July 12th Letter

Hey mom and dad,

I will start this off by thanking you for all the uplifting stories. The language is pretty difficult and it is really easy to get discouraged. I feel pretty much the same as all the other missionaries that learn foreign languages I suppose. I always thought I was a pretty patient person, but that is not true! I really have to grow on that Christ-like attribute. This week has been a big learning week for me, at least in my personal study. I've tried something new with my prayers. I have noticed that they were pretty similar, every time. It wasn't that I was giving the same old routine prayer, it was just I have been lazy in my prayers. Not being specific, and honestly being pretty selfish. I noticed that I was asking for more blessings than I was giving thanks for. So the last week I have tried doing things a little differently. I have tried to make my prayers longer that way I know if I’m being specific, and I have started thinking of all my blessings, that way I can acknowledge them in my prayer. It has changed my whole outlook on all these difficulties. Instead of thinking of them in the murmuring kind of way, I consider it a blessing and thank my Heavenly Father for them, even though I don't always know how they are going to bless me, I know that he only gives us challenges to help us learn and grow. So it has to be a blessing and one day in the future I will be able to look back and understand why.

Your stories have been really helpful; I plan on remembering them over the next week and seeing how I can change my outlook on my situation. I know there is a reason for why I'm here, even though I don't know what it is yet. I’m not exactly sure what you guys said to my family but all of a sudden people started writing me, it was really nice. I haven't heard from most of them in a long time. Everyone told me that over time the letters and emails would just stop coming. But I was hoping it would be longer then a month after I was out!

I guess it is my turn to share a story or two.

This last week we had a lesson with a guy named เบค แคม, I don't know exactly how you would say it in English but it would be something like this Bake Kam...ish. Unfortunately, I understood everything he said, because he said the same sentence for 30 minutes straight, "you speak Thai not well!" (Thai format) I’m not lying it was that same sentence for 30 minutes, he is lucky he is fifty or else I would have stood up and screamed at him... in English! After the lesson my companion just kept apologizing over and over again. I felt so down that day I didn't want to speak Thai ever again, but then our investigator who is the Crocodile farmer, Eddy, made me feel good. He just kept asking me to speak a lot and helped me through the sentences. He kept telling me I spoke well, I'm glad some people are still nice! This reminds me, I have a cool story. We watched him feed his Crocks the other day. I was reminded of that story when you guys went to Florida and saw the alligators, and dad just hoped that one of the little kids would fall in so it would get interesting, I experienced that. Every time they would throw the meat in the crocodile would snap at it so hard. It was so awesome!

Our two investigators that got married last week got interviewed this week. Next Sunday they are getting baptized! I'm wicked excited for them! That is really the only thing new that has happened this week, just a lot of the same old missionary things. Sorry I don't have any more cool stories. This week went by faster than usual.

I'm sorry this is a pretty short letter. I just don't have more to share! But I’m grateful for both of your letters. I'm super glad mom is doing well. Stay strong and keep up on your exercises. I hope you are having fun all day with aunt Leslee! And I’m glad your busy work stuff is all finished up dad, now you can return to living the สบาย life! Grandma doesn't have to go to dialysis anymore? That is wicked cool. I bet she is the happiest person ever. It sounds like everyone at home is doing so well. I'm happy to hear it. FYI, I still have not received pictures of the new living room or coal! Or the family for that matter!

Anywho I love you all! Have a good week! (sorry it is shorter then usual)

P.S. Where is the Ukulele music?