Brrr, it's cold inThailand!

Hello family

I'm doing great this week. How are all of you? This last week a storm from the north hit Bangkok and something amazing happen. The temperature dropped down to 60 degrees. It was wonderful. Although everyone who wasn't from Utah was freezing, I was really happy to be able to have some good cool weather in a while.

This week there isn't a lot to say. We had training meeting for the simplified curriculum of the MTC training that is going into the MTC in May. The focus of President Smith this time was, it sounds like the same thing that stake conference was on for you guys. The doctrine of Christ. It is amazing to me when you look at it how simple Heavenly Fathers Plan is for us, but at the same time how perfect it is as well. In the center of it is Jesus Christ's Atonement for us, On the outside there is Faith in Christ, Repentance of our sins, then Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, then Baptism by fire or Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, Last Enduring to the End, or Following every commandment that we promise to follow at the time we are baptized until we die. One of my favorite scriptures to read now is 3Nephi27:13-22. But in the end that's the purpose of missionaries: To " Invite others to come unto Christ by receiving His restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." Here is an interesting fact. That was the thing that took Quorum of the Twelve the longest time to come up with. A single phrase that would have our entire purpose in it. The next thing was the baptismal commitment that we use on page 40 in Preach My Gospel. Any ways every time I go to a training meeting I get a little sad because I won't get to see how the mission changes in the next year with the new program coming from the MTC.

As for Sister Mam and her 2 kids Mo and May. We decided to postpone the baptism for a week longer just so we could get any legal issues out of the way. Because May and Mo were given to Mam to look after when they were young, they are not her family by law and/or blood. So we have been trying to find out what kind of laws Thailand has for foster parents. It turns out that Mo and May's parents are still alive and around but neither of them are willing to take liability of them. So when they were young, Mo when she was 2 and May when she was 6 months, they were given to Mam to raise. And they have been there ever since. The Church also requires signatures for the legal guardian or parents of minors, so we have been talking to President Smith trying to figure out what to do. In the end we decided because Mam has had custody of Mo and May for so long and the parents don't want anything to do with them that it would be OK for Mam to sign the baptismal records for them. And they will be baptized this next Sunday. The other day Mam said something that I liked a lot. On the day she invited us to her house, she never thought that the things we taught would have been for her more then for May and Mo who she was intending to take us to teach, and "Make more obedient." She herself really has changed a lot. I was happy for her for being able to find the gospel.

I'll send photos next week

Hey before I forget. I got Sister Smith's Blog site where she now sends all of her pictures by email to her son who puts them on for her. She takes a lot from the training meetings and sticks them on. Smithhere@blogspot.com. You should be able to find some pictures of me and those in the zones and districts that I work in.

OK, I have to go

Love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt

It's HOT again.

Hey everybody

Well as I opened up my email this morning, I got a surprise. My flight plans for coming home are set in stone. It seems that they really are serious about sending me home. according to the tickets I leave here at 8:30 in the morning and then travel through Hong Kong and San Francisco coming to a stop in Salt Lake City at 7:30 pm on the 24th of June I don't want to go home.

Anyways for the week in the news. Its funny how we get the news around here as missionaries. Normally it comes through our taxi drivers that we take to church when we travel to our church and other places that would be too far otherwise to travel by bike. Mostly its just rumors or exaggerated news. For example I heard that there have been several red shirts riots in Bangkok when really its just that they are rallying together for elections that are coming up in the next month or two I think. But through the news system I did hear that Japan got hit by a tsunami and earthquake. We were told by President Smith that it was a 8.9 to 9.0 on the Rickert scale. That's crazy, I wonder what it would be like if that happened here in Thailand. Better not to think about it.

This last week was a normal week. Elder Christensen and I have started to get used to the new schedule of where we leave the house in the morning to teach and find investigators. Slowly we are finding investigators that are home at the time, but it took a few days of long searching and talking to people. We also have been exploring and getting to know our area better together by going into places and areas of our area that I have never been to. The area that Elder Kampanat and I went to the most to work in was switched into the assistants area. So its been like I moved into a new area all over again.

