The Light Breaks - Contents

How the U.S. military brought the gospel to Thailand during the war in Vietnam.
The dedication of Thailand for the preaching of the gospel by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1966.
The challenges presented to the first 6 full time missionaries to enter the country on February 2, 1968.

The conversion of Srilaksana Suntarahut came through the Book of Mormon. She was able to read the English version of the book and the first time she opened it, she was overcome with a testimony of its truthfulness.

Sister Srilaksana's father was the physician to King Vajirawut (Rama 6). Her mother was a good friend of the Queen Indrasakdi Sachi. After the King died in 1925, Sister Srilaksana and two sisters were raised by the widowed Queen in Dusit Palace. Difficult times were experienced during thedemocracy revolution of 1939 and also World War II.

This chapter deals with the history of missionary work in Thailand from 1968through October 1976 when the Book of Mormon was printed in the Thai Language. Among the topics covered are:

Learning the Thai language
Elder Benson visits (1968)
Legend of a Gold and Silver Book
The First native Thai Missionary (1969)
Building Thailand's first Chapel at Asoke (1970-1972)
A Very Dark Day (Deaths of Two Thailand Missionaries) (1971)
Elder Romney visits (1971)
The Visa Problem
A Singular Unfortunate Event - Two Elders sent to prison in Nakhon Sawan(1972)
Thailand Bangkok Mission organized (1973)
Using Music to Introduce the Gospel. The music group "Sitichon Yuk Sud Thai", which continues today with the acronym "SYS"

This chapter addresses some of the difficulties addressed in translation. Among these challenges are:

What do you do when the existing translation of the Bible into the Thai language is a poor translation
How much do you rely on a poor translation of the Bible which came from the German language?
What do you do when there are no words for God, Priesthood, Church, or paradise?
How do you translate the proper names like Nephi, Mormon and Bountiful into Thai?

This chapter discusses the work of translation during 1970 and 1971. Among the stories are:

First the church hired a professional translator, but since he knew nothing about the gospel the resulting translation was poor.
The Book of Mormon review committee, went through First Nephi three times before they were satisfied with it.
How do you translate Isaiah? Should the Thai Bible be your guide?
Growing a vocabulary of terms used in the Book of Mormon including "And it came to pass.".

This chapter tells how certain challenges were resolved, including how Sister Srilaksana found words for "prophet", "paradise" and "priesthood". It also tells of a special blessing she received after being very ill in a hospital in Bangkok. This blessing enabled her to continue on to complete the work of translation.

Reviews for correctness are performed and several special verses in the Book of Mormon are changed under the Lord's inspiration. The proper names used in the Thai Book of Mormon are reviewed one last time. The translation of the index is completed. The Church translation department holds a "readiness review" in Bangkok prior to authorizing the publication of the Thai Book of Mormon.

Working with Grung Siam Press to publish the book meant more hours of proofreading the final masters. The first footnotes are all placed at the end of each chapter. A portion of the manuscript is lost. Employees at Grung Siam come to realize the importance of the book they are publishing. Finally in October 1976 the first 3000 copies of the Thai Book of Mormon are complete. The 24th full translation of the Book of Mormon was available to 40 million citizens of Thailand.

Six years were required to translate and publish the Thai Book of Mormon. Sister Srilaksana's love of the Book of Mormon had grown and her thirst for gospel knowledge was unending. The Lord had provided for the coming forth ofthe Book of Mormon in the Thai language.

This chapter discusses significant events in the history of the Thailand Bangkok Mission since the Book of Mormon was printed in October 1976. Theepilogue also discusses the opening of missionary work in Cambodia as well as eforts in Laos and Burma. Among the topics included are:

Southeast Asia a Land of Turmoil and Strife
Thailand Slow But Steady Progress
More missionaries die in the Lord's service
The First Thai Couple Married in the Temple (1977)
A Newsletter that Created News (1991)
An Apostolic Blessing on Thailand (1992)
Creation of the Thailand Bangkok Stake (1995)
Selection of a Stake Patriarch (1995)
President Hinckley visits Thailand (2000)
Formal Church Recognition in Thailand (2002)
The Tsunami of December 26, 2004
Thailand Statistics 2005
Modern Tools Bring Greater Consistency to the Work of Translation
The Church Enters Cambodia
The Church in Burma
The Church in Laos

Text of Elder Gordon B. Hinckley's prayer of dedication in Lumpini Park in Bangkok Thailand on November 2, 1966.

List of Missionaries who helped with the translation of the Thai Book of Mormon

Names of the first 256 missionaries to serve in Thailand (arrived before July 1, 1975)

Mission Presidents with responsibility for missionary work in Thailand prior to the formation of the Thailand Bangkok Mission in 1973. All Mission Presidents from 1973-2009 including photographs with their wives.

A list of all cities opened for the preaching of the gospel in Thailand beforeOctober 1976 when the Book of Mormon was printed.