7/20/15 - Glimpse of Heaven

This week I spent LOTS of my time traveling!! We spent 4 days traveling to Bangkok and then around the Esan doing MLC and trainings! I learned SO much but boy am I exhausted! (I guess that is what happens when you get 1 hour of sleep on the night trains and buses!) BUT the things that I learned and was able to share from MLC were definitely worth it! We also spent a lot of time traveling around Ubon on our bikes- trying to find members’ and investigators’ homes. It resulted in us getting lost and inviting in a lot of weird places!! (See pictures below!) Through all the sweat and getting stuck in the down pour of rain storms, I love missionary work!

This week I had many special experiences but there were 2 in particular that honestly felt like a glimpse of heaven!

#1. Monday night for FHE we were heading to Brother Banhaas house. We were riding our bikes down the dirt path with chickens running all around us. Everyone in the little village was trying to save their homes from the rain/flood that just happened. When we finally made it to their house, we saw the adults helping each other and the children singing primary hymns. I sat there on my bike with tears streaming down my face in amazement at what was happening before my eyes. The scripture in 3rd Nephi 12:15 kept coming into my heart, "Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house." This family was literally a light set on a hill. Their house was half on a hill and half hanging over a river. In the hardest of times they were trying to help others and lift others and through it all they couldn't have been happier!! It was truly a glimpse of heaven!

#2. We had a baptism this week! Here's a little background on this baptism--Elder Bunme from America who is currently serving in Bangkok had a bunch of relatives that live here in Thailand. About 5 months ago his Aunt, Sister Nok, got baptized. This past week his grandpa, the one we have been teaching and Sister Nok's dad, got baptized! Elder Bunme got to come up to Ubon to baptize him! At this little baptism service we had Elder Bunme, Sister Nok, grandpa, grandma and their son (who we are currently teaching) all together on the front row . THEN they starting singing "Families Can Be Together Forever" and my heart was about to burst! My joy was FULL!! To see this family come together in the gospel will always be a sacred and unforgettable memory to me.

I have been blessed to be able to have so many glimpses of heaven here on my mission. These are the moments that keep me going through the hard times. What a glorious day it will be when I get to see heaven as a whole and be able to embrace my Savior. This is how I picture it, "We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father." D&C 110:2-4

LOVE you all!!! Have a great week!!!

Love, Sister Herrmann

PS Have fun at the Bennett Family Reunion! I will really miss all of you!!! 

I’m getting eaten alive by mosquitos again! 

I’m learning to not get offended. I think the times when I do get offended is when I don't like a quality in myself (like impatience or lack of charity) and I want to change and then others see it too. It kills me!! And some of the things that I want to change about myself are happening sooo slowly--but that is what life is all about right??

Recently I have had a lot of conversations about creepy ghost stories--Thai people have so many freaky weird ghost stories they want to share. So I have been waking up in the middle of the night. I am learning how to face that fear with faith, trying to control my thoughts.

Brother Ganhaas family!

SO I was about to walk accross the bridge to get the house and invite a lady there. I started going and heard them yell out to me " STOPPPPPP"! They said over and over the path is broken and you will die if you go. It took me 3 times to understand so I was awkwardly inviting accross this big gap of space just yelling to her "WANT TO LEARN ABOUT JESUS!?" hahah so awkward! 

Inviting down a street while lost

Overnight train!

The Bunmi baptism