Friday, October 28, 2011

... underwater

Yo. So President Smith is having us all email our families to say that we are drowning.. just kidding. But he did want us to let you know that we are fine. The water is a lot.. its really a lot. And its all coming to Bangkok and there isnt really anything to stop it so its going to conitnue to flood in for the next couple weeks.. and then stay for the next few months. President Smith has formally halted proselyting for now and sent us out to just serve only. We are wearing regular outfits and just going and finding members taht need help lifting furniture or neighbors, or anyone that needs help. ITs been pretty quiet so far, because most people are still under the impression that it wont flood around Asoke.... but ITS COMING! Everyone in the government says that everyone area will get flooded. Obviously some less than others, but at this point its kind of impossible to predict how much in each area, but for example, in my area we are going to be up to our knees. Thats quite a lot for downtown Asoke. The only area that ive heard that wont really flood is Pakkret where the main office is... this place has a bunch of rich poeple in it so they paid people to guard the walls and sandbags and basically bought their safety by diverting it to the poor people whos houses will already flood. Yeah, thats cool. Other than that place, everywhere else is going to get hit. Its obviously not like a tidal wave and so not dangerous in that sense, but drinking water is soon going to run out, and its just bringing in a lot of garbage and disease and disgusting-ness. We have plenty of water, so dont worry about that.. as President Smith puts it, we have enough water to last us until we finish our missions. Its weird.... i know the flood is coming because ive seen it already in some places, but sometimes it feels like the one part in Austin Powers when the steam roller is rolling towards that guy who is about 50 meters away and he is just yelling '"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" for about 5 minutes.. remember that? Yeah, thats what it feels like..

Lemme say this part straight up.. its been a LONG time since ive seen service this big and this magnificent. We headed down to the Don Muang airport the other day to help pack relief bags of food and stuff and wow.. that was a lot of people. The government donated a couple million things of relief items (shampoos, toilet paper, soap, ramen noodle, laundry detergent, etc) and hundres, thousands of people came together to set up assembly lines and get the bags out to people. Like, i wish I had pictures to show right now, but i didnt really take any at the activities cause there was so much service to do.. i didnt want to stand around and take pictures while people are working their butts off in front of me.. Im serious, it was way cool to see and be a part of. I havent really had that many opportunities to serve on my mission (not because i dont look for them!) and this was a really sweet one indeed. The assembly lines that we put together? SOOOOOO big. It was so insane.... id say 12 bags a minute were getting pumped out. No.. just kidding, 25.. at least! Then after the assembly line of people putting stuff into it, we got an assembly line of people to get them into to trucks and sent off. The coolest thing that happened was that AFTER we assembly-lined (yeah, i made that a verb) those bags into the trucks, it was amazing to turn around and see A HUGE NEW PILE OF BAGS READY! It was incredible.. i couldnt understand how they could get all those bags together that fast waiting for us. You know the sad part after that? The don muang airport is flooded now! Yeah, that flood relief effort is now underwater :) so now they are moved out closer into downtown Bangkok.

Just the other day we went to the Red Cross center in thailand and that was a treat as well.. they had so many canned foods going out to people.. put everything simple, i am just amazed at how willing people have been to help out.. i cant really describe it adequately but lemme just say that its pretty sweet. So thats the schedule for the next few months.. for the next few days we are going to first help our with our members and then get out and help anyone.. everyone, just go find people. Its a great opportunity to proselyte in and of itself because everyone now asks why we are serving so well.. why we speak thai.. etc. Its for fun. Love you. Ill talk to you again on monday.

Love Elder Goodman

Monday, October 24, 2011

Almost underwater

Just kidding.. but not really, everyone above and around us in all directions are starting to get flooded. Yay! For the most part, we are all doing fine.. except for the HUGE fact that i dont have a companion! Yeah, things went down this week.

