Blessings

It has been a really good week this past week.  Miracles have been happening and I feel extremely blessed.

First of all.  We had transfers.  My sweet little companion was a little nervous to leave her first area :) but guess where she left to?  Phitsanulok!  MY first area.  Hooray! :)  I'm so happy for her.

I'm still here in Bangnaa.  And I'm training a new missionary!  But to be honest... Sister Morgan is incredible.  I'm so impressed and I feel like I've been given a really special opportunity to be her companion... because I'm gonna learn a LOT from her.  She has the vocabulary I had after... many transfers in Thailand.  And she's happy all the time.  And she has a special way of looking at things as they truly are... in their... correct more spiritual way!  I think she's amazing.  And I am thrilled and really blessed.  It's gonna be a sweet transfer.

This week.  We have been really blessed.  Man we have been blessed.  I feel refreshed and full of love for Bangnaa.  We've been able to teach and work with some of our investigators. And my love for them is growing.  Those families I was thinking of a couple of weeks ago... things are moving forward.  I had a very, full moment, this past Sunday as I sat at the piano and looked out among those sitting in the congregation.  I saw some people we've been visiting and trying to help bring back.  They came by themselves.  I saw lots of beautiful people making courageous and righteous choices to come to church!  Where it might not be convenient (one was sick... a part member family came... without the member!  Because he was sick!)  It just filled me with joy to look out at them.

This month... one of my favorite sisters in my mission, Sister Jackson (we've never been companions...but we're really good friends!)  She challenged us to be more thankful.  And I think that is perfect and exactly what I want to do!  It is November.  So that feels fitting.  :)  But... I just feel like their is a sanctity and a joy and a feeling of gratitude that comes when we stop to see all that God has done.  I am grateful for so many things.  And I want that fulness to stay with me always! :)  

Honestly.  This is gonna be a great transfer.  I love being a missionary so so much.

There was a really wonderful woman that got baptized this week.  I remember her first lesson... Sister Nittaya and I were walking somewhere to go inviting... and... I invited her.  She said "I'm going to the church right now!  But I don't know where it is..." we walked her back to the church.  And so began the teaching.  Some obstacles from what I've heard.  And then the beautiful confirmation that comes only from the Holy Ghost, that this is His church.  It was a beautiful day for her!  

This is short.  But I think that's all I have to say!  

I love you so much!  I hope this week is really wonderful!

Love,

Sister Croft

Pictures.

Me and my companion.  Nice.  We forgot to take any pictures so you get the "selfie in the internet cafe" picture.

The Baptism. 

 

 Oh Thailand.  :)  Look it's a bed that sleeps four diseased doggies.  Haha...

Annnnnnd.  We went to a cool museum thingy last week on P-day.  It was a huge 3 headed elephant.  And you can go inside.  Hooray! :)

Mmmm. 10/26

This week was a really good week.  We've been able to teach some of our investigators more!  It was a miracle!  But really it was... we've been struggling all transfer to find people that will meet with us.  And despite the rain killing a lot of our appointments this week.  We still were able to teach a lot more than we have in previous weeks.  We have people progressing towards baptismal dates!

I let you in on some of our investigators.  One is a 18 year old girl who Sister Nittaya met several transfers ago.  She just recently came back and started learning with us.  She is so excited and loves all that she is learning.  I was so grateful for our ward yesterday.  They took all of our investigators in and helped them feel at home.  

Another investigator that we've started teaching is this sweet woman that I adore.  She is the mother of a member.  And she comes to church.  She has been since I came here, and possibly before that as well.  I noticed her... I think maybe the first week and decided to talk to her because no one was.  I asked her how long she'd been a member.  She said she wasn't one.  I sit by her during lunch a lot, talk to her weekly.  I just really like her!  I've invited her to learn with us before... she said "that's okay."  Haha... but some members told us this week that we just need to teach her.  So we did.  And I love her... she hasn't accepted a date yet.  But she knows its true.  And while we listened to her... I couldn't help but imagine her helping the missionaries teach sometime in the not so distant future... telling an investigator how stubborn she was at the beginning.  Oh she makes me happy!

Sunday was a really good day for us.  I feel happy thinking about Sunday.  There was a really sweet woman that is visiting here from the south.  I have had the chance to translate for her this week and also last week.  I just really love that sister!  Sometimes I am just inspired by the goodness of other people, she makes me happy!

