More Than Tree Sap: Obedience brings blessings!

This week was really interesting. As is usual when it comes to being a missionary. We contacted a lot, and saw pretty much nothing come out of it. But really, we might have gotten numbers from 10 people, which is less than half of our average. It was a little discouraging, but we kept on being obedient in doing our 2 hours each day (probably more than that too!).

Then it all started getting crazy on Friday. We tried out this new area for contacting, only to find out that no one was really there. Then we bought water and powerade, sat down, chugged it, then got told by a one-eyed dog that it was time for us to keep moving on. But there was still no people. So we jumped on a song taew, just for the heck of it, and to see where it would go. Turns out, it goes all the way down and doesn't turn around. We got to the end and the other 2 people were like "Where are you going?" Which really means, "You crazy white people, where did you think you were going, and how lost are you really?" We just told them that we didn't know where we were going, we were just going on an adventure. So we had to get another song taew to get back, plus we were rushing because some random person called us and said that he wanted to meet with us. He was waiting at the church for like 15 minutes, but thankfully the Elders were already heading there to open the door. We get there and she is just sitting there waiting for us. She's super good! Has a problem with the Law of Chastity, but even after she left church without telling anyone, she called us after and asked us when she could get baptized. SWEET! Her friend from a different Branch referred her to us, and it seems like she is willing to do whatever it takes to get baptized!

So we taught her, then waited forever for the International Sisters' investigator to show up. They (the Sisters) couldn't make it, so we volunteered to teach it for them. We finally went out to retrieve them (3 black guys from Cameroon) and sat down to teach. This turned into a 2 hour lesson about the Restoration. All we could do was bear testimony. It was very interesting. And as much as I wanted to shake the main guy by the lapel several times, I was still able to feel directed by the Spirit and still smiling. If anything came out of that lesson (that wasn't simply my brain being turned to mush) it was that my own personal testimony in the Restoration, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the Lord's promise that we will not be confounded before men was strengthened.

Even though it was a little rough, the Lord blessed us with two new investigators that just came out of nowhere! And then there was the third.

Sitting at church yesterday, not really knowing who is going to show up, but just praying that everything would work out. Then all the sudden the Elders (at the end of church) are like "Your guy in the red shirt is a boss!" (We thought it was their investigator, but he said that girls invited him...)

He is so perfect! He was looking for a new Christian church (he was already Protestant) and it just so happened that one of us gave him the baptism card with the map to the church. So he came, on his own, no one called him to get him there, and he got there on time. He is so great! He likes how our church has order and is peaceful and calm. YAY! He was really excited about the Restoration, and he wants to keep coming to our church! I am so amazed at the way the Lord works in our lives, and all according to our obedience.

Random miracle: Brother Sinh, the Cambodian man we taught came to church yesterday! I haven't seen him since he was baptized in March (Partially because he went back to Cambodia for a long time...I thought he was never coming back). But he is still going strong! I was so thankful to get to see him. I was really worried, and I know that God heard all my prayers aboout him. He was so prepared, and he didn't just fall off the face of the earth. We were able to give him pictures from his baptism, and also a new Cambodian Book of Mormon. Now he is moving to Saphaan Sung, but I am so thankful that I got to see him again! I don't think I have ever prayed for someone so much in my life! God took care of him and He made sure that I was around to see him and help him get in contact with the church again!

Overall, this week I learned that we can trust in God and in His promises. I studied a lot about obedience, and I learned that when we are obedient to the Lord's commandments and to the small still promptings of the Holy Spirit, we will be blessed in His own way and according to His own timing. I learned that listening to the Spirit, and always being worthy of that Gift is one of the most important ways we can learn and be kept in the right way. If we are unsure of our standing with God, we can look at our obedience and to our diligence and heed to the promptings He gives us.

"Through the Holy Ghost we can feel God's love and direction for us. This gift is a foretaste of eternal joy and a promise of eternal life." - Preach My Gospel

3 Nephi 27:19-20
"19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washedtheir garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may standspotless before me at the last day."

Doctrine and Covenants 19:23
"23 Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me."

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/obedience-through-our-faithfulness?lang=eng

So this is the part two of baptism: Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It completes baptism and it is super important. It is crucial to our salvation, and we will be happier once we get it. We can be directed in life, and when we listen to the Holy Ghost's gentle promptings, we will be led to happiness and joy in this life and in the life to come. SO this is why we baptize! To save souls and help them find their way back to God's presence through obedience to the commandments and through the help of the Holy Ghost. Hooray for God's eternal plan of happiness!
Love you all. This is the last email I will send as a 20 year old. Next time, maybe I will be wiser. No promises... But I will be older that is for sure!

Love,
Sister Norrell

Pictures:
We went to the Superhero exhibit again. It was fun. :)

We found these Popsicles. They are bananas with chocolate on the inside. Half the fun is peeling the jelly-like banana art off to reveal the chocolate inside. It was only 10 baht. Might as well be free since it was so much fun to eat! But I think it would taste better if it was actually banana flavored...

My favorite little friend: Steak.

There was some construction going on at the church. It is really fun to teach with the sound of jackhammers in the background beating out all the concrete around the church. :P

The hard life as missionaries.

I wore holes in the Crocs I have had since Chiang Mai...Actually that happened earlier this month. But the holes have been getting bigger and the pavement has been getting hotter. I decided it was time when I saw that I was starting to get callouses on the bottom of my feet in the exact shape as the holes. So I finally had to buy some new ones. Thanks to my trusty rusty old Crocs!

This is what happens when missionaries are waiting for the other missionaries to leave so we can go out to eat. Invited all day. Tired, hungry, and spiritually high. ALL THE TIME.