This last Sunday we had a mass of people come our church. Total it was 136 or so people. That's the most that I have ever seen in any branch that I have worked in. But the reason there were so many people was because there was a fireside for the members who were from Cambodia. In Bangkok there use to be a Cambodia ward but because of conflicts and lots of other problems the ward was dissolved. Many people went inactive and now I think that they are working on trying to put it back together but I'm not sure how long that will take. Anyways its been interesting to watch because in the Pakkret branch there are lots of families that have come back to church and a few that were baptized in the last few months as well. It could happen in the future

Coming up this week we will have Sister Mam and her 2 foster children's baptism. Yesterday the branch president interviewed them to get to know them better. Then tomorrow they will be interviewed by our zone leaders. Then when they pass that interview they will be baptized on Sunday. This is an awesome family. I'm way excited for them.

This last week I read a talk about the Book of Mormon called " Flooding the world with the Book of Mormon" by President Ezra Taft Benson. It is an awesome talk about how we as members of the Lord's church and I as a missionary need to learn how to use the Book of Mormon more fully in our day to day teaching and life so that we can help spread the gospel through the world. It's good, you should look it up.

OK, I'm out of time for the day

I love you

Elder Brandon John Holt

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use

actual release date!

Hey every body

I'm doing great this week. How are you doing this week? Well, before I forget I should answer the things that mom asked about in the email. For my birthday, well, I want a car for proselyting purposes... and safety555 but other than that I think that money is a good idea. It would help me get ready to go home. As I am starting to prepare for the return trip on the 24th of June 2011. But I'll get to you about how much. for now I think that $I00 will be enough. But i would like to buy another suit that will be a little more money because I'm going to go to a different place and make it of a different fabric.

This last week we have switched to our summer proselyting schedule that we were following last year. That is we leave our house around 7 30 a.m. where its already hot and getting hotter then we work until about 1:30 p.m. where its really really really hot and then after 4:00 where its back to the enduring hot stage we go back to work. Then we wake up at 6 am and sleep at 10:00. Its been a little hard to get used to but its nice not to be in the blistering heat in the morning.

This last Sunday was a little strange because it was the first Sunday that we hadn't had a baptism in about 4 or so weeks. We didn't know what to do with ourselves. But Brother Nipone did get confirmed a member this last Sunday. This Sunday our sacrament meeting was stuffed full. We had 117 people at church. That's more than I have ever seen in any of the areas that I have served in the past. Looks like we might make the goal of 130 people pretty fast at this rate. For the month of March our district has 5 baptisms planned, the first one starting next week of a lady that is learning with the assistants, Elder Brown and Elder McConkie, two Elders in my MTC group. Then we have Mam and her 2 children from our area that should be baptized on the 20th of March. Then the office Elders have another that will be baptized on the 27th of March. Thailand is become a very fruitful place full of the Spirit. I remember when I first came in that it was unheard of to have baptisms every month but that is what my goal is before I finish my mission. Have at least one baptism a month before I go home. Now it definitely, possible as well.

So with the new church it is being built for the Pakkret branch that I'm serving in right now. But I believe they will move the International ward up here as well because most of the members live in the Pakkret branch area but have to drive into the middle of Bangkok every Sunday. So that will make it more convenient for them. Also right now there is a rumor for the office, which because I'm this close to the office its pretty 80% true that they will be make big changes with the branches and wards inside and outside of the Bangkok stake. Right now I'm not in the stake because its the Pakkret district but that might change up a little bit.

As far as changing up areas This is my prediction now. Is that I will move come the end of the month and maybe train one more missionary then die. But as normal anything can happen. Its going to be a good surprise and if in the end I stay here I won't mind. This is a great place.

I'm good for sunscreen and powder which I can get here. I have learned of the joy of using powder but I wont talk about that too much. 555

OK I have to go, love you

Elder Brandon John Holt

Book of Mormon Testimony

Hey everyone,

I'm doing great this week. Not so tired. Its amazing what happens when you try your best to go to bed early every day.

Anyway, this week we had a baptism. Brother นิพนธ Nipone was baptized. It was a rushed together program but it turn out really well. Next week he will be confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He will be a great addition to the branch here in Pakkret.

Last week President Smith paid a visit to the Pakkret branch. I think this is the branch that he comes to when he is not visiting any other branch in the country. He talk to the congregation about the new church building that is being built for the Pakkret branch. It will be the biggest building in all of south-east Asia. So He told them that it needed to be full to capacity before it opened in 6 months for now. President Smith and the branch president made goals to raise the number of members coming to church every week to 130 members. Currently it is about 107. Yesterday it was at 101. So the branch council and the full time missionaries have a lot of work to do together over the next 6 months. But I think in the last month already we have seen many miracles.

