The Open House for the new meeting house was great. During the VIP Session there were 139 people that attended the presentation. In the afternoon there were over 1000 participants there. It was a wonderful day! Many members and nonmembers from the community and from far away came to see the new church building. Some of the people that attended were the Deputy Director General of the Social Development and Welfare Services, the Vice Governor of Nonthaburi, Khun Suchanee Seangsuwan, the head of the PR of the Social Development and Dr Somyot Seangsuwan and almost 20 of friends showed up. We had many business leaders, goverment officials, Lion Club and Rotary Club members who were very impressed learning about the Church’s FHE program, young men/women program, primary and Relief Society programs.
On proselyting, we are currently working with the Elders whom are teaching five investigators. Just last Sunday, Sister Nitaya Paracheap, 43 years old was baptized. We continue to work with the young missionaries to teach the gospel and we love it. We love how they utilize us. In some weeks we get to participate in their DL meetings and share with them examples that helped us in the Gospel.
We have also been going out in the evening to look for families to teach the gospel. They’re many people waiting for us. During the Open House, there was a couple that came to us. One was a business man, 57 years old and his wife. They came and talked to us and seemed very interested in learning more. We have been trying to set a date to meet him to start the missionary lessons. He said he would bring his family to listen to us and Elders. He enjoyed the program at booths on that day and was intrigued. The Spirit was there to testify that what we were sharing was something that they should listen to.
Elder Seangsuwan responsible for ensuring the meetings with the Mission Presidency happen each month. I have been making the agenda and reports for the meeting to keep track of what everybody should be doing. He has also been called to be a member of the high council and has been assigned to oversee the missionary work in the Bangkok North district. We are now planning to run the training programs to ward/branch mission leaders to work as a team with the full-time missionaries and get more involved. It will be on November 19 and we have a lot of work to do. We are also coordinating the presentations at the Services Center to ensure that the leaders understand what things need to be done for the community and people. The leaders and members of the Church should know what the function is of the Services Center.
Another task that we have been given that has kept us busy is typing many letters in Thai for the Mission President to send out to the leaders. He is instructing them how to make reports, how to do the Branch history for the Church and how to run the budget the correct way. “Rescue One By One” is another project that we have to follow up with. Each District and Branch planned an event and we now need to follow up how much they have done.
We recently heard some very exciting news! Many members would like to have an LDS Temple in Thailand. They know that only wanting is not enough. They must work and take action and work hard, as well as be full tithe payers. We have also been instructed to fellowship and work hard to keep our members active in the Church. They have given the members a plan to work towards and we are all very excited.
We love to serve the Lord in our Native country. We are very excited for General Conference and to hear the inspiring words and revelations from or Prophet. We love our family and ward family back home!
Love you all,
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
After the Flooding, Huge Humanitarian Effort
In Front of The New Chapel in Bangkok
In the Chapel putting Relief Bags together
Saturday, October 1, 2011
August 30, 2011
We have been busy as usual! The latest project has been the new Ward Building that was built just around the corner from where we live. It is on Cheangwathana Road, Pakkret, Nonthaburi. We have been working on getting as many people there to the open house and dedication. President asked us to also contact the Minister of the Social Development and Human Security to come to the open house and to be at the Wheelchairs Donation Presentation. We finally had the opportunity to visit the General Director of the Social and Welfare Service. We also invited him to come to the Open House on September 10.
Many people in the community ask us about the building and what we do there. Of course, we invite them to come and check it out. It has been a good opportunity for the members of the 8 units in the district to go around the communities and business building passing along invitation and information cards to the public about the Church.
Some very exciting news and accomplishments from the Ayuthaya branch the past few weeks have been that three brothers were able to receive the Melchizedeck Priesthood at our last district conference. It has been a great branch for us to attend and serve the members there. There are now about 45 to 50 members that attend each week. We love seeing the branch grow and we have been working hard to find and reactivate less active members. Ayuthaya was the first district Elder Seangsuwan served when he was a young missionary over 30 years ago.
