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Dear Family....

I am way excited for Diana and Aaron. The pictures turned out well (To Nanna: Props on the dress). All of the change that is occurring this season is very interesting to watch, I think. As missionaries we have a few "key-indicators" that we monitor to review and analyze our progress. Our motto for our mission goes something like this: Faith is the power, Obedience is the price, love is the motivation, the Spirit is the key, Preach my Gospel is the way, Christ is the reason. That motto holds true for missionaries. But as President Dodge was talking about members in God's church he considered what sort of Key-indicators God might have for members and what the motto for members might look like. So he changed the motto to be something like this: Faith is the power, obedience is the price, progression is the key, the spirit is the guide, exaltation is the reward. I like that. Progression is the key. And the general definition of progression is change right? Therefore change is something that we need to work with all of the time. And the keyest of key-indicators for us members is whether or not we are progressing.
We cannot compare ourselves to anyone else because how many talents we have is not important, only that we use the talents that we have and we are progressing. After we die, we will all have the opportunity to continue our path of progression until we become like Christ, but if we are not on the path then we cannot progress. I would challenge everyone to conscientiously seek to improve everyday and study the scriptures. Improving yourself is always an awesome use of time. I've talked to a lot of missionaries who wished that they didn't waste so much of their time playing computer/video games because they realize that they could have used that time doing something awesome to be a better person. I suppose when you know that playing games is against the rules and you understand how important obedience is to success then you start to desire greater things. I've seen a lot of missionaries who have made that change. But anyway, make sure you are progressing!!

These past few days have been crazy. I feel like a huge transition is occurring. I had my last interview with President Dodge before he goes home. He told me that the second half of your mission goes twice as fast as the first. He said that I have all of the tools and resources that I need to continue to be a great missionary thereafter. And then he asked me how I felt like I have changed so far. And he explained how he feels and has seen me change. I am grateful for his words. I learned a lot from the example of the Dodges. They took very good care of all of the missionaries, they could compare to our parents in the mission field. With mission Presidents like the Dodges missionary moms have no need to worry! I'm sure that the Smiths who are replacing the Dodges will be just as good. The mission is sure to take another big transition. President Dodge said that his first moves in the country was the easiest because he had to rely completely on the Lord for everything. But then after that his own thinking sometimes got in the way.

When I first got into Ayuthaya I taught a member who was struggling with some problems. We continued to talk to her and teach her whenever she had questions or concerns. Just recently that same member sat down and talked to one of our investigators and told her to pray and trust the lord. That investigator changed completely and now she has a lot of desire to learn and is excited to prove the promises and blesses of the Lord. Awesome.


So, I haven't the opportunity to make any of my style of cookies yet but I have made sure to spread brownies to all of the members. I gave some of my birthday cake to that investigator that I just mentioned. Also, when we had a big activity with the lopburi branch I suggested the Sock game to them. They really enjoyed it. Instead of putting all of the candy in the middle of the circle of people they made a place for rolling the dice and a place for eating the candy. Whenever they rolled doubles they would have to run over to the candy, put the socks on, and then go for it. And if adding the running wasn't hard enough, for the last bunch of candy they split into two groups. With two groups they were rolling doubles like crazy and switching people every few seconds. That was good fun. Then, each Tuesday we are doing activities at the church such as ping pong. I taught the people who came how to play Hiya. heh heh heh


I love you all!

Elder Lilly

Happy Father's Day Dad!!!

Dear Family,

Sounds like you guys are going through some awesome experiences right now. I remember when I first went through the Temple. I love the feeling and spirit that is present so strongly there. I had the opportunity to take part in sealings at the MTC in Utah. I can imagine how special and perfect that is going to be for Diana and Aaron.
I thought Prom was probably the most stressful time of my entire life, I don't know why I got so stressed but I can only imagine how that would be preparing for a wedding. It's definitely way more stressful of an experience than it needs to be.
So I am doing well. Another week has passed by rather quickly. There are only twenty-somethin' more days until my companion goes home and I hit my One year mark of my mission. I am almost halfway done. There is a great likelihood that this next moves I will be the senior companion or something of that nature. That would throw just a little more craziness and need for blessings into my life.
Yesterday was a blast. There were two less-active members in our branch who came to church last week. We talked to them and asked them if there was anything that we could do for them and as it turns out there was. So we planned for this activity and yesterday we executed the plan. There were two massive dump truck loads of dirt poured onto the concrete in front of their wooden house. There is a certain lack of shovels and wheel barrels in our branch, or even in Thailand. Instead we had plastic shovel spade shaped baskets that we would load with dirt and then lift by the handles and carry over to the side of the house where we dumped the dirt. The point was to fill the area underneath the house full of dirt to get rid of the pool of filthy water that laid there which water was a nasty breeding pool for mosquitoes. About six branch members and us four Elders spent almost the entire day shoveling the dirt with these baskets. This morning after the alarm went off and my companion got out of bed the first thing that I heard was "Ouch!" Yup, we are pretty sore today.

I was wonder how Charles, Heather and their new baby was doing. Say hi to them for me will ya?

I love you guys and hope you all are doing well back home and having a blast.

-Love Elder Lilly

Random Views of Elder Lilly's World (scroll for this weeks letter)

Busy is Good

Dear family,

How are you? I am doing awesome. I feel great. A mission can be very hard sometimes but perhaps if we aren't working while having fun and being happy then we aren't working like we should be. I try to make sure that I am happy while I am doing the work of the lord.

My new companion is great. I am killing him. In other words this is his last moves here in Thailand before he goes home. He is a very easy going guy. He moved from Royet which is in the eastern part of Thailand. His name is Elder Rowley. Now we have all of the "ly's," Elder Rowley, Willey and Lilly. Working with Elder Manop was great at the beginning but near the end he struggled to have motivation enough to work. I think that moving to another area will help him to restart and rededicate himself. It's very hard to be a Thai missionary in Thailand. Very hard. I give props to him and pray for him.

Our district has great unity right now. Sometimes we eat together, we support each other, and compliment each other. It's great. :)

I enjoyed the fact that you guys sang for me even if I wasn't there to hear it. Thanks for the Love that you send my way.

For my Birthday I decided to have a special feast and eat at Swensens Icecream Parlor and then have my "party" on preparation day which just happens to be today! We had a great time riding elephants.

This past week we went and cut down trees and grass as a service project for one of our investigators. Then afterwards we had family home evening with us four elders, The Branch President President Choedsak and their family. I love serving them and seeing them smile in appreciation for the work that we did.


I Love you all and you can bet that I feel the affect of your prayers. That's why I like to say keep praying for me! I will always be doing my best.

Love,
Elder Lilly