Dear family and friends,
Brother A was confirmed this Sunday and it was such a privilege to be a part in his story - and to continue to help him through callings and letters throughout my mission and beyond. I also got in my first bike accident! Elder Merkley and I were speeding home and went passed this neighborhood while someone was trying to pull in. Unaccustomed to the patterns of Mormon missionaries, the driver thought it safe to go after the first white falang sped by on his bike and went ahead. His companion saw it coming, slammed his brakes, but was going too fast to avoid collision. This is where I come in because I was on my bike. Well, then I wasn't because I was on the ground. What happened was my front tire bounced off the front fender and sort of bounced me back to where I was, but I lost balance and as gracefully as it was possible landed neatly on my right hand. I got up and there wasn't a single scratch - not even on that hand. I got up and placed my hands on my hips and said with my body language: "You BETTER not drive off and get out of your car." A flustered lady probably in her early 50’s stepped out in a nice pink dress and a gold necklace. "I am SO sorry!" she said. "No, that's totally fine - I'm not even hurt," I responded. She asked if I needed to go to the doctor but I assured her it was fine. But then I stopped, puzzled, and then asked, "Wait, how do speak English so well?" We had been having this whole conversation in English and her accent was so good that I forgot to speak Thai. She was a university professor and was super nice. Well, I absolutely couldn't pass up an opportunity like this, so I explained that I was a missionary and I wanted to teach her about Jesus, and got her number. Her name is "iim" and she lived in that neighborhood. By that time Elder Merkley pulled up and we all said goodbye. Then I remembered Elder Mateos and I did some running in those neighborhoods that were very wealthy. I remember only now to have prayed to someday get into one of those houses. Wow how the Lord works in mysterious ways. If it takes me running into a car late at night in Bangkok to help one of God's daughters open her heart, well so be it!
But perhaps the most stunning news came at transfers. I played "A Child's Prayer" with my two Zone leaders (ธนาวุฒิ and Bantha - the two funniest ZLs together) and we got two more Elders: Staton and ชัด (Chat). I've never had a Thai Elder in my district before let alone in my house. [He must be living with another set of missionaries] He's super cool and humble. Ironically, his name is ชัด which means clear as in sound or performance - and some mornings I wake up in the mornings before language study and can't understand a word he's saying! But it'll come and I'm praying to understand more and more.
But the really important news came at transfers after all was done. I will share but a small part of my experience in my journal [which] is much more accurate. After everyone was called, President Senior talked about our mission's history - from Elder Gordon B. Hinkley's dedicating our mission in the midst of the Vietnam war until the six first missionaries transferred from, I believe, the Philipines, Mylisia and Hong Kong. Now I think back on it, we get a referral, and we can telephone anyone in the mission to anywhere - 150 possibilities at all time. Then I think of Elder Chat: living, breathing results of the first's missionary's efforts in establishing the kingdom of God in every nation... President then went on to talk about a package from the First Presidency - announcing the first ever Lao Book of Mormon translated. The man who did the proof reading (Elder Luangraff) got the last copy to approve - and had 20 days to do it. The Thai BOM has 707 pages, and the Lao one is similar. He was overwhelmed, but prayed. He said as he prayed he felt a light illuminate his entire frame. He proof-read the entire copy in one and a half days...
Brother A was confirmed this Sunday and it was such a privilege to be a part in his story - and to continue to help him through callings and letters throughout my mission and beyond. I also got in my first bike accident! Elder Merkley and I were speeding home and went passed this neighborhood while someone was trying to pull in. Unaccustomed to the patterns of Mormon missionaries, the driver thought it safe to go after the first white falang sped by on his bike and went ahead. His companion saw it coming, slammed his brakes, but was going too fast to avoid collision. This is where I come in because I was on my bike. Well, then I wasn't because I was on the ground. What happened was my front tire bounced off the front fender and sort of bounced me back to where I was, but I lost balance and as gracefully as it was possible landed neatly on my right hand. I got up and there wasn't a single scratch - not even on that hand. I got up and placed my hands on my hips and said with my body language: "You BETTER not drive off and get out of your car." A flustered lady probably in her early 50’s stepped out in a nice pink dress and a gold necklace. "I am SO sorry!" she said. "No, that's totally fine - I'm not even hurt," I responded. She asked if I needed to go to the doctor but I assured her it was fine. But then I stopped, puzzled, and then asked, "Wait, how do speak English so well?" We had been having this whole conversation in English and her accent was so good that I forgot to speak Thai. She was a university professor and was super nice. Well, I absolutely couldn't pass up an opportunity like this, so I explained that I was a missionary and I wanted to teach her about Jesus, and got her number. Her name is "iim" and she lived in that neighborhood. By that time Elder Merkley pulled up and we all said goodbye. Then I remembered Elder Mateos and I did some running in those neighborhoods that were very wealthy. I remember only now to have prayed to someday get into one of those houses. Wow how the Lord works in mysterious ways. If it takes me running into a car late at night in Bangkok to help one of God's daughters open her heart, well so be it!
