Adventuretime!

Sorry, today we're on a P-day adventure cuz we're traveling to Chiang Rai to ride ostriches and elephants!!! It's one of my last p-days so we're really trying to make them as fun-filled as possible :) I'll be sure to send pictures next week! And all the pictures attached for this week were from our p-day excursion last week :) so enjoy!

This week, was our first and our last FULL week of work here in Chiang Mai. We have SOOO MANY MEETINGS this transfer its ridiculous. But it was fun to just get down to work. We were supposed to actually have a baptism this weekend too...but sadly, we were told she needs to wait until next month. But instead of being disappointed, Sister ออ้ย has been nothing but more faithful even! She knows that her waiting these next few weeks will be a time for her to strengthen her faith in Christ even more, so that when she is actually baptized in April, she will more fully understand the covenants she will be making with our Heavenly Father. She has just been an amazing example of faith to me because I feel like I was honestly more upset about her having to wait than she was. haha.

This week is going to be chaos, because me and the zone leaders have to plan everything for our Zone conference this weekend, which happens to be the same weekend as our District conference (aka stake conference)....so ya....we'll be working really hard trying to plan everything before President and Sister Senior get here!! wish us luck!!!!!

"Therefore, o ye that embark in the service of God; see that ye serve Him with all of your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."

This scripture from D&C 4 is the youth theme for this year, as well as I think EVERY missionaries theme. We recite all of D&C 4 every morning here on the mission, and it has just helped me understand our purpose not only as missionaries but as disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I encourage all of you, not only those of you who are preparing to serve a mission, but ALL of you to study this chapter, and see what you can do to improve your service to God. :) I know that studying this section has helped me so much understand how I can better serve my God!

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God you called to the work!"

The Lord has called ALL OF US to help in the hastening the work of salvation!!!!

Love you guys!!! 

Ever upwards,

Sister Lam

Mong Village dress-up party

 Random man riding his elephant!

Long-neck village!

 My diet coke commercial pic ;)

Floating lantern- Tangled stylez

Missionaries loooooooooooove traveling....not really though

Sorry this email will be kind of short cuz I'm low on time. But it's just been a week of running around traveling. We had Missionary Leadership Council (MLC) in Bangkok this week (which is about a 12 hour plus bus ride from ChiangMai), and from there we went to our zone's districts in all of Northern Thailand to do some follow-up training and some switch-offs (which meant an additional 15 hours on buses to visit our districts). So I feel like we haven't really been here in ChiangMai at all...kinda lame. But I guess as we all know, meetings are an important and frequent thing that happens in our church because it is how we receive and direct the counsel given to us from our Heavenly Father.

Did switchoff's with the sisters from Lampang!

This week I did a lot of studying on the Priesthood, and how every calling is a priesthood calling since we are all set apart by priesthood power! So in our training from President Senior, we learned a lot about our role and responsibility to take care of our investigators and recent converts, which includes keeping and maintaining our records of them. Because without records, these people cannot progress because the ward and missionaries do not know who they are to be looking after and how they can best assist their needs. It's something our mission has greatly been struggling, so I know that this training was inspiration from the Lord to help us all repent and get back on the right track and do all that we can to help our members and investigators! And as we know...18,19-20 year-olds, are not always the best organized, so it was a very good call to repentance for our missionaries here in Thailand I believe. :)

I hope I have more fun things to report to you guys next week! Sorry this is such a lame email!!

Love and miss you!

Ever upwards,

Sister Lam

Got to hold a porcupine :)

The Final Transfer!

Picking some mangoes from the church's mango tree ;)

I can't believe it's finally come down to my last transfer! It's ridiculous. But Heavenly Father has truly blessed me and has sent me to the place that EVERYONE always talks about when they talk about Thailand: เชียงให่ม (Chiang Mai). Yup, I've finally made it to the North!!! So far my mission has just been Bangkok and the Esan, but I'm officially in a completely new place where they speak a completely different dialect of Thai....haha yup, but luckily I think I've caught onto Northern way faster than I caught onto Esan. And on top of that I have an amazing new companion: Sister Remington. Funny story, she and Sister Brown (my companion before Sister Belnap) were both actually trained by Sister Ellis, and I am once again follow-up training! haha, yup following up both of Sister Ellis's "children." :) And so far so good!!! Turns out that she and I are pretty much the same person, so it's been a fun week together thus far. Oh, and she's from Canada! So that's cool haha.

Me and my new and last companion Sister Remington!!!!

Goodbye dinner in บางแค (BangKhae)

Well what to say, what to say...the North has been quite a culture shock that's for sure. We take care of 2 branches here, which means 6 hours of straight church EVERY Sunday. And I mean I know that I basically live, breathe and eat the gospel here everyday as a missionary, but 6 hours of straight meetings was quite the doozy. Not to mention how Chiang Mai is like one of the top 5 tourist travel spots in the world, so we get a LOT of tourists coming in and out of our branch every Sunday, which means we get to translate for 6 hours :) haha, yup definitely challenging, but it's testing my language, which is good I guess since I feel like I've just been getting too comfortable and complacent with my language skills. AND because there are so many tourists...there are just tall white people EVERYWHERE we go....so that's definitely been different. Usually in other areas missionaries avoid the white people cuz they are not usually very friendly. And I mean I know I served in International awhile back, but I feel like the majority of the people I taught were still not white...so it's like Heavenly Father is trying to prepare me for all the tall white people that await me back home haha. That wasn't supposed to sound trunky...

