Happy Halloween!

K so Halloween doesnt really hold special value half way across the world.. they dont do anything! No little kids scaring younger kids.. no trick or treating.. no decorations.. AHH! Dont really like it.. not.. one... BIT.
Scripture(s) of the Week: 2 Nephi chapters 7 and 8 (cause thats as far as i got.. its actually more than that). I know what you're thinking.. "hey AJ wait a minute.. those are Isaiah chapters.. how can you like those?" I know, i know.. ive never liked them before cause they are so difficult.. but for some reason, this time i understood them! And i love Isaiah.. he just verbally slaps everyone across the floor! Seriously.. when i was reading a felt a beat, a rythym! People say "rappers" are lyrical geniuses.. ever read Isaiah? This guy wipes the floor with them! Just read 'em again.. SLOWLY, and you will feel it too.

This week was interesting.. had a lot of ups and downs... First.. we lost Daa and Phet.. well at least Daa. I havent had the chance to call Phat, but Daa told us straight up she isnt interested.. that she was "interested for her kids.." But now they no longer want to, she doesnt want to learn anymore, and she likes buddhism more. If phat says that he is lying.. straight up.. no way will i believe that. He knows hes felt something before.. i know he is. Ill call him later. We got Fluk to commit to baptism for the 28th of November.. so that was an up. He is pretty in to everything and he says he prays everyday at least twice a day... you know you have a good investigator when he knows the 3 commitments we want him to keep: Church, reading and prayer. It made me really happy when we asked him to read for only 5 minutes everyday and he said, "oh i already do more than that." He didnt get to go to Church on SUnday, so that was kinda sad, but it was because his parents got in a fight.. wouldnt let him leave. Hes a sweet kid though. Oh big thing.. Sister Blessing was baptized yesterday! Yeah, thats kind of a big deal. When i first got here, she was one of the first, if not THE first investigator i met.. soon after, we had district meeting to come up with a "vision" that we want to see by the end of the moves.. for me, i made a vision for the whole mission: "I see myself sitting in the baptismal services of my investigators listening to them testify of how the gospel has truly changed their lives, and saying to myself, 'yeah... they got it."' Yeah.. she GOT it. It was funny.. it was a Don Muang baptism at Bang Khen.. bitter sweet haha. Just kidding.. doesnt matter where she was baptized.. actually some thing she said in her testimony was just that.. "i didnt want to move to bang khen.. i have friends in Don muang.. i dont want to move. but Elder Crowley helped me remember that no matter where you are, its still the same 1 loving God". I teared up a little in her testimony because she told her conversion story rather quickly.. she was contacted by Elder Crowley at English.. she said "whatever! I can learn.. theres no problem in learning.. its just another religion." And she told how all of that changed.. She also shared her first experience with the language of the spirit.. she felt it first, or recognized it first, at testimony meeting.. my first sunday in thailand.. from something i said. I felt honored to be a part of her conversion even though i didnt get to see her through to the end by teaching.. but it was a very sweet moment and she was GLOWING with happiness and joy. Loved it. Bii is still going for the 14th.. ive really come to love this guy.. he is very humble because he is not very good at anything.. hes kind of lonely and his social skills arent the best.. but his desire is what matters here.. we are reviewing everything with him to prepare him for the interview this friday, and when we ask him, he says.. "i can remember.. i know i can, but i cant put it in to sensible words." Hes probably one of the most humble guys ive seen.. and he doesnt even know it. I hope he can be ready. His neighbors.. HEY! Brother Ball.. you had concerns about names here? Well this kid is named "Bon"... or, translated, Ball. Hah. Lawls. Yeah anyway, so he is 17 and a neighbor of Bii.. his Mom is name Augh.. thats the only way i can right it.. sorry Ball... Brother Ball that is.. anyone confused yet?! Anyway.. she is a way sweet Mom and one of the most respectful thais ive ever seen.. the Wai.. its the little clasped-hand-to-face-greeting-bow thing... when she does it, you feel the respect and the importance of what she is doing. She is really trying to do what we ask even though she is pretty deeply rooted in Buddhism.. but we've seen the change in her prayers.. the first time we asked her if she had prayed, she said no.. so we had her pray after that lesson.. next time we came back we said it at the beginning, "ok.. Mom.. we will open with a prayer, but at the end you will be the one to pray ok?" She was very shy and laughed and didnt want to.. these last few times? We same the same thing and she is totally ready.. she just says "OK" without hesitation. She opens her heart to us every time and even Tawid.. remember him? Member? Awesome? Anyway, even HE, a thai person whos already been a mish, said that hes never seen a person like her... im not sure what it is about her, but Thai people know each other and they both say she is different.. in a good way. Hopefully we can do work. Then, there is "balls" friend "Nat.." Or if that is too hard for you.. it translates to"Appointment." Hes a sweet kid of 14 years.. looks like hes 20. He has a problem... he has a pretty steady job.. but hes 14.. he hasnt finished middle school.. thats a crime on the heads of the parents.. so he needs to get back to school quick or she will send him to another part of the country.. We had a long talk with them last night, and although we made head way, especially in helping him to quit smoking, with him and his Mom.. although his Mom needs to talk to him with more respect.. she shows no respect, no love, no nothing for him.. kinda sad. But he went to Church yesterday, AND the baptism.. and he wore church clothes and everyone though he was a member hahah. Elder Komgrid was telling him that he should probably quit his job and go back to school... we hadnt really "started" a lesson because we didnt open with a prayer.. but i the Spirit was like, "HEY! He still understands prayer already! Bring it all back to the Church!" So Elder Komgrid was in a sentence and I, rather rudely i might add hahaha, interrupted and said "Nat.. you already told us you belive that prayer helps us.. so pray. Ask what you should do.. Your Father in Heaven will answer what you should do here." We are trying to get him to FHE tonight.. speaking of FHE.. Wisid asked if we should continue it.. if its really effective.. i immediately said Yes.. because of you Mommy.. loved that story. And thats pretty much all the investigators we have.. oh we had that Grandmother who had to go back to her home.. she wants to be baptized but she had to leave.. GAH! She may come back later, but i dunno...

