October 25th Letter

So I have to tell you about this week a little bit, it was the coolest thing ever. This week was a huge, huge, huge festival up here in Nong Khai. It is called the Dragon Festival or Fire Ball Festival (I don't know exactly in English), but it was way sweet. I took tons and tons and tons of pictures and videos so I can remember it. It was way sweet. People have been lighting fireworks for 3 days straight. All Day!!! It has been a crazy huge party in Nong Khai. We have people here from all over Thailand. It is way cool. I forgot my camera today so I will have to send them next week, but is is way sweet. (Mike’s note: I think he liked it.)

Also today the Udon Elders came up to hang out for a bit. And then we are doing switch offs, and I am switching off with a greenie. Yeah! It is going to be so much fun. We are doing member switch offs. I remember how much I hated it my first moves in country. It is way sweet to see how far you have actually come. He gets to go teach a lesson by himself up in an area he doesn't know. I feel slightly bad for him, but I am still making him do it.

Your emails were really good today but it took me a long time to read them so I wont have as much time to email back. I'm KIND OF sorry. It sounds like everything is going well in Utah and with the family. You had a question about that member that is in all the pictures. His name is Brother Troy, he is the one with the BYU tie. The other man in the picture with the senior missionaries is Brother Direk. He lived in mesa arizona for 40 years. He speaks English better then Thai. He loves the elders so much, I think it reminds him of when he was baptized in the states. He is such a strong member. I'm glad he is here, he helps out alot.

I don't have time to read the talks but I will print them off and read them at home. I am pretty excited, I love hearing talks from people in America. T he talks in Thailand are really really different. We had a lady get up and tell how special she was because she got baptized twice. A while back they closed the Nong Khai Branch and when they opened it again they had no proof of some people’s records so two people had to get baptized again, she and her friend. So she talked about how special she was.

So yeah I don't think I have much more. Thank you for your emails. Tell everyone at home I love them. I will update more next week.

Note from Mike: Here is a link for the Dragon Festival. It looks/sounds way sweet . http://www.thailand-travelonline.com/thailand-destinations/northeast-thailand-isaan/nong-khai-naga-fireballs-the-mysterious-phenomenon-on-mekong-river/1447/