Jan 3 2016: favored of the lord

What happened in the two days since I last emailed? 

Not too much.. But a ton at the same time. Summary:

Friday: Went Ice skating with the district! Was fun... Felt very strange to see that much ice in one place... To feel that kind of cold again! It felt amazing. Fun time too. And because my companion is a Canadian. She is also of course a figure skater... In the past! She impressed us all as she made fancy twirls, twist and fishies... haha She even managed to impress a fellow falaang from Russia who came and asked her to teach her how to increase her skating speed haha.. We invited her to church and got her number. hahah referral from iceskating.

Saturday: Weird wierd day because everyone is still out of bangkok for the holidays. BUT we still managed to have some great lessons with Sister Noon and others. She is so excited to get the Holy Ghost.

Sunday: Had the most epic sacrament meeting of all time. And no! It was not in the Thai branch this time. It was international.... Goodness gracious.. I will have to tell the long story one day.. But short story.. There was a Thai member... Got up to bear their testimony/rage against faraangs... And she pulled this sweet 14 year old boy up to translate..... He did an amazing job. I don't how he was able to soften all the words she said. I don't think the any of the non thai speakers would have known that what she was saying was so horrible had the spirit not completely left.. But this awesome kid did such a good job translating. Closing remark of her testimony: "if you love me you will ask me to marry you.. but if you dont have 1 million baht dont even talk to me. In the name of... Amen"... The rest of that story.. Use your imagination.. Haha So fun in Thailand I love it so much!!! 

That night we went to the Granges' for dinner. Oh how I love them. It was so nice to be in a place where the was a warm family spirit. We love love love Elder and Sister Grange! On the way out Elder Paxton shared something that really impressed me... He read us 1 Nephi 1:1

 1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days,nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

He explained that something he has learned on his mission was that being highly favored of the lord... does not mean that we will not have trials... But in reality it will mean quite the opposite. Heavenly father lets us have "afflictions" because those are the very things that let us become. Grow into something beautiful! With this view.. we can better face the challenges that come into our lives with the sure knowledge, hope and faith.. That we are favored of the lord. Just like Nephi. And we like Nephi can know of his goodness.

I so love the book of mormon. thailand. all of it. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Talk to you again on Mondays! From here on out.

I love being a missionary.

Love,

Sister Coates

oh... I couldnt not take a pic of this and send... It might not be a good thing that i did.. but I thought it was so funny that the members did it I had to.... do you recognize what they put out to eat for all the members on sunday?

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 that faith is always pointed toward the future”The 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

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/jeffrey-r-holland_remember-lots-wife/ 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/01/the-best-is-yet-to-be?lang=eng&media=audio

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/look-ahead-and-believe?lang=eng

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