AHHHH I'm seriously just a mess with emotions this week! But thank you ALL for sending me amazing birthday wishes :) It was very much appreciated! I'm so lucky to have so many people who love and support what I am doing here in Thailand!
Early birthday celebration selfie!
In other news, sorry that I'm emailing a day later than usual! I totally forgot to tell you all that we had a huge tri-district conference this weekend, so our pday got moved. But the conference was amazing, and we had all of the branches/wards and missionaries from the Issan area came together in KhonKaen to meet with Elder Gerritt Gong of the Quorum of the 70. He announced that we would be changing the districts around. Instead of having 3 districts in the Issan, he combined the KhonKaen district (the one that I'm in) with the Ubon District (aka my first area), this way we can prepare to have 2 more stakes in Thailand by next year! So it was all very fun an exciting, not to mention how I got to see all of my members from my greeny area!!!!!! It was seriously just the spiritual boost that me and my companions all needed.
Tri-district conference (the RS ladies in our ward tackled us and forced these traditional Thai skirts on us...yup it's like the tightest thing I've worn in over a year...couldn't breath really well cuz I was busy suckin in my huge gut!)
Reunited with 2 of my favorite Ubon members! Sister จ๋า (Jaa on the left who got her mission call to NY) and Sister Shampoo!!!!
We also had the amazing opportunity to have an all missionary sacrament meeting with Elder Gong and of course President and Sister Senior. It was the first time in a very long time that some of these Elders got to bless and break the sacrament. It was just way cool to see the excitement in their eyes to perform this ordinance. And during this special sacrament meeting, we focused a ton on the actual meaning of the Atonement. I think a lot of the times as missionaries, we lose the actual focus of the sacrament because we get caught up with making sure our investigators are taken care of, that our members are happy, or we're worried about lessons, etc. And Elder Gong asked us 2 very important questions: How do we remember the Savior? How can we better testify of Him?
And I asked myself those questions. During the sacrament...are we really trying to remember the Savior, or are our minds focused on other things? Would I remember Him differently if I could literally FEEL the prints in His hands and sides and feet? And it just reminds me that even though I haven't felt the prints in his hands and feet, that still does not change the fact that I know what He did for me.
The purpose of the Atonement is to correct or overcome the consequences of sin. However, it is CONDITIONAL so far as each person has faith in Jesus Christ, repents of his sins, and obeys the gospel. And as we do this, I love the way Elder Ballard describes it saying, "you will feel the wounds of the spirit being healed, and the load being lifted. Comfort and happiness come to the soul that is worthy and truly desirous of partaking of this spiritual food...our wounded souls can be healed and renewed not only because the bread and the water remind us of the Savior's sacrifice of his flesh and blood but because the emblems also remind us that He will always be our "bread of life" and "living water."
I am so very grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Without it, I do now know where I would be. I know that because of Him, I can be truly cleansed from my sins EVERY time I partake of His sacrament. Though we do not all have the opportunity to walk WHERE the Savior walked, we do have the choice as to whether or not we will try and walk AS the Savior walked. Let us all try and make our focus on the Atonement when we partake of the sacrament and not let other distractions (though honorable they might be) stand in our way of truly coming unto the Savior and forsaking our sins.
I love you all!!! Thank you for everything and making this birthday a special one :) man....i'm getting old. haha
love,
Sister Lam
Member made us dinner :)
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