Week 53: The Rain is Coming of Down

So I know I've probably complained too much about how hot it is in Thailand over the last couple of months. Although it is still very hot, Thailand has entered into the rainy season. The summer season is ending and the rainy season is starting.  What that means is that when it rains, it pours. And it tends to pour just about every day. In addition to the pouring rain, what you need to understand is Bangkok is below sea level, so it floods every time it rains.  Honestly, I love the rain so much so this is such a blessing haha! 

So this week was so cool! We were able to teach with a bunch of members and recent converts. Also we have this person that we are teaching named C, and she is so awesome. She is really reading and pondering the scriptures and praying everyday. She came to church on Sunday and while I was sitting next to her, she was reading in the book of mormon. Then she told me that she believes this church to be true and she has a lot of faith in this church. I was so happy that she is becoming converted. However, the next thing she told me really shocked me - She told me that she asked her boss if she could get off on Sundays so she could come to church and her boss said no. So she started praying and asking God what she should do. She told me that instantly the phone rang and it was me asking her to come to church. She told me that that was her answer! ...so she quit her job on the spot and came to church immediately. It was incredible!!! This lady has so much faith and I know because of her sacrifices she will be blessed immensely!! 

I got to go on a switch off with Elder English this week, my zone leader. He is really awesome and I learned a couple of things from him. When we went to teach lessons to members, he would just talk with them and we would tell stories to build a friendship. Sometimes I just go into lessons and begin teaching and asking people to repent, but he was so good at building a relationship with the Thai people first! 

Zone conference was this week and it was centered on working with members!! President said, "As we use more time with members and strengthen them, the number of baptisms will increase, not decrease." 

Lastly the amazing BYU Vocal Point came to Bangkok Thailand to perform - WOW!!!!  It was really cool - they are amazing. I never thought I would go to a concert on my mission but the Lord truly blessed me, haha. They were way good and are such a light to the Thai people.  Search BYU Vocal Point on YouTube to see what I am talking about.

Love you all so much!!

Elder Lowe

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1) random guy I contacted and helped him sweep

2) switch offs with Elder English

3 & 4) The members are the best

Week 52: The 1 year mark is here

So yeah I've been on my mission for a year and I don't even know what to say. I have seen the Lord change, strengthen, and use me to do wonderful things. This past year I have learned so much and I feel so much closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The mission is seriously such a blessing; I get to share the gospel and bless people's lives and in turn the Lord blesses me with joy and happiness each day. Serving a mission has been one of the greatest decisions of my life and I want to thank everyone who has pushed me to get where I am today. I love the Thailand Bangkok Mission!!

I have also gotten a new companion this week and his name is Elder Burgess or Elder เจ็ด (which means 7). He is really cool and is actually from Gilbert, Arizona - the same place as one of my friends from college serving a mission right now, Elder Chase Peterson. Anyways, Elder Burgess is very chill and has a strong testimony so I think we will get a long great. 

We continue to see people that we teach come closer and closer to baptism each week. So many of them are close to being baptized, but are just not ready yet. I will keep you updated on all of them and their progression!

Love you all SOOO much! So grateful for all of you and your prayers and emails!

Love,

Elder Lowe

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Photos this week:

Love teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ

Most of these pictures are on p-day or after English class on Tuesday with all the members! 

- It turns out they have sick shoes in Thailand

- Also giant hats

- And sick furniture and mirrors and pianos

Week 51: President Ballard and Mission Conference

This week was one of the coolest and most inspirational weeks of my mission and maybe my life. We had a mission conference, meaning that I got to meet with all the missionaries in my mission. I got to see all my friends from the MTC, and all my old companions! It was so fun to catch up and see everyone's growth as a missionary and as a person. I got to see an apostle of the Lord come to this great land of Thailand. President Ballard is already 90 but is still a jokester. However, it is evident that he is an apostle of the Lord and represents Jesus Christ. He talked a lot about having a desire to be better, to strengthen the church, and to be a missionary in every aspect of our life! I feel blessed to hear such powerful words from a true disciple of the Lord. 

