TBM -Journey to Bethlehem

The Stake in Bangkok has been putting on a production of Journey to Bethlehem for 10 years.  It has become so popular in the community that they get thousands of visitors. This year our local branch decided to do the same thing (we're located about 1/2 hour outside Bangkok).  Sister Lindorf was asked to be an Angel and I was one of the Three Wisemen.  We had a lot of fun with this.  I soon became known on the set as the 'Wise Guy'.  I have included a few pictures from our version of Thai Christmas.  We had about 200 people attend, many of them 'not-yet-members'. Here are the Angels all a glow The Inn Shepherds Wise Men The Manger Happy Missionaries! We hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas season and that you'll take every opportunity to invite people to come unto Christ.  We love you all and appreciate the kind notes we've been receiving.  Thank you all. Elder and Sister Lindorf

TBM - Merry Christmas

It's the holiday season in Bangkok and you would think from the number of Christmas trees and lights there are everywhere that they would be celebrating Christmas in a country that is 95% Buddhist - but actually it's the New Year celebration starting early. Today was the King's birthday and Father's Day.  Sister Lindorf and I were invited to attend a banquet in his honor and we would have actually met him, but at the last minute they couldn't get enough tickets for us to attend.  Maybe next year.  Thai's love holidays (way more than I do!). We have been very busy with a production of 'Journey to Bethlehem' that our branch is putting on next Saturday.  Sister Lindorf is an Angel and I am a Wise Man.  We will be singing in Thai and I have a speaking part as well.  This should be interesting!  It's difficult to memorize a long string of strange sounds that have no correlation to English whatsoever.  Not to mention that if you don't use the correct tones, even if you have the words right, they can't understand you!  Somehow I have to pull that off and sound WISE at the same time!  We'll see. Yesterday on P-Day we had an adventure downtown with another couple in our mission, the Orrs.  Brother Orr and I both needed new suits made, so we made a day of it.  We started at the largest outdoor market in Asia to pick up a few handicrafts. Here's a picture of someone headed to the market. Actually, that picture came from the Forbes in Laos, but I had to put it in! Here is a picture of some of their elaborate wood carvings These elephants have been carved to fit into a large piece of driftwood.  It's about 6 feet long. Here's Sister Lindorf and Sister Orr bargain hunting. Everywhere we went, we gave out pass-along cards.  Most people here are happy to accept them because they have a picture of the Saviour on the front.  Many people have never heard of the Mormon's at all, so there's no prejudice toward the Church like we experience sometimes at home.  We're having so much fun with pass-along cards.  We give them out everyday to everyone we have any contact with.  It's about the only way we can make missionary contacts  since we don't speak Thai.  I really thought that more people here would speak English, but those who do only know a few words.  This week, Sister Lindorf and I get to teach a lesson in English to three investigators from the Philippines.  They've been coming to church every week and reading the Book of Mormon.  It will be exciting to see them get baptized hopefully very soon. Here are three very happy missionaries. We took the Skytrain downtown and finally found the tailor we were looking for.  They have excellent custom tailors here.  Here I am being fitted for my new suit.  I told him to make it big enough for extra rice! We are busy in the office getting ready for our internet connectivity (finally!).  We're trying to get a better workflow organized so that the office Elders can get out every night to proselyte.  We had a visit from Elder Hallstrom last week who was in Thailand for two days and wanted to get to know our Mission a little better.  One of his assignments is first counselor in the Asia Area Presidency from Hong Kong.  We also had a visit from Elder Tingey a few weeks ago.  We see more General Authorities here than we did while living in Utah! We hope you will all enjoy the Christmas Season and invite all to 'Come Unto Christ'.  It is a marvellous work we are engaged in.  We LOVE it! Elder and Sister Lindorf