Chasing Thai Buses

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:53:30From: bryan.todd@myldsmail.net
Hey Everyone!

Can you believe that it's time for General Conference again?! It feels like I was just watching it in the clerk's office in Roi Et yesterday. But, here it is again. I'm so excited!

We will probably get it in English because the church in Thonburi has wi-fi and Brother Khai likes watching it in English better than Thai. (He served his mission in SLC). I wouldn't put it past him. No matter how beatuiful conference is in other languages, there is nothing like hearing the prophet's own voice and hearing the way he tells his stories. I think this conference will be so great! I'm a little sad because we still won't get ot see it in Thailand until the 8th of April (Easter), but at least we get to watch it! That's so great! I can't wait for the counsel that is to come!

This week was really good. I went on exchanges with Elder Chamberlain from my MTC group in Bang Khae. That was really fun. We invited for a while. It was really cool. We prayed made a goal to teach two families, and two adult males. Then we went out. One of the first guys we invited was okay. He didn't want to learn more. Then there was this guy sitting on his porch. We invited him, and he said we could sit down with his family of four. So we taught them. He said he was 100 % Buddhist, and that he couldn't change even if he wanted to, because his parents were buddhist, and his grandparents before them. That was kind of a bummer. Then we kept going and we met this lady with her two little kids. Right as we started talking to her, her husband got home. I was thinking, "This is too perfect." I was right. It was. Her husband woulnd't sit down, so we couldn't teach her. So we kept going. We were able to teach this one guy. But he isn't free at this time to learn. So maybe in the future. Then we were getting ready to go visit one of Elder Chamberlain's investigators, and this little kid who had been following us around all afternoon came and said his parents were home and asked us if we would go teach them. So of course we went. His parents were kind of "whatever" about our message, but the boy really wants to change religions. It just was a testimony to me that we must all become as little children.  I have no doubt that the Lord needed that family to hear the message of His everlasting gospel. I am just thankful that I could be an instrument in His hand, to help Him fulfill His great and eternal purposes.

Other invesetigators: Bancued is doing great. He is interviewing for baptism on Thursday. It's been so cool to see him begin to humble himself even more. He has interviewed three times before, but this time it feels different. He even bought new, nice clothes for the interview. It was awesome. And he was so excited to show us. We had a really good lesson with him on Saturday. We were talking about the atonement, and I felt Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19 come into my head. So, I shared that passage. As we read those verses, I had the sure feeling come into my soul, that Jesus is the Christ; That His infinite Atonement is very real. And that His arms are open to reach all of us. For we are all sinners, and all of us need His divine grace to save us. At the end of the lesson Banceud thanked God in his prayer for a good lesson. That's the first time he has ever done that that I can remember.  It's so cool to see the Spirit really working in the lives of my brothers and sisters.

Wallop is doing well too. He is reading and praying daily.  That was something that was a struggle for him when I first got here. He would read and pray sometimes, but not always. But he is doing a great job.  Now, he just needs to overcome his smoking addiction, and come to church. He is going to talk to his boss to get Sundays off. He is so great. He's really a humble guy.

One funny/scary thing happened yesterday. We were on the bus going to visit on of the sisters in our ward to get a referral. We were with one brother, Ding. We got to a bus stop and Ding said that it was the stop for us to exit, so I got off the bus. However, he and elder Davis didn't get off on time. I had this sense of alarm sink into my heart as I watched the bus start pulling away. Then, I started chasing that sucker down! I had it in my sights the whole time, and Elder Davis and Brother Ding got off at the next stop and we were reunited. Elder Davis was a little shaken by it, and Brother Ding just thought is was hilarious to see me chasing down the bus! It must have been a sight.

Well, The work is going forth. No one can stop it. Truly no one.  It's true, and it's the only true and living church on the face of the earth. Of that I promise you all. Enjoy conference this week. Hopefully there are some new temples announced. I know the one everyone here is hoping for!

Love,
Elder Todd