But perhaps the most stunning news came at transfers. I played "A Child's Prayer" with my two Zone leaders (ธนาวุฒิ and Bantha - the two funniest ZLs together) and we got two more Elders: Staton and ชัด (Chat). I've never had a Thai Elder in my district before let alone in my house. [He must be living with another set of missionaries] He's super cool and humble. Ironically, his name is ชัด which means clear as in sound or performance - and some mornings I wake up in the mornings before language study and can't understand a word he's saying! But it'll come and I'm praying to understand more and more.
But the really important news came at transfers after all was done. I will share but a small part of my experience in my journal [which] is much more accurate. After everyone was called, President Senior talked about our mission's history - from Elder Gordon B. Hinkley's dedicating our mission in the midst of the Vietnam war until the six first missionaries transferred from, I believe, the Philipines, Mylisia and Hong Kong. Now I think back on it, we get a referral, and we can telephone anyone in the mission to anywhere - 150 possibilities at all time. Then I think of Elder Chat: living, breathing results of the first's missionary's efforts in establishing the kingdom of God in every nation... President then went on to talk about a package from the First Presidency - announcing the first ever Lao Book of Mormon translated. The man who did the proof reading (Elder Luangraff) got the last copy to approve - and had 20 days to do it. The Thai BOM has 707 pages, and the Lao one is similar. He was overwhelmed, but prayed. He said as he prayed he felt a light illuminate his entire frame. He proof-read the entire copy in one and a half days...
Then President Senior pulled up another slide to announce one more transfer: to Vientiane, Laos.
I have never been inside a room that was as still and silent and reverent than that one at that time. It became a hallowed place as my former Issan Zone Leader Elder Kunz stood up to accept with my friend Elder Tozanis, Elder Crawley from my first area who's always been a strength to me, and finally my Zone Leader in the MTC: Elder Wright. The Arm of the Lord revealed at that moment was almost unbearable. Months earlier in Sisaket I had been under the impression to pray for the Lao Book of Mormon to come forth and that those in the government here to open their hearts; this week I found out why. Tears, unstoppable tears, started pouring down my face as President Senior broke the long silence and held up a framed picture of six, smiling young men in dark suits in 70's style fashion. He announced that these four Elders would too shortly appear in a frame in the office marking the beginning of the Salvation of God forth and His making bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations.
There was a catch though - they are but service volunteers, as President Senior has asked us to spell out in the letter that follows:
Dear Missionaries,
Please use this verbiage regarding Laos in your email to your parents this week:
"By invitation, the Thailand Bangkok Mission received approval to have four young service volunteers to labor in Vientiane, Laos. These service volunteers will work with Deseret International Charities under the direction of the Senior Couples who are located in Vientiane, and will be involved in a variety of humanitarian and educational service opportunities, including clean water projects, hygiene, neo-natal education and English language instruction. The young volunteers will also support the Branch activities of the Laotian Saints in Vientiane, Laos. The Church is not yet officially recognized in Laos and this recent activity is for the purpose of providing additional educational and humanitarian service."
But regardless of their calling, the knob is turned, the door's still closed, but it is OPENING. May God continue to open the vast doors placed in front of you through diligent prayer and scripture study as you seek the Salvation of God is my prayer, in Christ's name. Amen.
Elder Gibbons
