A Busy Week!

Bangkok North District YSA fireside

Transfers happened this week. We lost Elder Vance and gained Elder Ngaosuvan. Now Ayutthaya has two Americans, one Laotian and one Thai elder. This also means our district meetings need to be in Thai.

We had two baptisms on Sunday, totaling three for the month. We also had 70 people at church – our highest number yet! We need to average 80 for at least 3-6 months to get our own building. We will keep working.

A sister, who was baptized here one year ago, gave a wonderful talk at the baptismal service. She has grown so much in the gospel. She is the young women’s secretary and teaches the youth Sunday School class. You can see the light in her eyes. Last week she received a temple recommend and plans to go to Hong Kong in June.

Sunday was the hottest day of the year (so far) 103˚F.  It even seems hotter with the high humidity. We attended a fireside at Changwattanna with four of our YSA (pictured).

Four of our youth went to the Bangkok North District youth conference held near the beach. They came back saying they learned a lot and had a great time.

We kept busy visiting members this week. Since they live all over the area, there is much travel time between visits. One recently baptized member showed us his beautiful Siberian Husky. As you might guess, this breed is very rare in Thailand.

Elder Trabing, one of the missionaries
who earlier served with us here in Ayutthaya, just finished his mission. On Sunday He came with his mother and aunt to church. We asked both of them to share their testimonies. The members loved seeing him again.

Thank goodness for modern technology. I have been not been able to hold consistent branch presidency meetings since my first counselor goes to Bangkok all week and comes on Sunday just before our meetings start, and usually has to leave soon after the block is over. We started doing presidency meetings by conference call, including the clerk. I can do three-way calls on my phone. It is not perfect but better than no meeting at akk.

With the rain, the lawn is starting to become a jungle again. My weed eater broke a few weeks ago. We will soon have to watch out for snakes and elephants hiding in the grass.

Sister D's baptism

Sister G's baptism

Elder Trabing and member baptized one year.

2 1/2 foot fish sold in grocery store.
How much Elder Sowards would like to catch a fish this size!