Contrary to popular belief, and by that i mean most of bangkok, including myself, the water is actually going to make it into central, downtown bangkok. Obviously not nearly as much as up north, but it still will none the less. So, not many people prepraed that well.. so now eveyrone is starting to scramble and its been pretty cool to walk into any major shopping store.. all the food is gone. Water is impossible to find already.. everyone has just sucked it dry. Elder Peacock has pictures of it, but thats the other thing that went down: Their group got sent home on friday! Yeah, the major airport was predicted to flood this coming week around wednesday, so from up top, President Smith decided to get them out of the country before it did get flooded.. yeah, talk about a slap to the face for us. Ive been with different companions everyday for the past few days. Everything is messed up, and now ive got a zone with 35 people in it, camping out in the old church for a couple days. We had over 20 Elders in our DISTRICT yesterday and over 40 at one ward (our ward). It was pretty insane. Its a prime opportunity for Elders to get lazy and just not do anything, OR go out and go shopping (yeah.. prime time this time of year to buy lazer pointers.. did you know?). So we made up a big list of exchanges and just threw every elder out into downtown Asoke to work.. yeah, that worked quite effectively actually.. while i was planning out the exchanges, it was pretty cool to see how many people who are from different areas actually know this area enough to just get out that and drag someone else with them. Pretty cool. On top of all that

Baptism! Ice and Nang both got baptized amidst all the confusion and chaos... it was a nice spiritual experience and it was started off by Richard G. Scott and Bishop Burton... way cool. Richard G Scott is so sweet.. he really loved his wife and whenever he talks about her its kinda hard to keep those tears back.. like Brendon Fraser at a sun set. Apple didnt get baptized this week, but she did pass her interview, only because she wants her family to be able to be there too.. which she hadnt told them yet. Shes doing well and is still committed. She didnt make it to Church... MY BAD! I forgot to tell her it wasnt at 1 in the afternoon but at 10 in the morning! hahaha.. i s**k again!
Ice and Nangs baptisms were so good.. Sister Nang was crying and she looked soooo happy.. it was way good. Ice was superb.. very stoic, reverent and just.. powerful. He had the opportunity to go teaching with us this past week and man.. it was way good. He just took over the lesson and one point and was just bearing down powerful, pure testimony. Like, i dont want to say i was suprised, but man i was suprised! I knew he had a testimony but i didnt realize how powerful it was until he was teaching someone else. Stud. At one point during the conference, before the baptism, he just stopped and said, "You know.. im really glad i met you guys.". In english too. It was pretty cool and then after that, that Elder that was speaking at Stake conference talked about how everyone needs a missionary, whether that missionary is full time, or a member (cause every member is a missionary). I have lots of pictures from this past week.. i mean LOTS. SO much happened and you will love them.. but unfortunately this internet cafe is less than good and the SD card readers arent working.. yeah, bummer. Next week no?

So as for Nong hes doing better.. he was impressed by Elder Scotts talk about pornography.. Nong realizes that it is such a plague as Elder Scott described it.. he was impressed how straightforward he spoke and how it was excatly what society needs to hear... even if they dont like it. Its true.. its pretty bad and SO rampant.. walking down streets and seeing it everywhere is pretty bad.. its also pretty terrible when we walk past a street vendor selling regular american movies like Captain America and Transformers, and the first movie he brings up to you from behind his back is a pornographic film.. he just shoved it in our face as we were walking by asking if we wanted to buy it.. like, SERIOUSLY?! Why is it so bad? Like, they arent even ashamed about it.. selling it in public too.. i know its bad whether in private or in public, but cmon.. where did everyones shame go? I nearly smacked it out of his hand.. they just laughed.. i still love the guy and know hes grown up in a terrible world, but its really sad. Anyway, Nong sees why Elder Scott was so passionate about it. STAY AWAY!

