Week 8 Bang Naa

Dear Friends and Family

Miracles! When I first got to Bangna I found English referrals in my desk and I almost didnt call any of them. I was prompted to call them though. I found one man out of the 10 or 15 that were in my desk. After a 30 minute conversation with a man he asked me,"Do I need to get baptized again?" From that day I prayed for that man. This man has had a question weather Joseph Smith was a prophet or not. After 3 months of praying, fasting and working with this man he got his answer. He was baptized yesterday!! During his testimony he said,"The missionaries never gave up on me." I felt a great feeling of satisfaction from that. I had so much joy for him! I gave him such a big hug! 

Another women was baptized as well. I will tell you a little about her story. Two years ago she prayed to God. She asked,"Help me feel of your love and to know when I find it." After that she met the sister missionaries. They talked to her about the Book of Mormon but she rejected it. A few weeks ago she met one of the missionaries in my house. He asked her about baptism and she told him that she had already been baptized. A few days later I guess I met her (I really dont remember meeting her. We meet a ton of people everyday.). She gave me her number. What she thought was,"Oh he will never call so sure Ill give him my number." I called her three times and she said no all three times. I then crossed her out of my planner. One day we needed another new investigator, so Elder Noyce and I looked through our planners. I found that lady that I crossed out of my planner. I called her and after a few minutes of talking she agreed to meet. We met with her and explained how the Gospel has been restored by a prophet (Joseph Smith). We asked her to pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Between the time she got her answer and our first visit she went back to her old church. She said," I just felt really bad. I didnt like what they were talking about at all." One night after praying, she was awakened by a celestial presence. She told us,"I dont know it if was a dream or real, but I got my answer. A bright light came into my room and I was awakened. I woke up and couldnt see a thing. I shut my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. A voice from the light said,"Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and the Book of Mormon is ture." Elders I got my answer." She has told us a few times that she feels Gods love when she is here. She was baptized yesterday! I am so happy for her! 

Being a missionary is so fulfilling!! So many miracles happen!

My companion this last week said he was up to use the restroom and before he left the room he heard me speaking in Thai. He said,"You were teaching about the God Head. God is our loving Heavenly Father and His son is Jesus Christ..." Ha! I thought that was funny.

Also when you get mail from home that is always good! It is reassuring that others know that you are still serving a mission and that they havent forgotten about you ha. Well I made me feel good to get a little boost this week! Thank you for the mail. 

Do you like honey? I bet you do. I like it too. I could eat it everyday, why, because it is delicious to me! Could you or I say the same about the Gospel? Is it something that you like? Could you taste it everyday? How have you applied the gospel in your life today? What do you need to do so that it is delicious to you? I know that at times we may get into routines that are good but may not do a whole lot for us. I read a talk today "Living with Real Intent" from Octobers issue of the Liahona. It was so good. It made me take a step back and ponder what have I not been doing with real intent. For some of us the honey may not be delicious because we are to lazy to go to the cupboard open it up and enjoy it. Real intent means doing it with a purpose. From the talk," Its far better to look ahead and ask yourself, "Why would I do that?" than to look back and say, "Why, oh, why did I not do that?" Is learning about the gospel going to be delicious? Look into the future and ask yourself that question. Why, because you dont want to look back and say I wish I would have done this or that. 

Love 

Elder Hinckley

ผมจะจบอีกไม่นานเจอกัน ปิ๋วและโมรับบัพติศมาดีมากๆๆ

 

The city of Bang Naa.

Beautiful sunset in Bang Naa.

Baby Octopus are yummy.

Shrimp are good as well.

 

These two make me really happy that they got baptized. It was awhile coming for this dear sister.  She had been through a couple of sets of missionary already. I spent a lot of time on my knees praying for this gentleman.

Cool graphics done on my picture.

