Karsten's Adventures in the Kingdom of Thailand: Week 3 Burriram 11 months out

Dear Friends and Family

This last week we had zone conference and district/stake conference. It was great! We only got to work in our area for about 3 days then we had to travel to another area to zone conference. We were able to meet with some recent converts and teach them a few lessons. Our mission president has encouraged us to meet as much as possible with them in their homes. To show that we are willing to go the distance to their home to teach. We did as much as we could until we had to go to Ubon for our zone conference.

I had this thought this last week. I was riding my bike and I was coming to a light. It was green and I was just peddling along getting ready to go through the green light when it turned yellow and realized that I had to hurry. I missed it and it turned red. I didnt realize I had to be going faster to make it. If only I would have thought to myself okay I need to make it through the green light now, instead of later, I might have made it. Then another time the light was red and I saw it from a distance. I saw that it turned green and once I saw that I broke out in race mode to make it through the light. I compare this to life. We need to know that if we dont realize that keeping a commandment is important until we stop living it. We need to know that once we stop living it that is when the red light comes on. When we are living it that is when we will have a green light. Just know that sometimes we need the yellow light to make us realize that what we are doing. Do I need to speed up ( keep a certain commandment) or slow down (start repenting and get on the right track). This was just a thought that I had this past week.

Anyways at zone conference we sure learned a lot about hope! President and Sister Senior wanted to leave their mission by teaching and helping us understand a principle that we can use throughout our missions and our lives. It was great! We talked about what do missionaries, investigators, moms, dads and families hope for? We talked about what are our hops, waters and anchors? Even though our hopes may be the same our waters will be different. Our anchors are the things that we may hope for to help us stay safe. I had the opportunity to talk about families to all the missionaries there. I told them that in my family when I was younger I hoped for the newest things, clothes and useless other things I didnt need. As I have grown up I have realized that the things I really hoped for where there. I hoped for a roof over my head, clothes, food on the table and a great family. I told them that those were things a family might hope for, or in other cases, to get out of debt, to over come family problems or to simply have better family relationships. The waters I explained came from L. Tom Perrys last general conference address about families. The waters are: internet, games, violence, music, movies, sex and porn. These things are tearing families apart and can destroy us. The anchors that I described were DAILY family prayer, scripture study and FHE. These 3 simple things will help you over come the waters of today. I am so thankful for my family and that they did those things. I dont know where I would be today if we didnt do those things in my family. I can tell you what, you will learn the most in your family when you spend time together! I learned so much from my family, from my parents that I cant explain it to you. If you dont do these things, may I suggest that you start doing them please. If you cant find time, make time or find time.

Zone Conference was good! I cannot explain everything to you but know that I wrote it all down and it was amazing!

Friday and Saturday was District/Stake Conference, why? There was another stake creation in the Esan or the East part of Thailand. I think this makes stake #3 in Thailand. In the next 3 years the area presidency wants to see 7 total stakes in Thailand. Totally possible!! I am glad to be serving at such a great time in Thailand. We learned from Elder Gong (area 70) and Elder Khanakham (of the 70). I am been able to talk and to rub shoulders with these fine men and to learn from them. Elder Gong taught us, what is more important the preparation of the speaker or the listener? I could be the listener. Most of what we do comes from what we hear. If we spiritually are out of tune we wont get the full message. We also learned that sacrament is the most important meeting me have! It needs to be more spiritual as well! What can you do to make sacrament more spiritual for you? The last thing Christ did before His death was the sacrament and one of the first things He did as a resurrected being was the sacrament. You can see how important this is even to Christ.

The next day, Sunday, the creation of another stake was made. President Senior taught us a great lesson. He pulls out a card from his wallet (Ice cream card) he says, " I am a member of this ice cream place. I get 50% of Tuesday and it makes me happy." He then pulls out another card (Temple recommend card) he says," I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I pay a full tithe for this and I receive many blessings". I want all of you to know that going to the temple and being a member in this church has brought me so many blessings I cannot count them all. Dont give yourself 50% of the blessings you could be receiving. Give yourself the full amount! The temple is a great place to go any day of the week! I am thankful for the blessings of the temple!

Today I read a great scripture to go along with what I learned this last week. 3rd Nephi 22:2. We need to lengthen our cords and strengthen our stakes. We need to do all that we can to help more people come into our stake. We need to stretch forth as much as we possibly can. Think about it, could you help so many come into the Burley West Stake that they would have to create another stake because it was so big? Could that happen? A lot of work would be needed. All hands on deck right? Right! I learned so much from this past weekend, its unreal. I know that a lot of work is needed to create a stake or even do the work of the Lord! I know it is possible.

Love Elder Hinckley

You see all the people laying on the floor of the truck right? Well I traveled on this back to my area the other day. It was hot or sweaty! Everyone wanted to sleep! Ha Another picture is my Mission President and I.