I'll love you forever...

When I think of my mother, I think of a book that she read to me when I was a little boy. I don't even know if she remembers the book, but the words in it have stuck with me throughout my whole life. I remember my mother reading this book to me and acting it out as she sang the song each time, lulling me to sleep. Enjoy!

“A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "This kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!

But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!

But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town.  If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.

When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.”

(Original book by Robert Munsch)

The Work: 

We have the church to stay. The keys are handed over, the building is ours. We made it! The branches will have full access to all of the blessings of a normal church building. That is such a blessing. My thanks be to God that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established here in Laos. It is a miracle! 

Visiting Sister Janhuan and her grandaughter Khidnoy

Brother Janpheng and his wife

Some BYU professors from the linguistics departments of BYU Hawaii, BYU Provo, and BYU Idaho came to do some workshops with the Lao English professors from all around Vientiane. We went to help out. I didn't take a lot of pictures, but I should have! This is Dr. Anderson from BYU Hawaii talking about reading with the students. Fantastic training! It was such a pleasure to meet these very smart people!"

The Funnies: 

We were playing with some of Brother Janpengs children, and one of their little boys had a toy that he played with. He would throw it in the air, and the toy would buzz around the floor, trying to escape the grasp of this 3 year old. It made cool sounds too! The toy is a bug that this little one found in the forest. Classic Lao. “Cool toy there, what is it?” "A bug," he says hahahahah. 

#tallpeopleproblems

My new car

The Culture: 

Elder Cheney learning how to weave

For you Mom: this is the man who made the nativity set!

Get into the truck... what is this?... oh... raw meat from the market. Classic Lao

A stand that sells different spices

Small American influence in Laos. We met with the Ambassador from the United States (Ambassador Bitter), who was just fantastic. She held a "town hall" kind of meeting which we attended with other American citizens. America is awesome! I am so grateful to have the freedoms that I do, regardless of who is president, what problems might be happening...I still deeply love America and will be eternally grateful for our country’s forefathers who set up this great nation. [Mom comment: ...and the foremothers who helped but whose efforts remain largely undocumented.]

The Spiritual Thought: 

I hope you know how much I love you Mom. I'll love you forever I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my Mommy you'll be.

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

ອັບຣາຮາມ ສະມິດ-ດິກສ

Abraham Smith-Driggs  

Blessed are the little children!

Monday, May 8, 2017 

(Mea culpa on the late post - Love, Mom)

With some of the young men!

The Work: 

This week was fantastic! Here in Lao, as representatives of Deseret International Charities (DIC), we have the blessing of attending what we call "turnovers," which is where DIC has built some sustainable water towers along with bathrooms and has donated them to the school. We get to celebrate the event with the children. It is the elders job to entertain them, dance with them, laugh with them, hug them, and show them Christlike love. That is easy to do, since these children literally come from heaven. I love my job! 

Elder and Sister Jensen with Elder Cheney

The school girls dancing for us 

It was a pleasure this week to meet our new friend Brother Hollis Hunt! Brother Hunt is the father of my dear friend Elder Hunt (a former companion). He stopped in Lao, and we grabbed some food. He attends the Lao-Thai ward (in SLC), and I can't wait to visit when I get home from my mission. Thanks for the good times Elder Hunt! You are always welcome!

Getting started up on English classes soon! We gave out a placement test this last week. 

The Culture: 

Away from much of the bustle of the city of Vientiane lay quaint towns full of farmers. These are some pictures of their children. All schools are uniform. Always. 

This little one stuck with me the whole day. He had his little bag and his little eyes kept looking at me. I finally asked him his name and asked if I could take a picture with him because I thought he was very handsome. He agreed... probably never seen a camera in his life. I wish you could see his smile...but I think he was more fearful that my eyes were blue. Probably the first person with blue eyes he has ever seen. Till we meet again my little friend!

The Funnies: 

While we were eating lunch with some English students this week, they were asking about snow in America. They asked if you can eat snow. I responded and said, "Of course you can but not the yellow snow!"... Elder Cheney and I were the only ones who laughed. I quickly realized they didn't get the joke. I explained and they all laughed hahahaha. They thought it was the funniest thing..."Yellow snow!"...they kept saying hahahahaha.

We spent some time with Yale Layton, a new addition to the ward. He works for the American Embassy here in Vientiane and just moved here a couple of months ago. He is so much fun, and we went golfing together this last week! What a funny guy! But the funniest part was that when we went to his house, it had American furniture and style and everything... then I walked into the living room and my feet recognized something I had not felt for a long time.... CARPET. I quickly sank to the floor practically doing a snow angle in the carpet. It felt good. Brother Layton was probably like, “Wow.... this elder is really strange.” Hahahaha. 

Brother Layton giving Elder Cheney some tips on golfing. Pretty sure Elder Cheney is a natural at golfing... it was his first time, and he golfed way better than I did. Hahahah great job man! (Having an awesome coach helped. Thanks Yale!)

It was fun to spend time with Rob Stevenson and his wife Alison this week as well. HUGE shoutout to them for a delicious meal and even better company. Also...they introduced me to shooting some gas powered air soft guns. Boy I am a terrible aim, but we had a good time! 

Trying on some traditional Hmong clothes with Sister Lily's mother and brother, along with her cousin. Hope you get this picture somehow Sister Vue. I think you will laugh hahahahaha!

Spiritual Thought: 

The saints in Lao have been very patient and very faithful to the Church in times of uncertainty. The Church has been doing everything legally with the government to get a church building. Day after day, we get closer and closer. There is too much to explain, and I don’t know if I can disclose a lot of what is happening because of liability reasons, but the Church is very close! In no time at all, we will be able to teach and baptize. The members in Lao keep everything going by their faithful commitment to follow the Savior. When I think of my dear friends, I think of Helaman 3:35: “They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility.” These faithful members have been keeping their tithing, waiting for the day to pay it for almost 6 months, finally getting a chance to receive those blessings.  At times, many of us may have thought, “Where is God in all of this?” As these faithful members prayed continually, they became “firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.” Not everything is according to our plan. Sometimes we have to wait a long time to see the blessings that come from living a righteous, Christ-centered life. Brothers and sisters, I have seen the power of prayer manifest in this small country. The people are poor, but their spirits are powerful. The Lord will always succor his people in their infirmities. These humble people of Lao have changed my life. For me, they are the epitome of people who “yield their hearts unto God.” Oh my dear friends, how I want to be like them. Many of you back home have prayed and pleaded with the Lord for the people of Lao. It brings great joy to my soul that so many care about so few. 

A little group of disciples in Lao is supported by many members across the globe not only in spirit, but with tithing money as well. It is because of tithing and faithful members all around the world that we can purchase a building. From the bottom of my heart I thank you brothers and sisters. Great things are about to happen in Laos. The work is always moving forward. And things are about to get really exciting! Forward ever, stopping never.  May we yield our hearts unto God continually that we may see the blessings that are prepared for us in heaven is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

ອັບຣາຮາມ ສະມິດ-ດິກສ

Abraham Smith-Driggs  

If you had an hour....

My dear friends, if you had an hour free in Utah, what would you do? Would you choose to surf Facebook, get some gardening done, visit a friend maybe? Our time is such a precious gift. It is for this reason that I would like to type a little about spending our time wisely (see Spiritual Thought section).

The Work: 

Things are about to start up here in Laos with a new semester of English classes opening up. We start teaching every day, and for the first six weeks we have a “turnover” - which is where DIC donates and builds water towers along with bathrooms. The students all gather, and they have an assembly and banquet in our honor. What a fun time to play with the kids! So look forward to fun photos next week! The members are doing well, still hanging on to have Sunday School and priesthood classes at church. Not there yet, but we are close. Elder Cheney – doing well as always. What a solid missionary!

Elder Cheney and his x-ray. He is going to be totally ok. No worries family and friends - Elder Cheney is totally fine. Everything is worked out :) 

Visiting some investigators. Great family! Great food! 

You can't help but fall in love with this little city.

Spent the day in Thailand with Elder Brooke. Had a great time! He is such a great missionary. It was such a fantastic opportunity to learn from him. Great guy!

So fun to see my dear friend Elder Ellis (same MTC group) 

when we went to Udorn this week for Elder Cheney's thumb. 

The Culture: 

Artsy pic... me and my sick ride (black sabbath). 

I may not have a car or a Segway... but the bike gets the job done :) 

Thailand and Laos are known for their massages (actually all of Southeast Asia). You will walk down almost any street here in Vientiane and see many massage parlors. You have to know which ones to go to though, or you might end up in a bit of an awkward situation (not good stuff). But, today, for the first time on my mission, I took advantage of the professionals around me, and totally got a foot massage. Ohhhhh it was heaven. Sign me up for next week.

Bamboo soup :) 

The Funnies:  

Pretty dry week… Elder Cheney and I are pretty pooped. (ทองเสียหลาย)

???? Do they have this in America now or something?

Spiritual Thought: 

I don’t think we come to fully understand our blessings that surround us until we don’t have them in our lives. Such has been the case for me as a missionary here in Laos. The rhetorical question I asked at the beginning of the entry, “If you had an hour… what would you do?” sprung into my head last night as Elder Cheney and I talked about the blessings that come from living a gospel-centered life. Think about it for a second… if you had an hour… some might choose to get updated on the latest Facebook posts, while others might choose to read the newspaper. Some may sit down to watch a football game, while others might pour over a favorite author’s new book. Do we realize how much of our free time can be spent lifting others? Spiritually and physically, I understand that sometimes we feel spent. We need a break! This life is too much GO GO GO. May I suggest just one thing we can do?

Go to the temple of the Lord. I live within 30 minutes of a few. I could actually go to the house of the Lord.

I realize that my life revolves around being a missionary right now. And I understand that some of you are sitting there reading this going, “This is all well and good Elder Smith-Driggs… but my life is just simply too busy to go to the temple. Maybe you can because you are a missionary. You don’t have to work a full-time job; you don’t have to pinch and save for college; you don’t have to raise 3 kids, etc. I can’t fit it all in.” Well, maybe you are right. But I have learned as a missionary that amidst the tumultuous times we live in, the things that will bring us the most happiness are our God and our family. If we don’t have enough time, we need to make time. The temple fits in both God and family. A win-win, if you ask me! We live just minutes away from several of God’s palaces on earth. Millions of saints all over the world scrape and save until they can one day go to the temple… some taking lifetimes to do so. They understand the blessings and covenants at the temple are more holy than anything else in the world.  If you had an hour a day free…. I would hope that that time would be spent with the people you love most. Your God, and your family. To all of my family who is reading this, Mom, Dad, Eliza, Olivia, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents… I love you dearly. I wish I could phone you and hear your voice and have a conversation with you. My prayer is that we can simplify our lives to a more simpler, God-centered way of living. Please make sure that way of living includes the temple. It is what Daddy wants. 

Love the Lord and Laugh,

Elder Smith-Driggs

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

ອັບຣາຮາມ ສະມິດ-ດິກສ

Abraham Smith-Driggs