Week 1 - first pday, yeah!
8:47 PMDISCLAIMER THIS EMAIL IS PROBABLY CONFUSING! I
ONLY GET AN HOUR! AND I JUMP FROM STORY TO STORY!!! This week has been sooo
crazy; every week has its ups and downs. I was sad to say bye but I felt better
once I was with my host companion! I oddly have 3 companions! I was
originally put in a trio with Sister Loftus (going to Cambodia) and Sister
Rydalch (going to Washington Khmer speaking) love them!!! And then a Sister who
is going to Thailand who had visa problem so I'm with her as well. So I’m in a
trio during class and with Sister Mon the rest of the time. The schedule here
is crazy; it is packed!!! There is not
enough time in the day to get everything done!!!! I went straight to language
class the first day and our teacher speaks no English!!!!!! It’s crazy the
language is incredibly hard! I'll spend like 3 minutes on one word and forget
it 3 secs later grrrr. But I really enjoy it. I can’t really type the words for
you but I’ll write a letter sometime... if there is time. We gave our first
discussion to an "investigator" on Friday it was
okay, the language barrier is rough (I only used two words of English so that
was good; it just took a while to look up words we hadn't planned on saying)
but we got our message across. The second lesson... was rough for me!!!! I
depended too much on the pamphlets and when I discussed the material with
her she didn't understand it and it’s hard because I only had a day’s worth of
vocab to try and explain things. It was pretty frustrating. I was feeling
pretty down so I decided to read Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision
since it’s so powerful. I was able to learn a lot! I looked at the different
religious sects as contradicting thoughts in my head and the passage of scripture
as my feelings. I thought about how I was "alone" and how it’s time
to really just turn to God. I realized that this situation applies not only to
myself but to our investigator. Boon Sokah has contradicting thoughts in her
head too. "Is God real or is he not
real?" "Is the church
good?" etc. and she has feelings "does this feeling mean this or
this?" And is she is in a sense "alone". Even as missionaries in
a sense we can’t really "help her" we don't know her thoughts and
desires completely. Our job, however; is to help bring her to Christ because
that is who can help her! It was a good
lesson to learn. Sunday has been the best day yet!!!! So on Saturday the Zone
leaders asked me if I could say the closing prayer in sacrament. So I figured I
wouldn't have to give a talk. (Don’t worry I prepared one anyways (they pick
who speaks after we take the sacrament) But, I had the thought Sunday morning if someone needs to hear what
I came up with God will make it happen! and it did! I was the first new missionary
to give a sacrament talk! It was on the Atonement. I felt the spirit as I gave
my talk that God is patient and encouraging. He wants us to come unto Christ so
we can be perfected. I’ll send my talk to you later. I don't have time to type
it up today. The highlight of my Sunday though
was a miracle I witnessed with Sister Mon. She is amazing! She’s from Burma and
didn't know English or Thai and she learned both in 9 weeks!!! She has
incredible faith! Anyways she actually
flew to Thailand but was sent back because of a visa problem. In the process
she lost all of her luggage.
She was so sad I prayed with her and her Thai district fasted
for her and her luggage include her small luggage (which had no tracking #)
made it back safely to the MTC. We both cried when we saw it in the
office. The spirit was so strong and it
was a tender moment. God answers prayers! Anyways I got to run soon! Jack!! I
hope you get well soon and remember this moment for the rest of your life. GOD
DOES HAVE A PURPOSE FOR YOU! OTHERS NEED YOU IN THIS LIFE TOO!!! I love
you so much and I am glad you're safe! Thanks for the packages Mom they are
great I’ve been sharing with my district! Tell the FAM to write me I miss
them!!! I don’t have time to up load pics this week. Missionaries with IPad
have no idea how nice that is........ , oh well. BTW I saw all of my friends I
wanted too, and got a pic with Calvin. I got a little homesick when I realized
I could hug him. I miss hugs.... anyways don’t worry about me I’m fine!!!
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