A week full of changes

as i'm sitting here, trying to figure out what to write, the man on my left is watching "miss universe"... just so you know... i didn't watch it. all i know is that columbia and usa were last... 

this week was full of changes. transfers. it always is! this one was weird because we had to stay in chiang mai. but... in retrospect... i don't think a 3 hour meeting is worth 26 hours of travelling. sad but true. it was rough to see people leave (i think rougher on sister remington... to us "seasoned" missionaries... it is just a part of life) we came home that night to a very VERY quiet house. who know it would make such a difference? it was kinda sad. but we've moved all of our stuff into their desks (so i don't have to study on a wobbly table any more) so i'm happy. 

we taught an interesting investigator named bess this week (that's as close as เบส translates into english...) it always amazes me that people choose their happiness based on the lifestyle that they choose. sometimes i think that i can just "force" myself to be happy... but in reality, the most happiness comes when we obey the commandments and walk the path that god wants us on. it doesn't come from just "choosing" to be that way. 

we also had a very long rc "lesson" about eternal marriage. it was with 3 rcs... all of which are ages from 20-24. does this sound like a lesson that would be strictly about the temple? it was... with bits of rants on boys... and crushes thrown in the mix. we kept trying to keep it somewhat focused... but what can you do? 

we also have a new investigator named wendy. she is from taiwan. such a great example to me of trusting in god no matter what. she was telling us about her life - her fight with breast cancer, her family, her desire to follow god... i knew that god had led her to the right place. god is always leading us and guiding us in the direction we need to be heading. she acts like a member already. she just needs to receive her own answer. 

that is probably the most frustrating part of missionary work. being patient enough to let people find out on their own. i wish i could say i was more patient... 

but i trust that god knows his children and he knows what they are ready to accept and when they are ready to learn. 

the biggest miracle of the week happened yesterday when 5 people showed up to church. i never thought that god would be so quick to answer prayers... but i did gain an added testimony of what happens when you WRITE down a goal. 

sister remington and i decided that we were going to make some goals for this transfer. we did. we wrote them down. and then we pasted them on the wall. (right next to the 70++ sticky notes i have) the amazing thing? i can already tell that they are going to happen. because we've written them down. we're serious about them. we're praying for them. and god's going to help us! 

another cool side-note: a member in chiang mai opened her mission call yesterday. she's going to temple square!!!

there are 2 more kids waiting for their calls now too... :) 

funny moments of the week:

working with a member on her pronunciation in english... we tried to teach her "adios amigo!" it came out "adios tomato!"

contacting at the park. made a friend. offered to buy us ice cream, water, AND sticky rice in bamboo... he finally wouldn't take no for an answer and bought us the sticky rice... 

found the coooooooolest dress store. it's all dresses. and they were adorable.... i would spend all day there if i could. 

getting letters. seeing how happy sister remington was to get "farang food"

deciding that if we passed a wat we'd go inside.... and realizing before too long how STUPID a goal that was... we'd never get anywhere! 

making a "contacting bucket list"

i love this work! 

god bless you all!!!
sister ellis