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

First full week back in Bangkok

Hello family

I'm doing great this week. Bangkok is crazy!!!! I have never ever seen so many people in Thailand. Every time I think about how many people are in the area that my district covers it blows me away to think how much work needs to be done. Anyways to sum up this week really fast it was pretty much running back and forth teaching all kinds of new people and trying to get to know our investigators as well as members. I'm way glad its preparation day and I get a few minutes to sit.

In the last week Elder Kampanat and I gave three investigators baptismal dates. 2 of which are on the 19th of February and 1 which is on the 25th of February. However that last one will probably be moved because the investigator named choke didn't really understand when we said he was going to get baptized. So we will have to keep working with him. The first two however are awesome investigators. One is a lady by the name of eye. She is in her 30s and has been making changes in her life to come into the fold of the Savior. She has an amazing testimony of the gospel already. We might move her date up if possible. The other is a man named nipone. He is a quiet shy man that sells dish washing soap for a living. He too, is starting to build a testimony of Christ and the gospel.

We met some interesting people this last week. For example we met a Hmong. He has been in Thailand all his life, or so I think.... His name in chuu. It was interesting to teach him because he speaks Thai, but he speaks to about my skill level. So we had to speak Thai really slowly and had to be careful to explain the meaning of words. For example when we said prayer he didn't understand but after we explained it and prayed I think he understood a lot better. He can't read Thai but thankfully we have the office which we can get a Book of Mormon in about every language it comes in. Anyways with chuu we are trying to set up another appointment with him. He works from 8 in the morning to 9 at night. so it makes it a little difficult to meet. But we'll see what we can do.

Another man that we met was named luang. He is a graffic designs artist and works at his house. He has a ton of knowledge about religion and loves to study on his free time. So when we offered to teach him about our religion for free he said yes. I think he will be a really good investigator. he seemed to understand the restoration really well.

Elder Kampanat is an awesome missionary. If it wasn't for him and his outgoing attitude to teach everyone he sees, we would have never been able to reach and surpass our goals for teaching lessons this week. Together we taught 29 lessons. That is the most that I have ever taught in one week. That's a lot. Anyways. Elder Kampanat is from Bangkok. so he knows the area pretty well. He lives in the south part of Bangkok and is from the Sinockgrin ward in the Bangkok stake. He is the only member in his family but he has an amazing testimony and is willing to share with everybody that he sees. He spent a year or two in West Virgina which is where he learned how to speak English, as an exchange student. Sounds familiar, no? After he got back he met the missionaries and got a testimony and was baptized. He has been an awesome companion. although he makes it impossible to serve myself because he loves to serve me first. lol. He is one of the most humble guys that I have ever met. He also loves to ballroom dance. I'm hoping one day to learn a little from him.

Because I am in the office area I can get packages the week they come in so no waiting time. That's a plus being here. Anyway for requests I don't have a lot that I can think of for the moment. Just deodorant and maybe some stuff to cook, like pudding, and I just received inspiration of stove top stuffing. We have a stove top to cook stuff. so ya. Anyway I trust you, and will be grateful for whatever you send.

That's about it for this week. I agree time is going too fast. I hope it slows down.

I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt

New place, new game

Hey family

How are you doing? I'm doing awesome. Well as I sadly predicted I was to be transferred, I was. It was probably one of the hardest things I had to do on my mission so far--leave a place like Ubon. I definitely will go back some day in the future. It was so hard because I had some many people there that I had grown really close to, Investigator, Member and nonmember alike. I'll miss everyone. But that's that for now.

Well you're probably wondering where I am. You see I think I must have caused a lot of trouble or something for President Smith when I was in Ubon. Because he moved my right under his watchful eye, 555, which is the Meung Thong Thani area. If you look at the mission address you will notice that you send it here. The office is in my district but thankful not in my area. LOL. Any ways it's area in the north part of Bangkok. In the providence of Nontoburii or นนทบุรี. There are so many people here its crazy. I feel like we have a lot of work to do. I think I can stay another 5 transfers and never get bored of the area.

I'm the district leader of the district. In the district I have the two office elders and the two assistance to the president in the district. That's a little strange to be the district leader to the assistance because its kind of the same affect as the prophet's bishop. I am the one that they have to account to for the district but in the end I have to account to them when it comes to the mission as a whole. It's a lot of fun. Hey do you remember Elder Brown, my MTC companion? He just received the calling to be an assistant to the president so we get to be together in what may be our last area. It's going to be a blast

My compaction is Elder Kampanat or กัมปนาท. Yes, he is Thai. We have a lot of fun together. But it was a little difficult to speak Thai so much the first day or two. Thankfully he can speak English pretty fluently as well. He has made several trips to America. Anyways this is his 3rd transfer as a missionary so that makes me his follow up trainer. I can already say he is 10 times better then me as a missionary so I'm going to be able to learn a lot form him, both in the gospel and in Thai.

