Baptism! Week #20

Another great week in Bang Khen! I will start with the big news of the week. Our cute investigator Connae got baptized! We have been teaching her for about a month now. And for the past couple weeks we weren't sure why she wasn't taking a baptismal date. She had a testimony and had friends at church. Then we found out she was praying and asking a personal question that she was waiting for an answer to. Well this week she got her answer and came to the appointment wanting to surprise us. She told us she got an answer and wanted to be baptized that Sunday! So we got everything ready and what a great service it was! The Elders had two of their investigators get baptized too. So we had a contact, a referral, and an English referral baptism yesterday!

There is this cute old lady who is an RC of the Elders. They have the funniest stories about her. Her name is Sister nit. When they taught her the word of wisdom they asked if she understood and her reply was drink water. Ha ha But when they announced the baptism in relief society she asked "baptism, whats that? Oh shower." And we said no baptism. And she was like what does that translate to? So I told her washing sins. And she was like oh I understand. Ha ha During book of mormon class she gave Elder Curtis a fist bump and asked what does this translate to? Hello? Ha ha She is just so funny and so cute!

Last week we got to watch conference! I haven't had a chance to write since then. It was so good though! Conference as a missionary is great because you are spiritually prepared for what they say. People always say if you go to conference with a question it will be answered. Well it is true! I didn't even realize what my question was but it was something I talked to Sister Her about earlier that week. I hope everyone had a chance to get their questions answered. Or at least learn something new and get more direction in their lives. I loved Jorg Klebingat's talk. It really makes you evaluate where you are with everything. I love it because it explains the how so well and not just the what. Sometimes I feel like things are hard in the church because you know where you need to be but you don't always know how to get there. I feel like he plainly explained how to get where you want to be. It was really good. I just can't wait to get the conference ensign and have a chance to read all of the talks over again! 

Conference is the one day that missionaries are supposed to be able to kind of just take a moment for themselves. Not this time. Ha ha. The church has only one remote. So we would have to wait and time when we would start around the members. Then they decided to lock the remote in the bishops office and leave before we had a chance to watch the second session because we had to teach investigators! So the Elders had to take a bus and meet a member who had keys to the office so that we could get the remote! It was so chaotic. And then Sunday session, we had a baptism in between. So people were eating instead of coming to the baptism. And then they started their session and they moved everything out of the room we were watching conference in. And it was chaotic again! Ha ha Conference changed from a four hour event both days to a nearly all day event that we barely finished in time before needing to go home. So much for the legend that it is the day the missionaries can kind of take for themselves. Ha ha

As usual, we just spend our days contacting and teaching. The weeks go by way fast! Its crazy! So much happens and by the end of the week I don't really know what to say. Ha ha

When we taught English this week we taught about the weather. This was the scripture we shared with the spiritual thought. Helaman 5:12

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

When we focus our life around the Savior we can have strength in everything we do. No matter how big or small a decision is, it should be made with Christ in mind. Rely on Him and He will give you the strength to endure all things.

I hope you have all had a great week! Love you all!

-Sister Nethercott

Quick note to us answering some questions we asked:

Nothing is really new. No there weren't more floods this week. (We asked the difference between splits and switch-offs) We called them splits in the MTC... I am not really sure when that changed. I think we still call it splits for the Elders... Its a switch off when you switch areas, a split when you just switch comps for a bit. I think thats right. The sisters have Sister training leaders. They are kind of like Zone leaders for sisters. Each zone has one. That is who we go on splits with is that companionship. I heard that started when they switched the age. The taxi ride with good traffic is about a half hour. The taxi ride in the rain is over an hour. Ha ha it just depends on traffic. But it isn't too far at all. Because I am in Bangkok. Out in the Issan sometimes they are multiple hours away.

Did you see meet the mormons? Kaori got to and she said it was really good. I really want to see it now! Ha ha hopefully when it is on dvd or something we will be able to see it here? Hopefully! 

I eat patpomgarimugrab (Does anyone know what this is???) nearly every day. I guess president is addicted to it too. He brought it up during my interview with him last week. Ha ha we bonded over our love of good food. 

In hasn't got permission to be baptized. I guess she has chinese ancestry and her parents are like no you have to wai your dead grandparents and things like that. So we told her to keep asking. She is still out of town with her parents. She is getting back this week so hopefully we can help her get permission somehow. Its been hard trying to meet up with and find new investigators this week. It has been testing for the past couple weeks but starting next week I think testing will be over and people will have a little more time in their schedule and won't just say I can't go to church I am testing. (Brecklyn lives near a University so there a lot of students around.)

I hope that answered all of your questons! Good luck and have fun packing! I want to see pictures of your rings when they are all done. (we're having our wedding rings re-sized and slightly changed)  :) Sorry if I missed any questions. If I did, ask again. :) Ha ha Love you guys!

with my companion Sister Her

It rains all of the time! I kinda like it though... It means its not so hot! This is on the campus of the college down the street... It is way cute! It has these cute little buses driving around everywhere. And then a regular bus... That was blasting music like a dance party... Ha ha

For some reason this street we turned down reminded me of the dharma initiative or whatever it is called from Lost.

This is what the sidewalks look like around here. They are taken over by clothes and food and so many things that people sell there is barely ever space to walk. And then it is Bangkok so there are lots of people. And then you hold up traffic because you are supposed to contact everyone... Ha ha

Our cute investigator that got baptized yesterday! 

We were helping the ward set up for the talent show this week. I need to get an after picture... It is pretty cool!

 

And this back pack... I want to get a white tiger one. I've seen people with one but I don't know where they sell them. They are hilarious! Ha ha

Getting ready to watch conference

This is Sister Nit when it was raining.... Ha ha

Eating for FHE

something Loyed wrote and showed us during English
(If you remember, Loyed kind of has a thing for the sisters and usually brings some sort of treat for her to English class)