TBM - Trang

Hello again, This week I'd like to share with you our train trip to the South of Thailand to visit Trang Province.  We had business there, but we also had a lot of fun - Pday included. At our hotel there was a UNESCO presentation on bringing sustainable educational and vocational resources to Thailand to help the people help themselves.  We met the Governor of Trang Province and the Mayor of Trang City.  Unfortunately, they were so busy taking our pictures for the newspaper, that we don't have a picture of them! There is only one faithful member of the Church in Trang who has lived there with almost no contact other than church magazines and an occasional visit for the past 17 years.  She joined the Church in the North, but had to move back to her hometown to care for her aged mother.  The nearest Church members are 5 hours away by bus.  Her name is Yindee and she is seated next to Sister Lindorf  in  the picture: Her friend is not a member (yet) but runs a Nursing College in Trang.   We arranged to teach English to her students one of the days we were there.  It was a lot of fun and the girls were eager to learn. We also did a little sightseeing in the vicinity.  Have you ever been to a rubber plantation?  Did you know the stuff they make tires out of is white, not black when it comes out of the trees? Here is a rubber tree oozing latex.  It is collected in a tiny cup hanging from each tree and gathered every morning. After some minor processing, the raw material is rolled into sheets and sold to rubber producers to make a variety of goods. Have you ever seen how Cashews grow?  It's no wonder they're expensive.  The Cashew nut is inside the brown shell growing at the top of the blossom.  Only ONE nut per apple sized  fruit. Although this is the 'rainy season' we had some beautiful beaches to visit. Notice the unusual patterns in the sand.  These are made by some kind of crab.  Here's a closer look: I've been to a lot of beaches all over the world and I've never seen anything like this! These beaches are on the Indian Ocean and were hit by the tsunami of 2004.  There are signs now to warn people to head to higher ground.   There is dense jungle nearby with a suspension canopy.  This is not for the faint hearted! Blue Fern We were able to hold church services with Yindee on Sunday and she was extremely grateful.  It was a good experience for us all.   Everyone we met in Trang was extremely friendly and open.  It would be a great place to serve a Senior Mission if we just had a few more Senior Missionaries! In Myanmar, and Laos (also in our Mission) Senior LDS Charities Missionaries have organized branches of the church with over 100 members each in countries where we are not even allowed to proselyte.  All of this interest has been initiated through the English teaching program.    We are having such an amazing experience here.  I know I've told you that about every week - but it's TRUE!   We are so happy to be here.  Whoever said "Service is its own reward" was correct.  It's the BEST! All our best to you, Elder & Sister Lindorf

