Faith Building Finding Experiences

Area: Pak Kret

Companion: Elder Richardson

Hi!

I have a question, before getting into everything else, and that is why do the emails say they are sent from an iPad? We don’t have an iPad! Unless you left out some vital information in this last email.

Waterton looks gorgeous. Wow, that must have been a pretty sweet boat ride! And the hike sounds way sweet too. Is Abby really getting that old? sad day! Good to hear that everyone is still liking school. Oh Tina I LOVE New Zealand accent they’re so sweet! Mikaela - those plans sound way awesome I think that you would be a great nurse and I am going to need a pic of that Chevy when you get it cause that would be soo sick you gotta do it! Mum - AWESOME! You go girl that sounds like quite the workout! haha so good to hear things are going so well. The scrip would be Alma 26:22. 

Well, you have heard correctly about the weather here, every morning is scorching hot followed by an afternoon/evening of pouring rain! There is tons of rain and we get pretty soggy riding our bikes but it is pretty fun. I must say that I love riding in Bangkok traffic. It’s so much fun. It’s like a video game and it’s a different level and map every time sooo much fun! We also love that brownie recipe it was amazingly delicious! You just can’t find stuff like that over here at least not on a missionaries budget.

We had a sweet week; it was pretty exciting. We almost got a new companion from an emergency transfer but our district leader got him instead. It all happened while I was on switch offs with the district leader (who by the way is Elder Clark; he is way funny and humble and just a ton of fun and was Elder Richardson’s companion in the MTC!) We also had Sis Faay's baptism which was stellar! Man I love baptisms! The next day was the baptism of Bank and Mai! And we taught them their first lesson! We decided to give them to Elder Clark because at the time he had no one to teach and because Bank lives in his area. They are so awesome. We could tell just off of that first lesson; we got out of it and went; “Wow, they are really good!” So it was sweet to see them baptized! Between the 6 elders here in Pakkret I’m pretty sure that we have had at least one baptism every week of this transfer! It has been wonderful the work is really going well!

Well, transfers is in 3 days and speculations are running rampant there is an AP and 5 ZL's dying. It’s another really big transfer that will change the landscape of the mission considerably but I will get you the down low next week; as for now everything is up in the air but whether I go or stay I’m going to be stoked. I absolutely love it here and well moving is always exciting too!

The language is coming along pretty well. Elder Richardson is a boss at Thai and he has also had 3 khonthai companions which helps a lot as well! I really love reading in the B of M in Thai, it’s so cool that I can read it and understand what is going on, it’s great! I have had a couple lessons this past week where I have understood almost every word that was said. It was way sweet, sooo much easier to teach when you understand exactly what is being said not just the general idea! 

We had some awesome faith building finding experiences in this past week. One was on switch-offs, we had an appointment cancel so we had like 30 mins till we had to go to the next one and Elder Clark was like well the Lord didn’t bring us here to waste his time he brought us to find someone. So off we went and the first house that had anyone home invited us in and we taught a lesson, it was soo cool. The other one was another appointment canceling so we went inviting and we prayed first and were like we want to teach a lesson, we know that you have prepared people for us and then we started and the first door we knocked on let us in and we taught a lesson and so as soon as we got out we said a prayer of thanksgiving. It was amazing, that prayer was answered immediately! It was great and was definitely a faith builder!

Well, next weeks email should be very exciting. We are waiting in anxious anticipation for the transfer phone calls telling us who is moving, and they come tomorrow!

I love you all bundles, lots and bunches,

Elder Cahoon

A week and a half left of training.

Area: Pak Kret

Companion: Elder Richardson

Dear Family and Friends,

Have I ever told you how much I love you guys? You’re pretty awesome! Life sounds way busy and exciting back home! First off, thank you soo much for the brownie recipe, Elder Richardson and I are so excited to go make it!

