Happy in Korat. Biew is baptized!

Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 

From: bryan.todd@myldsmail.net

Hey Everybody! 

How are you all doing? We're doing great here in Korat, just a little surprised at how quickly this last transfer has passed by. I can't even imagine time going faster. But it marches on. 

This week was fantastic for many different reasons. Biew got baptized! That was a great day, and she was so happy. She really has come to love the Savior and His church. As she learned of the Atonement, and it's cleansing power her desire to repent increased. Her faith that through Jesus Christ she truly can be cleansed from sin motivated her and helped her towards this day. As the Spirit of the Lord touched her heart, it was changed. She shared her testimony of this gospel. It was great. She also got a calling as a branch missionary. It's one of the things that President Senior is focusing on. President Hinkley spoke on it too--a friend in the church, spiritual nourishment, and a calling. It's great that our branch president has been on it with these three things. 

    

And here is the week's rundown. 

Keng is doing well and coming to church. But he said he's come enough that now he feels like a member. So we're going to explain to him that we are baptized for three reasons. 1. To enter into a covenant with God by which we are cleansed from sin 2. For entrance into the Celestial Kingdom, and 3. For Membership in the Lord's church. But He likes coming to church. He is interesting, we taught him the Law of Chastity, he said he doesn't have any problems which is fantastic! So he is doing well.

Then there's Cherry.  Okay. Wow.  She told us that sometimes she would smoke 120 cigarettes a day! I don''t know how that's possible. But she did. Now that number is down. We didn't get to work with her a lot this last week, but she's still looking good for her baptismal date. She's just learning that she has to be patient. It's good because membership in the church is something that is valuable. She's beginning to see that value.

Bob. I'm just more and more amazed with him. The more we read the scriptures with him, the more he changes.  The deeper we teach a principle, the better he understands it. We finally finished teaching him the Plan of Salvation. Now he believes that there is a supreme creator. He has quit smoking. It's great. He is coming to church. We're planning on extending him a baptismal commitment. 

I had a great lesson retaught to me this week. It was about the importance of love. We were teaching one investigator. Suthep. He has been learning awhile. He has some things he has to do in the repentance process. But he has, as of late, relapsed into his drinking problem. So, we just taught him with brother Dahm. We taught about how we're here for him and that we all want to help and support him. We explained that we know his soul is a precious one. He expressed his thanks and that he was willing to do this. He wants to. He has great faith. Now we just need to help him convert that faith into action!

There was this time last week when we were passing out eggasaans, I can't think of the English words, for English class. There was this guy I saw, just sitting there. His name was M. I felt like we should go talk to him. So we did, and we invited him to English class. And he came! He is interested in the church too! One thing that we are looking out for is that when he talked he used the female particle of speech "Kha" not the male one "Khrap." But we'll explain to him that the Lord has created men to be men, and women to be women. That the Lord loves us and wants us to keep his law.

We focused this week in District Meeting on "The Doctrine of Christ" which is the missionary purpose. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end. We read through 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 11, and 3 Nephi 27 and counted up all of the references to those doctrines and pronouns of the Savior, and the word "Doctrine." I would encourage all of you to do that activity to see how the Savior feels about these things. I know that they are of utmost importance. This is His doctrine and the purpose of missionary work. I must teach in the Lord's way, "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they may have everlasting life." (3 nephi 5:13) Those inspired words are all about others and about helping them. I try to be as Mormon. I know we can all help our brothers and sisters.

Well I love you all! 

Be happy and choose the right!

Love,

Elder Todd