August 10, 2015

Elder Jesse Bundy shares news of baptisms and an anticipated visit with Elder Jeffrey Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles!

Elder Jesse Bundy baptizes new converts on Sunday.  Here he is with Elder Wright, the Sister Missionaries, some members from the branch as well as the investigators just before the baptism

I will have to add names later....Jesse forgot to tell me their names. 

Here Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Wright are with new converts...again, I'll have to add names later when he gives me that information.

Elder Bundy writes, "The baptisms yesterday were great! Sister Ploy, one of Elder Wright's and my investigators was baptized!  We had to move Sister Nat and Sister Leg’s baptismal dates.......but I was honored to baptize 2 of the sister missionary's investigators as well....... It's awesome and the spirit was so strong."  

Elder Wright, Elder Jesse Bundy and one of the investigators about to get baptized

Elder Jesse Bundy was very excited about the anticipated visit from an Apostle of God.  He writes, "OH, OH!!!!  This week we’re meeting with Elder Holland!!!....I'll take a lot of notes to share with you next week!  I can't wait!!!"

I asked Jesse how everything else was going and how the switch offs went with their Zone Leaders.  He wrote, "Elder Wright and I are doing really well.  We work really good together.  No problems at all! And the switch offs were awesome!"  ('Switch offs' is where the Elders that he and Elder Wright report to come to their area and trade companions for the day for training and teaching.)  He goes on,  "I learned soooo much from Elder Davis!  He is going to go home this next transfer....he was sooo good at teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, it was ridiculous!.....The way he teaches is way cool....bold, but not overbearing, and not afraid to just teach soooo simply, the basics.....it was like I've heard you do mom, like a hundred times and it was so effective and the spirit was so strong, it felt like home."

Elder Jesse Bundy eating his favorite food with the other missionaries and some members

Jesse also explained some of the obstacles he has had to overcome in learning to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in Thailand, "...the way you teach the gospel to the Thai people is very different from teaching to Americans... the people here just understand things in a very different way, i.e., their culture, their mannerisms….their humor..... all of it is just very different than teaching people in the states.  I think I'm finally just now really learning and understanding the people so much better.....it is making my teaching much more effective because I am more relaxed now."

Elder Jesse Bundy, a favorite friend of theirs from the Branch and Elder Wright at the church

Jesse reminded me that transfers will be a week from this Thursday. He also put to rest my worries over his health and his recent bike accident.  He wrote, "I'm good....amazingly good!  My knee is a little achy, but I'm pretty well healed up!  Heavenly father really took care of me…"  He also reported that Nom, the young man that had been paralyzed for 7 years, was doing a little better each day.....that he was doing the everyday things Jesse's brother Jake told him to do and that it was working.  Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Wright wish they could get out to his house more often to help him out, but Nom lives really far away from their apartment.

Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Wright got up early because they are finally going to have the opportunity to ride the elephants today!  He wrote, "Thank you, thank you….we are early today because I finally received the packages you sent......!!!  The Zone Leaders were in Bangkok for training last week.....they were able to pick up my packages and bring them to me......THANK YOU MOM, EVERYTHING IS WAY AWESOME!  The cold cereal was delicious.....I only have a little bit left......poor Elder Wright…lol!  I'm not sure if the bug things work yet because we haven't opened them yet, but I'm anxious to try them out.  We're getting on the 11:00 bus to Nakonthai - which we’re going to hop off of about half way up the mountain - to ride the elephants and hope we can catch a bus back….lol."

Here they are going to catch the train to Nakonthai to ride the elephants 

Elder Jesse Bundy's thoughts are never far away from his family and friends, especially his nieces and nephews!  He wrote, "that's CRAZY that Roxy is starting school sooooo soon!!! And JONATHAN gets the priesthood!  Holy cow! They are all going to be so big when I get home!"  He went on to give birthday wishes:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONATHAN, LOGAN, ALLISON AND LUCY!!!!!  I LOVE YOU GUYS!"

JACOB!!! WE'RE ALL STILL PRAYING FOR YOU!!  LOVE YA!

Jesse just can't stop trying to perfect his back handspring talent!  Here he is doing a back handspring:

He didn't send a picture of the landing, but it looks like he has recovered from his bike accident!

Elder Jesse Bundy ended his letter home with, "Well....everything is really, really good here! I'm sorry this is so short, but I have to go now!  I love you guys!!  Everyone here knows I have the best family ever!…..Keep me posted on olympic stuff, and Jonathan's ordination! I want pictures of all of that…."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy