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 

A really good week. (9/15)

Isn't every week a good one?  :)  I love it.

This week.  We did a lot of different things.  It honestly is so difficult to remember all of it... and to try to put it here on this email.  

We had a chance to teach my favorite little kiddies again this week.  Oh how I love them.  They get to color terrible looking pictures drawn by me :) but they are so sweet and take so much care in doing it.  This week one of them told me she wanted to color a picture of Jesus next time, so I did my best... and we taught them about how Jesus taught us to pray.  We also gave them little pictures of Jesus to put on their pillows.  So that each night when they see them they'll remember that Jesus taught us to pray.  :)  Haha... they are the cutest.  I really love those kiddies.

This week as we made our coordination sheet we kind of laughed at what a funny pool of investigators we have.  A lot of them are girls under the age of 18.  And then we also have our 99 year old.  A lot of them are also facing a lot of opposition from family members.  And a lot of specific challenges.  And yet they have courage and faith enough to face those challenges.  It's really kind of an odd thing to me.  I can't imagine my own parents banning me from going to church.  Or being angry with me for praying or reading my scriptures.  Maybe more the opposite :D 

But... it's really inspiring to see... for example one younger girl.  Who dreams of her parents being at her baptism.  And it can't help but make me think.

How do we, who are free and encouraged to live the gospel, choose to live the gospel?

Other thoughts from this week... we had a cool little (or big) miracle yesterday.  We were contacting at a market, and we met a Christian lady, after telling her about the restoration she said "where can I get this book?"  We were close to our house and decided to run home and grab one (we didn't have one on us. shame shame) and then... when we went back to the market and called her we couldn't find her.  We were sad... but texted her and hoped she would call us when she saw our text.  We were going to eat at a members house (celebrating 24 years since this amazing sister has been baptized) and we were a little bit late.  As soon as I finished praying over the food.  She called us back.  And so we had to run back over to the market still with very empty stomachs :)  We were waiting for her for a bit so we just started talking to people, and as soon as we did a woman ran up to us and said "I've been looking for your church for a week.  I'm really interested and I want to go."  It was such perfect timing and really was a miracle.  

I am so grateful to be a missionary.  It has it's challenges for sure.  There were moments this week when I felt very inadequate, we have weaknesses.  But sometimes I like to think of it as proof that this is God's work.  It's like the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego. The fire was so hot it killed the men putting them in the fire.  :)  It had to be the hand of the Lord.  That's the miracle of missionary work.  It's not anything that we do.  We simply have the chance to obey, to invite, and to help.  And see the miracle of conversion take place through repentance and living the principles of the gospel.  There couldn't be anything better.

I love you so much.  Have a wonderful week this week. 

Love,

Sister Croft

This is me and Sister Herrmann and Sister Boom.  Cooking up some Thai food together on Monday.  :)  She is the best.

Wow.

his week.  Was everything.  Haha... that makes me laugh that you read my companions blog for the fun details.  :)  I bet hers is better than mine :)  Sometimes there is just so much... that I don't even know where to begin or how I can describe all of the things that happen.  And I definitely forget to type funny little details.  My head is spinning from the last few days and just all of the things I have learned.  I don't know how to describe it!

Last week on P-Day Sister Herrmann and I went to the Zoo :)  Haha... there is a really funny tiny zoo here in Sisaket.  It is so beautiful.  Honestly one of the most stunning places that I've ever been.   There are some fun pictures from that that I'll attach. 

Right now... we have a lot of different investigators that we're working with.  And they are awesome.  Really really awesome.  A lot of them  have specific struggles.  Several (it feels like MANY) of them with family members.  For me... that is one of the most difficult problems to resolve.  But... we're trying to do all we can to focus on the Spirit and do the things that God would have us to do.  God is the one who knows how to open the effectual door.  It's really cool to see how our teaching is changing as we really really focus on how to teach as the Savior would.  I still have a long way to go, but I honestly feel like I'm receiving some great training from my companion :)  She is so good and teaches me a lot.  I don't know what they need.  But God knows.  I don't know how to do it.  But God knows.

This week.  I had the opportunity to attend a missionary leadership conference in Bangkok.  It was a long cold sleepless bus ride, but it was a really needed and instructive time.  We were taught by Elder Funk and Elder Allen and very much so by the spirit.  We learned a lot about what we can do to serve the Lord would have us serve.  I think my head is still spinning because I've not yet absorbed and understood all of the things that we were taught.  I feel a tiny bit like the people after listening to the Savior speak.  Christ told them to ..."go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow..."  So much to absorb.  But I know that revelation is real.  And that God will help us to accomplish His purposes, and also that He speaks very directly to those who seek and have the keys to preside. 

This Sunday.  We were extremely blessed. 

Just a few miracles that happened.

This woman that I have been visiting since I got here.  Finally came to church.  She is less active and it made me so happy to see her there dressed beautiful, and then to see her daughter playing with other kids after church.  A miracle indeed.

Brother Muu came for the first time in a white shirt and tie.  He also brought his wife.

He also brought 8 little kids.  The whole neighborhood came to church. :)  I can't tell you what a glorious sight it was to see them sitting there.  Haha... for some reason they sat in their own row.  I was a little nervous watching them from the stand.  But they were even good in the sacrament.  Afterward they brought us all of the pictures they've ever colored in our lessons, as well as ones they drew of the church that say "Jesus's house" on them.  I don't know who told them that... but they have stolen my heart.

Our 99 year old investigator made it to church with her daughter.  Which earlier this week was kind of an improbable thing because of some challenges. 

 

There were several other investigators.  Aom, and Oom that came as well!  Their faith and desires are wonderful. 

Oh man.  I love this work.  I love it so much.  I also love these people.  The Thai people and specifically these people that I get to know and serve with.  They are wonderful. 

I love you guys!  I hope your week is wonderful. 

Love,
Sister Croft




 my favorite lady Sister Brem back for a visit.

I love this.

I love being a missionary.  I like what Derek said in his email this week.  It's true.  Every week is the same and yet different.

Just a couple of highlights from this week.

First of all... we have a new investigator.  It's a referral from a member in our ward, her own mother!  Sister Herrmann and I went to their house for the first time this week.  Her mother is 99 years old, she turns 100 in February!  It was a different sort of lesson, we taught the Plan of Salvation very simply in Thai.  And then this sweet woman's daughter translated it into the country dialect (which is like... Laos.  But a little different!) in her mothers ear.  It was cool to teach the gospel so simply.  This sweet woman has such a tiny body.  I don't think she can stand on her own.  But she wants to live with her husband forever.  So awesome.  (A cool sidenote... I remember when I first came to the country... I went to this same ladies house and was kind of... taken aback by the language I didn't really understand.  But I knew what she was saying as she translated it to her momma.  I'm not super good at speaking it... I can do it a tiny bit :)) 

We taught some really cool lessons this week.  Oh man.  I feel so full thinking about the work that we get to do.  Some to recent converts, some to less actives, some to investigators.  But it's so cool to see the change that happens as we focus on people's needs.  Like Elder Croft said, learning to teach like the Master.  Oh man.  I love the gospel.  And I love the change that it brings upon people. 

This week some of those miracles of change were:

A recent convert coming to church for the first time sporting a suit and tie.  

A less active woman that I love, coming to church because she loves the Savior.

Brother Muu continuing to bring his daughters to church.  

