This week started off with President and Sister Johnson coming up to Lampang! It was really fun, and Sister Johnson even got to study and teach with us. I also had a really awesome interview with President Johnson. I have learned so much from them. During their visit, this one member went up to them and said, "These missionaries all need to be here in lampang for 6 months." It was funny and nice. The Elders also got to teach with President Johnson and they went with some members in President Johnson's rental car to someone's house. The one member was so impressed with how nice the rental car was she said, "I have never been in luxury vehicle before", while the other member kept urging President Johnson to "drive this car faster!"
This week I also got a haircut. I swear every time Thai people cut my hair they somehow work it into this giant knot and then give a look of horror, and spend forever trying to comb it out. (Until I eventually grab the brush and do it myself.) They don't realize my hair is different than Asian hair- haha. It was really funny though as like 3 different people were all trying to brush out my hair until I was like, "no, let me do it myself."
Anyways.... some other funny stories this week...don't miss #5:
1. "The Accent"
Sister Carrillo and I realized how funny it must be for Thai people to hear us asking them to come to church. We imagined it must be sort of like a person that doesn't speak English with a correct accent coming up to us in America, and asking if we wanted to learn about Buddhism or something.
2. "I saw it on a Movie"
This one member who is a return missionary called us one day telling us to come to 7/11 where he worked, and when we stopped by he gave us and the Elders caramel apples! I was like, "How do you even know about caramel apples? And he was like, "Oh I watched this Halloween movie one time and saw that you guys eat stuff like this in America." It basically made my day.
3. "Allergies..."
We went over to this member's house this week to do some service (helped her pick fruit), and we ended up teaching her husband. While teaching her husband I started sneezing uncontrollably because I think I was allergic to her dog. I literally sneezed for like the next 4 hours..... gotta love allergies. I am hoping her husband still got something out of the lesson...or at least understood what I was saying through all the sneezes.
4. "Bananas"
This week we had a Halloween party! It was fun! I thought of a few games, bobbing for apples (naturally), and donuts on a string (thanks Grandma Cammy for that idea)....
However, after Sister Carrillo and I went and got donuts we realized that we didn't have any string, so brother S (our rc from last transfer) started hanging them all on the decorations at all different lengths and he also started tying bananas onto the strings too... it was hilarious. Everyone LOVED the party, as Halloween isn't a thing in Thailand.
5. "I have been in Thailand for awhile"-
This week I had this moment where I realized I had been in Thailand for awhile as some of my standards have changed. One night I went to go eat the Reeses peanut butter Cup cereal Grandma Cammy had sent me, and found that I had forgotten to put it back in the fridge last time (you have to put everything in the fridge or ants get it) I thought,"I am sure its fine, it's in a bag and a box". So I poured the cereal and started eating. As I was eating I realized the brown flecks in the cereal weren't chocolate, but ants and that I had already eaten quite a few! So I did what any rational person who hasn't had good cereal in a year would do, and picked out the ants and kept eating...ya...
This week one of our investigators, Sister M got baptized; she is 22 and is awesome! We have been working with her for quite a while and she has totally changed her life around. Her testimony was so cute too... she kept saying we would ask her to get baptized a lot and she just didn't feel ready, didn't want to keep the commandments... but then slowly and surely she started to change her life... the Spirit would prompt her to keep a certain commandment, she received answers to prayer, and suddenly she found herself spending more time at church then she ever had partying. She also told of her experience in going to a different church and how that church just didn't feel right. I am so amazed at the miracle the gospel has had in her life. She said when she was standing in the water she had this thought come into her head, "Hey, why didn't I do this sooner." She is really a totally different person now, then when I first talked to her in English class. Oh! I also gave a talk at her baptism! It is my first time giving a talk in Thai and it went pretty well!
This week I really learned a lot from my interview with President Johnson. I won't go into specifics but he really helped me to feel a lot of peace about the work I have done so far on my mission. I feel like sometimes we are our own worst critics. The next day after the interview with him I was reading in Alma 38:3:
"I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the Zoramites."
Which I changed it around to be:
"I say unto you, my daughter, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people of Thailand."
As I read this scripture I just felt Heavenly Fathers love for me so much, and I just know that he is pleased with my efforts, as small as they may seem to me. I know it is the same for all of you as well... no matter our situation in life, if we are striving to follow Christ we are making a great contribution. Don't ever let yourself feel discouraged, or that small and simple acts of kindness, love, and service don't matter...because they most certainly do, and slowly but surely are making you into who you need to become. I invite all of you to take the invitation from conference to, "Pray and ask Heavenly Father what you are doing right." I promise he will tell you...he loves you, and wants you to know of his love as well.
Love,
Sister Remington
THE YELLOW MOUND IN THE WINDOW IS BUTTER!
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