howdy
life is so busy right now! i love it. the past few weeks the work has really picked up and almost our whole week is already packed with appointments! im a little stressed because we also have a lot of potentials to go back and try to teach, now im the only one that knows them and we dont have a lot of time to go find them! our goals are really high right now, im excited to see the Lord work miracles:)
I HAVE A NEW COMPANION! she is really fun, its nice to have a change up in companions. her name is bonnie meyers, she is from gilbert, arizona. this will be a good moves, we have our sights set really high. we got to go to bangkok, the morning waking up in bangkok i was really excited. i dont know why but i kept \feeling like i was going back to saphaansung. i cant wait till i get to go back and see all of them. watching sister richins say goodbye to everyone made me not want to leave this area, i hope i get to stay a few more moves! im really loving it here now, i have seen a lot of changes and put a lot of work in, and the people here are amazing.
it was so fun to see Jared for a minute! im so glad that i was able to. crazy he was right there. it was wierd seeing him, home is just such a different world, it made me realize that you all really are still there! it also made me realize how little time i have left. i felt like i had just seen him and that was almost a year ago!
its been raining more lately, i love it! last monday night we had a huge thunderstorm that was blowing rain sideways. i dont know why, but the rain here is so much different than utah. utah you can go out and hardly get wet. here you get drenched no matter what!!! its wonderful:) the streets filled with water, our saamlaw- motorcycle/cart- trying to push through the flood, hardly anyone on the streets. the power in the city went out, everything dark. we had familiy home evening at a members( sadly our investigators bailed because of the storm. thais are weird about rain. they think that it gets you sick. my voice is usually a little scratchy (i think from teaching a lot/no sleep) and they always tell ask me if i was out in the rain. if they get caught in the rain they go home and take cold medicine right away. i love thais. we ate dinner at the members sitting on a roll up straw mat on the floor as usual, but this time with candles stuck to the floor around us for light.
our investigators are doing well, especially guy and phloy, they should be getting baptized soon! its amazing to see the Lords hand and the miracles. prayers answered every day. being led by the hand of the Lord. i love this work. it is so hard and so tiring, but such and experience to be a part of it. im so glad that the Lord trusts me with his children in Thailand. what a priveledge.
we dont get to hear a lot, but the redshirts are getting a little out of hand.
My companion had a bunch of John Bytheway talks on her ipod, they are really good. there is one that i really like called "turn of the tv and get a life." i think you can get it at deseret book. it is super movational and also makes me laugh. you and the kids should listen to it before the summer. its all about developing your talents and not wasting time. hah its not as boring as that sounds though, it is actually really entertaining!
sorry, not too much else to write, i never really know what to write and then especially with going to bangkok and back, not too much else has happened. let me know if there is anything specific you like to hear about!
i miss you, but im glad i have a little more time left of serving the Lord, his children, and bettering byself. i love you!
love, sister young
PHONE CALL!!!! it feels like i just talked to you all! crazy, that much time left and im home. would it work to call on YOUR sunday evening around 5:30-6, so it would be 6:30-7 on monday my time (i think?)?? i hope that works. my comp's family will be calling around 9:30 on monday. i cant wait!!! x-xx-xx-xx-xxx-xxxx
mom.. have you sent my debit card and my journals yet?
happy mothers day! i love you!!!!
5.03.2010
jordan 5.3.10
ok so i dont know what time you get out of church but on sunday call at 1:30 your time. it will be 9:30 my time this is the number you call xxxxxxxxxxxxxx. i cant believe its mothers day already.
well last week was crazy. we went to the temple again. it was great. it was another woman that my comp helped a year ago. she got her endowment.
it was also queens day on friday. if you dont know what queens day is you should look it up. its the biggest party in the netherlands and the biggest gathering is in amsterdam. it starts thursday night and goes all through the next day into the night. it was crazy! we went into the city around 11:00 in the morning and the streets were packed full of people. everybody and evrything was in orange. everybody was drinking. everybody. there was techno music on everycorner blasting. people were selling things on the streets everywhere. hundreds of boats with people peacked on them covered in orange. every boat had a dj on it too. trash was all over the streets. people would do crazy things such as they had homemade stands where if you payed 1 euro could could through an egg as hard as you want in someones face. with no protection. it was crazy. other people launching waterballoons into crowds of people and nobody cared. i watched a dude get hit in the face and after he just waved. there was weed everywhere. this city is nuts i love it. i plan on coming back in two years for queens day!
something else really cool that happened the last week in interviews pres took my in and said. how ya doin ect... then sias you and your companion are the most talented missionaries in the mission and the most talented companionship. it was surprising. it felt good though. it was needed.
well our investigators are doing well brother oconer came to church and wants us over again for dinner. jason is kindof slipping through our fingers we need to whip him back into shape. this week we were invited over to a house where this girl in the ward in nannying. she nannys three boys. it was the radest house ever and the boys were cool too. they skateboarded and i told them i could skate and they didnt believe me so we went outside and they just about peed their pants. it was so fun. we also played baseball. they loved it. they want me to come over every tuesday to give them skateboarding and baseball lessons. dont worry. i will squeeze the gospel in there too its going to be awesome!
well i cant wait to talk to you on sunday! ok see ya then!~jord
well last week was crazy. we went to the temple again. it was great. it was another woman that my comp helped a year ago. she got her endowment.
it was also queens day on friday. if you dont know what queens day is you should look it up. its the biggest party in the netherlands and the biggest gathering is in amsterdam. it starts thursday night and goes all through the next day into the night. it was crazy! we went into the city around 11:00 in the morning and the streets were packed full of people. everybody and evrything was in orange. everybody was drinking. everybody. there was techno music on everycorner blasting. people were selling things on the streets everywhere. hundreds of boats with people peacked on them covered in orange. every boat had a dj on it too. trash was all over the streets. people would do crazy things such as they had homemade stands where if you payed 1 euro could could through an egg as hard as you want in someones face. with no protection. it was crazy. other people launching waterballoons into crowds of people and nobody cared. i watched a dude get hit in the face and after he just waved. there was weed everywhere. this city is nuts i love it. i plan on coming back in two years for queens day!
something else really cool that happened the last week in interviews pres took my in and said. how ya doin ect... then sias you and your companion are the most talented missionaries in the mission and the most talented companionship. it was surprising. it felt good though. it was needed.
well our investigators are doing well brother oconer came to church and wants us over again for dinner. jason is kindof slipping through our fingers we need to whip him back into shape. this week we were invited over to a house where this girl in the ward in nannying. she nannys three boys. it was the radest house ever and the boys were cool too. they skateboarded and i told them i could skate and they didnt believe me so we went outside and they just about peed their pants. it was so fun. we also played baseball. they loved it. they want me to come over every tuesday to give them skateboarding and baseball lessons. dont worry. i will squeeze the gospel in there too its going to be awesome!
well i cant wait to talk to you on sunday! ok see ya then!~jord
morgan 5.3.10
WOW!! haha i can not believe it is may. in a way it feels like i have been here forever but in another way it is going by fast.
okay so today is p day and we were planning on going to Montpellier to go Bowling with our district but a member called and said he needs our help, Elder Mcmullin straight up said "no" haha i was pretty amazed but i snagged the conversation and told him we would be glad to go and help. so yeah elder Mcmullin isnt to happy with me right now.
okay so I love Nimes!! i honestly do!! the work with this new comp is still not too great yet, he still doesnt think he needs to do street contacts so i do ALL of them, and we dont get many lessons a week. it isnt a bad number of lessons but just not as much as me and elder christensen got. so we kinda had a talk and i told him that we need to start working harder.
i am stoked for this week. Me and my comp get along pretty well but he just gets really down on himself and very stressed very easily. its hard sometimes but we have fun together. recently we have been listening to Christmas Music haha we are both so excited for christmas. yes everybody, i know it is may. haha.
So last saturday at our saturday sports we played volleyball, at first there was only us 2 and our dmp emmanuel. but as time went on we ended up inviting people just walking by and we got a sweet family to come and play. it was so cool!! they wanna come play this week too. we also had some crazy dude who thought he was a prophet. haha COOKOO!!
oh it was so funny some crazy member gave us a rose she didnt want so we gave it to Nicole (crèpe ladie) and she was so happy she started crying!! haha so funny! I kinda felt guilty... haha. well so for service today we are going to help Lily (alexis' mom and Bridgittes daughter) because she has a "broken tail bone" we dont know how sure she is about it but we are going to help her move out of her old house any way, she is still prepairing to go to the US.
okay so here is the deal Momma, so Emmanuel (our dmp) has some free international calling thing. so i am going to call you if thats okay, if not just when i call tell me you will call me back then okay?? okay so i am calling at like 6 my time which is 10:00 am your time sunday morning. sorry if that is during church but yeah.. I will call our house phone and if youd rather me call a cell phone just tell me when i call you and i can hangup and call a cell phone. i have like 1 hour to talk. it is technically 45min but Pres Carter said it wouldnt be a sin to talk for an hour. haha I love him!! Well I love you all so much!! mom thanks for the easter package i just got it!! SWEET!! haha I love you!!
Morgan
okay so today is p day and we were planning on going to Montpellier to go Bowling with our district but a member called and said he needs our help, Elder Mcmullin straight up said "no" haha i was pretty amazed but i snagged the conversation and told him we would be glad to go and help. so yeah elder Mcmullin isnt to happy with me right now.
okay so I love Nimes!! i honestly do!! the work with this new comp is still not too great yet, he still doesnt think he needs to do street contacts so i do ALL of them, and we dont get many lessons a week. it isnt a bad number of lessons but just not as much as me and elder christensen got. so we kinda had a talk and i told him that we need to start working harder.
i am stoked for this week. Me and my comp get along pretty well but he just gets really down on himself and very stressed very easily. its hard sometimes but we have fun together. recently we have been listening to Christmas Music haha we are both so excited for christmas. yes everybody, i know it is may. haha.