We had the best lesson in the world with Brother Muu and his daughters.  Oh my goodness.  It makes me want to laugh because it makes me so happy.  :)  So the first time we taught Brother Muu and his daughters... it was kind of rough.  There was a lot of coaxing trying to get them to even come near us.  And then trying to get them to pay attention.  And then trying to help them do things.  This time we went with the plan to teach them restoration.  We went in armed with a dorky little Plan of Salvation picture that I'd drawn and copied, a picture book, and some crayons.  It was almost 100% different.  When we arrived they turned off the movie they were watching and gathered around.  It actually ended up being a very large group of kids.  Haha... I'm not sure who they were.  Cousins, neighbors... just whoever.  We prayed to open.  I may have peeked at them... it makes me smile just thinking about it.  They all had their arms folded and their eyes closed.  Then they all sat and listened attentively.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation.  I tried to whip out my old preschool teaching skills.  "God loves us so He created this earth for us.  What kind of things are on the earth?  We have... our families.  There are animals... like what? Elephants, birds." "CHICKENS!!!"  It made me so happy.  Oh man.  They listened so well.  And then afterward they colored with the most careful attention.  :)  I've never seen more beautiful Plan of Salvation pictures.  Haha... oh my goodness.  Then we said the closing prayer.  Hahaha.  I was trying to get one little girl to say it.  I asked her if she would.  And she was supposed to follow what I said.  We all closed our eyes and then I whispered "พระบิดาบนสวรรค์" only to hear a CHORUS of children repeating after me... haha... it was a precious moment.  I hope the picture of them brings you as much joy as it brings me.  They actually had so much fun.  But classic asia :) they all stopped smiling for the picture.  :)  Hehe... just kidding.  But really.  Except that ray of sunshine on the left.  Please not the upside down picture.  I love that.

In short.  Or maybe in long.  I love being a missionary.  :)  This is the true church of God.  I have never found more joy from " Teach[ing] them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father."

Oh what a wonderful work.  

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Love,

Sister Croft 

This week. Aug 24th

This week was really good.  What week isn't good? :)

I dunno what all to tell you from the happenings.  I feel like there was a lot of abnormal things and there was also a lot of "out of our area time" this week.   That's kind of a funny thing about serving in Thailand.  Well... actually it might be like that anywhere.  But what with switch-offs, training by President Senior, and an additional training by our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders... there was a lot of traveling.  A lot of time on buses or trains.  

I really enjoyed the training that we've been receiving.  Actually.  A lot like Elder Croft's training, we've been talking about how to teach like the Savior.  That has certainly been one of my personal goals... but something that I've not always done the best at.  Preach My Gospel is incredible... and I feel like I've learned so much from my studies and from training that we've received and from impressions I've received.

Our investigators... we have a lot of different people right now... some of them are progressing... and some of them are not.  Some of them face serious opposition and trials.  But we are doing all we can to teach and help them.  Sometimes I feel a little bit weighed down by the trials of the people around me.  Yesterday after a couple of meetings I was feeling particularly weighed down by several different matters.  We were riding our bikes home and I just suddenly pulled over and asked a woman on the side of the rode if she wanted to go to church.  It honestly was such a tender mercy.  My stress was taken away and replaced by love for this woman and a warm comfort.  She told us she was interested and I'm excited to meet with her.  For me though that moment was just an evidence of God's love for us and a true tender mercy from Him.

Sister Herrmann and I are having a great time in Sisaket.  I love being a missionary.  Even though it can be difficult.  I love this scripture that Sister Hughes showed me last transfer.

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

I certainly have a lot to improve on every day.  But I hope that as I'm serving I'm imparting of my soul to those I have the chance to meet.  They may wonder why we call them all the time, why we worry so much about them, but I hope that they realize it's because we love them, and try to do so more perfectly daily.  And because we know what's true and we want them to have it.  What an incredible calling.

I love you all so much!  Have a wonderful week.

Love,

Sister Croft

Wow. I love this place.(Aug. 17th)

Oh my dear dear family,

I love you guys a lot.  And I love Thailand!  And I love being a missionary.

This week has been a really good one.  Before I got Sister Herrmann we were kind of struggling to find investigators, or the ones that we did have were struggling to progress.  But I feel like this week we've seen a lot of progress with people, and we've also met a lot of new people.  For some reason we have a lot of investigators who are little girls right now!  It's fun :) they're really really cute.  

A couple of them helped us fill up the font yesterday. :)  A couple of them are Brother Moo's cute little girls.  You can't imagine how thrilled I was when he walked into sacrament meeting with these two little girls in dresses! :)

We actually went to Brother Moo's house on Saturday to try to help him get his kids to church.  His house was really far.  A sweet member took us in her car because it's so far... just don't a couple of really long roads in the forest and behind the buddhist temple and you're there.  I think they were really nervous to see us because... well... they're not used to strangers, especially not white people strangers.  :)  We read some stories about Jesus from the Liahona and taught them how to pray.  They did not want to fold their arms :)  But eventually they all did.  AND they came to church.  Brother Moo was so pleased and he wants us to go back there often.  Oh man that makes me so happy.

Um... what else... we have a lot of really cool investigators right now.  It's been a really good week.  Also.  My companion is so awesome!  :)  She really is.  Thai is a really difficult language.  I think I forgot just how hard it was until recently.  But Sister Herrmann is bold and willing to get out and talk to everyone.  She wants to do what's right, and I'm really proud of her! :)

Other fun things from this week.  Oh... I don't even know.  Sometimes I still get lost going places. :)  That's fun! :)

Um... kind of a fun thing that we did this week.  Yesterday while we were inviting at the Sunday night market there were a million people.  Usually there are a lot of people, but it's also usually not quite that packed.  We were having a hard time getting people to pay attention to us.  And so...after some discussion with Sister Herrmann I whipped out my mini hymnbook and started to sing.  It was such a funny and interesting experience.  It's amazing what power and influence music has over us.  There is such a difference between inviting with hymns in the air, and inviting by a store that has loud crazy music pumping.  I felt an immediate difference, literally from the first note.  You could feel the spirit, and just the way people felt changed as soon as there were hymns present.  It was funny...we didn't find a million investigators but when I looked up I could see people like... not being able to pull away their gaze, wanting to stop to listen.  They had to look at us, instead of us fighting for their attention.  Maybe they felt the spirit too!  And hopefully... we left them with a feeling of exquisite wonder.  :)

I love you guys so much.  I really do love being here.  Thailand is incredible.  And the work we do is too.  I encourage you all to take part in it, whether or not you're a full time missionary!  There is work to be done.  And none more important than this!

I love you!  Have a Thairiffic week.

Sister Croft

4 months later.(Aug. 10th)

I literally feel like I'm sending you this letter from 4 months later even though... not that much has happened.  And yet everything has happened! :)  Oh man... I have so many thoughts that I just don't even know where to begin.

On Monday we found out that Sister Hughes was leaving.  That's sad because... I sure loved Sister Hughes!  She taught me a lot and helped me in so many specific ways that I needed.

On Tuesday after we taught a recent convert we received a call from a random number.  We answered it.  Annnnnd no!!!  It was one of the Assistants.  I was terrified when Sister Hughes handed me the phone because I knew what everyone had told me would probably be true.  He said, "Sister Croft, you're training.  You need to be in Bangkok tomorrow at 9:00 for a meeting."  I think my heart kept pounding for about 20 minutes after that call!  Then as Sister Hughes and I hurried to gather all of her stuff it was just weighing on my mind.  I was so stressed.  But Tuesday night after teaching English we got on a bus to go to Bangkok.  

In the morning we went a meeting and were trained by President Senior.  It was all really wonderful training.  That and several other things have helped me to feel God's love for me, as well as His constant assistance.  My mission feels so absolutely sacred to me right now.  I don't know how to describe it to you.

Thursday.  Was the actual transfer meeting.  I was a little bit nervous as we sat in the cultural hall waiting for it to begin.  I was very nervous as we began the actual process of finding out who our companions were.  But now I am so thrilled! :)  My new companion's name is Sister Herrmann.  She is so awesome!  As you'll see in the pictures she is so beautiful and already so good at Thai and at talking to people!  Right now our district has 6 people.  3 of them are still in training, and they are all so awesome! :)  I'm so proud of them!

