The ARMor of God

Elder Landon J Watkins Week 20

Week Eleven in Ayutthaya

Monday, October 28, 2013

This was such an awesome week! I'll start with Tuesday. On Tuesday morning we went and did service for Sister Nooy and Sister Jiw. They are both less active, but we went and cleaned their school and installed some fans and ate lunch with them. It was way fun and I was installing fans like a champ. Brother Nong was drilling the holes while I'd mark and screw in the fans it was great. They love Elder Gibbons and I since we'd never met before. They invited us to come back and she'll make us cinnamon rolls which would be sweet, so we will definitely be taking them up on that offer. That night we also had English class and had a pretty good turnout. I think about 16 people came, but this one girl from Swenson’s came that Elder Unsworth and I had invited a couple weeks back, which was funny. We also had two new guys named Ice and Breeze who signed up on our website that had not been functioning because no one was running it. Now there is two more Elders in the office though that are called social media Elders. So they run everything online and talk with people on Facebook so that has been helping us get a lot more referrals throughout the mission. Sister Cake one of our new investigators who was at English (She is 12), but she read the first chapter of the BofM which was awesome. 

Wednesday we went with Elder Sowards and visited some of the members and got to know them. We were at district meeting and Brother Now and he told us some good news his Dad is coming back from England the 29th of November, so he can baptize his Wife Mod and son Boon as long as they are willing to come to church.

Thursday was crazy the AP's came up and did a 3 way switch off with us. My companion went with Elder Creer the AP and Elder Smith went with Elder Davies, the other AP and then Elder Winsor came with me, which is crazy. He was in the MTC the same time as I was so I'm on my second transfer and he is on his 3rd where my companion and the 2 AP's both finish their missions in February. They stuck the two young guys together. It was crazy though we went and did a bunch of shopping to buy stuff for the house because we've been out of the house money for 3 weeks so we didn't even have garbage bags. After we went and taught a bunch of lessons and luckily we had Brother Nong helping us or it would have been really hard because Elder Winsor and I are about on the same level speaking Thai. I was leading all the lessons too and taking charge it was so hard, but such a good confidence booster for me. We gave Sister Mod and Brother Boon a new date for December 1st to be baptized. 

Friday was such a crazy day we did full studies from 8-12 and then did weekly planning from 1-3 and it just wore us out. We finally got out and we went to the Sowards house so Elder Gibbons could practice the song he sang for sacrament meeting. It was a way cool song too and Sister Sowards actually wrote it, so it was cool. Friday night we went to do some contacting and eat over at the Lotus and we ordered our food went to grab a drink at the food court and these two girls were just giving me the stare down, so being us, Elder Gibbons and I have some new tactics I just go sit down and Elder Gibbons slowly follows after and we just start talking and stuff and we've just been inviting everyone to be baptized we meet, it is way cool and gets people super interested because nobody knows what we are talking about when we bring it up. So we talked to them one of the girls named Dtuk is already a Christian and is soooo interested and she said that she knows God sent us to her so that is so awesome. Her friend is Buddhist, but is still kind of interested because her friend is. We were already to set up an appointment with them tonight so we are meeting up with Brother Nong to teach them, it is going to be awesome. 

Saturday was crazy we had studies then had the mutual activity. The mutual activity was way awesome we had 16 youth come! That is so many! Sister Cake our investigator came and we taught her after and also Sister Jaa a Less Active 15 year old came so it was way good! We taught about the Armor of God and since Brother Arm in our branch and his name is Arm he was the model. They had to build the armor out of cardboard and stuff so I'll send you pictures of that for sure. After we literally made phone calls for a few hours, we called all the people we've been contacting so it was way good, we have some new investigators we are excited for! We just went to Lotus after and got Pizza Company and contacted more people. 