The mission wall sounds pretty sweet! I will have to make sure I take some pictures especially for that. Well, the bike trip to Ayutthaya is canceled for this week because of weather. There is a typhoon that is on its way to hitting South Korea but we are kinda on the way there so that has meant a TON of rain the past couple days. It’s just a really big rain storm but the weird part is there isn’t really any of the wind you would expect, just a slight cool breeze, which is truly wonderful! So we will prbly do it in a couple of weeks if we are both still here (transfer meeting is coming up in a week and a half and it is shaping up to be another crazy one no one knows what’s going to happen cept Pres Senior!) I’m pretty stoked for transfers again because for this one our whole group has to come back to renew our visas so I get to see everyone again! In fact this week I got to talk to Elder Ellsworth again, which was way sweet, we are both kind of freaaking out though because we have like a week left of training, it went so crazy fast!

We have a baptism this Saturday; Sis Faay passed her interview! And then our next one is going to be on the 6th. We are being blessed right now with some super sweet investigators. We had like 3 a little while ago but we have found a lot of people this week and they are way solid. We started teaching Sis Tuun's son Fluke he’s 9 we are really excited it’s going to be like teaching primary again! Just in Thai this time haha. And we are going to her house tonight for FHE, which is awesome, cause we have never been there before and because her husband, whom we have never met, should be there! YES! 

I really enjoyed everyone’s emails this week. Mum, you are so awesome! The other thing I didn’t add last week, which was really cool, was that when you were talking about Dover and the ocean and the castles and stuff it was soo cool. It just seemed like the years melted away; it was youthful and vibrant; it really sounds like you had such a wonderful time.

Who was running that meeting for tour guides? They are ridiculously quotable; that stuff was awesome! I am so jealous that you guys get to have a part in that and so happy that we have a temple in Calgary! Elder Richardson and I talk about temples all the time. We love them soo much and miss going to them and ahh we just love them. They are so beautiful and just looking at them you get that feeling! There is one Liahona that is our absolute favourite it’s a special temple edition and its chock full of pictures. We look at it so much! One of my favourite pictures is of an ordinance room in the Newport Beach Temple. The mural is amazing; so gorgeous and life like and wow! (On a side note Elder Richardson loves San Diego and area as much as I do, prbly more, he has been there more. We both want to move there when we get home or at least go to school there.)

Are you guys gearing up for conference yet? We are so excited here; we're counting down can’t wait and on this side of the world we have to wait an extra week for it to be translated and everything. A couple of the members in our ward are the ones that do the translating! So sweet! One of them is Br Art Hes, like our best friend here, he’s the kind of RM I want to be, except he needs to get married, haha, although we are working on that jk not really!

Everyone sounds like they are having so much fun and just great experiences. Congrats on making the team Teddy!! And Chrissy too! Teddy your teacher sounds super awesome! Stick is going to be fun, let me tell you, especially with Dad I remember that well. Kaela have a great season reffing. You were always a much braver ref than I, haha. Jeana and Olivia, just so wonderfully adorable! Kenny - I LOVE HUGS can you send me one? I will catch it on the wind! Dad- you are doing so much fishing! dang the Sheep got you again!

Well, the time has come once again to part, again and until next week, know that you are loved!

Elder Cahoon

How Great Shall Be Your Joy

Area: Pak Kret

Companion: Elder Richardson

Hey, Hello!

Well, as the subject clearly states Tuun got baptized this week! And I got to baptize her! WOW, it was so amazing. What a great experience; and then yesterday Elder Richardson and I stood in the circle when she was confirmed! It was a wonderful weekend. I love this area so much; the investigators, the recent converts, the members, the missionaries. I feel so blessed to be born in Pakkret what an amazing place! The joy I feel in helping others receive baptism is exquisite; truly "how great shall be your joy!" Let me tell you it’s pretty great! We have 2 more baptisms coming up on the 22^nd, so excited! Bro World and Sis Faay and they are way stellar. Br World is so awesome. He just gets it; the answers he gives to our questions just blows me away! One time in a lesson we taught about Thomas S Monson and he asked if he could pray for Thailand to have a temple and we were like um YEAH so he did and he prayed that Pres Monson would prophesy that Thailand would have a temple!

We had a ton of fun experiences this past week; some really hard days, some really fun days and a baptism. Lots of learning and lots of growth we are continually trying to work with members and find less-actives. It is a great work and a work that can totally be done at home too! On top of all this, yesterday night on the way home, after Tuun's baptism, I saw an elephant like 2 mins away from our house and it was trumpeting! So cool! Gosh I am obsessed with elephants; it’s ridiculous, but they are so cool. I have actually seen 3 this week!

