Karsten's Adventures in the Kingdom of Thailand: Week 12 Buriram

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week there was a lot of moving around, a lot of travel and a lot of learning. Not yesterday but the Sunday before that, a big majority of church members met in Bangkok to be taught from Elder Holland. Last weekend was so great! I learned a lot. To keep go on from last week about how Elder Holland talked about being persistent. He told us of a story of how 2 Elders were in Europe were tracking. They came to a house and knocked on the door. A woman answered, but only opened the door a little bit. Looked at the missionaries and slammed the door. The missionary was upset at this and said," We didn't even tell her why we were here". He knocked again. The women answered the door again. He said," Why did you do that?" The woman cut him off and slammed the door again. This Elder was determined to get some answers. He knocked again and this time the lady answered the door and said," I don't want any ministers here and I don't want to talk to you every again." Before she could slam the door a 3rd time he got his foot in the door and wanted to know why she didnt want to talk to them. It came down to it that she had not gone to her church in a few weeks because her daughter had died or her husband, I can't remember. Anyways when she went to her church to seek for help the minister said well we can't help you, you didn't come to church the past few weeks, something to that affect. She was angry and upset. She wanted to know where her daughter or husband was. She said I don't want to see you people around here again and tried to shut the door. The missionary said to the women,"Do you want to know where your loved one is?" At that moment she stopped forcing the door shut and listened. The missionary went on to tell the woman. We can tell you where your loved one is. To make this short she opened the door and the missionaries were able to teach and baptize her. Persistence! If someone says no the first time are you just going to take that as a final answer? Or are you going to try at least 3 times like this Elder did? Dont give up just because someone said no, go away or shuts the door in your face. If I would give up each time someone told me no I dont think I would be here. Just like Christ when He appeared to the Nephites. He went 3 times. He taught them on separate occasions. Do as Christ did and try at least 3 times in whatever aspect it may be.

Elder Holland, on Sunday, talked about how each family wants their missionary to have a good mission. He told the members how they needed to help the missionaries have good experiences. He told the members to go out and help the missionaries have someone to teach. He also said how each members needs to do missionary work. It was a great talk. He also talk about how we need to prepare to go to the temple. He gave an example of a little boy who worked hard to give his friend a birthday gift, and the friend didnt accept it. How does that make the giver feel? Horrible! Think about it like this as well. Heavenly Father as said it is time for a temple to be built in Thailand, if we are ready to receive it or dont care about it when it comes, how does that make Heavenly Father feel? We need to prepare ourselves to go by helping the church grow, do missionary work and learn about the temple. It was a really good talk. He is really good at talking and what he does. It was great to learn from an Apostle of the Lord this last weekend.

Since I have been here in Buriram for a while I have thought about inviting. I told myself, I need to go where we haven't gone before. Go somewhere where it would be unexpected for the missionaries to go. Now I wont go anywhere bad but going someplace new is good. If you see the same people everyday I think there is a problem. It gives you a chance to see what is new and different. You will meet so many new people who have never see the missionaries before. Even though nothing has come of it yet I know that we will see success from it. Also with inviting you have to be really patient. That is all I will say about that. Sometimes you get some crazy people and it is hard to talk to them.

I talked to one lady this week and found out that her child had died. I asked her is she wanted to know where her child was and if she wanted to see her child again. The response I got was not what I expected. She said, no it is better without that child then before. After I left that lady I didnt know what to think. Why wouldnt you want to meet your child again? Why do you want to know where your child is? That showed me how much love that lady had for her child. If that was me I would want to know all the answers. Why, because I would love my children. When I become a parent I will love my children weather they are dead or alive. I came on a mission to help families become eternal. I can't do that if people dont love their children. It is true about what it says in D&C 45, when mens hearts shall fail them they lose their self confidence. This is vital! We need to have confidence in the eternities and what is to come.

Somethings I learned from the July Liahona was that if you want to receive personal revelation, you need to go to bed early and wake up early. I have been putting this to the test. My companions and I have started to get up at 5:30 am everyday. We go running and work out when we get back home. As well as go to be as soon as we get things done. The article tells how our health will be better, how we will receive blessings and how this will help students get better grades and test scores. I took this advice that I read and Im putting it to the test. When I was at home I shouldve done these things. I didnt and I believe if I would have gotten to bed early and arose early I would have been even better. I think this is why we serve missions, to learn ha. For all you students out there, take the advice and go to bed early.

I got a new companion. His name is Elder Parish and he's from Utah. He is younger than Elder Polu my last companion. We are flying solo here in Buriram. They took the other set of Elders out. It is just the 2 of us here. So we have to take care of both areas here. It is a little hard because we have met with many many people. We took a good 2 hours yesterday to plan for all this and to make specific goals that will help us reach our vision for this area. It is possible. We plan to boost the attendance at church members and recent converts. Along with how many less actives we are going to bring back. It'll take some work but it will be well worth it.

Something I want you to think about is your discipleship. I read a talk from Russell M. Nelson today from the August Liahona. Are you showing your true discipleship? Are you only showing it on Sunday or Sunday morning to Saturday night? 24/7? Are you a part-time disciple? If you are what do you need to chance? Are you ashamed of the gospel? and are you lives centered on it? Something that he said really stuck out to me was, Sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God!! Think about that or if you have time look for that talk.

Well the sunshine is what keeps me going from day to day. It rains every now and then. I go running everyday with a companion who loves to run as well. I get to ride my bike everyday all day! I get to be a full time missionary for my Savior. I am in the Thailand, Bangkok Mission, AKA:The Best Mission. I love my time and what I am doing here. I wouldn't have learned what I needed to learn if I didn't come here I can testify of that. I love the gospel and everything it has done for me. I don't know everything but I am consistently searching for the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ everyday.

Love Elder Hinckley

I was able to see some of my recent converts as well last weekend. One of them is doing to so good! She is helping her friends get introduced to the gospel. I got to see two of guys that have really helped me in my journey here in Thailand. I share a birthday with a great friend from my greenie area. He surprised me with a cake ha. My trainer and my follow up trainer finished their missions this past week. I had to cut my way through the tall grass to find some investigators!

I got to visit Samut Prakkan for the weekend because Elder Holland came to Bangkok to speak to the missionaries. I saw one of my RC's. She has started to invite her family into the gospel.

Some of my favorite people ever in Samut Prakkan.

Saturday August 15, 2015. Mine and Won's birthday. Won and I are both 20 years old, born on the same day. I was born maybe three hours before Won. Won surprised me with the cake and everyone singing to us Happy Birthday. A great surprise! I gave him a tie for his birthday and he gave me a robe.