Dearest Family,

Hello! You're all done with school! Let the summer fun begin! Now you all have tons of time to write me! 

Happiest update of this week: May has a baptismal date!! She is so wonderful, and so patient with my struggly Thai. She knows that I love her. That's really all I'm trying to say in our lessons. Heavenly Father loves you! Christ is our Savior,  He suffered for us because He loves us. I just want everyone to learn this and have joy.

This week we did a lot of biking. It's pretty normal to be biking for 3 hours straight just looking for addresses of less actives. Most of the time people have moved forever ago, but we just talk to their neighbors and see if they're interested in learning with us. Everyone here just says I'm Buddhist, every church teaches people to be good. Right now we're trying to get the members to be excited about missionary work so we can have more member lessons. Actually, first we are trying to help them be more unified as a branch. This district is SO CLOSE to becoming a Stake. It's really exciting to be able to serve here right now.

Dad, thanks so much for you letter last week, it was so perfectly what I needed to here. There are definitely some big stormy clouds hanging over some people here right now and it's been hard not knowing what I can do to help them see the sunshine. I've been trying to figure out how to be sensitive to others feelings, but not letting their attitude dull down my hope and happiness. I feel so grateful for the positive perspective and faith that gets me through each day. There are so many hard and potentially discouraging things about missionary work, but I have felt so much peace and happiness as I've put my trust in the Lord and focused on the things that are in my control. Life is so good. 

So there is this long haired motorcycle taxi man whose name I don't know that is kinda stalking me these days...Sister Carter were eating at our favorite market two weeks ago and he just rode up and said hi, we gave him an English flyer, and invited him to come. Yeah well then he called and was asking about church and baptism and remission of sins and he said he would come to church. At church, he came in sat next to us and during sacrament meeting he wrote me this note that said something like I have faith in Sister Sahagun...AH! NOT APPROPRIATE! He came again this week and the District leader tried to talk to him and explain that if he's really interested in the gospel that the Elders can teach him. He didn't really listen, Sister Carter and I just walked away. No worries though, we don't answer his calls, and we'll just have to find a new favorite market.

How about I leave you with a happier thought. Peace.

 Alma 7:27 The Peace of God. Philippians 4:7 I am seeking to have peace of God in my life each day. I know that true joy comes through seeking Christ and serving others. 

I love you so much! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Love,

Sister Sahagun

Dearest Family,

Missions are just the best! I wish I could explain every experience and tell you about all these wonderful people that are changing my life and that I'm trying to help come closer to Christ! Emailing does not do any of that justice!!

This week our investigator May read in the introduction of the Book of Mormon, prayed and gained a testimony of it's truthfulness. She knows for herself that Joseph Smith restored the church and Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today. She understands repentance. She wants to be baptized! I just love her so much! This week we met with her at the church and taught her how to use the index to find scriptures. We looked up a verse about service and wrote it down to give to one of the members of our branch that works at Big C (It's the Wal Mart of Thailand) After some serious Asian decorating done so beautifully by May, we delivered the card to Sister Nong. IT was so great! May was just so happy the whole night, I love that we were able to teach her about service, do some service, and just AH! She knows it, we're helping her live it and she loves it!! I don't even know if that makes sense, but I'm just happy and May is doing fantastic. We're working on helping her set a date to be baptized.

Right now I want to take a minute to thank Ryan Petersen for his postal service. Hello Stacy and Ryan! What is your address? So the post office has become kind of a second home for us. We go there at least 2 times a week. The last time we were there one of the workers said if we come every day, we'll know everything about Pak Kret. I think Sister Carter already thinks she does...but really we are learning a lot about all these sois and muu bans.

This week I made a vision for myself and the missionary that I want to become. I'm feeling great about that. There is this amazing talk called the fourth missionary that talks about being the best missionary you can be, but really it's about becoming a disciple of Christ. This weekend we had a special meeting with Elder Andersen and all the missionaries of Thailand. It was incredible! Something that he said was so simple but helped me remember why I am here. " There is no confusion about what you must teach - Testify and be a witness of the Savior." Not very many people here have even heard of Christ. It's so nice to have such a clear direct focus. We are starting from the basics. Be a witness of Christ. That was the theme of the weekend for me. On Sunday, he spoke at this gorgeous building with all the members from Bangkok, Bangbuatong, Pak Kret, I don't know just all over whoever came, it was amazing. He said there are many temples in Thailand, but not a house of the Lord. A house of the Lord is much more than a beautiful building. Thailand will have a temple. It is only a question of when. Thailand needs more faithful strong members that will be witnesses of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve here at this time. It's so exciting! I don't know when this temple will be announced, but I know that the things that I'm doing now will help determine the future of the church in Thailand. 