I'll tell you a little bit about the logisitics of what happened this week... just because it was so ridiculous.  After transfers we went to eat dinner and while we were there it started POURING rain.  It hadn't stopped by the time we were ready to go... and so we just went out in it.  We were soaking wet by the time we found a taxi.  We hopped in and went to the church and got our stuff and then attempted to make our way to the train station.  Because it was raining so hard the streets were flooded.  More flooded than I have ever seen them and traffic was bad.  We sat in the car... for possibly like 2 hours trying to get the train station.  We were still soaking wet.  And creeping along.  When we finally got to the train station we found out some unfortunate news... the only tickets left were 3rd class.  Which is... like... sitting on this really close benches all night long.  Oh my goodness.  The Elder who is training a new missionary and I just looked at each other like "this is the saddest thing I've ever seen"  as these two brand new missionaries struggled to get a few hours of sleep on an extremely ghetto and uncomfortable train.  The seats are so close that your knees are like practically touching just normally.  But we also had to shove a suitcase in the middle of us.  Everyone basically just periodically would switch off napping on a jacket or little pillow set on top of that suitcase.  So sad.  The train ride was also houuuuurs longer than it was scheduled to be.  It was so sad.  When we got there the new elders feet were hurting because his socks were still wet for the rain!  Nooo!

But.  It's okay.  Because we're here safe and sound.  That's just kind of a funny story that these new missionaries can now tell to their posterity.  :)  Something that they can laugh about for the rest of their lives.  :)  Hopefully :)

I wish I could adequately express how much my mission means to me.  I'm excited to be a trainer.  Sister Herrmann is so awesome.  She really really is.  It's kind of a bizarre thing for her to think I'm "old in the mission"  or... for her to think that "You speak like a Thai person!"  I'm pretty sure I just got here :D  But I'm so excited for all that we're going to learn together here.  She's really awesome!  

I feel... so much love from and for the Lord this morning.  I feel like I can see so much more clearly what He has done for me.  I feel His help and guidance, and I no longer feel the stress and terror that I felt upon receiving the call to be a trainer.  I feel His love... and I feel like He has helped prepare me for everything that I have encountered in my mission.  His plan is perfect.  

I love you so much, have a really incredible week!  

Love,

Sister Croft

Rain (Aug 3rd)

his week it rained a lot!  We were wet a lot.  But that's okay!  It just makes things more exciting.  Despite my disbelief in the Thai people's wives tale that you'll get sick if you get rained on.  I have a cold.  :)  Oh well!

This week has been a really good one.  As I look back on the week, I'm not really sure what to tell you!  We've been doing a lot of finding because right now we don't really have very many investigators, and the ones that we do have are sometimes struggling to meet with us!  So this week has been a lot about patience and learning!  On Thursday we had zone training and it was so perfect.  I felt like the things that we heard were answers to my prayers.  Specific things that I can improve on to help my investigators, and also members come closer to Christ!

It's funny because the things that we learned about were really really simple.  Prayer, scripture study, church attendance, and so on!  And yet... by small and simple things are great things brought to pass! This morning as I studied more about scripture study and thought more about these principles I felt an urgency to help those around me dig into the scriptures.  

It's through the scriptures that we draw nearer to God, that we become more like Him, that we remain firmly rooted in the gospel, and truly converted.  I think everyone can always do something to improve their personal studies :)  I certainly can.  I imagine how much more powerful we'll be as missionaries, and as members, as we really dig into the scriptures.  The spirit will be able to help us recall principles and verses in times of need.  We'll be able to share the gospel more!  And we'll keep our hand firmly on the iron rod, leading us to Eternal Life!  I am stunned when I think about the influence that the scriptures have had on my own life, as well as on the lives of many many others.  The scriptures are the word of God.  We need to read them like they are the word of God!  :) 

A cool moment this week, we had our training in Ubon, and Sister Brem who was recently baptized now lives in Ubon.  The missionaries serving there told us that she is amazing.  She calls investigators that she helps teach, asks them how their scripture study is going, makes sure that they go to activities etc.  Man she is incredible!  The Elders said "what did you guys do?"  Literally nothing.  We set up some appointments.  But other than that...