Turns out Chiang Mai has a lot of white hippies everywhere...this man we came across at the park by our house....just chillin in his short shorts playing the flute for everyone...#classy

I definitely miss Sister Belnap (my child!!!) and all of my RCs (recent converts) back in BangKhae, but I know that the Lord has a work for me and Sister Remington to do here in Chiang Mai together. We've already started to see miracles with random new investigators asking US if they can learn the gospel, and different members have started to open up about their families and inviting us to teach their nonmember family members!!!! These last few weeks I'm really really trying to just challenge myself at every corner and trying to make myself the best missionary I can be, that the Lord NEEDS me to be right now. And I know that we will see the miracles through our faith and service!

Ever upwards,

Sister Lam

Transfers again!!!!....My last one :(

Well, the call hasn't come in quite yet, but today we find out who will be staying here in Bangkhae and who will be moving :( And seeing as I only have 1 last transfer, I would LOVE to stay and finish out my mission here in Bangkhae. But as always, I am trying to wait patiently to see what the Lord will have in store for me. My companion is funny and keeps saying that I'm bound for some sort of trial this last transfer because everything I didn't want to do on my mission (every role of responsibility I didn't want) has been thrown at me: house leader, STL and trainer. etc....don't know what my last trial will be...but hopefully it wont be too bad right? I mean all of those other things turned out to be pretty good....

Went to this historic site called the "death railroad" from World War II which was to send supplies through Burma to Thailand...lots of people died....

Ok just got the call actually...turns out i'm moving....yup....my last 6 weeks will be in a new area :( well I'm sad to be leaving...but I know it's because the Lord has work for me to do wherever I will be called to serve. So I guess this time next week I'll be emailing you from a new area!!!!

We went to some awesome waterfalls!!!!

This week was a little harder cuz we didn't see the success we saw last week, but it was still fun! We got to trek out to our RC Brother จ้า's (Jaa) house in the middle of nowhere!!! Turns out he and his family own a shrimp farm. So it was way cool to see him at home and with his family...not to mention meet his family and shed some light on what their son has been doing with us at church these past 5 months :) They seemed pleased as long as he is learning how to be a better person. The cool part was sharing with them the doctrine of the family. Hopefully they'll take us up on our offer of coming to church with us! They couldn't come yesterday because Jaa's older sister was getting married, but I have faith that they'll come eventually and receive the blessings of being an eternal family!!!!

Me and my companion :)

We went to visit our RC at his house in the middle of nowhere! He and his family own a shrimp farm!

Until next week!

Sister Lam

Short and Sweet!

I found a tiny mango!

Sorry but I have to keep my email short and sweet this week! But on a happy note, 2 of our investigators got baptized on Sunday!!! We were struggling ALL week to get balanced key indicators, and Sunday just was a huge miracle of faith. We not only got to see our 2 investigators enter the waters of baptism, but we also had 10 new investigators at church and committed 2 of them to baptism that day!!! Such an amazing day. It is just more and more of a testimony that prayer works if we have the faith!!!!

So about our 2 investigators who were baptized: Sister จอย (Joy) and หญิง (Ying). Sister Ying is actually the younger sister to one of our recent converts Sister แสงแก้ว (Sanggaaw). So we've had the opportunity to teach them together for the past few weeks. And both of them are super good friends with Sister Joy :) So Joy and Ying decided that they wanted to be baptized together this past Sunday, and it was such a happy day! These 2 women were soooooo warmly welcomed by the branch, and I know that they felt the spirit. As Sister Joy entered the font, she had tears streaming down her face because of how strongly the spirit testified of God's love for her. She bore a beautiful testimony of the power and healing that comes from repentance :) And sweet sweet Sister Ying said she felt like she was flying when she came up out of the water. She's never felt so light in her life. And isn't that exactly what repentance helps us do? It helps lift those heavy burdens that lay on our shoulders, and we can give them up to the Lord who has already paid the price for those burdens FOR us. Yup, I beamed all day!!!!

BAPTISMS! Our investigators love funny faces, so I thought I'd throw a few in.

Well this week was just stacked with miracles! I could go on and on about them, but sadly we are short on time today! We are finally venturing out to some hidden waterfalls with some members. I'll be sure to attach some cool photos next week!

I love and miss you all EVERYDAY! I pray for your happiness, and I pray you see the Lord's hand in your life as well :)

ever upwards,

Sister Lam

I guess that's one way to make a seatbelt....

One of the Elders is related to Lord Voldemort!

Did you know the days in February directly correspond to the days in March? crazy!

