Hello family!!!
So, before I
start the email, I am staying in Mahasarakham and my new companion is Sister
Crockett! I am waaaay happy with this situation! As transfers were approaching
I really was excited to stay or go. Now that I am still here, I am way excited
for this next transfer! Sister Mullen is training again in Phitsonulog (over
more in the north). And that is way cool because she and her family lived in Thailand
when she was in Jr. High for a year in Gampenghphed. The closest branch was in
Phitsonulog. So, she already knows the members in that area! So awesome. I
think she was excited! It's been great having her as a trainer. She's been so
awesome and I am sad to say good bye. But I am also super excited to work with
Sister Crockett! Sister Crockett is also in Sister Mullen's MTC group. She
trained Sister Speas. She's from Pleasant Grove and is way cute! I am already
learning so much from her. She has served only in Bangkok so she's finally
getting the Isaan experience! I think it'll be a bit of an adjustment. She's
used to busy Bangkok and faster paced missionary work. It's definitely going to
be slower going here, but I think she'll grow to love it. She's also not used
to biking. In BKK they mostly take public transportation. So I think in the
last day or two she's biked more than she has her whole mission. haha Made me
laugh. I didn't realize how infrequently BKK missionaries use their bikes.
Crazy! We hardly ever get off our bikes out here!
Since we found
out on Monday that Sister Mullen would be moving, we had our last district
meeting together on Tuesday and it was really nice. We made a huge cookie and
ate it, and then had a sort of testimony meeting. The Elders are both staying
another transfer, so it's just Sis. Mullen leaving. That night we taught
English and it was by far my favorite English lesson so far. We had about six
5-7 year olds come and they all brought their parents! The kids were under
control and were way into the lesson. They all participated really well and we
made it fun and interactive. To be honest, I don't really care for teaching
English. I'm not creative and I don't feel like I'm a good teacher. But for
some reason it was so much fun that night. I also ended up talking with one of
the moms afterward about the plan of salvation. Hopefully we'll be able to talk
tomorrow and she can become a new investigator.
We spent a lot
of Wednesday getting Sis. Mullen ready to go to Bangkok. However, we did go
teach Sis. Yuwi and Cream.We gave
Cream a baptismal date and she accepted. We also explained that in order for
her to be baptized, Sister Yuwi needs to be going to church also. They
committed to coming to church, and yesterday THEY CAME!!!! So happy! Hopefully
Sister Yuwi will become active again and her daughter will be baptized. So awesome!
Wednesday night
we went over to the Elders' to light off some lanterns together. It is harder
than it looks. The two times that I tried to get the lanterns floating they
drifted into the neighbors’ yards. I was so afraid I was going to start a fire!
Elder Chambers had to climb the fence and grab the lanterns so they wouldn't catch
anything on fire. Next month is the lantern festival. Hopefully those lanterns
were just a warm up and I'll be able to successfully set them afloat next time!
That night we
caught the bus to Bangkok around 10:30 pm and got into BKK around 5:30 am!
Thursday was
way fun because it was transfers meetings. It was soooo great to see everyone!
Apparently there weren't a lot of moves out in the Isaan, but there sure were
in other areas because there were a ton of missionaries at the transfer
meeting. The new group is pretty big. I got to talk with Sister Maughan. Way
cute! Sister Sahagan is training her. Also, Sister Phelps and Sister Tilley are
training- they are going to do so well. I love those two, they are just the
cutest and so with it.
So, after I got
Sister Crockett we headed back to Mahasarakham! Wahoo! We got in around 3 am,
so we were pretty tired on Friday. But it was a great first day together. We
found a lady named Amnuay that Sister Mullen and I contacted into last week and
Sis. C gave her a baptismal date for the 3rd of November! Awesome! Sister
Crockett is a great missionary. She's very bold, but she has a really nice way
with people. So excited to learn more from her.
I really love
leading this area. It helps me feel more confident in myself. I kind of like
being the one who has to coordinate everything, lead lessons, etc... I think
this is really going to help me grow as a missionary. And Sister Crockett is
way encouraging and so fun to work with. I'm just sooo excited about everything
right now!
I don't have a
ton to write about our investigators. With the trip to
Bangkok/packing/unpacking we didn't get to teach as much as normal. We did get
to drop in on Bia on Saturday and she is doing pretty well. However she didn't
go to church yesterday and I'm sad about that. I'm way happy about
Cream and Yuwi, and this week we'll be teaching Sister Bung. So, it
should be great!
Yesterday was
probably the weirdest Sunday I've had on my mission. It was great, but so many
weird things happened. So, we showed up with the Elders to church about 40
minutes early to welcome people. But no one ever came... haha we were so
confused. Turns out they were having a special Asia area conference that was
later in the morning. We were all getting pretty worried when 9:00 came and no
one was there! Luckily, we just hadn't gotten the memo. The conference was
broadcast to the churches and we got to hear from Elder Holland, Elder Hales,
and Sister Stephens! To be honest, I didn't catch a lot of it because it was
all in Thai, but the gist of the conference was missionary work, preparing
teens to serve missions, being member missionaries, etc... So great!
Afterwards we
went to teach Sister Min. However when we got there her Grandma put us to work
and we ended up pounding rice out of their sheaves for about an hour. haha
Great arm workout for sure!
Then we went to
teach Sister O and her hairdresser sister happened to be there. She wanted to
do my hair, and I tried to politely refuse, but she insisted and just started
to get out her hair supplies. She was way excited and asked me what color I
wanted my hair... I DO NOT want my hair dyed! haha So, I suggested a braid, and
she settled for that, but then she had to add these huge curls, too. She was
pleased and told me I look like a Barbie. She did Sis. Crockett's hair the same. Then
she painted our nails. Definitely got the royal treatment there!
As we rode away
from her house we both had these huge curls that definitely attracted
attention. It was so funny, everyone kept yelling how beautiful we were.
Anyway, we had
some really good contacting after that, and met some great potentials. Awesome
day!
So, basically,
it is going to be a great transfer here in Mahasarakham. It's so weird to think
that by the time I leave Mahasarakham I'll be getting close to my half way
point. Ahh, time is going really fast! I just love being a missionary and I
love Thailand!!!!!!
Love, Liz