So last saturday at our saturday sports we played volleyball, at first there was only us 2 and our dmp emmanuel. but as time went on we ended up inviting people just walking by and we got a sweet family to come and play. it was so cool!! they wanna come play this week too. we also had some crazy dude who thought he was a prophet. haha COOKOO!!
oh it was so funny some crazy member gave us a rose she didnt want so we gave it to Nicole (crèpe ladie) and she was so happy she started crying!! haha so funny! I kinda felt guilty... haha. well so for service today we are going to help Lily (alexis' mom and Bridgittes daughter) because she has a "broken tail bone" we dont know how sure she is about it but we are going to help her move out of her old house any way, she is still prepairing to go to the US.
okay so here is the deal Momma, so Emmanuel (our dmp) has some free international calling thing. so i am going to call you if thats okay, if not just when i call tell me you will call me back then okay?? okay so i am calling at like 6 my time which is 10:00 am your time sunday morning. sorry if that is during church but yeah.. I will call our house phone and if youd rather me call a cell phone just tell me when i call you and i can hangup and call a cell phone. i have like 1 hour to talk. it is technically 45min but Pres Carter said it wouldnt be a sin to talk for an hour. haha I love him!! Well I love you all so much!! mom thanks for the easter package i just got it!! SWEET!! haha I love you!!
Morgan
jordan 4.28.10
hello! i dont know why you didnt get my email last week. Jamer! well last week was good. my companion and i got to go to the temple on sat because someone he baptized a year ogo was getting married in the temple. it was only us and 2 other missionaries. we went to the sealing. it was really cool. a special time for my companion. we are going again tommarrow for somebody else he baptized.
well the reason you didnt get an email this mon is because we went to Keukenhof! its the place with all the tulips. the whole zone went. we decided it would be funner to take a bike then we can ride through all the beautiful fields, we were the only ones who took a bike and it was the best decision i ever made. Keukenhof was beautiful its like an amusment park full of flowers, trees, water, sculptures ect..and the smell oh my its unbelievable. but the most beautiful part was riding through the giant tulip fields, with the huge blocks of color. really a site to see. one of the most beautiful things ive seen.
we are still working with the oconnor family from america. they are so awesome. the husband is rad. i think they really like us. they have invited us over for dinner again this sunday. we really want to push baptism.
yesterday we went over to an investigators house to help with her house. we have been helping her the past couple of months we call her mamma maria, i dont know if ive talked to much about her but she is great. when we first met her she was totally closed to everything. but now that we know her really well she finally opened up. i think i menchoned her last week. but her parents died when she was really young. and she has no family and was taken advantage of when she was young. it has effected her life severely. she sees no point in living. well we took her to eat over at a members house the other day and this couple really connected with her. it was amazing. she has a problem believing in God because he never helped her when she was young and she was praying 24/7 its very sad. i didnt know really what to say to her. but we all explained it very well to her. and got down to why she is so miserable. she cannot forgive the person that abused her when she was young. so we told her she needs to pray for the desire to be able to forgive. we explained that Jesus Christ took upon himself the sins of the world and through his sacrifice and mercy towards all men that we can be saved and live with God. I wish she could fully understand the atonement, i wish we all could fully understand the atonement. we then told her some stories of forgivness, and explained, how is God supposed to forgive you if you cant forgive someone else? she was in tears. it was good for her though. i hope she can forgive.
well im out of juice. Chip thanks for the letter! yeah man you better hit me up when you get out here. it would be rad to see you!
parents just a little advise: the best way to teach your kids is to teach them how to center their lives around Jesus Christ, and to teach them true principles of the gospel. Well i got to be going now the weather dominates here. chan chan i had a dream about you last night. write me homie. ok g2g 3p
well the reason you didnt get an email this mon is because we went to Keukenhof! its the place with all the tulips. the whole zone went. we decided it would be funner to take a bike then we can ride through all the beautiful fields, we were the only ones who took a bike and it was the best decision i ever made. Keukenhof was beautiful its like an amusment park full of flowers, trees, water, sculptures ect..and the smell oh my its unbelievable. but the most beautiful part was riding through the giant tulip fields, with the huge blocks of color. really a site to see. one of the most beautiful things ive seen.
we are still working with the oconnor family from america. they are so awesome. the husband is rad. i think they really like us. they have invited us over for dinner again this sunday. we really want to push baptism.
yesterday we went over to an investigators house to help with her house. we have been helping her the past couple of months we call her mamma maria, i dont know if ive talked to much about her but she is great. when we first met her she was totally closed to everything. but now that we know her really well she finally opened up. i think i menchoned her last week. but her parents died when she was really young. and she has no family and was taken advantage of when she was young. it has effected her life severely. she sees no point in living. well we took her to eat over at a members house the other day and this couple really connected with her. it was amazing. she has a problem believing in God because he never helped her when she was young and she was praying 24/7 its very sad. i didnt know really what to say to her. but we all explained it very well to her. and got down to why she is so miserable. she cannot forgive the person that abused her when she was young. so we told her she needs to pray for the desire to be able to forgive. we explained that Jesus Christ took upon himself the sins of the world and through his sacrifice and mercy towards all men that we can be saved and live with God. I wish she could fully understand the atonement, i wish we all could fully understand the atonement. we then told her some stories of forgivness, and explained, how is God supposed to forgive you if you cant forgive someone else? she was in tears. it was good for her though. i hope she can forgive.
well im out of juice. Chip thanks for the letter! yeah man you better hit me up when you get out here. it would be rad to see you!
parents just a little advise: the best way to teach your kids is to teach them how to center their lives around Jesus Christ, and to teach them true principles of the gospel. Well i got to be going now the weather dominates here. chan chan i had a dream about you last night. write me homie. ok g2g 3p
jordan 4.28.10
note from blog administrator: this letter was written the previous week but not sent or received until 4/28)
well this week was interesting. monday was fun playing basketball and soccer in the warm sun in the park. there are people everywhere ilove it so much. this week we got a call from pres and he said you need to go to the hospital. a girls mom called and sad her daughter is in the hospital and needs a blessing. so we went to the hospital. luckily we got in it was after visiting hours. but with a neame tag on you can do anything. we went into this small room and there was a blonde cute girl that looked super sick but she was so excited to see us. se explained what happened to her. she was living in Uganda for service or something she was on her way home and she started to feel super sick so they didnt let her on the plane and she ended up in the hospital in amsterdam. she got malaria. she wasnt doing to well. i gave her a blessing and we talked to her for a bit. so two days pass and she calls and sais she needs us to come over. we went over and she was in quaranteen ( dont ask me how to spell that) dont ask my why she was in but she was. so we paid a little visit with the sisters and sung her some hymns and read some scriptures it was super spiritual. Its importat to ask for help in time of need. and she needed it. on sunday we went back over and gave her the sacrament and she was doing amazing we wheeled her outside in the sun it was good for her. her mom was going to fly out but couldnt because of the volcano sad. but she should be getting out of the hospital soon but what else is sad is she still cant fly home. man.
ok speaking of the volcano we ended up with at least 7 or 8 different people in church(americans) that were stranded in amsterdam. including one of the seventies Lance b. Wickman he spoke in sacrament metting. there was also a pilot a scientist ect... mom will you send me the talks by truman g madsen on joseph smith? its on my laptop. send it on cd or paper also can you send me the book of mormon study guide its gray and mine is at shaynes house. richie bought a ton of them for the pmg class.
morgy porgy have you gained any weight? i have. dont worrie we will burn it of surfing climbing swimming ect,. chan man hows the skating coming? cam send me that painting homie and a picture of your girl mom if he doesnt you have to. oh yeah. last night i had a dream that the whole family showed up in church in amstedam. mom and dad you were sitting on the back row ha ha i didnt know if itwas allowed to talk to you or not but i went back and sat next to you guys it was so weird. it was nice though dad you had on a pair of high top vans ha ha nice. ok well thanks for everything gtg holmes
love 3p
well this week was interesting. monday was fun playing basketball and soccer in the warm sun in the park. there are people everywhere ilove it so much. this week we got a call from pres and he said you need to go to the hospital. a girls mom called and sad her daughter is in the hospital and needs a blessing. so we went to the hospital. luckily we got in it was after visiting hours. but with a neame tag on you can do anything. we went into this small room and there was a blonde cute girl that looked super sick but she was so excited to see us. se explained what happened to her. she was living in Uganda for service or something she was on her way home and she started to feel super sick so they didnt let her on the plane and she ended up in the hospital in amsterdam. she got malaria. she wasnt doing to well. i gave her a blessing and we talked to her for a bit. so two days pass and she calls and sais she needs us to come over. we went over and she was in quaranteen ( dont ask me how to spell that) dont ask my why she was in but she was. so we paid a little visit with the sisters and sung her some hymns and read some scriptures it was super spiritual. Its importat to ask for help in time of need. and she needed it. on sunday we went back over and gave her the sacrament and she was doing amazing we wheeled her outside in the sun it was good for her. her mom was going to fly out but couldnt because of the volcano sad. but she should be getting out of the hospital soon but what else is sad is she still cant fly home. man.
ok speaking of the volcano we ended up with at least 7 or 8 different people in church(americans) that were stranded in amsterdam. including one of the seventies Lance b. Wickman he spoke in sacrament metting. there was also a pilot a scientist ect... mom will you send me the talks by truman g madsen on joseph smith? its on my laptop. send it on cd or paper also can you send me the book of mormon study guide its gray and mine is at shaynes house. richie bought a ton of them for the pmg class.
morgy porgy have you gained any weight? i have. dont worrie we will burn it of surfing climbing swimming ect,. chan man hows the skating coming? cam send me that painting homie and a picture of your girl mom if he doesnt you have to. oh yeah. last night i had a dream that the whole family showed up in church in amstedam. mom and dad you were sitting on the back row ha ha i didnt know if itwas allowed to talk to you or not but i went back and sat next to you guys it was so weird. it was nice though dad you had on a pair of high top vans ha ha nice. ok well thanks for everything gtg holmes
love 3p
taryn 4.26.10
Sin dxan laaw! iik may naan ca klap baan!
Hello!
