Going up North Again, Teaching Children the Gospel

Another great week. Last Saturday, for P-day, we went out with some English students and were at this waterfall all day. So, it was a good day. 

Last Sunday was good. It was the first Sunday for Elder Johnson and Elder Fjeldsted. They are doing great. Last Sunday we got a lot of teaching done. My favorite part of last Sunday was going around to Primary class. During the time when there was no church building, a lot of children turned eight and were not able to be baptized. So last Sunday I went on a mission to find all the children that needed to be baptized. So, by the end of the day I had a list of four kids that still need to be baptized. Two of them wanted to be baptized the next week! So, we are working right now to get them baptized in the near future.

Our investigators are doing great. We are getting a lot of teaching in now, with six Elders. It is really weird here, because we are almost always split off when we teach. Each Elder has their own set of investigators. So, a lot of my investigators are doing good right now but aren’t free to meet during the week. Their names are Jinda, Sun, Tunkham, and Nok.

On Tuesday, we got to go up North and visit some people. We went a little more than an hour north of the city and we were able to visit my investigator Sun. She is doing good but is trying to quit smoking right now. The other big visit we had was at Brother Janphengs house. He is the Elder’s Quorum President for Branch Two.

Other good parts of the week were having lunch with the Branch President for Branch One. And District Meeting was good; we took a lot of time to talk about all the different investigators and how we can help them progress. Last night we had a good lesson with our RC Brother Bunma. That was also a really good part of the week. We just took the time to read with him from the Book of Mormon together.

Here is another quote I enjoyed from General Conference. It is about our personal testimonies. It reminded me that we need to continue in Faith with constant effort to keep it strong.

 "It is not enough just to gain a testimony; you have to maintain it and strengthen it. As every missionary knows, if you stop pedaling a bicycle, it will fall, and if you stop feeding your testimony, it will weaken. This same principle applies to repentance- it is a lifelong pursuit, not a once-in-a-lifetime experience." ~Stephen W. Owen

The longer we go without strengthening our testimony, the more it will weaken and if we are not careful, we will eventually fall. As we keep the commandments, seek personal guidance and repent daily we can stay strong. 

That’s all for this week.

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

New Elders, Emergency trip to Thailand, and a Government Meeting

So, this last week was really busy. Last Sunday was great. We got to teach and help our investigators progress. Tomorrow, Tom, an investigator mainly taught by Elder Saunders and Elder Higginson, will be baptized. 

Monday was a fun day. We had a FHE at night, and two of the people I served with in Chiang Mai had come up to Laos for a few days, so it was a lot of fun to see them again and catch up. On our way back from FHE, Elder Saunders crashed his bike. We are still not sure what happened exactly but he took a bad spill and couldn't remember anything that happened that day. He kept asking the same questions over and over again. On top of that, he had a lot of wounds on his arms and face so I had to take him to Thailand and go to the hospital there. So, we crossed the border right at 10:00pm when it closed and left the hospital at like 2:30 in the morning in Udorn. He ended up not have any lasting amnesia. It all went away. He did have to get 5 stitches on his chin though. It was an exciting night. We had to leave the other two Elders to teach English. They didn't have their Visa's to go back to Thailand. 

Also, this week I got to take part in a government meeting between DIC and the Lao Government. I was just translating for the senior missionaries but it was a lot of fun. 

Yesterday Elder Fjeldsted and Elder Johnson came into Laos. Elder Higginson and I switched off and went and picked them up. It is way good to have six Elders again.

Today we are going to a lake with some English students so it should be fun.

So this week has been mostly great!  (Injuries excluded.)

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

Trip up North

Another great week. Last Sunday was a little bit slower, with people at church and everything, because of General Conference a lot of people watched from their home's. So we didn't have as many people bringing friends to church. It still ended up being a good day as we had Sister Lisa and Gwan get baptized. They are doing great and will receive the Holy Ghost tomorrow. 

All the RC's are doing great. Brother See is the greatest security guard in the world. He watches over the church sooo well. He is just really proactive; so unlike all other security in Laos. He goes around and just does little things to help out the Church. My favorite one, this week, was when he found a bunch of gospel art paintings, he went around the church and put them all up. So, when we went there to teach, we were surprised by all the paintings up on the wall. It is starting to feel more and more like a church everyday.  

Ton and Sony are doing great and are setting their sights on getting their family to the temple when they pass a year of membership

Bunma is still very strong he is planning on going on a mission once he has been a member for a year. 

Coco is awesome. He is one of my favorite young men in Laos. Our new house is next to Coco's school, so we bump into him almost every day. He also always runs up behind us on his motorcycle when we are biking and talks to us for a little bit as we bike.

Basa is strong and coming to church every week. She is really busy at school so we don't see her during the week but she has Sunday off and is still doing great. 

Da is doing good too. She is always bringing friends to church on Sunday. All of her friends are nice but none of them have stuck as solid investigators.

We also have District Conference coming up soon. Brother See Ton and Bunma are getting ready to get the Melchizedek Priesthood. 

On Tuesday, Elder Saunders and I went up North to some of the members. We were up there specifically to help out one of the sisters that is going on a mission in two months and helping her do her Visa work.

English classes are still going great. Teachers appreciation day was last week so our students have been giving us a lot of things lately. So that has been really nice.

Today has been a calm P-day. Our last several P-days have been a little more crazy so today we took it easy and went to a few places in the city. 

General Conference was really great, like always. My favorite talk was from Elder Nelson. He talked about the Book of Mormon and gave several great promises regarding it.  

"My dear brothers and sisters, I testify that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of 

God. It contains the answers to life’s most compelling questions. It teaches the doctrine of 

Christ. It expands and clarifies many of the “plain and precious”  truths that were lost through centuries of time and numerous translations of the Bible.

When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of 

Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.

My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon 

every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open

, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own

life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be 

immunized against the evils of the day"

Have a good week!!

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

Boat Racing Festival Part 2 and a Trip to Vang Viang

So, another week. This week was good.

Last Sunday Sister Da was confirmed and we had another typical crazy teaching day.

 The first part of our week was super normal. Teaching English to government officials and also teaching investigators at the church.

The second half of the week was really fun. Thursday and Friday were national holidays, part of the boat racing festival, so we did not have any English classes. This was my second time with the Boat Festival as I was here last year during the Festival. On Thursday, for the holiday, we made these boats with some members, and then at night you light them up with candles and stuff and send them off into the river.

Friday is when the boat race actually happens. So, there were a lot of festivities going on around that. Both days ended up being fun as we spent time with the members.  

Today we went to Vang Viang for the day. It is a tourist attraction north of Vientiane a few hours so today we went with a bunch of members. It was really fun .

As for our investigators, right now things are still looking great. Lisa and Gwan are getting baptized tomorrow. After them, we have a few more investigators that are looking way promising for the future. One of the investigators that we taught this week was Jinda. Jinda has been coming to church for a while but we are just now finding time to teach him. He is doing really well.

All of the recent converts are doing great and are still really strong. 

Your question about the picture I sent last week, I was indeed eating a chicken foot. It was the best chicken foot I have had so far.

Our new place is good. We are still ironing out a few details of living there. The house is nice but some of the stuff in the house is not as nice. We only have cold water for showering and the AC isn't the best. You get what you get though.

Our church attendance is around 150 right now.

Bugs still don't like me

-- Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ

A great Sunday, A great week, A great P-day

So, this week has been amazing! Starting out, last Sunday we had 156 people at church which was an all-time high since moving into the new church. On top of the high church attendance, we had a lot of investigators at church. We had a total of 20 investigators at church. It was great. The Sunday ending up being really crazy. We had Sister Da getting baptized and President and Sister Johnson were visiting as well. The Assistants were visiting also. That was nice because they were able to help us teach after the baptism. So, it ended up being a pretty crazy day.

A lot of the investigators are current investigators but we got a lot of new investigators as well.  We have two investigators that are going to get baptized on the 8^th. Sister Lisa and Sister Gwan.

We have another Investigator that is doing well right now. His name is Brother Jinda. He has been coming to church for several months but for the longest time, we did not have time to teach him. Now that we have time, he is doing great and progressing really well.

We have lots of other investigators right now, but I will just stick to those for now.

Sister Da is doing great. Last Sunday she was baptized by brother Bounma. So, everything went really good with her baptism and she will receive the Holy Ghost tomorrow.

The rest of the week was great. We had a lot of appointments eating with people. Elder Hansen and I went up and visited members up north on Thursday. That turned out to be a great day.

Today we rode Elephants. It was good. We had to ride our bikes like an hour and a half to get to the place. We actually found this place two weeks ago when we had the crazy adventure P-day. So, we did that and then did some more fun jungle exploring. It is really beautiful in that area. 

Well, things are going great here. Tomorrow should be another amazing Sunday. Great things are happening!  

Alma 26:35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even  unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

 --Elder Cheney

ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์

ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ, ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