Monday, February 23, 2015

Take courage, this way's not easy, but worth it in the end.

Hey everyone!! 

First of all I got your package and letters from Hawaii this week!! The "Babies of Hawaii" calendar was a HUGE hit with my district. We all died laughing looking at the pictures. Sister Ellis also loved the card you guys sent her. 

This week was hard and good! 

Last P-day we went and got Sister Ellis's wedding dress made and went to the "fish spa". I was a little scared to do the fish spa thing for the third time, as before I left on my mission I read somewhere that you can get diseases from it.  I figured I had been safe the first 2 times, and didn't want to risk it a third time. Although I succumbed to peer pressured, and agreed to go, I put my feet in the water but kept shaking off all the fish. The owner lady saw that I was doing this and said I was killing the fish....so I had to pay a little extra....haha. 

This week at Book of Mormon class we built a ship out of tables. It actually looked really legit. We even had a mast and flag. Everyone decided that I should be Nephi, so they tied me up to the mast, and all started teasing me (everyone else was Laman/Lemuel). We were all dying laughing as I yelled super loud "glopjay conechuaray." (repent/evil people). Good times. 

Some other funny moments of this week:
This week it started to get really hot, and we all started to run out of money because it is nearing the end of the month. Because of these facts, Sister Ellis and I decided to go on a long bike ride to get some super cheap (20 baht) Somtam at an LA's restaurant. We arrive after biking for 1/2 hr...and its closed. We were so sweaty and so hungry that we decided to find some other food nearby. The only thing around us was some cold fried chicken this lady was selling on the side of the road. So we both got a piece. After eating that (and me hoping I wouldn't get food poisoning again) we were still hungry. This random dude then points us to another somtam place. For those of you who aren't familiar with somtam...it is a SUPER spicy papaya, tomato, and carrot salad with shrimp. 
Anyways, we get to the restaurant and Sis Ellis orders hers. I then order mine telling the lady not to make it spicy, and not to put any MSG or shrimp in it either. After I said that, the lady gave me a funny look and said, "It won't even taste like anything then", but she proceeds to make it. When she gives it to me, I take a bite and start to sweat/cry because it was literally so SPICY!  The lady had taken matters into her own hands and added  FIVE peppers to it, then told me it just tastes better this way.  As I was still really hungry, I took matters into my own hands, and grabbed the pitcher of water from the table and rinsed the peppers off! The lady laughed at me, other people in the restaurant laughed at me, but hey...at least I could finally eat it!  After this whole event we went inviting in the mall, and I SAW A FROZEN YOGURT PLACE. I was so stoked and obviously got some. It was the first time I had eaten it since being on my mission! What a good day. 

This week Sister Ellis and I did a lot of inviting. We invited in a park where people were doing "acro-yoga." (Which is a weird thing.) Anyways, we made lots of appointments with people that we had met inviting,  but they all broke their appointments. So my faith in inviting was kinda low. After leaving the church ( yet another person hadn't shown up)  we went inviting again. The last guy I invited said he really wanted to come to church and would bring friends. I was like, "whaaat". It was a huge miracle. On Sunday he didn't end up coming, so again I had low faith in inviting. But then in relief society I went and sat by this lady, and she turned to me and said, "Hey!!  It's you!  You invited me to come to church a month ago, but I haven't had time off work until now." I was like...."whaaat!?!?" So amazing.  We then taught her a lesson, and she is awesome. She is going to bring her kids next week. Heavenly Father was really looking out for me. 

This week we also taught our "former monk" investigator.  I think he may be a teacher in some vegetarian Buddhist religion, and is basically the nicest person ever. He comes to the appointment and gives us some food saying, "To love is to give away, just like Jesus did." He's so nice. That same day Cat (the lady that I helped teach that got baptized last transfer) said she prays for each of us missionaries individually every day. It was so cute. I can't believe how much I love her. 

Two more random things before I finish:

A film crew came and visited our Relief Society and took a video that will be shown in the Women's General Conference session in April...so make sure you look for me in it!! 

The other random thing is that the branch is having everyone do a time capsule. I am so stoked! They are going to open it in 10 years, and promised they'd send my stuff to me in Canada. 

Anyways, here's a poem I wrote this week...This is the email segment i'll call, "Auburn hasn't written a poem since she was 10, but decided to do it just for fun." 

There is a mountain not far off
But rather close at hand.
Rocks like spires twist to the sky, and 
At its base I stand.

Vast boulders seem to block the way
To the summit...a great height
One step forward and then I climb,
Climb with all my might. 

Time drags slowly onward,
As I move along the trail.
I see a storm encroaching, and I think, 
"I very well could fail."

The way's not easy, not a bit, 
And I trip and fall.
Over and over and over again 
Until I hear a call:

"Take courage. This way's not easy, 
But worth it in the end-
Stand back up, keep walking...
Go just around the bend."

My heart heavy, faith low, 
I start to wish I had not begun.
But I get up, walk forward...
And then I see the Son.

He takes my hand and helps me 
Take those final steps.
The smile on his face seems to say, 
"My child you did your best."

"The way was not easy,
Your spirits often low.
But you listened and heard my voice-
that led you here you know."

I gaze at glorious vistas, 
Once hidden from my view
With gratitude for the savior, 
I know my journey's through. 

I love you all! 
Have a great week!
Love,
Sis Rems 







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