Testifying in Thailand: 1/4/15... Life is good, we are working hard and seeing miracles.

3 Headed Elephant

FAM! Wow... It has only been a few days and I get to hear from you again, what a treat! Life is good, we are working hard and seeing miracles. Here are some highlights, updates, and thoughts from the past few days...

Miracle: One of our investigators, เตย, has a date to be baptized this week! So we found him in our Area Book and he has PAGES of lessons he has learned over the past year or two, he has learned with several sets of missionaries, and there were tons of notes on him and how he is very smart and educated and really struggles more on the faith/humility side and compares everything to Buddhism. Someone even wrote that he maybe needs a personal tragedy or something to humble him. So the morning of our meeting we really studied for him and prepared, knowing his situation a little bit, and our meeting was SO good. I really feel like the Spirit just led us to read the scriptures we read about the Savior and put words into our mouths. I felt like we should assign him Alma 32 at the end and have him pray specifically about God and if He is real, because if He is real and this is His church, then nothing else matters. Well he called us 2 days later and said he read that chapter and prayed, feels better than he has ever felt and is ready to be baptized. We are so thrilled.

New Years Fun at the Pier!

Fun: So New Years day was so fun with President Wisan and his daughters!! Oh my goodness they are SO awesome. We went to a few really cool sights around our area, and he even made us a homemade picnic (which we ate on china plates... hahaha they like do not believe in paper plates or plastic forks etc in Thailand. sidenote haha) and took us to Swensons. Ahh how lucky are we?? We love President Wisan and his cutest daughters.

Funny: Then that night we went inviting at Imperial, and since it was New Years there was this special decor with like a little stage thing with a couch and a "happy new year 2015" sign for people to come take a photo or whatever. Well Sister Herrmann and I decide to go up and take our pic and I kid you not every single person there starts taking pics of us.... hahaha then people start asking to take pics WITH us... we probably had to take like 15 pics. OH MY GOSH SO FUNNY. But it was definitely a blessing... we got 17 phone numbers that day. "sure you can take a pic with us if you will come to church this Sunday!" priceless.

The picture that started it all..HAHA

So one thing that has really been on my mind lately is family. This week I have given a lot of thought to the concept, meaning, and centrality of family to this gospel.

Every time we teach in some form or another we mention that "the gospel blesses families" This is such a simple truth that I want ALL of my investigators to truly know and understand.

I just finished reading in Alma and I love the account of the stripling warriors- young men who were said to be exceedingly valiant for courage, true at all times, taught to keep the commandments of God, had never fought but did not fear death, obedient to every command with exactness, and having such exceeding faith in the Lord. I think it is so cool that the Lord takes this beyond just a surface level example of young men eager to follow Him. The Lord wanted to teach us through this account of the influence of a mother (family, parents) as the character of these young men is fully attributed to the teaching and example of their mothers (family, parents).

"Yea they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers saying, We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

These words have rung out in my mind all week as I have taught and testified to my investigators, grateful that I myself do not doubt my mother/family know the truth and importance of this gospel and wanting so badly for their families to experience this same power and bond.

Teaching our investigator ออม about the temple and drawing a "What I want my life to look like in 5 years" vision for her life and helping her to see that more than just involving her career as a singer, it can involve the temple where she can be sealed to her kids for time and all eternity.

Teaching Brother Radshay's family about the importance of coming to church every week even though it is hard to get all of their kids ready to go by 9 AM. I remembered the days when Brad PJ Ty and I were little and Mom was running around all morning before church and it was a miracle if we made it there on time. I was able to bear my testimony on the power and influence of weekly church attendance as a family and how grateful her children will be someday.

Sharing with ขวัญ our investigator who is 18 and scared to be the first member in her family that she will be the pioneer, changing generations to come caused me to think of every family in this gospel, including my own somewhere along the line, who's lives have been changed by the decision of one person to join the church.

Teaching โช our RC about the influence she can have on her daughter Pancake as she sets an example of honoring her baptismal covenants and shares the gospel with her. She is so funny... always talking about how she and Pancake are BFFS. I told her me and my mom are BFFS too, but I value SO MUCH that she has a testimony and has taught me the gospel and been my number one example my whole life. I LOVE YOU MOM!!

Then with receiving the news of my dear friend who was in my district at the MTC and is serving here in Thailand, Elder Frodsham's father passing away, I have really reflected and find comfort in the fact that we know that family relationships can be perpetuated beyond the grave through the sealing power. Please pray for him.

Family. I am so so grateful for you. You are my people!! I hope you know just how much I love to read your letters and hear the details of your lives, but how much more I love the fact that God has given us all families to progress and grow together and that you are MINE.Thank you for your influence on my testimony and faith. You are all such strengths to me!

Life is good, I love you all so much!! Thanks for the prayers and the love and all you do.

Here is to another good week!

Sister Morgan