My week was really good. I actually don't remember a thing that
really happened..... It went by way fast. Oh well, I'll try and remember for
you guys! Tuesday we switched off with the STL's and they came to
Lampang. It was fun, I got to switch off with Sister
Ong this time. It was fun! I always get nervous for switch offs because
you get so used to just being with your companion all the time, but it's
always fun! Sister Miaw (the 22 year old) got her baptismal interview
on Tuesday as well and it was decided that
next week will be better for her to get baptized. So her and the other
Sister Miaw (brother Santi's wife) are getting baptized this Sunday! We
want their kids to get baptized with their mom so we're really going to
work on that this week. We got lots of blessings
last week! We were meeting with new investigators and they would bring
their friends that were interested as well. It was awesome! We're
finally starting to see things happen! While we were contacting at the
park on Tuesday night I met a guy from the Philippines,
I totally thought he was a khon Thai. I went up to him and starting
speaking to him in Thai and he was like, "Sorry, I don't speak Thai."
And I was like, "Oh awesome! Do you want to go to church?" Apparently he
has cousins that are LDS because you know, the
church is really big in the Philippines. So he was super open to meeting
with us. Right before we taught the lesson he was asking us all these
questions about why all other churches are so different from one
another. Which was perfect because we were about
to teach the restoration. It was a good lesson, me and Sister Rem are
getting better at teaching in English. Not so awkward anymore! He really
liked it though, he came to church on Sunday too and Sister Rem made me
translate for him. I'm a horrible translator!
I couldn't keep up with the speaker so I kind of just started saying
stuff that I kind of thought they were saying. Probably not good! He
said he liked it though, so I guess that's all that matters! Anyways,
I've thought about it lately about how success as
a missionary is so much different than I thought it would be or than I
realized. I think I thought it's just all about baptisms but I think of
it so differently now. I don't really count success in how many people I
baptize but more in the way I touch others
life. I try to leave everyone with my testimony and if they choose to
reject what we're offering, at least they have that and maybe someday it
will touch them. If I helped a member, if I smiled at someone that
looked sad, if I succeeded in noticing the blessings
the Lord gave me that day, I find that as a success. Success isn't
always the big things we do in life. It's also in the small things that
we do that make up the big things.
Anyways! So my birthday. It was a good day! I made myself wait
until my birthday to open up my package. So when the alarm went off that
morning, that was the first thing I did! It was amazing how much stuff
you smashed in there Mom! I loved everything,
but I think my favorite thing was the notebook you sent me that everyone
wrote in. That was my absolute favorite! For my birthday lunch, I chose
to eat somtam of course. The rest of the day we invited! Sister Wadsana
was super excited for my birthday, she's
been talking about it for the past month (I think mainly because she
really wanted to eat pizza). The elders, Brother Bob, Sister Noy and
Sister Wadsana all went to eat at Long Jim's, the most delish pizza
ever! Brother Ford bought me a cake, so we took that
with us too and everyone sang to me super loud. I'm super awkward when
people sing Happy Birthday to me! It was a good day though! I had lots
of people that made it really special and really fun! I'm glad I got to
spend it with Sister Rem too! We got to spend
our birthdays with each other!
Happy 20th birthday to me!!
I couldn't think of anything I could be doing better to
start off my 20's other than being a missionary!
Lampang is great! We have two more weeks
until we get the call which is so crazy, that means two transfers have
already gone by. I'm hoping that I'll stay but I'll honestly go wherever
President sends me. The weather in Lampang
has been super nice but it's so humid it makes me sick! I got really
sick on Thursday from it. Bleh. But unless you're throwing your guts up,
you still work on the sick days. Like I said, Satan never stops and
neither do we! Poor Sister Rem though, she had
to drag me everywhere because I was so slow. And Sister Wadsana was
dying over it, she said none of our investigators were showing up
because Heavenly Father wanted me to go home and sleep. She's so funny!
She literally is like our third companion. She's helps
us all the time with investigators and members. Whenever a new
investigator comes to church we tell her to go befriend them and make
sure they don't leave. And she does! She's also trying to learn English
which is just so funny on it's own because she just
speaks Thai-glish all the time.
I truly am grateful to be a missionary. There are so many things
that I have realized on my mission of who I want to be . What I wanted
before is so different than what I want now or think is important. I've
realized how much God truly does love all of
us. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk in the conference from last
October (Living the Gospel Joyful) where he talked about God's love for
us. How He loves us even when we slip up sometimes. He loves because we
try to reach out to others and He sees us trying
to be better. And even when others or even ourselves don't acknowledge
our successes, He does. No matter how dark or lonely life gets, He is
with us and He loves us. I'm so grateful for that knowledge because I
know that with God on my side, there is nothing
that I can't overcome. Being on my mission has made me realize how great
God truly is. And it's made me realize how homesick I am for the home
that I don't even remember. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior.
What a great day that will be when we are all
united together and will experience a happiness that will know no end.
I'm excited for that day and I'm determined to get there!
Love you guys, take care!!
ซ. คาร์ริโย
Brother Kit took us to this famous wat here in Lampang.
I have no idea what its called, but there were a ton of people there.
People walk around this huge black building and the say Buddhist prayers.
Going to wats always makes me sad. Its weird watching people worshiping these things.
Got to switch-off with Sister Ong!
It was a fun day!
Inviting at our favorite market.
It's my favorite part of Lampang!
Buddhist Trees
The Streets of Thailand
I neglected to send pictures of our house...
This is our living room study room (I'm standing at the front door)
The bathroom! This house is really small,
but I really like where it's at, so its ok!
Our Kitchen!
The Freakiest bug I've ever seen! Me and Sister Lor
were so freaked out by it (she was over for a switch-off)
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