Cool Temple

 We made cookies!

 Brother Supagit went around sneaking up on people with this buddha mask. haha

 With Sister Fanta! Sister Ariel is on the left. She's a member that helped us teach

 This guy plays out at the wall every day. love it!

In Chiang Rai

 This was the scene our entire bike ride!

On the Road Again

 Dear family and friends,

 I'm glad that you had a great week, with General Conference to top it off! We'll get to see it next week! Cannot wait!

Also, I really hope we get to see the "Meet the Mormons" movie! That sounds awesome! I hope it's really good!

Well, this has been a crazy, amazing, awesome week! 

Tuesday night we headed out to Bangkok for Missionary Leadership Council which was held Wednesday morning at the Chaengwatna chapel. It is just the biggest boost to meet together with missionaries and receive instruction and guidance for the mission. I LOVE MLC! Elder and Sister Meeker are the cutest. They prepared a delicious pancake breakfast for us. Afterwards, we started our meetings and had a really great training. Lately we've been trying to focus on being "all-around" missionaries, that not only find, teach, and baptize, but also retain and activate. Of course, this is so important, but sometimes it's overwhelming to do it all. So, two of our zone leaders in Bangkok, Elder Quinn and Elder Delagarza came up with a new verb for the mission: BRAFT-ing. It stands for just those things: baptize, retain, activate, find, teach. So, now we are supposed to ask ourselves every day if we are BRAFT-ing, what can we do to BRAFT better, etc... haha.  Kind of funny, but really great! In the training we focused on each of these elements and how we can be efficient in all areas. Every day we should be doing all of these things, so we learned how we can help the missionaries be better BRAFTing missionaries, and therefore better all-around missionaries! Everyday I'll go through my planner and write a B, R, A, F or T, next to each activity we have planned and then I can see what we may be missing. Really, it's nothing we didn't know already, but hopefully it will help people organize better. A big focus of finding was asking for referrals and involving members better. Also, we're now not going to have companionship baptismal goals, but rather district baptismal goals. We want more unity in our districts. This also takes away the competitiveness that sometimes happens. I think this is all so inspired and I love it! So, amazing training! I just love the missionaries in our mission so much. They are all so dedicated and so willing to do what the Lord wants. I am so inspired by the people that I serve around. What a blessing to be serving! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

After the training we ate a delicious chili dinner prepared by Sister Senior and had some time to chat with everyone! What an awesome day!

So, after training on Wednesday we hit the road to Pittsonulok to go train the Elders that are in Gamphaengphet and P-Lok. It was fun to go see a new area that I’ve heard so much about but never been to. We stayed in a cute little hotel by the church that night, went for a nice adventure run the next morning, studied, ate lunch at a cute little cafe, and then presented the training with the zone leaders that afternoon! So much fun! The elders there are just awesome and so excited to apply the training.

After that we headed back on the bus to Chiang Mai, about 6 hours. Longest bus ride ever! haha They like to play these really obnoxious soap operas on the buses, so we just try to sleep through it. haha But, the seat that I was on was a little sketchy. I was lying against the window and reached down to grab something from my bag at my feet and my seat unbolted from the floor and I nearly fell off. There were three soldiers sitting in the row behind me and they tried to grab my chair and all looked way concerned. haha

Anyway, we made it back to Chiang Mai on Thursday night and the next morning we had a training here for Lampang, Chiang Rai, and Chiang Mai. They all met here, the training went really well. Pres. Senior came too because he had come up to do interviews for the upcoming zone conference (I didn't get interviewed, I will at ZC on the 17th).  Anyway, that was really fun to see everyone! They're all doing well!

Right after the training we had to run. The government officials that we teach English to had scheduled a lunch date with us missionaries here in Chiang Mai. So, all eight of us got picked up in a government vehicle and were taken to a hotel for a delicious lunch. It was so kind of them. They are very gracious people and wanted to show their thanks by taking us to lunch. The editor of the newspaper was there to take pictures as well so we should be in the upcoming edition of Chiang Mai News (or whatever it's called)! Kind of a neat experience. It's been a really neat thing to work with these people, and apparently, one of the officials might be interested in learning with the Elders! 

 As far as our investigators go, Sister F. was doing pretty well. She had learned everything and really has the desire to be baptized. She has passed her interview already and will be baptized! The plan was for yesterday. However, her mom is very opposed to all this and wouldn't let her go. We've talked to her and we're going to try to go visit the mom. I really think things will work out okay in the end. F. is so awesome and has so much faith. She just wants to do what's right and I know she'll be able to be baptized this week.

