Week 103 - [Very short letter]

Dear family...

I love you but have 3 minutes to write any letter because I am in Maha Sarakham again. I just interviewed an investigator from Korat (Middls of Thailand) for baptism - a 13 yr old little girl named GG like the G on the mountian, haha.... But she was so ready and I was so grateful to inverview her. Another experience was with Elder Wilamas on Sunday. We had our appointment cancel on us and so we went out to this big public place called Beung Phalanchai (look it up) to talk to people. And Elder Wilamas and I had so much success there. Well, I'm out of time, but I love you and gtg [got to go]. FYI we'll train here tomorrow be in Khon Kaen and then Korat and THEN get home. Our zone is struggling. Please pray for the missionaries to be wise, be loved by the members and see miracles. We really need 200 baptisms! There are 4 AP's and crazy stuff going on in Bangkok. Pray for me please and I love you!!

Your Son Forever,

Elder Gibbons

Week 102 - (Roi-Et) MLC and our own Mission Tour

Hello everybody!

This week has been crazy but great. On new years we had Mission Leadership Council - a meeting where president rounds up his zone leaders and sister training leaders and talks about inspiration he's getting for the mission, which we in turn spread to the mission. While there, we were all truly inspired and actually well fed. Sister Senior made her "special syrup" which was buttermilk syrup (like my mom's)! After MLC, we hit up Korat, Khon Kaen, and Maha Sarakham and trained about the mission vision: 200 Baptisms! This goal has never been reached in Thailand, but this November, we had 110 - while I was rounding up statistics in the office, we were averaging about 40-50 a month. But we have been taught that in this month in January, there are 3 people per companionship who are among "The Elect." D&C 29:4-7 reads:

"Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump.  Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom.  And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive.   And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;"

This is what are focus is on and what's happening. There are 9 people ready for us to find them this month. I think this will be the most eventful part of my mission. The Temple IS COMING. The faith of the Saints is growing, but I ask all of you to please pray for two things. One: that we will be ready for this to happen. Two, that the Thai Saints will be and that they will desire to keep the Sabbath Day holy more than ever before.

The missionaries need this excitement and I'm excited to be shouting repentance at passing cars, zooming motorcycles, on door steeps on the house tops, in the hotels...

Yeah ps, Elder Wilamas and I went with Sister Wiganda and her family from Maha Sarakham to visit their less-active father who works at a hotel in Roi Et. He was happy to see us, and then we get a referral from the HEAD HONCHO of the hotel while we were there - her dad is pretty high up in the ranks, so Sister oot, Sister Wiganda's mom, introduced us. He gave Elder Wilamas and I each 2 calendars and a huge bag of expensive coffee - he also offered us tea haha... Grateful for that. Oh and it felt SOOO good to be back in Sarakham, speaking of Sister Wiganda and her family! It was a cool feeling stepping into the bus station again. I don't know exactly why, but I loved it there. I hope I will have the same feeling in Kalasin! 

Our zone is picking up again after the scrambling around from the holidays; Roi Et is back up to 105 at church, Korat at 96 and Sarakhom at a whoppin' 63! (Yeah, that IS a lot!) Elder King the DL there is great, and they're working out helping Boo, my old investigator there, get baptized this month too!. We did some switching off with Khon Kaen and we will be helping them again this next week after we switch-off with Kalasin, as those two areas haven't had investigators come to church in a while. 

Of our 200, we have but 25 to 30 as a goal for our zone. That's 12-15% of the mission's goal. We will do all we can to fill our part, and to go above. I feel the vision of the Lord is being fulfilled. Thank you for helping with your prayers. Elder Wilamas is really helping me see a greater way to do things and I feel like I'm helping him see the faith beyond the horizon when obsticles come and find us. THere are so many which makes me excited. In Sarakham, Elder Khanakham, one of my great friends who is also the Mission President's 1st Counselor, gave a fireside where he said: 

"อุปสรรคปัญหาในชีวิต คือความเจริญ ก้าวหน้า ของเรา." 
[Obstacles, challenges in our life, are our prosperity, our progression.] 

I know it's true. And these problems that we face together will grow us... We just have to remind each other once in a while. That's why my "Next Companion" will have to be someone who reminds me to have a lot of faith!! lol ;) We had a mid-transfer switcher-upper and ended up with a Lao missionary named Elder Angkham - he's just hilarious and I know him from when I was in this zone with him back in Kalasin. He gave the greatest testimony at church and the members love him. He's also the son of the Branch President in Vientine!

