Dec 18: W O N D E R

First... It is cold season in the prateed Thai. And it is the most amazing weather in the whole world. I would even say it has a tiny bit of actual COLD in it. It is so sabaay. Thanking my heavenly father. 

News: Still in ASOKE with SISTER REMINGTON... SO HAPPY.

Saturday: That Tiger Temple though..... Thailand is so crazy. This is what it was. 148 give or take tigers... on DOG leashes.. Just laying around and roaming. And like 50 tourists laying with them.. and a bunch of khon thais feeding them noodles. It was way cool though. And not going to lie kind of scary... Well I was only scared a little when they put the huge sleeping tiger head on my lap... Because and that that thing new he was not asleep! 

Sunday: SISTER MAY WAS BAPTIZED. Our amazing investigator May was baptized! It was so cool to see her be baptized and welcomed into the ward. Right as she entered the font if felt like all the obstacles we had faced while trying to help her were finally falling away. And she was so happy. I love asking investigators how they feel after they have been baptized. Her answer was.. "I feel free!" How true that statement is. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ and following him we are free. It was so awesome to see the members surrounding her and congratulating her. I seriously could've cried.

Monday: Christmas Zone Conference! Way fun day with the Johnsons! We played a bunch of their fun Christmas tradition games, sang carols, ate cookies and milk, and got to watch THE BEST TWO YEARS! Wow.. It was way funny watching now that I have been a missionary. It was a good good day. And just way cool to be with the Johnsons. I feel like they are my parents. I love them! President Johnson shared with us verses in the bible that teach us how to celebrate Christmas... 

Luke 1:17-20

PROCLAIM: A Savior is born.

WONDER: Awe at the amazing creations of God and the Christmas story

PONDER: Requiring hard work. Really studying and praying.

GLORIFY: Glorify the things we know have value. Does the Christmas story have value to you?

Where does your testimony stand relative to Jesus Christ?

I know that Jesus Christ really is the Savior of the World. My whole mission I have worked hard to gain a stronger testimony of him.. And because of that this Christmas season has been oh so special. I know and can say with conviction why we celebrate Christmas and why we follow Jesus Christ. I hope all of you will take a quiet moment to figure these things out for yourself this year. I am thankful that through the Savior's plan I will live forever with my family, that I can have and be familiar with true happiness and peace.. Thankful that I can overcome weaknesses and become one day like him. 

Tuesday: Last district meeting with Elda Coopa. & Elder Lingard. Weird. Those 2 transfers went by in a flash. Which makes me nervous about these next 2 transfers..... oh.

Wednesday: Crazy day preparing the greenie lunch! SO FUN: Do you remember Brother Cake from udon?? Is totally a missionary now! He is so excited and so filled with energy! Go khon thais serving in thailand. Got to be an a trio with sister Rem and sister buechter (from the MTC!)... We had quite the experience with a white farraang scottish lady today...... I wont go into details... Other than I am so glad I get to serve in asoke.. remind me to tell you that story for skyping next week!  Its a good one :) 

Thursday: Transfers. :) It was a way strange transfer meeting... A HUGE group of elders died... Almost all of which I had served around since the beginning of my mission.... So weird. All my friends are dead... I feel like that keeps happening in my life. 

Friday: We have been teaching Sister Saa now for about a month. In which time she has had to face the heat of quitting her addiction to smoking and drinking coffee. She had gone one entire week without both when she came to us and asked for a blessing. To which we happily complied! Of her experience she sweetly described to us the warm sensation that came over her as Elder Wright, Elder Cooper and Brother Up laid their hands on her head. She said that it felt like a "white flower that smelled good" was on her head (this seriously made my heart so happy). She tells us everyday how happy she is to be with "brother and sister" and the church. That she knows she is a daughter of God. Oh I love her so much and always feel so lifted after teaching her or even being with her. She is so humble and full of gratitude. It is true what they say that you learn from the investigators you teach. I am so excited for her. She passed her interview!!!!

God is good. I am so excited for next week!!!!! See you all very soon. 

I love being am missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates 

Sister Rem and I made an Issan church gingerbread village. :) Merry Christmas :)

Sister May! 

SIster Saa with brother Superman..... He let some little kid paint his nails and Saaa laughed SO hard.

