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

From: แสนดี งามเสมอ Extra Pictures

HAPPY BIRTHDAY on FRIDAY!!!! yaay

Dear Family,

Haaaaaaaay! It's my birthday. I haven't been home for my birthday for a long time now. Whats up with that? In order to make my birthday a very special occasion I have made it a point to announce it to everyone and stress it's importance. I still don't know what I am going to do on my birthday besides all the things that I normally do. I'll think of something clever and get back to you on that one.

Today, because as it turns out Elder Manop is moving and I am getting a new companion, one of the members took us out to eat. We dined at a seafood restaurant. They served the food from large dishes that we would all share food from. There was a plate of crab salad with huge crabs in it, a plate of fish and mango salad, a bowl of curry, and also squid. The crab was waaay good and the squid was very chewy as usual.

I'm so glad that Brandon graduated on time. He must have read his scriptures. Great things happen when you read the scriptures.

It's weird to think that President Thornock isn't the stake president anymore. As it just so happens to be, I was thinking about his example a lot this week. I set a goal last week to observe all of the members in our branch during sacrament meeting in order to be more aware of how they are doing and see if there was any way I could help them. There was quite a few things that I noticed that helped me as I sought to help them. Then after church I tried to talk to members and be friends with them. Going out and talking to members is very inspiring but not something that I am very used to yet even though I do it often. There are also a lot of female members in our branch. I am trying to find the right balance of talking to people, being friends with them, and also staying professional, talking about inspiring and uplifting topics rather than simply talking or teasing, especially with some of the members who love to tease and be sarcastic. One thing that I have learned since I have been here in Ayuthayaa with a Thai companion is how to be clever while speaking Thai. But I always try to make sure to be light hearted and not light minded. To help me as I was considering this subject I thought of the example of President Thornock. I think that it helped inspire me to know how to befriend the members in the best way as a representative of Christ. He is a great example of love and hard work.

Well, I am out of time but I am sending you all a birthday present through e-mail. Pictures! Some of these pictures were inspired by Jackie Chan. They were good fun.

I love you all,

Elder Lilly

Dear Family,

Congratulations on graduation! I'm sure that everyone is happy that school is out, except for those who enjoy peace at home and open roads with no school aged drivers. This is the season of craziness and choices. There's so many things going on in the world right now that are worth our thought and consideration. These past few weeks I had the opportunity to visit with a member of the church about choices and getting answers from God. Right now she has some questions about what to do for her future. She is at the point of making choices that will effect the out come of the next few years and beyond that.

I would like to share a little bit of our conversation. I explained to her that when we have a choice that will effect our lives we need to consider which option we feel is best. After some consideration we come to the Lord in prayer and wait for an answer. If we don't get an immediate answer then sometimes it takes patience. The Lord always answers and in His own time. Sometimes we don't know enough, sometimes there's another option that we haven't yet explored and when it comes we will feel that it is right. Or it could be that both options are acceptable before the Lord and it is up to us to simply choose. Either way after we have prayed the next step is always to act. The Lord will not let us choose the wrong path without warning. We need to trust him. We need to choose and then go. If we choose and go but it is the wrong choice then God will let us know. If we choose and it is right then we are free to be happy and satisfied with our choice.

I feel like she felt satisfied that her question was answered and she knew what it was that she needed to do. Sometimes the hardest choices are between right and right.

This week I pondered about how awesome and simple the Gospel is. Yesterday I switched companions with Elder Willey (what are the chances we ended up together). I worked so hard. By the end of the day I felt the best satisfying tiredness that there is. But better than that, through out the day I was smiling and happy. I personally believe that the reason why I felt so good was because of how diligently I was working. We didn't waste a second of time and we always brought our activities before the Lord in prayer. As we taught I felt a great enthusiasm and warm feeling as we explained the simple doctrines of the Gospel. We taught to an investigator names "Iss." We talked about heaven and asked her what she felt like she needed to do to go to heaven. One of the things she mentioned was obey. We talked about the importance of being clean through baptism and she agreed to get baptised. She asked me what she would have to do to get baptised. I explained that If she read the scriptures daily, prayed often, went to church every week, and learned with us that we would explain all of the commandments and she could start to keep them and then get all of the blessings from them, and as she does these things that she would be ready for baptism. Truly the savior taught us to not worry as as long as we keep the commandments we will be blessed and prosper. I love the simple truths of Christs teachings. Obey and be blessed. Ask and receive. Seek and find. Come unto Him and be saved. Come unto Him and find peace, hope, charity, faith, happiness, love, life and light.

As a missionary we get the special opportunity to promise blessings. After we explain a doctrine or principle we ask the person to commit to doing something that helps them to build faith and repent. Then after they commit to the commitments that we ask of them to help them improve their life we promise them some of the blessings that will follow. It is exciting to see the investigator use their faith to do change or break from work to go to church and then see how during the rest of the week they sell better than normal!

I learned that Keeping the sabbath day is just as important as tithing when it comes to our temporal well being.

Anyway. Sorry to speak so much about my thoughts and feelings rather than who my investigators are and how they are doing and that sort of thing. There will be plenty of time to talk about all the craziness that goes on when I get home. :)

I love you guys very much.

