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

November 7, 2016

Elder Jesse Bundy enjoys a week filled with training from Elder Wong of the Seventy, a miracle at Sacrament Meeting and working hard to meet goals

"Hello everyone!  I'm sending some pictures, but not much to tell you about this week....we've had a bunch of trainings and a busy week of re-structuring and re-setting our goals." 

"My mission has changed dramatically since I first entered nearly two years ago.  The way we teach, how we teach and emphasis on member involvement in teaching new investigators has really evolved.....I have learned so much!  My Zone is coming together....we've had a few set backs here and there, but nothing training and a lot of faith and prayers haven' fixed."

"Our area has been pretty frustrating at times.  As I mentioned before, our church is an hour away from where we live, so it's difficult to get people to want to travel that far to go to church.  We have had so many people cancel teaching appointments.  But, we just do our best to stay focused, work a little harder and pray A LOT!  And, just when we think it's getting a little too hard, we experience a true miracle!  

"Like this past Sunday......I was in Sacrament Meeting and I turned around and saw two young men, about 19-20ish walk in the door.  I immediately went and sat by them.  I found out later that for no apparent reason, their church shut down, so they went looking for a new church to go to!  We are now meeting with them again this Tuesday.....it was an IMMEDIATE answer to my prayers."   

"I just really hope you guys know how much I am loving my mission! I love the challenges, I love learning, I love working with the missionaries and I love teaching the people here in Thailand.  I feel so lucky and so grateful to be here.....to have this opportunity.  AND.....I'm having a BLAST along the way."

"Sooooo, we got up super early today......we are going to do our chores, get our hair cut, then we're going to a really large mall that's not too far from us.....it should be a lot of fun.  I know that this has been really short and filled with not much information, but just know that I love you guys and I am doing my best to work hard, stay focused and have fun.  Tell everyone I love them..."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy

November 1, 2016

Elder Jesse Bundy expresses gratitude for the little everyday miracles of missionary service, visits the beach and helps clean up after a bad rain storm.

Elder Jesse Bundy with Elder Lindley in Chonburi a couple of weeks ago while on splits

"This week has been really great!  We have 5 new investigators who have all set baptismal dates!  We SO enjoy working with Brother Jump and his family, he is the teacher I told you about last week.  Brother Jump is SO incredibly smart.  Even though he has been a monk, he overcomes any concern he has about gospel doctrine by reading and praying!......We helped out again at his school this week......SO MUCH fun!"  

"These first several pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago when we were on splits in Chonburi.  The ocean was AMAZING!!!"

Elder Bundy enjoying the beach while contacting in Chonburi.  

Brother Jump (the school teacher), his wife, Elder Rogers and Elder Jesse Bundy.

"I am SO thankful for the miracles I get to experience on a daily basis here.....Like just the other day while we we were contacting at a market.  We were about to leave when the wind began blowing one of the shops over!  I ran over to help the woman that owned the shop try to hang on to things.  As I was helping her, a man tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would teach his friend more about Jesus?  I said, 'Of course we would!'"  

"After helping the woman with her shop, the man who tapped me on the shoulder led us into a little store down the road a ways.  We went inside and were introduced to  Sister Nanee.  She explained to us that while she is doing really well financially, her faith is failing her.  She went on to tell us that she had been watching us help other people and wondered if learning more about Jesus could do the same for her?.......She is so humble and teachable.....we are now teaching her and she is progressing really well toward baptism."

Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Rogers with the Ward Mission Leader, Brother Gaea,  an RM's mom, who is not a member and Sister Jaa An La.  Elder Bundy and Elder Rogers really enjoy teaching her as well as her fun sense of humor.

"Another really cool experience happened while we were out contacting at that same market.  A couple of salesman were trying to get me to buy their glasses and other products.  Instead, a VERY golden moment presented itself and I was able to share my testimony of Jesus Christ with them instead!......Sister Dtukadtaa is now on the road to baptism!....While really big miracles are awesome, it is the daily miracles that come from direct answers to our prayers through obedience and hard work that continue to AMAZE me....I LOVE being a missionary!  I am SO thankful for this opportunity."

The Stake President's house after a tree fell on it during the violent rain storm last night

"The only real problem we are having now, is getting our investigators to church!  I takes such faith on their part to come to church because it is SO far away.....but we are working hard and doing our best to help them understand the importance of church attendance."

"Last night, we had a really bad rain storm.  There are trees and debris laying around everywhere.  We found out that a tree had fallen on the Stake President's house, so we spent all day today helping him clean up the mess.  We had a really good time......."

