Week 27 for Robert: Chicken Waffles and Flat Tires

สวัสดีครับทุกคนนะครับ

ทุกคนเป็นอย่างไรบ้างครับผมก็หวังว่าสบายดีครับอาทิตย์นี้เปี่ยมไปด้วยความตื่นเต้นเพราะว่ามีครอบครัวฝรั่งมาภูเก็ตครอบครัวนี้เป็นสมาชิกมานานแล้วแต่ว่าในช่วงนี้เป็นสมาชิกที่เข้มเข็งน้อย อาทิตย์นี้เป้าหมายของผมกับคู่คือช่วยให้ครอบครัวนี้พัฒนาและเติบโตศรัทธาในพระเยซูคริสต์ ช่วงนี้เป็นช่วงคริสต์มาสเพราะฉะนั้นเราสองคนไปเยี่ยมสมาชิกหลายคน ผมกตัญญูที่ไดเป็นผู้สอนศาสนาที่ภูเก็ตแล้วก็โอกาสที่จะแบ่งปันเรื่องพระเยซูและการพระสูติมาของพระองค์

อาทิตย์นี้มีข่าวเพิ่มเติมนะครับผมกำลังจะเป็นคู่ที่นำเขตผมตื่นเต้นจังที่จะช่วยเขตนี้พบกับความสำเร็จวันนี้มีปีมาณแค่นั้นนะครับ

Hello everyone! How is everyone doing? I hope everyone is doing well. This week was full of excitement because we got to do a lot of inviting and visiting less active members. This week an American family came to Phuket where they once lived. It was an amazing experience to connect with this family and reactivate them. They have so many problems they are dealing with, many of them tracing back to the past. All of their children have began to doubt and fall away from the church but visiting them this week gave two of their kids the idea to go on a mission. It was so cool! We also got fed so much, and finally some good ole American food!! Aka chicken and waffles :)

I felt so much happiness this week because of the service I was able to perform. Many people are เกรงใจ, unwilling to let me serve them. However, me and my comp passed out packages with treats, a picture of Jesus, and a note saying Merry Christmas (สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส) to many people this week! I honestly get such a warm feeling when I serve others and brighten their day. Lighting the world and your community doesn't even have to be something big! If you have an idea go for it. Any service, no matter how small, is still service and most likely benefits more people than we originally would have thought. I know serving others is truly serving the Lord. When we serve and choose to follow God's instructions for us, we and those around us will be blessed in-numerously. 

In church this week I translated all of sacrament meeting. Definitely not easy but was really good practice and I am able to see slight growth each week. I wanted to practice in case if I had to train this next transfer and translate every week. 

Speaking of transfers, I got transfer calls last night. My companion will be leaving and I will get a new companion. The new companion is named Elder Robinson and I met him in the MTC. I think he is on the email list so shout out to you Elder Robinson! He is going into his 3rd transfer and I am going into my 4th. So yeah we are a young companionship but totally ready for the adventure and challenges that await. I'm excited to be Senior comp and help this area as much as I can.  

That's about it for the week! The people we are teaching aren't progressing super fast, so I got a lot of work ahead of myself! Love you all so much and I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season!! 

Love,

Elder Lowe 

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

1) chicken and waffles at the Govatos' house...missed you boys

2,5) English class is wild

3) The only Christmas tree in Thailand haha

4) a calzone full a phad thai ผัดไทย - so so fire 

6) got 2 flat tires this week!!

7) the lovely members took us out to dinner 

Week 26: Six Month mark, Christmas season starts and heartbreaks

So for everyone following my mission and my progress, I am just about 6 months out on my mission. In 3 days I hit my 6 month mark which is crazy to think I only have 18 months left! 

Anyways I have had a great week ... and also a not so great week. We have quite a few people that we are teaching, but we had to drop three people this week. It just breaks my heart dropping people, but they just aren't fully interested and devoted. Also, this week none of the people we teach came to church. It was the first week nobody came in like six weeks so that was disheartening. My companion and I are getting along and have become more united. My companion is great and I will really miss him if he leaves next week for transfers! 

