Week 10:
Hello Hello. Finally in Thailand. Sorry if I didn't have very many pictures. I don't carry my camera along a lot because I don't have a camera protection bag for it. But, hopefully you'll be interested anyway.
Mon
22 hour flight (hmm..-Tina's comment)
Tues
22 hour flight
Wed
Well, that 22 hour flight was just fabulous.Probably the most miserable experience in my entire life so far. But I'm finally here in Thailand! It's hot... First of all, our group took a group photo on top of the roof of the mission office, which is the location where the temple will be built. We then visited this park where Elder Gordon B. Hinkley had a dedicatory prayer for Thailand and all of Southeast Asia. On our way back, we accidentally left Elder Dicky and Elder Nielson behind. But they found their way back, surprisingly. We then had a very tasty Thai lunch with som tam and fresh fruit. Yum... real food that isnt MTC food. On an interesting note, I found a picture of Grandma and Grandpa in this book about the history of the Church in Asia. I then went contacting and inviting for the first time where I met this lady named Jean who wanted to become a Catholic. I told her that I wasn't a Catholic, but you can still learn about Christ through our Church and in the Book of Mormon. Hopefully she does. I then had dinner at the mission home, which is a really beautiful home.
Thurs
Oops, forgot to write. Was really busy. (Come on Elder- Tina's comment...I will stop now)
Friday
So this is my first real day as a missionary. My new companion is Elder Boonmee. He's a khon Thai who has the same language origin as me, which is never learned a single thing as a kid. We share a home with Elder Feist and Elder Visser. They are all really cool and nice people. Elder Boonmee only has 7 months left on his mission now and speaks perfect Thai. I can barely understand a single thing. MTC was a joke compared to this lol. For lunch, we had this spicy shrimp and rice meal, which was a lot more spicy than I realized. The food here is much more spicy than my family makes it. Sorry Mom. I then had a practice lesson with Brother Ice, a 16 year old convert. Most of the members here in my first area, Srinakharin (southeast Bangkok), are recent converts. I then had dinner with Elder Visser and Elder Feist and their investigator, whom I don't remember the name. But we had a great time. We then went to a BoM study class, where I found out that I read like a dumb sloth compare to the others. Eh..... I really have no clue what everyone is saying, but hopefully I'll learn. I've heard that you start to understand around month 6...
Sat
Oops
Sun
Today I went to church, completely in Thai. I had to introduce myself during sacrament meeting. I had no clue in what I was saying... I blazed through all the classes, not understanding a single thing. So I've heard that this ward, starting in Dec, will be an international ward because of some thing called ASEAN, which would allow travel in all of Southeast Asia without a passport or something. Back on topic, I meet some of the members here. They were nice, I think. Couldn't really tell. One member made me say the whole Thai alphabet... But she's nice. We then went inviting for 2 hours. Couldn't really find anyone. One would think that in a Buddhist country, everyone would go out and go shopping on Sunday, but I guess not. Afterwards, we had dinner with some of the members. So here's a funny fact. Apparently, here in Thailand, Fanta is a HUGE thing. Like to the point of being worshipped, Buddhist or Christian. Buddhist believe that if you leave a bottle of Fanta at a shrine, your ancestors will drink "The Spirit of the Fanta". Christians just drink it 24/7. Man, I really hope I can start understand Thai more. I literally confused.
Well that's all for this week. On a side note, if you are interested for more spiritual stuff, I'm sorry that they weren't a lot this week. We were white-washed, which means that both me and my companion were introduce to an area new to us. And apparently, all the investigators that previous missionaries had do not want to contact us. So we are basically at a clean slate. Well hope to see you next week. I promise you that I'll have more pictures once I get a camera bag.
Here's the address to our mission office if you ever want to send packages or mail
Thailand Bangkok Mission
1645/6 New Phetchburi Road
Makkasan, Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Good day!
Hello Hello. Finally in Thailand. Sorry if I didn't have very many pictures. I don't carry my camera along a lot because I don't have a camera protection bag for it. But, hopefully you'll be interested anyway.
Mon
22 hour flight (hmm..-Tina's comment)
Tues
22 hour flight
Wed
Well, that 22 hour flight was just fabulous.Probably the most miserable experience in my entire life so far. But I'm finally here in Thailand! It's hot... First of all, our group took a group photo on top of the roof of the mission office, which is the location where the temple will be built. We then visited this park where Elder Gordon B. Hinkley had a dedicatory prayer for Thailand and all of Southeast Asia. On our way back, we accidentally left Elder Dicky and Elder Nielson behind. But they found their way back, surprisingly. We then had a very tasty Thai lunch with som tam and fresh fruit. Yum... real food that isnt MTC food. On an interesting note, I found a picture of Grandma and Grandpa in this book about the history of the Church in Asia. I then went contacting and inviting for the first time where I met this lady named Jean who wanted to become a Catholic. I told her that I wasn't a Catholic, but you can still learn about Christ through our Church and in the Book of Mormon. Hopefully she does. I then had dinner at the mission home, which is a really beautiful home.
Thurs
Oops, forgot to write. Was really busy. (Come on Elder- Tina's comment...I will stop now)
Friday
So this is my first real day as a missionary. My new companion is Elder Boonmee. He's a khon Thai who has the same language origin as me, which is never learned a single thing as a kid. We share a home with Elder Feist and Elder Visser. They are all really cool and nice people. Elder Boonmee only has 7 months left on his mission now and speaks perfect Thai. I can barely understand a single thing. MTC was a joke compared to this lol. For lunch, we had this spicy shrimp and rice meal, which was a lot more spicy than I realized. The food here is much more spicy than my family makes it. Sorry Mom. I then had a practice lesson with Brother Ice, a 16 year old convert. Most of the members here in my first area, Srinakharin (southeast Bangkok), are recent converts. I then had dinner with Elder Visser and Elder Feist and their investigator, whom I don't remember the name. But we had a great time. We then went to a BoM study class, where I found out that I read like a dumb sloth compare to the others. Eh..... I really have no clue what everyone is saying, but hopefully I'll learn. I've heard that you start to understand around month 6...
Sat
Oops
Sun
Today I went to church, completely in Thai. I had to introduce myself during sacrament meeting. I had no clue in what I was saying... I blazed through all the classes, not understanding a single thing. So I've heard that this ward, starting in Dec, will be an international ward because of some thing called ASEAN, which would allow travel in all of Southeast Asia without a passport or something. Back on topic, I meet some of the members here. They were nice, I think. Couldn't really tell. One member made me say the whole Thai alphabet... But she's nice. We then went inviting for 2 hours. Couldn't really find anyone. One would think that in a Buddhist country, everyone would go out and go shopping on Sunday, but I guess not. Afterwards, we had dinner with some of the members. So here's a funny fact. Apparently, here in Thailand, Fanta is a HUGE thing. Like to the point of being worshipped, Buddhist or Christian. Buddhist believe that if you leave a bottle of Fanta at a shrine, your ancestors will drink "The Spirit of the Fanta". Christians just drink it 24/7. Man, I really hope I can start understand Thai more. I literally confused.
Well that's all for this week. On a side note, if you are interested for more spiritual stuff, I'm sorry that they weren't a lot this week. We were white-washed, which means that both me and my companion were introduce to an area new to us. And apparently, all the investigators that previous missionaries had do not want to contact us. So we are basically at a clean slate. Well hope to see you next week. I promise you that I'll have more pictures once I get a camera bag.
Here's the address to our mission office if you ever want to send packages or mail
Thailand Bangkok Mission
1645/6 New Phetchburi Road
Makkasan, Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Good day!