Thailand Week 54, 24 Aug 2014

Hey Family!!  

We're doing a zone sports day today so not a ton of time!  

One of my favorite scriptures to use with investigators is 1 Nephi 7:12.  "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him."  

This verse helps investigators understand that their problems aren't problems for God.  So all they need is faith.  I'm always so impressed with how far the Thai people will go with simple faith!  One Sister quit drinking coffee in like 2 days from 4 cups a day!  And she is now baptized!  She's from the Western part of Thailand in Ratchaburi.  She didn't have an education but can speak Burmese, Galleon, Thai, and her western dialect.  She has the craziest stories.  Like how she caught lobsters from age 13-16 to support her family and would guide her boat back home with the stars.   She has so much faith and conviction I feel like I learn from her example as much as I teach!

Mom I scored a fujifilm XP 70 for 5900 baht and it's perfect.  Everything proof and 16 mega pixels.  It's really good and I'm going to be way better at pictures!  Here's one from this week and then I have to go!  Sorry!  

Thailand Week 53, 17 Aug 2014

Hey Family!! 

This week was pretty nuts.  There were tons of blessings, but they were mixed in with a lot of trials and surprises too.  We didn't end up with a baptism this week for lots of different reasons haha.  One Sister got called on a work trip but is not going to have any problems with next week.  She is one of the most solid investigators I have ever taught and I have know doubt in her testimony.  Another Brother is in the same boat, except he got dragged away to help some family in another province on Friday night.  We're going to coordinate with the missionaries up there and help him get baptized in the church up there!  

This week we also have a good goal.  There are so many people out there and it's the greatest miracle when you are guided to someone the lord has prepared.  We met a lady that is one of those people.  She is a Thai language teacher and so she has such proper speech.  In Thai there are different levels of speaking, comparable to slang, but more interwoven into the culture and social system.  When she prays it's so sincere and she uses the more beautiful language, you can really feel the Spirit.  

Me and Elder Wright are turning our focus on qualifying for the miracles we're expecting and looking for.  For example, we learned last night we can run home from the church in about 3 minutes without too many problems!  It's useful knowledge to have haha.  

I know we "reap what we sow" as we are taught in Galatians 6.  That's our goal, to sow miracles with faith and diligence!

I'm glad I got to see the pictures of you guys at Eklutna!!  Funny thing, I was just telling Elder Wright about all the things we've done at Eklutna. All the camping and big fires and dam jumping.  

So today we're not sure what we're gonna do.  I don't think the zoo is gonna happen, but maybe we'll go find some good lunch at one of the ginormous malls here.  

Mom I'm sorry I lost my camera haha.  I was thinking that that's really just the kind of thing that would happen to me isn't it.  I'll take better care of the next one for sure.  And use it more to get you some good pictures!  I've been slacking there.  This is my lesson.

Dad what kind of food did you eat on your mission?  They're trying to push us to cook our own Thai food...but it's more expensive, takes longer, tastes worse, and is a pain.  So we made french toast instead for our mandatory homemade meal. ;)   It's the easiest for sure!

Love you all! :)

Elder Keller

Thailand Week 52, 10 Aug 2014

MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!

So the news from transfers, really not a whole lot.  Our entire house is the same, we're way pumped.  Elder Cosper, Elder Kohler, Elder Wright, and I have a ton of fun together.  Sister Ference killed off Sister Crockett (she completed her mission and went home) and is now training!  Sister Peck is the best Thai speaker I've ever heard out of the MTC.  

This week we really picked it up!  After being in the office for what is still more than half my time in Thailand I was honestly a little rusty.  I was a little bit sloppy and we didn't get as much work done as I wish we would have.  But we're picking up our game!!  This last week we went harder than ever and saw the miracles because of it!  Church attendance was looking a little iffy after calls on Saturday, not too many people confirmed but we knew it would work out because we put our effort in and prayed for the blessings.  Sunday rolls around and we start greeting our investigators at church!  We ended up with 5 people at church! And they're all so prepared!  We taught one man and he is in the perfect place for the Lord to fill in all the gaps he has in his life.  He handed over his cigarettes in the lesson and is never going back.  Another is here to be baptized and he knows it.  He watched the other baptisms that day and said "So next week you'll be the guy who says the prayer when I get baptized right?"   And then Elder Wright talked to a Sister and she liked the baptism but "didn't get a chance to do it this week, but next week right?"  Two of them were both met Saturday night practically as we were walking home.  I know the Lord is in this work and every other righteous desire of the world.  When we pray and work for miracles they will come!

Love Elder Keller

Thailand Week 51, 3 Aug 2014

Hey family!!!

I don't have a ton of time today because we're going to be running around doing some stuff.  But I definitely learned this week that missionary work has it's trials.  This last Sunday was not very successful for us as far as numbers and expectations.  Neither of our daters came to church and we only had 1 investigator there.  The lowest we've had in probably forever actually.

But there were other successes. Several recent converts who haven't been to church in a couple months came back and were fellowshipped right back in.  We were able to teach some awesome member lessons with those that came to church.

I read a talk called "The Atonement and the Missionary" ( I think) by Elder Holland today. He says that missionary work is supposed to be hard.  In order for us to really receive Christ's atonement in it's fullest we need to go through our own Gethsemane and walk the path to Calvary.

I know that Christ lives and that he will walk beside us in our trials.

Love Elder Keller

This is us riding a song taew!  We take one every day to go contacting.