Another week

Sent today!

There is currently a drop of sweat creeping down my backside.. would you like to get that for me?

How are you all? sabaaydii! I wonder how someone would pronounce that in English? probably pretty Talog. So big news.. i didnt move from Asoke! Oh wait.. i think i already told you it.. oh right, big news is im with a Thai elder again.. HHAAHAH... i guess my thai really is that horrible that i need a 4th thai companion.. wow. Got to transfer meeting and knew already it was going to be this Elder (Elder Siripan) and so we sat together. President SMith called his name we both stood up next to each other.. President Smith looked up and just chuckled... "goin to the Beast with Elder Gudmundsen.".. yee son! So at least another 6 weeks with nothing but Thai. Super.

Lets get into it then.. Sandy: Passed! With flying colors. Elder Grover said that by her prayer he knew that she was already ready. She brought a friend too! Her name is Lucky. She has 3 kids. She sat in sacrament. She cried during the prayer. She will get baptized hahahah! So boss. Sandy is gonna bring some friends to the baptism as well. Will be pretty sweet. In Gospel Principles she shared a thought about the concept of angency and everyone was looking at her like "is she a member or an investigator?!".. like, astonished exceedingly at the awesomeness that was her response. She cited President Monson from a talk that she read a while ago.. wow.

Tam and Nog.. uh, well lets just say we had to move the date again because the arent ready. Some things came up. Some things that we have to be sensitive too and work it out with them. Thats the beauty of the gospel though.. as we were stressing out (actually when i say we I mean myself) about what to do to help them, we just went with our original plan because the basic principles of the gospel can cover it all and fix the biggest problems with small means (isnt there a verse that says something like "by small and simple things great things are brought to pass?". Something like that.. ;)

Last week after email, we went to teach this one guy named Andy. Met him a while ago but he went to Phuket for the holidays and got back just recently. We went to follow up with him about his experience at church and he said he really enjoyed it. Hes a super funny guy.. best Thai-glish in the world.. HANDS down the best ive ever heard.. he speaks thai and just replaces all pronouns of "you" or "I" in thai with just that.. You or I. Its hilarious. And he speaks way fast. Anyway, we went over there and read the Book of Mormon with him. He felt great. Asked him if he believed that it was true.. he said "sure kind of". We had already given him a soft commitment and then we committed him to pray in front of us then. He prayed. Asked him how he felt.... "uh.. how bout you guess what im feeling.". We "guessed" (if you want to call it that.. but really we just listend for the spirit to tell us what to say) and hit the money.. 5 times. He was surprised none the less and was just like... "okay thats weird, but yes, exactly". Committed him to baptism. Hook line and sinker! He saw the baptism of the other Elders investigators and felt way good too. Yesterday Brother Tom (my comp Tom) totally took him under his wing.. so nice when you dont have to ask people to do that! We were teaching Lucky before sacrament and so we didnt have time or the opportunity to grab someone to sit with Andy, but when we went into sacrament meeting (right as it started) Tom was already sitting with him. Lagiiittt.

Niyome. Still a boss. He tries so hard to read the scriptures.. just never gets. Sat down with him.. "have you inquired of the Lord?". He hadnt been praying before and after his reading sessions. The next time we met: "ohhooo! Elders ive been praying before and now everything makes sense!". Pretty boss. Mack is his fellowshipper and is still a boss. Niyome is like his bets friends.. its quite adorable.

Other than these people, the other investigators we are teaching are just starting.

This week we met with the Stake President and he is a great man. It felt really good to walk into his office and see on his board a bunch of ideas that him and his councelors talked about concerning the Asia Area presidencies invitations for this year spewed all over the place.. they didnt waste a breath on getting out and applying the thigns learned in the stake. He is super enthusiastic about the work and respects the missionary work with all his heart. Hes good for the stake.

So today.. i leave with you this: Does everyone know who you are? The Elders Quorum lesson was about "Dare to Stand Alone" from President Monson. At the end, the teacher asked for a show of hands to say what they learned. One member cited a story that an Elder (missionary) shared about talking with people. The member said that "its not necessary to speak loudly or wear a name tag around like they do, but we people ask we need to make it known. We also need to pray for them to be able to open their mouths and talk with people like that". So.. what part of that is wrong? I politely disagree: It as NOT necessary to wear a name tag around because we doitn have that authority, but it IS necessary to open YOUR mouth so YOU can talk to everyone and make it known. You may not have a black name tag with Christs name on it, but you sure have a book with his name on it and you sure can open your mouth and share it with others instead of praying for the missionaries to do your work. So.. do people know who you are?

Love you all,

Elder Gudmundsen