Tuesday: Great district meeting. Trying hard to make this place a stake.
Wednesday: Went and found sweet sister Keen who hasn't been to church for a month or two.. She was so touched that we came and found her at her house! There is something special that happens when we take a moment out of our busy schedules to give someone more than just a phone call.
Thursday: Taught O for the last time today.. I have never had to actually tell an investigator that we would be formering them.. And it broke my heart a little to have to tell her. It hurt because I didn't realize how much I loved this sweet sister and how that because of her unwillingness to really know the truth for herself.. She would not be able to partake of the pure happiness that the gospel brings. I felt that way at first.. But it was immediately swallowed up in a quiet assurance and perfect hope that now is not her time but it was a necessary step for her to get to where she needs to be. And so we will trust in Heavenly Father.. And know that all things have been done in the wisdom of he who knoweth all things.
Friday: We went over to an LA's house that hasn't been to church for 20 years.. and has more or less forgotten everything! We had gotten there a little early and the member had yet to come home from work so his nonmember wife invited us in to sit down. It was obvious that she was really busy and stressed as she had three little kids running around, a messy house and food to prepare for the next day's market. Perfect serving opportunity! We sat down and chopped up vegetables with her until the stress lines on her forehead ceased. When it came time to share the lesson there was a spirit of trust and gratitude in the air. That service allowed the spirit to enter that home and into the hearts of all who lived there. The member's wife came and sat in on the lesson and accepted the commitment to pray, even though she was firmly Buddhist. I know that her heart was opened because we took a little time to serve her.
Saturday: Our way cool RC had missed her first week of church last week since she been baptized.. Because she had just started a new job. We went over to visit.. And she told us that she wouldn't be working there anymore because Heavenly father doesn't want her to work on Sundays... Her answer came from her body breaking out in shingles upon arriving to work the previous Sunday. Ouch! But kind of a cool answer from our Heavenly father. She has been a member for about 4? months.. And just finished the Book of Mormon. SO COOL.
Also, are shingles contagious? I hope not.
Miracle from Sunday: We had FOUR LA's that we have been visiting and contacting now for months, that came to church yesterday!! One sister I had not seen since my first week in Bang Khae 3 months ago! She had told us she was in a different province for a while and that we could still call her on the phone. After a long time of not answering or returning or phone calls. We decided we needed to go and visit her house to see if she was really in a different province. To this sweet sister's embarrassment we found her there in the same place she had been working three months prior. She felt so bad for not returning out calls and for not coming to church.. She told us that she had been avoiding it because she thought that people would tell her she needed to be at church and judge her for not being there for so long. She was very surprised to hear that this was not the case at all. But that the members at church missed her and wanted her to come back. She was surprised to hear that we too missed her and had been calling to talk and encourage, not forcefully tell her she needed to repent and go to church. She felt an outpouring of love. And though she was unable to stay for all the meetings at church I believe the spirit testified to her that coming to church was the right decision.
Crazy thing: Not sure if I have mentioned this before.. But there is a dog that roams the streets close to the church... And about... 4 weeks ago.. Sister Blaylock and I were walking to meet an investigator when we see this dog walking/staggering towards us WITH A BROKEN NECK and coughing up powder!? To this day we see the dog almost everyday and its neck is in a permanent crooked position.. You know when cute lab dogs will raise their ears and then tilt their head... kind of giving you a question look? That is the position this dog is stuck in.
#dogsinthailand
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Know that you are in my prayers and that Heavenly Father will be with you always.
I love being a missionary.
Love,
Sister Coates
Last week I forgot to attach a picture of King with his hair cut! He is on the bottom right. SO COOL!
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