Week 47 in Thailand. 7 September 2014

September is here and we are in the rainiest part of rainy season.  Thankful to be serving in Bangkok aka the concrete jungle, where there are minimal places to get wet…at least from above because flooding is sometimes an issue here. (but not too bad)  I've official used my umbrella this week more than on my entire mission.   :-)   Okay, that is a slight exaggeration but I can honestly say that I’ve used it the most in this transfer.   LOL   But the rain is not hindering the work and I have definitely worked a lot this week! 

P-day I took the other sisters on a tour of some famous places in Bangkok. (it was my third time touring the area and you pick up a lot of facts and information when you go with Khon Thai's)  It was a nice break and got us prepped to work hard this week.

Tuesday, because I’m serving in International, I now teach a Thai class, which has been really fun.  We started the lessons over, so basics such as alphabet, and introducing your self.  :-)  It’s been really fun and has helped me remember my greenie days when I couldn't speak or understand anyone and anything.  I've come along way and I honestly don't remember when I started being able to understand and communicate really fluently but I know that it’s definitely been a blessing from God to be able to learn this language.  And I will luckily have the rest of my life to perfect it.   :-)

This week I also had a switch off with our Sister Training Leader, which was fun. I got to work with Sister Ferrence again, she is such a good missionary and very in tuned with the spirit.  She not afraid to be bold, which is something I'm trying to learn.  We had some good lessons with our investigator Sandra who is so awesome and we finished the night off with an adventure of trying to teach a new investigator from Taiwan, who really only speaks Mandarin... which neither of us speak.  LOL 

We must of gotten something across because after that stressful lesson he came back the next day and we had one of the elders who is from Taiwan come up and help us teach.  Let’s just say that lesson went better and also inspired me to learn Mandarin.  :-) Anyways, this investigator, Yen, is really cool.  He's a tour guide here in Thailand and is sincerely searching for truth.   He's done his research about our church and I'm excited for him to get an answer for himself and know what I know, that this church is true that our Father in Heaven loves us and speaks to us today. What a wonderful blessing.

We ended our week with a serious adventure story. We went to teach our investigator Beth at her house...which went really well.  We went with a sweet member from the Philippines, her name is Mendy, and getting there wasn't a problem, because we just took a taxi but in making our way back, we realized how far out in the boonies she lived.  LOL  There weren't any taxi's to go back (due to the late hour), so we began one of those faith-journeys, down a sketchy street in Thailand.

Praying for a miracle so we wouldn't scare Mendy from helping missionaries in the future, LOL and after we had zig-zagged the street, avoiding dogs, for like 20 minutes, our prayers were answered as this Harry Potter-like-bus appeared out of nowhere and stopped and told us to get on....(which sounds sketchy now that I’m typing it out. LOL) but it wasn't.  The driver and the ticket taker lady were the only ones on the bus and immediately they started telling us reasons why we shouldn't be out walking at night...and after 10 minutes of struggling to listen to really fast Thai, they helped us figure out a plan to get back to the city.  After a bus ride, a ferry, a taxi, and a MRT ride, we were home.  You don't get many adventures like that in the city...it made me miss my days in my greenie area.

 

 

Well that pretty much sums up my week and I love you all!  Have a great second week of September!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 46 in Thailand. 1 September 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

This week we had a baptism!  Our investigator Angel, who is nine and from the Philippines, was baptized.  Her Mother and Aunt are already members, but she had been living in the Philippines with other family.  I'm so glad that we had the opportunity to teach her and be a part of her story!  I know that sounds cheesy but...It’s true!   :-)   Meeting her mother and her has really made me grateful for my family and the opportunity I've had to grow up with my parents.  But for all the unfair things in the world/life, I know that they can all be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I know that our Savior is the only one that truly knows how we feel and is always aware of our situations. This life isn't easy but all can be healed and made right through the atonement.

 

 

Well, not sure what to say since I started with the end of the week.  LOL  Other highlights include dinner with members/ serving members.  It’s been so grate getting to know people from literally all over the world:  Madagascar, Ukraine, Pakistan, etc.  Learning there stories and drawing from there testimonies is such an amazing experience that I never expected!

 

On a smaller less important note; Persimmons are coming back in season!  Also, scary in that I'm almost approaching my one year in Thailand mark! This life is the time (literally) to do all that you can!

