I'm Home!!

Coming home from your mission, that is a weird feeling. I didn't sleep for days because of so much packing! And then Thursday night, I decided to pull an all-nighter since we were leaving for the airport at 3 a.m. Not the smartest thing ever but I wanted to spend as much time as I could awake in Thailand since those moments would be my last. Parting from President and Sister Johnson was the weirdest feeling. And then sitting on the airplane, looking out and seeing a place that had become my home slowly disappear behind me. I couldn't believe I was actually leaving. So on my 26 hour journey, I had a lot of time to think! I was sad I was leaving, excited to see my family, in denial I was leaving, and excited to see home again. I thought about the things I'd learned, all the amazing experiences and adventures I'd had. Heavenly Father had been so good to me, taught me so many things. I promised myself and Heavenly Father that I'd never forget. Going out to see my family was one of the most exciting feelings. I actually didn't really believe that they would be there haha! But they were! And seeing my family again after 18 months was what I imagined it will be like in the next life, when we will all reunite once again. Families are forever! And it rang so true in that moment. I was a released as a missionary 3 hours after being home. I walked in with tears. The thought of not being a set apart missionary, not having my badge on was heart wrenching. The thought that it was all actually ending just made me sad. But upon being released, I didn't feel any different. It wasn't like some magic spell I was thinking it would be, and the feelings would instantly leave me. Nope. I felt the same, and I felt in my heart that the Lord had accepted my work. Now He has a new work for me to do!

We went to the Stake Center later 

that day to meet with the Stake President.

You were So sad to be released!

BBQ the next day with the family to celebrate

you being home!

Thailand/Asoke week 71...... Last Email from Thailand

Hello Family!! 

The last email home, never thought the day would come. It's been a super bittersweet week but the Lord has been blessing me so abundantly with miracles! 

We spent our Pday in Lopuri. And I just gotta say, if you want Planet of the Apes to be a real thing for you, just go to Lopuri because these monkeys rule this town. They were climbing all over us! One stole my earring and flossed it's teeth with my hair. Others were swinging on Sister Soyson's hair like vines, another bit Sister Htway (so we got to pay a visit to the doctor hahaha!) and after a while, I was kind of done. But it was a fun day trip haha. 

District เที่ยว! We went to Lopuri last Pday!

Monkeys everywhere!!

Monkeys climbing all over us, so fun!

Yeah that monkey was definitely eating my hair!

This monkey stole Sister Mags water bottle, 

unscrewed the lid and started drinking from it. 

Smart monkey!

Sister Oy. I've been working with her since I came to Asoke. She's had so many dates to be baptized but there were things that needed to be sorted out first. I absolutely love this woman though. She's been through so much. I watched her fall, pick herself up, fall again, get back up, even shed a few tears with her. She's has such a strong testimony of the atonement and it's healing power but it wasn't until she finally took the Lord's hand that she gained confidence back and her faith flourished. She called us a last Saturday saying that she was ready to be baptized finally. I got to watch her be baptized on my last Sunday, the day we had been waiting and working towards. She was so happy, and once again my heart was full to see someone I loved so much enter in the path. Such a blessing!! I testify that the atonement is real, and it works! I have watched it's power and seen it heal and cleanse the hearts of His children. 

 

Oy's husband, George, got to baptize her! 

So you know I realized that it was all worth it. Riding my bike in the searing heat, waking up at 6:30, going out to work even when I was sick, being chased by rabid dogs, talking to people even when I didn't want to talk to anyone, all the canceled appointments, skipped meals, setbacks, investigators that dropped us, rainy days or days that were hotter than hades, eating things that I didn't want to eat to make someone happy, being yelled at by crazy farangs, not being able to watch movies or listen to music. It was all worth it. And as I look back I can't even think of one bad day because in the end it always turned out to be a blessing. It was all so much fun. And I can't believe it's coming to an end. It almost feels like I'm in a movie. It's the end and we're all going our separate ways. The mountain was conquered and now I have a new adventure and mountain to climb. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much to send me to Thailand. I honestly always wondered why I came here, such a random place. But here at the end of my mission, I'm so grateful that He did. Thailand will always be apart of my heart and I don't think a day will go by that I won't think of it. This had been the greatest adventure, one that sometimes I wanted to turn back from and run. Sometimes the mountain seemed too hard to climb and I felt alone and inadequate to climb it, but one thing I've learned is that I'm not alone. Faith has been one of the gifts that God has given me and has kept me pressing forward. I have seen God's hand in everything I have done. He's been helping me all along the way. 

