Week 49 - T7.W1 Samut Prakan: Better Than I

So we have a curfew tonight because it's new years, so I'll have to be fast.   Thank you for the prayers - it all came together this week as I have never seen miracles happen like this in my life.  Nowhere to begin.  Basically, Bro Nat was baptized yesterday.  He's sooo awesome and super solid!  But a week and a half ago the other elders (we have four here) gave us a record of Sister Mild - a supper sassy stubborn daughter of Sister Gaid who has been learning with the Elders for so long she has three different records.  But basically we've been learning about faith this week and with the combined efforts of our district, we determined to achieve our goals which included 2 baptisms for us and one for the other district.  During our intense prayer sessions, we both felt that Sister Mild could be that second baptism, even if the odds were impossible.  I am here to tell you today that with God nothing is impossible.  I know that because I have DONE the impossible through God.

We fasted twice, they once and Sister Mild opened her heart for the first time ever because we just knew she would be baptized on the 30^th because I gave Elder Merkley a blessing because we were both getting attacked by the adversary earlier than I thought that week.  Basically, I was rejected more this week than in my entire mission.  I invited more people to be baptized  - even right off the street - than I ever happened before.  Anyway, so she was doing great...almost too great...so sure enough all of the sudden we couldn't get a hold of her – she moved to Bangkok 2 hours away.  But I felt the promise of God.  Thurs, Fri, Sat rolls around and we have been working our tails off.  Sunday happens and Nat is baptized.  Super cool, but it was disappointing that she want's [to be] baptized with him (because they're good friends and will eventually get married).  Then that night her mom called.  She had got an answer of the truthfulness of this way of life and wants to start next year a "new person" and will come down and be baptized.  When Sister Gaid called, it was the still the 30th - the day I stepped into the font today and baptized her a member of the restored church of Jesus Christ it was Dec 31 here - but the world was still the 30th.  God answers prayers and fills his promises.  Not nobody not no how can tell be otherwise.  Signs follow those that believe. I believed; the signs followed.  As for the others?  When I was in Sisaket, we met an awesome investigator named Uang but she moved out of town.  Turns out I moved into her church boundaries - she should go to our branch!  Put it short, we called and called, no answer.  This morning, the last day of the year, she called back.  We talked.  The Lord told me to give her a baptismal date right there so I did - for next week because I taught her everything already myself in Sisaket.  Our goals were fulfilled by the Lord's hand in His way.

It's interesting on one’s mission the things that grow belief: faith, love, etc.  It's more interesting to see the things that grow in unbelief: today, I learned to disbelieve in coincidence.

Don't believe me? Ask God yourself. Read the word cuz he makes all things manifest to those who ask (Moroni 10 4-5).

Love,
E Gibbons

Week 48 - Christmas Eve 2012

Words cannot express how happy we were to see and hear Joseph on Skype - from a 5 level mall in south Bangkok on Christmas morning (for him, Christmas Eve for us)!!  Every Christmas Eve we gather all of our kids together and play games, open presents, and we have a "candle lighting ceremony", so we told Joseph to call us when we would all be together.  Of COURSE, there was a problem on his end with Skype, but he was finally able to work it out and we got to talk to him for almost an hour.  

There were a few highlights of our conversation with him. He smiled the whole time and he looked great!  (see photos!)  He told us that in his last area he had eaten a cricket and he rode an elephant (he told us the elephants' name, but I can't even attempt to spell it!)  He was just transferred to a city (I could never hope to write or pronounce this one either!!) in the south part of Bangkok.  He said he had a feeling that he would be transferred back to the city.  His companion is Elder Merkely from Corrine (?), Utah and they are getting along great.  We asked Joseph a question, so he turned to his companion and had about a 4-5 minute conversation with him in Thai!  We were all so amazed at his language skills so far!!  We just listened in amazement and gratitude that our prayers are being answered!  And the best thing of all...as we were getting prepared for him to call, I took out our candles to set them out on our table like I do every year for our candle ceremony, and as I opened the box, there was a letter from Joseph!!!  At first, I thought Joseph had sent it to Mike and that Mike had slipped it in there so he could be a part of our candle ceremony this year.  But, no!  It was written on Mike's stationary and Joseph had crossed out Mike's return address and put "Thailand" on it.  A few days before he left for the MTC, he had written us a letter and put it in the box.  What a great surprise and shock to see that letter!!  Joseph got to be a part of our traditional candle ceremony after all.  As when we read it, we were all bawling!  It was a very special evening that we will never forget. 

Our family photo this year!! 

Talking to us (on Skype) from a 5 level mall in So. Bangkok.

Kenzi and Anna giving him a kiss!  :)