โบสถ์ - Church

As many of you know I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon church) and I have been lucky enough to attend church here in Thailand!! All over the world my church has congregations that worship the same way we do in America. They teach from the same books, have the same lessons and the organization of these congregations are identical with missionaries, bishops etc. If you have more questions about this ask me! Or you can visit this link to learn more about my faith: (http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng)

So our branch (a small congregation) is in the town Phitsanulok just about forty minutes north of Phichit. We go to church by train at 6:40 am like I have shared in my post about the train station. It has been such a blessing to attend, we feel very much at home there. The spirit of Christ is very strong and I have loved being surrounded by converts (members of my church who convert later in their life) and investigators!! Our first few Sundays were made possible by our good friend Mink. She would meet us at the train station and tell the taxi driver to take us all to the church building. The church is not a chapel, it is actually a five-story building that has been made into a church building but is it furnished and decorated identical to a chapel in Utah.

Us with Mink, we love her SO much.

Mink joined the LDS church about eight years ago and speaks English very well! Her parents are not members but she hopes that one day they will convert. She helps the branch so much! She befriends every investigator and even girls who have been members their whole lives and don't speak Thai :) Mink is going to be attending Dixie College, in St. George Utah, this coming January and is very excited to go to America! We are also excited to see her when she will visit Salt Lake and BYU. 

Us girls, along with Mink, are part of the YSAs in the ward (the young single adults). Many in this group are investigators or recent converts who do not have support from their traditional Buddhist parents but they are strong in the church and are fully devoted to Christ. 

On Sunday, November 18th, these young single adults sang a musical number in church. They sang "Love is Spoken Here," one of my favorite songs. The song was in Thai but I knew the lyrics. The spirit was unbelievably strong and I was overcome to the point of tears! At first, my emotions stemmed from missing my family and wanting to be home and then they transformed into products of my admiration for these stalwart youth. The song speaks of mothers who offer heartfelt prayers to our Heavenly Father and fathers who preside over their homes with priesthood power (the power of God here on earth). I looked into the eyes of my friends and saw their devotion to Christ. I know that they did not have support to be christian, let alone Mormon, from their parents and families. I knew that what the song meant to me was not what it meant to them. I was overcome with appreciation for my parents! My parents who raised to love Christ. My parents who supported me in attending church. My parents who taught who to be the best christian I can be. I have learned a lot from these YSA's examples and I wish them all the best in their futures!

Church magazines in Thai

We each got our own Book of Mormon in Thai

Due to everything being in Thai at church, the missionaries who were called to serve in Thailand translate for us. All of the ones we have met here in Thailand have been from the United States and have English as their first language. Because church is three hours long, it is exhausting for them to translate but we are very appreciative of it! Especially Sister King, who is from Utah and will return home the same day we do! She has been so helpful!

Us with part of the ward for a baptism. Sister King is wearing the red skirt.

Relief Society is an organization in the church that is just for the women. We gather together as a sisterhood and study the gospel together as women for the last hour of church. The sisters in this ward have been incredible! They love to involve us as mush as they can and we enjoy Relief Society each week so much because of their sweet spirit.

Sister Eve is in the middle, she wanted us to take a silly photo.

Some of the Relief Society sisters, aren't you loving the silver dress? They are the greatest.

I have strengthened my testimony SO much by attending this wonderful branch! We really feel part of the community here. I don't know if I could have made it four months away from my family, in a foreign country without feeling so close to my Savior every time I attend church here. I love this gospel. I know that Joseph Smith restored the only true church to earth; the same church that was on the earth with Christ in New Testament times.  I know that we have a current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, who speaks to God on a regular basis and I love him dearly. I know that The Book of Mormon is straight from the mouth of God and that by reading it I get closer to Jesus Christ. I am very grateful for this church and for my valiant parents who raised me in this beautiful gospel. I'm thankful for the leaders of the Phitsanulok branch, the ones who keep things going behind the scenes. I have a new appreciation for missionaries and all they they do! I'm so thankful for the missionaries all over the world who are dedicated to the work of the Lord. I love this church and I know it is true and I say these things in the name of my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.