Elder Jesse Bundy begins chopping up a fallen tree doing a service project at the Stake President's house.

Elder Jesse Bundy on top of the Stake President's house trying to get the fallen tree off of it.

Elder Rogers taking his turn with the axe.

"No package yet Mom...but no worries, the office missionaries are going to track it down for me.  It might have gotten help up in customs or something like that.  I'll keep you posted....."

"Could you please ask everyone to pray extra for our mission right now? The temple is coming and each unit in our stake needs at least 5 more priesthood holders to support the temple....We have a lot of work to do and we sure could use the prayers."

"Well Mom, I have to go right now.  P-day is almost over and I need to get a haircut and run a few errands.  Until next week, make sure Dad knows how much I love him and that I pray for him every single prayer I offer.  I know he will make it through this!  I love you mom...."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy

October 24, 2016

Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Rogers teach kids at an elementary school, find success street contacting and visit the beach   

"Hi everyone!  The missionary work, here in the Bangkok East Zone, is going pretty good.  We are getting to work with some really great missionaries...... Things are moving a little slower in our area than I would like, but not because Rogers and I aren't working hard.  With our new goals and keeping the pace we're on, things should start picking up soon.....This past Sunday, I gave a talk on faith.  I told the story of Naaman out of the Old Testament.  I bore my testimony that faith requires action.....that it is simply a 'hope' unless we 'do' something about it....even when we don't know the whole reason why...."   

"I contacted a family man named O, (that's him in the picture below).  He sells roasted pig parts on the side of the road.  He is GREAT!  We taught him how to pray to know if God the Father and Jesus Christ are real or not....he is progressing really well and I love teaching him."  

"I didn't want to know what this was, I didn't ask....hahaha....thankfully, it tasted pretty good..."

"A street contact named brother Jump, turned out to be a golden investigator!  He is the father of two children and his wife is awesome.  He happens to be an elementary school teacher.  After teaching him about Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here upon the earth, he wanted to learn more and has expressed a desire to get baptized.  Even better yet....he invited us to teach some English and 'religion' to the children in his school!!!"  

"So we went and had an INCREDIBLE experience and a LOT of fun with the kids!  ALL of the children were super cute.....they listened with real intent to our message about the Savior and the spirit was SO strong!"

"After we taught the kids at school, Brother Jump invited us to teach him and his family about the Plan of Salvation....this was easily one of the best days ever!"

"Elder Rogers talked to a woman on the street named Vickey......she is extremely wealthy and completely fluent in English.  She invited us to her home to teach her the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  The spirit was SO strong while we were teaching that she cried during the lesson....She loved it!   She is super excited to learn more and share it with her husband.  They have a 1 1/2 year old son.....I LOVE teaching the gospel!...Here we are in her dining room...pretty sweet..."

"This last Friday, we went down to southern Thailand to the newly opened area to do switch-offs with the Elders there.  We had an AMAZING experience!  Because that area has never had missionaries before, the people are very curious and SO nice!  Inviting people to come unto Christ in that area is so fun and incredible....the missionary work is going to EXPLODE there.  It is SO exciting!  Elder Lindley and his companion are killing it!  They have some great investigators they are teaching and the BEACH is just right there.....we got to go see it and it is beyond beautiful!"

"I got a call from Sisaket today.  The missionaries told me that an investigator I taught while I was in that area just got baptized!!  It was such a miracle that we found her, let alone taught her.  I am SO happy and feel so lucky that I got to teach her and am beyond excited that she chose to get baptized!" 

"Here's Elder Rogers and I posing with several new friends we've met along the way while out street contacting....."

"No one messes with our friends....hahaha!!!!  We meet so many interesting people...."

"Some more of the people and sites around our area....Sometimes, street vendors turn out to be great investigators....." 

 "WOW....look at that baby sleeping so peacefully on a pallet?  The little kids over here are SO dang cute...They make me miss my nieces and nephews."

"We are going to a trampoline park today!  It's going to be a blast.....and yes, I will be careful.  Well, I really love you guys.  I pray for you in every prayer!  Hope Dad is feeling better....I hope he knows I'm with him 200%!"  

"I can't believe how fast time is just flying by.....Thanks for everything you do for me...I am SO grateful for this opportunity!  My testimony just keeps growing and growing.....I love you.....until next week.."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy

October 17, 2016

Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Rogers get organized and work hard to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with excitement in a new area 

Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Rogers in Laadgabang Thailand contacting at the market 

"Hello everyone!  I'm doing great!  All is well here on the mission in Thailand.  My mission just keeps getting better and better.....Elder Rogers and I did switch-offs with 2 of our District Leaders, set some awesome goals, taught some great investigators and are sitting on 5 people with dates..."