Christmas Party

Elder Cooper with Elder Chio's card board cut out hahahaha

Dec 4: it's a holiday in CAMBODIA

I don't remember what happened on SUNDAY.... Other than we taught our Cambodian investigator Sister Saaa. We taught the Restoration. In English. And then Thai. And then Cambodian. And she is still getting there.... But is the most amazing woman... She has SO MUCH FAITH. I know that it was not by chance that we met her. Especially after other things that took place in the week. Keep reading. :) She is addicting to drinking coffee and smoking.. But so badly wants to stop. She told us that she has been smoking since she was 7 years old because the war in Cambodia (?).. She told us that she was a prisoner and had to wear chains around her feet. Oh it is a miracle we met her seriously. She so badly wants to baptized and have the holy ghost. She tells us everyday how blessed she is that she met us. About how good she feels when she prays. This week is her last week of drinking coffee and smoking and then she has a full two weeks of full on nothing until her baptismal date. Pray for Saaa.

MONDAY: We went hunting for referrals that we received from Salt Lake! It was an adventure in the Thai land... We were so tired ALL DAY. AH! But the work is fabulous. I love it oh so much. Heavenly Father gives strength when I am not sure I can keep my eyes open for much longer! I am grateful that Thailand is well equipped with Coke. <3 I got a cool new name tag that says Sister Coke in Thai.. Because people here have a really hard time saying my name. 

TUESDAY: MLC! Wow is the best MLC I have ever been to. The spirit was so strong. It made me want to run out on the streets and invite everyone everyone! We are starting the new Christmas inniative. A Savior is Born. Oh I am so excited. Even though Christmas is not really celebrated here in Thailand... I have been able to feel a wonderful Christmas spirit as I have tried to center my thoughts on the Savior. I am not sure if I mentioned this in the last email... But this year.. Sister Remington and I are memorizing The Living Christ as our gift to the Savior. I want to challenge everyone to ponder and pray about what you can give the savior this year.. It might be through reading the stories of Jesus in the scriptures everyday.. But more than that I think the gift the savior would want the most is our hearts. Turning over our will to be that of Heavenly Father's.. Or in other words... Changing some of the things we do in order to be more like him. To follow him more... I promise as we try to follow him more and think about him more during this time.. Our hearts will truly be changed for good.

Here are some ideas I thought of this week of things we could give the savior:

-Lowering our voice (see FRIDAY). There is something powerful in the words of a soft voice. A quiet dignity. 

-Read the Ensign from July 1978 there is a talk that has 100 references to the name of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. 5 versus a day by Christmas and you'll have 100 verses down!

- Do something hard. Push yourself to change... To not do it YOUR way.. But the LORD'S way. because yielding to the lord's way is the only way to happiness. I've quoted P. Senior before.. But it's true.. Thinking is hard.. that's why most people don't do it.. Changing is hard.. that's why most people don't do it either! Change. Become!

WEDNESDAY: Taught an investigator today.. That wants to pray and follow God so bad. But every time she goes home. Her husband rips up the pamphlets we give her so she can't remember how to pray right. He burns her clothes and cuts up her shoes so she can't go anywhere. Yet she still manages to come and meet with us. There are some people here in Thailand that have faith that I cannot even believe. Pray for her. Today we also prepared the greenie lunch for all the new khon Thai missionaries!! They are all so full of light and energy!! i can remember being a greenie and seeing the sisters who prepared my lunch.. i remember thinking they looked a little haggard.. as in Tired.. and just... beat. haha No offense sister jax :P... It made sister remington and I laugh... Because today it was us.

One of the new missionaries is Cambodian and doesnt speak a lick of english or thai.. she was sent here because on her application she said that she spoke fluent thai... so everyone says... but i believe it was because we have TWO Cambodian investigators that needed her. First time by the way in my whole mission that I have had Cambodian investo's.. Miracles. But yeah she is here in Asoke with Sister Mcknight for a season.. until she will probably be flown back to Cambodia! Four sister house probably for the rest of the transfer.. AKA.. not even 2 full weeks.

THURSDAY: We trained ALL DAY. Bang khae and Thon Buri. Good good missionaries. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve with so many great people. So many of whom totally get it. Like Sister Remington. I LOVE HER.

