TBM - Amazing Thailand (part deux)

Hello from Bangkok, Today I'm sending you some photos that I hope you'll find interesting.  There's no central theme.  These are just some of my favorites from our recent activities.  Please don't think that all we do is play over here.  I just never have a camera while we're working! There are two twins from the local branch that have learned traditional Thai dancing.  It takes them 4 hours to get ready for a show.  Their mom has to sew them into their costumes.  Here they are: Ping Ping & Pong Pong I wish you could hear the music that accompanies these photos! Here's a shot Sister Lindorf took.  How many elephants can you find? Missionaries get hungry This is not what we were eating, but for some - this is dinner. Here's a closer look It reminds me of something from Fear Factor, but I guess there are people who consider these a delicacy.  And lots more fun if you don't have to catch your own! Here are a couple scooter shots.  Notice the reflector on the back of his bike.  I knew those old CDs were good for something.  Watch out AOL. We've been trying to get a good shot of 4 on a scooter, but so far, this is the best we've been able to come up with.  The Family Scooter Since everyone takes shoes off when entering a home in Thailand, our host's children took the opportunity to 'arrange' the guests' shoes for an 'easy take-off'. Where's Waldo? Long day at church Here's a flower for you growing on the side of the road Let's see, do we have these at home? Hope you have a great week. Elder & Sister Lindorf

TBM - Bits and Pieces

BITS AND PIECES FROM THE LAST FEW WEEKS Greetings and love from Thailand! We have a new Mission President and family.  Pres Dodge was a missionary here 30 years ago and his Thai has come back miraculously!   They have brought their daughter, Amber, who is a sophomore in High School. As soon as they arrived, Pres Dodge and his family went on a whirlwind, 3-day Mission Tour, in order to meet all the missionaries before transfers.  In each of the meetings, he had every companionship stand, and then each one had to introduce his/her companion to the Dodges.  It was great, because a companion will say things about you that you would never say about yourself.  Even though I know my companion would never say this about himself, in the spirit of great companionships, I'm going to share with you what I told them that day.  "Elder Lindorf is my FAVORITE companion!  He is tireless in his service to the Lord.  If he didn't simply drop to sleep eventually every night, he would never stop serving.  I just hold on and try to keep up!  Also, he deeply loves the scriptures.  He faithfully reads his scriptures every morning, before he allows himself to do anything else.  They are a top priority of each day.  And he can turn anything we need to do into an ADVENTURE!"  Wahoo! Pres and Sister Hansen wrote to us and said that as part of their Sacrament Meeting Report, they had all the Return Missionaries in the audience come up and sing Called to Serve in Thai.  What a wonderful sight that must have been!  Every 3 weeks, we have the opportunity to join with about 50 missionaries and sing Called to Serve in Thai to our Lord!  We raise the rafters!  (…in a good way.)  I know that will always be one of the highlights of our mission.  It's an exhilarating, spiritual experience that can't be duplicated in any other way!  We just received a new Senior Couple to the Mission who have served 2 previous missions to Zimbabwe.  We have loved hearing their stories, which have helped us appreciate how good we've got it here!  And, now, we have 5 more Senior Couples "on deck," who'll be coming in over the next few months.  Speaking of Zimbabwe, our friends from Provo, the Jenkins, just reported on their mission to that country as Mission President and beloved companion.  In commenting on some of the challenges in their living conditions, they noted that during their 3 years they killed 13 cobras and were robbed 5 times. Recently, two of our Senior Couples have had to go home a little early with health problems.  It strengthens our faith daily to work alongside such faith and courage.  Some of those still here, work through difficult health on an ongoing basis.  But at FHE recently, we were each bearing our testimonies, and they said that even with health challeneges, THERE IS NO PLACE THEY WOULD RATHER BE!.  The fire in there eyes as they expressed this conviction sunk deep into my soul. Speaking of challenges, our young missionaries are not immune.  We have one dear Sister whose mother passed away, night before last.  Fortunately, the Mission Department got in touch with Pres Dodge, and she was able to call her mom from the mission home and say a parting good-bye.  Pres and Sister Dodge were both there to bless and strengthen her.  We love her dearly and pray for her daily. Some of you may remember an appeal I sent out about 6 months ago for a native Thai missionary currently serving, Sister Kornwika.  Well, our dear friends, Dave and Sabrina O'very, are sponsoring her to come to the USA and study in the ESL program at BYU.  However, yesterday she had her visa interview at the US Embassy and she was turned down!  Where most people get their visas after a brief, 5 minute interview, they questioned her for 30 minutes.  The bottom line was that they couldn't quite swallow the fact that a family in the United States, who had never met her, would be willing to give her such an opportunity.  I think they thought it was some kind of a cover up story for fleeing the country.  We are working through it and would appreciate your prayers in her behalf. Elder Lindorf's Dad is in the hospital again.  This makes 4 times in the 10 months we've been here.  We pray that he will be blessed and strengthened.  We hope to be with him again at the end of our mission.  Here he is, showing off his new tie made for him by his great-grandkids. We just received the latest pictures of our newest grandbaby, Jane, showing her all fat and happy at 2 months old!  This is a particular joy, since she has struggled to gain weight since her birth.  But through lots of work from her parents and lots of prayers, she is now beginning to thrive.  We are so thankful the Lord has blessed her so much! We are on lesson 5 in our Temple Preparation Class.  Wow, are they getting excited!  Last week's lesson was on symbols and how everything in the Temple is symbolic.  We discussed, as examples, the symbolism of the temple itself and the white clothing we wear inside.  It was wonderful!  (The monks here, wear orange robes  …quite a contrast.)  Thais are so naturally curious, almost in a childlike way, that they ask questions about everything.  It generates lots of lively discussion and lots of piqued anticipation.  We are looking at Sep or Oct for our Temple trip. It is always a glorious privilege to be part of this great gathering process.  The Lord's Kingdom IS being built!  As to our little part in that building, I'll close with Elder Lindorf's line that he says each Monday morning, "Hey! We get to go back to work again!"  God bless you! Our hearts are filled with love for you! Sister and Elder Lindorf

TBM - Over the River and through the WOODS!

Greetings from Thailand, Some of you know the Woods family from Price, Utah that came to visit us a few weeks ago.   They wanted to see Thailand for themselves - up close and personal.  We spent an amazing weekend together.   I'd like to give you a peek into some of Thailand's treasures outside of Bangkok. The Floating Market Vendors and customers go from boat to boat up and down the river. Have you ever heard of Palm Sugar?  The syrup drips from these blossoms. They boil off the water and form the crystals into these little cakes. Thais are famous for their wood carving.  It's amazing what they can do with a chisel and a piece of hardwood. Even more amazing is the beautiful inlaid designs This lady is beating wood pulp to be made into paper They put the pulp in the water then gather a thin layer on each screen.  This is how it turns out.  Anyone for exotic animals?  This is a real Cobra with venom. In this next picture, the trainer catches two poisonous snakes, one in each hand, then bites a third right behind the head - so he's carrying it in his teeth - while he does a flip into the water with all three snakes!  What some people will do for a living! Scorpion Lady Asians wear flip flops doing just about everything - but rock climbing too!  So Nate, tell me again why you needed those $100 shoes? We also had fun with the monkeys Sister Lindorf is being counseled in grooming methods Sawasdee Khreb! Come to Thailand and we'll share a weekend with you! Best Wishes, Elder and Sister Lindorf

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