I hope you all know how much I love you!  I love you so so much.  I know that this church is true, and I can honestly say my greatest desire is to have eternal life!  To return to live with God and my family forever, to be like Him.  I feel so blessed to be a member of this church, and grateful that I am on the earth now, when I have the chance to be a part of the gathering of Israel.  Wow.  It just stuns me.

I love you so much!  :)  Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Croft

P.S. fun fact.  Everyone that I have ever been companions with except for Sister Hughes.  Dies this Thursday at our next transfer meeting.  Weird!  I personally... don't always like transfers.  But I always love my new area and/or companion.  :) We shall see what happens.  

This was... a weird week. (7/27)

This week was super bizarre.  I don't really know why... we continue to have a great time here in Sisaket.  We really did try our hardest all week... and yet we felt like our efforts yielded few results as far as numbers or investigators found.  But... I trust that when we work hard :) we get an opportunity to learn patience, and then success will come :)  And I also very much so hope that people came closer to Christ as a result of our efforts :) so that's good.

This week.  Haha... we just had a million weird things happen to us.  I'll give you just a little taste test with a few little snippets from our week.

Last MONDAY we went to a family home evening at this sweet sister's house.  It was just really funny.  For some reason me and Sister Hughes got put at our own little table away from everyone else.  :)  We had fish stomach soup.  It just feels like spongy stuff.  Apparently it's a chinese dish.  Anyway.  We were so full.  Every meal feels like Thanksgiving when you eat at someone's house.  :)  But because we were sitting by ourselves... we may or may not have snuck a plate of rice back into the rice cooker and just split one plate between us.

TUESDAY.  We had a funny English class about Cowboys.  We told everyone to dress up like a cowboy.  Only one person and us missionaries did :)  But it was still fun.

WEDNESDAY.  Was the weirdest day of all.  Haha... we made a list of all of the very odd things that happened that day... the list would include.  Us learning about someone that was lying to us.  Ouch.  Us seeing someone throw up in a grocery store where we were eating lunch.  Ew.  (I personally didn't look.)  Us hearing a lot of really really weiiiiiiird religious beliefs of an investigators mom.  It was weird.  The list went on and on.  But.  It was an amusing day.  

SATURDAY.  This one isn't weird.  It's just awesome.  WE went to a less active woman's house who hasn't been to church in a very very long time.  There just happened to be an activity at the church.  A cake making activity.  We invited her to go.  She told us she'd follow us there, but she had to shower first.  Sooo... we just stood outside while she showered and then went all together to the activity.  It was a miracle.  

SUNDAY.  Was a really cool day.  Brother Moo got the gift of the Holy Ghost and is now a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  There was also a really special baptism.  That amazing sister I told you about a couple of weeks ago.  Well... her brother got baptized this week.  He has changed immensely.  Again, I see it manifest primarily in his smile :) There mother also came to church and was there for the baptism.  It was amazing.  

ALSO.  Later... we went to a member's house for dinner.  And Elder Angkham caught this lizard.  I was so scared when I heard about these in the MTC.  They're called Duke yeahs.  Haha... they can bit you and lock on.  Elder Angkham says that one time one bit his stomach.  It took him like an hour to get it off.  And it made him bleed and tore his shirt.  He also says he likes them.  He caught it with a string on a stick.  I don't know how... but somehow.  :)  Haha.  Great times.

There is nothing like being a missionary.  I wouldn't give it up for anything.  It is a joy to be here.  If you ever wonder if you should be a missionary.  I think you should :)  Jonathan.  You have to :)  It's already in vinyl on the wall.  I really do love it though.  I know it's true.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior.  I know that this is His church.  

I love you so much.  So so much.  

Have a wonderful week.

Love,

Sister Croft

What a special week. (7/20)

What a special special week.  Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God.  :)  I feel close to you all as I think about Elder Croft and how he is now a missionary with me.  This week, kind of like that Derek got married, felt like a particularly special week.  This morning I feel like it is particularly special privilege to be a missionary.  I think God blessed with specific blessings this week.  God is so good.

