everyone says we love Cameron!

Dear Family,

 

The baptism was excellent. I was very impressed and satisfied with what a great sacrament meeting, Sunday School class, and Baptism that we had yesterday. Elder Milton and I both gave a short talk during the baptism and afterwards Nang bore a personal and meaningful testimony. She has seen some miracles in her process of learning the Gospel. Part of her testimony included an experience where she had asked the Priesthood Holders to give her a priesthood blessing of healing. Within three days of the blessing the stone that was in her body had vanished away and she was healed.

 

I feel like our district is catching the spirit of unity.  Elder Elwood helped to teach the investigator class this week. I remember having the feeling of cheer as I was desirous that he would teach with power and with the Spirit. I took part in the lesson and bore my testimony about the restoration of the Gospel. I remember having a similar feeling when Elder Milton came up to talk during sacrament meeting. It feels good to set aside all personal desires and unite to a righteous cause.  In that way we help each other grow. And we help the Branch grow.

 

I suppose we are like sponges. We constantly absorb in the influence of our surroundings. We also have our own influence. That's sort of the miracle of families and relationships that they can have such a positive influence on each other and lead each other upwards to better things.  The more we give the more we have to give.

 

Being a Zone leader involves a lot of travel.  Last Tuesday night Elder Staples and I traveled to Bangkok by train to renew our visas. Then we went straight to Surin to interview investigators.  Finally we came back to Srisaked for a night only to meet back in Ubon for more interviews and to switch back with Elder Pituporn and return to Srisaket the next morning. But, before Elder Staples and I went to Ubon we came to a large Neighborhood to invite people to come study the Gospel with us. We got some phone numbers and set up a few appointments. Yesterday Elder Pituporn and I went to teach one of the investigators that we had invited in that neighborhood. It turns out that that investigator invited most of the Neighborhood to come and learn with us too. So we ended up teaching a lesson to about six or seven people who came to learn with us. We'll go back to visit them again next tuesday. :)

 

That sunday we had seven baptisms in our Zone.

 

So that was one of our little adventures this week. On Sunday we had another Branch Council meeting. Perhaps some people feel like we have too many meetings in the church but it seems to me that the reason for all of the meetings is similar to the reason for the law of Moses. Many people come to a meeting just to fulfil the requirements of the Law. Then they miss out on the spiritual purpose of the law. If we understood and obeyed the spirit of the Law then the meetings would be short, productive, and uplifting experiences. Therefore, don't ever get descouraged about church meetings. But remember our purpose as a member of the Church and as sons and daughters of God.

 

 

Thanks for the great letters. I'm looking forward to hearing from Michael about his experiences. I really do love each of you and hope the best for you.

I would like to ask for a record of how our family ancestors were first introduced to the Gospel. It would be useful to share for some of the future first generation members that we are teaching.

 

Also if anyone were wondering what a good gift would be for my birthday... I don't know. Something tasty from home is always good. Aaron's and Nana's present was pretty sweet. I liked the pajamas... so soft.

 

Love ya,

 

-Elder Lilly

Package has arrived!

Dear Family,

 

Yaaay I'm so glad that y'all got the package I sent. The Pakamas are way sabaay (comfortable).

 

My investigators are doing great. Nang just passed her baptismal interview last saturday. She's ready to get baptised this sunday. I think that the baptism can help to really pick the work up  here in Srisaket as well because to put it simply... the power of godliness is manifest in the ordinances of the church.  Most people who see a baptism end up getting baptised themselves. :) We will do our best to make it a spiritual baptism.

 

Today has been excellent. We spent almost all morning cleaning the house. It feels excellent to have a clean house. I'm not sure when the last time was that the house in Srisaket was cleaned, sadly enough. I have been looking for the oportunity to deep clean it since I got here. The house is a little weird. It was designed with metal bars on a sliding door all around the house--over every window, door, and opening. Then the outside has a black metal fence and a black metal sliding gate. Indeed, it looks much like a prison. So we opened all of the drapes, cleaned up, opened the sliding doors and let the sun shine into the room. It's refreshing. 

 

Well, I feel like this moves is a time where we need to start focusing on faith again. Naturally without obedience there is no faith. In showing faith we need to pray more, work harder, and give more of ourselves.

 

Work is also part of faith. And work itself seems to have a way of fixing all of the problems. If we know how to work and we do it then we can accomplish almost anything.

 

It seems like the times where we don't really feel prepared to go out and invite are the times when the least people are outside. Then those times where we are prepared and happy and we talk to everybody are the times when people start popping up out of nowhere and there are more people who are outside of there houses, even when it is super super hot--which is often. That I believe is another witness to God's influence in our work.

 

The zone here is progressing. But It's just not yet to it's full potential. One companionship often gets the majority of the results for the week. That shows how much better the whole zone could be doing. But the Lord is blessing us greatly. And as we exercise faith and work work work the Lord will lead us to the things that we need personally and in our areas.

 

I enjoy some of the little things that are "so Thai." Learning a culture completely changes your perspective on how things really are. For instance if you first came into the country without a knowledge of the culture and someone was rejecting you by making excuses or running away or by avoiding you, you might get offended. But if you understand that part of there culture is to avoid rejecting you directly because they are trying to be polite and not hurt your image than you wouldn't get offended because you would understand.

