Tessa in Thailand: 1/26/15 - Pay your utility bills!

This week has been crazy! I’d like to start with an important lesson I learned! On Monday night we came home and all of our electricity was out. No air…no lights…no nothing. We went downstairs and decided to check our mail and inside we found 5 different bills. (In my defense in Sisakate the landlord would always bring over the bill so I had no idea I should be looking for it since I was the “house leader”.) That night we took our bedding and slept at the church which was actually kind of creepy! The next 2 days were stressful figuring out the bills and trying to get them paid. I am so grateful there were lots of missionaries willing to help me.

We got the transfers call and Sister Morgan, Elder Williams and Elder Davis were leaving! We spent the next day packing and getting things organized and ready! I am going to really miss Sister Morgan and have learned a lot working with her. On Wednesday we had a little party at the church and for some reason it just hit me how much I love the people here in Bangnaa! They really are so great and I love them so much! At transfer meeting it was so fun seeing all the other missionaries! I feel like we are all best friends.

I got a new companion and her name is Sister Hatch! She is one of the kindest most loving people I know! I am so excited to serve with her! She is from Springville and was serving in Udon before and has been out just one transfer less than me. We already started to work on our goals for this transfer! One of them is building the young women's program! I don't know why but the young women's program has always had a special place in my heart! Right now there is only one young woman in our ward but we are so excited to change that!

On Thursday night we went out to dinner with our RC Sister Kwan! As we were walking she said, "SISTER, you guys were right! You told me if I got baptized and took a leap of faith my dad would come along. And the other day my dad said he was happy that I got baptized!" I was so happy for her.

This week we had the most amazing miracle happen! On Monday night I had the feeling to call Sister Aom! She wanted to meet with us. She walked in the church and just started bawling! She told us that the guy she was living with walked out on her. She was devastated but she knew that this was God's plan for her. It opened up the chance for her to be able to get baptized. My heart ached for her because she was so sad and now had all these expensive bills, but at the same time my heart rejoiced because now she could enter into a covenant with God! It is amazing how God knows each and every one of his children so specifically! His timing is perfect and His ways are perfect.

On Saturday we had the opportunity to go down to Asoke and hear from Sister Gong! It was more of a discussion but it was such an amazing conference. The whole theme was "Fear not" and "I can do hard things!" I feel like this has been a theme for my whole life! haha I have come to realize that with the Lord I don't need to fear and with the Lord I can do hard things! The Lord knows what we need and will help us. "For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." We need not fear if we put God first! Once we are over the fear part we need to press forward with faith, knowing that God is right there beside us. "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days."

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." At the end of the meeting a couple of sisters and I did a special musical number which was "Be Still My Soul." The words in that song go perfectly with this theme.

Be still, my soul
The Lord is on thy side
With patience bear
Thy cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God
To order and provide
In every change
He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul
Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways
Leads to a joyful end

Be still, my soul
Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future
As he has the past
Thy hope, thy confidence
Let nothing shake
All now mysterious
Shall be bright at last
Be still, my soul
The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled
Them while He dwelt below

Be still, my soul
The hour is hastening on
When we shall be
Forever with the Lord
When disappointment grief
And fear are gone
Sorrow forgot, love's
Purest joys restored
Be still, my soul
When change and tears are past
All safe and blessed
We shall meet at last

I love you all so much. Thank you for your love and support. Have a great week. Remember to pray and read your scriptures!!! สิ่งที่สำคัญมาก!

- Sister Herrmann