FRIDAY: Oh my hahaha okay today was so nutty hahahaha. I can't help but laugh when I think about the things that went down this day. Two main things... We were running to catch the MRT.. the doors start beeping saying that you have like 10 seconds to get on and then the doors will shut.. I am sprinting with sister Rem at my heel. I jump on to the train! Turn around. See sister rem on the plat form.. and the doors close in front of my face. So I was with out a khuu for about 5 minutes... It was the weirdest thing.. We both laughed and laughed! And then.. We go inviting at a beautiful park... And start inviting this sweet family with little children to learn about Jesus Christ and christmas when this random Thai lady cuts across the grass straight for us yelling YOU YOU YOU ARE JESUS? And starts talking in the strangest Thai i have ever heard and is like yelling some words and whispering others.. and I grabbed sister rems hand and just did all in my power not to laugh at this cray lady... And then... She says Okay? okay. Good bye.. and walks away up this random hill...... Now the family is too afraid to talk with his... Sister Remington comes up with the brilliant idea to follow this lady....So... We do. We see her laying on the grass in the shape of an X. like arms out and legs out... She sits up when we say hello She starts saying she just came from church and that SHE SPEAK ENGLISH and that our thai was very good and then she drops back to the ground and puts her hands up into the shape of a... like illuminati triangle and starts like.... chanting.... it was the weirdest scariest thing I have ever heard... After that we ran hahaha.. We were pretty sure she was fr real possessed with an evil spirit. Her voice sounded like  scratched CD..... LESSON LEARNED. Don't follow the crazy yelling lady. Loud voices are never good. 

Hope everyone enjoyed that little bit of Thailand... If only you knew. :) I love it. Makes for wonderful adventures everyday.

God is so real though. He is in everything everyday and every moment. I am so thankful I made the decision to serve a mission. It is the best decision I have ever made.

I love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates

Nov 27: thank you

Happy Thanksgiving!

Everyone. Our lives in Asoke are so crazy sometimes I forgot to breath!

Last SUNDAY it was Bangkok West conference at the Bang Khae building. So that was way fun to go back there and see everyone! It was actually a way amazing experience to see a bunch investigators there.. That I had invited personally back when I was serving there. It felt nice to know thatthe work I had done in previous transfers is still giving fruit. That evening our Thanksgiving week was officially kicked off at the Granges' where sister Grange made pumpkin pie.. Oh I forgot how good that tastes.

MONDAY: We invited... For a very. very. very long time. And it was WAY great. Seriously. We found some cool people... But the blessings from our inviting came in other ways that day and later in the week as well. That night we had a family home evening with Sister Lek and Hong w/ our RC: sister Gan her little daughter kassy and our investigator Sister Noon! Oh.. The spirit was so strong there. We were filled with yummy food and the spirit. Especially as we talked about temples. Noon is all about this life. She is so excited to change her life.

TUESDAY: Taught this WAY rad Cambodian investigator... Who we met on the street a few days prior.. We took her to the church to teach.. and on the way she told us that she quit one of her jobs so she could start coming to church every single sunday.... What? Yeah. Never had met with her before and she is already keeping commitments. The lesson with her was way awesome.. but it was also... almost 2 hours. She speaks better English than she does Thai... But not even that great of English.. So we taught the Gospel in both Thai and English... She understood repentance and baptism the best and is SO excited to clean her sin. Such an awesome experience.

WEDNESDAY: Switch off with Sister Sattatip!!!!! Oh, wow it was so fun switching of with her. It made me miss Sister Summittra SO MUCH! Sattatip was actually trained a few transfers ago by Summitra. They have so many of the same characteristics. It was so fun to be in Thai all day. Some times I miss that being here in Asoke where I have to speak in English more. Today was also LOI KRATONG! The floating lantern festival! Round 2 for me here in Thailand! So cool. Sister REmington and I didn't get to go to any festivals as we were stuck in traffic.. Instead we got to go to Robyn's house to teach where she surprised us with a thanksgiving dinner!!! It was AMAZING. we were so happy. It was a great visit. The spirit was so strong.

