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 :)

What it's February already?!?!?!?!??!

3 of my 4 mission "children" or as I like to call them "my lambs" :) haha

This poor bear must be dying in the Thailand heat :(

This week...was a tad harder...because we didn't have too many appointments, which meant we had a lot of time to go contacting. Up until Saturday, we were pretty beat down from the constant rejection. So we thought we'd call up our Elders Quorum president to see if he could take us around and visit some less-actives or some members that needed to be served a little more. Such a good experience!!!!! And then, Sunday rolled around...and no one came to church....soooo sooo sad. We luckily had a few late stragglers who showed up, but they sadly all had to go after first hour. So ya, at this point, we're tired, we're hungry cuz we'd been fasting, and we have no one to teach...so we're getting ready to pack up and go out contacting again, when all of a sudden one of our RC's who hadn't come to church and an investigator called us!!! They both wanted to learn with us that very day! So our investigator เกรนด้า showed up first, but guess what...he also brought a friend!!!! So we got an amazing referral who was way pumped about the gospel and reading from the Book of Mormon. Miracle number 1! And then we went to our recent convert แสแก้ว's house, and she surprised us by having us teach her younger sister AND one of our investigators who we'd already been teaching. I guess they hit it off a little while ago, and so she created a perfect teaching situation for us, where we got to teach her, our investigator จอย and a new investigator, her sister ญิง. Miracle number 2!!!

And these experiences just stressed the importance of member referral work. When we teach friends or family members of our members, these people have an automatic support system already. And not only that, but our members get to have a taste of helping someone come unto Christ!!!! 

Went on switch-off's with this awesome sister, Sister Yanisa, who is actually from my old area Bangkapi!

It reminds me of the scripture in 3 Nephi 18: 32 which reads, "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them."

At first, I thought this scripture only applied to missionaries and not giving up on our investigators. But I realized that this also applies to members, especially those in part-member families. Never give up because we never know when they will open their heart and desire to repent. And when they do, WE shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them. This is why member referrals are soooo sooo crucial to our missionary efforts! It's our families and our friends that we love so dearly that we want to take part in this beautiful gospel. And when they do, we can rejoice and be uplifted together :) so NEVER GIVE UP! Keep working hard and try to be an example to everyone you meet, and the Lord will provide an opportunity for you to share the gospel with them!

Group selfie!

Love and miss you!!!

Sister Lam

Transfers Again!

Well another transfer meeting came and went, and good news, me and Sister Belnap are still together here in BangKhae!!! And I'm waaaaaay happy about it cuz it means that I get to finish her training and be her one and only "mission mom" and I get to stay and keep teaching all of our awesome investigators!!! 

Got hugged by an elephant ;)

In other news, I also got the call to be Sister Training Leader for the Bangkok West and North zones....yup...soo that's gonna be a fun adventure since the last time I was STL (the MTC) I didn't really do a whole lot. I'm sure this will be quite the growing experience. More details to come I'm sure.

In front of a "standing Buddha"

Fun at the zoo!

A member told us to pretend meditate...haha

This week we also had the amazing opportunity to have a mini fireside with Sister Gong (wife of President Gong of the Asia area presidency) for all the sisters serving in Bangkok. It was super personal and she pretty much let us lead the discussion, which was really cool and different. We focused on things that we've learned since being out here on the mission, and on how we can apply them to our lives after the mission. One thing that really stuck with me that one sister said is how that since she's been on her mission, she doesn't just LIVE the gospel, but her life has BECOME the gospel. And I just loved that. I feel like many of us live the gospel...as kind of a side-note to our lives...when in reality, the gospel is what has given us everything. Without it, we would be nothing. And for me, I just really hope that I can become like that sister and not just live the gospel...but really have my life become the gospel, where it is my main focus as opposed to just a side-note.

So with that, I give you all the same challenge! We all are capable of changing so that the gospel can be our central focus, and if it's not there, then we all have things to work towards then don't we :) When it gets hard though, as I'm positive it will, just think back on all the blessings this gospel has given you thus far in life. And when we are exactly obedient to the commandments, we can receive even more blessings! And it reminds me of the talk that President Uchtdorf gave at the Sister's meeting last conference. He said, "Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us. It is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us. His commandments are the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the umbrella so we can receive the shower of heavenly blessings."

I love you all soooo sooooo sooooooooooooooooo much and hope you can let your umbrella's down so that you can see the shower of blessings our Heavenly Father so sincerely wants to shower upon you!

love always,

Sister Lam

Thailand is really really beautiful.

Transfers again...

Another transfer has come and gone already, and it's blowing my mind!!!!!! Well me and Sister Belnap made it through half of her training together, so I'm praying that we can stay together so that I can finish it and be her one and only mission "mom" :)

Me and Sister Belnap :) we realized we never really take pictures together.

This week was actually really good!! We taught a ton of first lessons and got some good people in our investigator pool all who are pretty excited about baptism! One of them is Brother อึง who has been just such a miracle!! After receiving a priesthood blessing last week, he's been able to quit smoking cold turkey!!!! He was actually supposed to be baptized yesterday, but because of some family setbacks, we have to move his baptismal date. But it's ok!!! We're not losing faith! We just know that because he is trying to make good choices, Satan, the adversary, is gonna try even harder to detour him. But we know that God will prepare the way for him to be baptized just like He did for him to stop smoking! I just hope and pray that I don't move so that I can be here for all of these amazing people!!!!! The work is soooo good here in บางแค, and it kills me to think about the fact that I could leave this amazing area!!!!!! But as always, you'll hear from me in next week's email about whether or not I've moved....but pray that I don't!