In the month of February 9 people were baptized. One of the members that helps us teach a lot is named Brother Oat. I asked him about what he thinks about our goals at the start of the month, he was way excited because the branch had set a goal at 12 baptisms this year, the same goal for last year, which they didn't make. This year in almost 2 months they made their goal. So they had to increase their goal to 20 people. Last time I talk to Brother Oat it seems like the mission presidency would like them to change the goal again because at the rate people are being baptized in the branch here we are going to hit that goal by April. And that just the work for the full time missionaries. I think they are going to raise the goal for 40 people. We can do it no problem with the Lord's help. I'm way excited for this area. And I'm kind of hoping that I don't move before I finish my mission to get a chance to see the results. Thailand is exploding with the spirit of God right now and I don't think its going to slow down at all.

The focus that I want to work on with the district here is going to be on the Book of Mormon and using it more fully in our teaching. Last month the new translation of the Book of Mormon made it over seas and was distributed. It is amazing. There are a lot of improvements. For one the font is a lot bigger. One of the most common excuses that I got was " I can't read this. The letters are too small" but now the bigger print better change that or my investigators won't get the copy of the Book of Mormon. Anyways other then that. It has been amazing to me as I have learned to use the Book of Mormon as a teaching tool, how things in the Book of Mormon, whether just a single verse to several chapters, apply to me as well as to the Investigators that we teach. For example did you know that in 3rd Nephi 24 it is a almost direct quote for Malachi 4 in the Old Testament. Its quoted by the Savior and applies to tithing. That chapter has come very handy for teaching investigators. And then there in the example of Nephi who is completely obedient to the Lord and his commandments and the example of his brothers who were rebellious in their obedience. I wish i had studied the Book of Mormon more fully as I am doing now before my mission. It truly was written for our time and day. And I want to help our investigators see that as well. The Book of Mormon is true and is truly a testament of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the last days.

With Sister Ice our investigator that wasn't married. I think it would just as simple as that. Just go to the government office and sign a few papers. The thing is it sounds like her husband is against it. This last week we asked the branch president to give her a blessing and we fasted together for her. Now we are going to follow up with her in talking to her husband.

So I decided of some things that I want to have here before the end of my mission. I think I am going to need another memory card before to much longer for my camera. I filled the 4 gig up and am getting by on the 2 gig but there are a lot of computer files, talks and other things that the assistants have sent the leaders, that are going to fill it up really fast.

I also would like a copy of my call letter. That was something that i should have had since the beginning of m mission, but I didn't really think about it until now, funny huh? Also I think I'm not going to be able to find Cardova color show polish over here. would you send me a can?

I love you all

Yes mom I am eating healthy and well the vitamins are out. you could send me a small bottle it you want.

Elder Brandon john Holt

New companion

hello family

I'm doing great not counting the fact that I'm getting more and more tired. That's something that I have noticed the last few months is that I'm more and more exhausted at night. Well, maybe I'll get to the point to where I get home I will get dragged off the plane. That is what Elder Holland wanted us to do in the MTC.

Anyhow so Elder Kampanat and I had a curve ball thrown at us this last week. On Tuesday last week we got a call from the zone leaders saying that Elder Kampanat was moving. Well, that was a fast 6 weeks. Anyway he moved up to the Issan. He has been hoping to get a chance to practice his Issan for the last few weeks. Because he was from Bangkok he can't understand the east language because the dialect is so different. Anyways because he moved I got a new companion. Its an Elder that I have already had the pleasure of working with in Ubon. Elder Christensen. He was in my district when I was companions with Elder Leseuer. Then transferred areas when I began training Elder Jensen. He is a great guy and has a awesome testimony.

In this last week a lot has happened in our area with the daters. Do you remember ice and Nipone. They are the 2 original daters that we have been working with since I got to Pakkret 6 weeks ago. They both got interviewed again. Brother Nipone passed, and will be baptized next Sunday. I'm way excited for him, he has had some hard times in his life and the gospel is going to help him a lot. Sister Ice was interviewed and didn't pass because of a family issue. She isn't married by law. That's something that is very very important to make sure happens. The more I teach and learn about the law of chastity the more that I can see it is something that Thailand needs a lot. And it needs to be taught with boldness. Here it is something that I think the community sees there is a problem but it is unable to solve because they have never really understood how to solve the problem. Its one thing that I am grateful for the Lord giving us a commandment to keep our minds and bodies clean by following the law of chastity. For anyplace that it is not there, families are being destroyed by Satan and his attacks. With Sister Ice we will help her understand the importance of being married the right way and how it will help her family.

