Elder
Landon J Watkins Week 27
Week
Eighteen in Ayutthaya
Monday,
December 16, 2013
Heyyyyyy!
How's everyone?
This week was
literally such a crazy week, so much stuff went on so hopefully I can remember
it all. So last p-day we went and played Badminton which was way fun, my first
time playing! We went with Bro Nong, the other two Elders, and Sister Tuk and
Nuch our two investigators who are almost ready to be baptized. After that we
taught them a lesson and they bought us all dinner. They are really the nicest
investigators ever and they seem like members because of how much they help us.
Tuesday was
crazy awesome too we just went to the church and helped some members practice
some songs and then went out and did some contacting. So for fun we just were
walking around these new houses by the church and we saw this guy just watching
TV in his house, so we just walk up to him and say; Hey, what’s up and he just
invites us into his house, then his wife comes and his son and his sons wife
join. We teach them about the Book of Mormon and we are like; hey can we come
meet with you again next week. He is like; Yeah, come on over anytime we are
almost always here. They are super interested, so we got 4 new investigators
within 15 minutes, it was so sweet. It is unreal how prepared some people are
to receive our message. The eye of the Lord is really on country of Thailand
right now.
Wednesday we
helped the members practice their songs again. Then we went and taught Sis.
Mod and Bro. Boon they are still doing very well and are getting fellowshipped
by the members perfectly. After we had Sis. Tuk and Sis. Nuch interviews so I'm
all excited for them to plan their baptism and after their interviews the zone
leaders come out and are like, they didn't pass and that just ruined my day,
right there. Probably one of the most frustrating days of my mission so far! I
feel like I don’t ever get frustrated now, but now that I look back, that one
got to me a bit. They were super shocked too, but now looking back it was the
best wake up call for them because now their desire to get baptized is waaay
higher, which is sweet. They also, know that not just anyone can do this and
that they've got to take it seriously, which was really good.
Thursday rolls
around and we went to Sister Ganjani's school and taught the whole school about
Christmas Day and what it really means. It was so cool, there was like 300 students
there watching and just loving the whole thing. We pretended as if we couldn't
speak Thai for the first 3 hours and then we just started speaking it over the
mic and it just blew their minds, it was sooo funny. They were all like
what!?!!?!? We literally were like superstars there; it was just such a fun
experience. We got to meet the principal of the school and some teachers. We
really got some awesome potential investigators out of the whole thing! After we
went to Lopburi again, so that Elder Gibbons could interview some people for
baptism for the Elders there.
Friday after
the interview we cruised to Ang Thong which is another province in our area,
but it doesn't have a church building. We contacted a ton of people and are trying
to start a church up there. Tons of people are interested up there, so it isn't
too crazy. Besides we have about 10 members that live up there already that
have to come to Ayutthaya every week which is like an 1 hour 1/2 drive for
them. Elder Wilamas came back with us and interviewed Sister Taah Sister Phim
and Brother Non for baptism! They all passed!! It was so sweet. This is the family
we found a while back while we were praying on the side of the road curb and
she were cruises by saying; what are you doing and then we just followed her to
her house and taught her. Sure enough, Saturday morning at 10 o clock we had the baptismal
service! Elder Gibbons baptized Sister Taah, I baptized Sister Phim, and Elder
Wilamas baptized Brother Non. It was sooo cool, my first person I actually got
to baptize! We all did it perfect, first try, it was sweet 3/3!
After all that crazy
stuff we practiced singing for the huge Christmas Party for our whole zone down
in Pak Kret and then went down there. It was so crazy, so many people and I got
to see all my buddies from the branches down there that I met on my switch off
with the zone leader’s last transfer. I got to see Elder Crump again, which was
awesome. It was a huge program of Christmas songs and we did this one song that
Sister Sowards wrote. We totally did an amazing job, we got the whole audience to
clap and they didn't clap for any other musical numbers!
Sunday roles
around and Sunday morning Elder Gibbons is like hey Sister Taah just called and
Sister Phim wants you to give her the Holy Ghost. I was like; oh snap, I don't
know how to do that in Thai; are you serious? Ha-ha so I got to the church and
I'm just trying to figure it out. Bro. Nong came over and I was; help! Ha-h He
wrote it all out and the first ten minutes of sacrament meeting I'm just trying
to memorize the whole thing and I'm like no way I can do this! I studied the
whole first 15 minutes of Sacrament and then it was game time. I get up there and
get half way through and my mind just goes blank and I was; oooooooh noooo,
what do I do. I paused for what felt like 5 minutes, but it was only like 30-45
seconds. I was just stuck and I ‘m thinking is someone going to tell me what to
say, then I just repeated the last couple words again and it all came back to
me, so luckily I didn't have to do it again, thanks goodness. It was such a
sweet spiritual experience I can't believe that I had that opportunity, it was
great!!!
After church we went
with Sister Tuk, Nuch, and Brother Nong to Sister Tuk's house in Ang Thong. Luckily she has a car so it only takes like 2
hours, but we got out there and taught her Mom and Dad.It was sooooo cool! She
isn't even a member, yet, but is giving us the opportunity to teach her family.
Then she asks us if we can give her Mom and Dad blessings. It was soooo cool
and way fun!
On our way back we
stopped at Bro. Jamnongs house and visited and talked with him. Elder Gibbons
and I both kind of said goodbye because we don't know if we will be moving or
staying, yet and we won't have another opportunity to go up there before
transfers. It was way cool, but kind of sad. Oh and I forgot we only had 57
people at church this week which was kind of sad, but not too bad since there
was only 30 people when I got here. I really want to stay pretty bad and not
move. The investigators and members don't want me to move either, they are all
praying I stay, which is kind of funny. It is all out of love and I love them
all so much too, they are great.
We got back to
Ayutthaya and we went over to the Sowards house for dinner Sister Sowards made
us German pancakes they were sooo tasty! It was so funny though she comes out
with another pan and she says to us,'' Is anyone ready for another one?'' and
Elder Sowards responds "Everyone is'' and just swipes the pan right out of
her hands, we all just died laughing, it was great. Reminded me of some of the
comments Dad made back in the day! Anyways that was about it for this week transfers on Wednesday hopefully we find out today if we are moving
or not! Love you all and have a great week! :)
Love,
Landon
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