Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:24:19 -0700
From: bryan.todd@myldsmail.net
Merry Christmas!
This last week was a very busy week. The Bangkok Stake and the Bangkok North District pulled together to host one of the biggest Christmas activities that I've seen/been a part of. It took a lot of preparation. And since it was being hosted at our church, on Chaengwatana Rd., we got to do a lot of the helping.
I don't know if I told you or not but I was called to sing in a choir. One of the members here, brother Art, wrote a musical that was all centered on Christmas. It was the story of a man who was handicapped because one Christmas he saved the life of a pregnant woman. Then seven years passed. He never got a thank you, or any closure. He was kind of bitter. The story starts with his friend from work having him over for dinner. Long story short-- his friend's wife is the lady. His doubts as to whether God lives, are totally cleared away as his desire was fulfilled. The production ends with the quote, "He saved a life, but Jesus Christ saved the world." It was really good. I can't do it justice.
I also had the opportunity to really see how God sees us. During the last showing of the performance, there was this lady sitting on the very front row. I looked at her and she had this big tattoo on her shin. She just had a wordly look about her. I didn't give it much thought. But, I was shown that I can't judge on what I see. By the end of the play she was crying. She had felt the Spirit of the Lord. He taught me what he had taught Samuel of old.
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lordseeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
That was good for me to learn, and a lesson that we can all remember. It's such a large part of our life to become like the Savior. As we remember His birth, we should also look to His example. It's another lesson that I have been taught. I hear people say "Every religion teaches us to be good." Well, that statement whether true or not isn't relevant. Jesus Christ told us; " Therefore I would that ye should be aperfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.(3 Nephi 12:48)."
No matter what others say to us, we can't settle for anything less that perfection. And it is only in and through the grace of Christ that we can be perfected.
Well, right now we're low on investigators. President was talking to us about this. Apparently, the assistants were saying to him that our numbers are low. We're actually lower than we were when President first got here. Except in one area. We are up in the number of Baptisms.
We've changed our way of proselyting. We have, as President put it, created a very effective machine that produces baptisms. If we look at percentages, we've really picked up. We're not spending time with people who aren't prepared or willing to do things. But we've got investigators working to baptism.
Right now, we have a really solid one. Her name is Nong. โหน่ง. She's the member referral I was talking about last week. She's doing really well and has a baptismal date for the 30th. She really is just someone who the Lord prepared for us. She's keeping commitments and not complaining.
Well, I'm kind of out of things for this week. It really was consumed with song practice and getting the church ready.
I love you all. Remember Christ at this time.
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