ห้ามเคีรอด, I saw a black truck, President เสือ, Trio Life Struggles

Shout out to Elder Fukino for entering the MTC this week, going to the BEST Mission, the Thailand Bangkok Mission. Cheee

ห้ามเคีรอด

Don't worry. Things will work out!

(hope I spelled that right)

Not too much time but here's some things that had happened this week....

"I saw a black truck"

Elder Bunker had a dream of him inviting someone to learn about Christ. It was a large man with a mustache. His name was actually a girls name too. But ever since his dream he has been chasing after ever black truck at every stoplight and at every house. Then one day. We went out to visit a member, and we see all the signs. We see the black truck. We hear the name over the speakers. A man comes out of the truck. He's a bit large. He turns around....HAS THE MUSTACHE. Therefore Elder Bunker is confident that this is his man. We go over, talk to him, get his number and get a follow up appointment cause apparently he's always been interested just has never had the opportunity to learn. Also at the end of Elder Bunker's dream the whole family gets baptized. This man has a family. Sweeeet.

You find those you look for. It's real.

President Tiger came into Surin. If you know him, then you know how amazing of a teacher he is. He's awesome.

Trio Life Struggles

All three of us Elders are so different but our unique work styles complement each other so well! But we do have some struggles, and they are rather funny.

Traveling

We like to take turns on guiding each other to our appointments or favorite places to eat. No way do I have a firm grip on the area, but I've been here for 3 months while my companions have only been here for 2 weeks. It makes for some interesting situations. Elder Bunker was leading one day, and he goes straight, I make a turn because if we went straight we would head out to the country side, and then Elder Amonthep is in the intersection. Confused. And not too sure what to do or where to go. So funny, we always have a good laugh whenever these things happen.

Planning what to teach

Three different styles, three different ideas, and three very good reasons for each thing that we want to teach. But in the end, it all works out and we are doing great things, teaching amazing people, helping share our amazing message.

So quick thought about "Every member a missionary"

Three main points that we highlighted in our branch this past Sunday

1-Missionaries will leave the branch (or ward). There is no way for them to stay longer than 2 years. It just doesn't happen. But members. This is their home. Therefore you need to fellowship those new people and really make new ward members feel like they are part of this great family. 

2-Members can be out after 9 pm, members can use social media. These are all simple ways that members can use their time to share a bit of a spiritual message. To serve. To help a friend in need and just express Christlike love. Little things to increase the sum total of kindness in the world

3-These are people you know! These are people similar to you, living a life like you. In Hawaii, in Utah, in Thailand. The people in the area are like you. You can relate to them, you already have this amazing bond, now use it!

Yeah. Sorta all over the place. Random ideas. You can tell I didn't remember to use a post it note this week...

Keep on loving life

Aloha,

Elder แอลลิส

Forward Ever. Stopping Never.

A(fter) B(aptism), C(ambodian), DENGUE, & E(lephants)

ABCDE Chee.

After Baptism-Way way way important to teach recent converts there after baptism lessons. You really need to strengthen them always. Conversion is a process, not a single event. You must continually be helping and strengthening them to gain a greater conversion to the Gospel. These lessons honestly make a big difference in the RC's life. I've seen it with my own converts, those that were taught and supported are so strong. After Baptism lessons. Way way way important. Keep on teaching, keep on supporting, keep on loving. 

​

Cambodians
We have an LA, from Cambodia but he speaks Thai. Like a boss. And this is really an amazing member. We had met with him and he had just casually said, "Yeah, when I was baptized in Sisaket, I helped teach 10 of my friends." Like woah. This was a member that really found joy in the gospel and shared it. So amazing. He had gone less active mainly because he moved to Surin and then no longer had a way to come to church. But being the diligent and prayerful member he is, he figured out the perfect way to find a ride back to church. He has two friends that have mopeds and he asked us to teach his friends because 1- they are interested in learning about the gospel and 2-They have mopeds so when they come to church he can come to church also. Yeah Cambodian. Teaching the LA and his friend one time this week, the friend wasn't totally understanding the concept so the LA, Bro. Nem, explained it in Cambodian. I didn't realize they were speaking Cambodian so I was nodding my head like "Yeah, this is awesome!" And then they turn to me and ask if I speak Cambodian....hahahah....yeah no....I can't speak Cambodian.