Joe: Talking Queen With Dancing Twin Children= courtney:)
what a good week. it was nice to work extra hard after the crazy week before. The area is doing so good right now! we are rocking it! we were supposed to have a baptism yesterday, but Am's mom didnt give her permission until sat night when the relief society president called and talked to her mom. she is 18, but it thailand the legal age is 20. i think her baptism will be in two weeks. the the week after (cades birthday!) we have two scheduled:) its nice to see the blessings coming now from working so hard for the past 3 months. going from having 1 baptismal dater and 2 progressing investigators to now 6 with a bap goal, 9 progressing, and also many of our LAs came to church yesterday that we have been working with for quite a while!
this week is moves (transfers)! the past moves went by pretty quickly. an elder from my district is finishing his mission this week, it is the first time i havent envied someone going home, having to say goodbye to everyone and to thailand. some of the members took us out to a nice Vietnamese restaurant today for his last day. (we eat a lot of vietnam food in udon) i felt bad for him. it is so exciting, but at the same time so sad. i feel good about having 4 more transfers right now, but know that it is going to be here too soon. im getting a new companion!!! :) im really really hoping for sister christiansen who is from orem! there is a good chance she could be coming. it would be a dream! that means this i get the thai train ride adventure again this week, only this time two nights in a row! its been a long time (3 months) to be out in the boonies without any contact with sisters or many other missionaries. i cant wait to see everyone! also, we are finally getting one sister in this moves, we havent gotten any sisters since the group that entered right after me! we are getting so small in numbers, though we are having quite a few come this summer. man, i cant believe summer is almost here! (which means the incredibly hot season is almost over here, then it will just be hot:) ) it finally rained a few times this week. i love the rain. im excited for rainy season again!
we were teaching our golden investigator Guy (chicken) the other day, she really is so amazing, it makes me nervous that something is going to happen! she turned on the movie"Up" for her little boy in Thai to entertain him while we taught or else he is all over the place. that was the last movie that we went and saw as a family, the family night before i left. hah it was so hard to pay attention! i cant wait to get back and watch it again, i think i might buy it here in Thai.
in the middle of district development meeting last week i looked out the window and saw a crazy guy putting his face up to the window of the church. then a minute later he came into the church and into the room that we were in asking for money. we told him that we couldnt give him anything, thinking he would leave, but instead he just stood there staring at us. we tried to carry on with our meeting and then he sat on the ground for the majority of the meeting. it was super awkward we tried to carry on without busting up laughing. another day that showed me how grateful i need to be for all that i have. finally at the end the elders talked to him and convinced him to leave.
on Friday we taught the investigator that showed up drunk to her interview- A. she wasnt progressing at all. we talked about prayer. then later that night she called and said "God really does answer prayers if we have faith! i prayed after you left to get a better job and then today i got offered a very good job. it was a miracle! i am going to read and pray much more now. im determined." this was a huge step for her, i was so excited! she didnt show up to church on sunday which is a bummer, but at least she is slowly getting there. i just want her little girl to grow up in the church, her life will be so different. it will happen!
mom and dad, you sent my DEBIT card right? haha mom, not my camera card:) though i am appreciative of it, ive almost filled it all up. i am down to nothing. ive never been so poor in my life! as soon as i get some money ill send you a few cds from the past while, and might end up sending a big package if i move next transfer, which is likely because i think whoever comes here will train in june. my big suitcase is completely full already of just souvenirs. i dont know how im going to move my stuff! mom and dad, youd better be bringing some empty suitcases:) oh, did you end up getting tickets? whats the story with that?
sorry not too exciting of a letter, sometimes its hard to know what to write. i love you so much! ill be talking to you soon:) its already almost mothers day! miss you
love, sister young
ps andie brooke! you are HORRIBLE at writing! write me girl! now you dont have an excuse, you are out of school:)
Hello!
Joe: Talking Queen With Dancing Twin Children= courtney:)
what a good week. it was nice to work extra hard after the crazy week before. The area is doing so good right now! we are rocking it! we were supposed to have a baptism yesterday, but Am's mom didnt give her permission until sat night when the relief society president called and talked to her mom. she is 18, but it thailand the legal age is 20. i think her baptism will be in two weeks. the the week after (cades birthday!) we have two scheduled:) its nice to see the blessings coming now from working so hard for the past 3 months. going from having 1 baptismal dater and 2 progressing investigators to now 6 with a bap goal, 9 progressing, and also many of our LAs came to church yesterday that we have been working with for quite a while!
this week is moves (transfers)! the past moves went by pretty quickly. an elder from my district is finishing his mission this week, it is the first time i havent envied someone going home, having to say goodbye to everyone and to thailand. some of the members took us out to a nice Vietnamese restaurant today for his last day. (we eat a lot of vietnam food in udon) i felt bad for him. it is so exciting, but at the same time so sad. i feel good about having 4 more transfers right now, but know that it is going to be here too soon. im getting a new companion!!! :) im really really hoping for sister christiansen who is from orem! there is a good chance she could be coming. it would be a dream! that means this i get the thai train ride adventure again this week, only this time two nights in a row! its been a long time (3 months) to be out in the boonies without any contact with sisters or many other missionaries. i cant wait to see everyone! also, we are finally getting one sister in this moves, we havent gotten any sisters since the group that entered right after me! we are getting so small in numbers, though we are having quite a few come this summer. man, i cant believe summer is almost here! (which means the incredibly hot season is almost over here, then it will just be hot:) ) it finally rained a few times this week. i love the rain. im excited for rainy season again!
we were teaching our golden investigator Guy (chicken) the other day, she really is so amazing, it makes me nervous that something is going to happen! she turned on the movie"Up" for her little boy in Thai to entertain him while we taught or else he is all over the place. that was the last movie that we went and saw as a family, the family night before i left. hah it was so hard to pay attention! i cant wait to get back and watch it again, i think i might buy it here in Thai.
in the middle of district development meeting last week i looked out the window and saw a crazy guy putting his face up to the window of the church. then a minute later he came into the church and into the room that we were in asking for money. we told him that we couldnt give him anything, thinking he would leave, but instead he just stood there staring at us. we tried to carry on with our meeting and then he sat on the ground for the majority of the meeting. it was super awkward we tried to carry on without busting up laughing. another day that showed me how grateful i need to be for all that i have. finally at the end the elders talked to him and convinced him to leave.
on Friday we taught the investigator that showed up drunk to her interview- A. she wasnt progressing at all. we talked about prayer. then later that night she called and said "God really does answer prayers if we have faith! i prayed after you left to get a better job and then today i got offered a very good job. it was a miracle! i am going to read and pray much more now. im determined." this was a huge step for her, i was so excited! she didnt show up to church on sunday which is a bummer, but at least she is slowly getting there. i just want her little girl to grow up in the church, her life will be so different. it will happen!
mom and dad, you sent my DEBIT card right? haha mom, not my camera card:) though i am appreciative of it, ive almost filled it all up. i am down to nothing. ive never been so poor in my life! as soon as i get some money ill send you a few cds from the past while, and might end up sending a big package if i move next transfer, which is likely because i think whoever comes here will train in june. my big suitcase is completely full already of just souvenirs. i dont know how im going to move my stuff! mom and dad, youd better be bringing some empty suitcases:) oh, did you end up getting tickets? whats the story with that?
sorry not too exciting of a letter, sometimes its hard to know what to write. i love you so much! ill be talking to you soon:) its already almost mothers day! miss you
love, sister young
ps andie brooke! you are HORRIBLE at writing! write me girl! now you dont have an excuse, you are out of school:)
morgan 4.26.10
Okay so this week was not the greatest week but it also wasnt bad. Mme Laurent is being LAME!!! she hasnt came to church for like 3 weeks and she didnt come to our RDV that we had on friday haha but she was in a catscan so good reason but still... haha just lame. i am worried about her not taking this very seriously.
so in our ward here in Nimes we have ALOT of smokers who still take the sacrament and still feel just as worthy as anyone else. which with some of them they really are trying and i have no problem with that. but with the others in particular this woman named corinne hugon. she is like 50ish, she is super materialistic, she wears like really shiny glittery fancy clothes and is not very modest about it. she has a BIG smoking problem and has been baptised for like 15 years or something like that. Her kids are really struggling, her son wants to be muslum like his father and the daughter is the nicest one in the whole family. but yesterday we had the sunday school lesson about covenants and how we need to keep our promises with god. it went right ever her head. so tonight we planed a pretty intense lesson directed obviously to her and so hopefully she gets it. haha i am excited about that.
so my comp this week is better. It is really hard for me to stay patient with him but i do and it helps. but he has said some really strange things like when we were going to get on the bus i stopped this woman to contact her. she wasnt interested but he got all mad at me and said "Elder! we really dont have time!!!" now he was saying this as we were going to get on a bus just to check up on somebody and try and set up a RDV. haha. so i just looked at him and asked "we dont have time to talk to people about the gospel?" he didnt answer me and i reminded him that we had zero scheduled RDV's planned that day. haha probably not the nicest way but i put him back into his place. and yesterday before church there was a dude flying around the round about in front of our church and spun out of control and crashed like right in front of us!! it was crazy!! but he quickly got up and rode off, but there was a bunch of stuff that fell out of his seat, so i walked over to pick it up so i could go run it to him but my comp tried to stop me he just said "Elder!!" i just looked at him and picked up the stuff and ran it to him. the dude was so grateful!! but Elder M. was so frustrated for some reason. haha he is a little weird like that for some reason but other than that he is fine. he is from texas but just found out 10 sec. ago his fam is moving to maryland. he only has 4 months left on his mission.
okay i am so excited to call you all!! haha I really cant wait!! its already getting hot!! sorry.. I love you so much!! good job Mom and Ash with the race!! Dad good work on being the boss!! haha i love you all!! talk to you next week!!
