So yeah. Transfers are this Thursday. We will probably know on Tuesday if we are moving or not...so yeah. I guess I'll let you know next week where I am. There is like a 50-50 shot I'll stay in Chiang Mai. Many people are only in an area for two transfers (that's me) but it is also possible to stay a third transfer. My companion is most likely leaving (she's been here for three transfers). So options: Sister Ng and I both stay (99.999999% sure this is not happening); Sister Ng stays and I leave (5% chance of this happening); Sister Ng leaves and I stay (50%); Sister Ng and I both leave (50%). Yes I know. The numbers don't add up exactly. It's the overall moral of the story that counts. :)
No matter what happens, every Sister has to attend a meeting in Bangkok on Friday so every Sister is going to go down for transfers as well. We'll leave Wednesday night, get to Bangkok Thursday morning. Then we stay with other Sisters in Bangkok until all the meetings are done. The Sisters going back to Chiang Mai will leave Friday night and get back home Saturdaymorning.
As for myself, this is my prediction: I stay in the North for one more transfer. My first transfers were in Bangkok. Then I went to the North. I think I'll stay North one more transfer (be in Chiang Mai or another area) and then finish up my mission in the Essan (the east). I only have four transfers left. Eek! I prefer saying I have 8 months left. It sounds longer than 4 transfers.
So the weather. I am soooooo sorry about the weather in New Jersey. All last week (when I didn't tell you about the weather) it was in the high 90s. This past week was about the same or in the low 90s. Next month starts hot season here in Thailand (April is the hottest month of the year).
So news on Sister Slaugh's health: it's all getting better. My knee is completely covered with skin! Yay :) Thank you so much for the prayers. It's still pinkish but that's okay. I can finally walk up and down the stairs in our house (instead of limping) and showering has not been painful for the last two weeks. I still can't kneel or bend my knee too much. Still no biking. We walk everywhere or take the redtrucks. I will send pictures this week. Last week it didn't happen because the computer timed out. Sorry. :) Thank you so much for the prayers. There were a couple of instances where I had to ignore the pain in my leg so we could work - like running to a members house because of an emergency - and God helped every time. When I was running, my knee didn't hurt at all. It hurt afterwards but during the emergency, it didn't hurt. Also my knee hasn't while contacting so thank you again for the prayers.
I'm almost completely over my cold too. Like 99% over.
Let's see. What happened this week?
Mike hasn't been able to learn with us this week because he had to get ready for some Buddhist holiday last Friday (Valentine's Day). But he comes to English class and always makes sure to come say hi to us.
May is interviewing today for her new job. We are praying she gets it so she can get baptized this upcoming Sunday.
(Sidenote: Thank you soooooo much for driving Marie around! (Marie is an investigator in our home ward. Mom drove her to and from church last Sunday.) Life for a missionary is so much less stressful when members get involved. And investigators are so much more likely to get baptized when they have fellowshippers at church. So thank you sooo much!)
Monday we dressed up like hill tribe people. AND I bought Thai (bright pink) silk. Can anyone say Thai dress? I also bought white silk. I may be copying Lorri's idea. I'm excited! :)
Tuesday was the usual stuff. The english program is changing...again. Tuesday morning we taught Wii about Temples and Family History work. She was sooo excited. Whenever we mention temples, she always brings up the fact that we can do temple work for our ancestors. She loves that so much. Isn't it amazing? Everyone who did not get an opportunity in this life to accept the gospel will have an opportunity in the Spirit World.
Wednesday we taught May, Wii, Ry (member), and Rich. We've asked Rich many times why he wants to learn and he always says that he wants to learn from people who know the truth. That's great. But. He doesn't do anything with that knowledge that we give him. He still hasn't prayed on his own. What's the use of knowledge if you never use it? What's the point of learning if you never apply the knowledge? All the knowledge in the world will never help you with anything unless you apply it.
Thursday: Usual stuff. We also taught Bob this day. Receiving revelation in a lesson is always excited but also very scary. Bob is another investigator that wants to know the truth but has yet to do anything with said truth. I felt very strongly to promise him that he would receive an answer to his prayers when he came to church. This was a scary thing to promise because Bob is positive he can't come to church. Positive. He runs a restaurant and he can't leave. But I knew that God has never lied and so when He said that He would prepare a way for us to keep every commandment, I believe Him. Somehow, Heavenly Father has a way for Bob to be able to come to church. I don't know how but God knows. When Bob shows enough faith to come, God will prepare a way. I realize that promises from heaven test the faith of both the investigator and the missionary. Does the investigator have enough faith to apply the promise? But also, does the missionary have enough faith to make the promise? As soon as I felt to make the promise, I felt fear and doubt as well. What if God doesn't keep THIS promise? What if it doesn't work? What if the investigator never receives an answer? But we have to have faith in Heavenly Father that He does not lie. He and Jesus Christ created everything so why couldn't They provide a way for miracles to occur. Just gotta have a little faith. :)
Friday: Valentine's Day. Happy birthday J...I mean Elder McCleary! =D So a Buddhist holiday fell on Valentine's Day this year so basically everyone had off. Let me tell you, I was so concerned at first before I learned about the Buddhist holiday. At first I thought everyone had off because of Valentine's Day. It was very surprising. Then I learned about the Buddhist holiday and everything made a lot more sense. The two branches of Chiang Mai had a sports day together. It was soooo much fun! And May came for the whole time so now she knows a lot of members. Yay! :) Chiang Mai really feels like family. Sister Dow is mom. Brother Ching is dad. Tuu, Tua, Ford, Benz, Ote, Pim, and Off are like brothers. Far, Ariel, First, the other people whose names I can't remember, and May are like sisters. President Bird is like a older brother (Lorri's age) or an uncle. There's a food place here run by an older lady that acts like our Grandma. Art (who runs the bike repair place) is like an uncle or brother. But anyway, the branch event was super fun. One section was "exercising the mind" - math games/brain teasers. I was happy to use math. I have missed it. :) Oh! Fun fact. The way to say calculus in Thai is also how you say gallstone and to frown. I thought you all would like that. :) Niw with a rising tone.
Saturday. Lots of inviting time and teaching time. I feel like investigators come in waves. You meet a lot at once and while you are teaching them, it's hard to meet new people. And then you have this time period where your amazing investigators are all baptized and you are struggling to meet new people. There must be a way to just have a constant flow of people but I haven't mastered that yet. Haha :) On the bright side, all the amazing people got baptized. That's always nice. :)
Sunday. A farang investigator came to church today. Well, he's not really an investigator, just someone we met. He's from England and is Protestant. He couldn't find any other church and so was so happy when he found us. He really liked church and stayed for all three hours and then another hour to eat lunch with the members. We gave him a Book of Mormon (in English) and told him how to find a church in China or in England (the two places where he lives).
Oh! Sidenote. I am terrified to go home. Why? Two reasons. One, it seems like winters in New Jersey are just getting worse. Two, I can't handle being with farangs. I know this sounds terrible but hear me out. Two Mondays ago we went to the Tiger Kingdom. When I first got to Chiang Mai I was shocked at the number of tourists. Eventually I got used to it. Then when we went to Tiger Kingdom, the only Asians were the workers. It was very very very alarming.
Um...I cannot remember anything else that happen this week. So... I'll attach some photos and yeah. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. I LOVE YOU MUCH!!!! =D
No comments:
Post a Comment