​DENGUE
We go to the hospital. Elder Bunker gets some blood drawn. He was positive for dengue. But good thing, He is now completely healed. Funny story, two days after we found out he had dengue his skin started like getting all these red rash like dots. So all three of us in the trio were super scared. We weren't sure if he had an allergic reaction to the medication. But then we call the Thailand Bangkok Mission nurse and ask her. Apparently his platelets were just falling out of his blood. No big deal. Elder Bunker is a legend!

Elephant festival. 

Just so much elephants. I mean not much to say cause it was just a bunch of elephants eating food. In the middle of the city. Also, way way good inviting at this festival cause there was a ton of people all in the same area. Cheee Enjoy the pictures.

Pics are way sweet and how can you not be feeling good when you have an attitude of gratitude in your heart!

Love you all. Have a blessed week!
​

Aloha,

Elder แอลลิส

Forward Ever. Stopping Never.

DAT TRI LIFE (LAFAC)....is Sick! and Elephants (Just the Usual)

Oh yeah. You know whats happening.....I am in a trio!

Sickest trio in Thailand. And I mean that literally. Cause we've got fevers, coughs, sneezing, pressure in the sinuses. Oh yeah. Let's do this!

So it's been a great 2 transfers in Surin, and.........YUP still in Surin, good fun here. Elephant festival is in full effect and we had gone inviting inside the festival, and like WOAH! So many people. I honestly haven't seen this many people in Surin...like ever. Way amazing, this is gonna be a great week to find some more investigators. Like how can it get any better, we are talking to awesome people and to top it all off there are elephants all around! Elephants. I love elephants. I think Surin has more elephants than people sometimes.....

Elder Sayavong

My awesome Khon Lao father, well now he has moved on to bigger and better things. He's a zone leader for one of the zones in Bangkok. I have learned so much from him and he really has shaped my mission completely. Its way amazing! His dedication and inspiration has made me want to be the best and most amazing missionary that I can possibly be. And truly the only way to do this is through giving it all. Giving our desires, our everything to God. God knows what we need and He loves us so much that He will guide us on our right path.

So about DAT TRI LIFE

There are now 5 elders here in Surin. and like our room wasn't that big...But hold on. We found out that we had the frame for a bunk bed! Oh yeah. Bunk beds are way awesome.

My new companions are Elder Armonthep-way awesome Khon Thai that has been a member for 2 years and 6 months. And he has been a missionary for 1 year and 6 months. Yeah do the math. He was a member for just one year and then had left on his mission. He also plans to study in Utah. But not at BYU! His English is amazing, and yup.

I love learning from Khon Thai and Khon Lao's!

Elder Bunker-He's a way awesome elder and was the trainer of Elder Hancock from my MTC District. He just barely passed his year mark and wow! His Thai is way way way way clear. It's like. Crystal clear and pristine. Everyone comments on how cleanly he speaks Thai. And he's from Orem Utah, lives right at the mouth of Provo Canyon. 

Awesome stuff

This trio. Not sure if Surin is even ready for us. Big things coming soon. I feel it. They are coming. Cheeeeeee

Bus rides to transfers though. Those aren't the most fun things. Not a fan. It's like 7 hours on a bus and my legs are too long for the seats. So yup.....what a fun time...not really no....but you do get food soooo

Yeah. Not too much going on. Transfers takes up quite a bit of time. And then I had to renew my visa the day after transfers cause I forgot to go the day of transfers.....Yeah......Yeah....Yup

Some last minute spiritual thoughts. Here's a scripture that has guided me this week. It's in 1 Nephi 4:6. Honestly. I still don't have a solid 100% idea of what's going on. But I have a willing humbled heart. Always searching for guidance. Things do work out, I promise.

Elephants.

#DatTriLife #LAFAC 

Little Athletic Friends Athletic Club Member Since 2013

Aloha,

Elder แอลลิส

Forward Ever. Stopping Never.

"Let's Celib(r)ate! (Wait what...)" and Service!

