Thats weird.. I still feel like a 12 year old haha! Guess where i will be for my birthday? Ubon.. again. Yay!
So this week was pretty good.. had 2 specialized training meetings (1 in Bangkok and the other out in the Easan.. stayed at a really cozy hotel) and 2 exchanges. We were in our area for only 2 days (and now today) but we had a good time at English.. some of those people that i taught when i was a greeny in Don Muang are STILL coming to English class today! Crazy. Was nice to see a lot of them. The English program in Pakkret (and the whole country actually) is changing in order to make it a more effective tool in finding those who are prepared to receive our message. The English program here is pretty good and we are striving to improve it in any way possible. One of the senior couples in Asoke (Elder Peterson) is helping out a lot here (hes also one of the funniest people on the planet). He presented a simple idea about the signs we have out and about.. most of them are flat and facing a large street. However, because they are flat the only window of opportunity anyway has to see them is when they physically right next to it; there is no other way to notice it. So, on a big road in thailand you can imagine how many people actually see it: Not many. See he is helping with a way to make them more visible. It wont be hard, but the number of people coming to English, and therefore the number of people hearing the gospel, will increase. The funny thing here is that it brought me to a new idea: Family History. I know, you may be asking, what does that have to do with English? Well, it doesnt at all haha. But in Preach My Gospel there is only ONE little tiny bullet under the "Finding through your own efforts" topic that says, "offer to teach English as a second language". I remember reading this and thinking, "thats only 8 words and look at the program that our mission created out of it." On the other hand Family History is its own topic, heading, subject, idea, whatever you want to call it... and we dont use it at all.... uhhhh, somewhere the just doesnt seem right. Maybe its just me but that almost seems like a paradox.. like my head wants to explode. Its like buying a cell and not using it.. or filling up a water balloon and not throwing it at someones face.. it just doenst make sense! Currently we've been talking with some of our zone leaders to try and get this to work more.. for starters, everyone needs their four generation chart (by the way, thanks for doing that for me Mom hahah.. i think you are the only one that did it for her missionary). Its a tool that we can use in our finding.. something as simple as, "hey whos that in the picutre on the wall?". Every home we invite has pictures of their grandparents or soemthing and every house puts money in a box that "helps them". That of course doesnt actually do anything, but we dont say it right there.. just kinda beat around the bush a little.. actually, speaking that straight forward works too! Either way, its a real easy way to start up a conversation and it begins on the right note: With their family. Havent sent anything out to the missionaires yet because need to gain a little more experience using it... then we will get permission from President Smith and he will approve it or disprove (in the past APs didnt ask before sending out their own thoughts to other missionaries). Im prayin for this to week and i feel like its something that neesd to be used more than it is now.
......5 hours later, Joy and his boys just got the priesthood at church! That was way rad.. Brother Joy got it first, and then laid his hands on his sons to give them their priesthood as well. Stud and a HALF. I was way impressed. He also gave the opening prayer in sacrament.. pretty awesome as well.. his faith is way strong and I cant really explain the feeling here, but you can physically see and feel of his leadership as the father of this family. They all have their parts that support and sustain one another, but its really impressive and REAL the leadership of the father. I must say, he is doing a stellar job. Really a pleasure to know this family.. they are so nice and their progression is just getting blasted off. The branch is doing a superb job of nourishing them and giving them a warm welcome full of assignments and what not.. they all have a lot of friends too. Love em.
As for other investigators.. well, i talked to that guy that i gave a book of Mormon to on the MRT (remember? before i moved?) and he said he would come today.. but unfortunately he didnt show and wasnt answering. And the father Nugune and his daughter didnt show either.. bummer. So we had no one at church.. big bummer. Just gonna have to find a way to find new people.
Uhhh... wow? So i just read a letter from Sister Nuckols: Ryan Nuckols, Katie Andrews, Drew Taylor, Maddy Mchale, Annie Platt, and Joel Cornwell are ALLLL getting married?!?!? uhh WHAT? Can i please punch whoever said, "nothing changes on your mission" right in the ear? Whatevs.. congratulations all of you!
Love the rest of you too. E-N-C 1 YOU DA BEST!
Peace,
Elder Gudmundsen
PS: Check out picasa.. you will love these pics. Baptism and Chiang Mai
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