Songkran Water Fight

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls  - listen up because last week was the biggest water fight in the world. World Record Water Fight Songkran Thailand New Year water festival... 3 days... and it was a party to be sure hahahahaha. This last week was fun! And on top of it, we got a lot of work done as well! 

She loved getting me wet hahahahaha

Yesterday night we got transfer calls, and I will be headed to the city of Surin (eastern Thailand)!!!! I am WAY excited. Surin is known here in the mission and all around Thailand as the "land of elephants." It is where humans learned how to train elephants as work elephants and war animals. I'm sad to leave Chiang Rai because of all of the friends I have made here but excited for a new area and a new companion. It has been so much fun serving with Elder Rogers, and I will miss him :) 

What can I say? TBM mission is The Best Mission

The Work: 

Too bad I am leaving Chiang Rai this week because Elder Rogers and I have 5 baptisms scheduled for this Sunday hahahahahahaha. How ironic. I sincerely hope they all follow through! We have some solid investigators right now, and I really hope they all get baptized. Hopefully next week I will be smiling from ear to ear emailing you about these wonderful people. Please pray for these people. Their names are: Sister Ploy, Brother On, Brother Mxxang, Brother Gaw, and Brother Wit. They need your prayers this week as Satan will be trying to work very hard to persuade them NOT to get baptized this week. These amazing people have chosen to follow Christ, but now they just need to follow through and keep their commitments. Please pray for our brothers and sisters here in Thailand. I love them so much. 

Working here in Chiang Rai has been a dream. I love the members, the leadership, the RCs... all of my friends here if you are reading this blog... I will miss you dearly! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for how nicely you have treated me and for how caring you are. For all of the mother figures who can understand English here - thanks for looking after me and calling me your "baby boy." ผมจะคิดถึงทุกคนมากมากมากผมรักเชียงราย!!!!!!!!!! 

ผมรักเชียงราย!!! 555

[Mom comment: I asked Elder Smith-Driggs what "555" meant.  He said, "How do I explain this? The word for 5 in Thai is the sound "Ha," kind of like Chinese. But it has a mountain town on it, so when you put 555 together it sounds like someone is going "hahahaha" understand? No? Maybe?" So, there you go...]

The Culture: 

•  Like I said, for Songkran everyone stops work for 3 days and just goes hard in the streets getting one another soaked with water. All of the truckbeds have people in them with a big garbage can filled with a 3 foot by 2 foot block of ice and water... which makes for a cold splash if you are on your bike hahahahahaha. It was way fun. Hope you enjoy the pictures! 

• Thai people love talk shows more than anything.
• Their phones here are HUGE. It is not unusual to see people using their tablets as phones as well.

The Funnies: 

• We were in a meeting with a member, and he was talking about a member we wanted to visit. He said, "Oh, you don’t need to worry about him anymore. He became a woman and left the Church for good.".... We were like, “OK -  thanks for that info.” As I walked away, I looked at Elder Rogers and said, "Woah...do you realize how weird that sentence must sound in America?" We kind of giggled and then talked about the blessing of the plan of salvation. People can change! 
• Also...2 white missionaries riding their bikes getting soaked by men, women, and children all last week.... My planners and notebooks are warped forever hahahahaha. We must have been fun targets! 

Soaked after a hard days work

Spiritual Thought: 

This week I had a lot of time to ponder about the doctrine of Christ. My favorite chapters to refer to are 2 Nephi 31 and 3 Nephi 11. In these accounts, the Savior literally tells us the doctrine of Christ. It is simple, it is beautiful, and if taught correctly, provides the way for salvation. As we have been teaching about baptism so much with our 5 daters (people who will be getting baptized on Sunday), it has caused us to study the covenant of baptism and the steps of repentance and faith that are NEEDED before the step of baptism. If you want to research more, please see 3 Nephi 11:32-33 for more clarification. I love the doctrine of Christ and am convinced that its simplicity is inspired of God. People without a Christian background or any knowledge of God can understand it, like people born in Jerusalem who are Jewish... the doctrine of Christ is simple and amazing. SO GRATEFUL for it. I am so grateful for it, and I know the principles are true. I have seen the way it is changing people’s lives, including my own. Study it and live it. That is my commitment to you all. 

