A Week of Sub-Headings
November 28th, 2017
6 months, 1st week
Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai District
samuel.montague
Finding Joy
I had a really cool experience last Pday after reading Finding Joy in the Journey by Thomas S. Monson and watching a few videos. This extended to Tuesday in District meeting where we discussed the talk. It was just a change of heart and perspective shift for me on things that bother me and my struggles to something greater. Focus on love for the people and my happiness along the way. It was super cool.
For our advanced English class, our activity was to have them haggle and barter random things to "attend" English Class. There responses were so hilarious. "Oh you're so handsome, will you lower the price for me?", "My father is in the hospital with cancer. Buy these for more so I can pay for him", "New from Korea! Come get some!". Just their tone and rhythm in talking made it so hilarious - they were even laughing as they tried to come up with new approaches.
Stranger Things
So you know how I said we are getting phones? Well we ordered them last Pday. Except they called and told us our district had to go get them ourselves. So I went phone shopping, in Thailand, as a missionary. Besides being stressful because we couldn't really understand the information and there were literally over a dozen phone stores, it was a check off a bucket list item. Of course until this point it wasn't really in the bucket list.... After we went and taught one of our awesome investigators that'll definitely get baptized. She owns an Isan food ร้าน and every time we visit her she gives us so much free food. So I ended up eating (amongst regular food) a fish eye and some flowers. Weird, but not too bad. Then the highlight of the day: GUITAR GOT BAPTIZED. It was GLORIOUS.
50 km for Free Food
So on Friday after visiting an investigator way north of us, and failing to acquire transportation, we biked. And biked and biked (like the pioneer children who walked!). Luckily it wasn't too hot, but it was far. It was for a good cause though- celebrating Thanksgiving properly at the Barlow's, our resident senior couple. They loaded us up with food! Then, because we didn't officially purchase the phones and because the sisters needed help, we all went back to the mall and completed our phone shopping. #stress
Cute n' triggered
Sunday was the branch's primary program! The primary is about 1/2 English speakers 1/2 Thai, so that was a fun little blend (especially during songs when they sang both languages simultaneously). We had several investigators come, and they all adored it! Unfortunately, Guitar and his family came late, so he was unable to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and be confirmed a member. They live far away and the mom got in a tiff with her Less Active daughter, after trying to take her daughter's daughter to church (she's 2 and had come last week and loved it). The LA daughter refused. It's sad to me when people are so close and all they need to do is take that one little step to greater happiness.
Switcheroo
Switch off with Elder Hoopes again! This time however, we had a plan! I planned the full day out and led the area and discussions. It was my chance to be the senior companion in a protective way for a day. I really enjoyed and it was a great learning experience as it helped me identify where I can improve. Elder Hoopes was such a great example and we both learned a ton from each other. One of the hallmarks of when we taught and when appointments fell through is to listen and follow the spirit. Many of our lessons took completely different directions than what we had planned that morning. Also, very tragically, we taught 3 or 4 lessons to people that were just completely shut to the lesson. They were amazing lessons, and the Spirit was definitely there in abundance. They just wouldn't accept it. It was sad but a learning experience for me as well. Sometimes it's hard for me to wrap my head around when the Spirit is present and I know they feel it that they don't embrace it more.
Machetes and Dropped Mouths
We started our Tuesday with a service project at an elderly member's house. There was basically a small field/ yard area filled with grass, weeds, and small trees. Our task was to take it all out with a caveat- we only had hand held and hand powered tools, aka different versions of a machete. There were the regular short sword ones, I was wielding a machete attached to a pole, curved machete, and pronged machete on a pole. Doing service is always great and we feel of the Spirit but doing so with a machete - well no sure how it can get any better.
After we finished, they fed us some excellent food, then we had district meeting. English class was a fun Jeopardy review game, except our class was 15 people (we started the transfer with like 4 in the room), and most of them haven't been to every class. But we still pressed forward and it was so much fun! Right before English we received transfer calls. I am staying! But my companion is not- he is going to North Bangkok as a Zone Leader. I joked that some people train greenies, but I train Zone Leaders (my last companion went ZL, and I'm sure my first will go soon as well).
The Now
Today is going to be about getting affairs in order. We'll be emailing, printing pictures, packing, and meeting with a few people (our RS president is taking us and the sisters to lunch, and we are visiting one of our investigators that has set a baptismal date). Then busing down to Bangkok! A mediocre conclusion to an amazing transfer!
P.S. Go read that talk!
เอ็ลเดอร์ มอนทากิว
Elder Montague
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