I think my favorite thing this week was not that we had 2 baptisms, nor was it the awesome stake conference, nor was it the fact that Elder Komgrid is AP now, but it was the person who baptized Nang. As we were doing the program (or rather I.. Elder Peacock was gone already.. stress! Not really.. its fun!) I was thinking about who could baptize her.. I asked her who she was good friends with at Church and she said the WML and a ward missionary.. and then the Elders Quorum president.. immediately i knew it had to be him.. i didnt really know why exactly but i felt it was a good idea. So after we chose him and she agreed, we were talking to him and it came to light that he has NEVER used his priesthood authority to baptize anyone. Not that he isnt worthy or anything, but because he simply has never been asked. I know for a fact it was one of the best days for him to use it. So.. like Elder Holland always says: sanctify yourselves ye elders of Israel (and priests)! Be prepared to use your power. Thanks Dad for bringing me up unto the Lord to use the powers of the priesthood to bring salvation to his children.. the power of godliness was indeed manifest in the ordinance of the priesthood.

All i got today. Love you all so much.. this week was way fun and although a little crazy (i mean a lot) its been good growth. Running a zone is fun... didnt you train at the same time stinko? Speaking of which, where are all my friends? You all married already? Thought so. Well, take pictures of your babies (this is a hint to write me.. dont be lazy hahah). K, seriously, love ya. Have fun, stay safe. Dont worry about the flooding.. its only up to my knees.. haha im just kidding (but really, my socks are wet).

Love, Elder Gudmundsen

Monday, October 17, 2011

IM NOT UNDERWATER

The flood is FINE. Im NOT underwater! We are 33 floors above ground level and have plenty of Ramen Noodles.. i think we will be okay! If we arent and end up underwater, well, I think you will have fun time locating Thailand.

Okay so as for things of great importance.............. I dont get letters! Whats that about!?! oves it.

Now for real things.. investigators!

Sweet week... this coming sunday, as long as everything goes as planned, which it should, we will have 3 baptism.. woot! Ice, Nang and Apple.

Lets start with Apple.. so shes been receiving the lessons since March.. yeah you think thats long enough? Id say so. Shes had a testimony but shes always been puting baptism off because she wants a "extremely clear answer." She says the same thing over and over again, even though she acknowledges the very clear fact that she is mormon already.. one of her best friends is one of the ward misionaries too, so its been a long time coming. Yesterday we layed it down for her.. basically told her to stop making so much excuses and just do it.. she has her answers and furthermore, telling God that he isnt anwering clearly the way she wants him to shows an extreme lack of faith, and she wont get the answer shes looking for that way. She got down and prayed.. for 10 minutes. Cried.... shes getting interviewed on wednesday! Yay.

Next is Nang.. yeah i dont even know what to say, shes so legit. Kinda ridiculous how willing she is to do EVERYTHING. Most people tat each with us expect her to have concerns about what we teach and then speak for forever and a year about what she already understands and is willing to do... then she stops them and says I will do it already! Yeah.. legit. Shes getting interviewed tomorrow. Yes, yes, yes. Baptism. Love it.

Then theres Ice of course.. good as ever. Hes super funny. Ready. willing.. diligent. Hes getting more and more friends at Church, but hahh.. hes in the other area. We're over it.. hes already interviewed and passed. That was elder heftels first interview.. he had fun.. forgot the keys to the Church hahah. chill. Ice likes our shrts. i told him about the website.. do we still sell or what?

Anyway, we had another opportunity to serve the people who are getting flooded up north in th other provinces. Its cool to see people rallying together. What else happened.. we had exchanges... I got to excange with Elder Seymour, hes from San Diego! Hes Elder Newmans kid! So sweet. Hes the nicest guy ever and is always your best friend and just.. ah, hes great. You will meet him at my homecoming.. wait, did tat sound trunky? No! Hes dead in 6 months. But that exchange was way fun.. it was a bummer cause we taught 2 referrals who all happen to be in other areas... i dont KNOW where anything is, so when they tell me im just like... uh, is that close by? No? Oh.. dangit. well lets sit down and talk! Lame. They were all pretty good though.. one of them was in our area and is the boyfriend of a girl getting baptized in Elder Wagstaffs area.. yeah and he introduced us to his family. sweet! The dad is way funny.. his name is Tog. He just has a funny accent and he cant see haah.. we showed him the Book of Mormon and he did tha thing where he squints super hard and moves his head back away from it... haha! Then he just exclaims.. "ooh the letters are so small!". We are meeting them tomorrow.. wait, no thats today.. do i lose track of time? Maybe.

