08/18/2015

This is it.

Over two years later, dozens of bus rides, a coup, days of inviting, multiple bombings, riots, lots of sweat, rainy season, hot season, cold -- less hot -- season, floods, growth, change, thousands of baptisms, and uncounted miracles, it's time to go home now.

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love Him".

Never has this verse been more true than what I have witnessed these last two years. Not just me, but all of us. The whole mission has seen and done so so much. Not just for the Thai people, but for me too. I've seen so much change in other people's lives, but I feel like most of the change has been in me.

Yes, it is time to go home, but I am not going back. It would be a shame to go back on all of this, to waste the change, progress, and improvement that I've seen.

I prepared diligently that I would hit the pavement/dirt here in Thailand running. That was my vision, the goal since I've been a kid. Now I have a new vision, I know where I'm going and how I need to get there. I'm going to hit the ground running. There is no time for low-living, missed opportunities, and low expectations. I am not moving on, I'm moving forward.

My mission has been life-changing, and I'm determined to make it change my life.

I've come to a true understanding of who God and Jesus Christ really are, what They really teach, and Their high expectations for us. 

I've learned the power and importance of the first commandments;

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

See you soon,

Elder Christopher Osborn

08/09/2015

Dear family,

We had to cancel our switch-off with the Elders in Myanmar. Really sad and unfortunate. But MLC was awesome, just perfect inspiration for our mission, focusing on exactly how to do LA work and RC work. And how we can use this work to increase baptisms too. It made me really sad I wouldn't be able to use it much. Really cool and neat stuff. I'm excited to see where the mission will go with all of this.

Because we weren't going to Myanmar, we went straight from Bangkok to Phitsanulok for our last switch-off. I went with Elder Wright and we had a blast! Those Elders are amazing!

We trained the zone in two days and got a day and a half to work in our area. We got some work done. There's going to be a handful of baptisms here just after we leave. I'm excited for each of them.

Yesterday the branch presidents had Elder Davis and I share our testimonies in sacrament meeting.The members have all offered to give us little "farewell" dinners and lunches at their homes. This week is going to be busy...

This Friday we'll travel down to Bangkok for a special training with Elder Holland on Saturday. All of the dying missionaries will just stay in Bangkok until next Thursday which is transfers meeting.

This Saturday and next Wednesday will both be P- days for us. But because of the craziness of those days I don't know if I'll email or not. (I'll try)

I'll at least send off a final email to ลาก่อน the mission.

Every day is flying by so fast... I really don't like it. I'm trying to suck up the last few days of this, but it's escaping from me.

Bittersweet,

Elder Osborn

08/02/2015

Dear everybody,

So this last week we had planned three switch-offs. One six hours away in Kamphaengphet. One six hours away in Phitsanulok, and one with the assistants.

We had a great switchoff planned for Kamphaeng, but when we went to buy return bus tickets back to Chiang Mai, we found out that because the next day was a holiday, the only possible return option was that afternoon, so our switch-off got cut really short.... Bummer. We got back and the APs had already arrived. We went with Elder Wolfley, so there were three of us from our group in one companionship. That was fun. Got some serious work done and we had an Elders quorum activity. We basically cut down a jungle. The Elders quorum president's house is pretty nice and is way out there. It was a blast, we found wasps nests, red ant nests, and a massive scorpion. We even found an investigator!

Because of the holiday, and the changed days for switch-offs we had to cancel the switch-off with Phitsanulok.

This week we'll be going to MLC and then just after that we'll fly out to Burma for a switch-off with the Elders there. Maybe next week we'll be able to get down to Phitsanulok.

I feel like we got to teach the Plan of Salvation so much this week. I love it. It just rings true with everyone we teach it to. Maybe because it tells them who they are.

We got a referral from the relief society president, she is a Chinese woman here doing research for her thesis. Her name is Xiao Xiao. Somehow I always find myself teaching Chinese people. We got two new Chinese investigators too... Too bad I can't speak Chinese.

We realized that Chiang Mai is the hipster capital of the world, so last night we had a little photo shoot with all the little things we've picked up here.

And some pictures from our cave adventure!

Elder Osborn