 

I thankyou for your love and letters.

 

I love you and pray for you,

 

--Elder Lilly

oh what fun!

Dear Family,

 

Conference was pretty pretty awesome. Although, just like last time, it would have been better were it in English. I noticed the voices of some of the missionaries who had returned home already. Translating for general conference would be fun.

 

I'm here in Srisaket on the day before the Songran water festival. There are already people driving around in trucks and setting up booths to ambush people and soak them with water. Currently I am only parshly wet. Tomorrow I will be completely wet. Sadly this time of year brings around a corrupt tradition of drinking alchohol  with friends at night. Many families have children who start drinking while they are young.

 

The Lord has blessed us with some pretty awesome investigators. One of them is named Ahm. He is only 18 years old but he has shown a lot of maturity for his age--consitering that the Thai people don't consiter people adults until they are about 21 years old. He comitted himself to avoiding the drinking that goes on in the society. Indeed, usually drinking is a social thing. You drink because all of your friends do. We teach him everyday. Another one of our investigators is named "Ahn." She travels about an hour every Sunday to get to church. That's the Spirit!

 

Right now I am switching-off with the "Assistant to the President."  Which just happens to be Elder Bryant who was in the MTC class just before my group.  Today is a sort of abnormal day because of Songran (usually monday is a Preperation Day). This morning we walked along the side of the road and talked to everyone that we met. One the guys that we met opened his heart and set an appointment fir us to come back tonight. If we can, and we are infront of their house, we will ask to come inside and talk with them for 10 minutes. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true!  And it's so powerful. The more I understand it the more I love it. We enjoy talking with people and getting to know them. One of the people we talked to liked music. And he had a guitar. Elder Bryant played some songs from the guitar with him. Afterward he showed interest in helping his family so we set an appointment with him.

 

Speaking of family, from general conference there was a definite theme about families and specifically about raising kids. The Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. Our family is way blessed because of the Gospel. I carry the pictures that we took before I came to Thailand around with me all the time. Just today I showed a policeman a picture of our family--all nine of us kids along with Braden, Jade, and Crystal. Aaron is in there too... He just wasn't official yet. I didn't say much to him but I got his number.  Just about everyone that I show the pictures to says that our family is "Ob un" which means warm/happy.  What a blessing to be sealed together for eternity so long as we keep our covenants. There is nothing more important than that. I still pray for our direct and extended families to succeed in such great a cause. I especially pray that Kara and Michael will prepare quickly. Having a "companion" is all kinds of fun and you learn a thing or two from it. ;p  And a missionary companion can't compare to an eternal companion.

 

Well, the Lord is blessing us greatly. He always does when we obey him. It's that easy! I would advise Brandon and Justin and Jared to learn the Book of Mormon, to develop your talents that aren't involved with a computer (you don't get much use out of those talents on your mission) (plus you're way too good at that already), and to start practicing the mission rules or rather start practicing becoming more like Christ. For instance! Try not using any word that Jesus Christ wouldn't use for a day. Ex: G4y su(k etc. Last time we talked on the phone there was a lot of those words being used. I hadn't heard that kind of language in a long time.

 

Those things will prepare you for a mission. They will help prepare you for Eternal life.

 

I love you all soooooo much,

 

--Elder Lilly

Happy Easter

Dear Family,

Thanks for all of the wonderful e-mails. I really enjoyed reading them. My easter sunday was a different sort of rejoicing as we had opened our fast on saturday around lunch time. 

Last week I had a special switch-offs with Elder Milton. I was able to help invite in his area for the majority of three days. It was good to switch-off with an old companion of mine. We enjoyed talking about things that we learned from the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  We talked about different ways that we could improve our work to make it more sacred. Then we had the oportunity to apply those things that we talked about. We imediately noticed the difference in the power of our inviting. I believe that as we strive to make the things that we do more sacred that the Lord will pour out marvelous blessings. That's how it's been for me. The area that we are in has been struggling for quite some time. I took especial care to notice how the branch was doing and what things that we could possibly do to improve the work here in Srisaket during church. Elder Milton and I had the opportunity to talk about those things that we could do to help. It is very clear that the most important thing in our lives right now is finding the Holy Spirit and being worthy of His divine direction. Naturally we cannot force other people to change. It must start with us first, and then as we excercise faith the Holy Spirit will work through us to accomplish God's will for the Branch. I am amazed at what a great influence just a few people can have. The Scriptures are full of great examples of that. Tomorrow will be zone conference and Elder Pituporn and I will get to take part in teaching our zone.  I was asked to speak about The Power and Authority of your Calling. I'm glad to be able to help teach other missionaries about that power, which power is the power of the Holy Spirit.

Naturally we are excited for General Conference again. We are telling the world that the Prophet is about to speak to us God's holy will. That's pretty awesome.  Being a witness of God is a great joy.

Lately has been especialy hot and humid. Usually I can tell if a storm is comming early because it will become extreemly humid outside.

I love you all very very much. We were blessed with such an awesome family. I enjoy hearing about how great you guys are doing and how much fun you are having back home.

Sometimes I remind myself that I am in Thailand just to absorb how awesome that is and how much I love this place. It's not hard to put myself and other missionaries into a good mood. All I have to do is think... I'm in Thailand. :p

My prayers are for you all.

Love,

Elder Lilly