So my companion is continuing to study for the TOEFL Test and he's been learning some pretty impressive words. But this week, after one of our most intense days so far (I will explain about it later) I found out that we live next to the place where all of the ice cream bike vendors park. Therefore, soaking wet after an amazing day he goes and says "Let us celibate!" Hm...Uh...Wait what....Do you really mean celibate? "Yup! Celibate!" Only to find out later that night that "Celibate" and "Celeb---R---ate" are not the same words. Cheeeheee, good fun good fun.

So crazy stories from this week. Get ready for some intense one liners that probably make no sense whatsoever!

Got our investigator to commit to come inviting with us....but we still can't get him to commit to a baptismal date....

Teaching English class about directions. So naturally you have every imagine that they are in a helicopter flying to Laos and then my companion goes and says "Woah, wait! What is that thing in the sky? Angels of the Lord have brought down a traffic light! Which lane do we turn into now??"

30 ties cut for way cheap! But they are also way skinny....like so skinny I'm not too much a fan of them. I'll probably give them away to people.

Currently thinking about buying a tent and a 30 pack box of calpis soda because both are on a special sale this week.

On that note of amazing sales, Hi-chew on sale for 6 baht. Oh you know I bought a lot....and all of the candy only lasted me one week. Says a lot about how healthy I ate this week....

Sometimes our water stops working. Like we wake up, turn on the shower and are just like what. Why. Again. Who even does this. What did we do to deserve this. Why. Why. Why. And no, it is not because we forgot to pay our water bill. We always pay it. Just sometimes our water stops flowing...maybe its just a Thailand thing?

Mosiah 2:17-Serving others and Serving God

So this week was a week filled of service. We went way hard. Biked out to our new RC's house and helped her family prune some eucalyptus trees for a few hours. I got some nasty blisters on my hands, but my mom bought like these magic blister band aids and idk how they work. But like my popped blisters felt so much better after I used these band aids.

Stomach of iron. I have no idea what we eat half the time. I just swallow and try to keep the reputation of truly being willing to eat anything and everything. Shhhhh. Just eat.

On the topic of eating and service. Because I still wish my language could be a bit better, I work with the skills that I have now. Which include serving with all my strength, and eating everything. Although I may not speak that well, actions still convey a strong message. So I continue to eat and serve as best as I can!

This week I also probably consumed a rather unhealthy amount of Hi chew candy and calpis because they were on sale and 7-11 is actually like our 3rd (after the church of course). So my diet consisted of calpis and hi chews because those were quick and easy things I could eat and drink as I biked and the sugar kept us going! Time to brush my teeth! 

Fridazed.

Friday we had an intense day. Started off with biking out 22 km (one way) to go and harvest some rice at our investigators house, then we rushed back to our house, showered and then biked another 8 km out to go and finish up the lessons so our investigator (now RC) could be interviewed and get baptized. And then from there we go out another 12 km (again one way) to go and teach our 3 children investigators. And right as we finish teaching around 6:45 PM. The rain. Ho. The rain came down. The floods came up. And the two Elders were terrified. Cause we both thought the rainy season was done. But hah jokes on us......It wasn't. But we had a ward activity on Friday night and we had to go back out so we did. In the pouring rain. But yeah Friday was hectic. And then soaking wet we go back, buy our celebratory ice cream and plan for the next day! Oh yeah!

And then our RC. This is the mother of sister Cat, who we had met trying to find sister Cat. The Lord work's in mysterious ways. She's got so much faith and trusts God in everything. Such a humble hardworking soul, and it's been such an amazing opportunity teaching her and seeing how her faith has grown. Being out on a mission, seeing how much happiness the gospel brings people. It really is contagious. Their happiness gets to you and then you're happy. But it's weird cause you also just biked a ton and there isn't a single part of your body that's dry. But for some reason I've got a huge smile. Cause this is amazing.

Some other thoughts?

This is going back to the quote "No growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone." I try my hardest to never be comfortable and never be content. If I have to push myself, then I know I'm doing something right. Work hard, never be content. Keep up the hard work. If you're comfortable in whatever you're doing, then maybe try change it up. Push yourself a bit more. Go hard...in the paint! And yeah. It's not a delightful experience. By no means has serving in Thailand been easy for me, but the amount of growth I have felt and noticed these past 3 months. It's been amazing. But also, just cause I'm not comfortable does not mean that I am not enjoying these experiences. I am out here having experiences like none other. And these aren't experiences that are handed to me though. These are things that I seek out and work towards. Every single challenge, obstacle, and problem I've had. I love it. So much to learn, so much growth. So so so so so good.

Also a quote from this week that I thought was amazing " Know where you land before you jump." Just something to ponder on this week.

Attached is the picture of the Surin District, our branch president, Sister ongkhana and Bro. Jomtep who baptized her. And yes. Those are matching ties. And yes again, those are white elephants on pink ties.

Tonight we find out about transfers! We shall see what happens!

Exciting things. Great work. Life.

Aloha,

Elder แอลลิส

Forward Ever. Stopping Never.

"Going hard in the paint", Water Cats, and the Greenie Switchoff

oh Thailand. So this week's recap....

Moving at the speed of sound trying to do everything before it gets late and then you go to sleep and then you wake up and you just sorta sit there for a minute like....did I even sleep? then you realize you're wasting time and you gotta get ready and then after studying is done you go and work again and like. Woah. Where is the time going? I can hardly remember what I did this week....It's a good thing I got a post-it note of things I feel like sharing.

Sorry no pictures this week, I broke my SD card reader and I forgot my cable....didn't really take any pictures so meh. Oh well. We shall see what next week brings.

"Going hard in the paint"

It's a phrase that pretty much explains Thailand Bangkok Missionaries. You work hard. And then harder. And then you just don't stop. You just go hard. Like you can rest when you sleep but there's so much work that....you go hard. Always. The phrase doesn't make that much sense. It's a bit contextual. But if you understand. You got me. Going hard in the paint. Giving it your all. Every last bit of strength, might, mind, and strength. Going hard in the paint. Chee.

Tuk Tuk

Greenie Switch off

So you take the two most inexperienced missionaries in the house and you put them together for a day. So basically the whole day, it was me and Elder Dailey. Doing everything from hailing a tuk tuk to directing a bicycle taxi where to take Elder Dailey. It's pretty funny cause during our switch off everywhere we would go, the Thai people would talk to me and ask if I was like his translator. Jokes on them though cause I only understood maybe 75% of everything they were saying. But yes. I am still alive. I got his bandaged changed, we taught a legit lesson about the Restoration of the Church and the Plan of Salvation. This switch off was really a test of my faith and trust. Honestly, I was terrified and scared out of my mind. I felt totally inadequate, like I can't speak Thai at all....but somehow things worked out. Through prayer and faith that everything would be alright. It was alright. Faith comes before miracles. And that day was a day of miracles.

Bike Taxi

Transportation this week included these truck taxis. Think flat bed trucks with two benches in the back and then a little extra space to like step up and hold onto. Idk how to explain it. Ill take a picture this week and attach it next probably....

Truck Taxi

Ties. Skinny Ties. Im going on that mass production vibe. P-day is Tie Day. Big things coming soon next week.

Shout out to this sister in the branch. She's got her mission call to serve in the Salt Lake City Temple Square mission. She speaks English like a boss. And also taught herself Mandarin. This branch of around 45 people have 2 missionaries in the field, this sister with her call, and then two more boys almost done with their papers. Big things coming soon!

Mission Pro-tips

SD-cards or USB drives to download bible videos and Mormon messages to share them with investigators/LA's/RC's. Also if you ever get into making your own ties honestly you only need half a meter of fabric. Just saying if you cut them yourselves and also if you like skinny ties. A little wider will mean a little more fabric. But you already knew that.

Water Cats

Elder Sayavong held up this like little bath toy he bought of a seal. And I ask him what he was doing, cause I see him from the opposite desk and he just says "I'm playing with my...uhhh...water cat." I was super confused. It turns out, the Thai word for seal/sea lion is water cat. Makes sense.

ALMA 26

So this week cause I'm feeling like things are finally clicking, Alma 26. This is the chapter to study. Cause just when you think you can't get much happier than this. You read Alma 26 and BAM! Happiness overload.

Good Vibes. Thailand Wide.

Aloha,

Elder แอลลิส

Forward Ever. Stopping Never.