So there's great things happening, great food I'm eating in the Esan (yes, I'm getting a little rounder), and miracles being seen. Elder Wilamas LOVES the dill pickle chips and flamin hots [Cheetos]. "How can white-man food like this taste so good?" he said the other day, lol!

Anyway, there's great things happen, again, so please pray for Jit to be able to divorce one of her husbands and for Teeb and the daughter Oom to feel of the truthfulness of this message. Please don't forget to pray that the missionaries and Thai saints will be ready for this to happen and that they will desire to keep the Sabbath Day holy more than ever before.

Thanks again for everything! Love!

Elder Gibbons

Here are some photos that Joseph's companion, Elder Wilamas, sent me...not sure what/who they are yet, but I will add them here anyway! 

Both wearing the matching ties I sent them for Christmas.  :)

Some of the things I sent in his Christmas package...

 

These were the ties I sent them in separate packages...one for them and one for their companion (whoever it was going to be!)  It is a miracle that they are together!!  :)

I recognize one of Joseph's favorite things...George Washington on top of the tree!!  Only Joseph!!  :)

 

Week 101 - 101!!! LA!!! or aka “Roi-Et” T15.w1

Hello Family!

This week has been crazy and wonderful as a Zone Leader out in the Esan! The windows of heaven opened and I'm again comps with Elder Wilamas! We look over Roi-Et, Khon Kaen, Korat (where Elder Wilamas has served) and Maha Sarakham and Kalasin (both of which I have served as well). Packed full of Satan battles and other crazy stuff, I have no time to say it all, but I will say I had a very special Christmas. Kristmas in Khon Kaen! I wasn't even at my home in Thailand when I woke up Christmas morning (if you can't call THAT not being home for Christmas than I don't know...). But I had my beloved comp: Elder Wilamas, with two of some of my best Thai friends: Elder Schad and Elder Ngaosuwan. I was the only white guy in the house! But I made everyone get in their rooms and then got the video on my camera ready and had them come out and see their presents around a small tree we stole from the KK Church. I got my Phaa khao maa to wrap under the tree and we had a great morning, opening the gifts my mom sent me. And letting Elder Ngaosuwan and Schad open the ones she sent to our new companions (which is each other duh), so we spread the love. [I sent Elder Wilamas and Joseph separate packages for Christmas and I added a gift for their companion too.  Only WHO KNEW they would be companions with each other again?!!]  We also had muu ping and khao neio for breakfast - something I might do as a Christmas tradition, so watch out!! After that we skyped and I got to see Mom and Dad, Grandpa Schlappi and Matt and Shae with Meegs and Anna and Kenz!! I was so happy and excited to do that. I also got to meet JJ, Elder Wilamas' little bro and his mom, who is not a member so that was fun hearing them yell in Lao to each other :) ;) 

Other things this week: Got yelled at by a Swedish guy, and had one of the best dinners at my branch President's house. We had Sua Rong Hai and a bunch of other Esan food. Had little crabs that tasted... Well, the Branch President is also a music teacher as so I got to play Traditional Thai music with him and Elder Wilamas, who was also the leader of his Thai orchestra in Ubon, his hometown. President Sutaeb played the Saw, Elder Wilamas, the Klui, and I played the Ching. Super fun.

That's all for now folks but I love you and the Savior lives!

Elder Gibbons

 

WEEK 100!! Christmas Day Phone Call

This is Joseph's mom.  He didn't write a letter this week because we got to see his cute face and talk to him on Christmas Eve through Skype!!  :)  We had all our kids and Grandpa Schlappi here for the conversation.  I will just tell you about our phone call...



The Isan Region is in "red"

First of all, and the GREATEST news...His new companion IS Elder Wilamas!!!  (One of his bestest friends in the world...the "King of Khorat", as Joseph lovingly calls him.)  They were both transferred to a town that I couldn't understand back in the ISAN!  He has spent most of his mission in the Isan area (the Northeast region of Thailand - with Laos bordering to the north and east and Cambodia to the south).  They speak a very different dialect there - he said it is a mix of Thai and Laotian...kind of how Spanglish is a mix of Spanish and English.  No wonder the language has been hard to learn!  They are also serving as Zone Leaders together.  He is very happy and it is a dream come true for him to spend his last two months (59 days from today!) for the second time on his mission with one of his very best friends.  (Elder Wilamas returns home [to a town in southeast Thailand] in May, same as Joseph's cousin, Kaiden.)

