Week 56 - Samut Prakan T8W2 RCLA work works!

Hello everyone!

This week has been a great one, but it wouldn't be complete without admitting of my thinking about Meeegs this whole month. I love ya so much Siiiiister! and I want you to know you’re beautiful and I had been thinking [of] you [so] much since the 8th ;)

Along with special birthdays (hats off to our great President Abraham Lincoln this week on the 13th and Delanny Olsen's on the 19th, Baby Chase's and apparently Kitty's too), this week has been filled with blessings, but some of the greatest blessings come from seeing those once lost come back. Sister Soni, a sweet but playful girl who is going to college and living with her family (of whom her older sister and brother-in-law are members), was a Less Active whom Elder Merkley has been trying to come back since before I got here 8 weeks ago. We finally saw her and taught her family one evening to invite them back; she agreed. Then, she didn't come to church. But we knew how much it would bless her, so we continued to help her in little ways. First we invited her to English class on Tuesday and she came! Then when we were about to teach a gospel lesson to some of our students who were interested to learn about Christ, we invited her to help teach. We gave her the opportunity to share her testimony and she helped wonderfully.

Later that week, one of our appointments dropped, but we had asked for Soni's help again and she was coming. We called to cancel but she said she was bringing one of her friends, B. Yes, that's her name. ;) So we actually just taught her and her friend instead with my first convert here, Brother Nat. The five of us really hit it off and Elder Merkley and I even sang for them on condition they share their Thai poetry (which was beautiful). We taught about the Restoration, Joseph Smith, and gave her a Book of Mormon. Soni once again delivered powerful testimony of the book she knew to be true.

Then next Sunday and there was not a single investigator there that we invited - one whom I called at 6:00am even came only to leave saying that she had other business. And on top of that, I was drafted back to the piano again. Although my piano skills are getting better, it still hurts when every one of those people you teach and love don't come. But after the meeting had started, I looked over at someone I hadn't seen at church before. It was Soni! She wearing a lovely yellow blouse and dressed up so nice. Then the High Councilman spoke about all the blessings we receive from worshiping the Lord at His house at church. After Sacrament Meeting was over, I welcomed her gladly; and in Sunday School she shared how she liked his comments as well. After I asked her to help Sister Mild feel more welcome and she was uneasy because she hadn't been for a while. But I think this is the beginning of a great new start for this wonderful girl. Please pray for her to remember the blessings and covenants she has from coming, if you can. Thank you.

On another note, my dad asked me a good question about the people seeing an eternal perspective beyond this Earth. To which I answer: About the people not seeing far - when you think that you'll just become a cat after this life, it's hard to get a grip on why you should raise your children well, be faithful to your wife, etc. But that's why we invite everyone to read the Book of Mormon. Remember Aaron and Ammon "unfolded the scriptures" unto the kings, the counts and all the people. Once they get a hold of the Book of Mormon, it's only a matter of time. I just finished Alma 26 to 29 in the Thai BoM and it's wonderful to draw comparisons to all the work I do here include preaching to them all over in all places. But all it takes is to get in touch with the Spirit for conversion to happen.

I believe that is what happened with Soni. She was simply exposed to the Spirit that she once felt. We're all children of God and we've ALL felt that before when we were with our Heavenly father. SO My challenge to you - my family on all three sides, my friends from school, work, or any other crazy place we've met - is to invite ONE person to come with you back to church. It's not as scary as it seems. If you love church but are scared to invite friends, that's like holding two ice cream cones and worrying that your friend will blow up at you and never be friends again if he or she doesn't like that flavor of the one you offer. It's their dang choice to eat it! They aren't going to steal your ice cream cuz that's mean; that's why we must OFFER it. If they eat it and don't like it, that's fine - you'll still be friends. But who do YOU know who doesn't like ice cream? I know very few. I know very few people who would get livid if you followed this challenge.