thanks again.Morgan
so in our ward here in Nimes we have ALOT of smokers who still take the sacrament and still feel just as worthy as anyone else. which with some of them they really are trying and i have no problem with that. but with the others in particular this woman named corinne hugon. she is like 50ish, she is super materialistic, she wears like really shiny glittery fancy clothes and is not very modest about it. she has a BIG smoking problem and has been baptised for like 15 years or something like that. Her kids are really struggling, her son wants to be muslum like his father and the daughter is the nicest one in the whole family. but yesterday we had the sunday school lesson about covenants and how we need to keep our promises with god. it went right ever her head. so tonight we planed a pretty intense lesson directed obviously to her and so hopefully she gets it. haha i am excited about that.
so my comp this week is better. It is really hard for me to stay patient with him but i do and it helps. but he has said some really strange things like when we were going to get on the bus i stopped this woman to contact her. she wasnt interested but he got all mad at me and said "Elder! we really dont have time!!!" now he was saying this as we were going to get on a bus just to check up on somebody and try and set up a RDV. haha. so i just looked at him and asked "we dont have time to talk to people about the gospel?" he didnt answer me and i reminded him that we had zero scheduled RDV's planned that day. haha probably not the nicest way but i put him back into his place. and yesterday before church there was a dude flying around the round about in front of our church and spun out of control and crashed like right in front of us!! it was crazy!! but he quickly got up and rode off, but there was a bunch of stuff that fell out of his seat, so i walked over to pick it up so i could go run it to him but my comp tried to stop me he just said "Elder!!" i just looked at him and picked up the stuff and ran it to him. the dude was so grateful!! but Elder M. was so frustrated for some reason. haha he is a little weird like that for some reason but other than that he is fine. he is from texas but just found out 10 sec. ago his fam is moving to maryland. he only has 4 months left on his mission.
okay i am so excited to call you all!! haha I really cant wait!! its already getting hot!! sorry.. I love you so much!! good job Mom and Ash with the race!! Dad good work on being the boss!! haha i love you all!! talk to you next week!!
thanks again.Morgan
4.19.2010
morgan 4.19.10
Hello Everybody! thanks for all your emails!! i really enjoyed them. gp if chan doesnt want the thing i will take it when i get home!! haha.
well the first week with my new comp was really interesting. I was warned a little ahead of time that he suffers from depression every once in a while. well, it is pretty evident that he does. The first few days in particular were very rough. i just contantly felt like i was going to cry. his depression was wearing off on me a little bit. i would seriously just get down on my knees and plead with God for help. I would spend like a half hour of lunch just praying and asking Him to help me to be more happy so that we can teach with the spirit in our companionship. The first couple days Elder McMullin was here he had a little problem with obedience. he wouldnt be in bed on time, he wouldnt be at studies on time and one morning he didnt set the alarm after i reminded him that night. luckly i woke up at 6:45 or we wouldve slept in a long time!! So i kinda told him he has gotta step it up. it is helping a lot. I have to remind him every once in a while to be in bed and to set the alarm but it is a lot better now. it is so much easier to feel the spirit when you are obedient! he still has little problems with depression but not quite as bad. he just gets really stressed out really easily.
Okay so this week in Nîmes there are the roman games in Les Arènes. so there are SO many people dressed up as romans to like roll play battles in the arena or something.. haha i am not even sure what they do in there.
Me and Elder McMullin are trying to set up a saturday sports thing at the chapel for all the young adults. thatd be so fun!! i NEED to do something sportive!! neither e. christensen or e. McMullin like running in the morning. so it is just a lot of sit ups and push ups for me. the first day i saw e. McMullin the first thing he told me is that him and his family take there video gaming seriously. Great... haha. he really likes talking about his games. He was telling me tuesday night how he met these girls he knew "online". AHHH!!!! haha the computer RUINS LIVES!!!!! But lately me and him have been getting along so its all good.
well is richy married yet?? sounds like jon is doing well!! Sam or Chan or Aust??? any news on your mission papers?? The mission seriously changes lives! Not only your own life but the lives of other people that no one else would be able to change besides you. like Bridgitte this week, she is usually looking for ANY excuse not to come to church. we got a call Sat. night at like 10:20 right before bed and she told us that lilly or alexis didnt want to come to church so she needed someone to wake her up, so she wanted us to call her at 8. haha i was amazed!! she has changed SO much!
well hopefully this week is better than last week. it took a lot of patience last week with my comp but hopefully it will be better this week. I love you all thanks for all your support!! Talk to ya next week.
Morgan
well the first week with my new comp was really interesting. I was warned a little ahead of time that he suffers from depression every once in a while. well, it is pretty evident that he does. The first few days in particular were very rough. i just contantly felt like i was going to cry. his depression was wearing off on me a little bit. i would seriously just get down on my knees and plead with God for help. I would spend like a half hour of lunch just praying and asking Him to help me to be more happy so that we can teach with the spirit in our companionship. The first couple days Elder McMullin was here he had a little problem with obedience. he wouldnt be in bed on time, he wouldnt be at studies on time and one morning he didnt set the alarm after i reminded him that night. luckly i woke up at 6:45 or we wouldve slept in a long time!! So i kinda told him he has gotta step it up. it is helping a lot. I have to remind him every once in a while to be in bed and to set the alarm but it is a lot better now. it is so much easier to feel the spirit when you are obedient! he still has little problems with depression but not quite as bad. he just gets really stressed out really easily.
Okay so this week in Nîmes there are the roman games in Les Arènes. so there are SO many people dressed up as romans to like roll play battles in the arena or something.. haha i am not even sure what they do in there.
Me and Elder McMullin are trying to set up a saturday sports thing at the chapel for all the young adults. thatd be so fun!! i NEED to do something sportive!! neither e. christensen or e. McMullin like running in the morning. so it is just a lot of sit ups and push ups for me. the first day i saw e. McMullin the first thing he told me is that him and his family take there video gaming seriously. Great... haha. he really likes talking about his games. He was telling me tuesday night how he met these girls he knew "online". AHHH!!!! haha the computer RUINS LIVES!!!!! But lately me and him have been getting along so its all good.
well is richy married yet?? sounds like jon is doing well!! Sam or Chan or Aust??? any news on your mission papers?? The mission seriously changes lives! Not only your own life but the lives of other people that no one else would be able to change besides you. like Bridgitte this week, she is usually looking for ANY excuse not to come to church. we got a call Sat. night at like 10:20 right before bed and she told us that lilly or alexis didnt want to come to church so she needed someone to wake her up, so she wanted us to call her at 8. haha i was amazed!! she has changed SO much!
well hopefully this week is better than last week. it took a lot of patience last week with my comp but hopefully it will be better this week. I love you all thanks for all your support!! Talk to ya next week.
Morgan
taryn 4.19.10
Hello!
What a crazy week full of water and powder. monday through thursday it was hard to work, no one available, no wanting to listen because they were all out playing, and it took a loooong time to go anywhere, and then when you finally were at your destination you were soaking wet. im sad its over.. it was ridiculous! haha in the neighborhoods about every three houses people would run out into the street, blowing their whistle stopping you, rubbing white baby powder all over your face and pouring water on you. then out on the streets trucks everywhere throwing water everywhere. i dont think a single thing was dry in the whole town! on our pday we went to the park. they were pumping the water out of the lake and spraying it everywhere. my favorite was when we helped a less active member who was selling at her little stand who we helped wash her dishes in the brown water. i think they were cleaner before being washed!! (mind you a thai lake, not clean america lake. more like utah lake but much worse...) im so grateful for the blessing of being a missionary, there is no way that i could survive this! (but, i actually do think that i have my first worm at the moment . ive been really lucky not to have one yet!)
after only getting a few lessons in during those days, it was nice to get back to work, having lots of people to see, and being able to show up dry to the appts (ha well not soaking, but atleast now it is our sweat) our area is doing really well, we had 5 investigators at church on sunday which is awesome!!!!! we also have a lot of potentials pending that we will hopefully turn into progressing investigaors. our goals for this next week are super high, they are really going to stretch us. im excited! we can do it. we are going to get 7 with a baptismal date, 10 progressing, teach 20 sitting in the house lessons, and 5 new investigators. we are surpassing the mission 'standards of excellence' and i know we can do it with the Lords help!
i just beat the elders in a soft-serve ice cream eating contest. i think im going to die, but it was so worth it beating them:) hah i think the only 'big' accomplishments ever talked about or passed on as missionaries are the records of eating. good thing we bike a lot!
yesterday, about 30 seconds before the second round of church's sacrament meeting started, the branch president came up to me and asked me to speak! scary! during the first few talks i looked up some scriptures and then stood up and gave a talk about faith in thai. i didnt think that i could do something like that, especially in Thai! Heavenly Father really helped me, it was a neat feeling. i wasnt nervous at all, my mind was crisp and things just kept coming to me to say through the Spirit. after many people thanked me and commmented on how good my language was, saying it was probably as good as my english (absolutely exaggerating, but it was nice of them to say) It was one of the first times on my mission that i was able to recognize the gift of tongues. i didnt have to think about translating it, and reading the scriptures in Thai(which is so hard!) came easily and just flowed at that moment. It was a neat experience, and then having so many investigators there just topped it off.
