Lots of teaching going on

Hey everybody

I'm doing great this week. Well, it has been an interesting week. Last Wednesday to Friday, the leaders of the mission in Bangkok had a specialized training meeting to talk about the new program that the First Presidency and the General Authorities are going to introduce into the MTC in May. It doesn't change the Preach My Gospel program at all. What it really is, is a better way to teach. We listened to a recording of Elder Holland explaining it to the Mission Presidents in the MTC last summer. He explained that as we learned how to use Preach My Gospel as a guide we learned what to teach really well. But after a study we weren't learning the "How to Teach" very well until the end of our missions. So after a study they came up with 8 areas to help us as missionaries to improve our "How to Teach." Mainly it focuses on how to teach better with the Spirit. I get way excited to teach after I go to these trainings.

Elder Brown and Elder Chiew our Assistents to the presidents are working hard as well to help us learn how to apply these things better. They came up with several techniques to help us teach better with the Spirit and let our investigators understand what the Spirit feels like earlier in the teaching process.

This week in teaching was another crazy week. When I was out of the area for 2 nights Elder Kampanat was doing awesome at keeping the work going. We taught in the end about 27 lessons. We were also able to get back to a few of the new investigators that we found last week. One of those being a man named taw(ต่อ). I think the best way I can describe him is hippy. Well more like Rocker hippy. He is in his 30 - 40s. has long hair and has a shaggy beard. Yesterday we went back for a second visit. He had read the little brochure that we left him which talks a little about the restoration as well as baptism. After we prayed that was the first thing that he asked about. He said that he had seen baptism on a foreign film before and was wondering what it was. Well we were happy to explain what it was and why we do it. He asked also where do we do it. And when can he do it. That what surprised me a little bit. After explaining about how we can receive answers through prayers we asked him when he feels the things we teach are true if he would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized? He said yes. So then he was committed. Next time we are going to try and give him a baptism date.

I think i really like it here in Bangkok because I can understand everybody. Here they speak central Thai. That's what they taught us in the MTC so I don't have to know any other kind of language to understand. but then again I have never been perfect at the language, there still is a lot to improve.

So this last p-day Elder Kampanat took me into the beast of Bangkok and helped me to get a suit cut. Today we are going to pick it up. It cost about 3000 baht. or about 90 dollars. which I think is a really good deal for a custom tailored suit. Anyways I'll send some pictures next week of what it looks like.

This next week is switch offs with the zone leaders. Elder Porter, another elder from my MTC group, and I will be switching off. Its going to be fun

I forgot to explain about my area. I think this is the biggest area that I have ever worked in yet. The district covers part of two Provinces and 4 different districts. There are a lot of apartments but thankfully there are a lot of neighborhoods as well. That's where we normally are because we still can't knock door to door. That would make life so much easier if we could. Anyways if I have my camera with me next week I'll take some pictures to send.

OK, I have to go.

I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt