Transfer to Khon Kaen in the Isan!

Khon Kaen is almost 6 hours Northeast of Bangkok.

This week I got transferred! I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm the senior companion already, I am in a biking area, I white-washed in.... it's pretty insane. The good news is I'm still alive. But I'm not going to lie, it's really hard not to feel super scared so I pray like A LOT. I wonder if my companions before ever felt like this being senior companion...

I'm in Khon Kaen, a new area in a place called the Isan! I'm really excited to work here. It's going to be tough but so great. I also have a testimony that the Lord always wants us to keep growing. Right when we are comfortable he always gives us new chances to step out of our comfort zone to accomplish more things for him. But I know that as we rely on his help we will find success--which success is becoming more Christlike.

The Khon Kaen branch attends this meetinghouse

It's been a crazy hectic start to the transfer. Normally at transfers we meet our companion at 6 am at the mission office and then go straight to our new area, but because my companion had to do some visa work the next day, we spent the whole day at the mission office. We tried to make good use of our time, but it was hard. We did some studies, taught an RC visiting from Ubon, went inviting, and then Elder Ellsworth, one of the senior missionaries, took us all out to eat at a Japanese buffet. Then we had to pack all of our suitcases and bikes into taxis and we spent the night at a hotel in Chaengwattana. The good news is that day was filled with crazy miracles, like the person driving the taxi was WAY nice and familiar with the missionaries so he was super willing to help us out with all of our stuff. And we were able to teach him a really good gospel discussion in the taxi, which never happens because I suck at Thai, so that was a miracle. And then the person who owned the place we were going to was way nice took care of us missionaries with giving us a place to put our bikes, and the next day he helped us pack everything up and get them loaded in the taxis and stuff. Plus he spoke English fluently which was a plus. (He needs to get baptized--I already referred him to the Sister missionaries in Chaeng) Then our bus ticket to Khonkaen was the perfect timing, we didn't have to waste all day and we took a really nice bus. And the elders came and met us at the bus station to help us pick up our stuff.

Now we are here in our area and I'm not gonna lie it's way hard. I honestly just don't even know what to do next, like if I think of what I should do more than 1 hour ahead my brain hurts, so I haven't been doing much of that except during our planning sessions where it's obviously necessary. Khonkaen is this HUGE province. And everyone in this province is in the boundaries of one little church. I don't even know how to explain where the church is yet... It's kind of overwhelming, I want to help our LA's come to church, but I don't know how to meet them or in general I'm not super sure how to use my time wisely. In Bangkok it was SO different. I think I just must be in shock right now at how different it is.

(To answer a question about working out...) I workout every morning at 6:30 am, and it kind of just depends on the day! In my old area we had a gym. My greenie area I did t-25 with my companion, and here I've just been doing my own ab workout so far but we are thinking about maybe doing bike-ride exploring or something to get to know the area better during workouts.

I didn't use my (double-wall super cool) waterbottle as much in Bangkok since the MTC except at the house, but I'm SO pumped to use it everywhere now that I have a bike because it's WAY hot here and the water is not super appetizing when it's warm.

Overall, I'm grateful for this opportunity to grow, and for the gospel. And I am grateful for my family. My spiritual thought this week is a focus on hope, which is a Christlike attribute that I feel like I need to strive to develop this transfer. I know that when we have the attribute of hope we are able to be positive even when things are tough or don't go right. And having a hope in Jesus Christ is believing that we will receive Eternal life. I think sometimes Satan puts in my mind that I am a failure, or I'm not cut for this work, or there is nothing I can do to help others. But this is all wrong. Having hope is to believe and recognize that we are NOT a failure. We are loving sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and he will provide.

More about Songkran, Sister Nong's Baptism

It's about 100 degrees here continually....... ! This last week I had a fun time with Songkran and also we washed a sister's house in the ward. It was fun because it was still during the Songkran Festival so anytime a car or bike passed by us we sprayed them down with our hose we were using to wash her house. :)

Also this last Sunday Sister นงค์ (Nong) was baptized! She is amazing and I have been so blessed to be a part of her conversion experience. She was so beautiful; her love for the gospel is so pure. Although I am not going to lie it was a pretty stressful time. Her grandson was NOT happy about her getting baptized. He was screaming and crying endlessly through the baptism. He almost made it into the water, dragging himself after her as he clung onto her legs. Afterwards would not let her go up to share her testimony. The good news is he's only 6 and he has still has at least two more years to learn about the importance of baptism.

The church is true!

I want to share something I studied today in Alma chapter 45 of the Book of Mormon. I just recently dove into the war chapters of the Book of Mormon, which is a whole other spiritual thought, but anyway I found a few verses tucked inside this chapter that really made me appreciate the simplicity of the gospel.

2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?
3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?
5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.
6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.

From these verses, I think of the many opportunities I've had to be interviewed by priesthood leaders. In my head I imagine that this took place in a very similar setting, notwithstanding the time difference. As I ponder about these verses, I've figured out that all of us can receive the same blessing Alma gave to Helaman in verse 8 if we too can answer ourselves in the same way Helaman did, based on the following questions:

• Do you believe in the scriptures, and in the words of the prophets?
• Do you believe that Jesus Christ lives and shall come again?
• Will you keep the commandments?