THURSDAY: Sleep? Who needs sleep. Not us! We woke up around 5 to go pick up a returning Laos missionary at the airport! She served in the London South England mission and is from Laos! It was so special being with her all day. We took her all around town AND to Thanksgiving dinner with all the senior missionaries and President and Sister Johnson! They took us to an American Thanksgiving buffet! Wow.. It was so amazing... It was so strange to eat so much faraang food. i could not suck in my stomach after. We took the sweet RM back to the airport and said good bye! We turned around to find a mini Loi Kratong fountain... We got to Loi Kratong afterall.. :)

FRIDAY: Switch off with Sister Bagley Bang Khae! Oh she is a good one and so is Bang Khae. I had to pray really hard for energy that day. Heavenly Father definitely answered my prayers. I was able to talk to her about having a khon thai companion as soon she will be training a new khon thai missionary and then take her around bang khae to different member's houses. But wow by the time sister Remington and I finally were reunited... we were so mote rang. So drained! And so thankful for coming p day. OH our lives are SO fun. Being a missionary is seriously the best.

There is so many miracles and stories left out. Just know that god is over here in Thailand that is for sure. So many things that I am learning. And changing. People that are progressing. The work is still so on fire here. Sister Remington and I have a few daters right now.. That are looking really good. Pray for Noon, Sa, Jo Jo. :)

This year I am thankful for: Good health. My testimony. The Book of Mormon. My family. Prayer. My companion. Taxis. T25. Thailand. Missionary work. Asoke. President Johnson.

I can't even name everything.

Heavenly Father is in the details. I love you all.

I love being a missionary.

love,

Sister Coates

Nov 20: Shining People

Shout out: My partner in crime just entered the games everyone. the dating games. >:) hahaha HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY ANNO BONANO THOMAS!!!!!

I love you so much. & Happy 1st birthday to little Charlie who I still haven't met! <3

Oh I am seriously loving Asoke and Sister Remington. She is fabulous. Asoke is fab. It is all too good to be true. 

Monday: Took Sister Rem to Siam. Yes again. Can't get away from that place it is SO COOL. Bangkok is seriously such a cool place I love it. Later that evening we had a great meeting with the leaders in our zone. We are exciting for this new transfer. Preparing Bangkok West to become a stake. It's going to be a thing. We can feel it!

Tuesday: Sister Remington and I are working on a 40 day fast together. We've been trying to add and subtract things from our lives... One thing we've started to add is memorizing a quote and /or scripture daily. It has proved... way useful, inspiring and fun. A perfect way to keep thoughts at a higher plane. Our quote for the day: "Let us show to the world tat we have talent and taste, and prove to the heavens that our minds are set no beauty and true excellence, so that we can become worthy to enjoy the society of angels." - Brigham Young

Wednesday: We got a call from Sister Hatch in Bangkapi who had been going through some older member records and making calls. She called a sister named Nuan that she had never met or seen before. Sister Nuan answered her phone and reported that she hadn't been to church for a while because she had moved several times to locations where there was no church. But was now living with her children in Asoke! Sister Hatch made an appointment for us and sent us her number (such an awesome missionary!). This past Wednesday we went on an adventure to find this sister's house which turned out to be just a few BTS stops away from the church! We meet her. She is SO nice. Come to find out, she hasn't been to church for 10+ years. She explained that she has been wanting to come to church for a while now but was never able to find where the church was and didn't have any friends that could tell her where to go. In short, Sister Hatch was prompted by the spirit to call this sweet sister. After sitting with Nuan for a little while, getting to know her and introducing ourselves, we shared the message of the gospel. And there was a sweet magic in the air for real! As we bore our testimonies at the end she had quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. It was an incredible visit! I have never met with a less active member who recognized to avidly that she wanted to be brought back to the fold. She was on the same page with us the whole visit. We are excited to introduce her to the Asoke branch and bring the gospel to her and her family's lives.

Thursday: This week has seriously been such a miracle... it was hmmm... About on sunday when all of our investigators dropped.. All the pakistani. denmark. every nationality. except kinda Frank. And then it was today... That we are being blessed ten fold. With an entirely new fold of investigators and daters and referrals. All of which are khon Thai. We are SO excited. And are on our knees constantly thanking heavenly father. 