Where to even begin.  Some amazing things that happened this week.  First.  A couple of weeks ago, or maybe not even that long, we had a sort of "unproductive day" as far as key indicators went... we had tried to accomplish good things but we'd gone home and cringed a little bit because of the 0 numbers that we had gotten etc.  Then when our district leader followed up with us he said "I guess God is blessing you for your obedience because someone named Deek called me... it was literally the last woman that we talked to before we raced on our bikes to get home.  We taught her for the first time this week and man... it was an incredible experience.  She told us a lot about her life and feelings and experiences.  She is one of the most prepared people that I have ever met in my life.  As she told us of her personal experiences I could very clearly see the hand of God in every part of her life.  She has a 7 year-old daughter is extraordinary to say the least.  Her daughter goes to a Catholic? school right now... and despite having a Buddhist family this little girl is full of so many questions about Christ.  She wants to know and understand and wants to be Christian.  A lot of very spiritual and special experiences have happened in this woman's life because of her daughter.  Oh my goodness.  It was an incredible lesson.  I want to tell you everything.  At the end of it Sister Hughes and I just looked at each other stunned because of all that this woman had experienced.  She even went so far to say that she felt like God is calling her.  And she feels close to him.  Buddhism has left her comforted in some moments... but also feeling there must be something better than this.  She is incredible.  It was amazing to be able to here just how specific her preparation had been.  God is so good.  I am so happy to be teaching this incredible family.  That was on the day that Elder Croft entered the MTC.  And that was a morning when I told God that we needed miracles, and we needed to find someone who was ready!

Another incredible miracle.  Brother Moo got baptized!  I wish each of you could see first hand the marvelous and personal transformation that takes place in people when they learn and apply the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We've all seen it... but I mean in these beautiful people I get to see.  Wowza.  He is so different than the first time I met him.  I met him in front of a 7/11.  I remember it :) one of my favorite differences in him is how much he smiles now.  I had this moment of joy one morning when were riding our bikes to the church to teach him... we passed by him waiting for us, he looked up from his laptop, grinned and waved.  Ahh.  I can't even tell you how happy that makes me.  After he interviewed we were kind of teasing him, and we said "Is Elder Lim scary?"  I love what he said.  "No... when you're already determined to be baptized and determined to keep the commandments you don't need to be afraid."  Before he left he also said... "tomorrow is my birthday!"  So cool.  He's amazing.  He has 3 kiddies and a wife.  We're working on getting the whole family here.  It's amazing to see how much Brother Moo was prepared as well.  He really was... he's read the new testament several times (which is weird for Thailand) and has kind of... always wanted this... and now he has it.  So wonderful.

Another cool thing.  Something I've learned about (and continue to learn about) as a missionary... is faith and miracles.  I've always had a little bit of an inner conflict... because I've had several leaders and people on my mission talk about faith and about miracles in a way that I couldn't quite agree with?  I'm not sure how to describe it.  We are taught to expect miracles.  And I do :)  I expect them and I see them.  But I've also had several people ask me before "Where is your faith Sister Croft?"  ... man I'm sorry I don't know how to describe this very well... and I'm still learning about it.  But... through some study, discussion, and experience, this week I feel like I've learned that God blesses us with miracles often, and we can see His hand clearly if we look for it.  I feel like we can ask for specific miracles, but that doesn't always mean that we will receive them.  God is in charge, it is on His time, and not on our time.  But when we have faith all things are possible that are expedient unto Him.  We pray for miracles all of the time.  Daily!  And we do receive them... sometimes they aren't the miracles that we want, but they are the miracles that God has prepared and they are much better than the ones that we ask for sometimes.  I dunno.  Just some thoughts that don't make very much sense when I try to type them out :)  

I love you all so very very much.  So very very much.  I hope this following week is incredible.  

Love,

Sister Croft

Brother Moo is four to the right from me in that picture :)