This week I heard a lot of Christmas music which makes me miss home and all the fun Christmas traditions. Because it is the Christmas season, I have the privilege to look for extra service opportunities and help anyone and everyone in my area! I have felt more love for the people here as I serve them and genuinely talk with then about their life and their problems. 

I heard something this week that I really thought about. Someone said, "แก้ปัญหาด้วยปัญญา"(solve your problems with wisdom). I tell everyone here if you have problems just pray to God, but they all think I'm just speaking เฉยๆ (not sincerely). I've seen miracles in my life when I turn my heart to God and rely on him. So, basically what I'm saying is that if wisdom is intelligence, relying on your own abilities then I disagree with that statement. But I believe wisdom would be turning to God and asking for His help because that is always the smartest decision! Sorry if that didn't make any sense. 

For English class we had 18 people come and had to separate into 2 classes! This class will bring forth so many miracles to this area in the future! At scripture class our neighbor (one of the people we teach) came and we taught a fire lesson! But at the end of the lesson she told us that in our neighborhood there is this drunk guy that wanders around at night. She noticed that we never locked our gate, just our house, so she told us the man is gonna rob us one night! Apparently everyone in our neighborhood knows where the ฝรั่งs (foreigners or us) live so I guess they think we are gonna get robbed. Kinda sketchy. 

Language is going great and I can understand way more now! I am able to talk to just about anyone and have a good conversation back and forth! This is the last week until transfers and I'm excited to give it my all in prep for next transfer. The Lord loves all of His children and I challenge you all to remember the scripture Matthew 5:14-16. Let your light so shine this Christmas season. Find the joy in life and once you do, share it with others. That's about it for the week...love you all

Recap:

- Learned a Thai song

- Teaching piano to two of the people I teach - and if you were wondering if I am good at piano the answer is - no

- Realized that 3 of my investigators only came to church because they thought I was handsome :(

- Korean food is fire (also Japanese)

- One of my investigators said this when I asked if they wanted to be baptized, "มีใจอยากอีกใจไม่อยากแต่อยากมากกว่า" - they want to but don't want to. haha I thought that was interesting 

- Learned a bunch of slang this week in Thai

- Thailand does have good desserts, just gotta find them

1,3,5) ice skating on p day 

2) feasting with some Thai and Japanese friends - learned a little Japanese (way way hard)

4) Best dessert in Thailand...basically a scoop of ice cream in a donut thing with cream

6) Phuket at night

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!!! 

Week 24: Ghost stories and Monkeys

Hey yall!! Another super great week on the mission and since it is almost Thanksgiving I just want to say how grateful I am for all of my family, friends, and this beautiful country, Thailand! I feel like I have been remarkably blessed in the year 2018. I have been called to serve in the place I have always wanted to, I am a missionary for God's church, and I have so many people supporting me along the way. Thank you so much!!

Okay, I'm just gonna dive into the week. You all are probably wondering why I titled this week as Ghost stories but don't worry I haven't seen or experienced any ghosts myself. But, one night after scripture class I was whistling to myself and two of my investigators started getting pretty upset. I was not sure why, so then they told me that I was not allowed to whistle - that it was prohibited! They said after 6pm nobody is allowed to whistle or ghosts will come and get you. They went on to explain that if you sleep with your feet towards the door then the ghosts will enter into your soul as well!! I didn't know if they were just messing with me, but they were actually dead serious. So just a warning...DO NOT WHISTLE AT NIGHT IN THAILAND. 

This week we had a meeting on how to teach English more effectively. I learned a lot about focusing wholly upon each person individually and serving them to their needs and skills! Learning Thai and teaching others English has really opened my eyes about the world. I really don't know how to explain it but, I guess I just understand the world a bit differently now. 

We did a lot of good inviting this week but at the same time, unfortunately we had to drop two of the people we were teaching. They weren't progressing at all and it just breaks my heart when we have to stop visiting someone I care about. However, from English class we got some great new people and they came to scripture class, sports night, and church. I truly believe that God is working through them and softening their hearts. It is a mom and her 2 children (11 & 14). They loved church so much and have such a desire to learn! After church ended the 2 kids told me they walked there all by themselves, and believe me they live pretty far away. 