The thing that impressed me the most during this phone call, is that Joseph and Elder Wilamas seemed like they were "one".  Last Christmas, Joseph was serving in the office with Elder Wilamas and we got to see Elder Wilamas and talk to him a little bit on that phone call, but this time, they sat right next to each other and shared a headset and Elder Wilamas was there for the whole conversation.  I wondered if he wasn't able to talk to his own family because I know there hasn't been a lot of support from them during his mission.  We love him too and can't wait to meet him in person someday.  He has become a brother to Joseph and it will be so hard for Joseph to leave him and this beautiful country he has come to love so much.  They sang "Silent Night" for us in Thai, which was so sweet.  Then, at the end of the call, Joseph asked if we would join them in a prayer.  He asked Mike to choose someone to give the prayer, so Mike asked Elder Wilamas to pray in Thai.  Now, the whole time it was really difficult to hear them (the internet café they were in was really loud with people talking all around them) so we didn't really hear a word of his prayer, but the spirit was so strong and their cute little heads bowed (and it looked like they might have been on their knees) was enough to make anyone cry, especially me!! 

It is so strange that this full-time mission experience is coming to an end.  It has truly been the greatest blessing in our lives. Joseph still has his unique style and humor, but he has changed and grown so much.  I will miss reading his letters - the miracles and baptisms, and all the prayers given in his behalf all day, every day!  (I am already looking forward to the day when Anna begins this process!)  But we will be so happy to have Joseph back with us, making us all happier by his sweet personality and love. 

Until next week when you will hear it from Elder Gibbons...
I love you all who read this!!
Tami :)

Here are a few photos from our conversation with him:



Joseph and his companion, Elder Wilamas



I will never forget this picture of them in my mind - praying with us. :)

Week 99 - Ayutthaya: T14.W8 The End of the Beginning of the End! And Three More Miracles!

[Sorry...this is another one of those letters that may require a Urim and Thumim to decipher!!]  :)

Hello everyone!

This week WAS as crazy as predicted. Had my butt kicked in Badminton by my investigator Nuch. She's kinda dainty spacy and a dumb-blonde who's super book smarts (she got lost in Chaing Mai when she tried to find our church and walked right onto another congregation! So funny). We played with her best friend Tuk (or Duke)and  with Nong the coolest member from Bangban. Then we the Esaan after. :) :) :)

The rest of this week consisted of Elder Wilamas and I swapping interviews, teaching investigators, etc. Unfortunately Duke and Nuch (pronounced "Nute" by the way) did not pass their interviews. We were all devistated. But we told them to watch the Joseph Smith video of the restoration and they understand. They are doing great now. In fact, we just got back last night from Duke's parents house. The night before that (Sat) we got back from my old church in Don Muang where I conducted our Christmas program complete with Thai period instruments called Angloons. 

I saw this on the Facebook page of a cute Thai girl that we follow.  I assume this is the program he was talking about!  If you want to see more photos from the program, you can find them on her page (Ploi JP), or on my wall.

I even met up with my first Convert - Oom-iim and her friend she refearred: Sister Pim! Pheun and Ploy say Anna's famous lol and I could actually understand them! That Sat morning Sister Taa - a very special lady I found with her family - were baptized. An excerpt from my president's letter unfolds more detail:

"Another great and crazy week. 3/6 Baptized and confirmed. Satan woke up and attacked back, but to our advantage - seeing that our investigators who didn't get baptized are getting better nourishment now. We had three investigators alone participate in the Christmas program and nine at church; four of which are getting baptized at the end of this month. Two of those four were the same two that I was in the car with on our way to Ang Thong [a province of Thailand north of Ayutthaya]. It's a magical place, it truly is. Sister Duke (ตุ๊ก) took us to her parents house where we spent some great time. While I was talking with her and her dad, she asked if I could give her dad a blessing because he was having problems with his prostate gland (yeah, try saying or understanding THAT in Thai - gift of tongues is real because it was whispered it to me by the Spirit), which blessing was received well with reverence, along with her mother and Sister Duke herself. It was a very special day yesterday with another three confirmations as well. Elder Watkins did one of the ordinations very well, I might add. We also had our 3 baptisms the day before. Sister Taa (ต้าร์) is going to be a key figure in the church someday (probably in the Ubon Stake in Amnat Charoen specifically [close to Sisaket]), or she needs to raise of of the future leaders as nine year old Brother Non was baptized with Pim, his cousin/sister. Non even asked if he could say the opening prayer for his baptismal service! That's just the kind of kid he is. Bro Nat (age nine as well) said the closing prayer. Our youth group is growing and we have two new deacons (why isn't that a key indicator?)...

