Happy Independence Day

Sup. Its me. Oh you knew that already? Cool.

So yeah, another week down.. dang. This week was good. We taught a lot and we found a lot of new investigators.. its just getting people to stick thats the hard part. We taught a lot of first lessons, and almost 70 percent of those people we have yet to be able to teach a 2nd lesson. The biggest bummer of the week of course is A and M.. that couple i told you about last week? Yeah, well dont worry they are still golden, but they had to move :( theyve are suuuuppppeeerrr poor and need work.. "A" was praying and praying for week and didnt seem to find it, and then one night his "M"'s cousin called from Bangkok saying that she has a job for them.. he took it as an answer, but wanted to counsel with us first.. we simply said, counsel with the Lord first. They said that havent yet. We comitted them to pray together and decide if it was right with the lord... that if they felt iffy or 50-50 that they shouldnt go. Then after that, we wanted to make sure that once they got there and the missionaries there picked up where we left off, they wouldnt have a problem with work, so we taught the Sabbath Day holy and they said they would make sure they didnt work on Sunday. So as it turns out, the boss there said that Sundays are the day off for everyone... SO they are gone already! But, I already contacted Elder Thomson (the little ginger from my floor at May Hall) and they are prepared to receive them in Bangkok. A didnt really want to leave because he wants to be baptized here in Buriram (and keeps saying that he will come back here to be baptized) but they are desperate and needed to find work. From the way things played out and the answers they said they received in prayer, I had to respect PERSONAL revelation and not try and say "dont go, just stay here". When they said they were going to go to bangkok i was a little surprised and of course didnt want it, but i saw where my mind was going and quickly swallowed my pride because i knew part of me wanted them to stay so i could say i baptized 2 more people.. but thats false and very un-becoming of me... i remembered back to Sister Blessing in Don Muang and how she moved in the middle of teaching, but she still got baptized.. and in the end she bore her testimony saying that every branch or ward is the same and of God. Doesnt matter who baptizes them as long as its by a worthy priesthood holder. Ill just be stoked when they do get baptized.

Other than that we just invited.. A LOT. And then invited some more. It was sweet. We met a lot of people and some stuck, and some kicked us out. Glorious. Yesterday was way sweet.. i was standing outside the doors of the Church and this guy walked by drinking a soda.. i gestured for him to come in, like i usually do to people walking by, and he came in.. HAH! I was almost surprised that it was working, but when he did NOT simply ignore me and walk away, but instead turned towards me to talk to me, i went for it and pushed for him to come inside. He enjoyed it (and even thought it was funny.. i still dont understand what he thought was funny) and understood that we love him and that he needs to study more about these things. Hes kind of a vagabond though.. so we'll see how this goes.. and he doesnt have a phone, but the fact of the matter is that the experience was way cool. Just shows that teaching the gospel doesnt have to be with just our friends.. try it! Just invite some random dude off the street next sunday and see if they come in.

We met a lot of interesting people and most of them are generally interested, but once we leave their house after the first lesson, the spirit leaves too. Once we take the spirit with us, satan gets in there and starts workin on them and givin them excuses.. that 2nd lesson is so important.. if we can teach a powerful 1st lesson and actually get a 2nd lesson, im pretty confident we can baptize everyone. Once we leave after the first time they have so much time to make up excuses and "not have time".

We also had exchanges with the Zone leaders.. it was fun. Elder Furr, remember him from Don Muang? Yeah hes my zone leader.. we have fun.

Soooo i decided im bored of writing. Love you! Hope you all are doing swell and enjoying the July 4th.. wait, the 4th of July.. thats right. Im fine, having fun and sweating much. My kid has yet to meet a REAL rain storm.. just little tinkles on our heads every now and then. This morning we read a sweet verse about the Anti Nephi lehites when they bury their weapons of war for good.. we talked about how its like sin.. almost all the time we need but BURY our sin deep in the ground and throw the shovel in with it. Then take a victory bathroom break on top of the ground. Show sin whose boss (AKA show Satan whose boss).

Peace!

Elder Gudmundsen