"The last two weeks have been really hard for our companionship. We went contacting every day and worked really hard for the past two weeks. I mean every day and I am so tired. I actually lost my voice the last three days and so my Thai is really bad. haha I have no tones and even the other Elders can't understand me."
"We have lots of eternal investigators. There is this Burmese family who we have to teach really simple to and one of the family members, that speak Thai, has to translate for us, so it takes a long time. We had one investigator who told us that she is going to Singapore for two weeks and that she will get baptized April of next year. AHHHHHH! She wants Bannakorn to baptize her, but he will no longer be a missionary then. She says that she will just go to Chang Rai to have him do it. I guess we'll see what happens. Then we have another who is so ready to be baptized, but he is not legally married. His wife is 50/50 about it. We are going to meet with them tomorrow to ask why she doesn't want to get married. They live in a house about the size of Tori's room. Then we have one that we taught everything to, but she went to Chang Rai and says she is not ready to be baptized. It is so frustrating."
"Rangsit was able to get another baptism. It was the Sister's investigator. We have had a baptism every week this transfer. This is a complete miracle for sure! There were two people that the Sisters had prepared for baptism this week. One was taught everything, but had a problem with tithing. He tells us on Saturday that he wasn't ready and couldn't be baptized. The other person was golden but could only meet on Sunday for his interview and baptism. He called the night before and said that he got home late and didn't think that he could wake up, so next week would work better. This made us all really sad because it was our last chance of meeting our goal for a baptism a week. I was upset because I prayed for a miracle and I knew one was coming. Even after contacting and calling everyday for two weeks, not one person came to church and I was so downhearted. I fell to my knees and told Heavenly Father that I knew he will send us a miracle because we had done everything that we possibly could. I didn't know what the miracle would be, but I knew that we would have one. We had over 30 people, including investigators, at church, so we stared our insane teaching of trying to teach everyone that was there. The Sister's investigator that had a problem with tithing showed up and Sister Naray talked to him and said that he was still feeling the same way. I decided to go up to him and asked why he wouldn't get baptized. He told me that he was not pure and had sinned. I just responded by saying that of course, he wasn't pure and that he had sin all over him. haha That's why he needed to get baptized! I testified of baptism and told him to go ahead and get the interview. He said that the interview would not be pure if he did. I then said of course it isn't pure! But God is and he could have the interview and then decide if he is ready or not. God will tell him through his servant if he is ready to be baptized. He then agreed to be interviewed and I said good. We got Elder Kohler to give the interview and the guy passed with flying colors! He came out of the interview and said that he would be baptized and he chose to do it today! YES!! We got everything prepared and he was baptized. What a miracle! I know that God used us to help this person. I learned that sometimes and most of the time, in order to see a miracle, we have to first take the first step and then the miracle can be brought to pass. Way cool that we were able to see that happen. I also learned that God has a reason for every thing and we may not always see it. Maybe I wasn't suppose to have any investigators come to church, so that I would have the time to talk to this guy and help him to get baptized. I don't know. Maybe working hard and not complaining made the miracle happen. All in all, it was faith that brought about the miracles. I love you all so much!
Elder Jacob Smith