Love, Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Week 45 in Thailand. 24 August 2014

This week we started teaching the daughter of a less active member from the Philippines.  Her name is Angel and she is sooo cute.  She just moved here from the Philippines and really wants to be baptized! This has been the biggest miracle of the week!  Also, just the reminder I needed from Heavenly Father that he can do his own work, but loves me enough to let me be a part.

 

In my new area, we work with a lot of asylum seekers and refugees from various countries, trying to help them with there situation.  It can be emotionally draining and I have had quite a few moments of not really knowing how to help, what to do, or say.  And frankly there is no solution for a lot of the issues these people are facing, but I've peace and inner happiness in seeing those that are seeking spiritual help, as well as monetary, accept the gospel into their lives.  I've seen how it changes their countenance, attitude, and actions.  I know now more than ever my purpose in being a missionary as well as where true relief from burdens comes from; The Atonement of Jesus Christ.

 

I love you all and hope your have a week filled with gratitude and comfort that comes from using the Atonement of Christ in our daily lives.

 

Love, Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Week 44 in Thailand. 18 Aug 2014

Well we spent last P-day at the Bangkok Art in Paradise where you can take 3D pictures.  It was really fun.  Not sure it was experiencing Thai culture...but it was cultural, none the less.   :-)

 

 

 

 

The second most cultural thing I did this week was make Tom Yum soup.  First time cooking Thai food without the help of a member!  Our Mission President has recently requested we start making meals at home twice a week so we can learn to make Thai food...and probably to help us lessen the constant intake of MSG we've all been experiencing from delicious street food.  :-)  It turned out good.  I think Sister Beam (the RC who taught me) would be proud.  LOL   It was my attempt at holding on to Thai culture while I’m serving in an English speaking Ward and teach every nationality except, Thai.  :-)

 

 

This week was really good.  We had a amazing lesson with one of our investigators Joyce.  She is from Burma and we've really been trying to answer all of her questions and help her understand more fully about the Savior.  She is so wonderful and inspiring.  She always makes us smile, because some times, she relates what were teaching to stories from the New Testament...but she's only reading them in Burmese and she doesn't always know how to explain it, so she acts them out for us.  She is so cute!  I love her!

With Joyce and some of the other people we teach, deciphering their questions is sometimes the hardest part.   LOL.   First, because were talking about deep things and it’s hard to phrase them.  Second, because English isn't their first language usually.  I feel like God is giving me the gift of discernment and is guiding us always! 

This week I went to three dinner appointment...which was so weird.  It was like being the missionary like I grew up picturing…but nothing like what I've been experiencing in Thailand so far.  Members made food for us often but it was mostly like a really casual sit on the floor, with everyone from the ward who was also invited.  I'm getting the best of both worlds!  But I love this ward and I love everyone that I've met. Can't wait to meet more people and be strengthened by their testimonies!

Well more stories later! Love you all.

Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Week 43 in Thailand. 10 Aug 2014

This week was transfers and sadly I moved out of Bangkapi. However, it was expected and I had a really good 5 months there.  I'm now serving in the Bangkok International Ward which is insanely different from everything I've experiences in the last year!  

Yes, I'm hitting my year mark this week.  Ahhh! What happened??  Really? This transfer meeting started some serious reflecting on my experience as a missionary.  My Trainer went home this transfer and I suddenly realized I’m older (in mission time) than she was when she trained me and now she’s going home!!!!  It’s all happening so fast but it’s also been one of the best times of my life.  I know I always say this but I've grown soooo much, both spiritually and in maturity. Hopefully you'll all see it when I come back. :-) 

So my new companion is Sister Ng.  For clarification, she is not Thai she is Chinese and from New York.  She's so amazing and I'm learning a lot about confidence, and "winging it" from her.  Were serving in the international ward now which means were teaching foreigners in English.  It's kind of been nice that she looks Thai because I think it stops some unhappy foreigners from waa-ing (chewing) us out when we invite them to church.   :-)   But my few days in this ward has really increased my testimony and shown me how much this gospel can change people's lives and more importantly, how grateful I am to have the freedom to worship the Loving God that has never let me down.  A lot of the people in our ward are refugees and their testimonies have already changed my life so much!

One more story!  Prayer and tender-mercies (1 Ne 1:20) are soooo real and powerful.  Three things I prayed for in this week of change:  move to a 4 missionary house, feel confident in my ability to serve where God puts me, and serve around wonderful people.  All of these were superficial things and didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things to anyone but me.  Because my Father in Heaven loves me they mattered to him.  So I’m living in a 4 Sister area, reunited with Sister Jackson (from P-lok) and being inspired daily by those serving with me.  I feel confident that this area will have challenges but with Heavenly help I can find joy in working and growing.

