The seventh week was a roller coaster, haha. Thanksgiving was still Thanksgiving-y but also pretty much Christmas in November. The Spanish Elders just got sent off into the world, so now us Thais and the Finnish are going to have to hold down the fort. We've heard so many cool stories about Thailand, and we've really been working hard on learning what we're going to teach. So another busy week haha.
POOSONJAI
This week with poosonjai was very interesting and new. We taught Bro. Game about the Plan of Salvation, and shared with him that he would see his mom, who had recently passed away, again. The spirit really filled the room and it was just so cool to be teaching things that directly apply to who we're teaching. Bro. Game still has a lot to learn about the gospel, but I can tell that he is so excited and anxious to learn more. We taught Bro. Lucky again, but this time he was feeling really down. His family wasn't very happy that he was learning from us, so he was having a tough time. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and shared that with the Book of Mormon, we can find answers to our questions. He told us that it felt like he had to choose his family or God. Bro. Hunt told us that in a situation like that, we need to be bold. We need to tell him that when he chooses God, he chooses his family as well. We also taught a new poosonjai, Bro. Golf (Bro. Fly's Thai-dentical twin). He's older and has a rough situation with his family. He's constantly having to go to Japan for 6 months, and Thailand for 6 months to support his kids and family. It's really a tough situation. His dad was a catholic, and his brother is a member of our church. He noticed that they always seemed really happy and wanted to find out more about the church. When he went to church with his brother, he was very confused about just about everything that they were talking about haha. We're doing our best to help him out with his questions. We also got to talk to a real konthai over Skype this week! He's already a member, and we just shared a message about the restoration. It was so cool to have a real experience with a konthai. I'm pretty sure he made his Thai a little simpler for us, but I really understood pretty much everything he said! It was so cool!
WANKAPKOONPRAJAO
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so missing it with the family this year was kinda rough. But y'know what? Despite all of the snow, it was the best day at the MTC so far. We started with a devotional with Elder Neil L. Andersen. It was the best. He brought out his grandkids and they gave us all cards. It was really sweet. Oh, and I got to shake his hand, which gives me an excuse to never wash my hands again, right? Our lunch was actually fantastic, and tasted like Thanksgiving. So grateful for all of the people who came and volunteered to help with that. Then we had a service project and the MTC made about 400,000 meals! After that, we got to watch The Other Side of Heaven and it was so nice to watch an actual movie again. It kinda felt like watching a movie in school, though haha. We had a musical devotional with Tanner James and Micheal Dowdle. It was so cool and I feel the spirit so strongly through music. That, or I was just so happy to hear the sound of a guitar. They lit up the lights they had on all of the trees, and we got to go check it out and take pictures. It might've been a little early for Christmas, but it was very pretty haha.
PRAWIHAN
We got to go to the temple last week with the Vietnamese district, and it was super cool! I really love being in the Celestial Room. It's the most peaceful place in the world and has the strongest spirit. Last week I decided that I would pray in Thai and it was an amazing experience. It made my prayer feel a lot more meaningful when I had to think that much harder about what I'm going to say to my Heavenly Father. Fun fact about praying in Thai, when we pray, we use the royal language. Which means that when we refer to ourselves, we say kapraong. Kapraong basically translates to "slave of a heavenly being." Thai is the best. Speaking about Thai and the temple, in class on Monday we got to watch a little bit of the groundbreaking for the Thailand Bangkok Temple, which will be finished in about two years! The people of Thailand are so ready for a temple and I couldn't be more excited for them.
GOD KNOWS YOU
On Saturday, we received some bad news. My boss' son from Aspen Grove, who was also one of my Bobcats all summer, died in a snowmobile accident while clearing snow. It was devastating news. I had never had a brother, but that's what Herman was for me this summer. I was out of it for the day, but all of the Grovies here at the MTC came together. We cried together, prayed together, and on fast Sunday we all fasted together. It's a really powerful family and bond that working at Aspen Grove brings, and I'm grateful that God had that family there at the MTC to support each other. After lunch, we had another 3 hours of class. When we started class, Bro. Fly said, "We were going to practice teaching about the restoration, but I feel like we should do the Plan of Salvation today." That was no coincidence. He didn't know what just happened. He had no clue. But God knows me and he impressed Bro. Fly to change it up to help me. Hearing about the Plan of Salvation after receiving news like that was exactly what I needed. God knows you. He knows me. He is aware of our struggles and is here to lift us up. I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who knows me, what I need, and offers help to me through his servants. Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us. He knows us individually and he will do everything that he can to help us when we feel like we can't go on. I know that Herman has returned to live with Him again. I know that he was welcomed with open arms and now he is an angel watching over his family. I know that through this trial, the Slaughter family will only grow stronger. And I'm so grateful for the help, love, and reassurance that we receive from God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ.
LAST THINGS LAST
-We had some extra free time on Monday, due to a teacher devotional, so Elder Thaxton and I decided to set up a little game of Takraw (Basically Thai volleyball but with our feet. Still working on my bicycle kick). We are so bad.
-I finally memorized the Ten Commandments in order, so there is hope that I won't be the worst missionary ever.
-We found a youth song that sounds like "Better Now" by Post Malone, so that's how we've been getting our music fix haha. It's "What Does He Think" So go check that out haha.
-Be grateful for your families. Be it your immediate family, extended, friends, even your dog. We're here to strengthen each other and families are on of God's greatest gifts to us.
-Love ya bunches and bunches (and even Honey Bunches of Oats).
Elder Barrett
1. Japan is ok, I guess.
2. The most professional game of Takraw you've ever seen.
3. Thanksgiving Borg Smiles.
4. The Gift of Kalua Pork
5. Us with the Vietnamese District at the Provo Prawihan!
6. Thursday Night Lights!
7. Our Class!
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