Elder Jesse Bundy while doing switch-offs with a DL in another area

"We have set some really high goals and are determined to meet them....this area is a real challenge.  Yesterday, EVERYONE cancelled their appointments with us.  So we went contacting at a market for 6 hours.  We eventually got kicked out by security, but it was LOADS of fun and we found some success.  When we got home, I was SO tired!  What started out as a not so good day, turned out really awesome!"

Jesse has been missing his bike....hahaha....so he took a spin on this little beauty....

"The other day, I ran into someone from Sisaket while we were out inviting.  I had taught them while on switch-offs in another area.  They are doing SO well and they live here!  It was so good to see them, AND they have a 17 year old son.  The Dad drives a taxi and the mom kind of has a few bad habits that I think with the Lord's help and continued gospel teaching, will turn her around and really help that family....."  

"This poisonous, I think, snake looking lizard thingy is just plain scary when they come at you unexpectedly....hahaha"

"My companion is hilarious!!  He keeps me laughing......We are getting our stride, becoming familiar with our area as well as the missionaries assigned  to our zone.  We are going to work hard to have the hardest working, best zone in the mission!"

"That's all I have for this week...hahaha....We have been so busy, just not so much to report on.  Anyway, I need to go for now.....just know that I am going to keep working really hard here, no matter what.  I'm loving my mission and I love teaching the gospel.  I love you so much and please send my love to the rest of the family....especially my Dadio!  I know he will get through this!!!"

Elder Jesse A. Bundy      

October 10, 2016

Elder Jesse Bundy gets transferred to a new area with new companion, Elder Rogers

Elder Rogers, new investigators - EM and Dtoon - and Elder Jesse Bundy

"Hey Mom, I'm doing great.....I moved!!  I'm a Zone Leader in a place called Laadgrabang.  It is the very southeastern part of Bangkok, about a 2 hour taxi ride from the mission home.  My new companion's name is Elder Rogers.   He's from California and is a lot of fun to be around.  He only has two transfers left and then he is headed for home.  I'm senior companion because I've been a ZL longer.  We are going to work great together."

"So yea....I thought I might stay in Udorn, but I'm excited about the opportunities here.  I'll miss Udorn for sure.  So many great people there....but I can't wait to make good friends here and hopefully, start baptizing soon in this area.  Laadgrabang is quite the challenge......we live an hour from the church, teach lessons at our house, take taxis instead of bikes and it's difficult to street contact because we get kicked out of everywhere!  Difficult, but an AWESOME challenge and one I am looking forward to going to work with Rogers to figure out what the Lord wants us to do here......"

"So, no more riding a bike....I stored my bike back at the mission office.  I'm gonna miss riding the bike....and, no I haven't received the package you sent yet.  We will be going back to the office next week for MLC and I think it'll be there by then.  The missionary work here has been very slow.  They haven't baptized anyone in this zone for a long while.  Hopefully, Rogers and I will be able to change that right up.... For the past 8 months, I have been speaking Eisan, which NO ONE speaks here.  Even though the first couple of days of my speaking clear, proper Thai was a little rough, it has come back to me really well.....and, a few times, we have come across contacts that are speaking Laotian or Eisan and they totally LOVE that I can join in with them....there's not that big of a difference between the two languages...mainly tonal and a few words here and there..."

"Our zone is quite large.  It spans across all of eastern Bangkok and we have around 36 missionaries.  We are also opening a new area called Chonburi.  It will be the furthest south in Thailand missionaries have ever been sent!  So that is exciting, even though I am a bit surprised.  That city is known as 'sin city,' (you can imagine what's down there....anything goes)...so we better start repenting, hahaha.  I know it will open smoothly and do well because one of my good friends in the mission, Elder Lindley, is being sent to open it up with a younger missionary.  Lindley is a really solid, obedient missionary."

"Sorry about no pictures this week!  It has been CRAZY busy with the move, new area and everything.....I will do better next week.  On a personal note, I am working out really hard and watching my diet really close..  I am going to be ready to wrestle when I get home."

