taryn 4.5.10

hello family!
well i really didnt think that the earth could get hotter, but Thailand is proving me wrong! i have never felt such heat in my life, hah this is nothing compared to the heat i was in during the "cool" season. It feels like when you stand in front of a fire and your skin starts getting really hot, but anywhere you move, your skin is still sizzling, the fire just follows, and then the wind is like a heater added on top of it, blowing hot air constantly! ha i get home to study in the afternoon and my clothes are drenched. i didnt know that my body could down so much water, we are drinking all day! last night we got home and our bedroom was 105, not including humidity. in there was cooler than outside.
Zone conference was wonderful. its so nice to get with others, knowing we're all in this together. its always a good spiritual and motivational boost. our focus was "my purpose" i was reminded how great this work is, that we really are doing the work of the Lord. Sometimes it is so easy to just focus on the numbers and all the stress, you forget to step back, take a breath, and realize that you are working alongside Christ, that it is all really in His hands, we are just his instruments.
last week we went to a restaurant with a thai man singing. oh i wish you could have seen it! he saw us walk in and started trying to sing american songs, like john denver and james taylor, but with a thick thai accent. it was priceless, i was just shaking in my chair. i love these people.
Most of our investigators are progressing right now. we are still working hard helping them realize the importance of our message, trying our hardest to work with and follow the Spirit.
yesterday drained me! the first branch was awesome, though hot. our investigators and LAs showed, we actually had 80 people at church! right after that branch ended we took the half motorcycle-buggy (saamlaw) to pick up an investigator and then hurried back to the second round of church, leaving puddles of sweat at our feet in the saamlaw. the second round didnt go so well. that branch is stuggling so badly, it is really stressing me out! i dont know what else to do to help it. we had 40 people come, mostly old grandmas. right after church we taught Ah a chastity lesson, booked it out to another LA's across town, and then hurried back to A-pun's (apple-our new investigator who lives in the way high-so house.) we taught the restoration, which is always powerful. she is awesome-im really excited about her! by the end, my brain and body we done. it took everything i had to pedal home. it was a little after 8 by the time we got home, the longest i have ever gone without eating a single thing all day! hah we were supposed to break our fasts earlier, but never had any time! we tried coloring easter eggs- we didnt evern realize it was easter until night when we remembered my companion's package- we did a few with the elders, which i can hardly remember because i was so tired, and then headed to bed. i woke up this morning still so exhausted, i think my body is extremely dehydrated!

How was conference? im excited to watch it this weekend! im going to try and get it downloaded onto my ipod in english:) crazy, ill be coming home soon after next conference!
my body is showing the signs of having served for a while now. my feet/andkes have wierd calluses on the sides like the rest of the Thais from sitting on the ground so much. my hands have calluses from the bike, my knees from kneeling so much. my tan line on my feet, arms, and wrist from my watch is getting even darker. the best part though is that my mind and spirit are stronger than ever. This has been the most dificult 10 months of my life, but i have been stretched and grown more than i ever thought i could! im so grateful for this experience.

ive seen lots of elephants walking the streets lately, hah almost hit one the other day. theyre never free and roaming, always have someone walking them, but still crazy every time i see one. they are so big!!!
paigey, yes i need one of your paintings!!!
well its that time again.
the church is true. it really is. i love the scriptures and prayer is the way that i get through every week, day, and hour. i am so grateful to Christ for his sacrifice so that we can all be perfected through him and live together as families forever!
i love you all so much!
miss you
love, ซิสเฅอร ยัง