Monday, January 11, 2016

Dec 31: LOOK UNTO GOD & LIVE 2 0 1 6


Happy. New. Year. 2. 0. 1. 6.

there was a lot that happened in the past 2 weeks! So many miracles. I'll fill you in. :)

Sun 20th---> SISTER SAA WAS BAPTIZED!!! Oh she truly is the coolest. And it was amazing to see her baptized. Definitely an experience I will never forget. She is completely changed for good.

Mon 21st: Christmas family home evening!!! I will never forget teaching these people here why we celebrate. Who Mary and Joseph were. The wise men and the shepherds. Everything. Priceless moment haha- we had just begun telling the story.. reading from the bible that a baby came unto Mary saying she would be the mother of Jesus... When Sister Saa stops us and says.. Ohhhh I know! That is why we say "Merry (mary) Christmas!" hahaha Love/.

Tues 22nd: Sang Christmas carols to the English class! 

Wed 23rd: Had another Christmas FHE with a few LA members... It was way interesting. haha But we felt the spirit. I know they did too.

Thurs 24th: Christmas EVE with President Johnson and his family! It was fun to feel of their warm family spirit and invite the other members to feel of it too. 

Fri 25th: CHRISTMAS MORNING IN A BROAD DAYLIGHT Oh i Skyped the best people ever today. It was so good to see all of you. I have missed ya. That is for sure. Every one looked so good. I love you all so much. Thank you for staying with me on my mission. 

Sat 26th: Taught Fu Hong. Our Chinese investigator. Lesson was first in English, to Thai and then to Chinese. Woooo!

Sun 27th: SISTER NOON WAS BAPTIZED!!! Oh it was amazing. She, as well has sister saa, has been on such a journey. As we were taking pictures together.. .she turned to us and thanked us for being so patient with her. I told her that we were so grateful to have had the opportunity, and to have met her! And that she is now part of big new family.... At which she started to cry. It was a special special baptism. No doubt she will remember for the rest of her life and i will too. Sister Saa received the Holy Ghost. She was smiling from ear to ear. She loves coming to the "christ" and learning about "heavenly". :) love her

Mon 28th: Found out an RC from one of my old areas... location will remain disclosed haha... that used to help all the time is actually a renoun SCAM artist... wanted in like 50 different places... And is now in prison for the rest of her chiwit.  So there's that. 

Tues 29th: an LA from Chaing Mai came for English. We got to know her a little bit after.. She told us this story about how her little 5 year old daughter is way afraid of ghosts... and asks to hold "the word of god" while she sleeps at night so that the ghost wont get her... When given the option she chooses the book of mormon over the bible every time saying that BOM is the only one that keeps the ghost away.

Wed 30th: Found a fabulous salad restaraunt... seriously SUCH A MIRACLE. It is SO cheap and Hi so... What sister Rem said describes our emotions that day perfectly: "I am so happy and still can't believe that I am eating broccoli. I don't even like broccoli!" :) 

Also today taught some way awesome new investigators... one's name is: Chicken Egg... the other one is an old guy with a balding head except for one long raggedy lock placed around his forehead... And his name is: Watermelon... So there's that. :)

Thurs 31st: We taught an old LA member that has been struggling between churches.. and is super mean haha.. But this time we had a prayer in our heart to just be able to teach so lovingly and through the spirit as we shared about the temple. And it went lovely. There was a beautiful spirit in the room. Do all things with love and the spirit. And everything will be okay... We explore invited today,... as Asoke... And every where around was completely MOTE of PEOPLE. Everyone went to the Ba nog for new years. It was nice though.. Before our curfew at 6 we ate at our favorite hi so thai restaurant and reflected over the past year as missionaries. All that was learned.All that was become. All them miracles that took place.  And took in the wonderful, shining with a perfect brightness of hope for the new year to come. for all that is yet to come. that is one thing I have been blessed to receive .. A perfect brightness of hope. I never really knew or could understand what that meant until now. 

I want to challenge everyone to receive this perfect brightness of hope too. It comes.. As you become familiar with the savior and his grace. It comes as you kneel in prayer. It comes as ou look unto God and live. In these past weeks I've loved studying the words of Jeffrey R Holland from his talks Remember Lot's Wife and The Best is Yet to Come.... When he said "“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember thafaith is always pointed toward the futureThe past should be learned from 
So look forward! The best is yet to come. And I feel so grateful for this past year that is simple filled with glowing embers that have changed my life for ever. In ways that I never even imagined. Good bye 2015 the year I was a missionary and served my heavenly father every single moment! And hello 2016! I am so looking forward. 

Family I love you! i hope you all have a wonderful new years. Please read those talks I mentioned! Ponder them. Apply them! Change. Bring on the new year <3

I love being a missionary.  

Love,
Sister Coates







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