"Thank you again for all the blessings you let me see and experience here in Ayutthaya. No matter what happens this next transfer, I'll be forever grateful for these experiences with Elder Watkins, Elder Smith, Elder Winsor, Elder and Sister Sowards and even Elder Wilamas. The Lord is with us when we drew closer to Him through faith and repentance. Thank you President. You are a great man among men."

 

With that being said, I may be out of here. President called me and asked: So what would you think if you companions with Elder Wilamas again as  Zone Leader?" To put a 30 minute conversation into a nutshell, I said I would and he said he'd pray about it. DOES NOT happen often. I love Elder Wilamas with all my heart and he love me with his. I was go grateful to work with him so closely this transfer and help him too. He's so great and even baptized one of my converts - little bro Non. Turns out we had a baptism together after all. The Lord looks after us and always. That's all folks!

Love,

Elder Gibbons

 

[I wanted to add this obituary of a very special sister in Thailand]:



Srilaksana Suntarahut was the principal translator for the Book of Mormon in the Thai language



November 7, 2013 - Sister Srilaksana Suntarahut, the mother of the LDS Church in Thailand, passed away on November 7, 2013, in Bangkok Thailand.

Srilaksana Suntarahut (1924-2013) was an early convert to the LDS Church in Thailand soon after the first missionaries arrived in 1968. Her testimony came powerfully, after reading just a few verses, from the English Book of Mormon. She and two sisters, were raised by the widowed and childless Queen of King Rama VI, with the support of her parents. She became the principal translator of the LDS Scriptures into the Thai Language (1970-1979), receiving revelation to solve challenging issues. While she could not be their priesthood leader, she was the shepherd to the young flock of early converts, hosting them at her home every Sunday afternoon. She shared her testimony with all who would listen. Her story is one of the most remarkable in all of LDS Church history.

 

Some of those who attended the memorial service on November 9, 2013, at the Asoke chapel in Bangkok Thailand. เราจะคิดถึงแม่ศรีเสมอ และตลอดไป

 

 

Week 98 - Ayutthaya T14.W9

Dear family and friends;

I have had a crazy week and am excited to tell you about it, but all of it has been included in the longest letter I've sent President. It includes all the things I've done except the cheese member lesson I had with Sister Nuen (former missionary here from Cambodia), Elder Wilamas and our new investigator who is Cambodian.We also were at the grocery store and I tried to talk to this girl in the check-out line. She wouldn't even talk back! She just smiled awkwardly and turned back. Elder Watkins asked if she liked Oreos and she still didn't say anything. We just looked at each other and he's like, "Does she even speak Thai?" So I asked her straight up: "Do you even speak Thai?" (Which is pretty offensive here but I ask it to people who pretend to ignore me and it get's their attention...hehe...) She turned around and gave me that same confused face. So I asked her, "Well are you Laotian?" which is even MORE offencive to most Thais. But her eyes got big and she shyly nodded her head quickly with an embarrassed smile. So I just started speaking Lao/Isaan to her and we had an awkard conversation about her coming into the country the day before, being with her family and having to go. ตลกดี...

So here's the letter. Unedited, uncut ;) PS:  Please pray for the miracles to keep coming and for those we're working with, including Tik and Nuch, Taa and her two kids: Pim and Non, and Tum in Ang Thong.

Dear President,

This week was great as we continued to see miracles. A Melchizedek Priesthood holder from Buriram just waltzed into church yesterday. THAT is a miracle! A mom of a violin-playing member Sister Ja who just came back active recently was at church yesterday (we had a feeling to invite her mom to a baptism and she's been to activities ever since). Our members have been really noticing the growth here too and are catching the fire by really welcoming our new members and investigators. My prayers have been desperate (and quite outstanding in the sense of seemingly impossible) to have LOVE flood back into this branch where it was so ardently absent in the recent past. Those prayers (combined with that of my mother I'm sure) were realized in a small part as I looked around the room after Chruch yesterday to see everyone talking and smiling - just people enjoying the company of each other. We had 61 at church, 11 of which were investigators - we ALMOST have our goal for 70, a goal that seemed impossible to reach when I came in at 39 people in October. We also have a goal for 6 baptisms this week, which will take our 17 Miracles goal up to 11 as well. Please keep a spot in your prayers for your first area, President, as this goal is grand and almost too good to be true.

