Good year everyone. Great year....
Now let's start preparing Christmas for next year! (Cue elves cheering in the background.) In the words of my trusty zone leader, Elder Stone, "Christmas was GREAT! ... Now it's over. Get back to work." Hahahahahaha - gotta love missionary service.
Bike hair at its best
The Work:
Alrighty. Today I could tell you about investigators, members, LA returns, yadda yadda yadda... but I feel like I don't talk about the actual Missionary WORK enough. Work is a beautiful thing. Whatever you do in your life, there is nothing that substitutes for hard work. Hard work teaches you many lessons. However, hard work does not always get you results. In the words of Ezra Taft Benson, "Work, work, work - there is no satisfacatory substitute, especially in missionary work." I would completely agree. Some missionaries think that if they work their butts off, they will find success - that success meaning baptism. But what most people don't understand is that success does not equal baptism. Success, as defined by Preach My Gospel, is your DEDICATION to find, teach, and baptize. Our purpose as missionaries, and as human beings - is to find joy in the WORK. That is how God shapes our character, our nature, and our attitude. It is an amazing thing. Working hard - there is no substitute.
Golden Triangle - We can see Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand from here!
Funnies:
1. Elder Howard: "These are my agility goggles."
"These goggles increase my agility." - Elder Howard
2. I tried to comment something on the LDS youth website, BUT IT SAID I WAS TOO OLD.... so yeah that was a little frustrating.
3. The other elders cooked food in the church, and it burned, and there was smoke everywhere, and then President Johnson randomly showed up to watch our English class - SO EMBARASSING. Hahahah he just chuckled. It smelled like burnt rice and Fabreeze.
4. We were teaching an investigator (Chinese, and he only speaks English), and he asked me (in English)... he got very serious and said, "I want to take a shower with you... can I do that?"..... ummmm.... I was speechless, and Elder Howard was trying so hard not to laugh because the investigator was talking about baptism. Hahahahahahaha don't worry, I held it together, but BARELY.
Casual conversation
[Mom question: What animal is that? It looks a little bit like a pig.]
Culture:
1. KhonThais are scared of the sun, so they carry umbrellas around when it is really sunny so that their faces don't get dark.
2. When at a member's house, everyone will eat food together, but the person who prepares the food will not eat until everyone is satisfied.
Delicious Prick Gang Gai (yellow peppered curry)
3. KhonThais love to touch you. They are a very physical people - so people will be talking to me and then touch me on my waist and hold my hand when they walk with me (usually old men). No females do it to us, so that is good.
Spiritual thought:
Man, there are so many things I could talk about today. I think my Work section says it all. Until we can really understand how the process of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ works... I mean the actual effort it takes... the work... the sweat... the emotional trauma - that is when we get to taste the Atonement and the pure love our Savior has for us. I know He does. I know He does.
I love you all so much. Girls, don't get into too much trouble... Please don't date any crazy boys..... but if you do, I better hear some stories.
Giant scorpion...cool
Love you my dear family and friends! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Love always,
Elder Smith-Driggs
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