Sister Maisie Carrillo: Thailand/Chaengwattana week 44

Hey Fam!!

Since being in the city, my life has gotten so much faster. It's like someone hit the fast forward button on my life. I love it here though! Brother Greet, who Sister Forte has been working with the past two transfers, got baptized!! He's this cute old man that always wears a bedazzled NBA hat. He's so awesome! I got to teach him the past two weeks that I've been here, so that's been fun! We have a couple investigators that have a date for the 27th of this month. One of them is Sister Bee, she just walked into the church one day saying that she wanted to learn about Christ. That's the great thing about having a church building is people think it's pretty and want to go inside. So we have a lot of walk-in investigators. So many miracles happening in Chaengwattana! I love being here!

So being in an international ward, I have been able to translate. Which I hate doing when it's from Thai to English. But I get to translate from English to Thai for the Cambodian's in the ward. I don't know why that's so much easier, but it is! I think it's just the way my brain works now. So if any of you guys need a translation from English into Thai, I'm here! :) It's still weird to me I'm going to church in English. We went to their ward council yesterday and I was blown away by how organized and efficient it was! Anyways, we also get fed in this ward. All the white members live in Nichada, one of the most fanciest neighborhoods I've ever been to! I walk into their home and I just stare at everything because it's all so nice. And the food is so good! I forget I'm in Thailand until we walk out the gate and then I remember. It's just crazy to see how different our worlds are. Sometimes it makes me sad. There's bridges everywhere here that we cross over and at the bottom of the stairs there's always a blind person sitting there singing, waiting for someone to give them money. And then people just laying on the ground holding a cup, waiting for someone to give them money as well. It makes me sick every time I see it. Which is a lot! I feel like I'm living in Slumdog Millionaire sometimes.

So this last week we had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council), my first one! It was so weird to be there for it considering that I used to go with Sister Mamea and just wait outside. It was such a good meeting though. Such a great reflection of why I'm here. We've had a ton of training on what and how to do missionary work but this time it was about the why. I know I'm here really because I love Heavenly Father. And that's why I do what I do. Get up at 6:30, invite in the burning heat, teach even when I feel sick. President is really focusing on helping us become consecrated missionaries but doing it with the right intent. Doing these things out of love not out of duty. It's a lesson that I've learned all throughout my mission. I don't just do it because I'm told but because I love Heavenly Father and I want to live my life to please Him rather than myself. And because I love Him, I love His children as well and share these things because I know it will bring them lasting happiness. This is the missionary, member and person that I want to be.

Since it was Valentines Day, all the lessons were focused on love. The Bishop's wife gave an awesome lesson about the Plan of Salvation and how it all started with the love that God has for us. The Lord created this world for us to live and grow, to have families. I miss nature a lot, but I love to look around me, even the sky, at the beautiful things God has created. All of it is a symbolism of His love for us.

I love my Heavenly Father and I love being a missionary! I have so much to be grateful for!

Love you all! Have a great week!

ด้วยความรัก

ซ. คาร์ริโย

Heard this quote yesterday. Loved it!

"How cool is it that the same God that created mountains and oceans and galaxies looked at you and thought the world needed one of you too."