Monday, October 12, 2015

Ask What You Need to Change

Hey everyone..... this week I hit my ONE YEAR mark on my mission...it's crazy it has been a year. I feel like so much time has passed, yet I feel like I was just in the MTC...go figure. When people say time is weird on missions...oh man you gotta believe them. I still have plenty of time left though (6 months) and I still have lots to do!!  Here I am burning the traditional 1 year shirt:

This week Sister Carrillo and I had some cool experiences with contacting...lately we have been having a bit harder time finding new investigators. But this week, I was determined that if I felt a prompting I would act on it. One day, we were riding our bikes near big C (a Thai version of Walmart), and I see 2 black guys and think, "Hey I should pull my bike over and invite them." I didn't do it, because I was scared to invite in English believe it or not and then I was kinda mad at myself for not doing it. Later on that day,we rode down a street near there after dinner and I see 2 other black guys and think...."Okay, I will invite them." Here is exactly how it went down:

Me: Hey how are you guys?
Them: Good 
Me:  DO you want to learn about Jesus? 
Them: We already know, but can always learn more.
Me: Wait...really?? 

We then proceeded to get their phone number and we met with one of them twice this week...he seems interested, so we will see how it goes. At the very least I think Heavenly Father gave us the opportunity to study and redeem our teaching in English (we actually practiced before we taught him).

Second experience: 

We were contacting one night before it was time to go home in this market and by a 7-11. I was feeling discouraged and I prayed and asked, "Heavenly Father can you please help me find one person who will at least meet with us?" After that prayer I kept contacting, and then it was time to go home... I was kinda frustrated my prayer hadn't been answered, but as I was getting on my bike 2 boys walk by. Sister Carrillo is all like, "Have you invited them yet?" I say, "I think so...but I will again." I invite them...and lo and behold one of them is interested...and meets with us 2 days later..and accepts a date.  Prayers are answered. 

This week we also had a party to try and get the ward closer together. We got pizza, people were going to bring food, and a member was in charge of games and a spiritual thought. But then right before the party was going to start...it starts raining. And if you know Thai people you know they won't go anywhere when its raining, so we were a bit worried. At that point we were teaching our investigator, Sister Meow and shes all, "Guys, we should pray for the rain to stop." As soon as she said that I was like..."you are right, that is exactly what we will do." She prayed and soon after the rain stopped...Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in worries and complex solutions, but really it is the simple things like prayer that make all the difference. Anyways, people came and it was a really fun party! The games were my favorite...if you ever lose a game in Thailand you get owned with baby powder all over your face! We also got to see our Branch Mission leader and Branch Pres dance because they lost a game and that made me die laughing. 

Sister Meow with the red hair- 


This Saturday and Sunday I got to watch conference! And it was sooo good!! I saw Dad, Wyatt and Elliott singing "How Firm a Foundation" at the conference center  and everything!! One of my favorite talks was the one by Larry R. Lawrence where he talks about praying to ask what we need to change, what we lack. He gives the example of a girl who's life wasn't going how she planned, and she prayed for guidance...and the spirit simply told her to clean her room. She was all like, "whaa?? that won't help anything", but she followed the prompting..and sure enough she felt peace and calm when her room was clean... doing that simple act of cleaning her room certainly didn't solve all her problems, but it gave her a place to start. After hearing that talk it made me want to pray, and then after the prayer to wait a couple of minutes to see what the spirit would tell me I needed to change. I received an answer, and I know you all can too!! My life has already been made a little happier by acting on that prompting, so I want you all to try it too! Pray and ask God what you need to change, and then wait a few minutes after the prayer for the answer...I promise it will come if you pray in faith, and I know it will be personalized just for you. 
I also loved Pres Uchdorfs talk in the Women's Conference...but you all need to just watch it :) 

This morning Sister Carrillo and I called our investigator SIster Meow, who we have been teaching for about a month and a half now and she told us she had decided to be baptized on the 25th!! We are so excited and hope it all works out. The change in her life has been crazy, from her partying and not even knowing about God and Christ, to her praying all the time and saying now, instead of partying when she is stressed, she just prays. Something I have really learned this past year of my mission is that the gospel completely changes peoples lives. People are made different, in good and happy ways, and when people learn they notice the miracles God is letting into their lives.  It makes me realize the miracles in mine too. There is no better feeling then when an investigator, member, or whoever says they have applied something you have taught them, they know God lives, and that their life has been made better. 

Love you all!!

Sister Remington 
Some people with swords and fans that were just "dancing by"



A classic Thai notebook....



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