The lastest from the Risers

DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,



PRESIDENT AND SISTER SMITH FLEW BACK TO BANGKOK MONDAY NIGHT. NOW WE WILL TRY AND PUT INTO PRACTICE ALL HIS ADVICE, COUNCIL, AND DIRECTION. OF COURSE, THERE IS OPPOSITION IN ALL THINGS. SO, THIS WEEK, JUST LIKE LAST WEEK AND THE COMING WEEKS, WE JUST KEEP ON TRYING “COME WHAT MAY.”

AN EXAMPLE: THIS PAST TUESDAY WE WERE PLANNING TO GO TO THE TEACHERS’ COLLEGE AND GET THINGS SET UP TO START TEACHING THERE THIS WEEK. IT NEVER HAPPENED, AND THINGS ARE ON HOLD UNTIL SOMEBODY TALKS TO SOMEBODY. AND, OF COURSE, THE EXCUSE IS THAT SOMEBODY IS BUSY.

ON WEDNESDAY WE MADE PROGRESS ON THE NEONATAL PROJECT WITH DR. BOUNNACK. WE HAVE A SHIPMENT COMING WITH SUPPLIES FOR OUR NOVEMBER TRAINING HERE IN VIENTIANE. WE WILL ALSO GO SOUTH TO CHAMPASACK. WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF MANY OF THE DISTRICT HOSPITALS AND THE HEALTH CENTERS.

THURSDAY WE WENT TO TWO OF OUR FORMER STUDENT’S SCHOOLS AND HELPED PUT UP PRACTICE BOARDS. THIS IS A VERY INEXPENSIVE PROJECT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO GOOD AND MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SATURDAY WE WENT TO NONG KHAI, THAILAND, TO PICK UP A USED AIR CONDITIONER FROM A CHAPEL IN BANGKOK AND BROUGHT IT TO OUR CHURCH.. IT WILL BE WELL USED IN OUR NURSERY ROOM. THAT AFTERNOON WE HEARD A FIRE ENGINE NEAR BY AND SAW SOME SMOKE, SO WE VENTURED OUT. WE FOUND THE FIRE ENGINE FILLING UP WITH WATER FROM A FIRE HYDRANT. WE WALKED TOWARDS THE SMOKE. WE CAME UPON THE FIRE IN WHICH WAS FIVE HOMES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. WE HAVE PICTURES. ALL NIGHT LONG I WAS THINKING OF HOW WE COULD HELP THESE PEOPLE. WE’LL SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH.

TODAY WAS ANOTHER GREAT DAY AT CHURCH. WE LOVE TO BE WITH THE MEMBERS. WE ARE WORKING AT CHANGING OUR HOME TEACHING PROGRAM. WE WILL STILL PASS OUT THE LIAHONA’S. PRESIDENT SMITH SUGGESTED THAT WE FOLLOW THE METHOD THAT THEY ARE DOING IN HONG KONG. AFTER CHURCH FOR ABOUT TWENTY TO THIRTY MINUTES THE BRANCH DIVIDES UP INTO HOME TEACHING FAMILIES OR DISTRICTS. EACH HAS A ROOM TO GO TO. THE ASSIGNED HOME TEACHERS COME IN TO THE ROOM AND GIVE A SHORT LESSON FROM THE LIAHONA’S FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE, DISCUSS THE WELFARE OF THE MEMBERS, AND CLOSE WITH PRAYER. THE HOME TEACHERS THEN REPORT AND EVERYONE HEADS HOME. WE HOPE TO START THIS ON FAST SUNDAY IN OCTOBER. HONG KONG IS UNDER SOME OF THE SAME RESTRICTIONS WE ARE.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK--------IN ALMA 5:33 IT SAYS, “BEHOLD, HE SENDETH AN INVITATION UNTO ALL MEN, FOR THE ARMS OF MERCY ARE EXTENDED TOWARDS THEM, AND HE SAITH, REPENT, AND I WILL RECIEVE YOU.” THAT INVITATION IS TO EACH OF US---ALL MEANS ALL. THE INVITATION HAS BEEN GIVEN. WILL YOU (WE) ACCEPT IT?



LOVE,

DAD AND MOM, GRANDPA AND GRANDMA,

ELDER AND SISTER RISER, SCOTT AND JOLENE