-Elder Lilly


One more thing!
Communication solves more problems and builds more love than any other activity that involves the mouth.

Well, there's another ginormous rain storm outside and as I was writing the power went out. And my companion lives in Thailand and his parents haven't converted yet, therefore he starts waiting for me as soon as I finish reading my letters.
It was great to talk to you guys!!!!!!

I love you all!!!

Today we sacrificed some of our preparation day to go help our investigator get interviewed with president Dodge. He recognised that he has gotten a witness of the gospel. He wants to pray again to have a more powerful witness. President Dodge, our investigator Ood, Elder Manop and I are going to fast and pray together.
When he is ready, next time, he won't have to get interviewed with President Dodge again.

As far as the difficulty of a mission is concerned, well, it's way difficult.



A mission takes everything you have and requires more. It puts us in the fire at the hottest temperature for the longest time then it pours us into a perfect frame and beats us till we fit. It is as if we are on a different time frame than the world and we are exercising in a furnace without rest. It's tiring, but it's rewarding. It's worth the wait.


I neeeeed to go, but I Love you all!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Lilly

Talk to you this Sunday

Dear Family,

Today I don't have a lot to say. I just feel really grateful for all of the many many blessings that God has blessed us with both noticed and unnoticed. I stared wide eyed at the pictures that Crystal sent of Aaron and Diana. And the pictures of Suzanne, Scott and their Baby.

It seems like every time I come to E-mail I forget what I've done during the week. Hmm. Well, we have an investigator named Oot. He learned all of the missionary discussions before I came here but I have had the opportunity to help him further build faith and receive a testimony. Right now he is a little weak in his conviction and faith. He has a major Buddhist background. He has a testimony of the Commandments and how they help his life but he hasn't yet accepted Jesus as his Savior. When he prays, sometimes he remembers the written Buddhist Priest prayers, because that's whats on his mind, even though he has gotten rid of all of the Idols and other things in his house. He lives with a LDS family, but some of the members aren't very strong and their child has started smoking. Also, he needs to be interviewed by president Dodge in order to help him get baptised. Yet his life has changed so much already from the time that he started learning the gospel, attending church and following the commandments. He is scheduled to get interviewed on the 13 of may. We are going to collectively fast this Saturday evening to help him cast away his doubt and fears and choose faith. When he does I know that the Spirit will enter his life and answer his prayers for an answer.

I hope you all are able to enjoy this great time in life and not get too stressed out from the business.

I have not yet bought a new backpack but I will. My shirts are being cut as we speak.

Due to illness, we have not yet ridden on the Elephants, but it seems that that little part of the adventure is soon to come.

Love you all,
especially Dad,
and Mom,
and Grandma Lilly
(she had a birthday!)

Elder Lilly

P.S. My companion is asking for Thanksgiving recipes. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, rolls, pie, jello. He's quite the chef it turns out, I would love to show him how to make "farang" food.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY

CONGRADULATIONS NANNA POOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!1111
I am so excited! Kee hee he hehe he I am smiling really big right now!

And... Happy Birthday to Brandon!! you're old....


Dear Family,
I must say that I am very happy to hear that you are receiving blessings at home. It's relieving to hear about some if these blessings. This work is not easy. And sometimes the effects of the work are hard to see, or slow in coming.

Right now is the hot season. Sometimes the air is so humid that sweat seems to protrude from my skin without any control. My arm sweats where I didn't even know it could. Sometimes It feels like I just came out of a steamy pool of stinky water and without drying off I put my church clothes on. That sounds pretty bad. But no worries, I make sure to shower twice a day. And a handkerchief helps a lot.

The branch here in Ayutthaya is tiny compared to Bangkhae. And though there are four missionaries here, our progress has been steady. Right now I am focusing the most on the ward members. Elder Manop doesn't like inviting at all, and will plan several other activities in order to avoid inviting. Because of this we have had the opportunity to work very closely with our branch members. I feel like if the Branch members are strong then they will spiritually and instinctively fellowship and find investigators. And, so very importantly, they will be happier. There's a hope that is brought from the gospel that is firm and true. If I could pick a song to be my banner so far in my mission, and probably for the rest of my mission, I would choose hymn number 135 My Redeemer Lives, written by President Gordon B. Hinckley.

I hope to carry this banner with humility and with a happy smile. Sometimes humility may seem like an attribute that can't be worn with a smile. But when we recognize our reliance on our savior and have him as our banner, forgetting ourselves then his love will shine in us and we can properly give him our gratitude, our service, and credit Him for our happiness. Then just like the Angel said to Nephi of old "Rejoice!" we can be happy.

There's two virtues that we talked about in zone conference that I would like to mention. The first is Integrity and the second is Patience. All I have to say is that Integrity is most important and patience is learned with hope and an eternal perspective.

I don't have a lot of time. I want to express my love for you all. You make me happy and excited to work harder. I pray for you as well as my investigators and I know that the Lord will bless you.