I have a testimony that if we set ourselves to respond righteously to these three questions, we will be blessed in this life and in the life to come. The gospel is simple and it is simply wonderful, too!

Love you lots and have an awesome week! :) :)

General Conference, Zone Conference, & Songkran!

Visiting a homeless shelter in our area

This week has been way special! Of course there was general conference on Saturday and Sunday. It was amazing. I think. I listened to it in Thai and got about not very much percent but I felt the spirit and it was so strong throughout all the talks. I did listen to the women's session in English and okay seriously you have to listen or read those talks at some point they are so great! I love women's session :) It may or may not be my favorite part about general conference.

At Zone Conference with my companion

In addition to that, We had interviews with the president, and he is the best president ever, after I got out of that interview I'm like way pumped to go out and keep serving. And then Wednesday was zone conference which was also awesome and I received tons of personal revelation. I also had to lead recitations for D&C 4 in Thai and nailed it! (Thanks to my Thai companion.)

Biking at the train park

Today is Songkran, which is the Thai new year. And it's pretty great because everyone wears touristy flower shirts and the whole country closes down their businesses for three days and has a giant water fight. We have to work for two of those days (with an early curfew because it can get dangerous in some places) but today we are allowed to participate. It's my first time wearing pants on the mission and I feel SO WEIRD.

Jurassic Park???

A Week of Non-Stop (a way good thing)

This past week has been literally non-stop--lots of working hard--which is a way good thing. It's also been a week of self-discovery, involving some of my strengths and weaknesses, but most of all I feel like I'm just discovering the gospel of Jesus Christ with clarity. It's so funny, being a member for so long, and still learning new things. I love it. It started with a lesson that me and my companion had the opportunity to teach an 8 and 11 year old about Jesus Christ, whom they knew nothing about. The gospel is so simple but so eye-opening, and I think I understand now when the savior commanded us to become like little children.

I STILL HAVEN'T WATCHED GENERAL CONFERENCE AND I'M LITERALLY DYING! I want to watch it SO bad. This Saturday and Sunday we'll be watching it with our ward. Then when it comes out in magazine I'll read in English whatever I didn't understand in Thai. Thank goodness for that.

It's funny how the adversary works, whenever something way great happens, he's there to try and turn it around. I've had some of the greatest moments of true happiness and peace this past week, but have also experienced afflictions to the soul as well. The greatest thing is that the peace that Jesus Christ brings trumps over all. I have a testimony of prayer now more than ever this week, and that God truly brings hope and peace when we think we can do no more.

Okay here's the great highlights:

1. We taught a group of young girls at a members house about the Godhead and prayer. My favorite part was telling them they were loving daughters of our Heavenly Father.
2. Wednesday we acted out the story of Ammon in the Book of Mormon. One of the members facebook-lived the activity and over 140 people ended up reading the Book of Mormon with us that night online :)
3. Sister นงค์ is getting baptized this upcoming week.
4. My buy-10-get-one-free punch card is all filled up so now I get a free drink at La Moon Milk!

Mugshot: evidence of rice cheeks
and also my favorite dessert here

Delicious toast we eat at La Moon Milk

More at La Moon Milk

Happy Easter!

This week was pretty crazy, ish? We met a crazy van driver who asked for my help in translating a bio of a lady he met on a dating website. They don't speak each other's language, but he says he normally uses Google translate and gets way confused. We invited him to our English class to learn how to talk to his woman and he says he wants to learn about religion too. He also rigged his van to have automatic doors.

On Sunday I was the musical program. All of our pianists were out of town and I got the special privilege to not only play the opening, closing, and special musical number one, but I got to sing in our other second musical number and play the piano during the Easter activity! Hallelujah! I almost threw up before I was so stressed out, but God helps us in every situation I have a testimony of that. :)

Also, we didn't end up watching the whole Messiah broadcast. We got there and watched the sunrise--it was a little blocked of a view but still fun. Then ate this Thai breakfast that was like really salty oatmeal with fish sauce and chili pepper. Then we had a fireside with some talks, after which we waited for the broadcast to start.

I guess they didn't realize that Handel's Messiah involved more than just the Hallelujah song. We made it about half-way through "Every valley shall be exalted" and then they turned it off and we stood and watched the Mo-Tab/people on Skype sing hallelujah. I was a little bummed because I LOVE the messiah sing along and was reminded back to when we sang it together (with my Dad). But what we did hear was great!

Feeling Overblessed

Sister Peem was baptized yesterday

Here's a fun picture of a baptism from yesterday! Her name is Sister Peem and she rocks.

Guess what I'm going to the Messiah Sing broadcast too! I think it's Saturday for us at 6:00am. We are getting up to watch the sunrise at Chaengwattana building, watching the broadcast and eating breakfast together. Kinda cool we will be at the same broadcast!

Here in Thailand it's hard to tell the time, how fast or slow things go, how much longer I have. I certainly miss my family tons but then I think back to the little sacrifice I am making--being away from my family for a short time in order to help others learn they are part of a big loving family where our God is at the head of it all.