I know i say this often, but i really dont know why i have been so blessed. in udon we have a few town 'bums', one which we call the string lady. all around town she has these piles of string that she has collected. she is even string- her hair is all dreadlocked and her clothing consists of strings draped everywhere. im not sure exactly how she does it, i think she ties a few around her body and then hangs the strings off of those. a few days ago in teh middle of the day we passed her asleep on the ground. the problem is, when you sleep on the ground with strings, the strings dont cover much. she was naked to the world. at first it was a pretty funny sight to see, but then i got really sad. realizing this is a daughter of God who was not nearly as fortunate as i have been. Heavenly Father loves her just as much as me. we are so immensely blessed. we have a lot expected of us because of this!
yesterday we taught the cutest lesson. one of the members just got her 8 yr old daughter back. she has been fighting for her for a few years now, her sister has been raising her because she used to be wild, but the church 180-ed her life. the church is amazing. she has been raised muslim, it is amazing how close our religions are, even in the way we pray. we had three little girls, one 9 (jen- a recent convert as well who lives with her grandma taht we teach every week in their one humble tiny room apt on the ground in the blistering heat with one crickety fan trying to work. i love that little girl), and the other two about 7-8 yrs old help us teach about the godhead and prayer. it was darling! i cant wait to teach her again.
family, i miss you so much. life is really really good right now, but a big piece of me is always missing. i am so thankful for you and that i have such an amazing family to miss. not a better immediate or extended family in the world. i love you! recently ive realized how short of time i have left. im down to 6 months. i remember when jan and ryan only had 6 months left, that was just barely and they are going home soon. i really am going to be home in no time, ive got to make the best of every day! that is good advice for all of us though, no matter what is going on in our lives. as prez monson once said something like, 'time is a steady constant thing and will always pass'. i hope that i can remember this for the rest of my life. to make the best of every part of life, no matter how hard or easy (is life ever easy?). we only have one chance! make the best of it, no one ever has regretted making the most of life...
i love you
love,
ซิสเตอร ยัง
ps..inviting the other day we came across a couple and their little boy's first name was jamesbond. it was wonderful in their thick thai accent. oh, and we also have a skywalker and a giant in one of our branches:)
pps..dad, its been three weeks now that my ankle has been bad and it is still pretty swollen. its driving me crazy cuz i cant run in the mornings. i put it up at night and sometimes ice it when it starts aching. any suggestions?
What a crazy week full of water and powder. monday through thursday it was hard to work, no one available, no wanting to listen because they were all out playing, and it took a loooong time to go anywhere, and then when you finally were at your destination you were soaking wet. im sad its over.. it was ridiculous! haha in the neighborhoods about every three houses people would run out into the street, blowing their whistle stopping you, rubbing white baby powder all over your face and pouring water on you. then out on the streets trucks everywhere throwing water everywhere. i dont think a single thing was dry in the whole town! on our pday we went to the park. they were pumping the water out of the lake and spraying it everywhere. my favorite was when we helped a less active member who was selling at her little stand who we helped wash her dishes in the brown water. i think they were cleaner before being washed!! (mind you a thai lake, not clean america lake. more like utah lake but much worse...) im so grateful for the blessing of being a missionary, there is no way that i could survive this! (but, i actually do think that i have my first worm at the moment . ive been really lucky not to have one yet!)
after only getting a few lessons in during those days, it was nice to get back to work, having lots of people to see, and being able to show up dry to the appts (ha well not soaking, but atleast now it is our sweat) our area is doing really well, we had 5 investigators at church on sunday which is awesome!!!!! we also have a lot of potentials pending that we will hopefully turn into progressing investigaors. our goals for this next week are super high, they are really going to stretch us. im excited! we can do it. we are going to get 7 with a baptismal date, 10 progressing, teach 20 sitting in the house lessons, and 5 new investigators. we are surpassing the mission 'standards of excellence' and i know we can do it with the Lords help!
i just beat the elders in a soft-serve ice cream eating contest. i think im going to die, but it was so worth it beating them:) hah i think the only 'big' accomplishments ever talked about or passed on as missionaries are the records of eating. good thing we bike a lot!
yesterday, about 30 seconds before the second round of church's sacrament meeting started, the branch president came up to me and asked me to speak! scary! during the first few talks i looked up some scriptures and then stood up and gave a talk about faith in thai. i didnt think that i could do something like that, especially in Thai! Heavenly Father really helped me, it was a neat feeling. i wasnt nervous at all, my mind was crisp and things just kept coming to me to say through the Spirit. after many people thanked me and commmented on how good my language was, saying it was probably as good as my english (absolutely exaggerating, but it was nice of them to say) It was one of the first times on my mission that i was able to recognize the gift of tongues. i didnt have to think about translating it, and reading the scriptures in Thai(which is so hard!) came easily and just flowed at that moment. It was a neat experience, and then having so many investigators there just topped it off.
I know i say this often, but i really dont know why i have been so blessed. in udon we have a few town 'bums', one which we call the string lady. all around town she has these piles of string that she has collected. she is even string- her hair is all dreadlocked and her clothing consists of strings draped everywhere. im not sure exactly how she does it, i think she ties a few around her body and then hangs the strings off of those. a few days ago in teh middle of the day we passed her asleep on the ground. the problem is, when you sleep on the ground with strings, the strings dont cover much. she was naked to the world. at first it was a pretty funny sight to see, but then i got really sad. realizing this is a daughter of God who was not nearly as fortunate as i have been. Heavenly Father loves her just as much as me. we are so immensely blessed. we have a lot expected of us because of this!
yesterday we taught the cutest lesson. one of the members just got her 8 yr old daughter back. she has been fighting for her for a few years now, her sister has been raising her because she used to be wild, but the church 180-ed her life. the church is amazing. she has been raised muslim, it is amazing how close our religions are, even in the way we pray. we had three little girls, one 9 (jen- a recent convert as well who lives with her grandma taht we teach every week in their one humble tiny room apt on the ground in the blistering heat with one crickety fan trying to work. i love that little girl), and the other two about 7-8 yrs old help us teach about the godhead and prayer. it was darling! i cant wait to teach her again.
family, i miss you so much. life is really really good right now, but a big piece of me is always missing. i am so thankful for you and that i have such an amazing family to miss. not a better immediate or extended family in the world. i love you! recently ive realized how short of time i have left. im down to 6 months. i remember when jan and ryan only had 6 months left, that was just barely and they are going home soon. i really am going to be home in no time, ive got to make the best of every day! that is good advice for all of us though, no matter what is going on in our lives. as prez monson once said something like, 'time is a steady constant thing and will always pass'. i hope that i can remember this for the rest of my life. to make the best of every part of life, no matter how hard or easy (is life ever easy?). we only have one chance! make the best of it, no one ever has regretted making the most of life...
i love you
love,
ซิสเตอร ยัง
ps..inviting the other day we came across a couple and their little boy's first name was jamesbond. it was wonderful in their thick thai accent. oh, and we also have a skywalker and a giant in one of our branches:)
pps..dad, its been three weeks now that my ankle has been bad and it is still pretty swollen. its driving me crazy cuz i cant run in the mornings. i put it up at night and sometimes ice it when it starts aching. any suggestions?
4.17.2010
jordan 4.12.10
hello
we got transfer news this morning. i am staying in amstedam! and with the same comp. i will be his last companion so that means i will probably stay another 2.
this week was a good week we did service for Jasons mother and found out alot of information about her. she is actually a member. we didnt know that. she is actually super nice. she is ok with jason getting baptized and is ok with it. we are hoping to reactivate her. she has had a wild past. she said she will come back sometime. we are starting to meet with some new people. its going super slow though. nobody want to keep their comitments and come to church. thats the hardest part is getting them to come to church.
my companion and i have created a super good bond with all the young adults in the ward. there are some great young adults. the president has asked us to open a young adult centrum. its where the young adults come together once a week and have a spiritual message and play games. its targeted to bring more young adults into the church and strengthen the ones that we have. they were supposed to get a centrum a while ago but i think pres was waiting for the right moment and elders. we are going to play sports at Vondel park today with all of them. Vondel park is one of my favorite places in A dam . its where the Rijks museum is and the van gogh. plus some more modern museums. plus its got a skate park an basketball courts.
Chan i hear you have been skating lately keep it up! mom the language is about the same. yes i smell weed everywhere. there are coffee shops everywhere. the other day it was freezing and cold and rainy and we walked by a coffee shop and happened to notice a baby stroller parked outside in the cold rain and the mother was conveniantly inside smoking the good stuff while watching her kid through the window. i got a good pic. we dont really see the red light district. we avoid them pretty well. we teach a lady who lives across the street from one though. there are tourists everywhere. its sad you see families walking through the red light district and down some scetchy roads. little kids and all.
Cam, chris keep painting and keep dreaming you will beat me in a pull up comp. well ill see you later.
tot maandag. 3p
we got transfer news this morning. i am staying in amstedam! and with the same comp. i will be his last companion so that means i will probably stay another 2.
this week was a good week we did service for Jasons mother and found out alot of information about her. she is actually a member. we didnt know that. she is actually super nice. she is ok with jason getting baptized and is ok with it. we are hoping to reactivate her. she has had a wild past. she said she will come back sometime. we are starting to meet with some new people. its going super slow though. nobody want to keep their comitments and come to church. thats the hardest part is getting them to come to church.
my companion and i have created a super good bond with all the young adults in the ward. there are some great young adults. the president has asked us to open a young adult centrum. its where the young adults come together once a week and have a spiritual message and play games. its targeted to bring more young adults into the church and strengthen the ones that we have. they were supposed to get a centrum a while ago but i think pres was waiting for the right moment and elders. we are going to play sports at Vondel park today with all of them. Vondel park is one of my favorite places in A dam . its where the Rijks museum is and the van gogh. plus some more modern museums. plus its got a skate park an basketball courts.
Chan i hear you have been skating lately keep it up! mom the language is about the same. yes i smell weed everywhere. there are coffee shops everywhere. the other day it was freezing and cold and rainy and we walked by a coffee shop and happened to notice a baby stroller parked outside in the cold rain and the mother was conveniantly inside smoking the good stuff while watching her kid through the window. i got a good pic. we dont really see the red light district. we avoid them pretty well. we teach a lady who lives across the street from one though. there are tourists everywhere. its sad you see families walking through the red light district and down some scetchy roads. little kids and all.