We have seen miracles as we focus on the Book of Mormon. I read the Book of Mormon over the phone to one of our investigators, Sister Taa, in the van on the way down back from Lopburi and it really helped her. By the way, I was in Lopburi last week for more reasons than just to see the monkeys. I also interviewed Elder Wilamas' investigator, Sister Noi from Khon Kaen. She's a golden member referral from a Sister Rabiab. I spoke Isaan with her and her family before the interview with and they thought I was Thai until I couldn't spell some of their names on the baptismal form haha...  Anyway, after reading from Enos on that bumpy car ride and liking every necessary verse to her life, I told her through the Spirit that she is going through all these hard times and having all these questions because one day SHE will be a great teacher of this gospel one day and a great leader. She's just a little เด็กดื้อ (stubborn little kid) sometimes and won't trust herself or some of the answers she receives. So after the Zone Training that Ayutthaya and Lopburi received, Elder Wilamas and I snuck in a lesson with this woman before he left (shhhh... don't tell my ZLs lol). Elder Wilamas and I taught her with two other great fellow-shippers who have had similar problems. The whole lesson was in Isaan and the Lord opened my ears and I understood almost everything. He taught with power and authority that I have seen but few times in my mission and told her that her being baptized with be the means of leading many hundreds or even thousands to be baptized. She mentioned that she fears she will have no support if she ever has to go back to her native province of Amnat Charoen, to which Elder Wilamas said that she will be a pioneer in her native land (meant a lot coming from an Ubon native). It is the only province without a church in that quarter of the land and she will open it, he said, echoing my promise I gave to her about being a teacher and a leader. But last night she called just as Elder Watkins and I were talking about her. She said she doesn't want to think of all the forces that tell her no, but knows that this is the best way and that she she wants to follow Christ. We have hope she will be baptized this week as she has been getting answer after answer.

Elder Wilamas and I have also really been seeing success outside Ayutthaya in unusual amounts; both of companionships in the province of Ang Thong and he and Elder Wheeler in Suphaan Buri. We are both finding families in these places that are ready. I'm not doing this for adventure or expansion; I feel the Spirit has lead me to do this work and led him to do his in his companionship. I see the day is near for Zone leaders Ayutthaya to look after Elders Nontaburi (Pakret and Bangbuathong), Elders Lopburi, Elders Ang Thong, and Elders Suphaan Buri. Elder Wilamas feels that the people of Saraburi are hard-hearted and not ready yet, so we'll see about that.

The last order of business is our district. Elder Sowards is doing great (even let us have a baptism this Friday!) and Sister Sowards' song will be beautiful on the 14th at Changwattana (which I'm conductng the piece and helping other members practice their own pieces they're doing). Elder Watkins and I are happy and unified as usual and sadly feel we may be separated at the end of this transfer. We're preparing for anything but excited for the growth that the Lord will create here. Elder Smith (being Senior for the first time) and Elder Winsor have had some "frustrations" you could call it, but the Lord led me to quote some Hamlet to the both of them individually and talk to them about how I had to adjust to being a better person as I was a district leader over Sisters in Ol' Kalasin (it's like Elder Smith's "Back in '82" phrase he always says that make me die of laughter). They are doing better as we all "learn heaven" together here in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya. 

That seems to be all the news for now besides some political jazz that might be touring through the city. We'll keep you posted on this NEXT week because after we weekly planned, this next week seems even CRAZIER than this one!

With all my love,

Elder Gibbons

Week 97 - Ayutthaya T14.W8 "I BELIEVE IN MIR'CLES!"

Dear Family and friends,

This week has been CRAZZZY. Basically the Spirit of the Lord has POUNDED down on the mission, our District, and in my life. For starters, We have been trying to achieve a "Bovember" month; or a Baptizing-November where every companionship has a baptism this month. It was totally up to our faith and Elder Watkins and I secured Sister Bah and Sister Nupe before, so we were set. But the other Elders had all their investigators fall through. Se I prayed with them and helped them see if there was a way. 

