Week 62 in Thailand. 21 Dec Christmas week.

My email reply.  No blog.

This week was crazy in that we had transfers and I’m now in a trio with Sister Smith and Sister Sawangwong.  Sister Smith was actually really worried because she was in a trio in the MTC and it was hard, but so far it’s been really fun.  This has been a week of translating for me as I’m now the area translator.  Because Sister Sawangwong doesn't speak English and S. Smith is in the process of learning Thai and can't.  So that is kind of stressful but at the same time it’s nice to serve.

It’s most stressful when I have to translate thing Sister Smith says to Sister Sawangwong and vise versa.  But that goes back to the serving thing.  Also, I got called as STL Sister Training Leader and cried for the last time at transfer meeting...because now my group is the oldest in the mission and I won't have to say goodbye to anymore people that I love LOL.  I feel like I’m getting a lot of responsibility that would normally freak me out but God has already shown me that he’s going to help so I’m not too worried :)

Tell everyone I love them :)

Week 61 in Thailand, 14 Dec 2014

No blog, just some pictures.

 

My trainer came to Thailand!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best day ever...she swung by transfers to see how we, her two remaining companions were.  :-)

Also got to reunite with my peeps in Bangkapi :-)  seriously best transfers day ever!

Christmas in Bangkok :)

 

With Sister Sawangwong and Sister Smith

 

 

Week 60 in Thailand 7 Dec 2014

This week was a bit crazy because we had a Zone Conference Christmas party…which actually included everyone in the Isan.  It was really fun.  The four of us found some pretty awesome Christmas sweaters at a market here in the area.  We were probably both the most festive and tacky Missionaries there, but it was fun!

It sort of had a dramatic ending when, as they were bringing the meeting to a close, President Senior announced that my group would be giving the end of your Mission testimonies.  I still feel like I just got here, so that kind of came as a surprise.  I don't remember what I said, just that I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the experiences I have had and for the fact that I still have a few more months to teach people about my Savior. Grateful for all the challenges that have made me grow, and all the people that I've met and grown to love.

It was also Father’s Day in Thailand which was fun because in all of our inviting spots, there were live music festivals going on.  :-)  All the streets were decked out in Christmas lights.  It was really pretty!  So Happy Fathers Day, Dad and Grandpas.  Here's to another week of finding joy in the work!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Thanksgiving Week, 59 in Thai 11/30/14

This was a week of eating good food and sharing the gospel.  LOL  There was a big market/festival this week in my area, filled with good food and tons of people.  So we did a lot of inviting and eating.  LOL  But we saw a lot of success in inviting and even got a new investigator from it!

 

Wednesday:  We went on a switch off so I went to Roi Et and got to spend some time with Sister Ong.  She has been out for six weeks.  I had a lot of fun just teaching so many people and I was so impressed with sister Ong.  She is a great missionary and is so good at Thai.  I love sharing about the commandments.

Sunday was probably the best day of the week...as always.  Nanne, our investigator got baptized this week, which was so awesome.  She was such a miracle.  We met her contacting a few weeks ago and over the past few weeks we’ve been able to see her faith grown and it was awesome.  It was about when we'd finished teaching her all the lessons and she had a desire to be baptized, that we talked about the youth programs of the church including primary.  She told us that she had actually come to primary at our church for two years when she was 8 to 10.  And it just hit me that God has been preparing her, looking after her for years.  How miraculous this day was for Him to see a daughter of God receive the gift of Baptism.  I love this gospel and this opportunity to share it with so many people!

We finished off Sunday in Roi Et.  The Stokers (Senior Missionary couple) invited our zone over for Thanksgiving Dinner.  IT was so perfect!  Smelled like home.  Had fun with my mission family and got to take a moment to be grateful for the scriptures and how much help and blessings I've received from them.  Never take them for granted.  So many people have sacrificed that we may know to what source we can look for a remission of our sins.