Remember mam? she went to church last Sunday and was able to see a baptism of an investigator that the assistant taught. Then this last Saturday we gave her date and she accepted to be baptized on the 20th of march. She will need to overcome a smoking and coffee drinking problem but she should be able to stop by this Friday. She already has a good start to a testimony. We will help her build it more.

Thanks for the updates on the ward mission plan dad. We were able to talk to our branch mission leader, Brother Smith(he is from New Zealand), and now I think he understands a little bit better of how the plan works. He is going to try his hardest to get things moving her in the Pakkret branch. If we can get this program figured out then I know it will be able to help Thailand out a lot with the retention problem that it has at the moment.

Well, this week the temperature has been increasing as we roll into the hot season. I'm going to die. I will have to keep the thoughts of snow through my head a lot.

I was thinking of something that you could send me in the next package. I ran out of cardova shoe polish and have not been able to find any yet. It might just be easier to send some. But I'm going to look this week in a different store. I tell you next week.

That's it for this week. Thank you for your prayers and support

I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt

Testimony of the Atonement

Hello Family

I'm doing great this week. Still alive and kicking. Its been a pretty slow week for the mission work this week, we had a lot of little chores to do, plus zone meeting, that was fun. So we were slowed down but the pace is coming back.

So we'll start with zone conference this week. I was thinking about it, the meetings here have really changed since I came into the country. For example The first zone conference there were lots of missionaries, probably up to 50. because every zone in Bangkok came. This last time it was only one zone the Pakkret zone with 14 elders, 2 sisters, and about 6 or 8 senior missionaries. Then President and Sister Smith as well. It was nice cozy and personal. I like it this way a lot better but it sounds like its a lot of work for President Smith. He had three zone conferences in a role that he had to be at this last week.

The meeting was on the Atonement and the importance of teaching it correctly so that our investigators understand how it plays on their lives. It's something that I personally am grateful for. That one reason I am glad that I came on a mission. I never really looked at the gospel as something that I needed, well I take that back but I didn't really understand the importance of the gospel and how it all relies on the Atonement. teaching it everyday helped me to see the importance of it. If our Savor hadn't given everything for us we really would be stuck were we are not being able to better ourselves in anyway. But because of the Atonement we are able to repent of our imperfections and become better through the mercies and grace of the Savior.

The funny thing about this is the next day with Brother Nipoe and Sister Eye, our two daters, we discovered that they didn't yet have a testimony or a very good understanding of the atonement and the power that is in in. So we had a chance to teach them about it.

After Zone meeting was over we had a zone activity. We, as a zone, went into Bangkok to see Wat Arome, a ancient Buddhist temple. that is just off the main river that cuts Bangkok in half. Its awesome. I will send some pictures of the activity. and of the wat.

The rest of the week was a lot of planning and trying to help our investigators get to baptism. Sister eye didn't pass her baptismal interview which isn't a big deal it just means that we need to wait a little longer to help her receive her testimony and be truly ready to be a member in the Lord's Kingdom. Next week we are going to have her get interviewed again, then she will be ready.

I got the first package last week and have enjoyed the stuff that you sent. Thank you for the deodorant especially. Now Elder Kampanat doesn't have to worry about me stinking anymore 555.

In my MTC group there were originally 15 people. 12 elders and 3 sisters but the sisters have all returned home now and its just the elders. That reminds me I forgot who our bishops name is, don't tell him that, I need to know in order to give the information to the office. Anyways we all got the papers at the same time. Elder Porter and I were talking last week at how strange it is to think that a year and a half ago we were in the MTC, it only seems like a few weeks ago I just got to Thailand. I hate how time flies.

Connor, Brother Keng says hi. He was sitting next to me a few minutes ago but had to run to catch his flight back home. Did you know that he is going to Las Vegas for two months in March. then he will be going to San Diego. I said we will have to meet up when I get back. Maybe when we go to Laguna you and I will take a trip to the acupuncture school that he will learning at. Oh and I think there is no way that you can beat my hair style that I had my junior year. Half black half blond, shaved and divided down the middle and to top it off liberty spikes. That was the idea of one of the girls on the team. Mom almost fainted. 555555 love you mom.

Dad I sending you a plan that we are trying to put into action here in Thailand for the ward council. Tell me what you think and if you have ever seen anything like it. I think its experimental and they are trying it out here in Thailand to see how it works but I definitely think it can work if it is worked right. It has to do with recent coverts and less active families as well and part- member families.

Ok I love you all

Elder Brandon John Holt

A Death (Release) Date!