A really wonderful highlight of this week was Mission Tour.  We had the opportunity to be taught by President and Sister Senior and also President and Sister Gong.  We talked about the doctrine of stakes, families, and temples.  We talked about the sacrament.  The spirit was present... and I think we all learned and felt a lot of things.  For me... there was a desire to know the Savior more and more.  And there was also a renewed perspective.  I loved a little thought President Senior shared.  He showed us a picture from a baptism.  He said "what do you see?" and then he showed us a picture of 2 Thai siblings, leaving for their missions on the same day.  He said... that we should picture everyone like that.  And that's something I'm striving to do more and more.  As we teach them we picture them in white ready to be baptized.  But we also picture them in the temple.  And eventually in the Celestial kingdom of God.  It's hard to have that perspective with everyone we meet and associate with.  But that's how God sees us. 

I love you and I hope you have a delightful week this week!  The work is good! :)

Love,

Sister Croft

P.S. transfers are on Thursday.  What? :)  As usual... I have no idea what will happen.  

Also.  Pictures.  

1. The street to the church flooded.  We had an appointment.  And we were waiting for them to come.  And it started raining really really hard.  He said he was still coming... but then... he didn't.  I joked to Sister Nittaya that we'd get stuck in the church for 40 days and 40 nights because of a flood.  And then... it really did flood.  Just enough to have a disgusting wade home.  But it's okay.  You can't tell but I'm standing in disgusting water :) Hooray. :) 

2. Sister Saen from Sisaket came to Bangnaa for a day.  And it filled me with joy.  :)  I love that woman.  :)  It was a Sisaket reunion! :) 

This picture.  Is joy.  This is a picture of Brother Muu's daughters!  Oh man... words cannot express!!  Sister Herrmann just sent it to me. 

Heyyyyyyo. 10/19

This week has been a good one.  An interesting one.  And a good one.  :)  I'm not sure what all to tell you about it.  

I got a chance to go on switchoffs in a nearby area and it was a really good experience I learned a lot.

  

We are kind of still struggling to find and teach investigators.  But there are a couple of new people coming out of the woodwork, some good possibilities, and so that's good!  

The families that I wanted to work with... some of them were out of town, or had some specific challenges.  But we will keep trying with them!  One of them we did get to work with a little!  And she came to church on Sunday!  Hooray! :)  

This week I think I've learned more about... God's goodness.  And about revelation.  God knows exactly what we need.  Who we need as a companion, things we need to do, which path we need to take.  And I have found it really interesting as I've worked here in Bangnaa... I think there are specific things I have been sent here to do!  And I've been doing my best to ponder and receive revelation.  To first observe and then help with what I need to do.  It's required a little bit of boldness on my part sometimes.  As well as compassion.  It still requires better planning :) but miracles happen every single day.  Miracles of change.  Little miracles.  And sometimes big miracles!  But miracles nonetheless.  This week we had a pretty miraculous moment.  Yesterday we were teaching some recent converts when the door opened... and in walked a recent convert who had recently cut himself off from the church.  He had erased all members from his facebook.  Gotten a new number.  And we weren't sure how we could help him... and yesterday.  He just walked into the church like he'd never left.  Wow!  He actually ran into Sister Nitaya and Sister Peck when they decided to go visit a recent convert when an investigator didn't come.  There he was!  And then yesterday he came back and gave us his new number, and told us he'd see us on Tuesday for English class.  A miracle indeed.  

I've pondered about things like this before... sometimes you leave areas... and then find out old investigators have disappeared... that different people are struggling, have stopped coming to church, etc.  It can be a little painful... and yet.  I have often found a feeling of peace.  That as I have said before... Dear are the sheep that have wandered.  And God numbers each of His sheep.  Sometimes I think I think that I'M the guy that has to do all of this stuff!  Oh no!  The problems!!!! :)  Or oh no!!! How can we help them to do this!!! :)  And then I remember the most important relationship.  That between the investigator and God.  And the answers that they receive there.  The help that they receive from Him.  AS well as the help that they sometimes receive from Him through missionaries.  It's the private relationship.  The personal practices.  The revelation we receive when we seek Him in our closets, and earnestly want to know.  :)  And that's the answer for all of it.  Trying to do His will is sometimes hard.  But always rewarding! :)  And always what we must do.

I love you so much.  :)  So so much.  I am grateful for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And for the absolute truth that is found in it.  

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Croft

Pictures:

My companion.  Haha... I dunno if everyone is familiar with my favorite joke or not... 

I asked my companion.  

Do you love chicken and rice?  

Annnnnnd.  This is me making some food on a switchoff!  This sweet sister showed us how to make our own lunch.  She was so good at cooking.  And so adorable.  I just wanted to hug her. 