We have been working with a few families in getting them reactivated. One family Brother Panja, his wife and two daughters will be going to Hong Kong Temple this October. We also have been going out with the Elders to teach a family in the Prakkret area. We will try and write more, but would love to hear from you all. If you can’t come visit us, then please email us at utahismystate2010@gmail.com
Love,
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
Many people in the community ask us about the building and what we do there. Of course, we invite them to come and check it out. It has been a good opportunity for the members of the 8 units in the district to go around the communities and business building passing along invitation and information cards to the public about the Church.
Some very exciting news and accomplishments from the Ayuthaya branch the past few weeks have been that three brothers were able to receive the Melchizedeck Priesthood at our last district conference. It has been a great branch for us to attend and serve the members there. There are now about 45 to 50 members that attend each week. We love seeing the branch grow and we have been working hard to find and reactivate less active members. Ayuthaya was the first district Elder Seangsuwan served when he was a young missionary over 30 years ago.
We have been working with a few families in getting them reactivated. One family Brother Panja, his wife and two daughters will be going to Hong Kong Temple this October. We also have been going out with the Elders to teach a family in the Prakkret area. We will try and write more, but would love to hear from you all. If you can’t come visit us, then please email us at utahismystate2010@gmail.com
Love,
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
Monday, June 27, 2011
June 26, 2011
Sorry it has been so long since we have had an update. We have been incredibly busy with coordinating events, service projects and humanitarian efforts as well as proselyting, member fellowshipping and, of course, office work. It is all in a days work and we love the work of the Lord.
We went to the Thailand Youth Leadership Conference on May 5 - 7. There were over 240 youth there attenting and the Area Seventy came and talked to them. The majority of the youth have a desire to serve a full time mission in the future. The Spirit was strong throughout the conference. We were introduced to Thai youth as the very first Thai couple to ever be married in and LDS Temple and also the first Thai couple to serve the Senior mission in Thailand. Sister Seangsuwan and I love this opportunity and having experience with conversion ourselves as well as the Thai language and background, we have been able to assist in the work.
A while back we had told you we were in charge of organizing the even where the BYU Ballroom company were asked to come to Thailand and dance for various groups. It was a big undertaking, but well worth it. They performed in Thailand at five different locations: 3 in Bangkok, 1 in Chiang Mai and another one in Khonkhen. About 1000 total members attended and more 8000 none members. We think that it was a success.
As far as humanitarian efforts, we have been able to get involved with a Social Development organization of the Thailand government designed to help combat battered women. My niece Suchanee Seangsuwan has been working as the Manager of the Department of Public Relationship under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. She also attended the BYU Ballroom events twice and loved it. We introduced her to our Humanitarian Project Director and PA area Director for the mission. Mrs Suchanee Seangsuwan has been very helpful to us in the way of Public Relationship and has also given us recognition allowing us to get involved more in the community and get the Church more recognized. In a recent humanitarian even that we were able to be a part of, she introduced us to some government programs that aid in donating wheelchairs to the needy people. In this even, we were able to teach more about the Plan of Salvation and talk about families and the Eternal perspective. There we were able to receive rewards and recognition for helping the Thai people.
I have been invited to talk on radio regarding my family with two cultures and how to keep the Thai culture intact. It was pre-recorded and will air soon. During the recording, I spoke about how we have Family Home Evening and use this to strengthen our family relationship as well as draw closer to God. I also spoke on our youth of the Church and how each one can become good example to their friends and family members.
Another opportunity we have is to be translators to General Authorities that come to Thailand to visit. We have been assigned to be in Ubon District Conference on June 25-26 with the Area Seventy to help him to train and translate his talk there. We have been assigned to call the members of the church who were baptized in the first 10 years in Thailand. Those who were baptized in 1970 to 1980 will be asked to talk about the former mission president, Brother Goodman. ABYU Professor will be coming to Thailand to interview them. I have about 25 members for him to interview and I think it will be a great article.
