Sister Maisie Carrillo: Thailand/Asoke Week 70

Hey Family!

This week was full of lot's of running, rain showers, teaching, sweating, miracles, and baptism!! Our investigator from Nigeria, Prince, got baptized! We have been teaching him for the past couple of months and he was so ready to be baptized. He's one of those investigators who's faith really touched me. I remember when we taught him the word of wisdom, he'd had a problem with drinking but as soon as we taught that it was a commandment not to drink, "ok, I will not drink again." And after that the test came when his friends tried to get him to drink. He stood firm though and refused and said he wouldn't drink it. He drinks soda instead now haha. It's been a great blessing to him and his family though. He's felt the blessings of keeping the commandments of the Lord and being obedient. It reminded me of Nephi. I hope that I can be like that as well when the Lord gives me a command. The Christensen's (one of the senior missionary couples) helped us teach him and Prince has grown to love them a lot. And he really wanted Elder Christensen to baptize him. So that was fun that they got to be there for that! Two other investigators of the other missionaries also got baptized. Such a special day!

So this week we've had lots of referrals. One from President Johnson, one from another senior missionary couple, people that have just randomly called us asking to learn. The Lord is blessing us so abundantly. The first time I came here to Asoke, I wondered why Heavenly Father was sending me here. But I trusted in Him and knew that I didn't need to know but was excited to see what would happen. And then I got put into the international ward. Which really hasn't been the easiest to open up. Starting from scratch, it kind of seemed impossible at the beginning. I wondered if I had made a mistake in asking President to let us open up the international ward, nothing seemed to be coming from it. So we just made a goal that we would go visit a member a day. We called people like crazy, setting up appointments in advanced, traveling all over Bangkok to go and visit them. Then recently this last week, I started seeing and understanding. We visited a Pakistani member who has begun to fall away from the church, and kind of going unnoticed. We randomly just called his number in the phone, not really knowing who he was and he invited us over. He told us that no one had ever visited him at his home before. Then we visited the Nepalese family in the ward who told us missionaries hadn't been over in forever. It was so fun getting to know this family and hear their story. I left with a filled heart, understanding that this is why I'm here. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how much these people have touched my heart, but they have helped change me. I think that not only does God know that these people need love and strengthening from us but I also need them.

Well I can tell you all that I've completely gotten over my fear of talking to people. Especially with talking to big scary white people. Thai people are a lot less intimidating. So now every time I feel the fear of talking to those white peeps, kick that aside and open my mouth. And they always turn out to be really nice. I've met a couple of crazies. But most of them are pretty normal and quite nice :) Funny looking back at the beginning of my mission how I'd rather melt away into nothing than talk to another person. Now I'm asking myself why it was so scary in the first place. Haha!!

Really though, I have a testimony of the gospel. I have a testimony of the atonement. It changes you, it really does. It's changed me so much. I'm not perfect, but I know I'm a whole lot better than I was at the beginning of my mission. That's one of my greatest rewards.

Something I've learned: When you're constantly going about doing good, sometimes we really just don't understand or see how much good we actually do. One little tiny act of service could mean the world to another person. And sometimes we'll never know it and that's ok, we are the hands of the Lord.

God is great. I love my Father in Heaven. How lucky I am to be His servant.

Love you all so much! Remember to be constantly going about doing good. If we want to see a difference in this world, we must be that difference.

Have a great week!

From your loving sister missionary,

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