I have also realized how appreciative I am to have been raised in the gospel, and for my parents to have been raised in the gospel as well. It truly is a miracle to have an entire family who is Christian--there is a blessing of unity I never realized until now. Growing up, and I'm sure my parents can agree, there have been little moments where, at the time, it felt like we were not on the same page at all, or even the same book. I think back to those trivial moments where I didn't agree with something my Mom or Dad said, or to that one Family Home Evening (FHE) lesson we were sure it would be the beginning of World War 3, and I think--wow I am so blessed. I am blessed to have parents who want me to follow Jesus Christ, to guide me when I begin to walk astray. I am blessed to have FHE on Mondays where our family tries to try to bond. I am SO blessed to have a family that, amidst all of our ups and downs, truly loves each other.

Sometimes I feel a little too blessed--how come there are so many good people and their family situation is so difficult? Do I truly deserve to have it so good? I feel spoiled, but I also feel motivated to work my hardest here. I hope to help others grow in the gospel in Thailand, so that one day, generations later, someone living here in Thailand will feel the same way as I do know--overblessed--because their whole family has grown up in the gospel, thanks to their great-great-great grandparents who were converted way back when.

Yesterday, we had a crazy experience! One of our recent converts has some special needs and I was never so scared at church before! We are so grateful to have members that stepped up to take care of her so that we could help our investigators. Let's just say that there was a lot of screaming and running and even body-slamming involved yesterday. Looking back, I have some funny images ingrained in my mind. The good news is, God loves all of His children, and everyone is welcome at church no matter what problems you have.

Yesterday I also had the opportunity to study in Hebrews 12:1-2. I think it's my new favorite passage in the Bible. It reads:

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I love this because right now my goal is to have more patience. There's a lot of things I wish I could be better at, things I wish I could change concerning myself. Where missionary work is concerned, I know I need to have patience with my skills as a missionary, with our investigators, and with Heavenly Father's will. I know that as I hand over my sins and am patient with God, He will take care of me to make sure things will turn out. Jesus Christ is the finisher to the things that we lack, so as we look to Him and have patience in ourselves, we will achieve success. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the light it has poured into my life, a light that has penetrated through every single dark spot of my life. I have a powerful testimony of the Atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ and because of it, death has no sting and all can truly be clean without spot. I hope you have a great Easter as you remember and appreciate the glory of our Savior!

Keep it real :)

Thoughts about the Work, Pics around Bang Khen

Sometimes as a missionary, it's hard to keep track of everyone because there's so much we are trying to do. Just go look up on YouTube "Plate Spinning". It's like that. So when members are pro-active it's an absolute miracle. I also never realized the power missionaries had in conversion. This last week I had the chance to read an article in one of the church magazines about a lady that was called to be a ward missionary. She wasn't having any success sharing the gospel with her friends, even though she had them over and taught them principles of the gospel. One day she had a spiritual prompting to include the missionaries. She invited a friend over to learn from the missionaries, and they accepted the message of the gospel. I'm not being prideful in any way when saying this, but I do believe the missionaries are set apart specifically to bring the Spirit of conversion to touch the hearts of those who are prepared. So I definitely encourage members to continue involving the missionaries as much as you can in member missionary work! The greatest thing about missionaries and members is that we're all in it together :) 

Also, learning that about my grandpa and grandma makes getting my endowments at the Seattle temple that much more special. I miss the temple! So excited for when Thailand gets one. (like in 5 years).

Sister วิ and I like food if you can't tell

Fun news: transfers are this Monday so instead of having P-day on Monday we have it today (Saturday) and on Monday it's a regular work schedule for me since me and Sister วิ aren't transferring. Anyway, here's some cool pics from this week!

our addiction to all the cheap
milkshake drinks they have here.

Thais are the most happiest people I have met. They don't even have running water and they live in a house they made themselves out of a broken down car and roof shingles leaning against a tree. They are always smiling though and they have adopted me while I'm here.

my พอ่แม่ (adopted parents)
in Thailand!

A little food vendor called Uncle Mustache has Thai-Falang food that runs for about a dollar a meal here but would be about 15 dollars in America. Quality...delicious. Although they are always out on sketchy sidewalks. Probs why it's cheap.

Uncle Mustache has
delicious, cheap food.

We cook on the floor of our apartment. It's a super Thai thing to do.

Yes that is a stove on the floor :)

Lunch is almost ready!

Treats at La Moon Milk

We go to La Moon Milk for treats so much, and every time, they take a picture to post online. So somewhere on Instagram or Facebook, I'm pretty sure we're famous. Basically just volunteer models and whatnot. In hindsight, a downright awful hair-day for me--what can I say? It's beginning to be hot season--but also we ate ส้มตำ (papaya salad) with 10 เม็ด (grains). It's kind of a big deal. My stomach still hurts a little.

Sister วิ and Sister Smith at La Moon Milk

Church on Phahon Yothin 43 Alley in Bang Khen
Fun fact: this meetinghouse has 2 stories

Google Maps street view of Church

Looking East on the street in front of the Church.

Looking West on the street in front of the Church.