Hello
Everyone and a VERY happy happy birthday in the states (or "und geberstag
viel gluch" if you will) to one of my very best friends, Wolfgang A.
Mozart who was born into the world to grace it with music divine 257 years ago!
And phaw dii phaw dii the THAI hymnal has one song about missionary work that's
taken from an excerpt from one of Papageno's Arias in "The Magic
Flute"! [written by Mozart] I was waiting ALL month to sing that with my vocal-major-companion
(he was so weirded out as to what the big surprise was going to be that day)
and he's the only companion I could sing other parts on in as well. Then after
Branch Conference this super good pianist played some Turkish March after
playing his most famous piano sonata that I can't even remember that name to
cuz I'm trying to be a great missionary...
Anyway, a year ago that day I was in 2nd full day (the big Friday) of the MTC where I also celebrated Mr. Mozart's 256th birthday. That day I also taught my first investigator named Aphiwat - all in Thai! I remember his big eyes and sort of giggly personality as Elder Creer and I switched turns reading sentences out of our book and communicating with his "speaking dictionary" where we'd find a word and show it to him, he'd say one back, look at our faces, and then look up one to show us himself. Oh great times, it was a great day...
And this was a great week! Brother A was baptized! We had a nice service and we four Elders sang "Come Unto Jesus" and then went to the font in the other room. There, I had the privilege to baptize him. I brought him out of the water and he couldn't turn around and face anyone because he was just crying. At first I thought I hurt his knee as we were wading in a watering trough, but I realized he was feeling an overwhelming power of the Spirit and then embraced his soaked frame and let him feel the power of the Holy Ghost wash his burdens away and let a few more tears fall onto my shoulder. It was a great moment for me that I appreciate more now in retrospect, but was wonderful embracing this 40 year-old little Thai man who had found that "more excellent hope" he had been lacking in Christ (Ether 12:34). We got changed after we dried ourselves with paper towels...
**BATES AND MCKENNA: DON'T FORGET THE TOWELS** [2 of his cousins serving missions]
Grant and Jordan [2 other cousins serving missions] probably know that as Grant's 2-YEAR mark is coming soon, but we lived. He was too shy to share his testimony after so I took his hand and we went to the pulpit together. I thanked everyone for coming and I forgot after that - the Spirit taking its course. But I do remember mentioning how we met:
One day Elder Merkley and I were heading home and this crazy lady (no, but really) stopped us to ask for something I still don't understand. In the meantime, two 145 buses passed - the rarest and only ones that get us home. Frustrated, we waited for a third and got on. Elder Merkley went to the back but I decided to just sit by some random guy who I found to named "A." We talked, he was Catholic and I invited to Church. Over the course of a lot of hard work to get him comfortable with members and our church, we set him up to be baptized on the 27th of January.
Then he related to the congregation HIS experience: He was going the market I believe, and he waved down a 145 bus - one of the rarest and the one that goes to the market. It passed him by. This same thing happened 2 - 3 more times until one finally stopped and he got on. Then two falangs (foreigners) stepped on the bus and one sat by him... The rest is history. And a miracle.
On my mission, I've learned a lot of things. I've learned to believe a lot of things. Typical, right? What I wasn't ready for was that I learn to DISbelieve a lot of things: Status-Quo, that government is my field of study, and, the biggest of all: coincidence. Was it "random" that we missed 4 - 5 together to sit on the same bench? I'll just tell you - nope. It wasn't. God love His children and makes things work out for them. จบ
Speaking of 'coincidence', that's SOOO พอดี ๆ (phaw dii phaw dii – or just so happened that or fancy that that thing happened which) that Miss Adria Packard will be serving a mission and speaking Thai. Super awesome. [Joseph wanted me to explain about Adria...His cousin Kaiden, who is serving a mission in Russia, met Adria at Snow College. Kaiden and Adria dated until Kaiden left on his mission. Kaiden thinks she's pretty special and I'm sure there are plans to pick up where they left off when they get back! She just got her call to the Thailand Bangkok Mission where Joseph is serving!!] :)
Anyway, a year ago that day I was in 2nd full day (the big Friday) of the MTC where I also celebrated Mr. Mozart's 256th birthday. That day I also taught my first investigator named Aphiwat - all in Thai! I remember his big eyes and sort of giggly personality as Elder Creer and I switched turns reading sentences out of our book and communicating with his "speaking dictionary" where we'd find a word and show it to him, he'd say one back, look at our faces, and then look up one to show us himself. Oh great times, it was a great day...
And this was a great week! Brother A was baptized! We had a nice service and we four Elders sang "Come Unto Jesus" and then went to the font in the other room. There, I had the privilege to baptize him. I brought him out of the water and he couldn't turn around and face anyone because he was just crying. At first I thought I hurt his knee as we were wading in a watering trough, but I realized he was feeling an overwhelming power of the Spirit and then embraced his soaked frame and let him feel the power of the Holy Ghost wash his burdens away and let a few more tears fall onto my shoulder. It was a great moment for me that I appreciate more now in retrospect, but was wonderful embracing this 40 year-old little Thai man who had found that "more excellent hope" he had been lacking in Christ (Ether 12:34). We got changed after we dried ourselves with paper towels...
**BATES AND MCKENNA: DON'T FORGET THE TOWELS** [2 of his cousins serving missions]
Grant and Jordan [2 other cousins serving missions] probably know that as Grant's 2-YEAR mark is coming soon, but we lived. He was too shy to share his testimony after so I took his hand and we went to the pulpit together. I thanked everyone for coming and I forgot after that - the Spirit taking its course. But I do remember mentioning how we met:
One day Elder Merkley and I were heading home and this crazy lady (no, but really) stopped us to ask for something I still don't understand. In the meantime, two 145 buses passed - the rarest and only ones that get us home. Frustrated, we waited for a third and got on. Elder Merkley went to the back but I decided to just sit by some random guy who I found to named "A." We talked, he was Catholic and I invited to Church. Over the course of a lot of hard work to get him comfortable with members and our church, we set him up to be baptized on the 27th of January.
Then he related to the congregation HIS experience: He was going the market I believe, and he waved down a 145 bus - one of the rarest and the one that goes to the market. It passed him by. This same thing happened 2 - 3 more times until one finally stopped and he got on. Then two falangs (foreigners) stepped on the bus and one sat by him... The rest is history. And a miracle.
On my mission, I've learned a lot of things. I've learned to believe a lot of things. Typical, right? What I wasn't ready for was that I learn to DISbelieve a lot of things: Status-Quo, that government is my field of study, and, the biggest of all: coincidence. Was it "random" that we missed 4 - 5 together to sit on the same bench? I'll just tell you - nope. It wasn't. God love His children and makes things work out for them. จบ
Speaking of 'coincidence', that's SOOO พอดี ๆ (phaw dii phaw dii – or just so happened that or fancy that that thing happened which) that Miss Adria Packard will be serving a mission and speaking Thai. Super awesome. [Joseph wanted me to explain about Adria...His cousin Kaiden, who is serving a mission in Russia, met Adria at Snow College. Kaiden and Adria dated until Kaiden left on his mission. Kaiden thinks she's pretty special and I'm sure there are plans to pick up where they left off when they get back! She just got her call to the Thailand Bangkok Mission where Joseph is serving!!] :)
This gospel's true - believe it!
Elder Gibbons
Elder Gibbons