We were able to have visits with Armstrong and Rachel in Bangkok for five days and we had a great time juggling the differnet visit sites and family visits. They were able to see many different things in Thailand and our family here took very good care of them. We did our best as a tour guide.
Attached are a few pictures of the Humanitarian event and the Wheelchair donation ceremony with the Minister of the Social Development and Human Security. It was a very good opportunity for us to get involved for the Church. We were able to share our Plan of Salvation board with people that came to our booth.
We hope all is well and that everyone is safe and happy. We love the Gospel and love to teach the people of Thailand!
Have a wonderful 4th of July and write to us soon! We would love to hear from you.
Love
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
Utahismystate2010@gmail.com
We went to the Thailand Youth Leadership Conference on May 5 - 7. There were over 240 youth there attenting and the Area Seventy came and talked to them. The majority of the youth have a desire to serve a full time mission in the future. The Spirit was strong throughout the conference. We were introduced to Thai youth as the very first Thai couple to ever be married in and LDS Temple and also the first Thai couple to serve the Senior mission in Thailand. Sister Seangsuwan and I love this opportunity and having experience with conversion ourselves as well as the Thai language and background, we have been able to assist in the work.
A while back we had told you we were in charge of organizing the even where the BYU Ballroom company were asked to come to Thailand and dance for various groups. It was a big undertaking, but well worth it. They performed in Thailand at five different locations: 3 in Bangkok, 1 in Chiang Mai and another one in Khonkhen. About 1000 total members attended and more 8000 none members. We think that it was a success.
As far as humanitarian efforts, we have been able to get involved with a Social Development organization of the Thailand government designed to help combat battered women. My niece Suchanee Seangsuwan has been working as the Manager of the Department of Public Relationship under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. She also attended the BYU Ballroom events twice and loved it. We introduced her to our Humanitarian Project Director and PA area Director for the mission. Mrs Suchanee Seangsuwan has been very helpful to us in the way of Public Relationship and has also given us recognition allowing us to get involved more in the community and get the Church more recognized. In a recent humanitarian even that we were able to be a part of, she introduced us to some government programs that aid in donating wheelchairs to the needy people. In this even, we were able to teach more about the Plan of Salvation and talk about families and the Eternal perspective. There we were able to receive rewards and recognition for helping the Thai people.
I have been invited to talk on radio regarding my family with two cultures and how to keep the Thai culture intact. It was pre-recorded and will air soon. During the recording, I spoke about how we have Family Home Evening and use this to strengthen our family relationship as well as draw closer to God. I also spoke on our youth of the Church and how each one can become good example to their friends and family members.
Another opportunity we have is to be translators to General Authorities that come to Thailand to visit. We have been assigned to be in Ubon District Conference on June 25-26 with the Area Seventy to help him to train and translate his talk there. We have been assigned to call the members of the church who were baptized in the first 10 years in Thailand. Those who were baptized in 1970 to 1980 will be asked to talk about the former mission president, Brother Goodman. ABYU Professor will be coming to Thailand to interview them. I have about 25 members for him to interview and I think it will be a great article.
We were able to have visits with Armstrong and Rachel in Bangkok for five days and we had a great time juggling the differnet visit sites and family visits. They were able to see many different things in Thailand and our family here took very good care of them. We did our best as a tour guide.
Attached are a few pictures of the Humanitarian event and the Wheelchair donation ceremony with the Minister of the Social Development and Human Security. It was a very good opportunity for us to get involved for the Church. We were able to share our Plan of Salvation board with people that came to our booth.
We hope all is well and that everyone is safe and happy. We love the Gospel and love to teach the people of Thailand!
Have a wonderful 4th of July and write to us soon! We would love to hear from you.
Love
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
Utahismystate2010@gmail.com
Monday, March 7, 2011
March 2011 Update
Happy Birthday to Sister Seangsuwan on February 27th and Happy Birthday to Osmond today March 7th!!!
Time continues to go by very fast. We are already in March and there is still a lot of work to do. Last month was a great and exciting month for Sister Seangsuwan and me. We were able to see the Gospel touch many people’s lives and help them progress towards baptism.
