Week 44: The village of KoogBang! May 29

What's up everyone! Another week here in Surin has come and gone. I feel like the time here is going by faster and faster! I remember when it was just New Years' Day when I was in Ubon and we saw the first sunrise of 2016 and now we're basically halfway through the year! This week in Surin has been a little different than usual. Elder Lindley and I had a baptism for two of our investigators this past Sunday- there names are Sister Baam and Theh. To prepare them more for their baptisms, we've been traveling out of the city to teach them. Sister Theh learns at a school in a town called Prasaat so we met with her a couple times there to teach her. We've gone to their village a couple times this week and we did a service project for Baam's family there as well. They had us put these like root stem things into the dirt for planting. I'm not really sure what they're called in English but it was a good time. Anyway, Baam's mom and sister and grandma all came to church this past Sunday for the first time and it was awesome. I hope that the family will open their hearts more to the gospel and get baptized in the future. I know that the gospel can bless families and that families can be together forever!

We have some other investigators we're working with right now as well. Some of them are sooo funny. One of them is Brother Thrun. I contacted Brother Thrun a little while ago and he agreed to come to church yesterday. We taught him for the first time after church and let's just say he had a lot on his mind. He told me that I didn't speak Thai very clearly and that he basically thought I was like part Indian. Later on in the lesson after we taught about Joseph Smith, he urgently asked whether or not the Restoration had been completed yet. Elder Lindley and I looked at each other and just started bursting out laughing. I couldn't help it. I reassured him that the Restoration had been completed. We told him to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know whether or not it was true. We'll follow up with him this week to see how he's progressing and if he'll take a baptismal date as well. 

The worth of every soul is great. Elder Lindley and I spent a lot of time this week out of the city for Sister Theh, Baam, and their family members but it was all worth it. Every person is special to the Lord. It's not just about teaching for 30 or 40 minutes and moving on to the next activity or lesson. It's about service and showing that you truly care about others. I know that the church is true. I'm so grateful for my mission. The Lord loves us! 

Elder Rawlinson