Friday: Today I realized just how different we really are... How much we really stand out here. Just as a background.. There are A LOT of faraangs here in Asoke. AKA.. foriegners... AKA white people. And for lack of a better word... white trash people :( Trash because of their choice of clothing. Many people are scarsley covering their bodies.. and if they are... they are dressed very sloppily and over casual. This is the typical faraang in thailand. That all the khon thais see every single day.... For a long time.. I always that we looked the same as these other faraangs... until today we were coming out of the MRT... and I see one faraang girl who looked about our age... She was neatly and modestly dress. and her hair was done. She looked so out of place! Both sister reminington commented that we had never really seen anyone come to thailand... that was our age... that looked like she did.... And how shocking it was to see her! She really stood out... We then got on the next train...  we were surrounded by khon thais and other faraangs.... we looked at ourselves in the dark window reflection and realized that we were shining. We were seriously shining. And just like this other the other girl we had seen. We totally stood out.... It is really true what they say. We- and not just the missionaries... have lights in our eyes. all around us. The holy ghost is a real thing. 

We are teaching like crazy over here. That is blessing from god. 

We are seeing miracles like crazy over here.

Saving little prateedthai. 

The church is oh so true. Read your scriptures you can know to. 

Heavenly Father is real. I have come to know him better than I ever have before. He has our back over here on the other side of the world. You can know him better too... My ponderize from this week tells us how: 

13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?

Serve him. 

I love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates 

Nov 15: S-poiled

Herler

Oh where to start?

Well. I killed Sister Alley. She is dead! It's official. And she died in the greatest way. She worked to the bone till the last second. Such a good example! So proud of her. It was a bitter sweet goodbye! We really had a great transfer. We worked SO well together. But I was happy that she gets to go on the next chapter of her life and apply. And it was just weird to think that it won't be too long until I see her again! So. There is that. :)

Last Sunday: Last dinner with the district at the Granges! Love the Granges. 

Monday: Went to visit Synthia and Sylvia (our Pakistani investo's).... It was the coolest thing. We ad given Synthia te assignment to keep reading in 1 nephi. So we ask her how tat was going... not expecting too much because her english comprhension isn't te best (okay this key board is killin me... te "H" won't work unless i pound on it... so for te sake of time... just insert an "H" whenever it doesn't make sense.. aha).. So we follow up... And se tells us it went good. And ten proceeds to give us a PERFECT summary of the 1st 5 chapters of the book. And then what se LEARNED from it. Whoa... It was way cool. I pray that er living condition can become better so one day she will be able to get baptized. ... The end of tat visit though turned WAY sour... Because in Pakistani culture apparently it is WAY rude if you 1 turn down food and 2 dont eat all your food.... Seriously... Sylvia gave me like... 7 chuck-a-rama plates full of this terrible rice stuff.... And I ate it.. until I wanted to die. And wanted to die several continuing hours after that as well. #forthekingdom 

Tuesday: Amazing miracle. Sister A and I set out in the morning to try and find this member that had disappeared from the face of te earth... All we had was a name and a wrong address.. So we set out. And it was way fun. We were like detectives.. knockin on doors.. asking tese people if they knew a pakistani woman with four kids (oh we knew tat too ha). So we finally find er appartment... Wich was in a pretty sketchy area.. and the secretary person was not there. So we prayed... And desided we would go inside and knock on all the doors tat had little kid shoes outside te doors.. So the first door.. nothing,... We continue to walk down the halll... when we stop in front of a door.. because we could hear talking... we waitied to see what language it was... we heard thai... so we started to walk a away.. but i had a feeling to just stay... and then a couple of seconds went by... and i hear tat the thai was coming from TV and that te actually people were not speaking thai!! So we knocked on the door to find.... It was HER..... Turns out she's totally not pakistani but sri lankin. It was amazing. She didn't speak very good english.. But when we showed her te name of who we were looking for she pointed at herself and said "me". One of heavenly father's sheep was found. 

Way cool ting about Asoke.. It was food from all over te world. And it is all legit. All so amazing. Today we ate at a splendid italian pizza joint with Sister Johnson and Grange as a goodbye for sister Alley! We almost ordered a 1 meter pizza... ahaha language barriers... 

Wednesday: Way fun.. We got to prepare the new missionary lunch and take them out Dan Jonesing! (inviting).. It was so so fun... And a strange flashback.. to just a little over a year prior.. being in those very same shoes. What an adventure it has been. That evening we met wit sweet sister Robyn again for sister Alley's last time. And wow. We were spoiled. We went to an Argentian steak house. No need to annunciate on that. It was a crazy hi so restaraunt.. To which sister A and I brought a bottle of milk with Tim Tams so we could teach Robyn how to slam.... First class everyone. SO fun. I am excited to teach you how to slam one day!