I remember back almost a year ago in December when Sister Mild was baptized out of complete faith on a Monday on the last day of the year, making the 51st baptism of the mission (a pretty good high for the number of people baptized here on average). It took patience, perseverance, and  prayer like I never had before, but we achieved, through God, what we before deemed impossible and she is still active I hear, going to church in Asoke. 

I recounted this tale to them to which they had a spark of faith and we thought of who could POSSIBLY qualify for the times at church... And as it did in Samut Prakaan,  it came down to a single candidate: Brother Five. Yep, his name is 5. 

So the Elders prayed and felt he could be baptized on the 30th, and went for it. Everything turned against their favor: his mother, Sister Phon, said there was no way; Five himself was indifferent. But the greatest challenge was our Branch President gave a hardened and a rather aggressive NO. But Elder Winsor kept up his faith, and so did I. They just kept teaching him with an eye of Faith, not looking at the other many distractions. Prayer after prayer after prayer was said. I eventually just decided to interview the kid and worry about the red tape later, so that's what I did. He was super shy but I had one of the best interviews with him as the Spirit really did teach us both that night. I called President Sowards (the Senior Missionary who is hear with his wife who is the Branch President) and told him I think it will be on Saturday for the better. He agreed without ANY hesitation. I immediately called President Senior and told him of the good news, as we had been working together for this to happen. Sister Phon spoke at the baptism and was so grateful to finally have a priesthood holder in the home. President and Sister Phon said it was truly a miracle. That makes three of our 17 Miracles. :)

Speaking of 17 Miracles, I got to watch it [the movie] with a great Thanksgiving feast with the Elders from Lopbrui (the province north of us where the great King of Korat, even His Highness Elder Wilamas is now serving). I translated for him, told him Bailey was my neighbor and he even translated some of the movie for ME in Isaan which almost made me fall out of my chair laughing. Having him so close is a miracle in and of itself. 

THEN the making Miracles four and five in our 17 Miracle caused more drama than you could fit into a whole series of High School Musicals. Basically after wading through the past of yellings at previous Elders and hard feelings even before I got into the area, getting severely chastised by an Englishman's rage, facing a series of interviews across seas, fastings, prayings, sticking a real sock in my mouth at one point, and many more minute details including dealing with the fact that the other Elders saw a cigarette in David's mouth the DAY BEFORE THE BAPTISM (which could be a whole other Email explaining how he lit it for his friend and DIDN'T actually smoke), Sister Mote and brother Boon were Baptized by Brother David Shaw - the X-Military husband of Sister Mote who was re-activated to be able to bring his family into the church. After the Baptism (for which we sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" on David's request), I helped him get redressed and we talked. There was so much that had to go into this day that I started tearing up for this man for which I now have so much love for. This family with forever be a part of my life, and I with them. The Lord blessed me with super-human patience and abilities to both discern and handle problems. It was a great miracle and we're super blessed. Hence, four and five in our 17 Miracles. We still have 55 at church, but Tuk and Nuch came! Two girls we're trying to set up with our boy Bro Nong who's taking us to some palace today so I gtg [got-to-go] pretty soon. 

Mission tour where I got to see a lot of my mission friends and my friend Elder Wilson of the 70 as well. I snuck in an interview with President on accident (hehe whoops!) and received many a great thing pertaining to the kingdom. He is pleased with our progress and I believe the Lord is as well. I also know that none of it could have happened if it were not for your prayers and fasts. I know you do because I FEEL the influence of unity. That's what our mission was shooting for: unity, making Brother Five the 100th baptism in our mission total of 109 with 65 people back to church - the equivalence of a ward here.

Miracles happen. Why? Because God is a God of Miracles and loves those who love Him enough to have faith in him. Thanks for everything. Keep up your gratitude books! I will work on mine. 

Love you all, 

Elder Gibbons

Thanksgiving in Thailand

Their cute decorated cleared-off Thanksgiving table.  :)

They sure have become great friends!!  "The King of Korat" - Elder Wilamas

Elder Wilamas and Elder Gibbons site-seeing on P-Day

A Temple somewhere near Ayutthaya??

Not sure if this is some kind of fruit shell???  It would be so nice to get descriptions with these photos!

Elder Wilamas and Elder Gibbons

Elder Gibbons and Elder Wilamas

Not sure why...but its a cute Monkey!  :)

Elder Wilamas playing some musical thing!!  Of course, Joseph would be ecstatic!! :)