Every day isn't sticky rice and mangoes, but every day that I trust in the Lord and focus on doing his work is the best and most happiest day of my life. I love being a missionary. I hope you all have a fabulous week! 

Love, Love,

Sister Sahagun

Dearest Family,

It was sooooooo (o's x a million) good to see you this morning and talk and laugh and cry I just love you all! It was the best thing to wake up to. I loved hearing Tyler's lines from the play. I hope your collar bone heals quickly. I never knew you were such a bully on the field. Be nice. And write me a letter. Jessica you were so quiet! I hope you got the birthday card that I sent you! Your hair is so long and you are a beautiful young woman. I want to hear all about camp. Write me a letter. Dad, thank you for coordinating such wonderful technological support with the internet speed and all that jazz. I'm so grateful there were no problems. Also, don't you just love this 'lil internet cafe? And I actually realized there is a little Buddha thing with the incense here. They're everywhere. I love all of your stories that you've shared about memories of you mission. To you and Mom, thanks for the letters I love the support. Mom, Happy Mother's Day!! Thank you for being the most wonderful example to me! I am grateful for all that you've taught me. You are an amazing teacher, I admire you so much! Thank you for showing me how to love and serve others. There are so many things about being a missionary that are simple and natural to do because of the way that you have raised me and taught me by your example. I love you all so much!! 

I love Thailand!! May 10th was my One Month in Country Anniversary! To celebrate, I ate an ice cream sandwich - literally ice cream scoops sandwiched between some bread. So Asian. So delicious. You should all try it. They sell it outside the 7-11 in this cute little card. You can do anything at 7-11.

Have I ever told you about our experience teaching English? It is so fun! Every Tuesday at 6:30 we have 5 different English classes at the church. It's actually gotten a lot bigger. There was a facebook add made that got a bajillion hits in a week or some crazy statistic like that. It's been a good finding tool. Last week, we tried to tell a joke...that was super rough. It was the first one listed in the English book and we just used it without really considering how random and hard to understand it was...What has two humps and is found in the North Pole? A lost Camel!! Worst joke right? I was pretty embarrassed, but I drew a camel on the board to help clarify. That made it a lil better. It was a really cute camel. I wish I could send you a picture. I'll work on getting the camera stuff sorted out.

Our investigator May is so cute! She came with us to a baptism on Saturday and she was so happy. There were some talks given about repentance and enduring to the end. She understands repentance so well! I'm so excited to keep teaching her! We are going to invite her to be baptized at the end of this month.

I can't believe I keep forgetting to tell you this! Elder Neil L. Anderson of the 12 apostles is coming this weekend with Elder Whitney L. Clayton of the 70! There will be special meetings all day Saturday for the missionaries and the members, and then another meeting on Sunday. I am so excited! They are coming to see if Thailand is ready for a temple!!! AHH!!! Thailand needs that so much! Yesterday there were some youth at the church rehearsing a musical number for the meetings this weekend, Jesus Once of Humble Birth and Search, Ponder, and Pray. The spirit was so strong. I know that this church is true! These youth are so strong! IT was amazing to look at them and see a glimpse of the future of the church in Thailand. I love being a part of this work. There really is nothing better.

This was wonderful! I feel like the faith in our companionship has been strengthened. I am so grateful for Preach my Gospel and the training that I've been able to do. This week in my personal study, I read in Mosiah 14:3 and the part that talks about how Christ was a man of sorrows really stuck out to me. I have often thought about the sacrifices that Jesus has made for me and all of us, but I always imagined that he was happy as He went about serving. I feel so silly having thought that. He suffered the pains of the word. Surely He was a man of sorrows. I know that He willingly suffered because He loves each of us but it was still a hard thing for Him. How did He so perfectly endure all of these things? He definitely experienced hardships and rejections but through it all, He continually trusted in the Lord. He gave all his might, mind, and heart to God. He never complained. This week I want to improve on enduring well the trials that I'm facing. I am so grateful for the Atonement and the opportunity I have to repent and become better each day. 