Our beautiful church building here in บางเเค

What we live next too...fun

Another miracle person we met this past week is Sister ซังซัง, who was actually a referral!! We contacted her mom at the mall the other week, who at first said no...and then she found us later and asked what our church could do to help her family, in particular her daughter. ซังซัง is this cute adorably awkward 23 year-old, who struggles with depression. But boy, was she ready and prepared for the gospel. After one Sunday, she committed herself to learn more, and this past week she accepted a baptismal date for next month!!! I know that she believes this gospel can make the difference in her life, and so do I. I've seen it change people, both inside and out, and I know that I've already started to see the change the gospel is making in her life :) The church is true!!!!

FHE at Brother โอ๊ต's house!!

I love you all and pray for you everyday!!! Every member a missionary!! Keep looking for opportunities to serve and I know that God will bless you all with opportunities to share the gospel as well :)

Love always,

Sister Lam

The Refiner's Fire

My new boyfriend ;)

So this week has been quite the doozy! I had the awesome opportunity to do a switch-off back in my old area Asoke!!! And while I was there, my "child" Sister Belnap was with Sister Beuchter...also another greeny...Yup..we made them do a greeny switch-off, but honestly, Sister Belnap is waaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond her mission age. She has been such a blessing because yes, she really is talented in both the language and her teaching abilities. So i was not even worried for a second when Sister Peterson asked if Sister Belnap was up to a greeny switch-off for her first switch-off. I knew she was up for the challenge, and they didn't die!!!! :) so i call that a success :) And it was such a blessing for me to return to my old area!!! I never quite realized the impact that those members and converts in Asoke had on my life! It was fun to see some old faces and lots of new faces that have come into the church since I served there! Just a testament to me of how fast the work is moving here in Thailand!

Got to do a switch-off back in my old area Asoke!!!!!

This week has been so great though! We taught a lesson with President ทิพ (Tip), our Branch President, and he just really really helped our investigator Brother อึง (Ung) who has been struggling lately....specifically with smoking, his family accepting the change in his life, and he wasn't sure if he could take every Sunday off from work. But President was just such a boss and brought in the 10 commandments, tithing, basically everything we taught that day, and pointed to how all of these things were for the benefit of his family, to help build them up and strengthen them as a family unit! It was so cool! Brother อึง  then committed to coming to church every Sunday AND to quit smoking cold turkey right then and there! He asked for a Priesthood blessing, and he has been using so much faith since we first met with him!!! And so far so good, he hasn't smoked since that lesson!!! :) and I know it's because he knows that he has a Savior always there beside him to help lift him up when he feels like he can't go any farther! Such a cool lesson. AND, he has a date for baptism THIS SUNDAY!!!!! So everyone pray really hard that the spirit works within him all the time so that he can combat the adversary's attempt to derail him! I know that with faith, Brother อึง will be baptized this week, which will open the door for his wife and son to be baptized as well!!! The church is so true!!!

Learned how to make kimbap...yup...Korean food...woops. Sorry family! I'll learn how to make Thai food eventually!

Not much to do on p-days lately...so we go bowling....and i still stink at it :(

For my spiritual thought this week, I want to talk about the refiner's fire. While I was back in Asoke this week, I met a really really interesting recent convert. His name is Mickey, and he was actually baptized in L.A.! He was baptized this past September, and a few days after his baptism...he really faced the refiner's fire. So a little background on this guy: He got his undergraduate degree from Stanford, and went on to do law school at Harvard...yaaa....he's a genius this guy. Then after working for a bigwig law firm for a while, he realized this was not helping him become the person he truly knew he had the potential to become...So he quit his job to do some soul searching, which led him to travel the world, including Thailand, where he met his wife. And he started this health center business back in LA and in Thailand. So one day while he was home in LA he was doing yoga, and he fell asleep in a position that cut off blood circulation to the bottom half of his legs to the point where he passed out. Hours later, his friends found him unconscious at home in this yoga position, and he woke up in the hospital, paralyzed from the legs down....But never, and I mean NEVER has this man lost hope. Slowly but surely he is regaining nerve function again in his legs, but as a result of that freak accident, in one of his legs he had to get the majority of his calf muscle surgically removed and so walking will never be quite as easy....ya....but seriously, this guy is such a powerhouse! He told us that he KNEW the adversary would try to tare him down after he was baptized, and boy was he right. But he has never given up hope or lost faith. Weeks later after being released from the hospital, Mickey was able to receive the gift of the holy ghost, and has found the church here in Thailand now! 

"The refiner's fire is real, and qualities of character and righteousness that are forged in the furnace of affliction perfect and purify us and prepare us to meet God." (Elder Quentin L. Cook) 

I know that quote is true. I know that Satan will try to do all that he can to tare us down, but with the help of the Savior, with never-ending hope and faith, those hardships can work for our gain. We can gain qualities of character and righteousness that will perfect and purify us for the day where we will stand before our maker, and He will welcome us in with open arms :)

I know this church is true and that God loves and protects His children!

Love always,

Sister Lam