This week was a little weird. Sister Somboonnits been having migraines every evening for awhile. She said she used to have them every day, but not so much until now. Anyway, then she was running a temperature, and it all culminated on Tuesday, when she couldn't see out of one eye. So Wednesday we stayed in. I watched the district, and cleaned the apartment. Good times. Also, Sister Somboonnit's family visited us, not exactly legal in mission terms, but it was nice. Her older sister finished her mission the day I came in, and served in the area we are now in. So she helped us find the LA's that had been alluding us.
we also visited a wad (a Buddhist temple). It was so loud and crowded because there was a festival this week. In Thailand everyone has nicknames, so Sister Somboonnit's family is Flash, Focus, Film, and Goom (which means shrimp). Can you guess who is not a blood sister? I'll give you a hint: their name doesn't sound like a camera. Anyway, they were really nice, and I had a pretty good, lengthy conversation with Focus, Sister Somboonnit's younger sister, all in Thai! It's funny because the members in our branch all speak a little English so when I don't understand they usually just talk in English, so I don't get as much practice as would like from the members.
We are pretty sure that Phon and Rin are no longer interested in learning from us. We can take a hint. They won't pick up our calls. sigh. oh well. A, our new investigator, is so nice and willing to learn. The only thing I'm worried about is so often there are people converted to Christianity, and don't realize that this is the church with everything: pieisthood authority, prophets, Book of Mormon, etc. but we will be extra diligent in hitting that point home when we teach the restoration. Tanya didn't meet with us again this week. *humph* oh well. I love her so much! She is so nice. She always tells me I can call her if I ever need to talk with someone.
I had another hard week, but like all of them, I don't remember what happened. I really do attribute that to taking the sacrament. I feel like myself more today then I have in a long time. Like a month. Which isn't really that long of a time, except it is.
Oh dear! How could I have forgotten to tell you! We had a baptism this Sunday! My first of the mission, hopefully first of many. It was amazing. I have gone to baptisms before, but I don't think I ever really realized how special they are or how sacred the ordinance really is.
We also went to the festival! Yes, yes, I will send pictures with this email. It was a festival to honor the water god. What you do is put a flower floaty thing in the water with a candle and incense in the middle. You can also send lanterns, "Tangled" (the movie) style, in the air. Oh and fireworks were EVERYWHERE. I saw the biggest roman candle in my life, held by what looked like a 19-year-old boy, but knowing Thai people and how well I can tell their age, he was probably 30. We went with some members, and they brought us floaty things of our own. So fun! and I will be here for it next year too. hehehe.
Anyway, that's all I can think of right now. I still hate Dan Jonesing. We are required to Dan Jones two hours every day. Maybe one day I will not feel like crying afterward. Poor Sister Somboonnit wants to help me, but I really don't know how she can. But Dayday (David) gave me some good advice, so hopefully that will help. yeah.
Oh, so your Thai culture lesson ( I know you already got the festival but... oh well!) : someone once said that learning a tonal language will help you sing better. I testify that is false. Listening to Thai people sing is about the funniest thing on this planet. They cannot wrap their minds around the idea that tone and sound are different, because in Thai, they are one and the same. Sundays are the best.
Today we are going to an elephant farm! it's supposed to have the best elephant show in all of Thailand. This will be my first time seeing an elephant in Thailand.
love love love love,
Sister Barber
we also visited a wad (a Buddhist temple). It was so loud and crowded because there was a festival this week. In Thailand everyone has nicknames, so Sister Somboonnit's family is Flash, Focus, Film, and Goom (which means shrimp). Can you guess who is not a blood sister? I'll give you a hint: their name doesn't sound like a camera. Anyway, they were really nice, and I had a pretty good, lengthy conversation with Focus, Sister Somboonnit's younger sister, all in Thai! It's funny because the members in our branch all speak a little English so when I don't understand they usually just talk in English, so I don't get as much practice as would like from the members.
We are pretty sure that Phon and Rin are no longer interested in learning from us. We can take a hint. They won't pick up our calls. sigh. oh well. A, our new investigator, is so nice and willing to learn. The only thing I'm worried about is so often there are people converted to Christianity, and don't realize that this is the church with everything: pieisthood authority, prophets, Book of Mormon, etc. but we will be extra diligent in hitting that point home when we teach the restoration. Tanya didn't meet with us again this week. *humph* oh well. I love her so much! She is so nice. She always tells me I can call her if I ever need to talk with someone.
I had another hard week, but like all of them, I don't remember what happened. I really do attribute that to taking the sacrament. I feel like myself more today then I have in a long time. Like a month. Which isn't really that long of a time, except it is.
Oh dear! How could I have forgotten to tell you! We had a baptism this Sunday! My first of the mission, hopefully first of many. It was amazing. I have gone to baptisms before, but I don't think I ever really realized how special they are or how sacred the ordinance really is.
We also went to the festival! Yes, yes, I will send pictures with this email. It was a festival to honor the water god. What you do is put a flower floaty thing in the water with a candle and incense in the middle. You can also send lanterns, "Tangled" (the movie) style, in the air. Oh and fireworks were EVERYWHERE. I saw the biggest roman candle in my life, held by what looked like a 19-year-old boy, but knowing Thai people and how well I can tell their age, he was probably 30. We went with some members, and they brought us floaty things of our own. So fun! and I will be here for it next year too. hehehe.
Anyway, that's all I can think of right now. I still hate Dan Jonesing. We are required to Dan Jones two hours every day. Maybe one day I will not feel like crying afterward. Poor Sister Somboonnit wants to help me, but I really don't know how she can. But Dayday (David) gave me some good advice, so hopefully that will help. yeah.
Oh, so your Thai culture lesson ( I know you already got the festival but... oh well!) : someone once said that learning a tonal language will help you sing better. I testify that is false. Listening to Thai people sing is about the funniest thing on this planet. They cannot wrap their minds around the idea that tone and sound are different, because in Thai, they are one and the same. Sundays are the best.
Today we are going to an elephant farm! it's supposed to have the best elephant show in all of Thailand. This will be my first time seeing an elephant in Thailand.
love love love love,
Sister Barber