Tender mercies, in there truest form.  I know that Prayer is powerful and that God hears and answers our prayers. He doesn't always give us what we want but he gives us what we need to grow.

Well that's all I got for this week but I love you all and hope your week is soooo amazing!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

DADS EMAIL QUESTION: 

Lice:  Did you get lice as well?

     No I didn't get it.  Thank heavens.  I used the shampoo, just incase, but I'm lice free!

Week 42 in Thailand. 3 August 2014

This week was awesome!  We had zone training which gave much needed direction for our district.  It focused on our personal study and how that can make or break our day. Before I was a missionary, I don't think I fully understood how to effectively study the scriptures and the words of the prophets. Now I can say, after being out for almost a year, meaningful daily personal study has taught me so much about my relation ship with God, how to use the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life, and how to improve myself daily. Never again will I quickly read a chapter from the scriptures before going to sleep...inevitably forgetting or not understanding anything.  I would like to invite everyone to feast upon the words of Christ. Think of your questions and search diligently for answers. They are always there!

This training really helped us as we taught our RC's (Recent Converts) and our new investigator Sister Noi.  We were studying a lot this week about receiving revelation for our investigators and Rc's, and how to teach with the Holy Ghost.  I've been praying a lot for direction in how to help strengthen my RC's. This week I was blessed with many experience where my companion and I felt we need to share something which our Rc's and phor dii waa.  They were exactly things they needed to hear. I love the people I teach but I know that with out the help of the spirit, I can't really help them. I'm so grateful to have the knowledge that we have a Heavenly Father who speaks to us and guides us daily.

 

This Friday our ward had a service project.  We went to the Thai equivalent of a nursing home and brought food and prepared meals for the residence there.  Then, because we have several musicians in our ward, we put on a show that ended up being taped and put on the Thai PBS channel.  :-)   Whoo We’re Famous!  :-)  Our Bishop here is a rocker and we have a few families that are performers as well.  It was really fun to hear old Thai music as well as the 50's and 60's songs from America that the residence recognized.  All in all, we had fun serving, once a gain, I found myself on a stage being handed a microphone and not knowing what to say.   #onlyinthailand   Lucky for me, this time it was being broadcasted on TV.  :-)   My favorite part was probably dancing with some khon thai grandmas and just generally seeing people feel loved and cared for.  #missmygrandparentsmaaaaag

 

 

 

 

 

Well I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!

 Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

Dragon Fruit.  YUMM

 

My Khuu (Companion)

 

Me and Sister Nadia

 

Week 41 in Thailand. 27 July 2014

Hello Everybody!

Sorry this letter will be short but this week has been great!  It started off with me reading the Book of Job in the Old Testament.  This has been a small part of my personal study for most of the week, and as we say in Thai:  pau dii waa (as fate would have it). This week kind of felt like a “Job” week.

Everything just kind of started falling apart for me and my companion, as far as the work goes.  And much like Job, we were in shock after falling from our state of constantly receiving blessings.  We had moments of wondering what we were doing wrong and questioning why things were happening the way they were.  But, also like Job, we found our answers.

1.  There is always something we need to improve on (I.e. we are never obedient or righteous enough).

2.  God is greater than Man and it’s his purpose to refine us into wise eternal beings.

3.  But I would say the biggest blessing we received was learning how to use the Atonement of Christ.

In Elder Bednars Conference talk, last April, he shared this reminder with us.  Not only does the Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome the effects of the Fall of Adam and make possible the remission of our individual sins and transgressions, but His Atonement also enables us to do good and become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities. Most of us know that when we do things wrong and need help to overcome the effects of sin in our lives, the Savior has made it possible for us to become clean through His redeeming power.  But do we also understand that the Atonement is for faithful men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully?  I wonder if we fail to fully acknowledge this strengthening aspect of the Atonement in our lives and mistakenly believe we must carry our load all alone—through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline and with our obviously limited capacities.

I can truly say that this week, my companion and I learned to rely on the atonement to not only wash away our mistakes become more obedient but to find joy in the work, and receive the strength to carry the load that was placed upon us. I know that through the atonement we can endure all things, and become stronger people.  I know that the loads we are asked to carry will build us.  I know that we through the gospel we can find Joy even when things don' t go our way.  As we except the Lords will in our life and the agency of others we will find peace daily.  Here is to a week of receiving blessings and learning daily.   

 

I love you all and here is a selfie I took with a member!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson