So today consisted of waking up at 6am. Driving two hours to Surin to ride elephants in the absolutely freezing weather....And feeding monkeys at a random Buddhist temple along the way. I will send more pictures in another email. But needless to say today was pretty productive. 555+
As for this week....well I can honestly say it was one of the weirdest weeks of my mission. Not that anything particularly weird or different happened, it just felt like it. Starting with Thursday we watched the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast (the first one in over a decade) which was fantastic. Then moving onto Friday morning. I slept on my neck wrong and ended up being crippled all of Friday and Saturday and a little of Sunday. I still worked, but it was like 8th grade all over again. I couldn't turn my neck to the left at all. And moving it at all would hurt. It was super weird and annoying, but got some good laughs out of it. Teaching investigators I had to turn my whole body to look at them and then turn my body all the way back to look at my companion. I actually just took the phrase "missionary robot" to a whole new level. Everything all healed pretty much now though. So that's good. Missed Dad a lot that is for sure though. 555+ I wouldn't even know where to start looking for a Chiropractor in Roi et. Within these last paralyzed few days, we did see a lot of miracles. Actually one miracle might be a product of me getting my neck hurt. The Lord works in mysterious ways. So on Friday we had a switch off with the Maha sisters. We planned that I was going to switch off with Sister Jo and Sister Yang was going to go with Sister Phosawad. But with the turn of events. I ended up studying with Sister Phosawad until 12 while Sister Yang and Sister Jo went out and worked. Because of the last minute switch Sister Yang and Jo ended up inviting at the park right by our house and met a man named B. Uan. Who has been learning with the missionaries in Khon Kaen and Asoke before he moved to Roi Et. Because Sister Yang was at the park just at the right time she was able to show him where the church was and teach him that night! He agreed to pray about baptism and whether he should get baptized on Jan. 31st. He said he would do it! Sunday he comes to church and says he got an answer...so he is getting baptized next week!!!!! Seriously. The craziest experience ever....
Miracle after miracle after miracle.....I just can't even describe to you the kind of energy that is flowing in Roi Et right now. We all love it here, and are just happy. The work is progressing so smoothly and we are working with members more closely than ever before. I just love it here!!! I don't want to leave EVER!
A scripture I am obsessed with this week is Alma's testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ in
Alma 5:48 - I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name.
His conviction inspires me. I love that idea of steadfastly believing on His name. The word for obedience in Thai is เซื่อฝั่ง which is literally the word for "believe" เซื่อ and the word "listen" ฝั่ง put together. I love that perspective on obedience. That it is more than just a passive belief but a desire to listen as well. I believe that is what Alma meant when he said that we must steadfastly believe on His name. Meaning we must be firmly fixed in our faith in Him. I know that faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power. "And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." (Moroni 7:33) Christ lives. And His power is real.
I hope all of you have a great week. Last week was 91 degrees. This week is 45 degrees. We are freezing over here!!! 555+
Love you all! Let me know if I can do anything for you! :)
We love elephants.
Me and Yang!
Our cute little freezing elephant driver man.... SO cute.
All we do is ride ride ride.....into the water (Even though its like 45 degrees outside...I don't even kidding. ITS FREEZING)
Feeding monkeys
