Almost Heaven, Ubon Ratchatani

สวัสดีครับ! Sawatdee kap!

That's another week down! This was a great week full of lots of ups and downs, exhaustion, fear, stress, but also lots of miracles, excitement, and progress! We went all over, taught a ton, and ate even more haha.

CHRISTMAS

In Thailand, Christmas is nothing special. No one celebrates it, no one really cares, and they all just think that it's American new year pretty much. So we had an awesome opportunity to share the joy of our savior with everyone in Ubon! The district woke up a little early and we made ourselves a special breakfast and headed out. We had an awesome miracle, on our way to talk to a member, we rode past this guy who was standing out in front of his house just jamming on his guitar. We stopped and asked him to play for us. He was happy to! Elder Thorn recorded a video of him playing that I'll have to send with this email. You can hear him say "he's going to get baptized." After this, he legit played "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in perfect English. Whoa. We started teaching him. We gave him pamphlets and he has been studying them DILIGENTLY. He has so many questions and wants to learn so bad. Miracle! I shared the first vision with him and the spirit was there so strong. He's so interested already, we got him to commit to come to church on Sunday! We talked to a ton of members on Christmas and shared a ton of messages about the Savior. We also talked to ต้อง again and he is surprisingly knowledgeable in the Bible. Very interesting. Oh, and Elder Thorn's mom sent him face cards, which are illegal in Thailand haha.

POOSONJAI

We've been talking to a lot of less actives and poosonjais to try to get them to come back to church, pray with their families, read the Book of Mormon, etc. One of these is Pa เจรินชัย (yes, we call old people Mom and Dad. It's the cutest). He is the cutest grandpa ever. When we visit him, he always brings us snacks and drinks. He spoils us haha. We were eating watermelon and as we were about to start, he said, "no, no wait until you're finished." I love him. We taught him about prayer and about the importance of family prayer specifically. We shared experiences and the spirit was totally there. It was the best. It was kinda hilarious because he kept spontaneously praying in the middle of the lesson. It's hard to tell when he is praying, because he doesn't fold his arms or close his eyes he just says "Oooooooooh Heavenly Father" and we have to scramble into prayer position haha. 

THE WARD

We also have a group of little girls that we handed off to the sisters this week, but we shared about the godhead and I'm happy to say that my experience with the 6 year olds at Aspen Grove last summer helped me with kids haha. Especially the kids in the ward. They love the missionaries so much, and I'm starting to understand them a little more, so I can joke around with them. They're so cute and it's so fun. We also talked to a family yesterday for our Sunday dinner appointment because we never make our own food over here and we can't buy food on Sunday. We helped them peel and cut sour mangoes (so good) and then we helped them put salt with sugar and spice (and everything nice) into little packages with them (makes the mangoes even better, oh man). Then we made ขนมจีบ and oh it was so tasty. They're like thai pot stickers almost... but so much better.

THE TOUR DE THAILAND

We had a switch-off in Roi-Et on Friday. I was with Elder Kearsley. It was so fun! We gave out ice cream at a school (less creepy than it sounds), ate with some members, and visited this แม่ (old lady, but literally means mom). I also got to cut some crazy fruit out of a tree with a crazy long scythe thingy. It was so sick. For sports night, they had a few non members come over and join us and it was so fun. They said "เอ็ลเดอร์shootสวย" (Elder shoots beautifully). I hit so many 3s, I was afraid they wouldn't want to listen from me about the gospel haha. But they were so cool and it was so fun! There was one big problem though, we couldn't find bus tickets back to Ubon. So we were worried we'd be stuck in Roi-Et. We devised a plan and figured out it would take all day to bike to Ubon. We prepared ourselves mentally and physically, and then found bus tickets and breathed a sigh of relief. There wasn't enough seats for us so I sat on the floor. At one time, there was a puddle of dirty water creeping towards me, my leg was falling asleep, my back was hurting, the baby to my right was screaming, and the guy to my left was throwing up. It was quite the scene and I wasn't exactly the happiest camper haha. There was a lot of times this week that I was kinda grouchy, tired, and annoyed. But then I finally repented and realized that I'm literally in Thailand, serving the greatest people every day. Service is supposed to be a joy and not a burden and it took me until then to realize that. Now, whenever I'm feeling less than happy, it motivates me even more to be like the Savior and serve because I love to serve. It has made all the difference for me.

พระเยซูคริสต์ (Jesus Christ)

Seeing that Christmas is over, I feel like it's the perfect time to talk about our Redeemer. He never complained. He is so selfless. Always thinking of the desires and wills of others before his own. He has perfect patience with us. He has perfect and infinite love for us. I'm so grateful for a Savior who has been leading me along this past week. My attitude hasn't been what it should have been 100% of the time, and that's to be expected. But whenever I recognize that I'm not thinking how I should, I think of Christ. I am a representative of him for the next two years. And should be a representative of him for the rest of my life. He loves us all. He payed the ultimate price for you. For me. For everyone that came before or has yet to come. On Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the Savior. Let this Christmas be the birth of a more Christlike love in your heart. Do as he would, love as he would, serve as he would! You'll be blessed in more ways than you can count! I already have been, and that's not just because I can't count very high!

LAST THINGS LAST

-I had Laab for the first time in Thailand! It was so good. And super spicy haha.

-I heard John Mayer for the first time since I left in October. So good.

-Elder Thorn is teaching me how to solve a Rubik's Cube, so try not to be too impressed.

-if anyone would send me chords to guitar songs that you know I like, you will receive many blessings and that's a promise.

-I bought a knockoff Fila fanny pack. It says Fifi. I love it.

-Shoutout to Jake Chamberlain, who just had his farewell yesterday! Good freaking luck in Germany!

-I love Thailand, I love เด็กๆ, I love the gospel, I love Reese's Pieces, I love rice (seriously, it's the best. Hot Rice especially), and I love you. Keep being you.

เอ็ลเดอร์ แบร์ (Elder Bear)

Elder Barrett

1. We thought we were about to bike 200 km at this very moment.

2. Sports Night in Roi-Et.

3. Our Sunday dinner appointment! (Sitting on the ground for that long straight up murdered my back)

4. The river that runs through Ubon. สวยมากๆ! (Very Beautiful!)