Sunday was good but a little disappointing we didn't have any investigators come to church, but that is okay because we will be getting them all next week! Sister Jaa, Sister Boo, and Sister Dtooy did come to church though, so that was good to have 3 LA's come. That night we went and visited Brother Chidsak who is one of the old branch presidents here, who is LA and had a way good lesson with us. We talked to him for like an hour and he told us everything that was going on and just opened up to us and he is such a good guy. You could just feel his awesome spirit that he has. Things are hard for him that is for sure. He even cried so that's how you know the spirit was working. I see big things for him in the near future. I think he may come back soon.

That was about it though. Today we are going to the floating water market to buy some stuff and play with the Tigers so it should be a blast! Have a good week everyone!

Love,

Landon

Transfers: Goodbye Elder Unsworth

Elder Landon J Watkins Week 19

Week Ten in Ayutthaya

Monday, October 21, 2013

What is up everybody!

This week was wild and I got a full line up for all you! So we will cruise on back to Tuesday! Tuesday a couple of the members took us out to Swenson’s since we knew some people would be leaving, just not sure who, so we got free ice cream which was way tasty! While we were waiting for English class the ZL's called with transfer news and Elder Unsworth and Ohmer were out of Ayutthaya! So we had English and all them and then after Elder Unsworth said goodbye to most of the people they wanted to, which was sad!  Then we cruised off to get some McD's for the last time with Bro Nong and it was pretty fun! That night Elder Unsworth was packing until like 2 AM and I just crashed and fell asleep at like 11 ha-ha, but I woke up when he finally was going to bed.

The senior couple took them to Pizza Company knowing
Elder Unsworth and Omer were leaving Ayutthaya this week.

We woke up the next morning and he was just dead and wouldn't get out of bed to finish packing it was hilarious. He finally finished and we met up with Sis. Ganjanii who organized a truck for us to put all the luggage, bikes, and stuff into and take down to transfers which was a huge blessing! Bro. Nong even road with us it was pretty fun. Bro. Nong was way sad to see Elder Unsworth go especially now because he only has me left of the missionaries that really is his friend and I don't speak that good of Thai, yet! I just keep telling him to find a girlfriend so he isn't lonely! So that night we got invited to go hang out with the ZL's Elder Terry and Appleyard. Since Elder Appleyard finished his mission the members were throwing a go away party at this guy’s house for him, it was way awesome because we got to go! To make it better it was a white guy’s house and his wife is Thai and she made some spaghetti and garlic bread and I hate spaghetti, but it tastes way good when you are in Thailand ha-ha-ha! He had a ping pong table to and I whipped up on everybody, I was the champ! To make it even better the girl I taught on my switch off, Sister Min was there and I got to say, what's up to her and Sister Namsaay and Sister Ging so it was way awesome to see some of those friends I had made. Oh and we had a ice cream cake from Swenson’s too, which was amazing along with some brownies! Homemade treats are just rare especially American ones. Luckily, we have the Sowards who make them for us all the time, so we are blessed! 

Goodbye to my first trainer...he is going to miss him!!!

Thursday was the big day we had transfers! I got to see all of my group from the MTC most of them are doing pretty good! All of us got new companions except mine, Elder Keller who already got a new one like about 3-4 weeks ago at the mini transfer. Elder Unsworth is now companions with Elder Astle who was also in the MTC with me just 6 weeks ahead. He is now the Branch President of his branch, when he found that out he about died ha-ha, but it is like a brand new area and only like 3 people come to church! Then I got my new companion Elder Gibbons from Draper, Utah! He has been out 20 months and is a way dang good missionary and works me to death. I haven’t been this tired on my mission, so when I get home, I just crash around 10:15 pm and I fall right to sleep ha-ha! Yeah it is cool, I'm leading our area in Ayutthaya, just because I'm the only one who knows anything about it and that isn't much. So after transfers we had to go to the bus station because he left his viola on his bus and we had to try and find it and he got way lucky and did! Then we cruised over to this place called Adam and Eves which is one of the places the missionaries get their suits made. He picked up some shirts and pants he had cut and I bought a tie for 100 baht, nice skinny tie, Nate would love it! Then I walked out the door and there was a sunglasses salesman and I was like yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to buy some I've been searching for forever! I got some fake Oakley’s for 100 baht, $3.50 ha-ha, what a steal! I was pumped best purchase, now my eyes have been better since I'm not squinting all the time on my bike! Then we went to the office to hitch a ride back to Ayutthaya with the Sowards. I can't wait to go back there and buy some manmade stuff, it makes me want a suit even worse! 