However, it might be that you forgot how good the sweetness of the gospel can be and have drawn yourself away from the "Smorgeous board of the Restoration". If in your heart there is something telling you "That's me," I invite you to come back to the feast with me and 'give that ice cream' to yourself. If bringing that ONE person back to church means you, please come. But if you've NEVER been to church and tasted off this feast I invite YOU to come! And bring your friends like Soni did to "come buy milk and honey, (and metaphorical ice cream) without money and without price."

If you're thinking "Yeah that's fun just cuz he's just a missionary," you try it! Then report your stories to me through my mom's email (<tamischlappi@gmail.com>). Remember you're not alone in your efforts. Pray always. Soni didn't come the week we thought she would, but the Lord used our efforts to bring her happiness. I know that as you do this, you will have greater joy than you can even try to understand. I pray Godspeed in your efforts, my friends! Looking forward to hearing from you.

Love always,
Elder Gibbons

Week 55 - SP T8.W1 - Surprise at Church

Dear family and friends,

As week one of this round 2 with Elder Merkley kicked off, we've been doing some WORK. We've been teaching all of our recent converts and less actives the "After-Baptism lessons and been feeling the spirit so strong. We have been teaching everyone we see as we can. We show up to church and not only am I drafted to the piano again, no investigators show up and half of our RC’s [recent converts] are missing. We felt like we set those goals so well through the Spirit, and no one came. But we keep our spirits high as we try to stay positive. We see two of the other Elder's investigators, and I talk to them, a young couple. I find out one is named Nuke.

Then my mind turns back to when the other Elders up in the north have said that they taught a golden couple all the lessons and were ready to be baptized until they taught the Law of Chastity. They were unmarried and living together (which is more common than it is not), and had to marry or live in separate houses before baptism. Exercising their faith, she made plans to move back to Samut Prakan to keep the commandment. The Elders up there had called multiple times, but we couldn't get a hold of her; she had no callable number. All we knew was that her name was Nok or Nuke, her boyfriend's name was Gob and she was told to contact us somehow...

I turn to her friend and ask his name; he answers: "กบ" or "Gob."  I light up and we immediately round up some members and go teach them upstairs. Basically, we talked to them about getting baptized on the 23rd of this month and getting married this week. Although Gob works in Bangkok (which is like an hour four from here), but she lives in Phra Pra Dang - which is in our area over the river.

Our goals and numbers aren't the most important, but they were met.  Elder Merkley and I went into another room after that and poured out our thanks to God for His blessing that day.

Sorry this letter's short, but it is a blast being here. Prayer works and God talks to His children, so please talk to Him. He wants to hear from you because he loves you. How do I know this? Because a girl traveled 400 kilos away to keep His commandments. If you're struggling, look to her as an example and pray to start to conquer it TODAY. I promise as the Lord's servant that as you do this, you will begin to feel the peace of Christ "which passeth all understanding" fill your soul (Philippians 4:7) and you will feel peace you didn't ever know you could (John 14:26-27).

I love you all. Pray always.

Elder Gibbons

Week 54 - Samut Prakan T8.W0 "Arm of the Lord Revealed and My Fun Little Bike Accident"

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...

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

Week 53 - Samut Prakan T7.W5 Brother A's Baptism - Kaiden's Surprise

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 27^th 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

WEEK 52 [Half-way!] Samut Prakan T7.W3 Over the Hump

Dear family and friends,

First of all, Happy happy birthday Miss Robyn - in comp study yesterday [we] sang hymn 98 for ya!

