November 14, 2016

Brother Bird gets baptized, Elder Jesse Bundy receives a 'sticky' package, enjoys real progress in his area and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the LDS Church being in Thailand  

"I'm LOVING my mission!  We had such a great week.  As you can see from the pictures, Brother Bird, an investigator that lives in our area, but attends church in Asoke got baptized!  

"It was so exciting and the spirit was so strong.  He is going to be a solid member.  Even though Rogers and I did not teach him very much, we got to know him well through helping him get married as well as overcome some other difficult issues."

"We are working really hard to meet our goals in every District in our zone, and it is really showing.  (That's me on the far left asleep, hahaha.)  Things are really beginning to turn around and it is very exciting.....there are also transfers this week.  I think I'll be staying right here, but you never know.  This will be Elder Rogers last transfer before he goes home.  In fact, in my area I have several missionaries that will be going home soon.  There will be a lot of change in my zone over the next several weeks."

                   

"Elder Rogers likes to have a lot of fun..."

"Remember the miracle I experienced at Sacrament Meeting last week?  In the above picture is Brother Bank and his friend Jay, the two young men I sat by in Sacrament Meeting who were looking for a new church?  They both now have dates to be baptized coming up this next Sunday!  Turns out that coming into our church was not so coincidental.  They were looking for me......I found them a while ago while contacting in a village and they had a card from me that told them where to come!  Heavenly Father answers prayers and I am so thankful......They both are way solid."  

"This week was the 50th Anniversary Celebration of our Church being in Thailand.  Elder Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve was here and we got to attend some really great training meetings.  Here are a couple of general photos from the celebration"

"In 1966, Gordon B. Hinckley who was an Apostle at the time, with Elder Marion D. Hanks of the Seventy dedicated Thailand for the preaching of the gospel while standing in Lumpini Park in Bangkok.  Today, 50 years later, our Church has 20,730 members, 3 stakes, 3 districts, 19 wards, 20 branches, and 33 owned or leased meetinghouses in Thailand!  It's just incredible..."

"Besides Elder Stevenson coming here and getting to hear from and attend trainings from him, was getting to see so many members from all over Thailand.  I got to see and visit with people from almost every area I have served in while here.  It was awesome....."

"In the coming weeks, we are going to focus on our investigators with baptismal dates, Sister Nani, Brother Hat, Brother Bank, Jay, Brother Jump and Brother Jack.  Extra prayers for all of them would be really appreciated.....Sister Nani has been traveling between Korea and Singapore, so we've only had the opportunity to meet with her once.  But during that meeting, we challenged her to pray everyday.  She told us that she has been praying daily and that her faith has increased a bunch.  Brother Hat is Muslim.  It takes an enormous amount of faith and courage for him to even pray at his house.  He's incredible because he IS praying everyday and is overcoming so much to become a member of the Lord's church!"  

"Brother Bank and Jay are just AWESOME!  They are strong in their commitment and are doing everything they have been asked to do.  We need extra prayers for Brother Jump....he's the school teacher that has us come to his school and teach.  He overcomes one doubt, then struggles with another, but he works through them as they come.  The other day, he invited us back to the school to teach his students again.  This time there were twice the number of kids!!!  We had a blast!  I hope they love us there as much as we love going....they seem to and keep inviting us back." 

"I got the lost package.....hahaha!  It took so long because it got stuck in customs.  Apparently the honeycomb you sent leaked all over inside and was leaking out....lolol!  I was so confused when they gave it to me."

 "Things weren't completely ruined, just had a film of honey all over them.  It was very messy.  Really.....everything was fine except the candy, which I don't need anyway.  I've never had honeycomb straight out of a hive before....not sure I know how to feel about it, so I'm going to put it in the fridge for a while..."

"Well.....Rogers and I are off to do some chores, some shopping and have some fun.  I am so grateful for my Mom and Dad and all you guys do for me!  Tell everyone I love them too....I really love my family."

"I'm gonna sign off until next week....I love you!"

Elder Jesse A. Bundy