And the rains came tumbling down! Week #44

Hello everyone! As always, another great week here in Thailand. I love this country so much! And there is nothing better than being a missionary.

This week flew by and yet, the beginning of the week feels like forever ago!

So last Monday night we had a Bangkok missionary family home evening to start out zone conference. We got to watch Meet the Mormans! That was fun. We even got popcorn. :) Then the next day was zone conference. I love zone conference. It is so insightful. Sister Senior made this really good comparison between missionary work and the story of David and Goliath. She talked about being prepared. President talked about the doctrine of Christ. So it was a good conference. And then it started pouring rain in the middle. I don't know why, but it is so loud in the chapel when it rains! When the conference was over and we left, the streets were flooded. The traffic was so bad! We thought we would have a little time between zone conference and teaching English but that did not happen. Ha ha

Later in the week we had a miracle happen. Her name is Nay Nay. I don't even know how to begin with this story. Lets just say she called, knew pretty much everything about the gospel (she had downloaded the pamphlets on her ipad) and asked how soon she could get baptized. I have never seen someone understand the gospel as well as her before getting baptized. She is amazing! I guess she has come to church about 5 years ago but the timing wasn't right. But now the timing couldn't have been better because everything went so smooth and perfect and she was baptized on Sunday! She already wants to share the gospel with her family. I guess they live in Japan about 30 minutes away from Tokyo. The missionaries there have tried giving them pass along cards and inviting them to church. She says they aren't interested yet because they are some other kind of religion that has idols (I don't really know). Anyway though, she is just perfect.

This Sunday Elder Kotakom (Sorry I really have no idea how to spell that) from the 70 came to church here in Bang Khae. He gave some instruction on how to work with the branch better and how to help prepare to become a ward. They are really trying to get a Bangkok west stake soon. That means we need to get five wards from the 0 wards we are currently at. But the church is growing here so we just have to keep working hard and before we know it, there will be 5 wards! 

Today I want to share the initiative the church is trying to promote for Easter. We are trying to bring others closer to Christ. 

http://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_FR_3-27-2015_dMIS_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

Ok I don't know if this is copy and pasteable or what, but I want to invite everyone to watch the video Because He Lives

I want to share my personal testimony that I know Jesus Christ lives. That he did take upon himself our sins. That He is always there for us, all we have to do is turn to Him. Take the time to be closer to Christ this week as Easter is on its way. Reflect on what His resurrection means to you personally.

I love you all! Have a good week!

-Sister Nethercott

So we had zone conference this week in Asoke. It rained...

 Trying to catch a taxi.

 Some random pictures of the area.

 We invited through this market the other day... yum?

 I have the most Christlike companion in the world! She is such a good example.

This is me, inside the mall. One of the birds decided to try and escape the other day. It went screaching and flying through the whole mall. Then we saw one of the workers carrying it back while it was just biting his arm!

 Our miracle baptism this week! Sister Nay Nay.

 Our ZL looks like Joseph smith. Ha ha

 District Picture

The work is moving forward Week #43

Hello everyone! Its been another great week here in Bang Khae.

I am not even sure what has happened this week. Ha ha it has gone by so fast. I guess I will start with last p-day. The Elders had plans to go to Asoke and get their custom made suits. Well it kind of sounded fun and even though sisters don't wear suits, we tagged along too. What an experience. One of the Elders has their cloth guy and the other Elder has their suit guy. So we started out in this big market that is definitely not a safe place to be a fire starts. We winded through all these little shops and up this skinny staircase and found the fabric guy. After looking through all the fabrics and helping the Elders out with some fashion tips we headed over to the suit guy. The suit guy has this little sweat shop kind of place. But don't worry, everyone who works there was really happy. And it is better working there than begging for money on the bridges. So the way that Elder Weaver found this suit guy is a pretty good story. He was at the store where most of the Elders get their suits made. As the tailor was walking out he followed him. After talking for a minute he got his number and then asked where his address was. I guess right then some very tall man in a turban walked out of the business and the tailor went pale and rode off on his scooter. So Elder Weaver called him and got the address of where the actual work is done. He cut out the middle man. Now they can get their suits for even cheaper. So we headed to the sewing sweat shop and the elders got measured and explained what kind of suits they wanted. After that, we stopped by the water gate market for a second and then headed  home. So yeah, I wasn't too involved in last p-day but it was so cool. It was fun being part of the Elders underground suit work.

This week was fun. We taught some of our progressing investigators. I really like them! I am excited for them and their continuing growth. But best of all, Sang Sang got baptized! Sister Belnap had contacted her mom at the mall last transfer. Her mom kind of just laughed and said no. Then two minutes later she walked back and asked, "can this help my daughter?" That next Sunday she brought her daughter Sang Sang to church. She then came to church consistently. Sister Belnap had told me a little about her. So when I met her my first Sunday here I asked her, "So are you getting baptized this next week or the week after?" And she said, "the week after will be better." Sister Belnap got way excited. And well yesterday she was baptized! Unfortunately her mom isn't quite interested. She wants this to be her daughters thing. But we will try and work on that. Let her know the church is about the family. Also, the Elders have been teaching this adorable family. They were baptized too! So it was a good day yesterday.