Sounds like things are crazy awesome back home! I knew you guys would like school; it really is fun! I am glad you are finding a bunch of friends and it sounds like ya'll are taking way fun classes! Chrissy- Cent sounds like an absolute riot! Dang girl, do you like know half the people that go there? Yet that’s a ton of fun people and your classes sound like such a party! Teddy/Kendra - Sounds like MP is going to be soo much fun I’m so happy for you guys! And you’ve got a bunch of friends already, so sweet! I’m glad you both are so excited about it. Jeana - man I wish I could see her go off to school. It would be soo cute, take some pics! Have fun at school Jeana; love you jup jup (it kinda means like kiss kiss haha you use it when you are talking to really little kids, btw Thai kids are so dang cute it’s ridiculous) Mikaela HAPPY BIRTHDAY girl your old now officially an adult that’s crazy have a blast!

Mum - you are an angel! I got that package from England with those strawberry bonbons that I love so much; they were to die for. Thank you soo much. And also this week I found that recording you had Carlos do and I really have to thank the both of you for that. We had a rough day this week. We worked hard and nothing happened and it was pouring all day. But, at the end of the day I found that and listened to it and, wow, what a boost. So great and sooo extremely helpful; there was some fantastic advice! Thank you sooo much!! It looks like you are going to stay plenty busy even without the kids at home!

Just a heads up this upcoming week for PDay we have decided to bike from here to Ayutthaya like an 8 hour round trip. It’s going to be such a hoot! What an adventure; we are so stoked and yes, there will be a ton of pics! 

Love,

Elder Cahoon

P.S. Hey Dad could I get that brownie recipe it would truly be a life saver! Also, nice work on the Spanish, keep it going amigo! Ahh, jealous of the fishing, such a blast, I can’t wait to see Reed and Matt playing high school ball when I get back! 

Life in Thailand is Stellar!

Sept 3, 2012

Area: Pak Kret

Companion: Elder Richardson

What up!

Sounds like a great week back home. The English adventure is over and the kids are gearing up to go to school! That’s crazy Mum. What are you going to do with all of your free time? (other than shred with Becky which btw is awesome!) Thank you so much for the info on the crane I have been dying to know cause there is like 5 of them outside the window I look out all morning! That is pretty nuts how they do it! My room looks crazy different. I LOVE the colour! And teal for the next one sounds pretty sweet! Dad that is way awesome good for you Spanish and photography I am very impressed! As far as learning a language goes speaking and reading the scriptures seems to be the best way, so maybe you could get a Spanish B of M? Helps a ton with pronunciation, spelling, reading (duh) and its scripture!

Life in Thailand is stellar. I really need to take more pics but I’m doing pretty good with the journal. First off I would like to confirm a rumour Thailand doesn’t believe in deodorant! dang it! It stinks. haha (sorry) We have a lot of exciting developments in this past week. It was a great week but, it went by sooooo fast. Fastest week of the mission hands down! Prbly cause we were so busy in this great work! On Tuesday we had specialized training with the whole zone and it was incredible; so inspirational, and it just got us ridiculously pumped! So here is the sich. Our zone is 4 Melchizedek priesthood holding, full-tithe paying men away from becoming the second stake in Thailand!!! Not only this but every other zone in the country is right behind us. We are prbly less than a year away from not 1 or 2 but 7 stakes in Thailand!!! This is huge and last month we had 72 baptisms in the mission; our average is 30-40 and 72 is very likely an all-time mission record; but this next month we have a goal of 109 and if things continue we are going to smash that goal! We are so excited it’s ridiculous! This is the time for missionary work in Asia to explode and I get to be here for it I get to take part in this amazing work in this historic time! Ahhh, I’m just so excited you have no idea! I’m just blown away; so stoked and so blessed to be here of all places!

This week Tuun passed her interview and she is getting baptized on the 8th! and I got to do greenie switch-offs with Elder Tirrell my noong. It was a blast but kinda tough too because I had to lead everything and make a lot of decisions and plan activities because the night before over half of our investigators essentially dropped themselves. So, we currently have 5 investigators total; ahh, it was a very sad day! But, we cleared our list so the Lord can fill it with His; with the people He has prepared, so we know we just have to go find them!