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Week 58 in Thailand

Time
Too fast
Immeasurable
Memorable
Everlasting

Quote of the week: ไม่ต้องเครียด ชิวิตนี้ก็สุดยอดมาก

(You don't have to stress life is so awesome)

 

Wow!  Why are the my blogs starting out all the same...because I’m running out of time.  LOL

Things I remember from the blur that was my week:

Serving others:  Sister Smith and I got to help one our recent converts, Noi package and sell vegetables at a market.  Service is awesome and always a learning experience.

Sharing the Gospel:  Taught some amazing lessons today with our investigator, Nanne.  She has changed so much in the few weeks I've known her and it’s been such a great experience to watch her faith grow.

Saw the countryside:  Went to help a member harvest rice and she gave us a tour of her grounds afterwards.  It was like a garden of plenty.  It had everything from papaya trees, fish, rice, Thai vegetables.  So beautiful.  So fun!

Sorry no pictures.  I left my SD card at home.  :-(

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 57, 16 Nov 2014 FARM LIFE!

Whew, another week flew by.  I literally have fallen asleep at like 9:30 everyday this week.  LOL 

This week was filled with awesome experiences that only happen when your a missionary!  Such as working with a group of people to accomplish something amazing.  We worked a lot with members this week.  We visited some members that are struggling and it was such an awesome experience. Service is sooooo awesome it’s addictive.  

This week was also faced with trials of long hours and disappointments, but this week my companion and I really just decided that trials come and we can still have faith ต่อไป. So while trials came they weren't really memorable.

What I remember most from this week was:

Helping members harvest rice.

Teaching people about our Heavenly Father.

 Forming Friendship for life.

Experiencing firsts with Sister Smith.

  

Loving Life.

Love to all.

Sister Marina A. Peterson

I miss snow!

11/15/14  I wrote:  I am visiting CO this weekend.  Got snowed in.  Quiet, cold, bored.

 

11/16/2014  Marina wrote:  “Okay…I said this would never happen but…I’m going to say it…I Miss Snow!

 

Week 56 in Thailand, 09 Nov 2014

This week we worked sooo hard but like always, when our efforts fell short, God sent us some miracles.  Yah!  Faith!

So Monday we went on an excursion to the dinosaur town of Thailand.  Not as cool as Utah but definitely an adventure.

 

 

 

Thursday was the Lantern Festival in Thailand.  For FHE, the ward took us to go celebrate.  I have been waiting to send off a lantern since last year and relive my Tangled dreams!!!!

Saturday, I went to my first Thai wedding for a member named Joy.  Thai weddings consist of a lot of food (good thing I love eating) and are really
Hi-So. #grewupwithweddingsinchurchgyms.

My comments of the week:  Be believing, do your part,  be committed and pray.  Expect trials of your Faith but expect the Lord to act.   Sunday was a miracle day.  We had five investigators at church and got two new investigators!  For a missionary, that’s better than Christmas and the best part was, it was all the work of the Lord!

Love you all!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 55 in Thailand, Nov 2, 2014

Email question, how is your hand?

Which hand was it?

It was the left hand.  It’s completely healed.  Got my stitches out on the 28th.  Doing yoga once again.   :-)

Remainder of the email:  Yeah got the call Tuesday night that I was training.  Scary…and now I’m in Mahasarahakam with the new Sister Smith.  I feel like my last companion helped prepare me for this.  God always has everything planned.  So I actually am not that nervous.  Last transfer was good and I feel like this one will be as well.  We've already had a baptism.  I'm in the boonies but this place is booming as far as the work goes.  Also were in a 4 sister house which I love.  So much fun!   Well I will write more about that in my blog.

Loves

 

BLOG

Well I survived another Transfer meeting with a new area and New Companion, Sister Smith!  She just came from the MTC and is so excited to be here, which is awesome!  I'm more than nervous to be training someone on a language I’m still learning myself but I fell like this transfer is going to be awesome!