Friday was pretty good we did some planning and set up the youth activity for Saturday then went to see some LA's which was good we met with Sister Boo. Then we went to see the old Branch President Brother Chitsak, but he wasn't home we talked to his grandson Brother Arm and got him to commit to the youth activity, which was sweet. We went and ate dinner with Brother Nong also.

Saturday was crazy we had an awesome youth activity we did a golf game and compared it to the Plan of Salvation it was way fun. Before we had to make some score cards and we were at the mall place and we just started talking to people and got some potential investigator, it was sweet! We had the activity which was pretty fun and had a good turn out! Our investigator Sister Cake was there, which was good. After that we just went exploring everywhere that I hadn't even been, it was crazy and we just were talking to all sorts of random people and met this lady named Boo. She is fluent in English too because that was her major, but she was interested and we are going to meet with her again. Then we just went around talking to more people and stopped at this place to eat and met this couple Day and Gwang. They were super interested and agreed to meet us tomorrow so we set up on appointment for 7 at the church.

Sunday came along and we had Area Conference for Asia, it was way cool! Elder Holland and Elder Hales spoke! It was a way good conference because they talked about the Asian people so much and Elder Holland has been recently assigned to the Asia area so he said he'd be visiting the area more, that would be awesome if he came to Thailand and we got to hear him speak! Sister Cake was our only investigator that came to church and she is only 12 so it is kind of hard. We taught her a quick lesson after church. We had an appointment with Boo that we had met yesterday (the English speaking lady) so we cruised over there with Sister Ganjanii and she wasn't there she went to Bangkok, but it’s okay because her sister was there so we just taught her instead. It was a pretty good lesson and she seemed interested so there is another potential investigator we got. Then we had a fireside that we had set up at Brother and Sister McGeorge's house for the youth and members! We had about 20 people there, it was so awesome Sister Cake came and Sister Boo and her daughter Bahh. (This is Boo the member that is less active and her daughter that is an investigator) We taught a lesson on the Plan of Salvation using all the youth to teach it and then we ate, it went way good! We had to hurry to our next appointment with Day and Gwang but they had forgot about it being at the church, but luckily they lived super close to Brother McGeorge's house so we called them and met up with them at their house! Then we get there and Day, who is the boy, it was his family, so his Dad was there and Mom! They were all way interested. The Dad can't read Thai so we are going to give him an English Book of Mormon for now while we wait for a Hindi one to come because he is from India! We left Gwang a BoM because she is the only one who can read Thai. The Mom is Thai, but has never learned how to read Thai. So we have another appointment with them tonight at 7 at their house so that should be awesome! We were able to get 4 new investigators in just 2 days, really it was way awesome, so we did some work! Time to get some baptisms for this next month I'm feeling good about it! That was all for this week we are just taking this p-day to do some cleaning and buying some stuff we need and getting a haircut. Next week we will go touring some places! Have a good week everyone!

Love,

Elder Watkins

Frog Skin, Tai Kwon Do, & General Conference

Elder Landon J Watkins Week 18

Week Nine in Ayutthaya

Monday, October 14, 2013

Hey!!

Well another pretty fun, good week for the most part that is for sure! Let's go through the week we had the usual English class and Elder Unsworth and I taught. It was a hilarious lesson and thankfully most of the people in our group were kids so they were just rolling on the floor laughing. We taught them emotions so it was just hilarious because we'd acted them out and they loved us. It was way fun and after we went and ate, Som tum which was good as like usual but before we left the guy knows us pretty well since we eat there so often we asked what he was eating and he's like here try it and we said what is it? He's like try it and then I'll tell you, so now we already know it is something weird. So we eat it and it didn't taste good, but not horrible and he's like, that is frog skin ha-ha so that was pretty weird! 