K so what else this week.. oh, Komgrid and I had a sweet companionship inventory.. he kinda ______ me off this week... haha but dont worry.. we resolved it all.. and now we work together better than ever.. gonna DO WORK! We found a new house.. way nice and for the same price.. sweet! I will get to be the first to use it before Elders come after me and destroy it! We have to move this Thursday.. this week may not be very effective hahaha... plus Komgrid has to go take a test or something required of Thais.. dunno. We are supposed to have exchanges on the same day, which is 1) inconvenient for the move, and 2) our DL wants to swap my Comp with his.. who is my Noong from the MTC.. yeah real smart! Put a 2 monther and a 2 weeker together... we shall see.

K well i think thats all i got this week.. Thailand is great.. the language is coming along nicely and the weather is nice! like.. NICE. (Ask josh about "nice.." you will understand better). Hey, i heard Taylor Swift got a new CD? HAHA.. its playing behind me. K love you all! Thanks for all the support i feel day by day.. This gospel is amazing.. im so glad i got to see it change Sister Blessing.. everyone could see it.. that change only comes through this gospel.. OH. One more thing she said.. "Elders asked me to keep the Law of Chastity and i said yes. Next time they asked again and i was so confused cause i already accepted.. then they asked again..whhy? I realize now, its because if we dont constantly remind ourselves of committments and the things we need to do to remain strong in the church, we will easily fall away, like the Lehis dream." From AN INVESTIGATOR!! AH! Loved it. K gotta go. Say hello to the Ward.. give them bean dips credit cards.. you know.. the whole nine yards. JK. But seriously. Peace!

Elder Gudmundsen