1. Baptism!
2. Celebrating my 6-month mark with ice cream :)
So...we're on transfer week again! hopefully we'll get a call sooner than later to avoid some of the chaos that was last transfer...but frankly I think it'll be just as chaotic as it always is. I love the culture of this mission and the missionaries...I know Heavenly Father wanted me here, in this mission, with the people I've had a chance to serve with.
So. I've been sick for about two months now. This is a bad thing. But through a lot of the pain and sickness I've had to deal with, I've been able to see the Lord's hand in my life, and I've experience so many acts of selflessness and kindness. I went on a switchoff to Bangkhen last Wednesday with Sister Downs, whom I adore. It was a super fun day, but I was in so much pain that I had to lay on a makeshift-bed for almost three hours at the church building because I was dizzy and nauseous and in pain. And Elder Hill, along with Elder Bush, my nong, bought me food and refused to accept me paying them back. And then they visited with me when they could have been running around contacting like every missionary usually does in this mission. They chose to spend their dinner hour talking to me and helping me get my focus off the pain. These Elders have already fulfilled their challenge to serve others like the Savior, and I am so touched and grateful for the missionaries in this mission. I believe it was President Thomas S. Monson who said that we will never be able to measure or estimate our ability to do good
Tuesday was Zone Conference! We went caroling at the BTS (Bangkok Transit Service...or something like that) station...which is Thailand's hi-so fancy equivalent of the el train in Chicago...we had people taking pictures and videos of us left and right. I imagine we made quite a stir, but more than that, I hope we brought some of the Spirit with us and that that spirit stayed in the hearts of those who heard us.
At Zone Conference, President Senior shared with us one of their family Christmas traditions: they take Matthew 25: 34-40: "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." And then they cut up the phrases and stick them in a bag and every person in the family takes a slip of paper and that's their Christmas challenge to be like the Savior, to feed the hungry or visit the sick. And President extended that challenge to all of us this season.
At Zone Conference, President Senior shared with us one of their family Christmas traditions: they take Matthew 25: 34-40: "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." And then they cut up the phrases and stick them in a bag and every person in the family takes a slip of paper and that's their Christmas challenge to be like the Savior, to feed the hungry or visit the sick. And President extended that challenge to all of us this season.
So. I've been sick for about two months now. This is a bad thing. But through a lot of the pain and sickness I've had to deal with, I've been able to see the Lord's hand in my life, and I've experience so many acts of selflessness and kindness. I went on a switchoff to Bangkhen last Wednesday with Sister Downs, whom I adore. It was a super fun day, but I was in so much pain that I had to lay on a makeshift-bed for almost three hours at the church building because I was dizzy and nauseous and in pain. And Elder Hill, along with Elder Bush, my nong, bought me food and refused to accept me paying them back. And then they visited with me when they could have been running around contacting like every missionary usually does in this mission. They chose to spend their dinner hour talking to me and helping me get my focus off the pain. These Elders have already fulfilled their challenge to serve others like the Savior, and I am so touched and grateful for the missionaries in this mission. I believe it was President Thomas S. Monson who said that we will never be able to measure or estimate our ability to do good
And then on Sunday, I was freezing cold and so was everyone else, but my district leader, Elder Lingard, gave me his suit-coat to wear, even though he probably needed it more with his thin Arizona blood...and I wore his coat the whole day. He and all the Elders in my district here have been so nice to me in the midst of pain that has been making me feel like a very crappy missionary. And of course I can't forget my companion, Sister Ellis. There isn't much anyone can do to help me feel better, and it's been hard for her to not be able to help, but she's wonderful and supportive and at least helps me feel better about my ability to work (or lack thereof).
And we had a baptism! This time, a nine-year-old boy. He has the attention span of a squirrel but he loves reading the Book of Mormon. He's way cute. He was a miracle investigator and a miracle baptism...his grandma just got baptized last week and he wanted to get baptized so bad..and he's already best friends with all the boys in primary in that ward.
As for the rest of the week...well, it's crazy here. We invited a homeless guy to church and he ended up coming! Shocker. That almost never happens. We ended up giving him to the Elders because we weren't sure if he was being creepy or not. Turns out he's awesome. He wants to get baptized! But...so on Sunday, the Elders walked in on him making his own cigarettes in the bathroom. They had to dispose of the pot themselves. And then they taught him the Word of Wisdom. #classic
I love being a missionary!
Sister Z.
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