This week we have been teaching so many people. We got a challenge for this transfer to ask at least one person everyday if they want to be baptized. Me and my companion have seen miracles by just asking people. Right now we have 8 people on a baptismal date for next transfer and I'm so excited to see them progress!! We have Rose (a Filipino) that has such a desire to find the true church, Brother ทัต who used to smoke, drink, use illegal drugs, and so much more but has completely turned his life around. We met this lady named C this week. She showed up to the church on her own and we just started talking to her and teaching her. She is so fire and has accepted a baptismal date!! 

I had the opportunity to do a lot of service this week too! I actually got to help build a Thai house which was way fun and so hard. 

We just had transfers and my ลูก or trainee is leaving! I am staying in the same area and I will be companions with Elder Burgess! I'm excited for this new week and the adventures to come!

Elder Lowe

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On the temple grounds, Elder Davis is far left, Robert is middle

Robert with Elder Davis - reunited.  

Elder Gantt - Robert's trainee, Robert - Elder Davis' trainee and Elder Davis

Zone conference

The whole mission with Elder Ballard, Elder Gay and Presiding Bishop Davis

Robert on the left, Suprakit on the right

The MTC group reunited!!!  Elder Bentiti on the far right

Robert with wonderful members of his ward

Teaching English classes

Service #1

Service #2

Teaching at McDonalds

Lunch with Suprakit

Week 50: Our District is on Fire

So this week was “way” good and my district is doing so good - we are on fire. For starters, I had the opportunity to interview four people for baptism this week!  So far I have interviewed nine people for baptism in the last two transfers! The success in this area is amazing.  It feels so good knowing that one by one we are sharing the message of Jesus Christ’s gospel with the people in Thailand and inviting more joy and happiness into their lives.

This week we taught a bunch of people and got to teach with Elder Khanakam (member of the Quorum of the Seventy). We had the opportunity to teach with him before, it’s such a spiritual experience.  He is incredible when he teaches. I have learned so much from his example about how I can become a better missionary and show more love to those I teach! 

We had seven people at church this week and the people we are teaching are progressing more and more. For example; Somsak and his daughter are really starting to accept the message of the gospel.  I am so happy for them.

This week both Min and Ratchani received the Holy ghost and became members of the true church. They radiate with a light from within.  It’s so incredible to see the changes they have made in their lives.  

Lastly, I went on a switch off with our zone leader, เอ็ลเดอร์เอกนิรันดร์. He is on his last transfer and he is Thai. He was such a good missionary and used these insane analogies that only Thai people would understand! 

Well that's it for this week. Sorry this is all over the place I just had no time … more to come next week.

Robert bikes this narrow concrete passage

Robert had fish for dinner at Sister Issaya Inlee.  He says she is the nicest lady.

The sisters in Robert's district and Him and his companion.  Robert is the district leader.

Week 49: Baptism of Sister Ratchani

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! สุขสันต์วันแม่ Love you so much!

So to start off I just want to say how hot it has been here! For the last couple of weeks it has been so hot here, like over 100 degrees everyday. To be completely honest I can't wait for the rainy season!

Anyways this week went by so fast, but was so good! Sister Ratchani (รัชนี) was baptized yesterday and has begun a new life of greater happiness by following the Savior. I'm so grateful for her desire to join the true church of Jesus Christ. She had been studying other Christian churches for the last 10 years, but after only 2 weeks of studying with 2 American boys she knew that it was true. Also the sisters got a baptism this week. And the zone leaders in my district are getting 3 next week!!

On top of that, yesterday was special because it was stake conference and Elder Homer of the Seventy came. We literally had over 400 people at church!! And 6 of them were people that we are teaching. 

Basically there are 3 people that are starting to really progress towards baptism and it is James, Nuna, and thad. They all came to church and are willing to meet with us. I have really seen a change in their countenance since they have been learning with us. James meets with us almost everyday and we have been able to teach him so much already. Nuna and thad are married and they want a change in their life. They believe that Christ can help them and we bear testimony of that truth every time we meet with them. 

