Hey everyone!!
This week was transfers, and I am still in Asoke and have a new companion, who is cone Thai, her name is Sister Parin. She's really nice, and lived in Utah for 9 years, though she normally speaks in Thai. So hopefully by the end of this transfer my Thai will be perfected...or at least a little better. haha.
Anyways, this week there has been a lot of celebrating of chinese new year as lots of Thai people are of Chinese heritage. Lots of fires and music.
Okay this week's funny moments:
1. Teaching this less active member who makes dresses, and every couple minutes she would try and give me a dress, saying the patterns would look good on me, as I am tall.
2. Inviting with Sister Parin: I walk up to talk to this white guy selling kleenex on the side of the street, and as I do I realize this guy is a little scary, so I back away and tell Sister Parin, and she comments, "Well yeah!! How often do you see a farang (foreigner) selling tissue."
This week had some cool teaching moments as well! One of them was when we taught our investigator from America and his Thai girlfriend. I asked one of the senior couples from the office to teach with us, and it was a neat lesson! We taught the restoration and it was easy to see how they are seeking for truth. We testified a lot, and it was really neat how the Spirit guided me in answering those questions that don't usually come up with Thai investigators. At the end of the lesson, the senior couple told me, "Thank you for your boldness." I feel like I am really learning in so many ways right now that, "Faith is a principle of Action and Power." You act and then the power comes to accomplish your task.
Another interesting lesson this week was with our Chinese investigator, when we teach him we usually get this Chinese member who speaks Thai to translate into Chinese for him. So the lessons are this 3 language mash up...we speak in English to the investigator (who understands a little), then translate into Thai for the Chinese member (who doesn't know English), and then she translates into Chinese. It's a bit confusing, but this investigator really wants to be baptized so he is definitely learning. Anyways, for this particular lesson, we asked another member, who was going to open her mission call that day (and who spoke a little Chinese) to help as well. After the lesson she opens her mission call to California Arcadia, Mandarin Chinese speaking!! Wow...so not a coincidence.
Also on Sunday another member got called to Seoul, Korea!! So cool as well.
Oh and this Sunday we got to go to dinner at President and Sister Johnson's house!! Sooo good. It reminded me of Grandma's food, as we ate beef on a bun, fruit salad, and carrot cake.
Okay, so that brings me to my thought for the week:
This week a lot of things didn't happen the way I planned or expected. I was feeling a little sad about this when Sister Coates reminded me of a quote from General Conference that says, "Our way is lacking," and Heavenly Father's way is so much better. The key is to trust this plan. At church on Sunday they had a really interesting lesson in Sunday school. They were talking about how there is opposition in all things. A member shared her story about how after she was married, she and her husband decided to travel Europe for 3 months. They had money saved up and thought it would be so fun not to work, have no worries, and to see all the sites of Europe. But then about 6 weeks into the trip, they realized they were not very happy. It was in that moment this member had the realization that, "Without a purpose, without a struggle, without some sort of an uphill gradient, there is no joy." I really liked that thought... that we need struggle to grow and have joy.
The second thing I really liked from that class was the teacher brought out this huge chart of the Periodic Table of Elements and explained how it all worked, saying how complex and organized it was, and as such, it must come from God. However, man was able to figure out the periodic table...though it took hard work. The teacher then compared this to our lives, that there is always a greater plan from God, but it takes work to figure out. Slowly prayer by prayer, piece by piece, that great plan (or periodic table) for our own lives can be revealed. This, and a lot of other things gave me comfort that there always is a greater plan and that I need to go forward, be faithful, and then puzzle piece by puzzle piece, this plan will be made known.
I think this scripture in 1 corinthians 13:12 sums it all up:
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
I love you all!
Sister Remington
1645/6 New Phetchburi Road
Makkasan, Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
P.S. If any of you ever have time to write me a letter, I would love it! My area has the mission office in it so mail actually gets to me pretty fast!
A birthday card Sis Coates and I made.
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