By Small and Simple Things

I went to an English class a couple of days ago in Bangbuathong. The English Class sponsored by the Thailand Bangkok Mission is a lot different from the past. Missionaries teach free English every Wednesday. However, the regular English class starts from 6.30pm.-7.30pm. and from 7.30pm until 8.00pm. they teach gospel in English. Well... that sounds pretty cool isn't it? But guess what, that's not the point though. The point that I want to bring up is the experience I had at the class.

The class started regularly with the opening prayer. I was invited to do so. We learned about the body parts. The class went really well. At the end of the English class the missionaries said very clearly that the next 30 minutes will be the gospel lesson and it's optional. Students were free to leave or stay as they wished. I was surprised that all students stayed for the the gospel lesson.

It was Elder Loudon's turn to teach the class. And as he was teaching about the life of Jesus Christ, I felt so strongly of the divine power that the things he was teaching were true. He taught so simply, yet so strongly. I have to admit that since I came back from my mission I had never felt that way before. It brought up a lot of memories of my mission.

I served in an area called "Novato" which is a small town in California, north of San Francisco. People were so chilled and I loved the area. One day I received a media referral requesting the "Lamb of God" video. My companion and I went to deliver him the material. Eu Gene opened the door and he told us he could talked with at the moment. We told him that we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. He said he knew who we were and he set up another appointment with us. I didn't go to the next appointment with Gene because I had to go on team ups (exchange, switch-off, or whatever you call it). When my companion and his temporary companion came back, I knew that they must have come from the war. I was quite right. They told me that Gene is a seventh-day Adventist, and as they walked into the house, they saw a video camera in the middle of the room. And when they started the lesson, he recorded all the things which they were discussing about. I found out it was rather an argument to discussion.

I got really scared as my companion and were planning for the next day activity. I would have to "bash" with him, well I didn't think so. I was from Thailand. My English was so excellent to argue with an elder from the other faith. I didn't show my emotion because I wanted to be cool. But I think my companion knew how I felt though. Anyway, our plan was to answer his questions and to teach about the prophet. Oh my goodness, we were trying to answer his questions for nearly an hour and his questions were like "How did you know that Jesus moved the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday" or, " Why did Joseph Smith said God was his right hand man?" and you know " Black and the Priesthood". I reckoned we were not going anywhere arguing. The scripture says that the spirit of contention's not from God. I didn't know what to do. All the sudden I felt that I must bear a simple, humble and heartfelt testimony. I did. The silence filled up the room. Obviously, it wasn't that simple for him... he went on after he shook the spirit off. My companion again bore his sweet testimony of Joseph Smith. This time he didn't shake off the spirit. We invited him to watch the Restoration with us. After the film ended he said that he was touched.

We can be a missionary by bearing our sincere testimony. President Monson has said "The testimony is found by the bearing of it." I love it when I see a missionary bear his testimony simply but powerfully. Elder Loudon brought the spirit into that English class. His testimony was record up in Heaven. The church is so true. I know it with all my heart.