Siam I Am: 2 nephi 20:15. just a tool in God's hands this week.

December 8, 2013

deep breath. ready?

i feel like every one of these letters is like a marathon. see how much you can possibly type in an hour! ready - go! aj;kslfdjaldisnflisahsldigjsaldkhgblaksdnlvihcaoliendc...

that's basically what my fingers feel like. i don't have time to make any mistakes! i don't want to backspace! gahhhhhhh!

it's ok. just stressing over weird things.

so this week. was awesome. it seems like they just keep getting that way... (i feel as though i have said this before...)

so. i don't know what the rest of the world knows about thailand. about the mob. but it's interesting. we saw them at church last sunday... they are just trying to make things inconvienient for us missionaries. we were trying to get people to come to church! and when we would call people, they would tell us, "sister, i CAN'T come... the mob!" and that was pretty much it. i don't even really understand the red shirt/yellow shirt differentiation. they just keep my people from coming to church. and they sent us home early monday night because things were supposed to get interesting. we got a call from a recent convert saying that it was too dangerous to go outside. but we didn't see anything. except for fireworks. that was pretty cool. we live pretty close to a bunch of government buildings. so i don't know why they were going off, but we have a pretty cool front-window view.

other trials in my life. i gave myself rugburns while doing a plank at 6:30 in the morning. i can't decide if it was because i was too sleepy while working out... or if it was because i was sooooo sweaty. i never used to sweat this much. ever. it makes me feel like i'm working out like a boss.

which reminds me. we went and had dinner with a family. (just keep in mind whenever i say that... it means a very american meal. with an american family. i am sooooo spoiled.) when we were leaving, the youngest daughter (7 years old) asks us how we ride our bikes in skirts. "is it hard?" our reply "it takes skill" as we were driving away... the 15 year old son says, "boss." oh yes. i impressed a 15 year old.

i've decided to read through the gospels before christmas... our district leader challenged us that whenever we want to know what christlike attributes are, to read the gospels. and to just see what christ did. all day. every day. every single minute. it's amazing to me to read through them and to see what made him so different. from everyone. from me. even as a missionary i get distracted and get so unfocused from what is really important. but there are so many times when i realize how much he helps me. how much he is really involved in this work and in my life. he makes us all better. without his example, i can't be better. it's so interesting to watch the changes that people are willing to make for the gospel. i don't know what i've said about our investigator cherisa. she's phillipina, and learned with the missionaries about a year ago. but had left, gotten out of contact, and just... didn't get baptized. she came back a few weeks ago saying that she wanted to get baptized still. well. we can definitely help you with that! :) we've been teaching her. she was perfect. asks great questions. wants to learn. we're teaching her the commandments... and the word of wisdom. "do you know anyone who can't function without their cup of coffee in the morning?" her response, "me." ohhhhh. but she quit! and then she left. to go to malaysia. til january. but we aren't going to lose her! we call her and talk to her and see how everything is going. it's a really interesting aspect to missionary work. the phone. i kind of hate it. but i know that it is a necessary tool. i have had a lot of really great experiences teaching lessons via phone too. (Strangely enough...)

We invited another one of our investigators to be baptized at the end of this month. He is from Ghana. And another person that is soooo very ready to be baptized! It amazes me.

We celebrated "wan pa" this week. We went over to the branch president's house and celebrated a thai father's day with members of the branch. i think you don't actually tell them "happy father's day..." it's more like you just say "i love my dad!" and they get the same message. I LOVE MY DAD! mothers day is the same day as the queens. i'll have to find out when that one is...

friday was so good. i don't even know why. we hopped into a taxi... i'm talking to him. and telling him about baptism (most taxis just nod and smile and laugh at my thai.) this guy... was all over it. i'm a bad person. i want to be better. i want to change.... WHAT??? for reals? so. great lesson in the taxi. we have an appointment with him this week. and then we hopped into another taxi. i got shotgun again. thinking... there is NO WAY i can get two numbers today. bam. interested. WHAT? i got done with the day... feeling very blessed. and so excited! it's a fine line. i know that i'm not able to do any of this by myself. but it is so awesome to see 2 months of hard work and stress yield some kind of fruit! i know that heavenly father has prepared people. and a lot of times it is the people that we don't think about. it's the guy standing on the curb smoking a cigarette. it's the woman that is watching you warily with her shopping cart... they're all over the place. we just need to find them. and invite them.

one last thing. i know you all think i'm a good cook. if you saw our pancakes yesterday... all belief would be utterly shattered. so that's why i'm sending a pic. in my defense... i don't know how to use a hot plate... and the pan they sent with it... got destroyed by the hot plate that it came with! i think something is very wrong with this picture... (and maybe we should get 1- a spatula and 2- non-stick spray). the world was just not working with us yesterday morning... pancake mix in the microwave... is an interesting alternative.

alright. that's enough embarrassing myself for this week!
i love you all!

best wishes and best luck in YOUR missionary labors!

sister ellis