Week 83: The Power of the Book of Mormon

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and are excited for this new year! For me, I didn't do really anything special for the new year, but I have made some great goals and I'm excited for a new beginning again. I have been in Thailand since 2018, so it's very weird to me that this will be the year that I go home. I'm excited to serve with all my might these last 5 months! 

This new year I'm really excited to focus my studies on the Book of Mormon and just really dive into it. We have been focusing our finding efforts, teaching efforts, and our studying on the Book of Mormon and I've seen so many miracles already. I'll share 2 really quickly...

First, my companion and I were visiting a member and at first he wasn't there because he was a little late to our appointment. However, a man was passing us and we started talking to him. We got to know him and I asked if he got anything cool for Christmas last week. He said he didn't get anything and it just so happened that I had a wrapped Book of Mormon in my hand at that time. I gave it to him and he opened it and we got to talk about the Book of Mormon and how it has completely changed our lives. He loved it and wanted to start reading it with us right then and there. It was such a miracle and it strengthened my testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon! 

Second, I was walking down the street and I saw some people lifting some boxes into a truck, so I stopped and helped them out. One of the guys, out of nowhere, asked me what church I'm from. So I told him and he said he loves reading books, including the Bible. I told him I had another book, called the Book of Mormon, that I would give to him the next time we met. He was thrilled and told us that he would meet us at the church! I believe the Book of Mormon opens people's hearts and is such a powerful tool in conversion. 

On Friday, I got to switch off in an old area of mine. I got to go back to Don Muang for a day and switch off with Elder Halversen again! It was so much fun because I got to visit so many people that I taught and show Elder Halversen some of the LAs that I visited while I was there. I saw Sister ซี (See), Brother เพชร (Pet) and Sister กิ๊ก (Gig)! I love that area and the people there so much! 

Lastly, I want to talk about 3 cool individuals and families we are teaching. One, is a little 9 year old boy named น้ำแข็ง (Nahm Keng), who is so ready for the gospel. We gave him the children's Book of Mormon and he had just been reading a ton from it. He was recounting the story of Joseph Smith and Nephi to us better than all the adults that we teach. He loves the gospel and he loves praying! 

Second, we are teaching this one family that has a ton of kids. The dad's name is โกฮัง (Gohang) and the mom's name is แก้ว (Gaew). They have such great faith and want to be baptized, but we haven't got the dad to come to church yet. We hope that the Lord will provide a miracle and help them get to church soon!

Third, สุวัฒน์ (Suwat) and his family. His son พัช (Pat) is actually a recent convert and wants us to teach his family, including his dad, aunt, and sister. The dad is progressing so much and is just the nicest guy, and his sister comes to church and has told us she wants to be baptized. I'm really excited for this family and for their desire to learn more about Jesus Christ and how to follow him. 

I'm so excited for this new year and for all the miracles in store! I hit my 19 month mark today, which is just crazy! I love you all and may God bless you this year. 

Love, 

Elder Lowe 

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Watermelon for the APs:  Elder Sunsion and Elder Lowe

Week 62: Happy Mother's Day from Thailand, 1 year mark in Thailand, etc.

So this week was so so awesome. By the way happy Mother's day to my wonderful mom. I just hit my year mark in Thailand and I can still remember my first week here last year...it was Mother's day. In Thailand they celebrate Mother's day on the Queen's birthday.  I'm so grateful for all the experiences and life lessons I've learned over the last year. I'm also grateful to be an instrument of the Lord and gather his sheep and blessing their lives. 

This week was a little stressful, but everything worked out in the end. Brother Pet and Sister Geeg are so awesome and just got baptized on Saturday and received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. It was a little crazy of a story to be honest. We had been planning their baptism since the beginning of the week and they had asked me and my companion to baptize them. However, about 30 minutes before the baptism I had inspiration to ask Brother Pet if Brother Q (our recent concert from 2 months ago) could baptize him instead. Brother Pet said yes and we showed Brother Q how to baptize, and he baptized brother Pet. It was such a miracle!! 

Another miracle was that Brother Min finally came back to church this week. He is a recent convert that we baptized 3 months ago who hadn't been to church in like a month. He came to church and after church brother Pet and sister Geeg visited brother Min with us. Brother Pet is already ministering and is best friends with brother Min. It is just really cool to see brother Min, brother Q, and brother Pet as best friends!

There are so many miracles that I have seen in this area. I got to teach this 70 year old guy named Chaiyong with an area Seventy. He is already Christian but was so receptive to the idea that a restoration was necessary to bring back the full and everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. He is beginning to read the Book of Mormon and I'll let you know how he progresses. 

I have come to love and use the Book of Mormon more on this transfer than I ever have in my life. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it can answer almost if not all your questions. We have been visiting a bunch of less actives, recent concerts, and people we are teaching and we simply read the Book of Mormon with them. I am so grateful for this book and how it has blessed my life as well as the lives of people around me!! 

Love,

Elder Lowe

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So many wonderful people came to the baptism

Baptism Day

Robert, Elder Burgess and his investigators

Baptism:  Elder Flake and his companion, ?, Elder Lowe, Elder Burgess
Geeg, Q, and Pet

Elder Lowe

Elder Burgess, Robert and members of Don Muang

Baptism of Pet and Geeg
Robert, Geeg, Elder Burgess, Brother Q, and Pet

Week 61: Love the people first

I got to go on a switch off with Elder Rands this week, one of the zone leaders. He is about to go home from his mission in about 3 weeks so he has a lot of experience. On our switch off we visited this guy named Benz who had a stroke not too long ago. He can't function at all and is completely dependent on his mom to take care of him. He is a grown man but has to wear diapers so we went to the shop and got him some adult diapers. This switch off I learned more about service and focusing on the people than on numbers or baptisms. This transfer has been so focused on finding returning members and teaching recent converts. I have learned so much this transfer about loving the people and not stressing about the little things and comparing myself to others. 

Pet and Geeg are doing so good and actually have dates for next week! We have taught them so much and read the Book of Mormon with them probably 10 times!! They have received their answer about the book of mormon and have become truly converted!

We saw another miracle this week with a guy named Chaiyong. He was at our English class and came up to me after class and said he wanted to come to church on Sunday. Our mission President has always said that the elect come to us, so I was pretty excited about this. He ended up bringing his family too and it was just another confirmation that God truly does answer our prayers. 

I love you all so much! Life is so good. Enjoy all the good moments and use the hard moments to improve yourself. Shout out to my mom who sent me this scripture: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Its so true and has become my theme for this transfer!! Love you all :))

With Elder Rands on exchanges

Great buds:  Robert and Elder Rands

dinner with members

McDonalds - Thailand style

Week 60: Ayutthaya

Hey yall! This week was a pretty good one and I'm really excited to apply the things I learned this week into my mission and my life. We had an awesome zone conference this week about loving your companions, planning effectively, and coming to know our Savior and Redeemer! It was so good and I feel so close to my Savior right now. 

Pet and Geeg are doing so awesome and have received their answer about the Book of Mormon! I'm super excited about their progression and that they really understand that the book of mormon is true. Once these people that we teach know the Book of Mormon is true for themselves and have felt the spirit testify that what we have taught is true, the have begun their conversion process! 

Also we met some random people this week who messaged us on Facebook asking questions about the church. We got to meet face to face with one of them and they had so many hard questions. From what it looked like, both of them had closed hearts who just wanted to question everything we did. However, we were able to give them book of mormons and one of them is already on chapter 10! I'm excited to see how the spirit will work for this lady as she reads the Book of Mormon!!

P day we went to Ayutthaya with some members and it was so cool! Sorry I don't have a lot of time this week to write!

Love 

Elder Lowe 

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The Elders with the Monks

 Trip to Ayutthaya

Week 59: Miracle Week

What a miracle week here in Thailand!! Seriously just full of joy and excitement and miracles. Basically me and my companion were not getting along, and this was going on for a while. There would be days where neither of us would say a word to each other, however we are doing so good now and the spirit is stronger than ever when we teach! It is such a miracle and a blessing to get along with your comp. 

Another miracle is the recent converts are progressing so well. First, Sister See is probably the most fire new member on the planet. She always comes to church, has given us some new people to teach, and is always asking us if she can help teach with us!! Second, Brother Q is the man. He actually went to a YSA (young single adult) camp for an entire week and has also helped teach with us. They are so sick!!

Pet and Geeg are so so awesome still. Not too much to report for them other than they have accepted to be baptized on the 10th of August and that we meet them like everyday. They make appointments with me haha it's the funniest thing. 

The coolest thing of the week was on Sunday. We got a referral from a member so we were waiting at the church to teach him. He came a little late but once he got there we were just gonna teach him about the Godhead and prayer. However, he explained that he was searching for truth and had been studying this religion for over a year. We taught him the restoration and he fully accepted it and said he wanted to be baptized. It was actually really funny...He said "what do I have to do to be a member?" I replied "just as Jesus Christ was baptized, we need to be baptized and make covenants to become members in his church." He replied saying, "well I think I have a little bit of a cold today, but maybe in 2 days." Me and my comp and the members all looked at each other in amazement and then started laughing of joy. Obviously he needs to learn and be converted himself, but seeing his willingness and faith right off the bat was such a miracle!!

Lastly, we are teaching a guy named brother earth. He is so willing to be baptized and wants a change in his life. He is at the beginning parts of his conversion and I'm excited to see how he progress these coming weeks. 

Love you all! God is so good and I know he lives and answers our prayers. I love you all and hope you all have a good week!

Love, 

Elder Lowe

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Elder Burgess and Elder Lowe

Can we say "Minions?"

Week 58: Don Muang for a 4th transfer

So my trainer, Elder Davis, and a bunch of my friends in his group went home this week which is still kinda crazy. 2 years goes by way fast and way slow - it's so weird จบ! 

This week was super awesome! It's the start of a new transfer in the same area with the same comp. However, there's a new Zone leader in the house and his name is Elder Dollery. He's from Australia and he is way sick and a really good missionary! Me and my comp made some new goals to continue to work with LAs, to help our RCs progress by teaching with us, and help more of the people we teach enter the waters of baptism. 

Overall the story of this whole week is our investigators named Pet (เพชร) and Geeg (กิ๊ก) who are dating. They are 22 years old and are the cutest couple. Anyways, we have literally met with them everyday this week. They call me and confirm appointments and after we teach them they ask if we can meet the next day! Honestly they are so so fire. We have been reading the Book of Mormon with them and taking things a little slow. 

We passed out some lemonade in front of a concert and pet and Geeg came to help as well! They are so cool and are really progressing towards baptism. 

We have also had Brother คิว (Q) and Sister ซี (See) teach with us this week, which has been so sick! They are our RCs and it's so cool to see how much they have grown as a person in the last couple of months! Sister See actually took us to go meet one of her friends and asked us to start teaching them! She's so awesome!!

Love, 

Elder Lowe

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-Met a member from Bangnaa

-lemonade outside the concert

-teaching brother min a couple months ago (he's an RC now)

Eating Dinner with RC

YUMMY!!!!  -eating the first good donut in Thailand lol

-Teaching investigators with Brother Flygare (old pic)

-Saying goodbye to เอกนิรันดร์ and elder English 

Some of these photos are from like 2 transfers ago, but I just got them!