We completed the Missionary Fireside and training for two wards and one branch now with a few more to do still. They are the Srinakarin and Bangkapi wards and the Rangsit Branch. The firesides went very well. It was the goal of the mission to help build more support for members in those units to be better member missionaries and learn how to reach out to friends and neighbors, as well as provide more support to other members. We will continue to do conduct these firesides in Bangkok Stake.
At the Rangsit branch, I was excited to meet up with Brother Banja and his family. I first met Banja when he was 17 in Ayuthaya where I served my first mission in 1974. Reed Haslam and I taught him the missionary discussions and he was baptized there in Ayuthaya. 36 years ago. Bro.Banja is now an officer in the Thai Royel Airforce.
I also met Brother Chaiporn who we met and taught him in Udonthani in 2008. He said after we moved to Buriran, he got baptized and now is strong member of the Rangsit Branch.
Another assignment we have is to be work closely with the Asia Area Audit Training Department. In this assignment we traveled to three districts in Northeast part of Thailand: Udonthani, Khonkhen and Ubonrathani Districts. As translator, I help the district and branch leaders to understand how to handle the money of the Lord.
We enjoyed working in Bangkok with our Mission President. We keep busy during the day and work with young missionaries in the evening teaching families with them. We love being able to help other Thai people that it is possible to be happy in the Gospel and that they too can understand the Plan of Salvation. So far, the missionaries have 7 people to be baptized this month and next.
These are two pictures for you: the baptism of Sister in Ayuthaya and Brother Banja's family.
We Love You All!
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
February 2, 2011
Sister Seangsuwan and I continue to stay busy teaching with the missionaries, working with all the wards and branches and assisting in the mission office. We have an Area Leadership Training on Feb 5 and we have been assigned to make sure that all district presidents and their counselors arrive in Bangkok safely and have a place to stay. They are coming in from Chiang Mai, Khonkhen, Udornthani.
We have also been assigned to run the missionary firesides in Authaya, Bangkapi and Srinakarin branches. This is to help and motivate members to refer people to the full-time missionaries. We know that this is a big responsibility and that our experience and history in learning and sharing the gospel is important to share with them. We are grateful for our conversion and for the persistence that our members have in sharing the gospel. So far, they have enjoyed the firesides and many members have asked questions in how they can bring souls to Christ.
As far as proselyting, we have been going out with the missionaries in Bangkok almost every week. We are helping them teach one family and the wife has already accepted an invitation to be baptized by the end of February. We are so excited. She is wonderful and will help her family progress.
The other day we had a dinner with one of our relatives, Somyot Seangsuwan and his family. We introduced them to other senior missionary couples and also invited them to one of our family home evening sessions. He enjoyed it very much. Keatisak Seangsuwan and his wife in Bangna asked to have missionaries visit them at their home and are now being visited twice a week. We have also been visiting and teaching four families in Ayuthaya with the missionaries there. There is one sister that we have been teaching there as well and she has asked me to baptize her on the 5th of February.
Sister Seangsuwan has been coordinating with all branches and ward advisors in Thailand to submit their annual history to Hong Kong and to make sure that everyone does it on time. It is the first year that the Thailand Mission has increased in Branches and they will all write their history to be sent to Church Headquarters in Salt Lake.
The Church is doing well in Thailand and we are working as hard as we can to do more. We are determined to make sure we do everything we can every second to help the Church progress and it has been fun and exciting each day. We are grateful for your support and would love to hear from you. We hope that all is well in Bountiful, Utah and we hope that more members are looking for ways to serve. We know that we have truly been blessed.
Love Sister and Elder Seangsuwan
Time continues to go by very fast. We are already in March and there is still a lot of work to do. Last month was a great and exciting month for Sister Seangsuwan and me. We were able to see the Gospel touch many people’s lives and help them progress towards baptism.