I love you all so much. Fam - you guys are the best. God bless you all! 

Just so Asian I had to put it in here. Doing the Thai Squat picking up Asian Ramen at 

7-11...... just too Thailand. The Thai Missionaries will understand hahahahahah.

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

Almost an epic email...

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Today is Songkran Festival here in Thailand. In a couple of hours, people will line the streets and participate in the biggest water fight in the world. For THREE days, Thailand shuts down and everyone lines the streets with buckets, water guns, foam cannons, chalk, paint... everything and soaks everyone in their path...old and young...that is today. Before the chaos begins, we get to email. So thus my title... "Almost an epic email"... stay tuned for next week baby...those pictures are going to be super groovey ;) 

The Work: 

This week, we had zone conference down in Chiang Mai over the weekend. We also had the opportunity to watch General Conference (https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng)! 

Zone Conference

The District

Here is a cool story about some of our investigators... I was teaching outside the church, and Elder Rogers, the diligent inviter that he is, was literally calling down motorcycles from the road to stop and talk to him. He would shout, "Sawadeekhrap pxxan!" Which means, "Hello friend!"... So of course random Thai people slowed down to see if it was actually their friend. On one such occasion...Elder Rogers chased down these two teenagers on a motorbike, invited them inside the church, and we taught them. 

They have never even heard of the name, Jesus Christ. Their names are On and Ploy. One week later, they have baptismal dates, and last night as we taught them, Brother On said, "Let me just get this straight here elders. If I pray to God and ask for an answer, he will answer me?... And this whole baptism thing...I do something called a covenant with God, and as I promise with him that I will always follow his commandments, he promises to wash my sins away. And when I get baptized, I commit to have a new life as I wash away my sins...completely willing to follow Jesus for the rest of my life... Is that correct?"

...

Elder Rogers and I looked to each other with smiles on our faces and said, "Yes Brother On, you couldn't have said it any better." I am so grateful to the Holy Spirit that teaches to all people truth according to their own understanding. This 19 year old guy has a better understanding than I do of baptism, and he JUST PRAYED FOR THE FIRST TIME 3 DAYS BEFORE TO A BEING HE HAS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF BEFORE. 

That is the miracle of the Holy Spirit. Amazing week this week. 

English class with Elder Rogers

The Culture: 

Songkran Festival is officially (according to the Guinness Book of World Records), the biggest waterfight in the entire world. It is awesome (don't really know because this is the first time I have played). It happens once a year and is the Thai new year festival. Can't wait to get soaked in a couple hours hahahah.

The Funnies: 

Sometimes this water fight (Songkran) starts early - unofficially. SEVEN times yesterday as I was riding on my bike to appointments, I turned onto the street and my heart dropped. "Oh no"...as I see a huge garbage can filled with water and five 10 year olds with little buckets of doom... they sure had fun. So did my tie and my planner hahahahahahah! I just laughed and rode on. One of the boys was actually a member so you KNOW I will be going to town on him today... he is going to get it hahahahaha. I got soaked 7 more times yesterday from an old lady, 5 drunk dudes, 4 drunk girls (drunk people are ok because they don't have very good aim), and other assorted random people with water guns. 

Spiritual Thought: 

From this experience with Brother On and Sister Ploy this week, I was very grateful to have the Spirit while teaching, being around others, and contacting on the street. Recognizing the Spirit is one of the most important skills any person can learn to grow. I am learning so much about myself and about the nature of Heavenly Father as I have the amazing opportunity to teach people about who God is. The Spirit is so central in conversion. "Preach My Gospel" tells us that we must understand how our investigator must feel in order to feel the Spirit, understand how we feel in order to feel the Spirit, and in doing so can pinpoint ways to help our investigator recognize when they are feeling the Spirit. 

The Lord promises us that when we do this, our investigators will have more faith in Jesus Christ because they know how to feel of his love. I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit and the chance I get to build my relationship with him. I would invite all of you to make the necessary changes in your life to allow the Holy Spirit to abide with you more frequently. These changes may be small or big, but they are necessary I promise. We need the Spirit. It is such an amazing gift.

Holding hands around the world

Mom, Dad, Eliza, Oliva, Smith family and Driggs family... I love you all so so much. You mean the world to me. I am so grateful to come from two such amazing families who teach good values of moral strength, character building, and righteous faith. I love you all dearly and miss you. Thank you for being you.

Until next week... until the epic email... signing off.

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

P.S. from Tiffany
Shout out to Jen and Ethan Robbins and Julie Oliphant for guessing, "What About Bob?" as the movie reference from last week's illnesses:) 

Bronchitis Can't Stop Jesus

This last week.... has been long days and long nights of sickness. I was good up until Wednesday morning when I woke up with practically no energy. (Weird - because I love the mornings - I really do.) Going throughout the day I felt weak...groggy...lethargic...cold chills...hot chills...cardiac arrest...seizures...tongue swelling up...fear of bladder exploding...totally kidding on most of those. (Mom comment:  If you can name the movie from which Elder Smith-Driggs pulled the last two symptoms, email me (smiggsfamily@yahoo.com), and I'll give you a shout out in the next blog post.) But I had a temp of 102.5 degrees and then 103 the next day....yuck man, just not good. BUT I am getting better thanks to the mission nurse and the very loving doctors here in Chiang Rai. Let's talk about some cooler things, shall we? 

QUICK shout out to Thomas Marshall: 

I LOVE YOU THOMAS you are the man! This is Thomas Marshall, and he is my favorite human being on the planet! Love you Thomas.  He was at Aida to see his cousin, Caleb, and my sister, Eliza, last week! 

Tuesday night, Apr. 5 at 7 p.m. at Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah is your LAST AND ONLY CHANCE to see my amazing sister Eliza as Amneris.  I've heard you will have tears running down your face. Please go see her for me!

The Work: 

I didn't really get to see my investigators really that much this week. In fact, I barely made it to church yesterday, but God gave me strength woohoo! They say they are doing well though. I am sure Elder Rogers and God are taking great care of them. I have just really been loving studies recently. Being at home sick, I have done everything there is to do. Read all the magazines, studied scriptures, etc. It has been way fun, and I feel very rejuvenated! I love the opportunity I get each day to have an hour of personal scripture study. SERIOUSLY what a blessing. I would try it out if I were you!

The Culture: 

If someone gives you food in Thailand, it is polite to "wai" them. (Or put your hands together and place them under your chin.) You do that when saying hello, saying godbye, acknowledging respected persons... it is done in church too! There are many ways to "wai" someone, and there are rules for "waiing" respectfully.

Mom pulled from Thai etiquette website.

Mom comment: One last tiger picture from last week.  

Maybe the tigers gave him bronchitis?

Big mountain

The Funnies: 

I was wayyyy sick... not that funny - but one night I wasn't sleeping well, and I got up. It was like 4 am, and I eventually went downstairs to get some water...coming back up the stairs I lost my balance, got light headed and fainted...hitting my head on the mini basketball hoop and ended up on the ground of my room panting for Elder Rogers to come save me...4 am. Hahahahaha I can't wait to see that replay in heaven.

Chess master 

Accidental filter and matching shirts... BOOM

Spiritual thought: 

This week I really tried to focus on my prayers. We teach that prayer is a literal communication with Heavenly Father. And we preach that He answers, correct? This week I wasn't feeling the power in my prayers. I have been praying in Thai my whole mission. Personal, companionship, in public. Everything is in Thai. It has been a solid 10 months since a prayer in English out loud has been spoken from my lips. So I did it this week while I was sick. Amazing. There is something super special about praying in your own language. I used phrases in there translated from Thai...it was very slow but heartfelt. Prayers don't need to be fast and long. And I felt completely different about my prayer. I benefited from it too. I just felt great. So this week I would like to challenge all of you to think about the words you use for prayer. Think of an investigator sitting there...could they understand you? Try to simplify.... just a thought. 

I love you so much. Bronchitis doesn't even phase the work of the Lord...IT GOES ON WOOHOOO

-- 

Love the Lord and Laugh, 

เอ็ลเดอร์ สมีธ-ดริกส์

Elder Smith-Driggs  

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!