We have another few investigators that are really great: Brother Th. and Sister O. They are boyfriend/girlfriend and are so cute. Sister O. is Christian, Brother Th. is Buddhist. They want to get married and he wants to raise his family Christian. They love church, they love our restoration message, and they will be baptized. We can only meet them on Sundays, so it may take a little while. We're just so happy that they are so humble and excited to learn and follow Jesus Christ, and that Sunday is their day off.

Brother Md. is progressing very well! He's quite the faithful church-goer and we're hoping he will be baptized this week. He's been out of town, but he's back now and so hopefully things will work out for this week! He's just so great. We have more new investigators but I'll write about them more next week once we get another chance to teach.

So, this has been one amazing week! So much happening and it's so exciting. I love serving in Chiang Mai with Sister Ference. We are seeing a lot of miracles and feeling so blessed! I love this area and I love the people we work with. I love sharing this Gospel and seeing people accept it into their lives! Life is sooooo good!

Love,

Liz

 The Wararot Market. We like to go inviting here, and shop on pday.

 Caught in a rainstorm

 This is called a รถแดง (rot daeng= red truck) and it's how people get around here. 

It's a song tao, but acts like a taxi and takes you where you want, doesn't follow a route.

 Not sure if this is interesting, but sometimes it's fun to know the day to day things.

 This is a tea/drink truck. You can get really good iced chocolate drinks.

 Beautiful clear skies! This is the front of Wat Phrasing close to our church!

 One of the district's favorite little restaurants

 Our Smoothie Man!

 All of our bikes

 On our way to Bangkok!

 MLC breakfast

 Missionary Leadership Council

 Waiting for investigators to come to church!

 

 Wat Phrasing

Jungle Journey

Hello amazing family and friends!

Great things happened this week!

Last Monday was way fun because we got to spend the day together as a zone and go to a really pretty waterfall. It was super tall with many levels. If we weren't missionaries we could have climbed up the waterfall. They have ropes attached to the rock under the waterfall that you can grab onto. So pretty! I kind of felt like I was a Nephite walking through the jungle! 

So, this last week we've really been preparing Brother Suthep for his baptism, which happened yesterday!!! He has a lot of faith and he travels an hour to come meet with us. He is in his late 20's and is from the mountains. Anyway, he was raised Christian, but was never baptized. As he learned more with us he came to develop his own testimony and really wanted to be baptized. However, he's definitely had some times of uncertainty or worry. He understands how important it is to keep the commandments and he was worried about breaking them, such as not being able to make it to church every Sunday because he lives a little ways away. In the end we helped him understand that it is his choice and that if he wants to come to church every Sunday and keep the commandments, then he can. It's up to him, not anything else. He decided that he would make that commitment and he was baptized yesterday! It was such a happy day. He gave a wonderful testimony and later in the evening after we had already returned home he gave us a call to thank us for helping him. He said that if we had not encouraged him he may not have decided to be baptized because he was scared. He said that now that he is baptized he is so happy! What a miracle. Such a happy day! I am so excited for Suthep. He has such strong faith in God and wants to do what's right. He's such a great example to me!

Another one of our investigators, Brother M., is progressing very well. He's in his 80's and has been coming to church and keeping commitments well. He loves to read the profiles on Mormon.org. So cute. We'll have to make him one! He takes a little more time to teach, but he's doing so well! So excited for him!

We also have another investigator that has a goal to be baptized this coming week. Her name is F. She's in college right now and she is one that also has great faith. Her mother is very against her investigating the church, but she still comes. The only other big concern she has right now with getting baptized is that she's deathly afraid of water since she almost drowned as a child snorkeling. So, we've been trying to comfort her, and one member at church is a swimming instructor and offered to take her swimming to help her feel better about the water. I'm so grateful for amazing, willing members who are so dedicated to help us and I think that's going to make a big difference with F. She's such a sweet girl. Very quiet and thoughtful. I feel really blessed to be teaching her right now!

A few days ago we met with a recent convert that is now less active because of a temporary job. Her name is Sister I.C. She is absolutely amazing. She is working right now to support her parents and siblings, but is going to be getting Sundays off asap. She has a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ. She wants to be a good person so that others that see her will know she loves Christ and is representing him well. I was just blown away by her testimony and I felt the Spirit so strongly when she shared it. 

I think this week I just had so many spiritual experiences learning from the amazing investigators and members here in Chiang Mai. These people have so much faith and are so dedicated to the Gospel. It's so inspiring to me and I just feel so blessed that I was sent here. The members here just radiate with love for one another. They are always serving each other and just have this really special light about them. Truly disciples of Jesus Christ. I am so happy here!