Words cannot express my love and adoration I have for this country and it's people. Thailand Bangkok Mission (TBM): The best mission! 

I love my Savior. I love my Heavenly Father and I love His children. I have loved being a full time missionary and servant of the Lord. Luckily now I know how to be a better servant and follower of my Savior, and I know that it will benefit me for the rest of my life. 

I will see you soon family! But until then, I still have 4 more days of work to do and I'm going to get as much out of it as I can! I'm really going to miss this.

Love you all!!!

From your loving full time missionary, 

ซิสเตอร์ ริโย

"God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go."

Elder Holland

My Thai sistas!!

One of my dreams came true on my last week! 

Got to help with the Red Cross and wear these cool vests!

Happily helping with helping hands :)

We had a baptism!!!

One of my Pakistani families,

 I'm going to miss them so much!!

This lady is making Roti. It's very fattening but very delish!

This is where I live!

Thailand/Asoke Week 70

Hey Family! 

This week was full of lot's of running, rain showers, teaching, sweating, miracles, and baptism!! Our investigator from Nigeria, Prince, got baptized! We have been teaching him for the past couple of months and he was so ready to be baptized. He's one of those investigators who's faith really touched me. I remember when we taught him the word of wisdom, he'd had a problem with drinking but as soon as we taught that it was a commandment not to drink, "ok, I will not drink again." And after that the test came when his friends tried to get him to drink. He stood firm though and refused and said he wouldn't drink it. He drinks soda instead now haha. It's been a great blessing to him and his family though. He's felt the blessings of keeping the commandments of the Lord and being obedient. It reminded me of Nephi. I hope that I can be like that as well when the Lord gives me a command. The Christensen's (one of the senior missionary couples) helped us teach him and Prince has grown to love them a lot. And he really wanted Elder Christensen to baptize him. So that was fun that they got to be there for that! Two other investigators of the other missionaries also got baptized. Such a special day! 

So this week we've had lots of referrals. One from President Johnson, one from another senior missionary couple, people that have just randomly called us asking to learn. The Lord is blessing us so abundantly. The first time I came here to Asoke, I wondered why Heavenly Father was sending me here. But I trusted in Him and knew that I didn't need to know but was excited to see what would happen. And then I got put into the international ward. Which really hasn't been the easiest to open up. Starting from scratch, it kind of seemed impossible at the beginning. I wondered if I had made a mistake in asking President to let us open up the international ward, nothing seemed to be coming from it. So we just made a goal that we would go visit a member a day. We called people like crazy, setting up appointments in advanced, traveling all over Bangkok to go and visit them. Then recently this last week, I started seeing and understanding. We visited a Pakistani member who has begun to fall away from the church, and kind of going unnoticed. We randomly just called his number in the phone, not really knowing who he was and he invited us over. He told us that no one had ever visited him at his home before. Then we visited the Nepalese family in the ward who told us missionaries hadn't been over in forever. It was so fun getting to know this family and hear their story. I left with a filled heart, understanding that this is why I'm here. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how much these people have touched my heart, but they have helped change me. I think that not only does God know that these people need love and strengthening from us but I also need them. 

Well I can tell you all that I've completely gotten over my fear of talking to people. Especially with talking to big scary white people. Thai people are a lot less intimidating. So now every time I feel the fear of talking to those white peeps, kick that aside and open my mouth. And they always turn out to be really nice. I've met a couple of crazies. But most of them are pretty normal and quite nice :) Funny looking back at the beginning of my mission how I'd rather melt away into nothing than talk to another person. Now I'm asking myself why it was so scary in the first place. Haha!! 

Really though, I have a testimony of the gospel. I have a testimony of the atonement. It changes you, it really does. It's changed me so much. I'm not perfect, but I know I'm a whole lot better than I was at the beginning of my mission. That's one of my greatest rewards. 