 

Week 7 Bang Naa

Dear Family and Friends

This week I had an experience that brought me to tears. We have an investigator that is still trying to receive an answer about Joseph Smith and we are doing all that we can to help him. This last week we had a lesson that was so powerful! We thought the next logical thing to teach would be about temples. As we talked to him about temples he said that he wants to go and get baptized for his grandfather who he is very close to. I asked him what he needed to do to go into the temple. He looked at me and said,"Baptism." Then he started to say a few things about how he is still not sure about Joseph Smith. I said his name and then things got a little quite. I said,"Brother I know what you want. You want the Holy Ghost and you want to go to the temple. Do you remember the first day that I called you? Well that was about 2 months ago. Since that day I have been praying for you to receive an answer that what we have taught you is true. We have been praying and fasting for you! Brother I want you to know that this is true! I will help you in every way possible. I cant tell you how much I want you to know these things are true. Heavenly Father wants you to know these things as well and He sent us here to tell you them!" At that moment the room was silent. The room was full of the such a strong spirit and that I cannot deny. It was as if he was blown away by what I said. I said,"Before you say anything I want you to get on your knees and pray to Heavenly Father. Ask if what we have taught is true." I remember back in the MTC I was teaching an investigator, or one of my teachers investigators. That same person wasnt really sure about Joseph Smith and I asked him to do the same thing. I was reminded about that experience and prompted to ask him to pray right there. After he prayed we told him that we would fast for him this weekend and that we wanted him to fast as well. Before he left he told us that he would fast, pray and study more. This experience was one that I will not forget! The feelings that I felt and what was said came from the spirit. I cant find the words to explain my experience but I tell you that it is true. It is true and I cannot reject it. 

After one of our appointments this week I had an impression to call one of the members that lived close by. I asked if us and another member could go and visit her and she said yes. As we visited this member she started to tell us many different things about what goes on at her job. How people just are not very nice to her and how she eats alone. I felt so bad for! All I could do was to tell her that Christ is the only one who understands us. He has gone through everything for us. I told her that she has a whole ward family, a bishop, home teachings and missionaries who are willing to help. The brother that was with us asked her if she had any money. She told him that all she had was about 40฿ which is a little more than a $1. She had not gotten paid yet. She had gone with out food for almost a whole day and more. I looked at the brother and told him we need to feed this sister. We finished and then we took this lady to get some food. We told her to order whatever she wanted. The dish that she got she said,"This is my favorite, thank you very much." As I thought about what was going on I thought about the Savior and how through Him we will feel comfort and will not go hungry. 

During Sunday school yesterday something was said that I really liked, You will only know yourself as well as you know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. How well do you know yourself? You pretty much know everything you need right? You know what you need to do, eat and say. How well do you know Christ? How well do you know your Father in Heaven? Do you know what They want? Do we know what They want us to do or say? Have you inquired of Them lately? The better we know about our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the better we will understand ourselves and our purpose. Give that some thought. I know that I still am. 

In priesthood it was said from a few RM's that these two years you have or had are the years you have to forget yourself and do His work. We need to get lost in the work. Work hard everyday! I have really tried to be more consecrated as a missionary. I have tried to forget about all the unnecessary things and focus on the most important things. When my two years is up I can think about those other things but now, think about Him and His will. Dont miss it! Get consecrated! 

Another companionship had a baptism yesterday and after church I couldnt find two of our investigators. We had one that would see the baptism and I wanted the other two to see it as well. I said a little prayer and not even 30 seconds later they both came in the door and were able to see the baptism. Prayer! Yeah its way real! Heavenly Father listens to and answers every child's prayer! That is a fact! My testimony of prayer just increased! Still He will answer it in His time and His way. 

I had a week full of small and large miracles! I am thankful for all of them. 

Love 

Elder Hinckley

check out the new video  christmas.mormon.org 

ขอให้ทุกคนมีความสุข อย่าสืมพระผู้ช่วยให้รอดของคุณครับ 

I cant go a day without my potatoes! This dessert this man is making is one of my favorite desserts here! 

yumm! Dessert Thailand style.

We had just come out of the rain. It was suppose to be a sunny day without any clouds. It was a fun day!