Working in Thonburi

Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:51:38 +0700
Subject: March 12 already!
From: bryan.todd@myldsmail.net

Hey Everyone! 

How are you all? Life here is great, and I hope it is for you. The work here is going forward. 

One thing that Elder Davis and I have made a point to do more is to talk to poeple. Elder Ballard told missionaries to talk to at least 10 people a day outside of planned finding activities. So, we have been doing that.  We are trying to show the Lord that we are dedicated to His work. And it's really fun talking about where people are from, about their families, and stuff like that. 

One thing that we kind of get sick of is hearing, however, is when people say,"Every religion teaches us to be good poeple." And it's not just the missionaries who hear that.  The members also talk about how everyone says that. But only one religion teaches the truth! It's true! This is the truth! 

We did have an interesting experience tracting this week. There was this guy we were talking to and he said, "I'm going to have you talk to my friend."  (his white friend). So he brought his friend over, who tried to tell us he was Thai. He finally confessed he was from Espana. He was a magician. And he tried to tell us he could read our minds. It was a really interesting experience. He rejected any thing about the gospel even when I gave him a spanish pass along card that Nate sent me. He just gave it back and said he knows about Jesus already. Crazy.

As for our actual investigators,  Banceud is doing okay. He may not be interviewing on Saturday, because he may have worked yesterday. We need to follow up with him on that. It's so hard, becasue he really wants to do everything right.  He wants to keep the Sabbath day holy, but he says some weeks he has to work on Sunday. I don't know how to help him. If anyone has any suggestions, please share them. He did tell us that one night he was trying to go to sleep, but couldn't because there was a ghost in his house, that wouldn't let him sleep. The ghost kept fighting with him, so he prayed and asked that the ghost would leave. He said after that prayer he fell asleep and had one of the best nights sleep! Kinda an odd story, but pen pai dai! It built his faith in the power of prayer.

Then, Adithep, another investigator preparing for baptism on May 29.  He is struggling reading, so we have been going over and reading with him almost daily. It's good, and he understands the meaning of a passage Nephi is teaching about the importance of obedience and stuff like that. I really like him, he is just progressing slowly. But if that's what it takes for an enduring conversion, that's what we'll do!

We met with Bishop Arun this week.   He is so solid. He talked to us about how he wants us to help strenghten the ward.  Apparently, what has been happening is when one gets baptized, someone else stops coming to church. So he had us speak in sacrament yesterday about the importance of the Book of Mormon. I pulled out some quotes from Elder Hollands "Safety for the Soul" talk. I love that talk, and encourage you all to watch it before conference via lds.org. 

I'm so excited for general conference! It's the best! just 10 hours of being nourished by the good word of God. I hope you will all prepare well for it!

Well, things here are just going along. We are here doing our best, letting the grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ make up for the rest. It truly is a marvelous work. And I thank my God daily, that He has suffered me to come labor for the salvaiton of His children. 

This is the Church of Jesus Christ. The ONLY one. He is our great eternal head. His gospel is a message of peace and good will. His is the path that leads to happiness in this life, and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

I love you all so much. and invite you to ALWAYS remember Him. 

Love,
Elder Todd