Love,
Elder Lilly

love from home

Dear Family,

Soengkhran was amazingly fun. I enjoyed getting wet very much. It seems like everyone wanted to throw water on us and I made sure to give them the opportunity, it was way fun that way. There were tons and tons of truck loads of people with buckets of water driving down the road and dumping water on everything and everyone. Since we had little buckets when the cars would come up to us to spash water we would get up and use their own source of water to fight back. We returned home in a bus soaked.

Moves went very smoothly. I moved to Ayutthaya!!!! It's the old capital city of Thailand. For some reason it reminds me of Micheal... Probably because the roads are all very wide and long, there's hardly any stoplights at all, and there's very very little traffic. And I have to smile at Thai road designs because instead of making a four way intersection they love to make giant bridges that turn around for you so as long as you merge to the bridge and keep following the road you can turn around without ever slowing down. Neat-o.
Then there are old Buddhist temples everywhere. They are the older, mostly made of brick, and abandoned. There are fancy gates surrounding most of them and a name sign and that's it. They are beautiful too. In fact, Ayutthaya is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been too. There's green grass everywhere, organized and Lord of the Ring like houses, and unlike the thick of Bangkok where I started at, you can see the blue sky! Before I could look at the sun without blinking. I tried it too.

My companion's name is Elder Manop. He is a native Thailander from Korrad. He makes speaking Thai all of the time very easy. :) He's also teaching me in some of the ways of Thai cooking. I learned how to make Gaengmasuman. Mmmm

I live in a house connected to the main river. We have a nice hammock in the back and we can go fishing whenever we want to. It is a very sabbay house. It's only place of lacking is it has no oven. It's also a four man house and I'm rooming with Elder Willey and Elder McCoy.
The protests have ended as far as I know, and right now they are no problem for us.

Last week we went and took a visit to the Mortal Combat Temple. Or rather the Giant Temple that they used to screen the Movie Mortal Combat. I have some several excellent pictures that I would love to send to you guys.
And yes, there are Elephants Braden. Next week we are going to go ride them.

Conference was awesome. I especially liked the talks from Elder Christofferson and Elder Holland. I watched Elder Holland's talk again in zone conference as they spoke of the events surrounding Christ's Atonement and how most other religious specialists do not understand the reality and efficacy of Christ's Divine birth and the Atonement. We moved some couches together and watched conference and was able to see it with some investigators too.

Two days ago my Thai companion explained to me that I was sleep talking in Thai. I was having a bad night's sleep, but I don't remember what I was dreaming about. Sometimes I dream all in Thai. I actually think that I am progressing well in my language speaking because I feel like I am doing my best to learn it. I carry a handy paper around that I created to write down words that I don't recognize or words that I don't know and want to look up. The paper gets bigger and bigger.

Our branch is tiny compared to Bangkhae and we do not yet have our own church building built. Right now we have a rented building. But I am very excited and hopeful to build up the Church here in Ayutthaya.

Love you all,
and I'll get pictures in a wie bit.

Elder Lilly

-Surely the Lord God will do nothing save he revealeth His secrets unto His servants the Prophets.

Today is a Thai water festival called Soengkhran. Actually today is the last day of the three day festival. It is crazy. But first I would like to relate the events that occurred in the past two days.
Near the center of Bangkok there came a large gathering of rioters wearing red shirts. They drove public buses to a large round-about and blocked the roads. There were warnings all over the news and us missionaries were asked to keep our phones on and nearby. If we saw any rioting we were instructed to go home and stay there. Some people did. And to us it already felt like a war because we were trying to avoid the mobs of people who were casting water bombs at us and shooting water at us from hoses and slopping goop onto our faces. At the end of the first day Elder Israelson and Elder Blackhurst's clothes took exceeding casualties. At the start of the next day we received a call from our leaders that the rioting had escalated. We were not to leave our house. Of course we kept working and used the opportunity to do work at or on the house. We didn't wait an absurd amount of time before we were again granted permission to go forth and work on. As the productiveness of inviting was reduced considerably, we instead spent our time in finding old or inactive members to go visit and support. We weren't as successful in avoiding the water and goop as we travelled on bikes on this day. With no opportunity to change clothes we moved in to President Typ's house with his entire family and President Nopadone and his entire family. They compelled us by force to eat their delicious food and deserts until we were not capable of eating more. This was an especially exciting occasion put together to celebrate our times together before I leave Bangkhae this Thursday (tomorrow). We ended the day by helping teach and advise President Typ's son Brother Bun as he prepares for his soon coming mission.
And finally today we make war. The riots are over and the military is already deployed but Soengkhran is not over and we still have a lot of Thai people to soak in water and a lot of faces to smudge goop on. We are dressed already and as I finish writing the war will commence!

Also, it is indeed confirmed that I am moving tomorrow. After we play in the water festival we will need to return home and I will begin packing. I won't know who my companion is or where I am going to until I am packed and we, all of the missionaries, meet in Pakkret. I'll relate my experience with moving to my second area next week.

I'm going to miss all of the people here a lot. They are awesome. The deep feelings of respect that I hold for these people are hard to describe. But I am excited to move to the next area that the Lord has prepared for me. I leave here with good memories and with a feeling of satisfaction in my work.

I love you all!

Also, conference was inspirational.

Love,
Elder Lilly