HAPPINESS!!!!

AHHHHH I'M IN CHIANG MAI!!!! It's been a dream with so many memories and happy times. I can't even contain it. I'm doing switch offs with Sister Knight and I'll go back to my area on Wednesday. After email, I'm going to see BON AND BAM!! Ahh I'm so, so, so happy. :D 

How's every one doing? Conference was so fantastic and so perfect for answering several of our investigators’ situations. Although they were all great, I have to say that one of my favorites was President Uchtdorf. All his talks for the last few sessions have been special to me especially as a missionary. 

So real quick, this week was a tearful one. I think I cried every day except two. Remember Fern? The 16 year old girl that I absolutely adore?! Well after English on Tuesday we were talking and another kid, named Mark (he’ll be an eternal investigator, I think), well both of them have the same family situation because their parents are not open to the gospel and have actually been giving them a hard time about it. Well Mark has been doing this for a year and Fern, just over 3 weeks. We sat down and he started sharing how hard it was that their families don't support them and they also persecute them because they choose to come to church. She started to cry and she told me, her parents won't feed her if she goes to church. She's always hungry (and if you see this girl, she is soooo skinny). As soon as she said that I just cried. It absolutely hurts me to see her sad about all the trials she is going through. She said she still wants to come because she feels like I'm her family now and that Church is home. She likes being there and being involved, etc. We shared a scripture and encouraged her to pray and read. We can't teach her because she is a minor but right now I think she just needs us to continue to be her friends. I left that day so incredibly sad. I cried all night and just worry so much about her. She has such a testimony because she is coming to church for all three hours and she also came for all 8 hours of conference. She's involved in activities and English class...just everything. I wish I could give her more. I admire both of them so much.

Another one of our investigators, Dak is absolutely golden. I'm not sure why I've been so blessed on my mission to have all the golden ones. She learned ALL the lessons in 4-5 days. She is the daughter of Sister Dukda who got baptized on the 6th. She wants to get baptized SO badly but because of other circumstances she has to wait. She goes to school 3 hours away from Phitsanulok and the closest church is an hour away. He mom is also moving to another location south in Thailand to work. The reason why we taught everything so fast is because we wanted to make it possible for her mom to see her get baptized; because it was her mom that introduced her to the Gospel. I had a hard time accepting that we told her “No” and that she has to wait to get baptized. I asked my district leader to ask our zone leaders a few times and after praying much about it, I knew it was right to be obedient and like the white handbook indicated, we need to support our leaders. I think the Elders’ reasoning is mostly accurate but as for my debate; we as missionaries talk about families all the time. It is the central unit in the church so this mom and daughter have come to know the Savior and you can just tell that they love each other too. Their baptism days were special and hers should be too! So Dak came to us, the missionaries and had the desire to be baptized and sacrificed to make it happen. She sat in front of us and tried to re-arrange her schedule but we told her we need to ask our leaders first. I had my companion tell her the bad news cause I knew I would be so sad and as soon as they heard, they took it well but I looked right at the moms face and I could see how sad she was inside and as I continued to look at her I could just almost see the tears start to come. However, both have such great faith and they know as long as they are obedient they will be blessed. I love the both of them. I was so sad to see them go yesterday. 

OH I love loved loved the talk from President Nelson about “ask the missionaries.” To that I say... AMEN! It's a blessing to see how the gospel really does answer all our questions in life. Conference is always a special time. While I sat there, I flashed back to last conference where I got to sing at the conference center! It seemed like so long ago. 

Well, I'm full of happiness right now. I never thought I would be back here on the streets of Chiang Mai. Never! I'm so happy and so blessed. I'm so grateful we have President Senior as our mission president right now. He listens to us, our concerns, our problems and joys and our successes and he follows the spirit so closely. I wish you could feel the spirit that is with President Senior--he is awesome!!!

I'm pretty sure pictures work here so I’m going to try to catch up on a few weeks :-)

LOVE YOU ALL

I'll report next week about Chiang Mai :-) hehe.

Always, 

Sister Yeo