Week 15: Phuket, here I come

So this week has been insane to say the least! Literally insane. Too much has happened that I honestly can't write it all. 

So there were too many miracles this week and the Lord is truly blessing me personally as well as my companion. To start, we found so many new investigators this week who seem to be ready to hear the gospel. It had been frustrating a little bit in the past weeks because it seemed like we were working so hard and none of our investigators were progressing, but we found so many new people and got so many referrals! 

ต้น is one of the referrals we got and he has been to church two weeks in a row. He doesn't really understand too much about this gospel but he has a desire to learn, which is the key. We have taught him a couple lessons and invited him to be baptized … and he accepted! He is such a cool guy to teach and I really hope he gets baptized in the near future. 

Another crazy referral this week was this older lady, ป้า ดา, who had been really sick lately. There was a good possibility that she had developed มะเร็ง (cancer). She had been to the hospital multiple times and then got a blessing from the Elders Quorum President. The next day she found out she didn't have cancer and started feeling a little better. She then said she wanted to be baptized just because of the power of that blessing. TheElders Quorum President told her she needed to take the lessons from the Elders which is where we come in. We have taught her some really great lessons and we can see how strong her faith is. We have given her another blessing and visited her at the hospital this week. I care about this old lady so much already and I barely know her. I think it's just crazy the way God opens my heart to love these people so much. 

So about 2 weeks ago we went inviting and talked to this girl for maybe 30 seconds. We invited her to come to church with us and she said she would but we never saw her after that. That was until we open the door after church on Sunday and she is just sitting on a bench right outside the church. She told us she had been looking for the church all day and was just waiting for us to teach her. It was unbelievable! We began teaching her how to pray to her Heavenly Father and she loved it. By the end of the week she accepted a baptismal date. Some people are just prepared and when the Lord just hands you these people, all I can feel is gratitude in my heart. 

Another thing I just love about Thailand is the opportunities I get to serve everyday. Especially this week we did some service projects in the hot and humid sun and I was so drenched by the end of it all. In Thailand I honestly feel like I am always wet. It's even humid in the house so after I get out of the shower I start sweating! Its awesome!!!, and I seriously love this mission and the opportunity to be a missionary to bless people's lives and serve them. 

This week there has also been such a huge progress in my language ability. I had worried about it so much in past weeks but this week I just decided to relax and forget about myself and get to work. So that's what I did and my language improved so much. I feel way more comfortable talking with people and leading lessons all of the sudden. I don't know why but the Lord is looking over me so much right now. 

Transfer stuff:

Transfers are this week! This is my first transfers in country. We were anticipating a call all of Tuesday night and eventually the President called and said that my trainer will be training someone else next transfer. What?  We didn't know if that meant I was leaving or if he was leaving. My companion kept telling me I would leave because otherwise he would whitewash an area. Finally we get a phone call and the AP says Elder Davis will be staying and that I will be staying as well...in another area lol. 

I have enjoyed this area, Chiang Rai, so much and I am going to miss it more than you can imagine. That's right...I will be leaving Chiang Rai after one transfer. I was super bummed. I have felt the love for all these people and I feel like I just got here. I truly care for and love these people with all my heart and this place will be deeply missed. I will never forget this time here in Chiang Rai. 

Well, when I got the phone call the AP said that I needed to be sitting down because he had some insane news for me. He then told me that I would be going to Phuket!! For those who don't know, Chiang Rai is the most northern part of Thailand and Phuket is the most southern. So in the next day I will be traveling to the opposite end of the country. I have heard only great things and I can't wait to get there and start working again. I know the Lord wants me in Phuket for a specific reason so I'm just going to keep trying to be the best missionary I can be and keep this work moving forward. The Phuket area was just opened up about 6 transfers ago and only 5 elders have served there. I will be the 6th and the first greenie so wish me luck! 

Love you all so much and I'm so grateful for the support. I still haven't met my new trainer but his name is Elder Tu. I have heard only great things!! I will be in Phuket next time I email and I'm ready for the adventure that will soon begin. 

Love 

Elder Lowe 

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

1) doing some service in the hot sun

2) talking with a person about Jesus Christ

3) the legacy of former missionaries in Chiang Rai

4) talking with people on the streets with comp

5) baptism of sister หนึ่ง