I feel like it just gets harder and harder to title my emails. But the title this week is something I learned while I went on another switch-off haha, so I thought I'd share ;)

How was everyone's week??? I hope you all got to do something fun for valentine's day!!! And if all you did was eat chocolate, well that sounds like a pretty good day to me haha.

All girl FHE at Sister พา's (Paa) house for Valentine's Day ;)

This week was a crazy busy one, but in the best way. We have been struggling with getting other lessons lately (aka street contacts) and I think it is because Heavenly Father really meant it when He changed the mission focus to families. And what a change it has been!!! We were able to teach the younger sister of one of our RC's, and now she's preparing to be baptized this next Sunday along with our other investigator Sister Joy!!!! And to top that, the other day we were walking to the church, and we randomly ran into someone I'd contacted months ago!! I obviously did not remember him, but he told me I had invited him a while back while contacting at one of the nearby malls to come to church and find greater happiness in his life. Since that time, he'd gone to the church, but because he didn't call us, the church was closed. And then we randomly contacted into him again. He was so prepared, and went with us to the church that very same day, and has accepted all the teachings of the gospel so far. And the funny thing is, this guy is just a nervous wreck. He gets what I like to call "stress sweats" when he's excited or nervous...which is all the time. But it's really cute. We're way enjoying our time with him, and hopefully he'll commit to a baptismal date soon! We already know he believes it's true, it's just down to his agency to choose the right!

Me and my RC (recent convert) Sister พา (Paa) accidentally matched at church haha

This week in my studies, I was inspired to read back in the Bible :) Got some amazing emails from the Clason Clan that made me want to relive my Jerusalem days. So I was reading one of my favorite stories in John 20, when Mary Magdalene comes across the empty tomb and believes that people have stolen the body of Christ. So she runs to tell 2 of the apostles: Peter and John. I have a picture in my scriptures depicting Peter and John running to the tomb. But instead of doubt and fear in their hearts, they run to check to see if the prophecies have come true and if the Lord truly had risen again. It is my favorite story of hope, trust, and faith in the Lord. And it inspires me every time. This is the message we have been trying to portray to our members here in Thailand. There is HOPE that they and their families can be together forever and because Christ rose again, we too will all rise again and be like Him. Like this story inspires me, we have been trying our best to visit with these families and help ignite that fire in them, that spirit of Elijah.

"When you are wiling to listen and learn, some of life's most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you...How much better your life will be if you will follow the noble example of the faithful followers of Christ." (M.Russell Ballard)

I know this to be true. We have amazing examples set before us from prophets and apostles that we get to read about in the scriptures, like Peter and John. But the greatest example of faith is that of our Savior Jesus Christ, who through His faith, fulfilled the great Atonement so that we all could return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again. I encourage you all to spread that hope and love to all you come in contact with. It is through YOUR example that they will WANT what we have. And we will have the blessings of helping them come unto the fold!

Love you all!! until next time!

Sister Lam

The ridiculous things Thai people do: tightrope walking on powerlines...

Love is in the Air....aka the Love of God!!!!! ;)

Been such a busy week!!! Pretty much, me and Sister Belnap haven't been in our area at ALL because of Leadership training, which means that me and the zone leaders get to go around to all of the districts in our zone to train them on the training that President Senior gave us...so with all the traveling, it's been a really long week. Good news is though, that we still saw miracles for the 2 days we were actually in our area haha.

One of them included this sweet lady named อ้อ (Aaw) who we contacted at the mall. After we had gotten her number and info, she proceeds to say..."well are you free now? cuz I have some time, and I'd love to go to the church right now to learn!" Yup, sooooo amazing right?!?!?!?! It's like what every missionary wants to hear...but hears pretty rarely. So we literally just take her from the mall, hop onto a สองแทว (which is like a truck bus sorta thing) and bring her to the church to teach her! And boy was she prepared. So in our training with President, he focused a lot on testifying from the scriptures. So throughout my mission, I've collected a lot of favorite scriptures that have personal significance for me. And we did this activity where we didn't try to connect a gospel principle to a scripture or anything, but where we just shared and testified from our hearts over scriptures that had personal meaning for us. So that is exactly what I did in her lesson. I shared Moroni 7:48, and the spirit was so strong. This investigator started bawling, and right then and there committed to a baptismal date!!!!! 

Us with our miracle lesson Sister อ้อ

Funny part is though that after we taught her, we found out that she actually lives in one of my old Bangkok areas, Bangkapi. So we had to pass her on to the Sister missionaries there. But it's ok cuz we still got to take part in her salvation and she's still going to be baptized!!!!!!

And because it's the week of love this week, I thought I'd share some of my favorite things from a talk given by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin all on the greatest commandment. He said: "Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of Love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life. True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us...We see ourselves in terms of yesterdays and todays [but] our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of Forever."

I know this is true. Our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us so much, and all He asks is that we give a little back and love our neighbor in return. It is these small acts of kindness that truly transform our character. "It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities."

Our mission here in Thailand is striving to create eternal families and I know that this is God's work and plan for all of us. I feel so blessed to know that I have one, and I know it is our duty to help others create eternal families as well. Share what we have been so lucky to receive with the world: the Love of the Savior :)