Cam, chris keep painting and keep dreaming you will beat me in a pull up comp. well ill see you later.
tot maandag. 3p
taryn 4.13.10
Hey family!
sorry the letter is a day late, our was changed to tues this week because of songkran. hah we got a call early this morning telling us that all missionaries had to email first thing this morning because parents had been calling the office worried about their missionaries. i guess the redshirt thing is starting to get out of hand in bangkok and lots of people have died!
holy cow songkran is the most crazy holiday ive ever seen! the official days start today until thurs, but i had people throwing water on me on sunday. it is the new year for thailand, the holiday started out by sprinkling water on people to bless them, but it has evolved into a nationwide waterfight. yesterday branch 2 had their activity. it started with us kneelng down, pouring cold, scented water in the hands of the old people, and then them putting the water on our heads and back and blessing us, and putting white paste on our faces. after that the war broke out and it was just a big water fight for every age, no one was safe, pouring huge buckets of ice water even on the ancient and the little kids! lots of ice cream, hot soup(thais are a little confused about the concept of eating soup when its cold..) and mangos and sticky rice. after that we tried to go out and proselyte, no use. everyone on the streets and in the back of trucks throwing water. at zone conference president said that this week is always a huge drop in the numbers, he started laughing at trying to explain it to the brethren. he told us to try, but said we will be using a lot of study time this week, especially at night when all the alcohol comes out. its going to be an adventure of a week!
general conference was amazing!!! every speaker was so inspired. i was sad when it was over, though i already have it on my ipod and have been listening to it. the priesthood session is awesome, i think that all missionaries should be able to go. elder rasbands talk was so cool. im excited to get the talks and be able to really study them. a lot of it was amazing parenting advice, mom and dad i couldnt stop thinking about you and how incredible you are at being parents. thank you for raising me the way you did/still are, i dont know why i was so blessed. i love you so much.
the branch president of branch 2 went to utah, what a blessing! mom and dad, they were sad that your werent able to make it over.. they have been talking about utah, byu, and temple square non stop. they got so motivated and and even more determined now to help the church grow. it is so funny to hear him explain things like food at caferio, the churches everywhere, the y, boys going around to collect fast offerings, welfare square, the houses, the programs handed out before sacrament meeting, and the ym/yw mutual activities every week. life is just so different here. he got to see how the church is run in the states and what we can do to improve. every member should have the opportunity to see utah atleast once. i am so blessed to have been able to grow up there, where so many around the world just dream of getting to visit. i didnt know utah, byu, and temple square was so exciting until i came to thailand..
we went to roi-et for switch offs. it was really fun and good to learn from other missionaries (both from thailand). it is a little smaller city than udon, with a HUGE buddha statue in the middle of the city that rises above all the buildings. i got to meet more amazing people, seeing the love of Christ working miracles. the only bummer part of the trip was the bus rides, 7 1//2 hours on a packed, stinky, humid, hot, rickety bus! bless american transportation systems! though it is always a fun adventure/story for later...
we set 2 more baptismal goals last week! we have 5 right now!!!! i really hope and pray for each of these investigators, that each one will keep growing their testimonies and get the opportunity of becoming a member and enjoy the blessings of the true church. its a hard thing sometimes coaching from the sideline, watching satan, my investigator, the Hold Ghost, and the Lord on the field, only being able to offer my testimony and the knowledge, leaving it up to the Spirit and their agency. how amazing it is when you can see the light in their eyes grow and their lives change when they start letting Christ into their lives.
well, its time to write president our weekly email (the new thing taht they just started, no more hand written presidents letters). i love and miss you all so much! thank you for your love and for always being there for me. thank you for your examples. thank you for your support. catch you next monday
love, sister young
sorry the letter is a day late, our was changed to tues this week because of songkran. hah we got a call early this morning telling us that all missionaries had to email first thing this morning because parents had been calling the office worried about their missionaries. i guess the redshirt thing is starting to get out of hand in bangkok and lots of people have died!
holy cow songkran is the most crazy holiday ive ever seen! the official days start today until thurs, but i had people throwing water on me on sunday. it is the new year for thailand, the holiday started out by sprinkling water on people to bless them, but it has evolved into a nationwide waterfight. yesterday branch 2 had their activity. it started with us kneelng down, pouring cold, scented water in the hands of the old people, and then them putting the water on our heads and back and blessing us, and putting white paste on our faces. after that the war broke out and it was just a big water fight for every age, no one was safe, pouring huge buckets of ice water even on the ancient and the little kids! lots of ice cream, hot soup(thais are a little confused about the concept of eating soup when its cold..) and mangos and sticky rice. after that we tried to go out and proselyte, no use. everyone on the streets and in the back of trucks throwing water. at zone conference president said that this week is always a huge drop in the numbers, he started laughing at trying to explain it to the brethren. he told us to try, but said we will be using a lot of study time this week, especially at night when all the alcohol comes out. its going to be an adventure of a week!
general conference was amazing!!! every speaker was so inspired. i was sad when it was over, though i already have it on my ipod and have been listening to it. the priesthood session is awesome, i think that all missionaries should be able to go. elder rasbands talk was so cool. im excited to get the talks and be able to really study them. a lot of it was amazing parenting advice, mom and dad i couldnt stop thinking about you and how incredible you are at being parents. thank you for raising me the way you did/still are, i dont know why i was so blessed. i love you so much.
the branch president of branch 2 went to utah, what a blessing! mom and dad, they were sad that your werent able to make it over.. they have been talking about utah, byu, and temple square non stop. they got so motivated and and even more determined now to help the church grow. it is so funny to hear him explain things like food at caferio, the churches everywhere, the y, boys going around to collect fast offerings, welfare square, the houses, the programs handed out before sacrament meeting, and the ym/yw mutual activities every week. life is just so different here. he got to see how the church is run in the states and what we can do to improve. every member should have the opportunity to see utah atleast once. i am so blessed to have been able to grow up there, where so many around the world just dream of getting to visit. i didnt know utah, byu, and temple square was so exciting until i came to thailand..
we went to roi-et for switch offs. it was really fun and good to learn from other missionaries (both from thailand). it is a little smaller city than udon, with a HUGE buddha statue in the middle of the city that rises above all the buildings. i got to meet more amazing people, seeing the love of Christ working miracles. the only bummer part of the trip was the bus rides, 7 1//2 hours on a packed, stinky, humid, hot, rickety bus! bless american transportation systems! though it is always a fun adventure/story for later...
we set 2 more baptismal goals last week! we have 5 right now!!!! i really hope and pray for each of these investigators, that each one will keep growing their testimonies and get the opportunity of becoming a member and enjoy the blessings of the true church. its a hard thing sometimes coaching from the sideline, watching satan, my investigator, the Hold Ghost, and the Lord on the field, only being able to offer my testimony and the knowledge, leaving it up to the Spirit and their agency. how amazing it is when you can see the light in their eyes grow and their lives change when they start letting Christ into their lives.
well, its time to write president our weekly email (the new thing taht they just started, no more hand written presidents letters). i love and miss you all so much! thank you for your love and for always being there for me. thank you for your examples. thank you for your support. catch you next monday
love, sister young
morgan 4.12.10
okay so transfers is today. i am in montpellier waiting for my new companion who is coming from bordeaux. I am staying in Nimes but with a new comp. it will be good for me to be able to show him around the ville and so i need to take charge a little bit for the next couple weeks. I still havent met him yet but i guess we will see in a couple more hours. there are always strikes with the trains here so transfers is always crazy. but it is good because now i can e mail again tomorrow or later tonight. so if you read this try to respond so i have some emails to respond to tomorrow.
so this last week we got a call at like 10 pm and it was bridgitte crying. it finally hit her that one of us is going to leave. it was sad. but yesterday she took it well.
Yesterday we finally got a baptismal date with Mme Laurent, after fasting almost everyday last week. it was so funny because we went there and just taught the law of chastity and she said "wait so it is bad to sleep with someone before marriage" and we said yes, then she said "well i better be baptized then", at first we thought it was a joke but then she said the date. we asked her again just to make sure it is what she wants and she confirmed that may 22 is when she wants to be baptized. oh it was so cool because it definately was not us fixing that date. may 22 is the last day before next transfer to. so that was kinda nice how it worked out.
well this week we went over to some crazy dude who we contacted last week to give him a lesson and he made dinner. he first asks us if we want wine, we said no. then he slaps down a whole lot of something on my plate. I wasnt sure what and i didnt wanna ask. but then he started explaining. turns out that i was eating little baby squid, whole! like you could see the little head and the body and the tenticles and all. haha then there was just a lot of sea food. like muscles and all that stuff. it is called " la fruit du mer" haha fruit of the sea. yum. it wasnt bad, just really rubbery.
well thats all i got for today. i will write you tomorrow.
i love you all!!
Morgan
so this last week we got a call at like 10 pm and it was bridgitte crying. it finally hit her that one of us is going to leave. it was sad. but yesterday she took it well.
Yesterday we finally got a baptismal date with Mme Laurent, after fasting almost everyday last week. it was so funny because we went there and just taught the law of chastity and she said "wait so it is bad to sleep with someone before marriage" and we said yes, then she said "well i better be baptized then", at first we thought it was a joke but then she said the date. we asked her again just to make sure it is what she wants and she confirmed that may 22 is when she wants to be baptized. oh it was so cool because it definately was not us fixing that date. may 22 is the last day before next transfer to. so that was kinda nice how it worked out.
well this week we went over to some crazy dude who we contacted last week to give him a lesson and he made dinner. he first asks us if we want wine, we said no. then he slaps down a whole lot of something on my plate. I wasnt sure what and i didnt wanna ask. but then he started explaining. turns out that i was eating little baby squid, whole! like you could see the little head and the body and the tenticles and all. haha then there was just a lot of sea food. like muscles and all that stuff. it is called " la fruit du mer" haha fruit of the sea. yum. it wasnt bad, just really rubbery.
well thats all i got for today. i will write you tomorrow.
i love you all!!
