hhhhallo

From May 29:

So how is you all doin? Cool.

Okay week... didnt get back to Buriram until tuesday night and had no time to do anything.. including holding English class.. yeah, bummer. So really this week started on wednesday as far as teaching and proselyting. We found some success where it really matters though: Church. Yesterday was sweet. We had another coordination meeting which was really a meeting to train the members to train other members. its working! Yesterday we got a ton of names that we are going to contact this coming week, and after Church was over, almost every member was either talking to us, the missionaries, or the members we trained about referrals and preparing people for the missionaries. Its exactly what we told the members we wanted to see. This is just the beginning.. next week we at Church we can easily get a dozen referrals from the members. Its peer pressure! Members see it happening, and so they feel left out.. yeah, take that one to the face Satan! Peer pressure works both ways!

Anyway, we're still working with sister Blessing who is progressing quite nicely. Shes met her first speed bump in the road, which is the Sabbath Day. She was so happy to have gotten some employees to help her take care of the businesses, and thanks God for it because now she can go to Church.. yeah, arent we evil though? Dash that by saying, "sorry, you gotta close the shop completely.. they dont work either". For herself, she has no problems.. but she doesnt think she can close it all together. We told her that she can of course.. but more than that, her employees are investigators! We asked, "you like church right? Of course.. so is it fair to deny these 2 people the joy of being at Church?" She kinda dodged the question... but at the very least, she understands that its a commandment. We hadnt planned to teach this commandment, but when she opened the lesson by saying, in her prayer, "I trust thee and know that thou art the highest, most powerful being", I felt the spirit telling me to bring up the 10 commandments. Its a speed bump, but like all speed bumps, the faster you go, the easier it is to clear it! HAHAH.. just kidding (but seriously, you ever tried it? If you go about 30 you wont feel it). In complete honesty, its just a small obstacle. She should be fine. Shes also starting to like Church for more than just the cool air, nice carpet, and quiet atmosphere, but for the spirit she feels there.
Next is the other Sister Blessing, the mother of a member... we only met her once, and she said shes just really confused as to why we talk about Joseph Smith so much.. we explained the Restoration again, and why it was so necessary. Explained that she doesnt need to feel confused so much, but just seek an answer and she will get one. "Its simple! The answer is in you hands! Is the Book of Mormon true, or is it false?" After that, well its easy to tell her what else the answer means. She made it to Church too, but only the first hour. Her biggest problem will be the Sabbath (what else is new) because she makes food for funeral services, which usually land on Sunday, which is almost every sunday, because SOMEBODY in EVERYBODYS family is ALWAYS dying!!! I dont get it! The death rate in this country is off the wall man! So many people going to the Spirit world too soon! Bummer. Anyway, this Sister Blessing definitely has felt the spirit.. its just coming to that realization thats the problem. Her daughter comes to help us teach, but she kinda talks... like.. A LOT. Takes up a lot of time and cant really focus in on what we plan very well.. BUT, she has good insights and its at least helping her faith and realizing that whatever shes feeling, someone has before too.
After her, we have a couple former investigators... one is the daughter of a member who has learned EVERYTHING but wont accept baptism. This was the first time i met her, and according to what everyone says, we had a pretty traditional lesson where she seems active, but then doesnt have the desire to be baptized.. I dunno, i saw it. She came to Church too. We shall see.
The other we met last night... hes a Christian and he REALLY loves Jesus.. which is nice. He actually understands most of the scriptures, and has a nice attitude about following whatever Jesus asks of him. We taught a fairly long lessons because he liked to go off on tangents and we had to keep tyring to get his focus back on track. In the end, we backed him up against the wall and said, "look man.. you havent answered our questions: Do you or do you not believe that this is the word of God?" "Uh, i believe that when Jesus says things they are true." "Thats not our question: Do you BELIEVE that the Book of Mormon is true?" He was quiet and finally said, "i dont know yet.. i think i believe..." "Well, you need to read it. After that, you must declare whether it is true, or false. There is NO in between. If it is true, and we testify that it is, you must make changes to your life. They are not changes that us 2 are requesting, but they are requests from the Lord Jesus Christ." He continued to make some excuses about why he couldnt believe it and finally, i pulled out bible scriptures to slap his face... at one point, we were all silent for about a full minute.. which, if you think about it, is pretty long... he said nothing... but his face said everything.. he KNEW that it was true. Its just accepting it that takes the time. After we starting talking again, he was like, "this is weird.. really weird." Yeah man thats called the Spirit! At the end, Elder Gambanat and I both knew that we needed to commit him to be baptized.. but Elder Gambanat didnt expect what his answer would be: Elder Gambanat: "When you know these things are true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and baptized?" Him: "I already got bap-" Me: "will you be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" He went off on a tangent, not asnwering the question, and finally we said, "hey.. again, you didnt answer the question." We got it out of him! It was a powerful lesson and he felt the spirit for sure.

What else happened worth noting.. oh yeah, we passed out over a 1000 english class brochures.. this tuesday we are going to have a lot of Baptismal Candidates at English :)

So, the last thing i want to share comes from 2 different lessons that we taught.. these lessons are my FAVORITE.. its when a baby is just born, or about to be born: we got both situations. Of course, we dont like comparing religions cause it will make them upset, or something like that, but i had to ask them what they believe: "That we are born to get rid of our sins from the previous life.. that we have to do good to get good and erase our sins." This is the common belief of most people here... I asked as politely as i could, "if thats the case, the baby that you are about to have (Or already have) has sins? I ask you to look pay attention to your child after she is born.. DO, THEY, HAVE, SINS? I say they do not." Then, you open up Moroni 8 and tell them that Christ covers for them.. "that he has enough power to cover for all who do not have the law. But for us, WE are sinners.. you need to repent and come unto Christ." The thing that they will see without you having to say it, is that Buddhism, Islam, whatever else, doesnt talk about children. It just leaves them out! Kids cant redeem themselves from sin because they have none! I LOVE these lessons because it just hits you right in the heart and helps you see that these things are so true. We taught a soon-to-be-mother yesterday (who is giving birht today) that her kid has no sins... but she needs this gospel in order to raise her right, so that when she comes to the age of accountability, she will already be on the right path. She seemed really open to our message and we will visit her in the hospital this week.

All i got. These things are true. SOOO True. The longer im out here the more i realize how beautiful the Gospel is... its full, complete, and in full swing on the Earth once more.. aint no stopping us!

Love you all!

Elder Gudmundsen