Thursday: Sister Alley was died. And I took her place as the A. S. S. Assistant to Sister Senior (now sister Johsnon... but te A S J just doesnt ave the same ring to it... :P).... Hahah not really it is just for funnsies. Sometimes it feels tat way though with all we do in Asoke.  And to Asoke i brought the greatest greatest greatest new khuu! I am SO excited. My new companion is Sister Remington from Alberta Canada. She is SO cute. And such a great missionary. I can't even tell you how SPOILED I FEEL! Or as Anny would have put it... "richly blessed" :) We are so excited to work together. o!!! At transfers also so my sweet sister Olsen. She is doing so good! I am so proud of her. She will be training a khon thai mssinoary and opening a new area for sisters!!! I will be a grandma in the mission! Wooohooo. :) In the evening sister Smith (my old mtc companion) came and did a trio with us for a while! That was fun to reminsce wit her. we were invited to dinner with the bishop from the international ward. So tat was a change! Way fun. 

Friday: Crazy days begin. Introducing Sister Remington to Asoke.. We were running and running. We love it.

Saturday: SRI LANKIN SATURDAY! Way sick day. Sister Remington and I went with some members from the international ward to meet with this LA srilankan member! It was such an amazing experience. Won't go into details now about it.. Because their situation has lots of legal funsies incorporporated. fun. Later we went out to another member's restaraunt.. that happened to Sri lankan as well! it was prettty goood stuff. Much better than pakistani food right now. :) That afternoon we got to teach a french guy tat randomly walked into te church! Turns out Sister Remington is way good at speaking french. Okay. So that was fun. His name is Pescal. Is that te name of te chemillion on tangled????

Sunday: Nutty... per usual. but so good. So fun to see the LA's tat we've been working with come to church. And so wonderful when tey bring friends. Missionary work is real. The best way to help the missionaries is to open your mouth and invite your friends. And do your calling as a member. Fellowship. That evening we had a district dinner wit the Johnsons! It was a lovely dinner that ended with probably one of the most embarrassingly funny mission or even life moment of my life. I'll save that one for another day. ;)

Everyone Heavenly Father is oh so real. It was so humbling this week to see prayers answered concerning which sisters were called to this Zone.. I know it is God's will to make the Bangkok West Zone a stake. And I am so glad I have been able to serve in it these past 3 transfers.  The kingdom is coming forth.

I so love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates

PS... P days are actually staying saturdays... This was just a one time ting tis transfer.... so see you at the end of this week!

pics: 

me and the best sis O

Alley on the death couch. she's the coolest 

Sri Lankin BEAUTIFUL FAMILY

My gorgeous companion

Nov 6: break through

Happy Birthday to Sister Jackson, Reagan and Serena!!!! <3 Love you all.

Saturday: Turned out be a scary halloween after all! Hair cuts!!! The guy that cut my hair.. haha was awesome. His taste in music will describe him perfectly: Metallica. I had to fix my hair later at home.. But for the most part. He did okay :P

Sunday: Met a cool new investigator named Julie from Denmark. She lived in Utah for a year as a foreign exchange student and lived with a mormon family. She said that she has always loved the feeling of church. That it just feels like such a big family. On moving back to Denmark she was able to sneak to church 4 times, as her parents were strongly against it. And is excited to now be in Thailand able to make her own decisions..... I smell miracles! :) The English ward ward amazes me every week. People who actually do their calling. The church in Thailand is till pretty young. And the Asoke branch- although it was the first branch in Thailand.. it is struggling for sure. 

Monday: Pakistani Mondays.Got to read in 1 Nephi 1 with Synthia. It was so cool She doesn't speak very good English so she ahs a hard time understanding the BOM.. & she can't read/write in Urdu so we have stopped after reading every single verse and explained it to her. She loved it. I noticed while Iw as reading and explaining that I was so incredibly happy. i was so happy to be reading and sharing out of the BOM. That book is so special. Went to visit Samaya and Aamir. They are so special. Prayers for Samaya. She is very sick.