I also got to conduct an interview for one of the people that the zone leaders are teaching and I'm so excited for their baptism next week! So many people in Bangkok are prepared to receive the gospel and it just blows my mind. Lastly, the mission president interviewed me this week and talking with him is always an opportunity to learn something new. I find it amazing how much love he has for me and all the missionaries. And how much more love the Savior has for us. His love his infinite and never fails! I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and his love for each and everyone of us!

Love, 

Elder Lowe

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Photos from this week:

1) Me and my trainee Elder Gantt

2) Picture of a song Thaew (pick up truck with 2 benches attached to the back)

3) Baptism of Sister Ratchani

4) Found this giant fruit hanging from a tree

5) Classic Thai dessert

6) James

7) Nuna and Thad

More photos ...

Teaching

Elder Lowe

8) Cleaning the baptismal font 

9) Elder Lowe loving his mission

Week 48: Brother มีน (min) got baptized!!

Another GREAT week in Thailand.

This week has truly been one for the books.  About 2 months ago I was told that I would be training and opening up a new area, meaning that my companion and I had nobody that we were teaching. And now, this week, we got to see our good friend, brother Min, be baptized and change his life around. He bore such a strong testimony after he was baptized. He talked about how he used to be a bad kid, he smoked, broke so many laws, and way more. However, he woke up one day and wanted a change in his life so he came to the church! I'm so glad that we met Brother Min and helped him to "be born again." 

Robert, ?, Min, and Elder Gantt and Min's baptism

Those that came to support Min

Robert, Min and Elder Gantt

We have more and more people on baptismal dates every week, however some of the people we had been teaching were just not progressing. We have been teaching this family, Nuna and Tad (หนูนา and ทัต), but lately they have not had any time to meet with us. We were able to meet with them this week and we learned that they had so many problems going on - work problems, money problems, and Nuna was extremely sick (she can't even leave the house). We were able to get tad to church and we gave Nuna a blessing, and the spirit was so strong I can't explain it. They want to be baptized so bad next month!! I'm so excited for them!

กิตติ(Giti) is being difficult as usual. He believes the Book of Mormon to be 100% true. He also believes that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet, however he won't come to our church. He told us that the Baptist and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are the only true churches in the world. He is so close, he just needs to open his heart a little more. 

We have been teaching Ratchani for some time now and she will be getting baptized next week!! She has asked so many questions that she has really converted herself. She knows almost as much stuff as I know because she reads the book of mormon, prays, and asks questions all the time! She is so fire!!

Over the period of this week, my companion and I visited this one particular family with another member multiple times. To say the least, this family is a little crazy for several reasons. It was a great opportunity to build them up and invite them to church because they have lost their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Miracle:

Sorry this is a little long but there is one more person we are teaching. Her name is Rose and her story is incredible. About 2 months ago we were inviting and having no success. As we continued to try to talk to as many people we could, we found someone that was only a little bit interested. I sat down on this bench to put in that person's information, however at that moment I felt prompted to talk to the person next to me on the bench. When I started talking they were like "no no I can't speak Thai." She was a Filipino and after we started talking for a little bit she opened up so much. We shared the message of the restoration which left her in tears. She loved it and she knew it had to be true. At the end of our conversation I had asked her if we could meet again but she told me she was moving back to the Philippines the next day. I couldn't understand why we would have an experience like this and then after that we would never see her again. That was so disappointing until I got a text from her this week saying that she is back in Thailand and she wanted us to call her. Miracles are real - let me tell you. We called her and she told us how much she feels the spirit when we talk with her. She has such a strong testimony it is incredible; words can't describe it!

Well that's about it for this week! I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Lowe 

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Elder Gantt and his trainer, Robert!

New Calling

Mark and I were asked to meet with President Luderup (also our friend) .  He came over to our house at 8:00 PM on Sunday, May 5.

Betsy had just sent all day driving from Little Rock, AR to Austin.  It was so good to finally be here along with the fixed car. 

President Luderup called Mark and I as coordinators for the new building open house.  Mark seemed a little overwhelmed since we do not know anyone except the Luderups in the entire state, but I'm excited.  I'm actually very excited.  I think this will be a great way to get to know others in the stake and put some of my gifts and talents from God to work. 

We will meet with the Stake Presidency on May 18 for more details.