Week 17 Bang Khae

Dear Family and Friends

Lately Elder Taylor and I have been searching for all the less actives in the branch. We have had much success finding. Our investigators and those who have gotten baptized have been promising towards inviting friends and family to come learn. Once they get that fire in them they just want to share it with others. This is a great blessing!

This week we had our Missionary Leadership Counsel with President Johnson. I love those meetings because all the leaders in the mission pretty much get together to talk about missionary work. You get to listen to so many different opinions on missionary work. We talked a lot about helping members with their missionary work. WE are called to help members with THEIR missionary work. By helping and really encouraging members to do missionary work we have see more investigators come into our teaching pool. I will say a little more about that a little later. 

Elder Taylor really loves records when we arent teaching he is looking at records trying to figure out who we can go find. He is really good at that. Anyways we went searching for some houses this last week and I'd say that we walked for a good part of the day just asking if people new these people we were looking for. After walking around a neighborhood or two we found people how knew one of them. The people told us where she lives so we went that way. We walked into a street where we walked a ways before meeting a guy and his wife. As we talked to him we found out that he was her nephew. The small miracle is that he knew where she lives! We found her house just a street over. She was home and she was willing to talk to us. We talked to her for a little while and found out that she hasnt been to church in over 10 years. She didnt know that they had built a new church. The amazing thing which I didnt know was that she still had her baptismal picture, framed and all. She cried as she talked about how she knew that she had sinned and wanted to repent. She thought everyone at church would judge her for going back to her old ways. We testified to her that no one would do that. She is a great lady! She needs to know come back and just see what happens one Sunday. Others will just praise her for coming back! She's a work in progress. 

On a way home one night we met a man at a bus stop. He had in his hands some cigarette making material and a liter. We talked to him for a minute and then I remembered that I had 1 piece of candy in my pocket. I asked the man," Do you want to trade?" In the end the man gave me his crap and I gave him the candy. I think we both walked away from that feeling good. I felt good as I disposed of the crap! Never done that before. 

Another experience this last week reconfirmed that people are prepared by the Lord. We invited this lady who said that she was interested in learning with us. We met her two more times after the first visit. Her name is Nong. As we taught she just listened very carefully. She didnt have any questions about anything we taught. She was willing to pray and even read the scriptures. She has shown great faith in just two visits. She told us,"After you left the first day my daughter said the she wanted to learn about Christ with you two." Well I think that is a sign for sure that we were supposed to meet her. 

I think over this past week I have said the first vision account of Joseph Smith about 10 times! Each time was powerful! My testimony of the Restoration has increased so much over this past transfer. I have come to understand what the Holy Ghost feels like when it is working on me and others. I can describe the feeling and I just get a overwhelming sensation all over. I love feeling the Holy Ghost. I know that I have heard when you feel the spirit others can feel is as well and possibly just as strong. That is my goal to help all those that we teach to feel the Holy Ghost every lesson. 

We have a investigators who is about 9-10 years old. He is a son of a recent convert of about a month or so. Anyways we have been teaching her son and he is great. I told him," When you pray and read about these things that we teach and get an answer, then you can get baptized." He came to me the other day and told me,"Elder I had a dream that I was baptized in the church. Can I get baptized?" Well lets just say he'll get baptized next Sunday!

Sister Nii who got baptized last transfer has been trying to get her son to come meet with us. He accepted and came to church for all 3 hours. We sat down with him afterward and talked about how he felt today. He said,"It is really quite and peaceful here, I like it." We talked about the Restoration and he said,"I already believe that this is the true church." Do you see what happens when members with help do their part with missionary work. Miracles will happen. 

Our investigators right now are: Qwan, Tong, Boot, Hang, Brasit, Mong, Kim, May and Ploy, Brasan, Om, Nook, Jo, Day, Nong, Meg, Mam and Bo. 

Love 

Elder Hinckley