And for everyone else as well, thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. This week has been wonderful as I am officially not a teenager and how in 4 days I will be "over the hump" as my smally service as a full time missionary. These small but monumental events to me made me think of all my memories and fun times from Broadway Kids, Orchestra events, chillin with Geoffrey and Stevo and Emilie and everyone, with Max and Drake, and Kirstie (whom I have rejoiced greatly about their decision to serve as I have) and everyone at APA.  Thought about my great mentors and teachers - Miss Federick, Mr. Mattingly, Doris, (gotta giva shout out to Mr. Sorensen), Mrs Wilcox, and many others.  I thought about how much I love Siah and Elly and my little cousins. I often think of McCrae, Shanae, and big Brayden (sorry man, I probably destroyed your name - forgive me cuz Asian languages will do than to you like I forgot what a pulley was called today...) I thought of Jordan and Grant in the states my Grandma Gibbons and Grandma and Grandpa Holker and Schlappi. Thought of Bates and McKenna wearing funky beaver hats preaching to less actives and seeing miracles in the snowy part of the world. I thought about Matt and Shae , Meegs takin a break from school, Kenz drivin her new ride, Anna listening to Opera and almost passed out on the floor of a large super market-entertainment center and almost made a fool of myself greatly. I thought of dad on his side of the couch asleep and my mom helping the world with everything.

All this has caused me to deeply reflect on my life and reflect on my blessings and dumb, perhaps rude sometimes, selfish I probably was before God sent me to Asia. My desires have changed so much and i Love it. I have seen miracles happen right in front of my face. Sister Roumsap's daughter got baptized just barely and Brother A (a man I decided to sit down next to instead of my companion on a random bus one day) is getting baptized this 27th along with others, but no time to relate. We made a huge Book of Mormon for the cutest funniest old man named Supachai an now read it.

But recently I've been thinking about all these things and been thinking of what have I enjoyed most as I am not a teenager and I am approaching my 1 year mark from stepping into the MTC with Nick [Alvarez] in 4 days. I'd like to share with you a story my mom shared with me about an experience while at the [Draper] Temple lobby to illustrate my thoughts:

"So, as I was sitting there, two different “grooms” came out and one sat next to the other who had been waiting a bit longer for their brides to come out.  They started nervously chatting and getting to know each other.  Then a temple worker came and asked for one of them and told him his bride was coming out.  He had the biggest smile on his face and he couldn’t wait to see her and walk out of the temple with her to the crowd of people waiting outside.  As he was about to leave, he turned and shook the hand of the other groom and said, “Have a ‘happy forever’”."

Such a cool story, huh? Well my mom told me she cried and wanted to wish me a “happy year”. I relate all these experiences to you this day because all these memories I have from my life have amounted to my "Happy Eternity" as your love - whoever you are whos reading this- has had an impact for good on me and I want to thank you.

This has been a wonderful mission as I have helped others have happy eternities too.

Love you all,

Elder Gibbons

PS this keyboard is horrible - sorry 4 all the mistakes

Week 51 - Samut Prakan: T7.W3 - "My Birthday: My Ode To My Mother"

[I have to admit, I feel a little embarrassed to post this, cuz it's a "tribute to ME", but maybe you will all think about and appreciate your own mothers a little more...I know I do too!!  I love you mom!!]

Hello Everyone!

Today I can't say much because I'm so speechless because of all the love that I have felt - it literally took me over 25 minutes to read my email this week because there were so many happy birthdays. Crying is weird here, so I was repressing tears most of the time and laughing at my uncle Terry and my Dad for the rest of the time. I cannot possibly attempt to thank everybody by name in this time, so I will not even try. But I would like to thank one name as I share with you one aspect of Thai culture that I have come to love; I would like to thank my mother.

Since the ancient days of Siam to now, the culture of birthdays is very unique. For instance, imagine it's your birthday in the United States.  Common questions are "Oh cool! What did you do?   What did you get?"  In Thailand you'll get, "Have you called your mom yet?"  In Thailand, the role of mothers takes the scene here celebrating the REAL one who deserves the praise. When it's your birthday YOU BETTER call your mom! Well, since I can't call, I'll just let her know that she is my everything out here. I feel bad for all those guys with girlfriends, because I've got the best girl in the world (not to mention my sisters, step-sisters, cousins, aunts, lady friends, etc) you writes me every week and I KNOW will wait for me. She sent me the biggest package in the office, but she sends me more than you can weigh in prayers that have literally become miracles right before my eyes. At church all the sudden some member was playing "Desperado" [one of my favorite songs by the Eagles] and I only didn't lose it because I was in shock that the Lord loves me enough to send me a mother whom I can never fully pay back for the hundreds of thousands of hours spent in the service of her God - for me. If any of you who wrote get this letter I would ask as one last gift to thank my mother for the infinite influence she has had in my life - and in your life. If you know me, then you know my mom because she has given me everything you see in me.

