Sunday, June 10, 2012

T's Baptism, Riding Elephants & Elder Gudmundson


Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:15:30 +0700
Subject: 
From: bryan.todd@myldsmail.net


Hey Everybody!


How are you? Hope everyone is doing great.

First of all,  this week ended well. We were blessed to bring another child of God into the fold through the sacred ordinances of baptism and confirmation. It was a really sweet experience to be able to baptize T.  His real name A Ja YeBiang. He was so happy after he was baptized. We always have the investigators get up and share their testimony before the Bishop welcomes them to the ward. His was really good.  The best part was at the end when he looked at our investiagtor named Ice, and said something along the lines of, "Get baptized no matter what!" It was really good! He is going to be a really good member too. 


In addition to the baptism, this week was a really solid week.  We were able to get some really good new investigators. First of all, we are teaching Ice. He is from the hill tribes around here. His is the Lisu tribe. He has learned the gospel before, but stopped progressing because he couldn't go to church. Now, however, he want's to get baptized and is doing his best to get Sundays off. Please pray for him. He really wants to be baptized.  He knows that the church is true.



Our other investigator is MaaBraang. She is a singer actually. She is a member referral. Yesterday she got called into work and said she couldn't make it becasue she was going to stay at church! It was really good! Really cool. Then we were teaching her after church, and we asked her if she believes God is there. She responded with the following experience:

 She was leaving to come to church yesterday morning. It takes her a while to get there, but she wanted to get there early. So as she was driving she prayed in her heart that she could make it. She said for the first time in her life every single light was green. She said that she knew that God answered her prayers. That he lived. Then we committed her to baptism on July 14! She was really excited and so were her friends. The Lord is really blessing us. Thanks be to God. 


One thing that I have been doing lately as I write in my journal is to always conclude by writing down something that the Lord blessed us with that day. This has enabled me to notice His hand more in my life, and it has given me much more for which to be grateful. I encourage you all to thank Him for everything that we have. For without God, we are nothing. We are less than the dust of the earth. I know that the more we show our gratitude to our Father, the more we will see His hand working for us in our lives. I've seen it myself. I promise that He is there, only a prayer away. He is just waiting to open the windows of heaven.

So, another thing I've been pondering this week has been the concepts of progression and patience. I re-read some of my favorite scriptures on this subject and I want to share them with you.


Doctrince and Covenants 93:12-14,21
"12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fullness at the first, but received grace for grace;

 13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
 14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
 20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of hisfulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."
I love these scriptures because Jesus didn't receive everything at first. He continued from grace to grace. And it's for that reason He was called the Son of God.  And if we will be patient, and continue from grace to grace, we also will recieve a fulness.
Just remember to be patient in all things, and to be humble and put our trust in God. I know that doing so will bring forth the blessings of heaven.
I love you all! Stay faithful and true!
Love,
Elder Todd
P.S. Oh,  one more cool thing.  Yesterday at church, there were three girls who showed up.  They were from mainland China and had gotten baptized in Hawaii.  They're now in school at Mae Fa Luang University in Chiang Rai.  Also, there was a guy that came who served his mission in the Toronto, Persian speaking mission. So, at one church service, we got to hear English, Thai, Chinese, and Persian! All the members were saying that it was an international branch. Way cool.  I love this gospel.








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