And I just love serving with Sister Ference! She is an absolutely amazing missionary and person. She's so focused and works so hard and is extremely organized. She's an excellent teacher and just so much fun to be around. What a blessing to be serving with her! 

So, for the last week and a half we've been running for thirty minutes every morning and then doing an additional 10 or so minutes of strength training. I feel so good! I've missed running! So glad that Sister Ference is in shape and loves to work out!

Well, these are the main things that happened this week. There's more, but it's in my journal and I’ll tell you when I get home!

Just know that I love you all sooooo much!

Love,

Liz

 We love corn from 7-11.

 On our way to the waterfall.... I think you probably have 500 pics of us in the songtao.

 Top of the waterfall

 This is by far the clearest water I've ever seen in Thailand!!

 Jungle!

 Welcome to the waterfall!

 One of our investigators brought one of their 7 flying squirrels to a lesson.

 Running in the rain! Keeps it nice and cool!

 The lady put whipped cream on the outside of my dipped cone. haha

 Our branch! I love them all!

Brother Suthep!

A whirlwind of wonderful

สวัสดีคะครอบครัวที่รัก! I love you all soooo much! 

So, this last week has been totally crazy and awesome!

Last Monday we got the moves call and Sister Bentley, as well as E. Quinn, moved. Sister Bentley is also training! So, since she is training we had to head out to Bangkok on Tuesday night to get there for the trainer’s meeting at 8:00 Wednesday morning. A little chaotic, but we made it! And, since we were in Bangkok we had time to go visit some of our old areas!! First we went to Srinakarin (where Sis. Bentley was born) and met with some of the members and recent converts. Then we went to Bangkapi!!! Best day ever! We stayed the night with the Bangkapi sisters, so we went over to the church and I was able to be there for Book of Mormon class and ward correlation meeting! I got to see so many of the people that I love. It was HEAVEN! Oh, I just love these people so much I can't even describe it. I was so so so happy! They are doing well! Sister Boat and a handful of others are preparing to go to the temple in July!

Thursday was transfers meeting. So much fun. Lots of people moving. Sister Bentley is training in Roi Et. I am now companions with Sister Ference. She just came from Saphan Sung training Sister Peck. She is absolutely amazing. I've only been with her for three days and I am already learning  so much. In Chiang Mai, Elder Sukhan and Luker both stayed. Elder Omer's new companion is Elder Thanawat (he's from BangBuaThong). And Elder Klein is training Elder Paxton here. Elder Paxton is so full of enthusiasm and is so excited to work! This is just an amazing district and I love everyone so much. I am so blessed and excited to be working with these people.

After transfer meeting we had a few other meetings for missionaries and leaders. Lots of good counsel about not relaxing on our purpose, which is to baptize, but also really trying to work through the members better, etc... it was great! After that everyone went to Que Pasa. Yummy.

It was district conference so all of the branches came for Saturday and Sunday meetings. That includes Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Pitsonulog, and Gamphengphet.  So much fun! So, we had all the sisters stay with us. There have been a few switches: in Chiang Rai our sisters are Sister Barber with Sister Sawangwong (!!!), and in Lampang is Sister Maughn with Sister Pavadee! They are all so amazing. It has been so fun spending time with them over the last couple days. And, all the elders are here, too. President Senior gave us permission to have a zone P-day and let everyone stay through Monday! So, the whole zone is still here. We're going to probably go up to some waterfall.

Anyway, the conference was so good. The theme was on self-reliance, both spiritually and temporally. I really got a lot out of it and felt the Spirit. And yes, we got to sing in the choir, too. Way fun! This last week has been a whirlwind, and I can't even remember everything that happened!

But, Brother Md. did not get baptized. I think he needs a little more time. He's good, but just might take a little longer. One of our investigators, Sp., is progressing well and will hopefully be baptized on Sunday! We also had some miraculous new investigators come to church on Sunday! We are being so blessed here and I am just so happy.

I am just blown away by the faith and dedication of the members in our district, as well as everywhere in Thailand. These Saints are so committed and are great examples to me. I love them so much and am learning so much from them all. It was such a boost to me to see all these amazing members come together this weekend and share their testimonies, experiences, etc... There is so much love among everyone and I just feel so honored to serve here.

This is going to be an AWESOME transfer! I love my companion so much! She is from Holladay, Utah and goes to the U.  She's just one transfer behind me and was born in Lampang, so she's happy to be back in the North. She is amazing at Thai and teaching. She's also just so adorable and loving. Love this girl!

So, I am so happy and excited for all that's coming up this transfer! 

Love,

Liz