This last Sunday was district conference here in the Pakkret district, which means one thing that I was way pumped for......the Lop Buri district is coming down. Woot woot! So last Sunday I was able to meet everyone that I knew in my first area. It was funny to see the shock on their faces when they walked into the rented building that the district rented to have conference because they weren't expecting to see me. The best part is that I met the family that I taught to baptism, Brother Somsak and sister Rebiab and their crazy daughter as well. Well sister Rebiab saw me first and said "Elder do you remember me?" She surprised me, but she was also surprised at how much my Thai has improved. I remember when I would go teach them and she would always ask me "Elder do you understand?" then after she would always say, "Don't worry if you don't now. In the future, one day, you will." And now she knows that I can. Anyways it was fun to see all the people that were learning with missionaries back then that are now members today.

Anyways living in the past, only makes the future look bleak, so it was fun seeing them again now in the future I see them again for sure.

Anyways I didn't get a chance to meet up with Brother Keng this time becuase we had to run off and work but Connor you should say hi back for me and tell him to come by for a visit every now and then.

Anyways I'm glade to hear that you lives are well and normal again.

I love you all.

Elder Brandon John Holt

P.S. Sister Jitrii got baptised this last saturday. I had a chance to talk to Elder Jensen about it.

P.S.S. Hey I almsot forgot to send photos this time. The first few photos are of the Christmas party. Then the last are the goodbye photos with all those that I taught and some of the members. The one with the girl in the pink and her sister is Bee and Naan. I interviewd them both for baptism while I was in Ubon.

Ok. I love you all.

Elder Brandon John Holt

Happy New Year

Hey everyone,

Well welcome into the next year of our life. the year 2011 on the Christian calender or 2554 in the Buddhist calender depending in what country you live in. One that I feel is going to be a great one in the lives of the Holt's, Call's, and Moody's. Anyways it was quite a weekend here in Thailand.

I don't remember New Years last year being too big but this year in Ubon it was loud. This year the missionaries had to be in at 7:00 pm because of safety so knowing that in cities like Ubon after that time anyways it would be pretty hard to find people to teach we didn't complain. However during the day Elder Jensen and I went all over Ubon in order to check up on our investigators as well as teach others. We ended up teaching about 4 lessons some with new investigators and 1 with a family that hopefully will be baptized in the next month or two. Between visits we went to church to check up on the members who were having a huge district sport activity for New Years. We also made sure some of our investigators got there safely and were being watched over by the members that we had asked to fellowship them.

The real party didn't happen until after we had gone to bed for the night. At midnight we were both awakened by fireworks and the common New Years noises. Then after we had turned over and slept again someone parked their car in the small park across from our house and then decided to turn the radio full blast and turned up the sub at about 2 in the morning. It was great. Our whole house shook and I was shocked when I heard Elder Jensen shout "I'm going to kill all Thai people who aren't sleeping in the next 5 minutes!" It was quite a party. Anyway, after 4 in the morning passed by they went home and we got some sleep until 6:30 where our alarm went off and my companion almost threw it across the room. He gets a little cranky when he doesn't get his sleep. lol

Anyway New Years day was a really good day. At first Elder Jensen and I had to go to the church to interview one of the sister's investigator for baptism. That is probably one of the most awesome experiences that I get to do. Because as I ask the baptismal interview questions I receive a confirmation from the Holy Ghost every time. She passed and will be getting baptized next week.

Next there was a baptism of an investigator that I interviewed the week before, it was another investigator from the sisters area. Then in the few minutes we had we went to go find all our investigators in order to help them go to church this last Sunday.

Then we went back to the church to meet Jittrii because she was now going to get interviewed by a member of the Mission Presidency in order to be baptized. And after a 2 hour interview she passed! woot woot. She is going to get baptized next Saturday or the 8th of January. I'm way excited for her as well.

Well This is the week of transfer meeting and if everything is normal I will be the one moving. So I won't be able to witness Jitrii being baptized but that is alright because its not about how many people that I teach and see baptized but its about how many of the Lord's children coming unto him. So I asked Elder Jensen to send me pictures if I move and he stays. That makes me wonder where I could go.

Anyways that's my week really fast.

I was also thinking about what room that I want to move back into( I'm not trunky) I would say the room that I was originally in is the best one. Sorry mom no library there yet. but that will probably just be for the summer and weekends so I don't really have a huge preference.

Hey I also thought of things that I need in my next package. Deodorant for sure I'm almost out of my last stick. and I can't remember what else.

