27 August 2017
So, a lot of great things happened in the last week and a half.
The last two Sundays have been great and we got new people to teach. Just for a
little insight into our Sundays here in Laos, I am almost never with Elder Saunders.
We are almost always split off with young men or another priesthood holder,
just running around doing everything that needs to be done. We each probably
switch the person we are with probably 6 times each Sunday. We do this so we
can cover as much ground as possible. So, we split off, then we teach people, go
to different classes, do random things for different members, talk to people,
set appointments for the week, and about an hour and a half after church is
over, we meet back up and each give a huge sigh of relief that we are done running
around for the day.
Because we can only teach at the church, Elder Saunders and I kind
of have different sets of investigators that we teach each Sunday. Last Sunday
I taught two girls that came in with a friend (the same friend that brought
Sister Basa to church). So, I taught a Restoration Lesson with an awesome Returned
Missionary named Brother Kit. With his help, we had a great lesson ending with an
invitation to read and pray. Unfortunately, with the Sunday Madness going on,
they ran home before I got their phone number to follow up with them. So, the
week went on and I tried to call the friend to get their phone numbers to
follow up. I wasn't able to get a hold of her, so I wasn't able to follow up. We
then had to go down to Bangkok for a meeting, without getting in touch with
them. Then yesterday, at church, I was way happy to see them again. I got into
a lesson and finally followed up on the Book of Mormon, only to find that they
had read about 50 pages in already and want to be baptized! So, that was a
great little miracle for the day. They have a Baptismal date set for the 17th of
next month. Also, another great addition on the investigator front. We have an investigator
that Elder Saunders is teaching right now. The Elders have been teaching for a
long time. Like a year and a half or so. Her name is Sister Lisa and she comes
to church every week and likes it but doesn't really read in the scriptures or
pray and doesn't really have a desire to be baptized. So, she has never really progressed
that far. Elders have just tried to teach her as much as we have time for on
Sunday. Well, last Sunday, Elder Saunders got a lesson in with her and it went
well. Then he taught her again yesterday. This time she had read and prayed
everyday and had lots of questions about the things she read and had a desire
to be baptized and has a goal for early in October. A real 180 degree turn. So,
what I really saw and learned yesterday is the power of the Book of Mormon. I
always looked at it as the way to know the truth of our message and filled with
great knowledge about how to live our lives. Yesterday, I really saw the power
it has to give desire to the people who need it. The Book of Mormon is an
amazing book.
“Within the book’s pages, you will discover the infinite love and incomprehensible
grace of God. As you strive to follow the teachings you find there, your joy
will expand, your understanding will increase, and the answers you seek to the
many challenges mortality presents will be opened to you. As you look to the
book, you look to
the Lord. The Book of Mormon is the revealed word of God. Of this
I testify, with all my heart and soul. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
—Elder Gary Stevenson October 2016
The other people are doing great. They are all coming to church
and doing great things.
So, one of the big things from this week was a trip down to
Bangkok. Elder Saunders and I had a meeting for all the missionaries who are close
to going home. It was great to be with my group that started in the MTC
together. The meeting was good too. We were given a lot of advice about what to
do when we go home and were advised to make a plan covering a few area's:
Health, Education, Employment, Finances, Spiritual Strength, and Social Life.
Going down to the meeting was fun. The meeting was on Friday and
we had English teaching Thursday night until 6:30. So after English class, we had
a member drive us to the Border. We crossed over, then met another member in
Thailand that drove us to the airport in Udorn. When we fly, we usually fly
from Udorn because it is like a third the price of Vientiane. We made it there
with an hour before our flight left. Once we went through security we went to
sit down and ran into some Udorn members that we knew who were going down to
Bangkok as well. So that was great. On the way back from the meeting we just
took a long over-night bus back to the border.
One funny thing is the amount of times Elder Saunders and I have
been to the airport in the last month. People keep going on missions, coming
home from missions, going home from missions, moving to America, or just come
to visit the Branch. Elder Saunders and I have been to the airport probably 10
times in the last month. Good thing it is only a 5 minute bike ride from the
house.
 |
| Airplanes not made for American legs |
Things are going great here.
-- Elder Cheney
ฉะนั้น, หากเจ้ามีความปรารถนาจะรับใช้พระผู้เป็นเจ้า เจ้าก็ได้รับเรียกมายังงาน
เอ็ลเดอร์ ชีนีย์
ແລະ ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງ,
ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບອກພວກທ່ານເຖິງເລື່ອງເຫລົ່ານີ້ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ກ່ຽວກັບປັນຍາ
ເພື່ອພວກທ່ານຈະຮຽນຮູ້ວ່າ ເມື່ອພວກທ່ານຮັບໃຊ້ເພື່ອນມະນຸດດ້ວຍກັນ
ພວກທ່ານກໍຮັບໃຊ້ພຣະເຈົ້າຂອງພວກທ່ານນັ້ນເອງ
ແອວເດີ ຈີນີ
