04/12/2015

So as Thailand will be getting a temple, President Senior warned the mission leadership council that Satan would be trying his absolute hardest to stall the work here in every possible way. If we review the scriptures, before every important and necessary event, Satan reached out to try to thwart all of God's plans: In the premortal council, in the Garden of Eden, at Christ's birth, at the beginning of Christ's ministry, when Moses was called as a prophet of God, and when Joseph Smith began to say one of the most influential prayers in the history of mankind. In all of these examples, Satan was completely aware of the plan of the Father, because he never passed through the veil. Satan always tried to stop God's work. But God always knows and has never lost.

I'm glad I've been able to understand this principle during my mission, because when all the investigators stop progressing or disappear and nobody seems to be interested, it is just a testimony to me that something big and important is about to happen, and Satan is trying to get us down, or distract us, just to make it not happen. So I can just keep plowing my way forward knowing that we're getting close.

With the temple announcement, our most solid investigators who were supposed to get baptized yesterday. This was a family too. We lost them the day we found out about the temple announcement. Elder Weaver and I were pretty frustrated, but we decided we weren't going to mourn about it and we'd punch Satan in the face by going out and doing the Lord's work with renewed vigor.

On Saturday we got the phone call telling us who is moving. And we're staying! Then during General Conference we got the revelation on how we must continue in this area. We're going to bring the church attendance to 100 by bringing families. Less-active families and investigator families. We will do it by "[Going] forth with love to tell the world the joy of families— that we may be with those we love thru all eternity." Thailand will have a temple soon, and it will bring families together, sealed for time and eternity.

Today we'll be going out to play สงครานต์. I'm sorry if I don't send any pictures of this water fight, but I'll tell you about it next week!

I don't remember if anyone said this during conference or if it was just the spirit speaking to me, "The reason mediocrity is unacceptable to you is because you're familiar with excellence."

But I really like that. It explains my drive to work and get things done and always improve. I think it describes Latter-Day Saints as a whole.

Love you all!

Elder Osborn