 

So I’m back in the rural part of Thailand living the dream!  It’s weird to be out of the city.  I forgot how many bugs there were.  LOL  Our first four days here have been an adventure.  We went bike shopping on Friday for Sister Smith.  Met a lot of the members and got settled in our house. This area has four sisters and we all whitewashed.  That mean we replaced all the previous missionaries, which were Elders.  Friday was kind of a unpack and explore day. 

 

The branch here is smaller, about 70 people at church, but the members are all amazing and very rooted in the gospel. The previous missionaries did some awesome work and we were able to come in and teach/prepare one of the areas investigators on Saturday, which was such a miracle. 

 

Her name is Jong and she is a sweet old lady that lives a humble life out here.  She has a truly amazing understanding of prayer and we were so blessed to meet her and be there for her baptism.  Like every Khon, Thai over the age of 50, she wouldn't smile in any of her pictures, which is sad because she has a pretty smile.  But just know she's a sweet Khun Yai from the Isan.

Sunday was full of miracles as the Sisters had three baptisms!  The ward was so excited because they had put just as much love and care into teaching these people as the missionaries had.  Everyone of the people getting baptized bore there testimony, not only of the gospel, but of the genuine love of the members.  We finished the day with a funeral for one of the members mother.  It was sad in the way that all funerals are but sweet in the understanding we all have of the plan of salvation.  My first Thai funeral.

Well I love you all and I hope your week is wonderful!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

Email worth sharing...Oct 26

Email Answers:

Hi Dad:  Well it’s the last p-day of the transfer so we’re all just waiting to see if we move.  I have no preference because I love it here but...I also miss serving in Thai wards...so just leaving it up to God.

(Questions about my trip)  I'm really excited to take you around Thailand because I love it here sooo much, which just makes me want to share it with everyone!!!   Oi okay I’m getting teary eyed so moving on....

The Bishop in my Ward says he's sees me on TV all the time at his office because they keep airing the English video.  I guess I’m a little famous.  LOL  Other than that, not much news.  Working hard.  Not getting trunkie.  Sharing the gospel that has brought me so much joy.

 

Love Sister Marina Peterson

 

 

It just amazes me how much we fall in love with the country and the people.  I feel the same way about New Zealand.   - Dale Peterson

Miracle Week 53, One year in Thailand Oct 19, 2014

This week can pretty much be summed in two stories :-)

Tuesday:  I officially have lived in Thailand for a Year and I celebrated it by getting a cyst taken out of my hand.  It was kind of just like getting a mole removed but from your bone???  Okay, that doesn't sound any better, LOL  but it’s healed up quite nicely and next week I get my stitches out and everything will go back to normal.  :-) 

Being at the doctors gave me time to reflect on my mission so far and what I want to accomplish personally for the next five months. I came to the conclusion that what I need to work on the most is charity and patience.  I feel like these two Christ-like attributes go hand in hand.  

Something I learned from Conference was:  We can all forget ourselves a little more often and spend our efforts helping and strengthening others. In doing this, I believe we can not only expound our capacity to love but develop a greater understanding for the love that Our Father in Heaven has for us.  That love is patient, longsuffering and unselfish.

Sunday:  Sunday was miracle day จริงๆ.  We got a new investigator from, Sri Lanka, with an amazing story.  He moved into the area recently and found himself in one of those questions of the soul moments.  He said and un-specified prayer in his heart asking if there was a deity, whom ever it may be.  He spent the rest of his night cleaning his new apartment and getting settled. Then, he crawled into bed.

He woke up the next morning and look out the window.  Near the window seal, there was a pass along card from our church about baptism.  He got really excited.  He said, he just new it was his answer.  The problem was he recognized the picture but the rest of the card was in Thai, which he can't read.  He decided he would call the number on the card when he got home that evening. 

