That's the best news I have ever heard on my mission. I was lost for words when Elder Neal told me that! I'll talk about it more later but I am just ecstatic about that right now.
Okay I'm so sorry I haven't written an email for so long! One week Elder Holland came so that messed everything up, then transfers week I was way busy and wasn't able to email like anyone. But I will try my hardest to remember everything that has happened in the last what like... 3 weeks?
So I left Bangkhen.. It was the saddest thing ever! I think it's my favorite area. When we got transfers calls to know if I was moving or not, we were in the middle of a lesson with Belle and her mom but I just couldn't wait so I hurried and answered and asked who was moving and he said me and my heart just dropped. It was the worst ever! Then just talking about how grateful I was for the opportunity to teach Belle and how sad I was that I wasn't gonna be able to be there to see her mom get baptized we all teared up.. :( I'll talk more about them later... But more about me moving, a member made me promise that at some point after I go home I have to come back and live with them because they have an extra room at their house haha. I have another family in Srinakarin and Chiang Mai with the same thing so I'm not sure what to do. :/ haha.. Then they had to take my picture because they are posting pictures of all the men in the priesthood room and brother Bank said he's gonna put my picture up there right now so they don't have to go through the hassle when I come back to live here. Haha oh man I love Bangkhen. Really gonna miss it, especially being able to visit my grandma.
I moved right down the street to Saphan Sung. After this transfer it will be about 11 months in Bangkok for me. Gotta be honest I told myself I'd be so mad if I didn't leave Bangkok and I was totally expecting to go somewhere way out in the countryside but when I saw that I was going to Saphan Sung with Elder Saunders I was way excited. He has been out about 3 months. He's my second Australian companion now haha he's a stud and a super hard worker. Saphan Sung is in the same Stake as Srinakarin, Bangnaa, and Samut Prakarn. All places that I've served. And the next closest area here that's outside of the stake is Bangkhen. So I'm pretty used to this side of Bangkok. So I already know a handful of members from stake conferences and stuff. The stake president lives here in Saphan Sung and he is SUCH a powerhouse! Super pumped to be able to work with him.
Tons of stuff has happened in the last couple weeks I don't even know where to start.. Saphan Sung used to have 175 people go to church on Sunday. Like the best in Bangkok. But the two weeks and for the last couple of months there has been about 95. There was a huge problem between a big group of RC's and old members that ended in a lot of people not going to church anymore. So us, and the whole mission, have a huge focus on less active members right now. President Johnson loves LA work and I do too. We have had a bunch of good LA lessons in the past weeks and already have a Melchezidek Priesthood holder and his family return just from 1 visit. Brother Ganog, he is incredible. I was really impressed by his faith and though it doesn't matter now I wonder why he was inactive. His family is awesome.
I can't believe I almost forgot.. I guess it's been that long since I emailed! Elder Holland came to Thailand duh hahahaha. It was awesome. On Saturday we had a meeting with him and all the missionaries and he gave a really powerful and spiritual talk on personal conversion. Then on Sunday a couple thousand members from all over Thailand gathered at a University in Bangkok to hear him speak. Ohhh boyyy it was like the best thing of my life. Seeing so many Saints gathered in one place in Thailand just blew me away. The Church really is so strong here and there were few that weren't attentively taking notes when the Apostle was speaking. I saw a bunch of members from my greenie area too which was awesome.
Another thing was a huge sports day with all of our stake. It was super fun. Bankgapi and Saphan Sung were one team, and Srinakarin, Bangnaa, and Samut Prakarn were another. They hold these huge sports days once a year and I was so happy I was able to be here! I caught up with some of my RC's from Bangnaa and Srinakarin. Way good.
Then the next day we had some special priesthood meeting in Srinakarin.. And we like sustained a couple people for the Melchezidech Priesthood and as he was naming off names I didn't recognize any of the people that stood up then he named off brother Pong from Bangnaa! I haven't seen him for a couple months or talked to him and I was missing him so much! He was such an awesome investigator and I'm so happy he got the Melchezidech Priesthood. It's gonna be a huge blessing in his life and all of the members in Bangnaa, they are planning on splitting the ward soon.
Saphan Sung is splitting next week into 2 wards but don't tell any of the members cause its a huge secret :) Thailand has a goal for 8 stakes in 3 years. Right now we have 3 and 4 and 5 are SOOO close right now. And these wards being split is work being done for the 6th stake in Thailand. The work is moving ridiculously fast right now. 2 years ago there was only 1 stake. Ya. Kinda crazy. The temple is coming SOON.
So the best thing that has happened since last time I emailed was the baptism of Sagon's children, Tun and Dukdaa. I can't even put it into words. Literally 4 months ago me and Elder Purser went to his house and watched him struggle to breathe, almost dying and asking for a Priesthood blessing while wearing a Buddhist idol around his neck. That was a crazy experience that made me doubt his returning to the church anytime soon. He had completely returned to Buddhism. But months and hundreds of of miracles later that happened because of God's love for Sagon and his family, he was able to baptize 2 of his kids yesterday. His other son is already baptized. They will go to the temple to be sealed as a family next year, I'm sure of it.
Belle's mom was baptized too :) I miss her so much its insane. I was so sad I wasn't able to be there for that special day yesterday! Belle's mom, Sudaa, is so Christlike. She was Buddhist but everything we taught Belle, Belle would go and share with her mom about how good it was. In the lesson where I got my phone call that I was moving.. Sudaa bore her testimony about how badly she knows she needs to, and wants to be baptized. She said God has all these blessings for us and He wants to help us so bad, but how is He suppose to help us if we aren't members of His only true church? Like I said I cried because I was so touched by that and just the entire experience of working with those two. I love them so much. I would be more sad about having to leave them and Sagon's family and everyone back in Bangkhen, but I know we are gonna be friends forever so I'm not too hurt. :)
Freak dude working with LA families=dinner appointments. I might understand a little bit what it's like to serve in Utah after this week. Haha we got stuffed by members like 6 times this week and I haven't been this fat on my mission. Hahaha but really it's been so good to get into the houses of members and feel the Spirit in their homes. There should be a ton of LA's returning back soon.
That's not nearly everything that happened, but that's most of it and all that I can remember for now. It's been great. I love my calling. I can't believe it's September.. :/ Here's some picz. They are out of order but oh well..
1. Me and Elder Saunders at transfers.
2. Teaching one of my missionary friend's mom's! Elder Amonthep. It was way cool. She is gonna get baptized soon for sure.
3. Sagon and his kids and Sudaa at their baptism.
4. Elder Holland
5. Poorly timed photo of me shaking Elder Holland's hand
6. the meeting
7. got to meet up with all of my MTC district!!
8. Bangkhen members at Elder Holland
9. kid on the left is brother Boss I taught him in Srinakarin :)
10. Belle and her mom after I got told I was moving!!
11. Leaving Bangkhen..
12. ya
I love you guys! Talk to you next week. I'm sorry I had no time to individually email like anyone because I wrote this monster of an email..