My comp and I were studying in the scriptures. We looked for a common theme in successful missionaries, specifically Alma. Alma talks about his success with visiting the poor and needy because they had humbled themselves and were meek in heart already. We decided to visit the poorest area of Phuket and it was extremely eye-opening. We went from 1st or 2nd world country to definitely 3rd world. These people had destroyed houses with no walls on some sides! They had no doors and they slept on hard wooden tables. They didn't even have the table to themselves; there were 2-3 people on each table. They just worked all day just to have food to eat that night and yet they were the nicest people. I am in awe with people that have so little and are still able to find joy in life. This Thanksgiving season I encourage all of you to be grateful for even the smallest things like drinking water, a room, food, unripped clothes, etc. We have been blessed with so many more things than so many of our fellow brothers and sisters around the world. 

I am grateful for you all. This next week, Thailand has this lantern festival called ลอยกระทง (Loi Krattong). It is similar to Thanksgiving in the way that they give thanks to the things, but they have floating lanterns, too. It's gonna be so sick. I'm so excited and can't wait to fill you in on all of it next week. That's about it for the week. Love you all!

Love, 

Elder Lowe 

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

1) So grateful for this amazing time in Thailand. I'm legit in paradise 

2) The view of the ocean from a member's house

3&4) I ran into some monkeys while riding my bike...one of them stole my bananas haha. 

Week 23: Choose Ye This Day

11/12/18

Hey everyone! I have hit my 5 month mark on my mission and my 3 month mark in Thailand!! This was another great week in the land and I feel like I grew so much this week. The language growth comes super slow but I am talking more about growing more spiritually and developing more Christ-like attributes. I can truly see the Lord's hand in this work when I open my eyes and allow him to help me. 

I saw so many miracles this week! At English class more people came this week and as a result we got 3 new people that we are now teaching. This week I got to do some solid inviting and just walking around and finding people who are prepared. I love being a missionary and every time I get rejected or laughed at I look at it as an opportunity not to get laughed at the next time I talk to someone! 

This week I decided to go play soccer with the little kids and they loved me for some reason. I was all dressed up in my missionary attire and doing these fast little drills with about 8 or so little boys. Afterwards I told their coach I taught English every Tuesday night and all the kids were so interested. I ended up passing out all my English cards and the little kids all said they were coming next week!! Being a missionary is the greatest calling for real. 

Funny story: 

While we were inviting this week we saw this man doing some house work and I asked him if he needed any help. He just kept saying มาแล้ว like 5 times in a row, which means you've already come to my house before. He was referring to some other missionaries before I came to this area who gave him a picture of Jesus Christ. Anyways he invited me and my companion in and had told us that he believes in Jesus Christ but also worships Buddhism and some other Chinese Gods. At the end of our visit and thanked us for stopping by by smelling my nose and kissing under my ear! Little strange haha. 

So zone conference was this week and I felt like everything was directed at me and my companion. As a whole mission we are focusing on becoming consecrated missionaries. I learned so much about choosing this day, not tomorrow or the day after, to serve the Lord. We all, many times in life, simply procrastinate. We put off simple tasks or maybe even difficult ones for a later day. I learned how crucial it is that we remember to serve the Lord and serve for the Lord. We all have difficult days where maybe we don't want to work but I challenge everyone "to choose that this day will be the best day of my life!" There's no need to delay or procrastinate. 

Also a great takeaway from zone conference was LOVE! A big focus was on inviting others and sharing the gospel with everyone we encounter. But inviting really comes down to this basic question, "do I love this person enough to talk to them." The most important commandment is truly to love the Lord with all thy heart and love thy neighbor as thyself. Everything I do as a missionary is centered on love! 

Speaking of love, I went on a switch off with my district leader this week and he showed me what it means to love the people! He focused and listened intently to what the people said to him. He would go up to them and smile and shake their hand and show that Christ like love. He told me that you just got to remember to love everyone because we are all God's children, and he wants us all to return back to Him. 

Take-away this week: 

-Love God and each and every one of his children with perfect love

-Choose today what type of person you want to be in the world

-Be an example to those around you 

-My parents are the best for sending me 3 packages 

-My stake is also the best for sending me a bunch of candy with super sweet notes

-Phuket deserves consecrated missionaries 

Love,

Elder Lowe

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

1. Playing some soccer...by the way I am so bad now it's not even funny haha 

2. The practice squad

3. Last time at the beach for p days! 

4. Zone conference and our Thanksgiving feast!!

5. Packages from my parents and my stake back home...thank you so much :)

Week 22: "อ้วนฟุดๆเพราะอะไร"..."why are you so fat?"

This week has been a short week since we just had transfers! I will be staying in Phuket with my companion, Elder Tu. I am so grateful to be in this beautiful area another several weeks. We are about to cop some baptisms this month!

My companion is a little less motivated at this point in his mission. So I plan everyday with the people we are visiting, set up all the appointments, lead lessons, and do pretty much what the senior comp is supposed to do. It has been a good experience already and I am grateful for the opportunity to help my comp out in this struggling time of his mission. I continue to love my companion despite our differences and I know that good things are to come this next transfer!

So we have a couple of cool investigators but communicating with them is very difficult. First วนิดา is a Chinese lady that is probably over 70 years old. She can barely hear and can barely speak Thai. So the lessons are half in thai and half in Chinese. She can't read any Thai either so it's been an adventure! I do my best to talk very slow and loud. So our lessons take a little longer and are not as interesting and every time we visit her my comp falls asleep on the couch and it's just me talking to this lady for about 40 minutes!! Gotta love missionary work!

The Thai people, like I've said before, are a little ruthless. By that I mean they say whatever they are thinking even if it doesn't make sense or isn't true. I have been fed so well on my mission, and as a result I've maybe gotten a couple more pounds. But recently one of our investigators keeps calling me fat every time I see them! They say I have a พุง which basically means fat belly! I'm really not fat at all mom and dad, so don't worry! But it's just funny that the Thai people love to feed me and feed me and when I finish all the food they go on and on for a solid 30 minutes on how fat I am!!! 

This week one of the members started teaching me piano which was pretty cool and now I can play a lot of the hymns (the easiest ones). It may take like 5 minutes to do one verse but I get it down eventually. I feel like as a missionary I can learn things and pick things up so much quicker. But, I know it is all because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

When we we got to church this Sunday we were so excited because I had committed like 6 people to church. Well eventually it was time to start the meeting and none of them came. I began praying and asking why does this keep happening? Not too much longer two of them walked through the door and I knew that God had heard my voice! He answered my prayer and I know that he answers everyone that calls on his name. At the end of the third hour of church I saw my Aunt standing outside the church, which was so funny. The branch president said go grab her because he thought she was an investigator! But it was my aunt Linda! She lives in another area in Thailand and she was just visiting Phuket. Anyways that was super funny and coincidental. 

For Halloween we had a bunch of activities for the English class and we have been getting more and more people at these activities. We had 14 people come to the scripture class and 5 of them were investigators! The Lord is truly blessing me and the people here in Phuket!

I know that things take time and that I have to be patient. A lot of people have told me that this place isn't accepting to the gospel and that people won't listen to our message. But, I know that the Lord has softened so many hearts already and that it is time to harvest! 

Love 

Elder Lowe (เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์)

Photos

Elder Thuu sleeping during an apointment

Elder Thuu sleeping again

"God is Good"

Robert with the Squad

The Branch president with Robert and his companion Elder Thuu

Elder Lowe with Watt Phutho

Robert plaing the piono

Week 21: Happy Halloween

Don’t have any time this week. I just want to say I love you all and that I will be staying in Phuket with my comp another transfer! Baptisms here we come!

Robert the missionary

Lunch - What a beautiful day

Phuket is beautiful

I live on an island - it's beautiful

P-day travels to visit the Buddah

Teaching the gospel

Dinner with members, and the lady that teaches me piano

English classes

Week 21:  Robert

More English classes