President and Sister Senior chose to have the senior missionary "specialized" training conference to be conducted on 15 - 17 May 2014 in Khao Yai, Thailand. Khao Yai, is a popular country retreat about 2 1/2 hours north and east of Bangkok. The Thames Valley Khao Yai resort, that we spent 2-nights, takes its inspiration from the country homes found along the River Thames, which flows through southern England. The resort complex consists of 58 rooms, offering seven different room types. Our room, for 4,000 Baht per night, was superb. The resort is situated on Thanarat Road, five minutes from Khao Yai National Park.
Note: Single click on any image to enlarge.
Note: Single click on any image to enlarge.
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| This is President Senior conducting the training. The Training Agenda was as follows
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- We are first called to be missionaries, then our speciality (Family History) is second. Because of this Sister Moleff and I have invited the Sister Missionaries to have their contacts over for Family Home evening each Monday.
- Before President Senior came, the Bangkok Thailand mission was averaging 40 baptisms per month. Now, with the inspired approach outlined below, the Bangkok Mission had over 200 baptisms last month with an average of 160 baptisms/month since January 2014. The approach is now being used successfully in Poland.
The Missionaries street contact and teach repentance and baptism, with the first discussion possibly being the commandments. The doctrine being:
- D&C 11:9 Say nothing but repentance unto this generation.
- D&C 53:3 Take upon you mine ordination, even that of an elder, to preach faith and repentance and remission of sins, according to my word, and the reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands;
The principal being that all need repentance and baptism to enter into the Kingdom of God (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
The practice being, that the missionaries street contacting, will stop a person and ask, something like this, "Would you like to be forgiven of your sins?" or "Would you like to be baptized, so your sins may be forgiven?" Many, say "no" or are offended because it implied that they sin. So the missionaries move on. After 30 to 50 street contacts, 1-person will say "yes-I want my sins forgiven." One person was so taken by the Spirit, that he started street contacting along with the Missionaries and asking the same question. This approach is in direct compliance with the Doctrine of Christ; and it is, what I consider, one of the best weeding-out process to find the elect that I am familiar with; those whom the Lord has prepared to receive the Gospel and build His Kingdom before His Second coming.
The photographs below are of a lunch visit to Palio a replicated Tuscan Village
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RESORT ARE SHOWN BELOW
Front door to our room.
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Sitting Room.
I want a couch that deep in front
of my fireplace back home.
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President Senior coming up the walk.
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Breakfast Bar inside with anything a person might want. Imagine, even a Thai breakfast.
All the food was very delicious, and the presentation outstanding. |
The photographs below are of a lunch visit to Palio a replicated Tuscan Village
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Friday Night Dinner at Vino De Zanotti Italian Restaurant
No Kidding Folks, this was REAL Italian
THURSDAY MORNING OF CONFERENCE WE VISITED THE KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK
No Kidding Folks, this was REAL Italian
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THURSDAY MORNING OF CONFERENCE WE VISITED THE KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK
Khao Yai National Park is situated in the western part of the Sankamphaeng Mountain Range, at the southwestern boundary of the Khorat Plateau. The highest mountain in the area of the park is 300 m high Khao Rom.
This park lies largely in Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Khorat), but also includes parts of Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces.
The park is the third largest in Thailand. It covers an area of 300 square kilometers, including evergreen forests and grasslands. Its altitude mostly ranges from 400 to 1000 m above sea level. There are 3,000 species of plants, 320 species of birds like red junglefowl and Coral-billed Ground-cuckoo and 66 species of mammals, including Asiatic black bear, Asian elephant, gaur, gibbon, Indian sambar deer, pig-tailed macaque, Indian muntjac, dhole, and wild pig. Although evidence of tiger presence has not been recorded recently, monitoring by FREELAND Foundation in collaboration with Department of National Park rangers has discovered tigers (the Indochinese tiger subspecies) in other parts of Eastern Thailand where they were previously thought to have been completely extirpated. Its waterfalls include the 80 metre Heo Narok, and Heo Suwat made famous from the film The Beach. Namtok Sarika is popular with the Thais.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we did not see any animals. We did, however, see road signs for "BEWARE ELEPHANT CROSSING," and "BEWARE COBRA CROSSING."
ON OUR WAY TO THE HEO ( or HEAW ) NAROK WATER FALL
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Walking down 2km to the Waterfall. And yep, you're right, we had to walk up 2 km. I wonder why the walk up took longer than the walk down - same distance. Just cant figure it.
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This is the highest waterfall in Khao Yai. It cascades over three levels with the final level hurtling 80 meters into a deep abyss. At the height of the rainy season, this waterfall is a truly fearsome sight. In fact, almost every year at least one elephant loses its life after slipping into the treacherous water.
Heaw Narok (hell abyss) is on the south side of the park (in Nakon Nayok province). There is a 2km hike from the road through the jungle to the falls.
Open U-Tube Video of Waterfall
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| And now after a splendid, but tiring, morning it was FEEDING TIME! (its called LUNCH if you really want to know). |
