Can I Get a Hallelujah?

AMEN! It is a beautiful Easter weekend here in Thailand. I proclaim with all the energy of my heart and feeling of my soul, "HALLELUJAH," for our Lord and Savior has risen. Amazing week. Today will be short. I have about 30 minutes. 

Today, we were in Chiang Mai with President and Sister Johnson and Elder and Sister Barlow. We went to pet some tigers. Yes... those are real tigers. It's name is Doughnut. What a birthday treat! 

Thank you to all of you sweet souls who sent me a birthday message. GOD BLESS YOU! I have the best family and friends in the whole world. From the bottom of my heart - THANK YOU. 

The Work: 

This week was district conference down in Chiang Mai with all of the branches in northern Thailand. So fun to see all of my friends from other branches as well as the missionaries. It was so much fun! Things are going great! 

The Culture: 

• On a regular basis, women will clean the men’s and women’s public bathrooms. So don't be scared if you are using the urinal, and a woman is mopping behind you.

• Food of the week that I actually ate on my birthday - Fried Frog. Absolutely delicious. Very tender flavor, and it was juicy! Lots of bones though... overall a 6 out of 10... would eat again. 

Frog!

The Funnies: 

- Can't think of any - other than my goofball companion, Elder Rogers. 

Spiritual thought: 

There are many different views about where we go after this earth...this life. Some believe it is the end of our existence; some believe in reincarnation; others believe in heaven, hell, a state of existence. I want to share my belief that I know there is a heaven. How do I know this? I know this thing by the power of the Holy Ghost. To put it in the words of James E. Faust - "The gift of the Holy Ghost comes after one repents and becomes worthy. The Holy Ghost bears witness of truth and impresses upon the soul the reality of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ SO DEEPLY that no earthly power or authority can separate him from that knowledge."

I love my Savior, and I know he lives. He has a body of flesh and bones that is complete and perfect, and I know that through him I can rise again from the dead - that this earth is simply a probationary state and that the real Easter eggs lie in the world to come. 

God bless you all. And happy Easter! 

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

Captain Rogers

What's up Family and Friends! So pumped because this week I got a new companion - great guy. His name is Elder Rogers from Rocklin, California, such a STUD - way nice guy. Except this week, he was waaayyyy sick (literally), and so a lot of the week was spent in the house. Now I am sick too, and my voice is gone, and I sound like a pre-pubescent 14 year old boy. AWESOME WEEK. Also quick S/O to my boy Elder ALLEN.  It was his birthday yesterday, so congrats on that big step man - 19 baby let'ssssss goooooooo!

We weren't riding this scooter.  We were testing how many white people we could fit on it.  

The record amount of khonthais I've seen is five. We barely fit three! Hahahaha.

The Work: 

This week was great, a little lethargic due to the fact that Elder Rogers was in a new area and coughing up a lung every couple minutes (feel bad for the guy - he wants to work hard... stinks when you are sick). But all of our investigators are progressing and doing nicely. Brother Mxxang is all set to go for his baptism in a couple weeks. (We had to change the date again this weekend because he was in Laos doing visa stuff). This week our entire zone has a goal to get 30 numbers per companionship in the zone...so as easy as that sounds, it is hard when during the day everyone in Chiang Rai is at college...so keep us in your prayers please. I am just ecstatic about the work going on here in Chiang Rai. Right now I really feal like the Lord is progressing his work. There is no room for mediocrity - only excellence. And with God - he can make raw materials into something beautiful. If possible, I want to be a glass dolphin or something...that's just me though...I think that would be pretty cool hahahaha. 

The Culture: 

Most common food choices for family and branch get togethers: Fried chicken, sticky rice, papaya salad, and a vegetable dish... also their drink is either water or a cherry syrup drink they put into water to make it like a Kool-aid.

Ward activity at a waterfall...waterfall not shown.

Progression of excellence: tagraw (volleyball with your feet)
PC: Elder Brandon Daniel Rogers

The Funnies: 

This week I will tell the story of just one funny. Before looking at the picture below.. here is the background: There are not many things that make me frustrated. But one of them is that when someone has the tools to get something done and it doesn't work/doesn't happen... I flip out. This was the battle yesterday with locking the church. I had 5 keys. Now I have shut and opened the church many times ok people? This is not a rookie move for Elder Smith-Driggs...you would think I would be capable at opening the rented building doors..... but no. After 22 minutes... 22 MINUTES PEOPLE - DO YOU UNDERSTAND.... I was crying, laughing, breaking down...I was laughing so much I was crying. This is a funny thing because Elder Rogers is just dying in the background taking videos of me for a solid 15 minutes...and then at the last moment of frustration, I give the keys to Elder Rogers after 22 minutes...and HE OPENS IT ON THE FIRST TRY...I collapsed on the ground in joy and frustration and gratefulness of answered prayers. It was so hilarious I don't know if this picture can convey my happiness and relief... those are tears of joy by the way ;) 

Please read the story above to understand.

Spiritual thought: 

When foreigners ask us why were are here, we tell them that we are representatives of Jesus Christ, his missionaries spreading Christianity here in Thailand. Their next question is almost always - "This is a Buddhist country...does it work?" With joy, and with my best President Uchtdorf impression from last General Conference: "It works wonderfully... would you like to know more?" 

The Savior put it this way in Matthew 13:16, " But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear." 

I love this place. I love Thailand. And I am grateful for those who open their hearts to the message we have to share. As Christ teaches in parables...I pray that we may always have an open heart and an open mind to new concepts, ideas, religions. To do the opposite would be foolish and closed-minded. God promises us that as we open our hearts and our minds, we will be blessed beyond measure as his spirit and his love enters into our lives. 

I love you all, and I pray for you daily.

God bless you all!

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

Change the World

Ok fam - a little strange today  - sorry. Saturday was supposed to be pday for the whole mission, but we were up in the hill tribes lifting pipe up the mountains hahahaha. We did it all day and got back at 6. So today we asked for an hour to email, and we got it :) So today is really short. Sorry. 

Studying with Pah Nit

The Work: 

I AM STAYING IN CHIANG RAI! 

My new companion is Elder Rogers.  He's coming from the office, having just been with my awesome MTC companion, Elder Allen! Elder Allen and I just keep switching companions I swear hahaha. We have had 3/4 of the same companions now... I love Elder Allen. Man, he is a stud! Elder Howard is going to Bangkok...sad to see him go. He is a good guy. Elder Rogers isn't here yet, and transfers are all messed up this week for lots of reasons that aren't important. So currently, I am in a trio for a couple of days with Elder Thompson and Elder Torres (other guys in my district). Work is going great. We had 71 people at church!!!! So excited the work is going well :) I will send a pic next week of my new comp. I have met him before. He is a total stud...and anyone chillin with Elder Allen is a friend of mine :) 

The Culture: 

Lots of people here in the north speak their northern dialect, or even their own language. You could live in the same kilometer as someone and speak a completely different language. So we can't understand anyone when we go up to the hill tribes... super fun! 

Working on a fresh water project for one of the hill villages.

Funnies: 

No funnies that I can remember specifically this week. Sorry guys, it was kind of a hectic week ;) 

Spiritual thought: 

This beautiful sign in a member's home says all that I have to say today. 

It is a lofty goal... but the Lord works in small and simple means - what a glorious equation for success. I love you all dearly! 

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

I'm Not Fat

I don't know what it was about this week, but all of the female RCs [recent converts] here just kept telling me I looked fatter. Here in Thailand it is not a mean thing - they just state facts. I AM NOT FAT ok. If I am fat, then I don't know what skinny is.... probably someone near death of anorexia. There are some serious issues here hahahahahahahaha.  This week has been so much fun!

Flower version of an Asian water buffalo - called a kwai 

The Work: 

We have 2 investigators preparing for baptism this next week. One of them is named Mxxang, the Laotian guy. He is just too prepared. He has NO issues with the church or with the teachings or with the commandments... it is kind of weird honestly. He reads the scriptures, marks everything up, follows all commitments. A dream come true. He is looking good to go. I guess he was just really prepared :) 

The other man, Brother Saw, the half-Chinese guy...remember him? He is doing ok... making those steps towards baptism. He wants it, but we have to make sure he still has vision. He is struggling reading the scriptures right now and that is a HUGE step in the conversion process. So we are helping him the best we can. 

Other investigators are doing great - Gabriel is just killing it. He is such a stud. It is so awesome to hear his prayers in Italian, and he speaks English really well!

                                         The investigator class at church. Awesome group!

Oh also Elder Howard is a stud. A STUD. I love that man. I hope I get to work another transfer with him. That would be a prayer to be answered.

The Culture: 

1. In Thailand, you can't enter into a home (officially move in) until the home has been blessed.

Myanmar (Burma)

2. Calling someone fat/stupid/short/tall is just a fact, it's not mean. Seriously this is not a joke. It happens all the time.

3. Rats are kind of a regular story here in Thailand. This week in the church, we caught 4 :) Don't look at the next pic if you are "rat" squeamish.

Rat #4

The Funnies: 

1. This week we had another Zone Training in Chiang Mai, and we were doing a get-to-know-you activity that required all four of the groups (groups of 4 people each) to come up with common things they all did/liked. So while one of the groups was listing off their similar quallities, one of the sisters said, "In our group, we all shave our legs."... and from across the room that girl's companion yells, "Whatever Sister Belnap. I personally know for a fact you haven't." Hahahahahhahahahahahaha it was so classic. It wasn't a burn or a mean thing or anything. Sister Hayes and Sister Belnap are great friends. Hahahaha but all the elders were like, "Ooohhhhhh burrnnnnnnn." Hahahahahaha funny stuff.

Catching some ZZZs.

Spiritual thought: 

This week, as Elder Howard and I were teaching Brother Gabriel, we taught about the importance of repentance. We asked him if he thought repentance was a necessary step in the conversion process. He replied in his broken English, "If no repentance, we cannot go..." What sound words of wisdom. Without repentance, we cannot progress...we can't move forward. I love taking Alma's counsel that he gives to his son Corianton in Alma 42:29, which reads: "And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance."

May we all remember that without repentance, without coming down from our high horse and saying, "You know what God...yeah...you are right...I need to re-align my will with yours.".... we cannot move forward.  We cannot progress because we are weighed down by our sins. It is my prayer that we may all remember that Christ is waiting to take our sins.... all we have to do is let Him take them. And after that, we can, "GO!" 

I love you all. Hope everything is going well on the cold side of the world. Still sweating over here ;) 

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

P.S. Shout out to Wes Thompson for the small "Preach My Gospel" he gave me junior year.  I LOVE it and use it all the time.  What a great book!