TBM - God minister to our need

Dearest Family and Friends, Thank you, so much, for your tender and loving responses to our email mission updates.  You bless our work and fill us with your love and encouragement.  God bless you! As you may have heard, Jessie, our youngest daughter, just had her first baby.  Jane Ellertson was born May 12th, and we are so grateful for God's blessings in her behalf.  She was blessed today, and we have already read and seen beautiful accounts of this treasured event.  Well, this week, I'd like to share with you some very tender experiences surrounding her birth, and a testimony of how God truly ministers to our needs. There are many sacrifices that you make to go on a mission, but none seem as great as being absent for family times.  While I feel those sacrifices keenly, I have noticed that God blesses me so that I don't feel the pain.  I feel the sacrifice, but not the pain.  However the day that Jane was born, I felt great pain.  Part of it was for Jessie, I know.  It was so hard to not be at her side.  Every particle of my being yearned to be there; to share, to love, to bless.  But I was not.  I went to work that morning suffering in mind and spirit, praying fervently for the Lord to bless the delivery and to comfort my soul.  It happened that the Mission Office was very quiet that morning.  In fact we only had the two office couples there, which meant there were no Thai speakers.  After a little while, a group of Thai people came in the front door.  I went out to greet them and help them as best I could.  They were all happily chatting in Thai, and I soon figured out that they were a group of extended family.  They obviously were comfortable waiting for someone, and didn't really need my help.  So I just quietly observed them, allowing the familial love to wash over my aching soul.  Soon, one of the District Presidents came in, and I found out that he was going to be borrowing President Hansen's office to interview several family members.  They were preparing for a family trip to the Hong Kong Temple.  Again, I silently thanked the Lord for giving me this sweet scene, as it brought me comfort and joy.  As the various members went to and fro from the office, I too found myself going to and fro from my desk to the foyer.  As my heart was heaving great tears on the inside, on the outside I was watching and loving this sweet family.  Then, out of the blue, a young woman from the group (about Jessie's age) walked right up to me.   With no greeting or prelude, and in perfect English, she asked simply, "Would you like to hold my baby?"  God sent me this sweet angel of a woman and her beautiful little boy, and my pain was assuaged.  My yearning arms were soothed in such a sweet, personal way, that only Heavenly Father could have orchestrated.   My heavy heart was healed, as my prayer of gratitude flew heavenward. Now that you've heard my side of this sweet miracle, would you like to hear a little bit of Jessie's side?  Today, at Jane's baby blessing, Jessie bore her testimony.  My sister, Cindy, was there and wrote to me about it.  I would like to share a quote from her letter.  "Today we went to Jane's baby blessing.  Your daughter offered a very sweet testimony.  She talked about the responsibility she feels as a parent to teach and rear Jane unto the Lord and how there is not anything more important that she could be doing with her life.  She then bore her testimony of missionary work.  She talked about the Spirit that has sustained her for her entire pregnancy and the birth of Jane.  The Spirit and other people have filled in the gap during her parents' absence.  She discussed how difficult it was to have you half way around the world, but she bore witness that she had a testimony of the importance of the work that you are doing in Thailand.  Her sincerity and love towards you and your mission was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes." I want to leave with you my testimony, that the Lord knows, loves, and ministers to each of us individually.  He is the author and finisher of all that is good in our lives.  And I know that whenever we sacrifice for Him, He will pour out personally chosen blessings upon our heads.  I know this to be true. All my love, Sister Lindorf

TBM - More Fun from Thailand !!

Hello Family and Friends, Today I'm going to share some more 'local flavor' from this wonderful country that's so endearing to us.  We're growing to love it here more and more each day. If you think it's hot where you are, notice the three vehicles on the right shown parked in the picture below.  Each one has it's wipers extended to keep the rubber from melting onto the glass - and they're parked in the shade! The truck that's parked blocking them is another great Thai tradition.  When ever there isn't anymore room in a parking lot, it's perfectly acceptable to block other cars as long as you leave your car in neutral so it can be pushed out of the way.  It happens everywhere. It's considered 'chic' to use English in advertising.  Thais love to learn and use English and our weekly classes are very popular all over Thailand.  Here's an advertising slogan that didn't translate too well.  I think they were trying to say 'GO BANANAS!' We visited the Grand Palace on one of our recent outings.  Here is a shot of one of the scenes painted on the walls.  These hand painted murals line the walkway around the perimeter of the grounds.  They depict various historical events, do not duplicate each other and stretch for over a thousand yards.  The detail is amazing. Here I am with a couple of new friends I met at the Palace. We also visited the Elephant Museum.  It's hard to capture in a picture how large this structure is.  Visitors get to go up inside the elephant. The next pictures are taken inside the BASE of the structure.  They didn't allow photography inside the Elephant, but there is an elevator that runs up and down one leg and stairways that run in the other legs. That's about all I can show you, but inside the belly of the beast, there's a large room with constellations painted on the ceiling like you might see in the night sky.  Very amazing.  We went up the elevator and down a spiral stairwell inside the back leg.  The walls are all hand painted murals.  Sorry I couldn't take pictures of them. This dragon is on the grounds at the same site.  That's one way to get more water into the air! This next picture you'll recognize, I think!  This is my favorite attraction in Thailand. Have a great week! Elder & Sister Lindorf

