May 3: 4

Hello!

T: made some appointments but they through. No worries because there was still lots to do! Teachin English, makin calls, sharing scriptures and saving the world.

W:Got to teach Four a way awesome lesson on temples, prophets, fasts and tithes... He is way willing to keep the commandments.. The only thing he wasn't excited for was fasting.. haha.. He said " I wish I was one of those people with 'diabetus' (anny he said it like grandma does hahaha) so that I don't have to fast." But he was gun ho to keep the commandments. He was excited to be baptized! That evening we call our other way cool investigator.. Come to find out.. He moved to Lopburi that day.. And will be there for the next 2 years........ hmmmm.

Th: Went to the funeral of a member's son @ a wat.. Was grateful again for the Plan of Happiness that Heavenly Father has created for us. There is hope beyond the grave.. Or the scary furnace that Buddhists dump dead bodies into... Got caught in the biggest storm I've ever seen today! Such an adventure! The rain was coming in side ways.. It HURT! There were waves of waters on the street that came up half of our bike tires!.. Brother Four had his baptismal interview with Elder Batey. Passed with flying colors!

F: Getting the hang of new inviting method.. And finding some really cool people. More appointments fell through... Whats goin' on!? :P

Sa: Every single appointment fell through today. We had a lot too. But we still biked our way through it! Through what Sister Olsen calls the "hot lotion air". We have fun. :) As probably already evident from this week.. Satan is working a leeetle harder He topped it off with.. Four's mom callin and saying that she is not letting Four get baptized because she is BUDDHIST! and he is BUDDHIST!.. Ugh... Stinky.. But we wo't give up on him.. Whats funny is.. This month the misison ahs a goal to get 4 baptisms per companionship. And I really think Satan just doesn not want that to happen.. So he is doing evrything he can to disuade.. Making us think that because we couldn't get brother FOUR.. That we won't be able to get the 4 this month. Stana sucls.. BUt He's totally not going to win. @ Sports night today.. we had a new investigator.. Named Jo. And he is way cool. Good always triumphs over evil.

Su: Watched a way cool conference for the church members of Asia zone. Everyone is SO excited for the temple in Thailand... India, Malaysia, Singapore... So many people.. And it is just so special to think.. That this temple for these people is in Thailand. Our Thailand. Miracle at church: 2 new investigators. Naan and Pie-Yuu. Not a miracle... haha: Satan is turning all the parents in Thailand against me.. hahaha. Ging's mom in KOREA (the heck?) and told her to stop going to church. Oh gaaal (say that like uncle larry and aunt jolene hahaha and dad). Prayer is a miraculous thing.. It has the power to soften hearts and change lives.   So we will pray. And we will work hard.

Even though this week was smidgen difficult.. We still saw miracles. And even with all the stinky things happening from left to right.. I honestly belief we will get 4 baptisms this month. 

It all makes sense and it is all worth it. Read this by Jeffery R. Holland:

Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. 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? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.

For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is,nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul.

If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” ¹⁶  then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical or easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn't an easier way,you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked along time ago if there wasn't an easier way.

I love being a missionary so much.

Forward, Pressing Forward 

With a Triumph Song We'll Sing

God Our Strength will Be

Press Forward Ever Called to Serve Our King

Love,

Sister Coates

ps. See you NEXT WEEK!?

Ever Upwards <3 jax