Wednesday was pretty good we went over to Mod's house and taught her and Buun and the lesson was way good we taught her about prophets and then about General Conference to get her excited to come this weekend for conference and she said she was coming. After we went and invited Sis. Boo and Dooy to GC and they said they'd come. They are both less actives but they are hard to make progress with. We visit them all the time and our message is just not getting through to them it seems. 

Thursday was a pretty dull day we didn't do too much just a bunch of random things that needed to be done and weekly planning which was fun that is for sure but nothing special! Friday was a pretty interesting day also, we had District meeting which was good Sister Sowards made some cookies which were way delicious. You just don't get the same good treats here in Thailand that is for dang sure. That night we had Tai Kwon Do class that Elder Ohmer is teaching since he is a black belt we have quite a few investigators and members that love it and we get to participate also, it was so fun. Learning how to block kick punches, and throw effective punches so nobody better be messing with me anymore I'm receiving training! 

Saturday was great we woke up and bought snacks for conference and headed to the church. We watched conference from 10-12, ate lunch, 12-1 watched the next session 1-3, then 30 minute break then priesthood from 3:30-5:30. Seems like a lot in a row but as a missionary conference seemed to just fly by. I remember it felt like it dragged on forever sometimes back in Utah! It was way good I took notes on every session and put them in my journal so I will always have them. I definitely love Uchtdorf and Hollands talks the best. I loved Elder Holland’s talk how sometimes we just need to slow down and rest that is soooo true, so that is something we always need to remember. We got to watch it in English thankfully because I wouldn't have gotten anything out of it at all! After all the conference all we really did was going get dinner and go home! 

Elder Soward's tradition was to always take his boys to Dairy Queen after the Priesthood Session the Elders were his boys this time.

Sunday we watched conference again all morning and afternoon for the most part and it went by way fast again it was good! After we went out and helped Brother Chinawat the Elders Quorum President do his home teaching. We first went to the Brother McGeorge's house and taught him and his wife and daughter. We mostly just reviewed conference and talked about water filtration systems ha-ha, quite different. After we went over to Sister Boo and Sister Dooy's place and checked up on them and invited them to the area conference that is this Sunday. It was good!

Oh and I forgot Sister Mod called after the first session of conference Sunday since of course she didn't show up for conference she told my companion, I’m not coming to church at all until I want to get baptized. So we are probably going to have to drop them and give them some time to relax. We did go and visit them, though. We went back to Brother McGeorge’s house because they invited us over for dinner so we ate and talked, Brother McGeorge is quite a funny, interesting guy, it seems the man has done everything. We came home and just chilled the other Elders slept over in our room for fun, it was a good chat.

Today we just emailed and went to lunch with the Sowards, since transfers are this week we don't know really who is moving, but just as I was writing this, new info came in. Elder Ohmer is training so we have no idea much more than that besides he could finish training me or train a new Elder here or even go white wash and train somewhere, so hopefully we’ll find out where we are going tonight, that would be nice! That is about it for this week! Love you all and have a good week!

Love,

Landon

One of the Best Weeks of Missionary Work

Elder Landon J Watkins Week 17

Week Eight in Ayutthaya

Monday, October 7, 2013

Hey Everyone!

Well another solid week down probably one of the best weeks we have had when it comes to the work here in Ayutthaya! Tuesday was our English day so we had English meeting, but the Sowards weren't back from America yet so we didn't end up having one since we didn't have anything to discuss and they weren't there so we just hung out at the church for a little bit until English class. Elder Unsworth and I played the waving game which is just way funny to see what the people do as they are cruising by on their scooters! English class as far as people was a little less than we usually have, like 10-15 instead of about 20, but that is okay! 