We completed the Missionary Fireside and training for two wards and one branch now with a few more to do still. They are the Srinakarin and Bangkapi wards and the Rangsit Branch. The firesides went very well. It was the goal of the mission to help build more support for members in those units to be better member missionaries and learn how to reach out to friends and neighbors, as well as provide more support to other members. We will continue to do conduct these firesides in Bangkok Stake.
At the Rangsit branch, I was excited to meet up with Brother Banja and his family. I first met Banja when he was 17 in Ayuthaya where I served my first mission in 1974. Reed Haslam and I taught him the missionary discussions and he was baptized there in Ayuthaya. 36 years ago. Bro.Banja is now an officer in the Thai Royel Airforce.
I also met Brother Chaiporn who we met and taught him in Udonthani in 2008. He said after we moved to Buriran, he got baptized and now is strong member of the Rangsit Branch.
Another assignment we have is to be work closely with the Asia Area Audit Training Department. In this assignment we traveled to three districts in Northeast part of Thailand: Udonthani, Khonkhen and Ubonrathani Districts. As translator, I help the district and branch leaders to understand how to handle the money of the Lord.
We enjoyed working in Bangkok with our Mission President. We keep busy during the day and work with young missionaries in the evening teaching families with them. We love being able to help other Thai people that it is possible to be happy in the Gospel and that they too can understand the Plan of Salvation. So far, the missionaries have 7 people to be baptized this month and next.
These are two pictures for you: the baptism of Sister in Ayuthaya and Brother Banja's family.
We Love You All!
Elder and Sister Seangsuwan
February 2, 2011
Sister Seangsuwan and I continue to stay busy teaching with the missionaries, working with all the wards and branches and assisting in the mission office. We have an Area Leadership Training on Feb 5 and we have been assigned to make sure that all district presidents and their counselors arrive in Bangkok safely and have a place to stay. They are coming in from Chiang Mai, Khonkhen, Udornthani.
We have also been assigned to run the missionary firesides in Authaya, Bangkapi and Srinakarin branches. This is to help and motivate members to refer people to the full-time missionaries. We know that this is a big responsibility and that our experience and history in learning and sharing the gospel is important to share with them. We are grateful for our conversion and for the persistence that our members have in sharing the gospel. So far, they have enjoyed the firesides and many members have asked questions in how they can bring souls to Christ.
As far as proselyting, we have been going out with the missionaries in Bangkok almost every week. We are helping them teach one family and the wife has already accepted an invitation to be baptized by the end of February. We are so excited. She is wonderful and will help her family progress.
The other day we had a dinner with one of our relatives, Somyot Seangsuwan and his family. We introduced them to other senior missionary couples and also invited them to one of our family home evening sessions. He enjoyed it very much. Keatisak Seangsuwan and his wife in Bangna asked to have missionaries visit them at their home and are now being visited twice a week. We have also been visiting and teaching four families in Ayuthaya with the missionaries there. There is one sister that we have been teaching there as well and she has asked me to baptize her on the 5th of February.
Sister Seangsuwan has been coordinating with all branches and ward advisors in Thailand to submit their annual history to Hong Kong and to make sure that everyone does it on time. It is the first year that the Thailand Mission has increased in Branches and they will all write their history to be sent to Church Headquarters in Salt Lake.
The Church is doing well in Thailand and we are working as hard as we can to do more. We are determined to make sure we do everything we can every second to help the Church progress and it has been fun and exciting each day. We are grateful for your support and would love to hear from you. We hope that all is well in Bountiful, Utah and we hope that more members are looking for ways to serve. We know that we have truly been blessed.
Love Sister and Elder Seangsuwan
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It was a great time at Ching Mai that all Seniors there, and would like to post their names as follows; Elder and Sister Oldham, Elder and Sister Cook, Elder and Sister Facer, Elder and Sister Gonzales, Elder and Sister Greenwood, Elder and Sister Hatch, Elder and Sister Jones, Elder and Sister Laing, Elder and Sister McPhie, Elder and Sister Sitivong, Elder and Sister Snow, Elder and Sister Wasson, Elder and Sister Jones, Elder and Sister Meakley