16 Mar 2014 I love you so bad ... (the joys of) contacting in Chiang Mai

"Wherever you now find yourself on the road of discipleship, you are on the right road, the road toward eternal life. Together we can lift and strengthen one another in the great and important days ahead. Whatever the difficulties confronting us, the weaknesses confining us, or the impossibilities surrounding us, let us have faith in the Son of God, who declared, “All things are possible to him that believeth.” ~Neil L. Andersen

Chiang Mai is sooooooooo fruitful here with so many investigators! It makes my day! We had SIX investigators come to church yesterday! That's awesome! Hopefully, if we keep working hard and continue to put forth our full faith and trust in God, we can find more people that are ready to be baptized! Also we had SIX investigators come to church! Crazy right?! May not seem like a lot, but in Thailand, that's a ton! It's just getting them to commit to a date that's the issue....

We have so many investigators, it's crazy! I love it, I know this is going to sound bad, but that we can't contact for 2 hours because we are teaching the whole day! However, if our investigators don't come, we just go out and contact to find more! It's so great, and it warms my heart when there are SO many people that are ready to be baptized!

We also seem to have a lot of luck finding a lot of investigators that are basically grandpas. They are hilariously crazy! Brother Boy, one of our investigators, just rambles on and on and he's hilarious! During one of our lessons with him, Sister Reedy asked him to pray, and he tried to back out saying he didn't know what to pray for. We encouraged him that he could do it, but he tried getting me to say the prayer. Well we all bowed our heads waiting for him to say a prayer, but he didn't say anything, so I looked up, and his face was priceless. It was like watching the kid from the Goonies who got stuck with Sloth. He begged, "Woodbury, Woodbury, help me out!" Then Sister Reedy asked him" Brother, are you thankful for anything?" He then replied with, "Oh,...." and said a prayer. Priceless!

Also..... I'M TEACHING A MONK! He wants to be baptized, but he has to be a monk for one more year since he gets free schooling out of being a monk....:p we're about to change that though...
Also Lolee, is coming back this week. Only thing is that, since I'm now in branch 2, she's not my investigator anymore.... but I'm glad she's coming back
 

Also thanks for helping me out. What is the Balm of Gilead? Also I really needed to hear that cuz lately, member have been telling me or our investigators how I don't understand Thai or speak it etc. and I've just felt awful lately about my capibilities of speaking Thai and being able to Teach....

So I have a question and could use some help. Lately, I've been feeling down on myself, and not sure how effective of a missionary I am. How can I strengthen my faith in myself? I know that through God all things are possible, and I've been asking for Him for help, I could just use some advice as to how to find faith in myself and believe that I can teach instead of making the lesson awkward or confusing. Any thoughts?

Also I'd like to share one of my a-ha! Moments that I had with Sister Reedy.

My madre used to tell me as a kid, "People aren't going to come to you. You have to go to them first." SHe told me this because I had a hard time making friends, and was at quite a loss as what to do. Through her wise words, I've learned how to be comfortable with going up to people and getting to know them.

God is the same way. Often times we forget about God in our lives, or expect Him to grant everything we want. We think that God already knows how we feel, what we want, need etc. So why bother?

It seems that when we're in times of desperate need, do we call upon His power and ASK for help. Little do we realize that God is willing to give us the things that we NEED and willing to help us, ONLY when we humble ourselves and turn to Him.

We just have to ask. It's as simple as that. Numerous times in the scriptures it says, "Ask and ye shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened unto you." In Alma 37:37, it says, "Counsel with the Lord in ALL thy doing, and he shall direct thee for good."

God wants to help us, byt we have to put forth our effort, and show that we actually WANT it. In D&C 101:7 it mentions how those who are slow to hearken unto God's voice, will receieve slow answers from God. So He's going to test our faith and make sure that we trust Him. In the Bible Dictionary it mentions how, "The object of prayer is not to change God's will, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is WILLING to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them."

So really we have to go to God FIRST, and then we'll receive the blessing and help that we NEED! Prayer is a way to humble ourselves, and acknowledge that we need God in our life, and see how merciful, powerful, and loving He truly is. I end with this scripture....Jacob 4:7:

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Thanks for everything! Also let me know if there's anything I can do to help!
Love,
Sister Wolverine..
The bishop in the second branch calls me this, because one of the monks that comes to english class would call me that by accident since he just saw x-men..... Living the life? haha