Alright well im bored already.. writing is kind of burden now hahh.. just kidding (maybe).. i do love you al.. tanks for your sacrifices.. those mispelling errors are the keyboards fault.. and it totaly looks like asian writing.. im ust over hitting this back space key because this keybaaord is soooo bad! There were a lot of things this week, subtle things, that continue to confirm my testimony of the truthfulnes of this work.. ah man! its so awesome!

Peace!

Elder Goodman

Thursday, October 13, 2011

I salute you, Steve Jobs

Hello. Merry General Conference! Yeah, be happy with me even though you have already seen it all! Waaaaayyyyy goooodddd!!!!!!!! did i get enough exclamation points on there to get my point across? Good.

Yeah so i think one of my favorites was from our very own Elder Wadell! I almost peed my pants a little when he stood up.. and then he verbally slapped me haha.. I would like to echo what he said a little bit for the prospective Elders in Encinitas 1: We need 3 things as we arrive on the mission
1. A testimony
2. Worthy of the Spirit
3. Ready to work
Ill show you my notes one day.. next to each of these points theres a nice paratheses and an oops next to it. Yeah, i arrived with hardly any of those things. Fix it! Get that testimony! Otherwise Elder Holland will get in your face! Believe that statement.. if he had time i believe he would REALLY coach us in each and every ward and branch throughout the world. Did everyone get a little "call to repentance" from Elder Ian S. Andern? Yeah thats right, the one that called out all of you addicted to Angry Birds! I thought that was awesome.. hey, its a fun game right? But really, i loved his about managing time.. something i will really use better once i get home (but lets not talk about that! thats in a long time). However, i believe he was tipping his hat to us Dota players.. i garuntee no one is better on a keyboard than us :) Dexteriry! Its legit.

Okay, so anyway, enough about the speakers.. lets get into the investigators! Ice.. yeah he was brimming with joy over watching the speakers.. he really loved it and was astonished and how good eveyrone was at speaking.. he wanted to have skills like them at speaing too haha. But he felt the spirit and it confirmed to him that the speakers, and in particular President Monson, were prophets and servants of God.. hey, whaddya know.. the scriptures say that we can get a confirmation like that! Hes doing well.. we may have to move his date back a little just because of time, but hes progressing nicely and still trying to get his family involved more. He said something that was pretty amusing, but at the same time quite heart felt.. he knows that he has a lot of money.. like a lot, so he felt that it was cool that some people talked about caring for the poor and such and such.. we taught him a little about fasting and fast offerings and he was super stoked to be able to help those in need. He has felt really good about that whole idea.

Next is Apple.. shes doing better. She herself has been "wrestling" with God about what to do about Baptism.. she has been praying and felt that she needs to get baptized more and more... her desire has grown a lot.. shes just somebody who wants to know things 100 percent before she decides to do anything.. which is not necessarily a bad thing, it just takes some time. But in any case, she has been praying and instead of the end of the year to be baptized and she previously told us a few weeks ago, she moved it up to the end of this month! Woohoo! Also she was hesitant about coming to church, but she prayed.. whaddya know, she came haha. Funny how we can get answers to our prayers isnt it? Oh wait, no its not... what a gift :)

After that we have Nang.. did i tell you about her? She bore her testimony last week in sacrament meeting? Yeah shes doing awesome.. shes doing EVERYTHING we tell her because her faith is just.. well, epic. Its already a tree! I swear she skipped the mustard seed part.. it was just the big bang of "growing into a large tree" (or however ALma put it in 32) for her. Yeah.. BOOM. Its there.

Her friend, coincidentally also name Nang, is doing better.. her faith is like the mustard seed.. its slowing growing, but growing none the less. Shes gotten her answers, its just getting to the point of following it with full purpose of heart.

