Week 25: Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Loi Kratong

สุขสันต์วันขอบพระทัยพระเจ้าและสุขสันต์วันลอยกระทง

Hey everyone! This week was Thanksgiving and also Loi Kratong, or a festival they do here in Thailand with floating lanterns. Both holidays focus on giving thanks for what we have in this world. I know I have been given so much and I just feel so blessed and grateful for my wonderful life! 

Inviting varied this week! We went all over. One day we went to the park and I talked to a bunch of people. I ended that day by playing basketball with a bunch of คนไทย (Thai people). Another day we went to a university and invited a bunch of students and professors to come to English class and some were even interested in Christianity. I have come to realize that opening my mouth and talking with people about anything is extremely crucial. Sometimes I just write on a whiteboard that we teach English for free and then bring the whiteboard outside next to the street. It's honestly the most effective strategy haha. 

For English class this week we taught about Thanksgiving and we continue to have more people come each week! Soon we will have 20 people at class each week which is way better than the 1 person we started with a few weeks ago. After English we taught 2 of our investigators and extended a date. They told us they still needed some time to think about it and search the scriptures which totally makes sense. Anyways we met them again later in the week and they wanted us to read the scriptures with them. They had already read to 1 Nephi 8 and are so close to accepting a date! They have such a desire to learn and follow Jesus so things are looking good. I'll keep you posted for next week! 

ลอยกระทง (Loi Kratong) was Thursday, same as Thanksgiving, and everyone celebrates it in Phuket. We taught a couple people that day but at the end of the day we went to the festival with a couple people we teach. It was an amazing experience. Everybody shows their gratitude differently but it was an experience I will never forget! The Thai people make you feel so loved and appreciated in life. I have learned so much about charity by serving my mission in Thailand. 

This week we have several new people we are teaching and one is named สมบูรณ์ (sombun). He is really interested in learning and has a lot of potential. We had taught him prayer and the way we pray. Many times after teaching someone, we will ask them if they can pray for us and they say they can't (ไม่เป็น) or that they don't want to (ไม่เอา). However this man just went for it and delivered a wonderful prayer. Such a small wonderful miracle. 

Speaking of miracles, we had some on Sunday. On Saturday night I called probably 10 people and my comp called 10 people trying to get everyone to come to church. Not everyone came that told us they would but we still got 6 investigators at church which was sweet. Plus a lot more members came that hadn't come in a long time. It was wonderful and the church was pretty much full. However because so many people came, I had to do translating again for 2 hours of church. I'm actually getting way better and and it has helped my understanding so much! After church, everyone brought food and we feasted. In most or all areas of Thailand they will eat food after church except in Phuket. However we finally got food this week and it was so good or as my อีสาน (Isaan) friends like to say it แซ่บอีหลีอิหลอกะด้อกะเดี้ย! 

Overall I just feel blessed and full of gratitude. I am serving in the country of my dreams, in the most wonderful area, with the happiest and nicest people. I shared this scripture with one of the members who has been sick and isn't feeling much joy in her life. When she started reading the scripture she began to cry. It is in Alma 37 and it says: 

Alma 37:36-37

"36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

The Lord loves us all so much and I know he is looking out for each and everyone of you! If you are hurting or struggling just turn to Him and he will wipe away all your tears and lift you up!

Love,

Elder Lowe 

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

Cool experience:

This week I woke up one day and just did my normal routine. When I got out of the shower my phone had stopped working for no reason. I had tried to get it to work the whole day but it wouldn't turn on. It was frustrating because I couldn't set up appointments or contact anyone. I had tried so many things and nothing had worked until after I prayed. I didn't say to magically have the phone turn on, but I just asked God to please help me find the way to turn on this phone. I tried something different and it immediately turned on! My comp was telling me the whole day it was broken and that it wouldn't turn on even if I prayed. Sometimes in life we just got to have faith and turn to God in prayer. Anyways love you all and have an awesome week! Sorry there are so many pictures!

1) Lunch after church with the members อร่อย

2) me and my comp with our boy สมบูรณ์ (sombun)

3) Two of the strongest members in the branch - sister อ้อ (Aw) and ปู (Pu)

4,7,10-13) ลอยกระทง (Loi Kratong)

5,8) just kind of like these pics

6,9) It's Christmas time!!!