I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt

Second Christmas in Thailand

Hello every body

Well, this last week, Elder Jensen and I had companionship exchanges with the zone leaders. I was with Elder Phanom (ผนม). I was way excited to work with him. I met Elder Phanom in the very beginning of my mission when I was in Lopburi for my first two transfers. I remember telling him that I hoped we could have one day that we could be companions together. I had almost forgot about that when as we were getting ready to switch back Elder Phanom asked "So is your dream fulfilled?" I laughed and told him yes.

We switched off for two days and because he had served in Ubon for 6 months, he knew some different neighborhoods to go inviting. So he took me around one day to find new people to teach.

This week we may not be having any baptisms. Well at least the ones that I talked about last week. (อว้น) and (วัลย์) or fat and one won't be getting baptized this week because they had to run off to do some family things so we haven't had enough time to get them ready but, they will get baptized next month.

However there is someone that might still get baptized this week. Her name is jitrii or (จิตรี). I think I wrote about her the last week or two. She has been really exciting to teach. Let me explain the story. So about three weeks ago we ran into her in front of her house and invited her about Heavenly Father. Well she had been studying a new religion/ cult I'm not really sure what it is. That a guy in Bangkok started where he claimed to know about a spiritual father. So she was interested to know what our thoughts were on Heavenly Father. She asked questions like, What does he look like? or Do you have a picture of him?' So we sat there and taught her about the restoration and showed her one of the photos of the restoration. we didn't have a lot of time to talk at that meeting because we didn't have a member with the priesthood with us so we couldn't teach but we did set up another appointment with her. The next day we returned to go back and teach. We taught more about the restoration, and in the end we asked her to pray about it. Well she said no. Normally that would be where we stop teaching and find someone else to teach but, Elder Jensen and I both felt something about her. So we asked if we could come back another day to talk, she agreed. We went back again and tried to teach about the restoration again and she still refused to pray at the end of the restoration. One thing we realized when we taught her after the second time is that we had been taking young adult members to help us teach. She is about 67 years old so in the end according to Thai culture the young adults are still children and she wouldn't even listen to them. Well that night we asked if we could meet her at the church next time. This time however we took the first councilor in the branch presidency with us to teach. That night we gave her a tour of the church and told about each of the different rooms. This is where she began to change with the Spirit. At the end of that lesson we committed her to come to church. she said she would come. This was 2 Sundays ago. she came and she began to open her heart. The next Monday we saw her with two members, a husband and a wife. We learned at that time that jitrii was a retired nurse. The sister that we brought was a nurse as well. That helped a lot. However that night everyone shared their testimony about prayer. One thing I have learned as a missionary is that nothing is more powerful then 4 people in the room sharing simple testimony. Well after everyone shared, I asked a question that I don't think I have ever asked anyone. It was, "What do you feel right now?" she said good. Then I asked have you ever felt like this before. she thought for a minute then said that she had felt the same the first time that she walked to church when we gave her a tour of the church. Then she had felt it again when she went to church. Next she said that she felt this almost every time that the elders had come. Then Elder Jensen and I both testified that that feeling was the Holy Ghost. And then everything clicked. She understood. So we committed her to pray and she said that she would try.

Well the next day as Elder Jensen and I were studying we received a phone call from jitrii. She said that she had received her answer and asked if we could come over that night. We said that we would be happy to. During that morning Elder Jensen and I prayed to figure out when we should give her a baptismal date. After praying we received an answer that surprised both of us. That was that she was to be baptized on Christmas day. That night we asked her if she would be baptized and she said yes. So every night following, we have seen her and taught everything that she needs to know to be able to pass the interview to be baptized. It's amazing what the Spirit can do to people. For example we taught her the Word of Wisdom and she said that she had been very, very, very addicted to coffee. but she said that she would stop drinking for the last couple of days. She has had a really bad headache because of the addiction. Every concern that she has had she has solved herself and put her trust in the Lord. So far as we know she is going to get baptized on this Saturday.

OK i have to run

I love you all Merry Christmas.

Elder Brandon John Holt

Signposts

Hello Family

Well I'm going to make this a little short because I need to send a good letter to President Smith. However let me tell you of our week.

I'll start on Wednesday. This last Wednesday, we had to travel to Si sa gade the providence next door to Ubon for a meeting with our zone and the assistants to the president. They thought a lot on how to truly work through faith as a missionary. One thing I definitely learned is that our faith is definitely shown through our Thoughts, Words and Actions. For example if we are truly committed to our purpose as a missionary, we will be able to enter any house and teach a lesson.