I can never pay her back, but for this birthday I pay her this meager tribute that doesn't cut to a 1000th of the actual greatness of a woman among all women. Thanks mom - I love you Phom rak thoe maag wa phood dai!

Elder Gibbons

Week 50 - Samut Prakan: T7.W2 "With Faith Come Trials"

Hello everyone, I have little time because our district is about to eat a 13" banana [split?] that we found at Swensen's Icecream. Update: Sister Mild and Brother Nat are officially members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ; Uang was at church for Sisaket to Chonburi to here. But more than that, have got a story that illustrates that great phrase in Praise to the man: 'Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.  What sacrifice?  The following is a excerpt from the letter with my Mission President:

Dear President,

Happy New Year! And as you know, the 51st baptism couldn't have come in more timely as sister Mild (and all of us) strive to be new men and women in Christ. This year, I should tell you I have resolved to "Always be in constant companionship with the Holy Ghost; to always keep in remembrance His presence with me - this entire year."

We've already seen the trials. Thank you for sharing that talk with Elder Merkley. Without going into to many details, with my new resolve I have felt the presence of the adversary attack on many fronts on my mission, and we're under siege here often. There's a reason we were split-off from our Bang Naa friends and the hand of the Lord is manifest in abundance - and so are the trials.

Well, as we have increased our efforts (I mean to say I've invited more people to come unto Christ and be baptized in this transfer than I have in my entire mission) we have run into the grumpiest, anti, resistant, and even pugnacious individuals. For instance, all roads lead to the top of Mt. Fugi, right?  Well, we taught a lesson by accident to this very nice man who works by our house where we eat at daily (we intended to teach his wife).  But as we started talking, HE started teaching and teaching and teaching about Buddhism - I mean to say he was even translating terms in Bahli - and wouldn't listen to what we had to say. But then he started to reason out to us how there can be no such things as a Savior, that Christ lived and died for nothing and that our whole religion was in vein because there is no such thing as an atonement. A bit different than "Every religion teaches to be good," huh? We bore testimony of some things we knew to be true, but he got up and left in our mid-sentence. Its one thing to read about anti-Christ’s in the scriptures; it's another to be the ones contending on the front lines with them. This experience shook me up a bit and I had been trying to focus on my studies, but it was hard. What is the Atonement? I felt like Enos: "Lord, how is it done?" But Friday I read 3 Ne 12:2 where Jesus charges the multitude that any who believe in the words of the disciples are blessed because they had SEEN him AND KNOW THAT HE LIVES.  I read this and then stopped to think: The disciples wrote this book; this book had to come forth the way Joseph said it came forth because there is no other way; and if those two things are true, Christ did visit the Americas because he did ascend into heave after he did die upon the cross and was slain for the sins of the world...

Sorry this is long, but I know that Christ lives because I know this book open in my laps couldn't be anything but truth. I now know that Christ lives. I prayed and received this as an answer to its truthfulness and cannot ever go back. I feel my chest is warm because of the spirit not just the Tom yam Gai I ate. I thought I'd share that with you. I do so as a representative of him through his spirit. Amen.

Now I ask you - all of you: my brother and sisters whom I Skyped with, my friends who read this, my family whom I love, my friends I adore - read this book. Then ask God in the name of Christ if it is true. Dang it, it is, but you just have to read it!  If you haven’t I am asking you as a representative of the lord under the direction of the spirit of the lord which is in me to do it. Thank you mom for your lesson about this book, and I know it will bless you in ways unimaginable. In Christ's name I seal things as true. Amen.