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Love, 

Sister Sahagun

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day from Thailand!

For Mothers Day my two missionaries were able to Skype with the family. We coordinated a time, 4:15 p.m. Utah time and Heather and Nick set their watches so we could all be together and have a wonderful video call!  We went to my classroom so we could have the high speed of a T-1 connection. It went without a glitch. Heather was using a computer in an internet cafe in Thailand. It was 5:30 in the morning. She said she got up at 4:45 a.m. to make the call.  Nick used a computer from a member's home in Richmond Virginia. It was 5:35 p.m. Heather got online first and we got to visit with her for about 20 minutes before Nick joined us. Heather and her companion had prepared two songs for us. They sang the hymn, Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy in English and then they sang Come Thou Font of Every Blessing in Thai. It was so sweet! Ray recorded it so we'll try to get the video on the Blog. Heather talked about some of her experiences we talked about things we've been doing here. We laughed together, we cried together. Nick got on the phone and started to cry as soon as he saw us. The members had given him a box of tissues :).Then of course because he was crying I started crying.  It was so fun that Heather and Nick got to visit with each other. Nick asked Heather what has been the hardest thing for her on her mission. She said it was finding people to teach. Nick said the same thing. Nick also said that getting up at 5:30 a.m. and getting on his knees to pray and start the day was also very hard. When Heather said she only had four minutes left Nick got emotional and started to cry. He asked if we could say a prayer together as a family. Ray led our family together in prayer and we prayed for our missionaries. There wasn't a dry eye when he finished.These are the moments as a family that we'll always remember. I have felt so blessed all day to be a mother. I'm so thankful to my Heavenly Father for entrusting into my care these wonderful children, who have taught me so much about love. As a mother my greatest desire has been that my children would love the Lord and choose to follow Him.

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." 2 Nephi 26:6

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the  Lord." 

Joshua 24:15

I'm so proud of the choice that Heather and Nick have made to serve missions. It has been such a wonderful blessing to our family to share in their experiences. It is a sacrifice for them and for our family but I know that they are where they're supposed to be at this time of their lives. I know that many people will be blessed as they share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature." Doctrine and Covenants 84:62

Brightly Beams our Father’s Mercy

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

[Chorus]
Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

 Dark the night of sin has settled;
Loud the angry billows roar.
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing 

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy help I come
And I hope by thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above

Dearest Family,

Hello! Thanks for the birthday happiness! Yesterday was wonderful! We had two of our investigators at church, testimony meeting was lovely, and my favorite part was the prelude music. This member was improvising on the piano all these hymns, it was so calming and peaceful. The spirit was so strong. I turned to one of our investigators and bore my testimony about the power of music and how we can feel God's love through His spirit in words or music or places of reverence. Heavenly Father is helping me so much with the language it's amazing. 

I've been playing the piano in Relief Society. That's been rough. I really need to practice. I love playing, I'm just really not that good. So all of you that have musical talents, keep perfecting them and sharing them so that you can be useful in bringing the spirit and building the kingdom! That means you Jessica and Tyler. Keep practicing the piano!!

Last week I was chased by a dog on my bike. For real. It was so terrifying, but I was just so shocked that it was actually happening that I just nervously laughed and kept pedaling. That mean ol dog (we named it sweetie, we see it every day) bit the bottom of my shoe! No injuries here, just a lil shook up. Missionaries really get chased by dogs.

So last week at our zone conference, we received instructions to stop looking for new investigators and start focusing our efforts on the members and less actives. They want us to have 20 lessons a week besides our other lessons. We are focusing on retention and reactivation. There are 26,000 members in Thailand and only 3,000 active. So sad! We are also working towards building two more stakes here and ultimately a temple. There is an apostle coming on May 18 to see if Thailand is ready for a temple!!! We are so excited! 

I love being here. Our new focus on the members is wonderful and definitely a challenge. Our lil branch of 30ish needs help! The addresses that we have for everyone are pretty confusing and most of them are incomplete, but we are really working on having the faith to go forward with the information that we have and to just trust in the Lord.

I love you all. Have a wonderful week! The church is so true!

Love. Love. 

Sister Sahagun

P.S. I've been eating yogurt for the past two weeks.