Asian Area YSA Conference Aug 1-4

These photos are not in order because they are resisting me trying to move them. We had a wonderful time being chaperones for the Asian area YSA Conference. Those invited had to be able to speak English, had to be living--working or going to school--in countries not their native land. We had YSA from China, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the USA. I probably missed some countries. About 162 young adults came, along with about 5 missionary senior couples.

The conference was held at the Novotel Airport Hotel in Bangkok. The youth flew in and walked through a very long tunnel to the hotel, or rode a shuttle. On the arrival day, Dennis and other senior missionaries held up a sign in the airport that read, "Asian YSA Conference" so that the YSAs would know to come to them for instructions on how to get to the hotel. It all worked out and we didn't lose anyone. 

Jorry from our English speaking ward, received her mission call to Taiwan and it was announced at the conference, along with one other young woman who is going to NYC Mandarin speaking mission.

Elder  and Sister Johnson with the Senior Couples

These are the adult advisors/chaperones. Elder Kelly Johnson of the Asian Area Presidency and his wife, Terri, the Ercanbracks of the Bangkok Mission, Dennis and I, the Belnaps of the Bangkok Mission, and Elder and Sister Hoke of the Hong Kong area office and chair advisors of the conference. 

We had a great young adult committee who did all the planning and reservations. They were amazing. The senior missionaries were only there to advise and assist.

Ferris wheel seen from the boat

Conference committee

One of the actives we did was go 

on a dinner cruse. The buffet was seafood. There was a live band and singer. The kids loved singing along, which turned into dancing. The evening was quite lively and loud!

Dancing on the cruise ship

It poured rain on our return lap to the dock. Everyone got soaked returning to the busses.

Meyer makes the Asian sign for love.

Meyer, a Burmese working in Malaysia as an IT specialist, joined the church last February. He said he was "lost" and being from a Christian family, he prayed to find the truth. In only a few days he met two elders who invited him to listen to their message. He is an amazing young man. The YSA were scheduled to go to the temple on the Saturday of their conference. I asked him if he had prepared family names for baptism. He had not, so we sat down and cleared his grandfather for baptism, right on his phone.

Elder Johnson and the Ercanbracks
with YSA waiting for the rain to stop.

Girls waiting for Sacrament meeting to start.

YSA girls ready for Sacrament meeting to start.

These photos are way out of order.

The Friday evening talent show included quite a variety of talents. Several sang, some performed dances from their countries. Our MC, Twit, was quite entertaining. We first met him when we served here 10 years ago.

 Below, YSA dress up for group photos.

Girls do a dance from Myanmar

Group photo with everyone wearing conference t-shirts.

Novotel Hotel's swimming pool

Busses take YSA sightseeing 

in Bangkok.

The young man wearing the mask is with his parents who came from Malaysia to take him to the temple to receive his own endowment.

President Sathit Kaivalvatana (sitting) spoke to the YSA about meeting the Goliaths in their lives. He illustrated his points with his own story of a car accident that left him paralyzed, and how he worked to regain partial use of his body, he got an education, has a really good job, and has held many callings of responsibility in the church. He now serves as a sealer in the Bangkok Temple. His wife handed out suckers, the candy on a stick representing the stone (our strength) with which David defeated the giant.

Elder Kelly Johnson gave the keynote address on how desires work in our lives and can be used to strengthen our paths.

Designing t-shirts activity.
The ysa are willing to work on the floor.
That is an Asian thing.

Saying goodbye to the beautiful Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel.

Our Temple Saturday involved baptism, endowment sessions, two sealing sessions with Elder Johnson, initiatory, lunch, and a humanitarian service project. It was a great day. We had four YSA receive their own endowment. 

While helping the YSA in the temple, Dennis and I finally realized why we'd been called to serve at the conference. We already loved these young people before they arrived at the temple. We greeting them as they entered the temple, helped them get their clothing and get family names printed, attended as they did baptisms, and tried to get them in the right place at the right time. We enjoyed so much being with them through this uplifting and spiritual experience.

This conference was very good. We are grateful we were invited to be a part of it. We got to know some upcoming church leaders (YSA) from all over Asia, faithful missionary couples, we enjoyed good food, and were privileged to serve at the same time.