Something I've learned: When you're constantly going about doing good, sometimes we really just don't understand or see how much good we actually do. One little tiny act of service could mean the world to another person. And sometimes we'll never know it and that's ok, we are the hands of the Lord. 

God is great. I love my Father in Heaven. How lucky I am to be His servant. 

Love you all so much! Remember to be constantly going about doing good. If we want to see a difference in this world, we must be that difference. 

Have a great week! 

From your loving sister missionary, 

ซิสเตอร์ ริโย

Brother Prince got baptized!

We visited this cute Nepalese family and they made us 

some Nepalese food. So delish! 

Let's just say that I'm a little obsessed with curry. 

Inviting in the rain!

Visiting Sister Jeab and her son! 

Some more Bangkok for you!

Check out this giant apple from Japan.  

Almost as big as my face!

Haha we laughed forever about this picture!

 This person is all about that security!

Thailand/Asoke week 69

Hey Family! 

Well life just keeps going faster and faster. One of the things I'm most grateful for in being a missionary is that it has taught me how to love the time and take things as they are. I guess I can say that I've learned how to enjoy the journey. It's been fun reminiscing over my mission. And it's all beginning to flash before my eyes again. Glad that I still have some time left to make more memories! 

This last week was just another one of running around Bangkok with my Burmese and Khon Thai comps. We're always running around everywhere! Sister Soyson always asks me if that day, we could please not run. Haha! But we end up having to run. We were running for the train that was about to leave one day and me and Sister Htway got in. But the doors shut right in front of Sister Soyson's face. It was like slow motion and yeah, we couldn't do anything about it. Thankfully she got on the next train and we met with her at her stop! That was a really intense moment since we were running late for one of our appointments! Yeah we have lots of fun adventures. I love my two companions! I feel like they are exactly what I needed for my last transfer. They both make me laugh and not take myself too seriously. Sister Soyson has been a member her entire life (her parents were missionaries here too!) which is very rare for Thailand. She's 23 even though she looks likes she's 16. She's just super sweet, cute and smiley. Very Thai! Sister Htway is a total tomboy and likes to tease us. She's also a convert to the church, and has a family that doesn't really support her. She hasn't been able to write to her family because they don't know how to email. BUT her dad just got an email today and emailed her! I just keep looking over at her shedding tears of joy. She's so happy. Life would not be the same without these two! How lucky I am to have met so many amazing people on my mission. I wouldn't have been able to have done it this entire time without the members, missionaries, investigators, people. They have all touched my life in some way. It has been their light and their faith that they have shared with me. I have seen God's hand in my life through them. Through their example and their love. I'm so grateful. 

I don't have too much for this week. Last Thursday I made a comment about how it hadn't rained in a while and within an hour it was pouring rain. It's been pouring all week! Such a nice change from the sun and heat. I learned how to play the piano again (haven't played in forever!). I learned that ice cream doesn't last very long in Thailand, I'm lucky that English is my first language (because everyone wants to speak it), I love senior missionary couples, I love Japanese food, Pakistani food, you name it. I just can't seem to eat Thai food haha! And most importantly I've learned that miracles come in the most unexpected places. You keep on working and doing your part, and the Lord does the rest. That's grace. And I've learned about the power of one. One person can make a difference no matter how small and unnoticed they seem to the world.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi

That's been my life motto, and I hope to live up to it! If you want to see a change, do something. If you want to see something happen, something change, you have to do something. 

"You'll get what you've always gotten if you do what you've always done."

And last but not least, my testimony. I have one, and it has been something that I cherished and fallen back on when it was hard. I know for myself these things are true. I'm not here telling fairytales, I'm here proclaiming eternal truths, things that are real. 

Love you guys! Have a great week!! 

Sister Carrillo 

"I am not obedient because I am blind, I am obedient because I see." -Boyd K. Packer 

These are my companions. Aren't they cute? :)

Visiting Brother Haily and Sister Nok. 

She told us we were her daughters since she didn't have any. 

I have so many mothers in Thailand!

Elder and Sister Ellsworth took us out for Mexican food!

Yum!!

The skyscraper in Bangkok!

Twinning Tuesday :)