Nong.. hes good. Doing well. but hes LAZY! Hmm... well right up my alley hahaha... but seriously. He really wants to do the stuff, and hes trying, but hes LAZY. He even admits it everytime, but jsut doesnt know how to get rid of it.. get up and work! and serve! Thats what we said. We gave him that talk from Elder Andern about using time wisely and getting OFF technology when its taking up too much of your time and giving you the false idea that you are productive or being busy. Yeah.. take it.

Okay well im bored.. but i still loved you.. i mean love you, did i type that wrong? Haha.. sweet well thanks for your prayers as usually.. for some reason i want to come back to conference.. i dont know.. since being on my mission conference has meant so much more.. I want to thank everyone again for helping me get on my mission.. its been so good and listening to the words of the living prophets is such a blessing. I miss watching it with all of you, but then again, not that much cause im out here hahah! Just kidding. Miss you guys (not THAT much!) and cant wait for one day to watch it again with you. Thanks for everything.. the Book of Mormon IS the word of God. I know it is.

Love,

Elder Gudmundsen

PS: I have an apple belt buckle :)

Happy Conference Weekend

Sup. Hey did you know it was conference weekend? Oh you did? Cool. Well just letting you know it was. So how was it?

Well while you were all lazy-ing it out (just kidding.. but you were all in your pajamas werent you) we had a pretty sweet week. Lets get right into the investigators.

Ice is doing great as ever... hes got a super strong testimony and is preparing for baptism nicely. He went home to visit his family and got the opportunity to talk to them a little bit about changing religions and all that jazz. They said they were cool with it as long as he would still come home for family traditions and honoring the family.. ERRR.. yeah, road block. Not really, he took it just fine. We read Mosiah 18 with him about what it means to be a latter day saint and to "be a witness" of him at all time, in all things and in all places... he was ready; he was willing and he was desirous. After we helped him see that he had a testimony we read him the 10 commandments so that he would understand that being a member of the church you cant take part in those ordinances and things like that... He was fine. Sweet. He said something cool again: "A collection of minds and interests is pretty powerful... but actually i think God is more powerful haha".. and he said that in English.. yeah i know right? Doesnt he speak english like a boss?

Next is the cambodian family.. doing swell. We are having family home evening at their house tonight and they are just so adorable.. the whole family is into it and they will have a date (they accepted the invitation to be baptized) but we dont know what day to set it for because they are yet to be legal citzens. Teaching them and having them come to church is fine, but we cant baptize em yet until they are refugees. Its kinda strange using thai to translate into another language... usually its thai to english, but in this case the thai is OUR primary language of use. Weird. cool

After that we have these 2 new investigators.. both named Nang. They are friends from WAY back when.. i dont know. To put these 2 simply: One of them got up and bore her testimony in sacramanet meeting.. OOOOOO.. yeah i was super surprised because i was in the back translating and then didnt realize that she was our investigator until she stood up. She basically confirmed everything we have been teaching her by getting up there. She wanted to set her own date.. she did, but it was a little too early. Shes still so good. After meeting us, 2 days later she read 15 chapters in the Book of Mormon.. yeah, that may not seem like a lot to some, but thats quite a lot for thai people. Shes golden.

Then we have Nong. Hes a long time investigator now and we actually thought he wasnt all that committed.. hes always been good, but we were worried that he might be grengjai.. i know you have no idea what that means, but there is no literal translation for this word from thai to english. In other words, we thought he was like.... nervous to reject us, or was just doing it because we asked. But it turns out hes way good. He wants to get baptized super hard, but he wants his family to be there. The real test of his faith was getting him to fast about moving apartments.. yeah, if someone does that you know they are committed. He has yet to move just because hes still looking for a place, but he will. Hes a way nice kid.

Another woman we are teaching is named Apple. She is also a long time investigator who is finally doing things herself.. we have been meeting her once a week to build her faith by reading in the BoM, and now shes coming out saying that she wants to be baptized soon. Basically, to sum up this week, people are flocking to us to get baptized. I dont really know why.. actually i do, because we've been obedient and the Lord sees fit to do it that way. We've seen a lot of blessings from the Lord this week and even though we are both feeling kinda sick (yeah dont be worried, we're fine) things are working out.