TBM - Keeper of the Gate

My story begins with an explanation of where in the 12 million people of Bangkok we live... Yes, this is it!  Can you believe it?  We have to pinch ourselves everyday to think that "roughing it" on a mission could be like this!  Every three towers, which you see in the picture, combine on the first floor into a united parking garage.  The only access to the towers is through the parking garage, and at each entrance there's a security guard who checks the people and cars as they come and go.  (fyi - we live in the 2nd tower from the left, on the 11th floor - it has a beautiful view of the lake!)   A few weeks ago we heard through the "Seniors Grapevine" that the Elders in our area were teaching the lessons to one of the guards at our building.  Throughout the months of coming and going, we have enjoyed a friendly association with the 5 guards who cover the various shifts at our building, so we were delighted at the news.  But which one was taking the lessons?  We didn't know.  Since we don't understand enough Thai to ask them directly, we watched each one to see if we could detect our new investigator.  Could it be the morning one, who seemed to be a little more chipper in his step?  Or was it the afternoon one, who seemed to be smiling even more than he usually did?  Maybe it was the weekend one, who was whistling as he opened the gate for the cars?  As the days went by, we watched each one carefully.  We knew that they knew who we are.  The Senior Missionaries live close enough that there are often groups of us coming and going.  So we would smile more sincerely.  We would show our love as we looked deeply into their eyes.  Our greetings were offered with a deeper bow and we would thank them a little more freely for their service. Then we got the word.  The rumor mill had one tiny detail mixed up - wrong building.  The Elders corroborated that it wasn't our "Condos" but the "Condos" about a mile away.  Of course, it was still wonderful to have a security guard taking the lessons, and many of us were able to attend his baptism, but we were disappointed that it wasn't OUR guard. It was then, that we realized the miracle that had transpired.  God had opened our hearts to the guards in our building.  It turns out that nothing in them had changed, but we changed!  God filled our hearts with love and with a vision of His Love for a handful of His children in our midst.  Elder Lindorf and I decided that we couldn't let this miracle in our hearts go to waste.  So with nothing verbal spoken, we took a Thai Book of Mormon down to the guard desk and "motioned to them" (our new, favorite language) that it was a gift for them to read in their spare time.  Because of our new-found relationship, they accepted it with interest.    I believe that one of the great purposes of serving a mission is for God to work this miracle in our hearts.  He has taught us to love the Thai people as our own.  He has given us love for His children in Thailand, just as He gave us love for our own children.  I feel the tender kinship of the family of Heavenly Father in new and wonderful ways!  It is such a beautiful miracle! I guess you know what that means, don't you?  You're family, too! Love to you, from newly softened hearts, Sister and Elder Lindorf

TBM - Amazing Thailand

We thought we'd send you some pictures we've taken recently so you can get a flavor for this truly amazing country. I don't think they built these for 'farangs' Notice the little tugboat pulling a string of barges up the river. At home everyone gets gas for their stove from a bottle.  Apparently, that's also true at big hotels! Elephants are everywhere This is a 'truck' like the one we were in above during 'harvest'. One of the traditions for the Songkran holiday.  While pouring water through the flower, you tell each other 'blessings'. Wild dogs are everywhere.  These are some new pups we pass every day. Not all Senior Missionaries have grey hair.  This is the Gulf of Thailand. How would you like to wash this many dishes every night - and  no dishwasher! These crocodiles look like they're swimming in Antifreeze I wonder how many trainers are missing a hand? Amazing Thailand Orchids grow outdoors Mango & Sticky Rice with Coconut milk - a local favorite this time of year. YUMMY! Have you ever seen a white peacock? Say hello! That's all folks! We've done more than play lately, but I'll save the commentary for Sister Lindorf's update next week.  Thanks for watching! Elder Lindorf < Arial> How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger�s low PC-to-Phone call rates.