Morgan
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
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
morgan 4.5.10
okay i dont know what i just pushed but my letter just sent. but what i was saying... sox 9 yanks 7 that must have been a sweet game to watch!! you better be saving that game on tivo till i get home!! CC vs becket!! sweet! i cant believe i missed it!!
and to think i was just busy preaching the gospel and watching a prophet of the lords mouth move while some other dude translates it into french. lame!!! haha okay it was actually really good! i am just bummed there was no english or they couldnt get it to work. but i understood most of it. so good!! priesthood was amazing and pres hollands talk on pornography was sweet!! we as missionaries definately needed that.
well still no date for Mme Laurent. she said she doesnt feel ready quite yet. we have tried everything so now we just gotta keep teaching her and pray hard. she is so ready!!! it is amazing how many people there are in the world who have no idea that we have a prophet on the earth today. we are so blessed in Utah to grow up with the gospel! the church is so small here everyone thinks we are a sect just because we walk around in suits. but little do they know that we have a message that will change their lives.
so this week we were talking to some dude on the bus. he knew of our church through généalogie and wants us to come to his house next wednesday to talk about it. he was talking to us in some pretty broken english for some reason haha i think he just wanted to practice and was telling us how stupid we are in the states and how little we know. haha he was saying "here in france we study languages and history and things like that unlike you in america" haha wow. i wanted to talk some math or science with him and see what he knew. haha but yeah we are going over to his house wednesday to talk to him about généalogie and eat. but we will slip a little 1st lesson in there. haha.
well this is the last week of the transfer. crazy! i doubt i will go anywhere but i definately could. but yeah if you get a late email dont be suprised. i took those pants and my gray slacks in to get altered. its like 12€ each so not bad at all.
well hopefully next week Mme Laurent will have a baptismal date. mom i just sent a package home with some stuff for brig sage and sadie and skye in it. also my recorder and memory card. mom let me know when you are going to send packages so i can tell you what i need cause i dont want you to just keep sending packages for each seperate thing i need. its expensive!! but on the list of things is the conference talks once you get the ensign!!
dad that is cool that you went to montpellier for zone conference!! haha crazy!! well i love you all! peace!
Morgan
and to think i was just busy preaching the gospel and watching a prophet of the lords mouth move while some other dude translates it into french. lame!!! haha okay it was actually really good! i am just bummed there was no english or they couldnt get it to work. but i understood most of it. so good!! priesthood was amazing and pres hollands talk on pornography was sweet!! we as missionaries definately needed that.
well still no date for Mme Laurent. she said she doesnt feel ready quite yet. we have tried everything so now we just gotta keep teaching her and pray hard. she is so ready!!! it is amazing how many people there are in the world who have no idea that we have a prophet on the earth today. we are so blessed in Utah to grow up with the gospel! the church is so small here everyone thinks we are a sect just because we walk around in suits. but little do they know that we have a message that will change their lives.
so this week we were talking to some dude on the bus. he knew of our church through généalogie and wants us to come to his house next wednesday to talk about it. he was talking to us in some pretty broken english for some reason haha i think he just wanted to practice and was telling us how stupid we are in the states and how little we know. haha he was saying "here in france we study languages and history and things like that unlike you in america" haha wow. i wanted to talk some math or science with him and see what he knew. haha but yeah we are going over to his house wednesday to talk to him about généalogie and eat. but we will slip a little 1st lesson in there. haha.
well this is the last week of the transfer. crazy! i doubt i will go anywhere but i definately could. but yeah if you get a late email dont be suprised. i took those pants and my gray slacks in to get altered. its like 12€ each so not bad at all.
well hopefully next week Mme Laurent will have a baptismal date. mom i just sent a package home with some stuff for brig sage and sadie and skye in it. also my recorder and memory card. mom let me know when you are going to send packages so i can tell you what i need cause i dont want you to just keep sending packages for each seperate thing i need. its expensive!! but on the list of things is the conference talks once you get the ensign!!
dad that is cool that you went to montpellier for zone conference!! haha crazy!! well i love you all! peace!
Morgan
jordan 4.5.10
well its been another week in amsterdam.
general conference was really good. elder holland and bednar always give amazing talks.
this week the whole mission was planning on going to see all the flowers in keoukenhof on wed but they havent come up yet so it will be next transfer. flowers are coming up all over the city. its relly pretty
thank you for all the emails its always nice to get emails. this week was harder than other weeks. the work started to slow a little. it feeels like you are stuck sometimes. that is the time you just have to keep pushing through.
Jason is still doing good. its been hard to get him to church lately. he wants to but he always needs a ride. Eva one of the moms that we have been teaching was sick this week. but another mom by the name of gifty we have an appointment with tommorow. she is super posotive. im excited to see what happens.
it sound like Morgan and Taryn are dominating. keep up the good work.
chan how was cali? so more snow in utah huh? man. its been raining on and off for the past week here. dad how was the birthday? ok well i aint got much till next week. be looking out for some letters. mom can you send me an email with everybodies address? all my bros and sisters and others chad spiers, dustin and so on k thanks love you all elder robert
general conference was really good. elder holland and bednar always give amazing talks.
this week the whole mission was planning on going to see all the flowers in keoukenhof on wed but they havent come up yet so it will be next transfer. flowers are coming up all over the city. its relly pretty
thank you for all the emails its always nice to get emails. this week was harder than other weeks. the work started to slow a little. it feeels like you are stuck sometimes. that is the time you just have to keep pushing through.
Jason is still doing good. its been hard to get him to church lately. he wants to but he always needs a ride. Eva one of the moms that we have been teaching was sick this week. but another mom by the name of gifty we have an appointment with tommorow. she is super posotive. im excited to see what happens.
it sound like Morgan and Taryn are dominating. keep up the good work.
chan how was cali? so more snow in utah huh? man. its been raining on and off for the past week here. dad how was the birthday? ok well i aint got much till next week. be looking out for some letters. mom can you send me an email with everybodies address? all my bros and sisters and others chad spiers, dustin and so on k thanks love you all elder robert
3.30.2010
morgan 3.30.10
hey guys,
well sorry my email is a day late. we had zone developement yesterday in montpellier.
well not much news here in Nimes. It is raining pretty hard today. the leaves arent quite coming yet. i am so excited for spring!
Mom thanks for the pants! the pin stripes are a little different but they'll do fine.
well i am going to send off a package sometime today so be expecting one!
my next transfer is on the 11 of april. but i bet i will stay.
so this week Mme Laurent kinda erased her baptismal date because she cant decide on a day. but we go to teach her today at 3. she will get baptized.
well the only big thing that happened this week was that we had a Mexican Soirée (mexicain night) at the church saturday night. there were a lot of non members there, it was really good. we didnt get to eat though because we had to sprint home. or elder christensen sprinted i was just lightly jogging. hahaha. but this week there was a pole in the middle of the side walk and we got on the subject of hurdles. so he starts telling me about when he was little he would jump over hurdles and thats how he got his jump... haha yeah. i had to bite my lip. so funny!
Nicole made us crèpes again, i love her! we ran out of nutella and i thought the world was over!! haha i love the nutella here!
I am so excited for general conference! we most likely will have it here in Nimes but if we do it will just be in french. the language is coming. very slowly! we had exchanges this week and it was good to know how much i really knew.
dad good job on that buffalo 50! good prep for the wasatch 100!! get it done!! no mom we didnt move again. we are still right over the pâtisserie. so good! haha.
bridget is sick but she still came to church, which is good because usually she looks for any excuse not to come. but she was talking to us about how she wants to move to the states with lily and have them both find a mormon to marry in the temple. yay!!! haha.
so i guess paris is getting another stake. thats good! shows us where the temple is going to be if France ever gets a temple.Hopefully it is soon. there are just so many people here who think we are a sect and who think we are jehova's witness' it is so frustrating! we gotta get the word out! it is crazy how many muslums there are in france. haha it is sad. the french are seriously almost a minority here.
well thanks for all that you do! those pics of jord were so cool! loved that mushroom! Happy Birthday Elle and G Jeff!!! rich keep up the celestial yellow!
Morgan
well sorry my email is a day late. we had zone developement yesterday in montpellier.
well not much news here in Nimes. It is raining pretty hard today. the leaves arent quite coming yet. i am so excited for spring!
Mom thanks for the pants! the pin stripes are a little different but they'll do fine.
well i am going to send off a package sometime today so be expecting one!
my next transfer is on the 11 of april. but i bet i will stay.
so this week Mme Laurent kinda erased her baptismal date because she cant decide on a day. but we go to teach her today at 3. she will get baptized.
well the only big thing that happened this week was that we had a Mexican Soirée (mexicain night) at the church saturday night. there were a lot of non members there, it was really good. we didnt get to eat though because we had to sprint home. or elder christensen sprinted i was just lightly jogging. hahaha. but this week there was a pole in the middle of the side walk and we got on the subject of hurdles. so he starts telling me about when he was little he would jump over hurdles and thats how he got his jump... haha yeah. i had to bite my lip. so funny!
Nicole made us crèpes again, i love her! we ran out of nutella and i thought the world was over!! haha i love the nutella here!
I am so excited for general conference! we most likely will have it here in Nimes but if we do it will just be in french. the language is coming. very slowly! we had exchanges this week and it was good to know how much i really knew.
dad good job on that buffalo 50! good prep for the wasatch 100!! get it done!! no mom we didnt move again. we are still right over the pâtisserie. so good! haha.
bridget is sick but she still came to church, which is good because usually she looks for any excuse not to come. but she was talking to us about how she wants to move to the states with lily and have them both find a mormon to marry in the temple. yay!!! haha.
so i guess paris is getting another stake. thats good! shows us where the temple is going to be if France ever gets a temple.Hopefully it is soon. there are just so many people here who think we are a sect and who think we are jehova's witness' it is so frustrating! we gotta get the word out! it is crazy how many muslums there are in france. haha it is sad. the french are seriously almost a minority here.
well thanks for all that you do! those pics of jord were so cool! loved that mushroom! Happy Birthday Elle and G Jeff!!! rich keep up the celestial yellow!
Morgan
jordan 3.29.10
Happy Birthday Dad! and Ell!
Dad my card is coming it will be a bit late though. What are you going to do today! well for me i just got back from the hauge. we did a sport zone pday. its always nice to do sports. i love being back in amsterdam though i love this city!
Jasons official baptismal date is on the 17th of april. Hes doing good still! He is a stud.
