Dear Family,
Once again I am writing home without having received any mail. But It's okay, it's okay. I'm still alright. Life is great and candy is sweet.
Today I am in Bangbuathong. We are doing a switch offs with our zone leaders. We also had the opportunity to go bowling this morning with all of the Bangbuathong Elders and the Lopburi Elders. We will stay the night here because tomorrow is zone conference.
Right now I'm helping Elder Johnson with analyzing his options because his parents said that they will pay for his first year of school and will either buy him a low maintenance high millage nice scooter for school or a low price car. I personally would go for the low price car but it is still a decision that takes some consideration. It's a win win situation.
I've been doing a lot of studying in Preach My Gospel lately. There's something interesting that Aaron told me before I came to the MTC that I've been thinking about lately. He said that as long as your obedient and love the people then they will see the love in your eyes and you will find success in helping them (something like that right Aaron?). But I truly have seen that and believe that. I don't know how much people remember out of the lessons that we teach but I am sure that if they felt love and the spirit then they will continue to progress and our teaching was a success. Elder and Sister Peterson who come to our Branch every Sunday are such good examples of this. They can barely speak Thai. Our members can hardly say a few thoughts in English. Yet, the members love Elder and Sister Petersen so much and so easily. I can see it in their eyes. Well, since I was considering and praying about these things throughout the week when the time came for me to prepare my District meeting with the Zone leaders present I felt like I knew what subject I should talk about. So using scriptures and Preach My Gospel and some experiences I taught about love. We came out feeling uplifted. I feel really grateful for some of the feelings that the Lord has blessed me with. I think that it would be much more difficult to teach (especially with the spirit) and it would be harder to be happy If I didn't have any love for the Thai people. I certainly have a looong way to go but I am working on it. Charity and Love is one of the Christlike attributes.
So speaking of love, I love you guys. :)
Keep progressing towards Christ and His attributes! It is such a blessing to you and to everyone.
Love,
Elder Lilly
Aug 25, 2009
Aug 19, 2009
Fwd: Ayutthaya #4
Hey Family...
I'm glad Dad and Mike and JD got to go camping again. I went fishing too. But the fish I caught was one of those fishes you use to catch a bigger fish if you know what I mean.
Moves meeting was probably the largest it's ever been in Thailand. Every missionary from Thailand attended. My trainer Elder Ewing went home. There were about 14 missionaries leaving and 14 coming in. I am not yet training but Elder Gardener who was in the same group as I is. Also, Elder Young and Elder Schulti who were in the same MTC group as I are now district leaders. With the passing of hump day I made sure to set some new goals and planned for making changes that I want to see happen in the Ayutthaya Branch.
My new companions name is Elder Phanom. Another native Thailander! He is way good at teaching and he is a very faithful junior companion. He always wants me to choose where we eat. :p I feel honored to be with another Thai companion. His experience with converting from Buddhism to Christianity is invaluable. There's a lot that I can learn from him.
So, I made rice pudding twice already. I think that it's way good but my Thai companion just thinks that it is weird.
Because there's only Elder Phanom and myself in Ayutthaya and the members here are untrained in singing or playing the piano I have took it upon myself to share my experience and teach piano/singing lessons. I certainly am not that great on the piano (there's no time to practice!) but my ability to read the notes sure helps. I would like to say thanks to Grandma for lending her skills and keyboard to me before I came on my mission. Thanks Grandma!
Also in being the only English speaker here the burden has fallen upon me to teach the English class alone. :/ I'll see if I can train Elder Phanom so that he can help teach the grammar.
I think it is great that you guys are setting goals and finding missionary opportunities. The advancement of the church truly lies with the normal members more than the missionaries. We are just the teachers! You guys are the best finders out there.
There's so much that you learn while serving the lord.
It's interesting how much the Thai people notice skin color. I suppose that since everybody here has black hair and brown eyes that they look for something else other than size and shape but I would never try to describe someone from their skin color unless it really stuck out. But they do, a lot. Most Thai people are pretty shameless about telling you how things are. You can hear them calling each other fat or skinny or funny looking or whatever. And they have weighing scales next to the stores. Sometimes there'll be a group of girls weighing themselves on them. That would never go in America.
But I love the Thai people and this great experience. Sometimes I am so used to the place that I don't notice anything weird. Other times it feels so foreign. Then sometimes It just feels awesome to be here and to see more of God's creations.
I pray for you guys and think of you often. So many people just don't understand what a family can be or what marriage can be. We are way fortunate to have Mom and Dad as our exemplars. Keep on working.
Love,
Elder Lilly
I'm glad Dad and Mike and JD got to go camping again. I went fishing too. But the fish I caught was one of those fishes you use to catch a bigger fish if you know what I mean.
Moves meeting was probably the largest it's ever been in Thailand. Every missionary from Thailand attended. My trainer Elder Ewing went home. There were about 14 missionaries leaving and 14 coming in. I am not yet training but Elder Gardener who was in the same group as I is. Also, Elder Young and Elder Schulti who were in the same MTC group as I are now district leaders. With the passing of hump day I made sure to set some new goals and planned for making changes that I want to see happen in the Ayutthaya Branch.
My new companions name is Elder Phanom. Another native Thailander! He is way good at teaching and he is a very faithful junior companion. He always wants me to choose where we eat. :p I feel honored to be with another Thai companion. His experience with converting from Buddhism to Christianity is invaluable. There's a lot that I can learn from him.
So, I made rice pudding twice already. I think that it's way good but my Thai companion just thinks that it is weird.
Because there's only Elder Phanom and myself in Ayutthaya and the members here are untrained in singing or playing the piano I have took it upon myself to share my experience and teach piano/singing lessons. I certainly am not that great on the piano (there's no time to practice!) but my ability to read the notes sure helps. I would like to say thanks to Grandma for lending her skills and keyboard to me before I came on my mission. Thanks Grandma!
