen and we were able to teach a few of our investigators. That was really good. Our day was really filled. 

On Friday we went back to Udorn for Zone Conference. It was way great. I learned a lot of things from it and am very excited to apply some of the things I learned in the training.

Yesterday was super awesome. We had 54 people at church, which is way high. Khon Kaen hasn't broken 50 people at church in several months, so that was way cool. Between the Sisters and us we had 11 investigators at church as well. All of our investigators made it. Summer, Sky, and Oom are doing really well and are still progressing well towards their baptismal date on the 5th. We also had the sister that we got from the referral, Mo, at church. She has a baptismal goal for the 12th of next month and she is progressing way well towards that date. Her friend in Chiang Rai is also helping a lot. She calls her and follows up on what we teach here, so that is way awesome. We had another investigator, Sister Ahm. She is doing good as well. Then we had another two investigators that came. We were not able to teach them because they had to leave right after church but they are also awesome their names are Cherley and Patana. So that is the most investigators I think I have ever had at church on any Sunday during my mission.

After Church our Branch mission leader was so excited that he made us pancakes for dinner. That was really good. 

It looks like I will be going back to Laos on the 6th of next month for a one day visit type of thing. My mission president is having a companionship go up every week on tourist visa's and visit members for a day then come back. So that will rotate between me, Elder Smith-Driggs and Elder Bouwmeester, because we are closest to the border right now.  

So that brings everything up to date. Not many plans for today so that is all for now.

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

I am back in Laos!

So this week was good. We continued working with a lot of the same investigators. The three friends Summer, Sky and Oom are all doing great and are well on track for their baptism on the 5th of February. We got to meet with them several times this week and they come to all the activities at church and come to church on Sunday so they are doing great. 

We had another little miracle happen this week. So, we got a referral from this member in Chaing Rai. They sent us their friend’s phone number and before I even finished reading the message to call the person, the person calls me. So we got to meet with them on Saturday. Even cooler, this referral brought a friend to the appointment so we got two new investigators out of it. The referral went to church this week, as well. Her name is Mo. 

A fun story from this week: I was calling Less Active's in our phone, trying to set up appointments and get to know people. I call this one LA and it turns out that he lives like an hour and a half away from the city by bus. He seemed really nice, his problem was he lives way far away from the church. He is a lime farmer and he only makes about 23 US Dollars a month, so he cannot afford to come in to church. We went all the way out to visit him on Wednesday, because we had a bunch of appointments cancel, so we went out to his house. Apparently, he went to church a while ago looking for financial help and he couldn't get assistance from the church. So that was sad. Then I was looking in our area book and I found his unfinished baptismal record from years ago. Never finished and never sent in. So we have to go back out to his house again to get that finished up. It also explains why the church couldn't help him out because they had no information about him. So message of the week… send in baptismal forms the day after the person gets confirmed.

This Sunday was great and also a little weird. We got 5 investigators at church which was great but we had to leave right after sacrament meeting because... I had to go back to Laos. So we had to leave in order to meet back up with everyone. Sadly, this is not a permanent move back. We just had to leave because our Thai tourist visas were about to expire.

So all of the Lao Elders are back up here having a little reunion and meeting with members and stuff. It felt really good as we rolled back into Vientiane. It just felt like we were coming home after a vacation. Sadly we will only be here until Wednesday night when we get our new Thai visa. So it is great to be back, even if it is only for a short time. 

Well that is basically it for this week. Hopefully, I will have some fun stories for you next week.   

   

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

New Investigators!

So this week has been good we were able to get a lot of progress.

One cool story from this week: Since I got here I have been trying to call every former investigator and less active saved in our phone every time I have a chance. So I called one former investigator, her name is Summer. She was interested in meeting last week but was busy because of New Year’s. This week I figured she would be free, now that New Year’s is over, so I called her and got an appointment. It turns out she is already Christian (almost never happens in Thailand) so we taught her the message of the Restoration. It seemed to have a lot more of an influence than in most people we teach the Restoration to. We set up another appointment and then at the next appointment she brought a friend and we were able to teach both of them and give them both baptismal dates for the 5th of next month. We had also set a goal to have 3 investigators at church. So with those two we still needed one more person to achieve our goal. Our investigator sister Ohm cancelled the night before and said she couldn't go. I was calling everyone I knew trying to get people to church and was not successful. Then at church our two investigators came and they had brought another friend to come with them. It was an answer to my prayers to see that happen. After church we got to teach all of them. They are all really interested and now all three of them have a baptismal date for the 5th of February.

City Pillar Shrine, Khon Kaen

Other highlights from this week include going to visit this recent convert at his house about an hour away from the city. He is really active and goes to church every week but he is also almost completely blind. So we got to read the Scriptures to him. We read in Third Nephi 11 it was amazing. Then afterwards we got to do some service and help build this house that he is helping with. We really didn't do that much just moved a bunch of bricks but it was good to be able to do some service. 

That is the highlights for this week. It was a good week. 

--  Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

Back in Black

So I am back in black (back in Thailand with the standard black name tag). I have moved into a city called Khon Kaen. That looks way weird and I am not sure if it is spelled right. It is ขอนแก่น for all of you out there that can read Thai. It is in the North Eastern part of Thailand. My new companion is Elder Christensen. He has been a missionary for about 11 months or so. One of the biggest things I am excited about is having a church. All of my areas except for Long Beach have not had a church. Sansai was about a 45 minute bike ride. Samutprakaan was a long taxi trip or bus ride to a different area of Bangkok, and we had to move out of the church in Laos about 3 weeks after I got there. So it makes me way happy that I live like 30 meters from the church building. Since I have gotten here we have done a lot of contacting because we really don't have any investigators. We have found and picked up a few people since I have gotten here too. 

One of the people we found came to church yesterday, too. Her name is Sister Ohm. She wasn’t ready yesterday, when we invited her to be baptized, simply because she wants to have a stronger testimony before she commits. So she still wants to keep learning. So we will see were that goes. Another person we picked up this week was actually a former Investigator. I have been working to try to call all the former Investigators saved in our phone. Most of them have moved or are not really interested, but one of the people I called, when I called him, asked if we could meet him at the Church right then. We had no other appointments, so we got to teach him. He is pretty interested. So we will get to continue to teach him.   

New Years has made the work a little bit harder.  A lot of people are out of town so yesterday there were a pretty low number of people at church. I am kind of excited for things to get normal around here. Here in Khon Kaen, in our district, there are four missionaries. Our companionship and also a set of Sister Missionaries.

From all of the members I have met so far. They are all really nice. There is a big university here so a lot of the members are going to university. 

I have missed being in Laos a lot, but it is really nice to be able to teach the gospel and talk to people about Jesus again. I missed that a lot while I was in Laos. 

Funny story: The day after I left Laos, we still had a few days left in the transfer, so Elder Saunders and I went on Exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was switching off with a native Thai Elder and during companionship study he was saying “I have been reading through the Book of Mormon I almost finished. Today I was reading in Moroni 10.” He goes on and is talking about Moroni 10 then he says “And I only got to like verse 20.” Then I said in Part Thai, Part Lao. “Really, you didn't finish it all the way?” But that Lao part I threw in there made the sentence to him sound like: “What the heck you didn't finish the flipping Book of Mormon?” (the actual translation might have been slightly worse than that.) Then he told me I needed to calm down. It was kind of funny. Then I had to explain my mistake in speaking. 

Well, that is the news for now. Today we are going with some members to a Buddhist Temple here in Con Ken (I have just decided this is the best way to type out the place where I am staying the first part is Con like Comic Con and the second part is like the name Ken.)  

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์