TBM - Bangkok Occupied

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Lindorf <plindorf@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Dec 17, 2011 at 11:20 AM
Subject: Fwd: Bangkok Occupied
To: Teena Lindorf <klindorf@gmail.com>

Some have enquired what we've been up to this past week........ All the missionaries were asked to stay in quarters on Wednesday.  In the afternoon I ventured out to go down to the office, thinking that all the military activity was downtown.  Not so, I was greeted by a humvee coming down our street with machine gun and gunner atop.  That incident reminded me of the pictures we've seen of tanks and troops in Baghdad. We spent a few stressful days, but when it was clear that Thaksin supporters were not going to go up against the entire Thai military, then things settled down.  Initially, I was reticent to shoot pictures of people who could shoot back, but today we went out to get a few shots so you could see what it's like to have the military maintain presence in an entire city.  Bangkok is like Los Angeles and we're about 20 miles outside of downtown. Tanks & troops on Chaengwatana Rd.  Just down the street from where we buy our groceries.. This shot was taken 1/2 block from our local church house. Every major intersection is guarded by patrols The Troops are supportive of the King and with no resistance from the opposition, I suspect they'll retreat back to their barracks very soon. There will be a new prime minister and cabinet appointed in the next week or so.  Most other government functions seem to be back to business as usual. Sister Lindorf is trying for a new fashion statement with these magnets on her right shoulder.  What do you think??? They're helping a lot with the pain that has developed over the past few months.  I think she just works too hard. One funny story about the magnets.  We had to go to the US Embassy this week on Thursday and knew there would be a metal detector - so we left the magnets home.  I walked through the scanner with belt and watch and ring and shoes and had no problem.  She walked though with no metal on whatsoever and she set it off!.  Must be her magnetic personality! One problem we are currently having in the Mission, partly due to the coup and partly due to changes in Thai Immigration - they haven't extended visas for the 20 missionaries scheduled to arrive in 10 days.  They may be delayed for a time until all the problems get worked out.  Please pray for this door to stay open! Best wishes to you all.  SAFE in Thailand. Elder & Sister Lindorf

TBM - Common Place

Dear Family and Friends, Our weeks continue to fly by.  We often wonder where the week went and are comforted by the knowledge that we are on the Lord's errand and the Lord's timetable.  Wow, does His "timetable" click! What errand?  What timetable? We arrived in Thailand in September of last year and I can't help but pause and reflect on all that has changed.  There are many scenes in our daily life that have become common place to us, that I know are not common back home.  What a beautiful woman, out peddling her vegetables! Elder Lindorf has coined the phrase: "Rice is nice!"  It seems the more rice we eat, the nicer we become.  Is there a correlation here?  I don't know.  But when one of us is feeling a little grouchy, we eat more rice and it goes away!  We eat rice almost every day, so of course we're getting nicer all the time. You should try it.  Rice noodles are a favorite! We taught our last temple preparation class, today, in Lopburi.  It has been wonderful to be a part of the process of these brothers and sisters preparing themselves for the temple.  They begin with little to no understanding of what the temple is about, even though they may have been members for several years.  With so few endowed members in Thailand, they simply have no exposure.  In addition to that, because of the prohibitive cost of going to the temple in Hong Kong, even the endowed members have limited exposure to the truths of the temple.  Because Buddhism also has "temples," there is often confusion.  It is a joy to see the light come on in their faces as they learn the truth.  They are so full of faith!  Hong Kong Temple  We said good-bye to Sister Kornwika this past week.  If you happen to bump into her in the United States, she is going by Michelle.  Yes, she finally got her visa.  Elder Lindorf and I went with her to her follow-up appointment at the US Embassy.  We also took several letters of recommendation for her and there were many people fasting a praying for her.  It was a miracle; a sweet gift from God.  One of my favorite parts was, as we were waiting for her number to be called, instead of being anxious and worried about the outcome of the interview, she was busy sharing and teaching the Gospel with those around us.  What a woman of faith!  We'd like to wish her THE BEST, as she begins her adventures at BYU. Fond good-byes...  (Sister Kornwika is on the right.)        I'd like to close with a tender experience I had at Church today.   One of the interesting things about attending Sacrament Meeting in Thailand is that, of course, the Sacrament prayers are in Thai.  After listening to them for a year they have become very familiar to me.  I usually recite the prayers to myself in English, while the Thai is being spoken.  It has added new depth and dimension to my Sacrament worship.  I remember, when we attended Church in Myanmar, watching an American mother quietly slip a card with the English Sacrament Prayers on it to her young son, so that he could read it as the Sacrament was being administered in Burmese.  These simple accommodations, instead of detracting from the emblems, contribute their own elements of beauty and devotion to Christ.  Well, today I was sitting right by the Sacrament table because I had just accompanied the Sacrament Hymn.  When the brothers came up to the table, in preparation for passing the sacrament, I was very close to them, too.  As I was just about to bow my head, I looked into each of their eyes.  As I closed my eyes, I still held the vision of their love, their faith, and their reverence for this sacred ordinance and the Priesthood they hold.  The Spirit was palpable...  we each felt it.  The brother blessing the sacrament had to pause several times.  The words, in both Thai and English, washed through my mind, and bathed it in sweetness.  When the blessing was finished, and we raised our heads, there were tears running down our faces.  Oh, how I love the people of Thailand.  Elder Lindorf and I feel such a communion with these dear people, that we often forget that we are white.  Today, Elder Lindorf observed that we are being prepared for a time when there will be no more borders.  I can feel them being erased from my heart.  The love of Christ is a love with wide-open arms! All our love, Sister and Elder Lindorf