Oh my goodness,
thank you for the awesome emails and pictures! I think everyone in this
internet place probably thinks I have problems because I couldn't stop laughing
at your emails and pics! Thank you! Totally made my day!
Sounds like it
was such a fun week back at home! I can't believe the snow! Crazy! Right now
it's technically "cold" season, but it's been blazing hot and I'm
finally for realz getting a tan... in fact this morning the lady at 7-11 told me I
have brown skin (which is not pretty to Thai people... haha). So, yesterday I
asked Sister Nok if "cold" season is usually this hot and she
affirmed that cold season in the Esan is usually hotter than hot season. What??
Ahhh! haha It's okay, I still like it better than the rain!
Anyway, Dad,
the weather is definitely way hot, but we literally have not had rain for
almost 3 weeks now and that's all I really care about! As far as the language
goes, I feel like I'm improving for sure! I feel like once you get out of
training you kind of blossom a bit more I guess. Since I was the one leading
this area and I was the one who knew all the people, I have spent a lot more
time leading lessons, arranging things over the phone, etc... It's really
helped me be more confident in my language. I LOVE THAI!! I feel like I can
communicate pretty much anything I want to in lessons, and I can get my point
across in most other situations. Huge blessing! And I can understand things way
better than I used to. So, there's definitely been progress! As missionaries we
mix English and Thai all the time when we're talking to other missionaries.
Some things are just easier to say in Thai. I feel like when I come home from
the mission I am not going to make any sense... haha. Anyway, love the
language, improving slowly but surely. However, if I was to sit down and start reading Harry Potter
in Thai I would probably have no idea what's going on. I feel like I don't have
a huge vocabulary out of my everyday activities and gospel words. So, I need to
start expanding that now that I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the language
in what I have to do.
CREAM GOT
BAPTIZED! Everything went so smoothly and she was so happy! Yesterday was an
AWESOME day! On Thursday Cream had her interview and passed. On Saturday we
went to visit, teach and help her prepare her testimony that she would share.
She was so cute, she wrote it all out and practiced it for us. Anyway, on
Sunday she and her Mom, Yuwi came to church a half hour early! Cream went to
primary and had a good time. Afterwards we all had lunch and brownies (in
Cream's honor) and then we had the baptismal program. I played the piano and
gave a talk on baptism (pretty much gave the same talk that Grandpa gave at my
baptism) and a Young Woman named Drong gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.
Then Elder Chelson baptized Cream!!! After she got changed she shared her
testimony! It was such a special day and everything went so well. Everyone was
so happy!!! BEST DAY! Also, Sister Nok ordered her a fancy Book of Mormon and case
and had all of us missionaries write her a note in it. It was a perfect day!
That's
definitely the biggest news of our week!!!
So, other
things:
Our zone
is getting close to qualifying to be a stake! Basically, the goal is for
it to be a stake by February. That is way exciting, but super daunting, too.
That is going to take a ton of work, faith, and miracles. But I definitely
sense excitement from the missionaries and I’m excited to get going on this!
As far as
investigators go this week, it was a bit rough. We weren't able to hardly meet
with anyone because of working situations and other things. So, we're really
trying to evaluate where we're at, what we can best do to help our
investigators progress, and find new investigators.
This week the
universities started back up from a 3 or so week break. We are excited because
hopefully we'll be having a lot more people at English class. One day we decided to go out to Rajabat University to go
contacting. We thought since school had technically started it would be a
successful day of finding. However, it was pretty dead. But we did get some
really good coco yen! haha
Also, this week
we went out to visit Sister Cham at her rice field. We ended up teaching about
tithing and she shared an awesome testimony about her experiences with tithing.
It's always so awesome to hear the members share their testimonies. Definitely
helps mine.
Right now Elder
Chambers is in the process of turning Les Mis into a musical about missionary
work in Thailand. He's a way good writer, and the songs that he's re-written
lyrics to are way funny. He performs them for us whenever he comes up with a
new song. We're always excited for the next installment!
Also, we've
definitely been having fun with the dog laser. Still working on my aim, but
I've enjoyed trying it. Also, cats here don't fall for it at all. I try to make
cats follow the light and pounce on it, but they just sit there and act like
they're too smart for that game.
Other big news:
we bought a blender! We now have a new appliance in our room. So, we celebrated
by making homemade peanut butter and coconut banana chocolate smoothies!
Wahoo!
So, yesterday
our branch president was sick and didn't come to church. Sister Nok asked us to
go with her to go visit him (and the elders, too). I don't think our visit
really made him feel better because the elders broke his Rubiks cube and then
we got forced into sharing silly talents to make him laugh... funniest visit ever.
Pretty sure his headache reached migraine status after that! haha
Okay, listen up
Samuel and Daniel. PRACTICE THE PIANO! Because when you end up on your missions
being the best person in the branch that can play you're going to wish you
practiced! haha I'm now the official piano player and I only have like 10 hymns
that I can play well (and half of those aren't even in the Thai hymn book). So, I try to practice whenever we have an extra minute at the church! haha
Anyway, those
are the main events of the week! I love you all so much and miss you all so
much! I'm loving Mahasarakham as always and Sister Crockett's doing
great!
Thank you for
your love, support, encouragement, prayers, and entertaining emails.
Have an awesome
week!
Love you!
Love,
Liz