Hello family

I'm doing good this week. We did have as fast of a week as we had with 19 lessons only 17 this week. That' s a little below average but that's because we had some stuff to do this week. This last week we had companion exchanges with the zone leaders. One thing that is a lot of fun is that in every zone one of the 2 zone leaders is in my MTC group. This one is Elder Porter. He is the one who knows the Becerras. Me and him had a good talk about how cool it was that Zach and Caleb got to meet up in the MTC. That's not something that happens very often. Then I got to thinking that I'm really glad that Connor is 4 years younger then me because if it were 2 it would be a four year wait until we saw each other.

Elder Porter and I had a good time working together in our area. I got a lot of good points to help here being the district leader, that will really help us as missionaries build our faith and our investigators to progress and have spiritual experiences a lot faster.

For example Elder Porter and I had time to go tracting/Inviting. As we were in a neighborhood that seem to be tracked a lot by the missionaries before we came, we met a man by the name of Wirat. He was in his 60's. We introduced ourselves and he invited us in his house. He said that he was looking at a termite problem, which here in Thailand if your house isn't cement then it is infested by termites. Needless to say his house was all wood. but he didn't notice the problem until a plug in the wall stopped working so he was trying to remove it. He had never done it before. I told him that I have and would do it for him. ( Thanks for redoing the house so much mom and dad, that's a skill that I did find a use for here, removing electric plug covers.) So after a few minutes and a numb hand from a shock, (he forgot to turn off the power,) I wasn't thinking, I was able to get the cover off to see the termite nest. Fact, if your house has a termite problem you can hear the termites move inside the wall. That was way weird to hear.

After we helped him to see where the nest was we started to have a conversation. We said after that we would like to share a message about the restored gospel. He was happy to listen. At the end we asked him to pray, here is a key point that we as missionaries here in Thailand have just learned recently: When you pray for an answer and do it according to Moroni 10:3-5 -- meaning that first you do it ( faith in Christ) next you do it because you really want an answer (Sincerity) Then if you get the answer whether or not you like it or not you will follow it ( real intent) -- you will get an answer. So when we ask an investigator to pray we make sure that they ask a question. For example, "Father in Heaven should I get baptized?", or "Father in Heaven, should I go to church?". If its done in the right way our investigators will receive an answer. So that was what we did with Wirat. One thing I have noticed is that if it is done right the investigator will receive an answer every time but might not realize what they felt was the Holy Ghost answering their question. With Wirat he got his answer but didn't understand, but before we left he said something that I don't think I have heard anyone that I've met on a invite say, "I want to study this more, and if it is true I will become a member of your church for sure". I'm excited to go back and see him.

Right now I don't remember if I have ever told you we have 2 investigators with a date to be baptized. One is named Sister I and the other is Brother Nipone. Sister I has a date to get baptized on the 12 of February and Brother Nipone has a date to get baptized on the 19th of February a week later. Both of them are doing really well. Our goal with both of them is to try and teach their families. They both are married but their spouses aren't ever around when we teach them.

Yesterday I had a interesting experience. So one of the duties of being a District leader is interviewing investigators to be baptized. Elder Brown and Elder Chew recently had 9 people from Cambodia transferred to them because the Elders from a different area realized that they lived in our area. They are all ready to be baptized, so its just a matter to make sure that everything is legal according to the law, meaning they aren't illegal immigrants, Thailand gets them too, imagine that, then interview and baptize. So yesterday I interviewed 5 people out of that group. 4 of them were children between the age of 8 to 12 I think... We're not really sure on the dates. and then their mother. The children have been in Thailand long enough that they can read and speak Thai really well. But their mother has a Cambodian accent. They all passed. With their mother it was a little harder because there was a little bit of a language barrier but with the use of pictures and speaking slowly we got through that. It was fun to listen to her talk because she spoke Thai like she was from the southern states. I almost expected her to say ya'll.

Sounds like you guys are all having a blast at home. Connor, nice job on you times. Dad don't get eaten by alligators, and Mom, I just got a letter this last week, that disturbs me a lot. Its nick-named "the Death Papers". It's from President Smith and the office and says that I will be traveling home on the 14th of June 2554 or 2011. That's really strange to think... I saw 3 of my companions receive their death papers. Anyways you don't have to worry about Sunday dinner only having 3 at the table anymore. Oh man what the heck happened to the last 2 years of my life. Make it slow down.

OK, that's it for today.

I love you all.

Elder Brandon John Holt