When he got home, the card was gone.  He couldn't remember where he put it or something.  The only thing he remembered was the word Mormon.  A few weeks later he was finishing a job that he'd been working on, when the person he was working for brought up the Book of Mormon in a conversation of beliefs.  He instantly remembered the card!  :-)  That member brought him to church this week, answering not only his prayers but the pleadings of both my companion and I for a prepared person/walk-in at church.

Prayer is real. God is always listening.  No matter your question, great or small, he will answer.  As we follow his teachings and ask for miracles in our lives, we will see miracles.  For every righteous desire will be given in the timing of the Lord.

I love you all!  I hope you have a week full of miracles!  Ask for them and you will receive miracles in your life!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Me celebrating my year in country mark with a pumpkin-frappe!

Week 52 in Thailand Oct 12th

Wow can't believe this transfer is almost half way over.  Time is starting to slip away from me.  LOL  Sister Woodbury and I had a good week though, which was only made better by getting to watch General Conference.  General conference is like Christmas in the mission field and we spent all week preparing for.  J 

I know the Savior has bigger and better plans for our lives than we do.  He makes them know to us through the mouths of his Prophets and Apostles, as well as through personal revelation.  As a missionary, I've come to understand a little more clearly, how God works in our lives.  I've learned this by watching how he works in the lives of those around me. Sometimes, even when they don't believe or know that he's there. 

Part of my testimony of this comes from recognizing the hand of the Lord in my own life.  The tender mercies he gives us daily through answers to our prayers and little things to let us know were on the right path.  Never forget that in God's eyes, you are special, you are important, and loved.  

This we were able to meet several new people learn about them and share what we know. I've seen how powerfully  knowing Heavenly Father and his gospel can help people deal with the challenges that are part of life.  We all have challenges.  Remember it’s not a one time deal.  When we make mistakes or just need help, there is no better source to turn to than our Heavenly Father.  All things can be made right through our use of the Atonement.

Things I’m most excited for this week are as follows: Rainy season is ending!  Okay, so that’s more like in two weeks but  hopefully I will not have any more moments where it starts dumping rain and I, unlike my companion, don't have an umbrella. 

LOL  I will have to say that it has been a fun experience being around storms like this since, I’m from Utah where rainstorms are more rare.  While we sometimes have flooding, it's nothing like here in Bangkok.  LOL  Anyways, I’m pumped and ready for cold season!!

Fun things we did this week:  We made a passion fruit-kiwi pie.  I love making pies and we wanted to try one using Thai fruit...still a work in progress as kiwis aren't from Thailand and are rather expensive here.  But passion fruit is!

 

Well I love you all and hope your weeks are productive and full of miracles!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 51 in Thailand, Oct 5th

This Week was a blur... someone told me that happens more the older in the mission you are.... scary!  But, anyways, this week was nevertheless filled with miracles and tender mercies.  :-)

Tues:  Sister Woodbury and I, spur of the moment, decided to visit a Less Active Member.  We called up a member we'd heard about in the past few weeks but hadn't met. She, as it turns out, hadn't been to church in years.  And phor dii waa when we called her she had just waking up from a dream that God told her she needed to be a stronger member of the church (miracle!!!!) จริงๆ

We asked if we could come over in an hour and visit her...in reality I was expecting to make a later appointment as we only had an hour time slot available in our day...but she was like, YES Sister, you need to come over!  Although it was pouring rain and traffic was, at an all time high, with the help of some members we were able to go see her and share the joy of repentance that the Gospel gives us and invite her to church!  And the best part is she came!!!!!

She got up and bore testimony that God never leaves us.  :-) So grateful for these joyful experience that strengthen my testimony and my faith that we all have a Heavenly Father that loves us and is mindful of us and our lives. He is always waiting with open arms when we are ready to come back and partake of the blessings he has in store for us.  Repentance is a beautiful word filled with hope and peace, and a knowledge that we need not make the same mistakes over and over again.