So a little insight from studies this morning.. i dont know if this is like a super common understanding of scripture comparisons for everyone, but i thought it was pretty cool. This comes from Mosiah 2. Pretty cool that it was conference weekend because thats what i thought about. But when King Benjamin gets up to speak, what happens? Well everyone gathers together: "they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family...that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them." Yeah.. uhh, everyone sits on the couch with their family to listen to President Monson? The other prophets? All the King Benjamins of our day. After that: "the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.". Hmmm.. sounds like a pulpit with a microphone :) Next: "they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.". Lets see.. the Liahona Conference issue? Internet? Cable? Satelite? Pretty cool.. so, with this, i hope everyone had a great conference and that you spent it with your families listening to the word of God.. because thats what it is. I sure hope you got to see every session too because missing a beat of conference is like skipping a page in the Book Of Mormon, and that is NOT VERY WISE. Im stoked to watch it. I know that all those that spoke received inspiration from God for YOU and me. If we will but listen, our lives will improve. I know that almost everything they speak has its roots from the Book of Mormon.. the book is true; every page, every chapter, every verse. Peace and love for this week.

Love

Elder Gudmundsen

PS: I believe you have my stapler.

Hi

Sup. Fast week. Supa fast. LIke.. abnormally fast. Get the point? *Smile*

So what happened.. well, im tired (?) does that suffice? We had a fun sports day today.. and when i say sports, i mean ping pong and when i say day i mean... an hour and then got bored. But it was fun for our zone.. had some time to get closer together and just enjoy some nice new church building (it has quite possibly the coolest toilet system i have ever/ever will see. Seriously.. why isnt this in America? If it is, needs to be in our house before i come home.

Anyway, fun stuff this week.. Ice is doing good as ever.. he still says some of the coolest stuff ever in lessons! Hes such a bum too.. in other words, hes you Josh. Loves Dota.. computers.. laziness.. himself.. hah! Just kidding.. but really. He is going through repentance.. and man is he feeling a part of the atonement.. hes felt super horrible for what hes done in the past (cause theres a lot) and its been eating at him.. We taught him about using Christs Atonement.. and he cried a little bit. Tears means testimony right? Hah.. no. Sorry that was sarcastic. Ill repent for that one. Yeah well he did. And he is super down to fix what he can. It was a pretty emotional lesson though.. for all of us. The Spirit was really strong and as we read ALma 36 and his own conversion story, it came even stronger. Every time I teach about the possibilities for repentance because of the atonement, it brings the spirit in SO strong.. sometimes i forget that my own testimony of that.. but its so true.. because of Christ we can overcome all sin.. no matter how deep, or hurtful they may be. Werd.

Who else.. that cambodian family is amazing.. i WILL be refferring to them as "that cambodian family" cause frankly.. i cant pronounce their names, let alone remember them all for the life of me! but they are way sweet.. super strong faith and they are getting fellowshipped really well at Church. There are a lot of cambodians at our church and they are all so humble.. welcome them in with open arms. Legit. We can only see them twice a week, but when we do, its a bundle of fun... speaking 3 different languages (english too because they can understand it a little bit.). They will get baptized for sure, just it takes a while, what with all the refugee statuses and what not.. no worries.. time can only strengthen them (since they already have a testimony).

Okay well yeah im over it.. times up anyway hahah.. love you, the Church is true.. hope everyone is good. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers each day.. Enc 1: sup. Love you. Peace!

Elder Gudmundsen

P.S: I feel like im on a dead letter list.. true?

Yo

So yeah.. nother fast week. I have VERY little time today because we played sports.. er, Ping POng... its a sport alright! Especially if you play like the people in the photos on our ping pong paddle wrappers :) (its intense!). Good day.. our zone is way chill and everyone had a great time.

Lets see.. what happened thats most important this week.. well, Ice is still doing superb.. hes doing way good. Dude, hes totally you Josh. A bum who loves DOTA