"There's not a bunch of time left.  Sorry this is really short...make sure Dad knows that I really love him and that he needs to keep on fighting!  Thanks for everything mom...I love you!  Tell the family I love and miss them too.  Talk to you next week..."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy

October 4, 2016

Mission Leadership Conference in Udorn, great teaching moments testifying of Jesus Christ and

a fun karaoke contacting idea mark another week in Thailand for Elder Jesse Bundy 

President and Sister Johnson with the Bangkok Thailand Mission leadership for a conference in Udorn

"Hey!  We just finished up with Mission Leadership Conference yesterday.  It was in our area and we were hosting it......that means we made all of the arrangements for everyone, including food.  And.....wow! It was a doozy!  It was first scheduled for the 18th and 19th....so we put EVERYTHING together for those days.....then, they moved it to the next week...so we adjusted.  Then.....it got moved AGAIN...AND still moved a 4th time....hahaha!  It was alright....we figured it all out.  It was a great learning experience and I learned some great life skills.....we catered to 40 plus people in matter of a day....so that was good."

Pizza and wings for Mission Leadership Conference.  Two of Jesse's favorite foods!

"The conference was awesome!  We received SO much great information.  The overall conference focused on working on our teaching skills.  Elder Cherd's and my presentation was on the Holy Ghost and asking inspired questions....the AP's talked about teaching with faith and President and Sister Johnson spoke on using the scriptures while teaching.  It was really, really good."

A beautiful overall picture of Udorn

"It has just been a GREAT week!  The AP's scheduled to do switch-offs with us, but missed their flight.....we had a day full of appointments scheduled.   So....we ended up switching off with the other elders here in Udorn because we just had too many appointments for us to handle by ourselves."

Elder Cherd and Elder Jesse Bundy planning and studying in their study room

"We have had ups and downs with our investigators this week....even though it is disappointing, it's pretty normal.  Our investigator, Brother Jarroon, finished reading the Book of Mormon...he told us he knows it's true and has no doubt that if he prays about it, he will have a confirmation from God.....but at this time, he is not ready to commit....he asked us not to come by anymore."

Jesse meets some very interesting people while out contacting.  Here he meets a man on the street who tries to convince him he needs to leave America....hahaha.

"On the mission, you will have several disappointments with investigators, but that just means that the one you are suppose to find and teach is just right around the corner!  The other day, we invited a policeman who was EXTREMELY kind to us 2 weeks ago.  It turned out that he wasn't just any cop!  He was one of the head generals.  Anyway...we ran back into him this past Saturday and he wanted to talk with us!  We gladly did.....he bought us some lunch and we taught him and his wife.  They are GOLDEN!  They have 2 children and are so interested and want to continue to meet with us!"

Jesse and Elder Cherd having Family Home Evening with Brother Dang.

"Our investigator, Brother Bing from China, is progressing great. He has been praying and reading his Chinese Book of Mormon like a champ! He has begun to gain a testimony of the importance of commandments and wants to be baptized....I LOVE teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ!"

This is Elder Jesse Bundy with some members practicing to sing at a market for an activity while inviting.....

"We have an investigator that is really old and has a difficult time reading the Book of Mormon because of the small print.....soooooo, we made a HUGE copy at a print shop for them.....they were very grateful.."

"Here I am reading from the newly printed and bound Book of Mormon to one of our investigators, Brother Game."

"A few days ago, we were privileged to pass food out to people who need it at the hospital...it was a great activity and we met a lot of really great people."

      

"This week is transfers....I don't know what will happen.  I think I'll stay here, but I don't know.  If I do, it will be the first 4 transfer area, but I just don't know...."

"I have this banner hanging up in our study room.   I've had it for almost a year now and I hang it up everywhere I get transferred. SWOLL means big, like muscle wise, or extremely fit.  It is 'youngster slang,' hahaha.  I think it's English....nowadays, I don't know the difference from some Thai and English words, so I apologize if I get them confused."

"We were inviting near this market place.....we took a quick break to get a free massage!  This chair is AMAZING!!"

"I've been getting up nice and early and working out pretty hard to get some muscle and shape back.  I'm doing really great and being consistent.....I am really doing my best to keep a good balance of only concentrating on my future plans through my workouts early in the mornings....then I focus 100% on missionary work the rest of the day.  It's working really well for me so far.. I just need to step up my workouts.  They are getting too easy for me now."

"I found this Olympic ad the other day.  It sits on my desk as a little 'visual' reminder of my goals for after the mission."

"Just me shaving.....hahaha!"

"So the other day, one of the Elders needed a ride home, so I put him on my back like a backpack and rode home like that....hahaha!"

"Well momma!  We have to be going now.  We are going to a planetarium.  It sounds like it should be some fun.  Next P-Day will fall on the normal Monday as usual.  I will either still be in Udorn with the Cherd, or somewhere else!  I'll make sure to let you know."

"Thanks for everything!  I love you Mom and Dad!  Please let everyone know that as much as I miss them, I am LOVING my mission!  My testimony has grown SO much!"

"Until next week....."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy