13 weeks in Thailand, 5 months in the field.

Week 13

So this week started off a little sad because ALL my pictures got deleted last p-day.   :(    I learned my lesson and I bought a jump drive to back them up from now on.  Despite this set back p-day was really Great.  It was my lovely companion’s birthday.  So we ate cake as a district and them the youth surprised her with another cake at FHE.  So fun!  Even though her birthday was on Monday,  I’ve been reaping the rewards all week as our investigators made us lunch and brought treats to our lessons.   :)   

We ate at a member’s house this week and I had pig intestines and other random organs for the first time…I gulped it down to fast though, cuz then she brought me another serving.   :)  I don’t know if I’m a fan but they put it in soup which helped because soup here is good! 

 

Marina forgets one of my favorite mission stories.  Elder Darlington and I were walking to our dinner appointment and we both agreed we did not like pumpkin soup.  Guess what we were served?!  I ate slow, which is hard for anyone to believe and Elder Darlington gobbled is up fast.  "Oh Elder, you liked it so much, here is an other serving."  Marina, you know this story and you should have remembered!!

Anyways this week has been a really busy missionary week, sorry I don't know how else to describe it.  We taught a lot of lessons, did a lot of contacting, and just worked hard.  We have four investigators preparing for baptism right now and so this week my companion and I have been seriously praying for them.   They are so awesome and prepared and I know that the Lord answers prayers and that if we humble ourselves and ask for blessings or guidance, He will be there for us!

My companion and I made Sunday night dinner for the district this week.  We caved and bought cheese which is sooooo paeng (expensive) and had grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup.  I didn't realized how much we eat bread in America until I came here.  LOL The last three district dinners we've had have been very bread oriented.  LOL  It’s our one American food night so, whatever. Thai food is great but sometimes you just miss what you grew up with :).   Everyone go out and eat Cafe Rio or Kneaders for me LOL! 

Well Love you all and have a great week!

Sister Peterson

 

Our P-day trip.

and I always thought Cliff was a nice guy.  Hummm

 

Week 12 in Thailand, Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

It’s been a really weird week.  LOL  First off, everyone leaves town and goes visits family or something on New Years, so getting lessons and contacting was rough. 

Second:  A poisonous bug flew at my eye and (in the words of Thai doctors), "When I wipe it off I killed it and spread the poison."   My eye is pretty much disgusting looking.  LOL  And by “eye,” I mean the eyelid and underneath my eye.  Maybe that is why no one wanted to meet with me from contacting.  LOL

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a poisonous bug in my eye"

 

 

 

 

Third:  On Friday it was like raining ash here.  I have no idea from what but it was definitely weird. 

However, Three amazing things also happened!  1.  My mission president opened a new area up for Elders called Kangphenphet.  It is two hours from Phitsanulok (where I am assigned) and is also where my half Thai companion's family lives (Non-members)!!!!  So Saturday we got to take a long trip but again, and introduce them to the Elders.  I don't know if they will convert but they seemed to love the Elders and they said they would go to the first baptism in Kangphengphet.  It is on the 12th so we might get to go back and witness a baptism in the river!!!!!!!

 

The District enjoying French Toast.  Eat your heart out Evan...French/Thai Toast!

 

The reason I’m sharing this story with you is that, I know that the Lord has everything planned out and even when we don’t know why something is happening, I know that I can always fall back on and trust God and his plan for all his children!

2^nd Amazing miracle:  Our investigator Bae stopped smoking and he and his wife are going to get married this week and be interviewed on Saturday!  The Lord prepares people!!!  Nanon!

The last weird but awesome thing is:    I'm officially done with training which is actually more scary than amazing.... but it’s mostly amazing that I've been on a mission for almost five months!

Well the church is true and I Love sharing it with other people!

Love to you all!  Happy New Year!!!

Sister Marina Peterson

Week 10-11, Christmas.

With Christmas, comes being busy.  Marina had a lot of letters to catch-up on and emails.  She didn't have much to say in her letters home, so the weeks got muddled a bit.  Here you go:


24 December 2013  Week 11-12

Its Christmas!

I don't have much time and most of my letter will be pictures...sorry! Anyways we had transfers this week and I thankfully didn't move!  Neither did my companion.  But we got new missionaries in the district which means I sadly had to say goodbye to some really good friends but such is the life of a missionary.  However I have loved getting to know our new sisters and Elder! (Sister Jackson, Sister Greenwood, and Elder Hunt) We've bonded pretty fast because we spent the majority of the week on a bus entertaining each other and not getting a lot of sleep. :)

On Friday we had the opportunity to go to an orphanage and represent LDS charities. We mostly just played games with kids and helped them put on a Christmas show for the workers and mentally handicapped adults that stay there also. They were so cute!  A member of the church works at the orphanage so all the kids know the primary songs.  That was fun.  They loaded up our bikes with fruit.

 

Then we went to Chiang Mai on Saturday for a Christmas fireside!  It was so fun.  So it’s winter here in Thailand and everyone is sporting ski jackets and scarves.  I’m okay with a cardigan but I know that I’m going to be freezing next year (I will be home for some of Utah’s beautiful winter, yuck)  LOL 

Christmas isn't really big here but the mall and chain stores all decorate for it.... It’s been fun teaching our English students and…really everyone we talk to.  They ask, “What is Christmas and why is it so important to us?”  I am so grateful to have a Savior and for all he has done for me! 

This has been such a great Christmas because it has really been focused on the Savior and nothing else.

Well, Lots of LOVE.  More next week !

 

Christmas Dinner, potatoes and Corn on the Cob.

 

Sister Nancy (Member) contacting neighbor in her veg garden.

 

 

Week Ten, week nine overview...I am catching up!

Week 9-10, 15 December 2013

Next week is transfer week for my mission so we’re all getting anxious…

This is the first time I’ve realized I'm not always going to get to see my investigators get baptized or always be teaching them.   :(    But I know that where the Lord wants me to go is where I need to be!  And I need to trust that everything will work out for the best. Having said that this week has been really good.

Our investigator, Daa, is getting baptized!  She had her interview on Saturday and she's Phrawm (ready).  It’s been so awesome to see her testimony spark and grow!  Since I've already started I’m just going to recount this week backwards.  LOL

So, on Saturday we taught our investigator family with the Branch President (Prataan) and his wife.  They are so awesome!  It was Sister Keg's (Prataan’s wife) birthday, and they even helped us!  

After teaching, they took us out to lunch.  They’re so loving and their testimonies are inspiring.  They helped me remember that there is no better way to spend your day than serving others!  Also, Sister Keg gave us fried bananas...which I've never had before... and I may possibly be addicted to!  LOL  They were amazing and I’ve had them everyday since, which really means two other times, so I'll get back to you on the addiction status. Okay?!

Thursday was also amazing because we got a new investigator!  Her name is Pim and she’s a sassy Thai lady who's awesome!  We met her contacting on Wednesday which is was really random because we were out looking for a dress shop so we could get a baptism dress made for our investigator.  We found a shop in the middle of nowhere, but we decided to go contacting first.

We found a talaad (market) and just started contacting there.  We didn't really have success there but Pim was the last person we talked to on our way back to the dress shop!  I've had a lot of experiences like this.  When we have the faith to be obedient, Heavenly Father blesses us! 

The last story but probably the funniest...  As a preface, I’m just going to netnaam (introduce) Thai Culture.  Everyone talks about being fat here.  The first thing people greet you with is oh you look fatter than last time or skinnier.  Old grandmas come up to you in grocery stores and grab the fat on your arms and start talking about it, etc.  Anyway, everyone hates it but everyone does it.  LOL  So on Tuesday we were teaching our investigator-family and we were reading in the Book of Mormon and started talking about how God love all of his children.  The Dad, bay starts talking about how we’re always changing but God is the same.  He loves us. Then Sister Gung (who's heavier by Thai standards) turns, puts her arms on my companions and mine legs and says, “yeah and he love all sizes too.”   LOL So rang maag (ouch!)  It was really funny!  A lot of things Thai people say would be offensive in English but they’re just funny in Thai.  Well at least they understand God's never changing love!  Only in Thailand :)

Love, Sister Peterson

Week 9. Sorry the holidays got in my (Dale's) way.

Week 9, 15 December 2013

Week had a baptism this week!  Our investigator Daa was baptized on Friday!  It was a lot of work to prep for but it turned out so amazing.  

 

 

We wanted the water to be cleaner so we rode all around town to find chlorine (which you buy at pharmacies here) and then we spent a while cleaning the church because we'd had a lot of activities there and it was still a mess.  Once the meeting started we had problems with the speaker which delayed us a bit but in the end the talks were beautiful and she's baptized and her testimony was so beautiful!  

On Saturday we had our ward Christmas party which was way fun!  The branch youth acted out the Nativity, and then we had performances by the members and then Asian Santa came out and gave everyone treats! :)  Our District had like ten investigators there which was so cool and they all had a great time! Then we had a Thai food feast which was sooooo delicious and then had a present exchange!

 

Christmas in Thailand...different but good!  Transfers are in two days so we’re all a little “on edge” about who's moving and who's not.  I don't know if I want to move or not...actually I don't want to move because I love my investigators and the members…but I also want to go where I'm needed and only the Lord knows where that is.  So until then, We’re working hard like nothings going to change!

Sorry this weeks letter is short but so much to do and not much time!  (The story of every missionary.  LOL)

Love Sister Peterson