The highlight of this week? 10/12

Was definitely General Conference.  What could be better than sitting down and listening to prophets of God speak for hours.  Pretty much nothing.  I felt the power of God in the words that they spoke, and I can't wait to study the talks and learn even more from them.  Some of my answers were very bold and direct, some of them were subtle and scattered here and there.  But I know that they really are prophets of God!  Sometimes... I get nervous, there are a lot of dangers in the world, the spiritual dangers being much more concerning than the physical.  But then I remember all that God has given me.  Covenants.  Scriptures.  Temples.  Leaders.  A family.  The Holy Ghost.  And then I know that I am deciding right now to create a pattern for my life... so that I will never take a finger off that iron rod. :)  I loooove Conference.  Good stuff.

This week... our work has begun to creep along :)  It was still a bit of a slower week.  But we've found a couple of new people.  As I've been trying to figure out what things we can do to help this area improve and grow... I feel like I've realized who we need to talk to.  I studied a lot out of Elder Richard G. Scott's talk this morning.  From last conference... about righteous examples in his life that led him to the path of God.  There are some people here in Bangaa that are stealing my heart.  And I want them too.  I want to love them with my heart and soul, and help them like Elder Scott's wife helped him.  I have a vision of their families first in the temple.  And then in the Kingdom of God.  And so that is my plan for this next week.  We're gonna work on it.  :)  I have 4 part member families in mind... and we're gonna go for it, with a lot of prayer.  And a lot of love.  :) 

Well this is really short and boring.  :)  Sorry.  I'm not sure what else to tell you.  Brother Art a member from my first area, Phitsanulok, just moved to Bangnaa.  You can't imagine how happy I was to see him at the gate of the church!  Brother Art??? :)  Hooray!  He told me my Thai was better, and that I seemed like a new Sister Croft.  I told him... I was really glad that my Thai was better... and I may have cried if he said it was the same! :) Haha... Oh.  Missionary work is good.

I love you!  Have a great week this week! :)

Love,

Sister Croft

PICTURES! :) Finally right? :) This is me with a crazy little girl named boy.  :) haha... that's funny in english.  Normal in Thai.  She wanted me to wear the fancy head band.  We had a great conversation about her stuffed animal sheep this past week.

Sometimes... we eat Somtam.  A lot actually.  Sometimes on the floor.  Mmmm.

Baaaaaanggaaaaa :) 10/5

Ohhh the good old city of Bangkok.  It's big.  There are a lot of cars.  :)  And it's good.  This week.  Has had its ups and downs.  I think maybe God is trying to teach us humility and patience.  Because we have had somewhat of a difficult time finding people to meet with us! :)  I think every missionary knows what kind of week I'm talking about... just strrrruggling to find people who will come to appointments.  But.  I feel like the miracles that happened were of a different sort.  Kind of like Elder Croft's area... there are some less actives that I'm concerned about here in Bangaa.  This week we've had a chance to meet with some that were off the map and identify some of the problems that are stopping their progression right now.  We were able to do some work to increase the unity and understanding between missionaries and members.  We had a fireside yesterday and I feel glad to be a missionary!  Just like President Monson's talk from last conference... the essence of the gospel is love!  And that's what I felt as I listened to some of the experiences shared.  The essence of sharing the gospel is.  Love! :) We love them and can imagine just what it would be mean if they could know too... and so we want to share it with them!  We face a lot of rejection when inviting :) as all missionaries do.  Buuuut.  Somehow I feel great joy when inviting :)  I like it a lot.  I like making people smile and making them think.  And inviting them to learn for themselves that the gospel is restored! :)  Hoooray!

Some really awesome people that I met this week.  This sweet sweet family from Pakistan.  I really love them.  I met them one night just a few minutes before we went home (as is often the case right? :)) I went up to talk to them and their family was sittin' on a bench eating some ice cream.  I went up and asked them if it was good?  And then... they said "do you want some ice cream?" and proceeded to buy me some.  Oops.  :) that wasn't what I wanted!  But.  They came to church this Sunday.  Unfortunately we had no translation equipment (microphone/headphones) so I got to practice the art of speaking loudly enough for 2 families (some of the Elder's investigators too) to hear, and quiet enough that the whole ward didn't go crazy!  I am impressed by their faith, their warmth, and understanding of gospel principles.  And I am thrilled by their invitation to go teach them more in their home.  Sister Nittaya and I agree that they are special!  

