We have started scheduling ALL our meals with members so that we don't waste time while eating! Best idea ever!! The members seem to enjoy this time with missionaries. We ate lunch with this 60 year old woman who just wants to serve God! She literally has nothing and feels like she has a hard time serving because she doesn't have any type of transportation to go visit people or help the missionaries. She told us she had a bike but didn't know how to ride it. A thought popped in my head, "Teach her!" We went outside and lowered the seat on our bike, put a helmet on her and guided the bike as she rode. I wish you could have seen her ride which boosted her confidence. A woman who has NOTHING now feels that she has everything because she has a way to go serve her God.
We are always biking to find LA's or investigators which means stopping every 2 seconds and inviting someone on the street or in a store or in a house or even on a motorcycle at a stoplight. We have met so many amazing people by doing this! There was this man right next to the church that I invited every time we passed the church on our bikes. We finally got him to come look at the church. We took him to the baptismal font and the first thing he said was, "When can I get baptized?" Having him enter the church and feel the spirit there made all the difference! This biking inviting thing also includes kicking the biting dogs, lots of U-turns and a permanent helmet head. Since using MLS we have found lots of LA's and that many members have moved! We found this LA who was completely drunk because his mom just passed away. But because of her death he remembered the plan of salvation and this all happened right as we found him. I feel like this week we used our time really effectively not wasting a minute of Gods time. I LOVE IT :)
We have a recent convert in our ward named Jenny who is about 45 years old. She truly understand the scripture, "For behold, this is my work and my glory — to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” She has brought us over 30 referrals. She shares the gospel with EVERYONE! She is the one who introduced Sister Miw. We visited Sister Miw this week and I can see that her countenance is 100% changed. She was happy and her hopes were high. We walked out of our lesson amazed! We are also teaching this man who is doing construction work on Sister Jenny's house! At first we felt like he wasn’t interested at all--just someone that Jenny forced to meet with us. But one day we taught him at the church and he opened up with so many questions! It was awesome! Jenny also introduced Paa Swong. She saw him at a market struggling to walk and went over to help him. She figured he was really lonely and decided to go to his house. That night she called us over to teach him and he has been learning. We went to his house everyday this past week. He is so funny. One day after a lesson I put a picture of Jesus in the pocket of his shirt which was on a hanger. I asked if he liked the picture of Jesus and he said with a little smirk "ไม่...หล่อเกินไป" which is basically "no...he is TOO handsome!" I also learned that a little simple rule in the white handbook has benefit!! We were at his house and needed to have a girl with us to teach. We were standing outside of his house and a girl walks by and I yelled, “Sister stop here!!" We pulled a random woman into our lesson who is now starting to investigator the church! On Saturday Paa was being interviewed while Sister Jo and Elder Joy and I were outside teaching all the families around his neighborhood. We met this one family who met with the missionaries about a year ago! There are like 10 of them and the dad was so close to joining but couldn't quite smoking. He eventually started working on Sundays and stopped investigating! BUT he wants to start again. He wants to stop smoking so badly. We testified to him over and over again that through Christ anything was possible. He said one of the most powerful prayers I have heard on my mission.
Wednesday night we had 20 minutes before Book of Mormon Class and both had a feeling we should walk down the street. We met 2 girls working at a hair salon. They told us they saw us every day and saw the church but were never courageous enough to go in. So right then we took them inside the church. Every day since we have been going to her little place and teaching her. ALSO after that Book of Mormon class 2 of the girls who came to English class the night before came to the church. I thought they wanted to learn more English but she said, “I want to learn more about Jesus, when I may meet with you next?" We have started teaching her as well.
We have been teaching Sister Gan this past month and she got baptized this past Sunday! SO SPECIAL! She is such an amazing woman. She has faced so much opposition in getting baptized. She went from drinking coffee everyday all day to completely stopping where she feels like throwing up when she smells it. She moved out of her boyfriend’s house of 7 years. She skipped her big work thing in Bangkok because she NEEDED to get baptized. She told right before she got baptized that God comes first no matter the situation. Her testimony after was SO cute! She kept saying that it was the best day of her life and that she honestly feels reborn.
Remember the LA Sister Chluie that we have been working with? She has been so amazing! We went and visited her and somehow the topic of her family came up. They are ALL members. We soon came to learn that she is extremely stressed about their salvation! We got all their names and addresses down and are determined to help them. Her closing prayer was just a plea for her loved ones, for her family to be whole again. It was a really tender moment :)
AHHH I could go on and on about how many amazing things are going on here. We are teaching so many amazing people! This past week I have tried to be as bold as possible and do exactly what the spirit tells me even if it doesn't make sense or I look stupid! I never thought my shy little self would follow a prompting to stop, walk over to a man (helmet and all) and tell him to throw away his cigarettes! "I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear."
YAY for the atonement of Jesus Christ!!!
I am so sad to hear that Grandpa Herrmann has died. I am so grateful that I was able to talk to him. I know that I will seem him again and that the atonement and resurrection are real. Love you all! Have a great week!
- Sister Herrmann
Here is a 15 second video that Tessa sent- she just loves Thailand! Link: https://youtu.be/kWvyjp0WcjA
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