Karsten's Adventures in the Kingdom of Thailand: Week 15 Chiang Mai

Dear Friends and Family

To start off I will say Happy Mothers Day to my lovely mom! I love her so much! She is a great example to me in all that she does. I tell you what I wouldnt know what I know or know how to do what I know how to do if it wasnt for my mom! Thank you mom I love you! To my grandma who will be reading this email thank you for raising my dad. If it wasnt for you I wouldnt know how to work. Do you see how much work mothers do not only for their families but for there generations! Thank you to all the moms who have ever helped me! I really appreciate it!

I want to tell you about a few experiences that happened to my companion and I this week. So the Zone Leaders and the Sister Training Leaders went to Bangkok for some training so Elder Tamang and I were in Chaing Mai all along. So some how we planned a lesson for just about every hour of the day. This last Tuesday we taught so many new investigators and progressing investigators it was unreal. Then in the middle we had to teach English Class for the next hour and then after that we taught another lesson and then we went home. Not even enough time to eat. Then the next day we did the same thing. We had a lesson for just about every hour. We taught until about 5 or 6 in the evening. When we got done with our last lesson for the day I walked to the couch and collapsed on it and didnt get up for 10 min. I was so tired of teaching and speaking! Oh it was hard but it made me feel good to teach many of Gods Children. Then after that we went inviting till we had to come home.

The day we taught English a man and a lady came. This lady was contacted by Elder Tamang and she came with her husband to learn English. What I wasnt expecting was that the lady was already a member and that she had been baptized many years ago. I talked to the husband after and I asked what would you think about learning about Jesus Christ and this Church? I said would you feel weird? He said no I think I will try it out. This guy if amazing! He has a date for this Sunday and his wife is supporting him. This lady said I have forgotten a lot of what I should be doing so it is like we are teaching 2 investigators. They are both great! We taught him about an eternal marriage and the temple. This man is a great blessing to us. He is a person who was prepared by Heavenly Father. Just yesterday this man said I want you to come and visit one of my friends. We said okay and went with him to this ladies house.

He told us that his friends needs a lot of help. When we first got to the house I smelt cigarette smoke, then saw a white guy and then heard a really loud scream. I thought what is going on?! Next think I know is this lady, the friend of our investigator, says I am so glad you are here and tries to hug and kiss Elder Tamang and I! It got real weird. I will just say this, this lady was hung over!! She asked if I wanted a beer or some wine. I said no thats bad for my body. This lady started to tell us all shorts of stories but none of it made sense because she was drunk. We gave her a Book of Mormon and tried to tell her to read it. We just had to get out of there. Other things we going on too that I cant really talk about but lets just say that if we meet again we will meet at the church.

Anyways our investigator is a really good guy. He says I worry about my friends. He told us that he has a lot of other friends that he wants us to meet as well. I believe this man will be a great asset to the church.

We met with one of our investigators this week. She is only 17. She asked the question, how old do I have to be to be baptized without permission from my parents. I said 18. She got this huge smile on her face! I said what are you thinking. She said I turn 18 on the 23rd. I said no way! I said you can get baptized on the 24th. I said it would be a great birthday present and a day that you will never forget. Right now her parents dont agree with her getting baptized. I know this is a miracle for her as well as for us. I know that Satan will stop some from getting baptized because they are under age. I guess all those kids under age will just have to wait. I am so happy for her and cant wait for her to be baptized!

I was talking to someone this last week about the church because they are Christian. I asked them, Hey if God was to give us another book of scripture would you read it? These people we like no. I said well why not? They said well the Bible is enough. I said that is where you are wrong. There is another book of scripture called the Book of Mormon. It will tell you everything you need to do in preparation for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. These people did not want to accept the fact that there was another book of scripture. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that everything in it is true! I encourage you all to read it more if you havent had time lately. It will bless and impact your life. I promise.

I just finished Alma this last week and I loved studying Alma! There is so much mission related things in there and it is great! I love it. Something I really liked from this last week was Alma 56:17,47-48. It just talks about the stripling warriors and how those sons gave Helaman great hopes and much joy. I feel as if we, all that are serving as missionaries, are making our parents have great hope and much joy. I hope I make my parents happy while I am our here serving. Then if you jump over to chapter 57:19-21, 27. I will want you to read it. This is what I got from it. We have 84,000 missionaries give or take and we are just a little band right? But we are administering to all the people of the world. We are missionaries who are FIRM and UNDAUNTED and OBEY with EXACTNESS. That is exactly what we are doing. Then verse 27, They are young and do put their trust if God continually. Have you ever wondered why we are young when we serve. Just 18-21 right. Why are we so young. When I get asked how old I am they are shocked. Some people guess 25 I say no I am 19. I dont know why we are asked to serve at such a young age. Whatever the cause the young people will keep the church going. Once those young people experience the things that they do on their missions they will raise their families according to what they learned. All I know is that I am a young Stripling Missionary on the front lines of this battle field fighting for my Lord. I am here to take the hits and get hurt just so that many will be blessed. I know that serving a mission has changed my thoughts and ways I do things. I am so happy to be serving a mission!

Have a great week!

Love Elder Hinckley

I destroyed this fish and ate it! It was so good!