It's weird how many foreigners I meet here in Bangnaa.  I forget how different Bangkok is :)  I also think... that it's good that God worked my fear of white people out of me because I've had the chance to invite and speak to many different people.  I have hopes for a man named Paul :) we'll be teaching him this week too.  He says right now in his life.  He feels like he wants to meet with us.  Poor Sister Nittaya :) we'll practice so she can bear her testimony in English too :)  

In summary.  It was.  A difficult week.  But a good one.  Our results were... not the best as far as numbers.  But hopefully good as far as efforts! :) And desires to help others come unto Christ.  My love for Bangnaa is growing.  I can't wait to teach this good people.  They really are my brothers and my sisters! 

I love you.  I hope you have a Thairiffic week this week :) good things are a comin!  As they always are! :)

Love,

Sister Croft

Bangnaa 9/28

This week has been a pretty good one.  I feel like... each area, and really each companionship or transfer is such a unique experience.  Each place has unique challenges and unique things that we can do to help!  I'm grateful for that, I feel like this week I've learned a little bit more about what I can do to help this area specifically.  I'm grateful for the spirit, which I'm still convinced teaches us more than we often realize.  

This week we have done a lot of finding and planning and figuring out.  How can we best help Bangnaa?  Who do we need to focus on... where are all of the investigators? :)  Haha... our district has been struggling to find and teach investigators.  But I feel like we have seen miracles happen as a result of faith, striving for obedience, and prayers.  We prayed that God would send us people to teach... and just like it says in Preach My Gospel... you will find them or they will find you.  A lot of them seem to be finding us!  I had a lady walk past me on the phone, and then walk up to me a minute later and tell me she wanted to get baptized.  A man rolled down his window and asked to see a little pass-along card, and then he wanted to know how Mormons are different from Protestants.  There was also a boy that I just walked up to, who said "I want to change religions... how did you know to come to talk to me?"  There is more than that... but needless to say.  Miracles are taking place.  As I think is frequent in the work of the Lord.  :)

I love Elder Croft's thoughts about the Lord's timing and knowing all things.  I loved this scripture from my personal study this morning.

 6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

I love that ending.  And thus it is.  Amen.  Even though we may not always know why, God knows us.  And when we ask for guidance.  He gives is to us.  Line upon line, precept upon precept.  Here a little there a little.  But it comes.  

I love you guys so much.  Have a wonderful wonderful week this week.  I pray for you!

Love,

Sister Croft

Ooops.  I didn't really take pictures this week.  :) Sorry.

Goodbyes can be sad 9/22

Dearest dearest family and friends.

It was a good week.  It's been kinda crazy.  But it's good.  This Monday we got the great news that I was staying in Sisaket with Sister Herrmann.  Unfortunately... something told me that that wouldn't be the case... and I was right!  Tuesday I got the call that I was actually being transferred.  I didn't even get to finish receiving my training from Sister Herrmann.  Which is pretty sad for me.  I loved being her companion!  I also had to leave my family in Sisaket behind which was hard.  I swear half the branch was at the train station when we left.  Ahhh... even for a heart of stone like mine :) goodbyes can be sad.  I hate last lessons, and telling people that I'll be leaving.  But that's alright.

I was transferred tooooooo.  Bangnaa.  Which is back in the big city of Bangkok.  It's actually a non-biking area.  Which I'm not too thrilled about :)  but.  That's okay!

Something that is exciting is my new companion!  Her name is Sister Nittaya.  Which is weird for me... I'm used to calling her a different name because she lived in Sisaket! :)  I've eaten dinner at her house many times.  She helped us teach dozens of times.  So that's really fun!  Her family is full of some of my favorite people on this planet! :)  Hooray! :)  It'll be fun to work together!

I don't even know what to write about today.  A new area is always exciting.  In some ways there is a bit of a new culture to adjust to.  A lot of new names to remember and things to understand and learn.  Even though I was really sad to leave Sisaket.  I trust God's inspiration and I know that He knows what I need and what people in Thailand need WAY more than I know what anyone needs.  Right now... we don't really have investigators :) and so the world is our oyster :) and we'll be doing some good finding and learning together.  The members here seem really fun and I really want to do everything we can to help this awesome ward grow.

I feel like sometimes God teaches me to trust Him.  Trust that He knows which miracles should happen and I don't!  Trust that He knows where I need to be.  And also what I need to be!  This morning as I studied I feel like He taught me a little more about what I need to be.  And you know what the answer was?  More like Him.  Show a little more love, be a little more kind and a little more selfless.  It's gonna be a good transfer. :)

I love you guys so much.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the gospel, and especially for the blessings of the temple.  The sacred covenants that we make inside of them, the work that is to be done inside of them, and the sealing power that binds our families together for eternity.  I'm grateful to be a witness of the reality of these truths.  It's a labor of love :)

Have a great week!  

Love,

Sister Croft