Also in being the only English speaker here the burden has fallen upon me to teach the English class alone. :/ I'll see if I can train Elder Phanom so that he can help teach the grammar.
I think it is great that you guys are setting goals and finding missionary opportunities. The advancement of the church truly lies with the normal members more than the missionaries. We are just the teachers! You guys are the best finders out there.
There's so much that you learn while serving the lord.
It's interesting how much the Thai people notice skin color. I suppose that since everybody here has black hair and brown eyes that they look for something else other than size and shape but I would never try to describe someone from their skin color unless it really stuck out. But they do, a lot. Most Thai people are pretty shameless about telling you how things are. You can hear them calling each other fat or skinny or funny looking or whatever. And they have weighing scales next to the stores. Sometimes there'll be a group of girls weighing themselves on them. That would never go in America.
But I love the Thai people and this great experience. Sometimes I am so used to the place that I don't notice anything weird. Other times it feels so foreign. Then sometimes It just feels awesome to be here and to see more of God's creations.
I pray for you guys and think of you often. So many people just don't understand what a family can be or what marriage can be. We are way fortunate to have Mom and Dad as our exemplars. Keep on working.
Love,
Elder Lilly
Aug 12, 2009
woot mail!
Dear family,
Yay I finally got the letters! I must say that not getting ANY mail for two weeks is no fun. I think there were two nights that week that our family crept into my dreams.
This week has been great! Our investigator Pawn set a date to get Baptised on the 6th of next month! She is excited to be clean and get the gift of the Holy Ghost. She's starting to tell all of her customers that she will be closing her Tailoring store on Sundays. She makes me laugh too because she is a women with a lot of attitude. But really she is all talk. She is a sweet lady. We also taught Id. As you might recall she was struggling with the faith of her past. I'm sure she felt like she was abandoning her ancestors by setting aside the traditions that she inherited. This week we taught her a special lesson. I felt good about this lesson in the planning process and was particularly excited to teach about it. The subject was Temples and Family History. I think that Id felt the Spirit in that lesson and she agreed to tryout obeying the Ten Commandments. AKA not worshiping images and giving offerings. If she follows through I am sure that she will get the spiritual witness that she is looking for.
So tomorrow is Moves day and surprisingly enough Elder Rovig who just came here last moves is going to be moving. That leaves me to lead the area for one more move period. I am very glad to stay. I am excited to see Pawn and hopefully many others on their Baptismal date. I hope that Pawn's conversion will help her crazy cool husband to start learning as well. One baptism should always lead to two!
Well, Happy late Birthday to Diana and Eli and Jennifer. Mikes Birthday is coming up too. Are we out of money yet? JK!! I hope Mike does something super sweet.
Thanks for all of the great letters. And happy mothers day (in Thailand).
Lots of Love!
-Elder Lilly
Yay I finally got the letters! I must say that not getting ANY mail for two weeks is no fun. I think there were two nights that week that our family crept into my dreams.
This week has been great! Our investigator Pawn set a date to get Baptised on the 6th of next month! She is excited to be clean and get the gift of the Holy Ghost. She's starting to tell all of her customers that she will be closing her Tailoring store on Sundays. She makes me laugh too because she is a women with a lot of attitude. But really she is all talk. She is a sweet lady. We also taught Id. As you might recall she was struggling with the faith of her past. I'm sure she felt like she was abandoning her ancestors by setting aside the traditions that she inherited. This week we taught her a special lesson. I felt good about this lesson in the planning process and was particularly excited to teach about it. The subject was Temples and Family History. I think that Id felt the Spirit in that lesson and she agreed to tryout obeying the Ten Commandments. AKA not worshiping images and giving offerings. If she follows through I am sure that she will get the spiritual witness that she is looking for.
So tomorrow is Moves day and surprisingly enough Elder Rovig who just came here last moves is going to be moving. That leaves me to lead the area for one more move period. I am very glad to stay. I am excited to see Pawn and hopefully many others on their Baptismal date. I hope that Pawn's conversion will help her crazy cool husband to start learning as well. One baptism should always lead to two!
Well, Happy late Birthday to Diana and Eli and Jennifer. Mikes Birthday is coming up too. Are we out of money yet? JK!! I hope Mike does something super sweet.
Thanks for all of the great letters. And happy mothers day (in Thailand).
Lots of Love!
-Elder Lilly
Aug 7, 2009
Yak dai Jotmai mak mak loey
Wane Gam!
It seems that my mailbox memory was full, or perhaps there was some other mischief involved, but I haven't gotten any mail in 2 weeks.
I am sad. I want to know how my family is doing.
Then I spent a lot of time trying to build a picture of how things are for us right now in Ayutthaya with only two Elders left when my computer was shutdown and my letter was lost. And now unfortunately I am out of time to explain anything other than I love you and I'm still alive. Elder Correa went back to Bangkok so now It's just Elder Rovig and I with a massive house and two proselyting areas to work with.
I can't wait to hear from you guys!
Love,
Elder Lilly
It seems that my mailbox memory was full, or perhaps there was some other mischief involved, but I haven't gotten any mail in 2 weeks.
I am sad. I want to know how my family is doing.
Then I spent a lot of time trying to build a picture of how things are for us right now in Ayutthaya with only two Elders left when my computer was shutdown and my letter was lost. And now unfortunately I am out of time to explain anything other than I love you and I'm still alive. Elder Correa went back to Bangkok so now It's just Elder Rovig and I with a massive house and two proselyting areas to work with.
I can't wait to hear from you guys!
Love,
Elder Lilly
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