Hiking + Church shoes = My Dad

Happy Birthday Dad! Today my dad is turning 53 years old. If I know my dad, I would guess that this is what his day would be like: In the morning, get up very early and wash all the windows in the house so he could see the sunrise. He would read/study about a new project he is working on/a new business he wants to start. Then at around 7 am he would start making some cream of wheat. He would put on some football, then get really into the game without caring who wins (he just wants a good game), he would go wash his car then sit down and talk with his friend Dave Pierce, eat a chocolate mousse cake that my mom makes only once a year (extra raspberries) then would play board games with his family. I hope you have a great birthday Dad! I love you so much! 

What’s up UDORN

The Work: 

This week I got to travel back to Lao for some visa work. When we went back, President Johnson and I agreed that it would be better if we went in normal clothes. So for the first half of this week, five other Mormon guys and I were biking around Vientiane visiting old friends, eating Lao food... it was really good to be back! I love all of the members there, and it was so nice to see them again! 

Brother Bo

Visa work yeahhhh

When I got back to Thailand, we had Zone Conference. But the days leading up to it I started to get really sick. My whole body was screaming in pain for a couple days...and I was just not feeling it. The night before Zone Conference it was hard to breathe, and I needed some help. I was worried because I was conducting and training in the Conference. President Tiger told me to ask for a blessing, which I did. A miracle happened. I woke up the next morning, trained the zone, ate lunch, sat through all of zone conference with no problems. As soon as the conference ended - boom, it hit me again. I was so grateful that Heavenly Father gave me the strength to conduct and do whatever I needed to the whole day on Saturday. That was all I needed to get me through the day. I am recovering slowly now because I have good medicine, but it was a great miracle this week that I am really grateful for. I am confident in the Lord's power to heal people. I have a hard time asking for blessings. I find that I am very stubborn (I think most males are when we ask for help). It took someone prodding me to do it until I would ask for help. It was a powerful lesson that President Tiger taught me. I need to ask for help... and that is ok! 

Me, Elder Lor, Elder Brown, Elder Cherd

The Culture: 

Thailand is very "cold" this time of year. Not to any of us Americans... but all the Thai people are in full on coats, and we are chillin’ in t-shirts. Classic white missionaries from SLC, UT. Missing the snow right now! 

Buying some fresh(?) meat

The Funnies: 

This week I decided to write down funny things about my dad. They are just classic "Ben Driggs" things. I hope the family will appreciate these:

• My dad wears dress shoes all the time. Boating, hiking, mowing the lawn, working... always dress shoes

• My dad loves to have things clean - you will find him on Saturdays making sure one area of the house is spotless ...... what a blessing...thank you Dad! 

• My dad loves to put the things he needs for the day (books/briefcase/computer/phone) all right at the base of the front door so he won't forget them when he leaves... this causes trouble when the kids go to school and run over his financial documents.

• My dad loves to read books! But he only gets to page 4 by the end of a month or so because when he gets a paragraph in, he immediately falls asleep hahahaha.

• My dad loves to watch movies! But he only gets about 4 minutes in because he falls asleep hahahaha.

• My dad wears my clothes and has started to wear my brand of deodorant... I am flattered Dad.

• My dad loves to dance... just ask him.

• My dad likes to laugh at random times because he believes the more you laugh the longer you live. He will just start laughing (laughing attacks) and then say at the end "I am going to live longer!" 

• My dad loves his red Toyota Corolla. It fits his personality. It is simple and it works.. that is all he needs! 

I love my dad so much. He is my hero. I look up to him just as much as I look up to the Church leaders. He is one of my best friends, and a lot of who I am as a person comes from him. I love you dad and I miss you. Happy 53rd Birthday! 

The Spritual Thought: 

During Zone Conference, President Johnson taught from this scripture: Mosiah 4:3, "And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them." He focused on those words "peace of conscience"... he taught us that of course we can't do everything right in one day, and sometimes we may feel like times are hard, but if we feel that peace of conscience given by the Holy Ghost, we know that we have done our best. I really liked that. As I look at the areas I have served along with my companions and the amazing people I have met so far on my mission, I am trying to re-evaluate my motives, effectiveness, etc. But something I need to ask God for is this peace of conscience. At the end of my mission I want to go home putting having put everything on the table... I want to look back with peace of conscience. That is a goal I have made here in the last 6 months of my mission. I know that the lord will help us feel like we are enough, and that he will always take us as we are. The Lord never gives up on us. I testify that he is there and that he loves us. 

Keep going. Keep loving, keep reading that book Dad! Maybe when I come home, you will finish it ;) Happy birthday. LOVE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK 

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

ອັບຣາຮາມ ສະມິດ-ດິກສ

Abraham Smith-Driggs