Wednesday was quite the interesting day we decided to do a ton of contacting so we were just wandering around trying to find people and just talking to bunch of random people. We walked into a store just looking around no one was in the store but us and the two workers. When we come in they are just giggling like none other. Two girls had to be like upper twenties, who knows, people here in Thailand are impossible to read their age! We just didn't say anything, looked at stuff in the store then they asked us if we spoke Thai and we are like yep and they just become so interested in learning English and the gospel, it was cool, I took charge explaining English class, so it was a good little experience for me, working out the jitters. So we invited them to English class and they seemed pretty interested so we will see if they come tomorrow! 

Thursday was a pretty good day we had more specialized training from the zone leaders that took 3 hours. It was good and just kind of a refresher from zone conference a little, but we talked about having a vision and setting goals and then having a plan of action to achieve the goals that will accomplish your vision. It was good. The Sowards' came back from the wedding. It was also Elder Ohmer's birthday so we all had a little surprise thing at Swenson’s for him with a bunch of the members. It was funny me and Elder Unsworth had to hide and run from them so they didn't see us! Oh yeah, and Sister Gade went down to Asok shopping and bought me a satchel for free and she gave me her Swenson’s card since she is leaving which was way nice of her! 

Friday was quite the day; our kitchen was just so disgusting Elder Unsworth and I couldn't handle it anymore since we never use it, but the other Elders do we were just tired of their mess so we just spent 2 hours in the morning cleaning that whole thing, it was disgusting and it looks like it got remodeled now ha-ha. Then we went and hit up some Pizza Company because we just were feeling it ha-ha and it was way tasty! Then Sister Gak called us about a new investigator of ours we met and talked to her at Lotus and she brought a friend they seem way interested, so we will be following up with them this week which is awesome! Then Brother David also called which is Sister Mod's husband who lives in England; saying he wants us to find his family a new house in Thailand, so now we are searching for that. We went out visiting a bunch of Less Actives; Brother Arm, Sister Boo, Sister Dooy, and Brother Chitsak. It was successful we were able to do tons of solid work with the less actives this week teaching 15 RC/LA Lessons. It is the most lessons Elder Unsworth has ever had in a week and obviously the same for me ha-ha.  

‘

Saturday we went and did some service at Maaben’s house. We cleaned some stuff and built a railing on her stairs to her house that was like 53 years old, way ancient! It was pretty fun and after we had the youth activity and Bro. Arm came which was awesome since he is an LA! He is now a rescue of ours which is an equivalent to a baptism! We've had him coming to church and PMG class and youth activities the last couple weeks and he talked with Elder Sowards and has filled out his form, so now we have him back, which is great! After the youth activity we went and hit up Pizza Company again and did the buy one. get one free take out for fast Sunday so we ate half of our pizza for lunch then started our fast! We did a little contacting too and talked to this one worker and she seems interested in English and her name is Pooy, so we will see if she comes to class. We see her every time we go to the Lotus, so we can remind her to come!

Sister Mod also called Saturday afternoon and asked us to pray and fast that she would be able to come to church and continue coming every week and guess who came to church Sunday!!!! Sister Mod!!! Wahoooooo it was so awesome! Elder Unsworth has been working with her for 5 months and me all of these 7 weeks and she finally came to church for the first time! It is a huge step for her and she said she felt better and that a mountain had been lifted off of her. So now her and her son Boon have a baptismal date for October 20th so they should be baptized then so that is pretty exciting! Also, Sister Cake one of our new potential investigators we got from English class came to church too! I invited her to come to church not thinking and didn't even remember I had until she came; she is only 12 years old! I was way excited and she said she had a blast, it was pretty cool!

We got balanced key indicators for our first time as a companionship which is awesome! Our hard work paid off this week, so good! Sister Gade left for the MTC for her mission now, which was sad because she was such a big help in the branch, but that is okay! That is about it for this week we really had a ton a fun, so it was just great! Love you all!

Love,

Landon