Another thing that I'm grateful for is the members. This week we had the opportunity to work and teach with several member who are so willing to sacrifice there time for the Lords work. So grateful!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

Book of Mormon class in the Asoke Ward and my new sweater I bought to prepare for cold season in a month.   :-)  I think I’m going to die when I come home Mom and Dad.  Joking, but really.

 

Week 50 in Thailand Sept 28, 2014

Hey everybody!  Sorry I don't have much to write about this week but life is great!

We started our week of by getting a temporary companion.  We picked up, Sister Nalya, a Sister Missionary from Laos who came to Bangkok, to get set a part before heading off to the MTC and then Cambodia, where she will be serving.  It was a good experience for me and Sister Woodbury.  We got a little shot of greenie enthusiasm and excitement that has stayed with us throughout the week.

We got to take her to go get her Patriarchal blessing before dropping her off at the airport, which really exciting for me because I got to meet the Stake Patriarch.  He's the only one in Thailand right now.  He's really an inspiring person.  He's been blind for most of his life, but he's so amazing and you can just tell that not any trial has ever stopped him from following God or living his life to the fullest.  My patriarchal blessing has helped me sooo much in my life and our little excursion helped be just that much more grateful for it as well as the priesthood.

The rest of our week was spent working and expecting miracles which received on Sunday as we had two walk-ins to church! God is so great and I’m so glad that he loves us enough to answer our prayer and try our faith!

Well!  I hope you all have a awesome week!!!!!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

Sept 19 email to Marina Thailand Week 49

I am sorry I don't write more and tell you stuff but my life is kinda the same/boring.  

What is this videos of you playing the violin or viola?????  Why haven't you told me you knew how to play?  What else have you held back from me and told your Mom?   

Marina's Reply:

 

Yeah so I ... my companion was teaching me viola :') all transfer so that I could play with her and the other two sisters in our house. :)  It was going to be a surprise :) but don't get too excited I'm not like, super skilled.  I only had 2 months of lessons lol.  I got a viola from an Elder that finished his mission so.... I think I will keep it up when I go home .. at byu :) 

I didn't move but I got a new companion her name is Sister Woodbury.  I'm the Senior companion which is weird and stressful for several reasons...We got a new assignment so now I'm serving in both the Thai Ward and the International..... still trying to figure that out????  Making it up as I go along so to speak lol. 

 

EMAIL #2  Grandpa's Birthday.

 

I sent them a Letter but I don't know if it will get there in time so here is my message to him:

Happy Birthday Grandpa!  I love you!   I really miss your cherry tomatoes :) and you and Grandma :).

 

Found a picture of a horse in Wad and it made me think of you... it looks like you... if you were Asian Lol  Well I hope you have a great Birthday and I will see you in 6 months!

 

 

Week 48, Sept 14 2014

Well today's letter will be short but I love you all and I hope you have a good week!

This Sunday our investigator Beth got baptized!  She is from the Philippines, but has been working here for three years.  She was taught by the missionaries a few times while she was on vacation in the Philippines with her husband.  Her sister in-law, a member, extended the invitation to meet with the missionaries.  Her husband continued learning in the Philippines and when she came back to Thailand, she found our meeting house and continued to learn also.

They both got baptized this week, which is a miracle story for me and my companion, Sister Beth and Her husband, as well as her sister in-laws family.  I have a testimony that when member and missionaries work together and do so prayerfully, and with the Holy Spirit, miracles happen, lives are changed and Families can be together for ever.  As we listen to the council of our leaders and more importantly follow them everyone can witness miracles such as these!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

I learned how to make a Thai dessert this week!  A sweet Thai members taught us…so now I can eat this for the rest of my life!

 

 

 Sister Gwang is the one holding the tray :)

 

 

 

This is a picture of the fattest dog I've ever seen!  Here in Thailand, there are millions of Seven Elevens and everyone of them has one or two dogs that are street dogs but get fed like a ton of food by everyone that passes them…this is one of the biggest ones :)

 

Final picture with sister Ng and the members from the Thai ward.