Let me tell you some of the miracles that happened this last week to illustrate. Remember jitrii (จิตรี) She is the lady that we found because we talked about Heavenly Father and she was interested in that. Well, for the last week she told us most determinedly that she would not want to learn anymore because she told us that she could not follow the things that we asked her to do. Mainly to go to church and pray. Well on Friday, we asked her if we could we could meet her at the church to teach because it might be a little better of an environment to learn. Well really she said that she was feeling bad that we had to come from the church to see her at her house, so we conveniently offered her to meet her at the church and she accepted. So at church we gave her a tour of the church and used very faith filled words for example " when you come to church you will see that the members will be the ones behind the pulpit teaching the rest of the members." or " In the third hour of church you will come to this room where you will be with other women called Relief Society" Instead of " if you come" Well our faith was rewarded because at the end of the tour she said that she would come to church on Sunday. And she did. She is going to be a great member in the future.

Another miracle is that we found a lot more new investigators than we have ever found in this area. The whole district was power boosted with the spirit and faith.

We also gave two investigators that have been learning since April baptismal dates for the 23rd of December. Their names are fat and one. I'm really excited for them. I'll try to remember to write more about them next week.

So in Thailand, more specifically in the east part of Thailand, there are these yellow signs posted on the power poles. They say things like Jesus is the redeemer of the world, or Repent of your sins, or have you written your name in heaven yet? What's interesting is, in my stay in the Issan is that I still can't figure who places these signs and apparently no one else knows because they either ask us if we put them up or they say they don't know either. I used to think that they were annoying and that no one really pays attention to them but as I have been here in Ubon, many of our investigators have mention the signs at one time or another for one reason that they decided to learn with us. To this day I'm not sure who put them up but if I figure it out I'm going to thank them for opening peoples hearts to the gospel.

OK I love you

Elder Brandon John Holt

Teaching new investigators

Hey family

Well today its a nice 80 degrees outside and everyone is dressed up in jackets and coats. I'm doing great.

This week has been a lot of work. We spent a lot of time finding new investigators. I don't know why but many of the investigators that we have taught in the past aren't keeping the appointments that they originally set up with us and it seems to be hard to meet with us again. So with the free time we have more time to find new investigators.

For example this last week we found through our efforts 14 new investigators. I think everyone we taught are in families. That's what I have found out the biggest key to the gospel is. Is teaching families. Because that is what the gospel is.

One of the new families that we found is a family of women. We were going into an area that we once had several investigators in several months ago so we were hoping to find maybe one of the former investigators and see if they were ready to learn further with us. At the same time we were going to visit a investigator and try to invite them to church to see if they would go. As we were walking buy some houses there was a tent with some childrens clothes hanging up. I saw a lady with her baby sitting down and smiling at us as we walked by. Normally I try to avoid all contact with women here that smile at us because usually they are thinking differently when I talk to them ( I'll let you figure that out)but, for some reason I went against all reason and turned around and walked into the tent to talk to the lady. After a few minutes of talking, I figured out that her name was boo(ปู) or crab in Thai and that she lived there with her step mother and step sister. She had recently divorced and moved out to Ubon to be with family. Her step mother was named bui (ปุ้ย) and her step sister named yoke (หยก). We told them that we wanted to share a message about family with them but, we needed a member of the opposite sex to be with us. They agreed and on the following day we returned to talk about the gospel and how it helps the family. They were really excited to learn. We are going to try to see them again tomorrow after we teach English with them. I'm excited to teach them.

We found another person that I am really excited to teach today. Her name is jitri(จิตรี) She is a elderly lady who loves to take care of cats. Lots of cats. Lately when we have gone tracting to find new investigators we stay in areas with in 1 or 2 kilos from the church. That way many of those we teach really don't have any excuse to not go to church because of travel. Anyways every now and then, in walking in an area that we go often we find a street that we haven't ever taken a step on. So it was with Jitri street. We hadn't walked out very far until we saw her in her house, which is a old townhouse that doesn't have a front wall. She uses tarps to block it off. We called her and she looked up and asked in broken English, "You are missionaries right". We said yes and talked a little about what we had to share. She asked, "Are you guys Christian?", this time in Thai. And I said that we were Mormon. That threw her off. She then asked, "I have never heard of Mormon. What is your God". I answered Heavenly Father. She then asked ya well what does Heavenly Father look like, I then began to explain that he looks like you and me or we look like him because he created us in his image. He has a perfect body like us. This seemed to intrigue her because she invited us in. Needless to say we didn't go in because we needed to have to have a member of the opposite sex with us. But she had a lot of questions and began to ask. It turns out that she had been reading a book about a guy that has a religious theory about how everyone has a spiritual father. She showed us the book and showed us a 12 sided star on the back she said that this is what the book says
Heavenly Father looks like. Then she asks do you have a picture of what Heavenly Father looks like? Thankfully I had a passaolng that talks about the first vision. I pulled that out and showed it to her and pointed out in the pitcure that see here is a picture of what he looks like and his Son Jesus Christ as well. She was even more intrigued. So we asked if we could come back to see her again with a guy memeber with us. The next day was just as cool. We are going to go back tonight to see her again.

Well I'm really short on time today

I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt