Culture Shock

Hey everyone!! 

It feels so weird that my P-day is now on a Saturday! I hope all is going well in Canada and various other places. 

Coming to Asoke has been awesome, and it feels a bit like I am having culture shock!  The reason I say this is, that for the past year I have basically lived in tiny towns, seen few foreigners, eaten only thai food, and seen some very humble conditions of living. Coming to Asoke, I see foreigners all the time, speak in English, see very extravagant ways of living.....and they have a Krispie Kreme donut place. I like it, but it is also strange....It's weird when you kinda figure out how to live happily with a lot less, and then you suddenly have everything again.  I don't really know how to feel, or if this makes any sense....

Last P-day we went to this place called Siam Paragon (really close to where the bombs went off a few months ago) and it was soo cool! They had a Forever 21...and man all I can say is style looks weird now! It seems like everything is bland marrons and greys and like aztecy prints...but then again I could be totally off.  

Funny Moments of the Week: 

"Jackie Chan"

English class was soo funny this week! We taught the advanced class and one of the "get to know you" questions we asked was, "tell us your thai name, and then your english name." Then one guy gets up and says,"my thai name... Prissapon..my english name...Jackie Chan." I literally laughed sooo hard.  Then that same guy comes up to me after class and compliments my english saying, "Man, I didn't know Canadians could speak english so well, what is your native language?" lolssss

"New Investigator"

 We met with a new investigator this week, and she tells us her religion is "Sassana Phiiii" which means...the ghost religion.  She then proceeds to tell us the most "interesting" things.....

"This is my Daughter"

This is possibly my favorite funny moment of the week, and also shows how hilarious Sister Coates is. We were rushing to get on the train (the MRT) in rush hour so there was about a gazillion people pushing to get on....we shove a bit as well and eventually make it on just before the door closes. Sister Coates is then standing behind this girl super close,  as there are about a gazillion peeps on the train. The girl is really short so Sister Coates mimes putting her hands on the girls shoulders and says (pretty loudly as normaly thai people don't know english) "This is my daughter"....I start laughing, and then the girl looks up at Sister Coates and says (in perfect english) "Sister would probably be better".... We all started laughing soooo hard and it turns out the girl was from China ...and spoke perfect English!

"My Dream"

This week I had a waay funny dream...that I think shows just how long I have been in Thailand. SO in my dream I was going on some adventure and hiking around, when all of a sudden I get to this waterfall, where there is this guide who says that I have to go down the waterfall in order to get to the end of my journey.  I ask her, "how will I get down?" She then proceeds to tell me I need to take this capsule thing, that looks exactly like a rice cooker. She trys to tell me that more than one person can get in at once, but I am like, "Umm, I am a lot bigger than a thai person, so I think I will just have to go on my own." I was waay scared though, but the guide helped me get in the rice cooker, and then proceeded to pack the top of the capsule with sticky rice. 

Yaaah, I have been eating rice in Asia for a while.... hahaha

Bugs

A member brought us some food this week that looked delish, and was so good too, but then Sister Coates looked at her plate...and it has worms on it!   I immediately felt waay sick as I had already eaten ALOT....

Some other good moments from the week include: me winning free yogurt from Yogurtland ( I am soo good at silly games) we had to spin a wheel, and I won.  Yay! 

ALSO THIS WEEK I GOT A PACKAGE FROM GRANDMA FULL OF GINGERBREAD MEN AND CARAMELS.  I almost cried tears of joy (dramatic...I think yes) but seriously, I was soo excited! It was still fresh too! Its great being in the same area as the office Elders, because now I get packages whenever they come, instead of once every six weeks to three months!! 

This week Sister Coates and I also got the opportunity to meet with a member from the international ward who is returning to activity. She took us out for Lebanese food (super delicious), and we taught in English. It was really cool to be able to relate to a lot of her experieces, as well as learn of her testimony. Teaching in English has been a really cool but different experience for me...I am learning a lot. 

Well, I feel like I have written a lot this week, but I will conclude with my spiritual thought:

This week I feel like I re-learned something I already knew.  It is, that everyone has their own talents. Comparing yourself to others can seem easy, but in the end it is silly to compare weaknesses to strengths, as everyone is needed and everyone has talents. The Lord needs me and my talents in this work, and he needs other people and their specific talents as well. The gospel is all about growing and improving, that is for sure, but I think we would all do well to remember and recognize those talents we already have....everyone has one and it is needed! 

I also memorized this poem this week:

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.

The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.

I love you guys!

Love, 

Sister Remington