Tuesday: cool moment today. Some gril randomly walked into the church as we were  about to leave and asked if we could answer a few questions regarding the church's stance on gay marriage as she was preparing a report for a religion class. i was so impressed while she asked questions taht we were able to answer every single one and back it up with scriptures and words of modern day prophets. It was a testament to me that God's plan really is central to the family. Starting w/ Man and woman. Her last question was - will the church's stance ever change? Andre was a strong spirit in the air as we explained that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Wednesday: MLC happened again! I love President Johnson. The meeting was one desires. "when we have a vision of what we can BECOME our desire and our power to act increase enormously." Dallin H Oaks. There were many answers to prayers during that meeting. Some of which came not even through the words that were said.. But because the spirit was so strong. And because we had been preparing for the training.

Thursday: Taught Bro Frank.. He is our only khon Thai investigator.. We are making some break throughs with him. Little by little. :) Got to go to Bang Khae to train! Nothing has changed over there! It was so strange to go int he church.. Feels like I was just there yesterday. Where has 6 weeks gone? We got to skype Julie! As she lives in Chon Buri.. 4 hours away. She is way cool. 

Friday: Another training. Something learned this week: Big picture in life is sometimes lost in the fret of little things that pile up around us.. My ponderize this week helped inspire me to remember just how little our "piles" are.. Mosiah 4:9

Believe in God ; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom , and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. 

Saturday: Today is sister Alley's last P day. Next week = transfers. When did that happen?

The work is true.
I love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates

Also forgot to mention we had the cutest lunch date EVER with Sister Johnson and Sister Stoker at The Hatter... coollest place eer.

That sick fat dog.

fro yo is still a thing.
get real.

 

Oct 31: This is Halloween

Hello! Yay for Halloween in Thailand!

Thailand doesn't even need to wear a costume. :P

This week was good. My companion is awesome. Every single day I feel like the worst companion ever because she is constantly serving me to NO END! Oh is she is the best. This week I was very grateful that she was there to experience the highs and lows. I am so grateful for her example of charity and loyalty. I have learned so much from her. I know that we will be friends long after the mission. I know she was someone that I needed to meet with in my life. I can't believe that in 2 weeks she is going to DIE & go HOME!..... missionary talk......

Most interesting thing that happened this week.. Hmm which one should I choose? OH.. How about the one where this guy calls and says that he is a new member of the church and wants to meet at the church. We do.... And he starts to tell us his story.... Let me just first put this into perspective.. He is a khon Thai. He is probably aroun 30 years old? He looks more on the low class scale... Based on a lot of things... Okay. So his story. He had just gotten back from living in Spain for 6 months where he taught English. The man can't speak a lick of English or Spanish. He told us the word for "english" in spanish was "englishies"... He proceeded to tell us that he is married to an american from Ohio.. He has quadruplet daughters age 8 and twin sons age 4 months....... That his wife is in america preparing to go to korea.... After lovely story.. He started sharing a spiritual thought saying that in the scriptures Alma liked to talk with the apostle john................. And then ended there in the name of JC amen. Ohhhh boy. :) 

In short. It was a very strange week.

Still something strange: teaching in English. ESPECIALLY when the people you are teaching have a WAY thick accent. That is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Trying to speak English and NOT mimic their accentsssss!

One way high from this week was teaching a Pakistani family together! It started with one girl, Synthia, who watched a mormon friend of hers and decided that she too wanted to be that way. She told her family that she wanted to come to church. They supported her. Next week at church she and her sister came and told us they wanted to be baptized. Next day we are visiting at their house all of a sudden their whole family is sitting in too. All listening intently and asking questions. There was a cool spirit of discovery and love in the lesson. Which continued to expand when they met us at the church the following evening. Synthia's older brother told us that he really appreciates the feeling of true love he can sense from within our church members. -I love that this is the doctrine we teach. To love.- He told us how thankful to us he was that we came to his home. Calling us a "blessed people" as his and his family's lives have already started to change. He said that his younger and wayward brother- who had been sleeping in the corner during our visit- had actually not been sleeping at all but had been listening to everything. As soon as we had left he started to ask questions and has started to consider coming to church. 

Whoa! Miracles. I am excited to see their lives be filled with the light of Christ. Excited to give them a new and real hope. As they sitting in some hard situations. I am grateful to know to God in Heaven loves his children and has a plan for each one. 

My ponderize scripture for the week seemed to fit perfectly "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

I know that to be true.

I love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates