Miraculous miracles
March 26th, 2018
10th month
Thailand, Bangkok, Surin Branch
samuel.montague
So picking up with last pday: we ended up doing a super fun but hard scavenger hunt, where the groups went all over Roi-et to take pictures with a bunch of random things and people. We played a giant werewolf-card-roleplay game while we finished with our interviews. It is then I was interviewed. I was a little more nervous than normal, because this was my first interview as พี่ (senior companion) and I'd had plenty of hard times already. But the interview was great and reassuring!
The conference was great and really helps renew my spiritual commitment. President Johnson and the other instructors focused on improving our efforts with the people that we are working with, helping them progress and be a higher caliber of investigator. This contrasts with the general feel we have as missionaries sometimes to produce numbers for our key indicators. We've already started applying some of the things we were instructed over and it really shows! I feel like the last 2 or 3 days were more effective than entire weeks we've worked here.
A list of miraculous miracles:
-we learned we would be doing a special musical number at zone conference late last week. So we had about 3 days practice, but in that time we had to arrange, determine parts and style, distribute sheet music, practice, while still being missionaries. We had a single practice session with our pianist for about 20 minutes on Wednesday, and we performed around 2 pm on Thursday in the midst of trainings. We actually didn't sound bad! There were some rough spots, but we pulled through!
-so we hadn't been meeting our daily goal of investigators, which would help us achieve our overall weekly goal. We were kind of freaking out, because we had been trying. Sunday we scheduled a bunch of time and even cancelled appointments with members to make sure we would have enough time to find all of them before we had our call ins. We were running behind because of meetings not staying on time. Well, the Lord blessed our efforts. We were going to a neighborhood we had prayerfully considered when we both agreed we felt prompted to stop at the park as we were passing it. We hit our goal out of the "park"!!!
-one of the people we contacted was a middle aged mom with 4 girls running around her. She wasn't really interested and tried to politely turn us down, but we hadn't finished bearing our testimony! Her kids came over right as I was preparing to pray and they all calmed down and listened to the prayer. She was tuned into the prayer and I identified the spirit right after. Well, complete change of heart! She very willingly gave us contact information and is planning on bringing her "posse" with her.
-we ran into our investigator whom we were going to visit RIGHT as he started speeding by us.
-we commissioned a member to go follow up with an investigator that committed to come to church but didn't. They had an amazing experience together, and now he wants to be baptized.
-though a lot of people who had committed to attend sacrament didn't go to church (it was a big focus this week after zone conference), a lot of other people did that we weren't expecting. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
-BAPTISM. ซ. กิ๊กกี้ has been investigating for a while and has come a far way. She didn't seem particularly committed so I went in depth in our review/Baptismal interview prep lesson. I wanted to make sure she was ready and committed. And she was! We all felt the Spirit as we went over the different points reaffirming the truth of it. It was an awesome service, where I was asked to play the piano again- I've definitely gotten better since being on my mission. 
-CALLINGS. I have been trying to get our branch to give out callings the entire time I've been here (branch President was called the week before me, and for some reason only the auxiliary presidents were mostly called). He gave out callings to 2 of our recent converts, which I had also been pushing for, and he says there are more in the works. Additionally, I was finally sustained as the first counselor! I don't know if I said so a few weeks ago, but I was asked to serve as the first counselor in the branch presidency. It took until now for that to officially happen.
-a ton more, but I don't have the time or energy to write them all. Suffice it to say we've had much to be thankful for in our prayers recently.
I said it a few weeks ago in my email that the Lord will do His own work. This week has proved that - we have been obedient and trying so hard and the people we thought would progress have- just not when we thought. Meanwhile the Lord is blessing our efforts and the goals we have set for ourselves with completely random people. I wonder what the application is for those of us not in the missionary life.
I think everyone has goals. Whether or not they are outlined and defined, we are all always working towards something; we have motivation for our actions. When things don't go according to plan, if we are trying and putting in the effort I believe God will provide us with the better way. I know a lot of people applying for school right now and they're not all getting into their dream school or the one they were planning on. But i have a firm belief that if they're doing the right things, it's going to work out better. I have a friend that didn't get into BYU, even though she should've easily done so (we later found out it was a mistake and she actually should've). Fast forward 2 different schools, a dropped engagement, and a mission. She is the happiest right now at her current school (not BYU), had time to serve the Lord, and is finding her dream husband. I testify that families and missionary work are both the Lord's work, so your career and education are very important to Him as well.
So ya. Basically do your best and stay positive and know God's got your back!
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