This week we also had a switch off. It was a 3 way switch off. Sister Blaylock who just came into country came here to Bang Khae with me. I thought it would be a good learning experience for her to see another area. Especially because she is serving in Asoke which is the most city you can get here. Sister Belnap went over to Asoke with Sister Peck. So with Sister Blaylock we visited some RCs, taught a family the restoration, and taught this man his first lesson and committed him to a baptismal date! It was a good day.

So yes, things are still going well here. The work is moving forward. I am excited that I am a missionary here in Thailand, Bang Khae, at this time. I know it is where I am supposed to be. This week we have zone conference. I am pretty excited for it. One of the things we had to read before in our personal studies to prepare was a talk given by Elder Holland called Missionary Work and the Atonement. It is one of my favorite talks! So reading it again was great. But one of the things that it talks about is why things aren't always easy. It mostly focuses on why missionary work isn't always easy, but it can be applied to anything in life. He says, "I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?" Life will give us trials. It will have hardships. It will offer difficult choices. But that is how we are going to learn and grow. That is how we are going to become more like our savior. Salvation isn't cheap. That is why we must be willing to pray the price and do what is right, even through the hard things. Salvation, eternal life, and never ending joy will taste so much sweater if we pay the cost to receive it.

I hope you all had an awesome week! Love you!

-Sister Nethercott

Baptism! Yay! Also eternal families! The husband/father of this family has passed away. Now they can go his temple work and prepared to be sealed for eternity to live together forever!

 This is part of the p-day adventure. The fabric store...? Ha ha

 Where the "suit guy" works

 District papaya salad eating. 

 All the elders (minus one who was behind me)

 The mall! Its this weird mix between classy and tacky. Ha ha it also kind of reminded me of the mayan or the embassy suits hotel we stayed at when I was little. But it has a waterfall a river and cool tropical birds.

 This is the street I live one. There is this kind of jungle patch full of trash. I get here and Sister Belnap tells me the randomest things happen there. The very next day this man has this desk and chair there and he is carving these idols. Now they are making so bigger one. Ha ha it is very random.

Build your house upon a rock! Week #42

Hello everyone!

Its been a busy week here in Bang Khae. I forgot how much more of a fast paste life it is here in Bangkok. I also forgot what it was like to be in a functioning branch. Ha ha

This week we had MLC. Which is Missionary Leadership Council. We all travel to Asoke and meet with President. The best part was, they fed us! We had pancakes for breakfast and tacos for lunch. I can't even remember the last time I ate a taco. I think some time in America.  Ha ha I am also grateful I live in Bangkok right now. The leaders in Chang Mai have to travel about 12 hours in order to come to the meeting. And they had just made the trip for transfer meeting. Thats gotta be rough. With traffic though, its still about a 2 hour drive to get there. 

Later this week, we then took what training we got from president to the other districts in our zone. We met up in Tonburi. Its kind of weird being on the other side of the training. Not too different though. Its fun going around because you get to see all the missionaries in the zone but there also isn't really any time to talk to people. You just go, have the meeting and then leave to get to the next meeting.

This week we had an activity at our church for the relief society in the Bangkok west district. It was pretty special. The senior couple sisters all prepared a lesson and we rotated rooms. The elders had the privileged of translating for the senior sisters. So I was able to hear everything in my native language for the first time in months. It was so nice. Ha ha English is also a lot more descriptive than Thai is. We will ask Thai people what a word will translate to and instead they just have to explain that word. For me, Thai and English do not translate. They are both great languages but they do not translate well. I can understand both fine but I am still incapable of translating one to the other. I was impressed by the elders ability to do so.

Other than these main events that seemed to take up most of the week, we spent time contacting and teaching. We have a couple of great investigators. They seem to be progressing well. While contacting, I feel like we met some really good potential investigators too. So I am excited to see what this week brings! 

The scripture I am going to share this week is probably one that everyone has heard many times. I may have even shared it before... But yesterday the branch president asked us to help in primary. So we attempted to teach the children the primary songs but it was kind of hard trying to figure out how the Thai fits to the notes. Especially because the accompaniment came from the iphone of a member who was helping us. (It was a little fast). So we taught the kids the primary song about the wise man who built his house upon the rock and the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. When the rains came, the house on the rock stood still while the house on the sand washed away. Helaman 5:12 says, 

"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."

I don't want any of our houses being built upon the sand. We need to make sure we are building our lives on the rock of Christ. If we follow His teachings we will always be led to what is right and good. There is no other rock which we can build a sturdy foundation. Don't let yours be built on the sand. You don't want to be washed away.

Love you all and hope you all had a good week!

-Sister Nethercott

I got this nice note from her new companion today:

Sister Nethercott, 

Your daughter is the BEST!

Know that she is the perfect example of DILIGENCE and FAITH!

thank you for the e-mail!

Love, 

Sister Belnap

Brasong and Bae are in this. 2 of our daters we left behind. 

Glad Sister Alley was there to finish the work. :)

 RS Activity

The cupcakes for the RS activity.

 The definition of grangjay. One cupcake left.

 Sister Belnap, my new companion

 My new area, Bang Khae

I want these mini scriptures!