RoiEt Branch is big and really strong

November 22, 2010

Hello Family

I hope that you are all well. This past week went by extremely quickly. I can't even believe it. I feel a little more tired but pretty healthy. Riding my bike all over, talking to everyone and being out in the sun all day is pretty tiring. I probably won’t be going to Bangkok this week. I don’t need to renew my visa until next moves.

We didn’t have a cell phone for a few weeks. It was because of an odd experience. We were going to visit an investigator and were waiting for Brother Jan (Brother Moon). Elder Pimsuwan and I were so tired that we closed our eyes for a minute. We think someone came and stole it from the back of Elder Pimsuwan's backpack. We didn't notice until we got to the investigator’s house. By then it was too late. So we called the office. They said they would get on it. It was a bit frustrating.

RoiEt is quite the branch. It's big and really strong. The thing that surprises me the most about RoiEt is the number of endowed members. The branch president and his wife, Sister Waruni and President Sutheb are the best ever. They are so humble and they love the Lord. They have only been members for about 4 years. Sister Waruni said that she had never heard the word God before the missionaries talked to her. Our ward mission leader is Father Khiaw (green). Here in the Isaan the word brother and sister aren't used as often as the typical Thai pronouns, Father, Mother, older sibling. Father and Mother are two words that they use in the Isaan a lot. In Bangkok you have to be really close to use those words.

This last week we had Zone Conference. It was a really good time. They talked about the new scriptures. I feel that these new scriptures will change so much for Thailand. Understanding of the scriptures is crucial to our understanding of the gospel. We talked about attending Church and helping investigators keep the Sabbath day holy. We talked about why we go to Church. Here in Thailand they really emphasize renewing of the covenant with God on Sunday. I really like it. I feel it's the correct attitude to go to Church with. We all do things that make our Father in Heaven sad but every week we can come to Church and change our lives. Change ourselves.

I love Thailand. I love Thai people so much. It's amazing to think about how much God loves all his children and desires them all to come to know him. But we are just so stubborn sometimes. It reminds me of Sister Laantaa in Nongkhai (inactive) who said that we are too stubborn sometimes to receive the good things God gives to us. We really are simply too stubborn. I love this opportunity to become less stubborn. But we have to repent and learn everyday.

This week we saw how sometimes our investigators do things that we don't understand. We had a few investigators move to another province without telling us until the day before. We are trying to figure out what to do with them. At this time we are working to find new investigators. We are finding some and we are hoping to work more with the branch to work with part member families.

I love you all so deeply and pray for you all daily!

Elder Jacob Newman