This week is a big blur but we'll see what comes to me as i write haha-
Elder Slabaugh and I had a bunch of trips to the airport this week. I think it was tuesday we took my favorite little thai man in the world over to the airport at 3am. He is now serving a mission in Ogden, Utah and he is just gonna tear it up. He is such an awesome example of a disciple of Christ. His name is Elder Sangsuwan, the one who stayed with us last transfer and did a little mini-mission here in thailand for a month and a half. He's from Phuket and is just the coolest dude.
We also went to pick up this sister missionary who is leaving for the phillipines mission from Burma, so that is wayyy awesome as well. These 2 years/ 1 and a half years is gonna have such a big impact in these peoples lives just as it has had in mine, its so awesome to see them embarking on their own adventures.
Slabaugh and i got lost the other day coming back from the airport bc we missed the offramp, so that was another 2 hour little adventure throughout bangkok trying to make our way back home.
I think one of my favorite parts of our week has been our new investigator Justin. He is Thai but studied in Tennesse for a couple years, and is actually about to head back. But when he was there he was introduced to christianity by friends he met, and after having too many "coincidences" that seemed like they could have been God's influence in his life, he came to study the bible more closely, and eventually became christian, after his whole life of being a very strong buddhist. So we meet him at our english class last week, and he came to us and basically said, "while i was in america some of my christian friends i remember talked so awfully about the mormon religion and called it a cult, not christian and etc.etc.etc. but being here it doesn't seem like most of what they said is true." and then he was like "i've heard one side of the coin, but i want to meet with you guys so i can see the other side." So we set up an appointment to meet him the next day, and it was super exciting to get back into the bible in my studies that morning to prep for our lesson with him. He came with an article his friend had sent him that was called like "10 ways mormon doctrine reject the bible" or something like that. it amazes me all the junk on the internet about mormons- but to make a long story short, we went through point by point with him. By the end of our discussion he realized that he couldn't just find his answer of whether this is all true or not just by searching online. I told him shortly of John Tanner's experience, and sent him the links for some super solid videos, like the Joseph Smith video, to balance out all the crazy anti-mormon lit. he's got, and invited him to study it out for himself, read the bible side by side with the book of mormon and learn the truth of it for himself. he is a way awesome dude and we meet with him one more time before he heads back to tenesse next week. The book of mormon is so true man-
I love something my nepal RC, brother sanjeeb, said last night. After he read 3 nephi 12, and we went over it all with him, he just paused for a second, held up the book of mormon, and said "i love this book... this book has everything and anything we need in this life- this book teaches me how to be a good man". Becoming a good man was one of the first things he shared with us when we started meeting with him weeks ago, and it is so awesome seeing how happy his mom and grandma are (who don't speak english or thai) as they see there son/grandson change his life from what it was to what it is and will be. His mom has plans to get baptized this month- his grandma loves church and all its teachings but we are still working on her. Teaching them is a way special experience- as we rely on brother Jok or Sanjeeb to translate, but it's interesting how strong the spirit can still be in lessons. I decided to start picking up a little Napalese to better guide them in their journey back to their Father.
My pride and joy, brother PJ, is continuing to be a boss- but he has a big swim tournament this week so we haven't had much time to meet with him. But there is not too many better feelings as a missionary then when you follow up with investigators how their keeping of the commandments is going, and they say, "dude... i've thrown all that stuff away, i promised i would change". This kid has so much drive and has grown so much faith in His savior in these last weeks.
Oh another wayyyy cool experience where God's hand was so evident this week. Our investigator sister nuk brought her friend to church the other week, and that day i thought her friend, blaew, was just interested in elder, not jesus, as she was videoing me while i talked with nuk haha. But this last week while i was actually on switch offs, slabaugh had met with both these two, had a solid lesson, and at the end asked blaew to say the closing prayer. typically, actually always with people we haven't taught before they are hesitant to pray, but slabuagh told me that she just like immediately folded her arms, bowed her head, and started praying- and gave a beautiful prayer. Afterwards Slabaugh asked her where she learned to pray, and blaew said that nuk had taught her. And that she already has a testimony that prayer is real. She said that last week after nuk had taught her about prayer, she tried it out that night- and had specifically prayed for God to prepare a way to get in contact with her brother that she hasn't seen or talked to in years. Then blaew says that 5 minutes after she had prayed, her brother had sent her a message on facebook. They now are both planning to follow their Savior, Jesus Christ into the waters of baptism this week or next. Nuk is still a little scared to tell her parents that she wants to be christian, but she said she is more scared of the water hahaha.
Switch-offs this week in Bangkhae, west bangkok was fun with Elder Sukhan. It was cool inviting, teaching, and serving in a new area, but it felt good to be back in Asoke. When i was leaving Phitsanulok about 2 months ago- i remember thinking that no where else was gonna feel like home like Phitsanulok did, but Asoke has definitely taken that title of Home. I love it here so much. That also reminds me of Brother Renny, this super amazing dude from Kenya that we have been teaching, becuase he had mentioned how important it is not just to have your house be a house, but we need to make our house be a home. And that home of love and peace is established on the teaching of Jesus Christ. A way funny lesson with Renny, as he invited one of his friends that is a preacher here in thailand to join us in our lesson. And it was wayyyyy funny haha his friend was the stereotypical black preacher you would think of, in his prayers, and really just whenever he talked. His friend testified way intense of how Renny needs to be baptized in order to have the holy ghost with him haha, it was wayyyy intense, but what made it the whole lesson was at the end his preacher friend said- "when i was baptized as a kid...THEY DID IT WRONG! they just threw some water on my head! so i am walking WITH the spirit, but not IN the spirit Renny! We need to be IN the spirit! we need to be baptized HERE, in THIS church, and you know what?! I'm gonna get baptized with you! (all in his Kenyan accent)" hahahahah it was way funny but at the same time super awesome, and so we are looking forward to that on next sunday.
We had a big Bangkok sports day this morning so thats why im late writing today.
Thailand is the coolest place ever- oh yeah one funny thing that happened a couple days ago- i got a text from another missionary that said some americans had called and want missionaries to come give them a blessing in the hospital, here in bangkok. so i give them a call and apparently the girl that was sick, or her friend, knows megan somehow. i didnt end up going becuase i had to run that young english class and meet with some investigators if you nawwwmsayin- but i sent slabuagh and arne hahah and apparently it was pretty funny because it was elder slabaughs first time giving a blessing in english and apparently the girls were pretty good looking so he was getting a bit nervous haha.
Well, God lives and love us. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and the church is true. The Book of Mormon is full of truth and light, and will bring us closer to our God, and ultimately, by living it's teachings, we will return with him again with our whole family- what a great reward!
I love you my friends- share the Gospel
Elder Chamberlin
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