The week really was great it was just way too fast. Kinda scared me a little, time needs to slow back down, but it was a great reminder that I don’t have a lot of time and that these two years really are short!

It is so sweet that you all get to be involved with the temple. Those pictures are gorgeous! What a privilege to have a temple in Calgary and to serve there. I can’t believe Mum and Dad lucked out and get to be tour guides, wow! I love the temple and I love all of you. You are in my thoughts and my prayers!

Love,

Elder Cahoon

Calgary Temple Open House Invitation 

Things That Matter Most

August 26, 2012

Area: Pak Kret

Companion: Elder Richardson

Hello to one and all!

I had a great week full of teaching and good ole hard work; and had a ton of fun! We have been pretty busy this past week and when we haven’t been busy we have found lots of ways to further the work, including; operation, reactivation, and the organizing of search and rescue! Reactivation and real growth is what Pres Senior has really been pushing for and so we are trying our best to be obedient. The plan is to use the big map we have and plot out where all the members and less-actives live and then go find the less-actives and bring them back. While we are trying to find them, find new investigators as well! It is going to be quite the adventure because addresses in Thailand don’t really exist or are horribly vague at best, so it’s like literally search and rescue; we know a large general area and we have got to go find them!

So Sis Tuun is doing way good and is going to getting interviewed again this Saturday. Quick recap, she was interviewed and didn’t pass cause she didn’t have a confirmation of truth but since then we found out that she didn’t really know that she needed to pray for an answer and pray to repent and receive forgiveness. But, this week has been amazing for receiving answers for her. We have told her over and over and over again that she needed to pray for an answer, that she needed to pray for forgiveness but, I guess we missed something and she never really put it together. This week it finally clicked and she discovered and recognized the daily spiritual experiences! She has had a ton of spiritual experiences and has read the Book of Mormon all the way through and received so many answers (her B of M is more marked up and has more tabs than mine does!) But she finally got it! She was like, “So you mean every time I read and pray and go to church and feel peaceful and happy and every time I just start crying and I don’t know why; that’s the spirit?” “YES!! That’s what we have been telling you from day one.” I learned that we can tell them all day every day and teach and preach and all the rest but until they recognize it for themselves nothing happens. Once they do recognize those moments though; Oh, what a glorious moment that is!!

Sorry I don’t have any pictures of Elder Richardson but he is absolutely stellar! We have so much in common it’s ridiculous. We like to do all the same activities and listen to the same music, watch the same movies, we’re laid back and chill, but like to work our butts off, we are working out lots in the morning too! Ah, it’s great! I love that elder soo much. We are having a blast and getting a ton of stuff done its great! He is also helping me with the language a lot; just throwing me into situations that he knows I can handle but I am not soo sure and it turns out good and my confidence builds a ton! So ya he is great; love him!

I have yet to get your email in my inbox so I am going to try sending this and see if it helps at all. I love you all very much and thank you a ton for sending Braeden’s letter it was sweet!

Oh, my gosh; just got the letters. I will admit I was starting to despair but, they were so awesome. This summer sounds like the best one on record. My goodness, just an absolute riot! Sounds like a great colour for my room. Who is in there now? I am soo glad that you guys are spending your time on things that matter most. I am starting to realize that I wasted a ton of time back home and really missed out on some great things! It makes me so happy to hear how much fun you are having. It’s weird cause I think it would make me sad or miss home, but, it’s just the opposite; it brightens my week and brings such joy! Mikaela keep praying and reading the scriptures. Go to institute, put God first and everything else will fall into place or fall out of your life cause you obvi don’t need it. Do the things that matter most. That is my message for today and it really sounds like that is exactly what you are all doing! 

That letter from Uncle Trent was soo amazing soo good it made me want to cry. I feel so happy for him. This is the best thing that could have happened for him. Wow, it just makes me feel so great. I really hope everything turns out picture perfect because the beginning is so beautiful and talk about romantic. Wow, go Trent!

Love to you all,

Elder Cahoon

Dieter F Uchtdorf - Of Things That Matter Most