Week 46 - Surin, Thailand (Jan 11, 2015)

It's been 4 month in Surin since the transfer. Smaller ward with some challenges but he is doing well and enjoying the challenges. We told him about our upcoming trip to India and our plan to stop in Thailand to visit with my wife's family and perhaps a drop by to attend church with Elder Matt Boonmee as well. We told Elder Matt Boonmee that we sent our request for permission to visit hi to President Senior (Elder Matt Boonmee was adamant about us getting the permission first.)

In addition, our dear friend, in Thailand, was involved in tragic accident in the recent week. We asked the mission office if it was possible that they send missionaries to see our friend and give him a blessing.

On the other side of Thailand, in the province of Sisaket, one of our Thai family member, for the first time, went to church to learn English with the missionaries.

The following are some of  the responses and comments from Elder Matt Boonmee's email to us this week.

"...turns out that the Elders in Thonburi it has Elder Tanner! He was just with me not too long ago. The redhead. He just told me about what happened. I will copy what he said.

"Hey today we were able to go give your dad's friend a blessing in the hospital. I'm not sure if you knew about it, but it was really a great experience. Elder Wheeler, Elder Chambers, Elder Frodsham and I went to the hospital and we really didn't know what to expect. We met with your dad's friend's mother, who is this sweet little Thai lady. She showed us into where this man was laying. He looked pretty bad. No bandages or anything, but he was laying there with kinda a blank stare. I could tell his mother was very worried about him. She said he'd been like that since December 11th or 12th. He had to have surgery done on the right part of his brain because apparently he had been in a motorcycle accident. We asked his mother if she believed that Jesus Christ could help her son, and she said she believed. We told her what was going to go on, and then I was able to anoint the blessing and Elder Wheeler gave a powerful blessings stating that he would become better. We explained where the church was and how to pray to his mother and told his mother that she can pray for him as well. I have faith that it will all be through the will of God. And the interesting thing was that after the blessing was performed, he took a couple of big breaths and his eyes started moving more. Please tell your dad and family to keep praying for them. This will be a great way that this family will come to know who Jesus Christ truly is"

... it is very much possible that I would be moving. I have been here for the same amount of time I was in Sakhon Nakhon. But who knows!"...

... 100% true, that if we give all that we can to follow whatever the Lord asks of us, we will be forever blessed. We don't have any idea what is in store for us in the future, but the Lord does. He does EVERYTHING for us. 

For this week we didn't really have all that much happen. I forget to send a photo of Brother ป๋อง He is our most recent convert. I met him in front of a store. Turns out he had learned with the Elders before and was nervous to come back after not coming for so long. So it was planned that we were supposed to see him again. When we taught him, he was once again, golden. He had no problems. This man will be a future branch president. He has a family. A little 7 month year old baby and his wife. I got to meet his little baby daughter. Such a chubby little cute girl. I can see the gospel blessing him and his family. 

Anyways I love you all and that is all!

Elder Boonmee"