We have been working with a family from ghana well a couple from ghana ( there are a lot of africans we work with) but the family is super open we gave them their first lesson last week. it was kind of hard because she has 3 boys that are crazy really loud. and there is a new born baby that got thirsty right in the middle of our appointment. oh man. it was pretty funny my comp couldnt stop laughing.
we are also working with rudy he is the boyfriend of a member and is super positive. we are going to start the lessons pretty much from scratch though. He comes to church pretty much every sunday.
we are working with another american family to whos husband isnt a member. he comes to church every sunday too. he is a stud him and his wife are outdoorsy long distance runners. he works for nike. we are going to get an oppointment with him this week and just try to be bold with him.
im loving the elders i live with. its pretty fun.
ok i got the easter package thank you. my ankle and knee are still not healing.
there is one church in all amsterdam mom. there are only 3 stakes in all the netherlands. our stake center is den haag. ive been playing some foosball in our church its preety fun. nobody can beat me. except for the bishop got lucky once. i need a rematch though.
Dad happy birthday!
well i cut my hair this week pretty short. the shortest its been in years. i look weird.
well i love you all. thanks for everything. mom and dad thank you for always having a clean and pure environment at home where the spirit can be there. and also for giving such good examples of always having respect and manners!
love ya, elder robert
Dad my card is coming it will be a bit late though. What are you going to do today! well for me i just got back from the hauge. we did a sport zone pday. its always nice to do sports. i love being back in amsterdam though i love this city!
Jasons official baptismal date is on the 17th of april. Hes doing good still! He is a stud.
We have been working with a family from ghana well a couple from ghana ( there are a lot of africans we work with) but the family is super open we gave them their first lesson last week. it was kind of hard because she has 3 boys that are crazy really loud. and there is a new born baby that got thirsty right in the middle of our appointment. oh man. it was pretty funny my comp couldnt stop laughing.
we are also working with rudy he is the boyfriend of a member and is super positive. we are going to start the lessons pretty much from scratch though. He comes to church pretty much every sunday.
we are working with another american family to whos husband isnt a member. he comes to church every sunday too. he is a stud him and his wife are outdoorsy long distance runners. he works for nike. we are going to get an oppointment with him this week and just try to be bold with him.
im loving the elders i live with. its pretty fun.
ok i got the easter package thank you. my ankle and knee are still not healing.
there is one church in all amsterdam mom. there are only 3 stakes in all the netherlands. our stake center is den haag. ive been playing some foosball in our church its preety fun. nobody can beat me. except for the bishop got lucky once. i need a rematch though.
Dad happy birthday!
well i cut my hair this week pretty short. the shortest its been in years. i look weird.
well i love you all. thanks for everything. mom and dad thank you for always having a clean and pure environment at home where the spirit can be there. and also for giving such good examples of always having respect and manners!
love ya, elder robert
taryn 3.29.10
Hey!
HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY SMELL!!! i hope it is an amazing day today. i cant believe you are so old. youd better tell me all about it, and also about your first date!!!
Im emailing in khonkaen right now, we are down here staying the night in the hotel for zone conf and interviews. ha president said he sometimes wishes he could have sisters as APs:)
We had a busy, crazy, and good week this week. Just normal in a missionaries life! Im really loving it here in Udon, lots of work to be done. life is good right now. I finally feel like our efforts and prayers are really starting to get the area rolling! last week we found quite a few new hopefully awesome investigators and are trying to harvest those that have been prepared for us by the Lord. Lots of inviting (tracting) in the mornings, which is a neat experience seeing thai life in the mornings, so much more alive than the desolate afternoons, and even nights. mom, i think you would love it here, life is pretty shut down by 8-9 at night, everyone sleeping except for the men that all sit outside their houses and drink every night. speaking of crazy thai people, the red shirts are still all in bangkok! ha there were even quite a few members not at church yesterday, they are all having a party in bangkok!
here is a list of a few of our investigators/new converts and their updates and adventures:
apple: she is an amazing new investigator who we met through teaching english class. we went to her house last week, it is 'high-so' (what thai people say for very fancy--high society..) i think i went through a little culture shock. she is an unmarried 40 year old who designs houses. i was in america for a minute. super contemporary. i didnt know those kind of houses existed in thailand! im so used to teaching in little shacks, it felt really funny. she had really good questions like how do you get a testimony? and what else does your church teach besides God and prayer? im excited for the future with her
iang and two daughters: still trying to teach prayer for the 5th time. she still cant grasp it. she just reads the paper that explains prayer every time we ask her to pray, but her daughters are awesome! we finally took a member over and she tried to explain it in essan- the east thai dialect/laoation. still didnt work. not sure what to do, but she absolutely loves us, always wanting to feed us her crazy fish that looks like it just came from the pond.
bui: a previous investigator that we just picked up again, in perfect time too. her husband just left her, she is pregnant, took her 2 year old and wont let her have any contact with her. she just cried on my shoulder for a long time, and then we taught her about prayer again and the love of Heavenly Father. its nice to have a little insight in the whole missing someone so much that you just cant think straight, i knew some of what she was feeling and was able to help her some.
guy (means chicken): awesome new investigator who has a cute 1 yr old boy, whos husband is living in israel for the next year for work. this is pretty common, i think they sign a contract and gets lots of money for it, usually it is harvesting peppers.
ploy: 14 yr old girl who lives way out in the boonies. i love going out there and teaching underneath her wooden thai house raised on stilts, the neighbors walking by staring at us, wondering why we are there. it has probably been years since they have seen a white girl. she has a baptismal date and we are even starting to teach the mom and best friend. soon this will be an eternal family!
A: has a little 5 yr old girl and the one who showed up drunk to her baptismal interview. she is still drinking in the mornings, but atleast we know now and we have set a goal with her to quit by the 3rd of april, though this is going to be really hard considering songkran is in 2 weeks, the biggest thai holiday. its basically a huge waterfight for three straigh days. all the stores are selling waterguns, buckets, and hawaiian style tshirts. we pray lots for her and are trying to help her in every way. she also has to decide whether she wants to legally marry her abusive husband or leave him. goal for that decision is the 19th of april. bap goal: 2nd of may
Ah: our recent convert who has no idea what she has gotten herself into. she moved into a mans house who offered her a room in his house for extremly cheep and is closer to her work because she doesnt have enought money for transportation. we went to visit her on friday night. my eyes were opened to a whole new world. when we walked in i had an instant scared feeling come over me, but i didnt know what it was. then we walk back behind the house to a little room like place on the back porch. it was a room used for bad stuff. a wooden bed that we sat on. so gross. pornography on the walls, nasty sayings in thai, alcohol everywhere, im not going into and more details, but we tried to teach her here. i couldnt speak thai, i could hardly pray when we closed. it has been so long since i havent had the spirit with me, but He definitely couldnt reside with me there. she isnt totally all there, she gets a lot of things, just socially awkward. she has no idea what she is living in or what his intentions are. we have to get her out of there soon. hah, i had 191, the emergency number and the elders number all ready just in case anything happened. the thing that really scared me was that the man was so incredibly nice. out on the street i would have thought him to be a really good guy. its so sad, he has a cute 15 yr old girl. when we returned home the feeling of fear was still with me, all i could do was pray and read the scriptures trying to get the spirit back. i am so so grateful to the life that Heavenly Father has blessed me with the incredible life that i have.
out of time again. i wish i could go on about our others, we are being really blessed right now (ha except they cant seem to make the sacrifice to come to church yet!)
oh ya, my ankle is way swollen right now. we were at the park again this morning so my comp could watch me run around it. i tripped like a fool on the broken up stone ground, embarrassing. i hope its nothing big.
well, i love you and miss you. you are all so so amazing! thank you for your love and words of encouragement every week!
i love the BoM. i have one chapter left that ill finish tonight. it is such an incredibly true book and so amazing to see it change the lives others and myself.
love, sister young
HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY SMELL!!! i hope it is an amazing day today. i cant believe you are so old. youd better tell me all about it, and also about your first date!!!
Im emailing in khonkaen right now, we are down here staying the night in the hotel for zone conf and interviews. ha president said he sometimes wishes he could have sisters as APs:)
We had a busy, crazy, and good week this week. Just normal in a missionaries life! Im really loving it here in Udon, lots of work to be done. life is good right now. I finally feel like our efforts and prayers are really starting to get the area rolling! last week we found quite a few new hopefully awesome investigators and are trying to harvest those that have been prepared for us by the Lord. Lots of inviting (tracting) in the mornings, which is a neat experience seeing thai life in the mornings, so much more alive than the desolate afternoons, and even nights. mom, i think you would love it here, life is pretty shut down by 8-9 at night, everyone sleeping except for the men that all sit outside their houses and drink every night. speaking of crazy thai people, the red shirts are still all in bangkok! ha there were even quite a few members not at church yesterday, they are all having a party in bangkok!
here is a list of a few of our investigators/new converts and their updates and adventures:
apple: she is an amazing new investigator who we met through teaching english class. we went to her house last week, it is 'high-so' (what thai people say for very fancy--high society..) i think i went through a little culture shock. she is an unmarried 40 year old who designs houses. i was in america for a minute. super contemporary. i didnt know those kind of houses existed in thailand! im so used to teaching in little shacks, it felt really funny. she had really good questions like how do you get a testimony? and what else does your church teach besides God and prayer? im excited for the future with her
iang and two daughters: still trying to teach prayer for the 5th time. she still cant grasp it. she just reads the paper that explains prayer every time we ask her to pray, but her daughters are awesome! we finally took a member over and she tried to explain it in essan- the east thai dialect/laoation. still didnt work. not sure what to do, but she absolutely loves us, always wanting to feed us her crazy fish that looks like it just came from the pond.
bui: a previous investigator that we just picked up again, in perfect time too. her husband just left her, she is pregnant, took her 2 year old and wont let her have any contact with her. she just cried on my shoulder for a long time, and then we taught her about prayer again and the love of Heavenly Father. its nice to have a little insight in the whole missing someone so much that you just cant think straight, i knew some of what she was feeling and was able to help her some.
guy (means chicken): awesome new investigator who has a cute 1 yr old boy, whos husband is living in israel for the next year for work. this is pretty common, i think they sign a contract and gets lots of money for it, usually it is harvesting peppers.
ploy: 14 yr old girl who lives way out in the boonies. i love going out there and teaching underneath her wooden thai house raised on stilts, the neighbors walking by staring at us, wondering why we are there. it has probably been years since they have seen a white girl. she has a baptismal date and we are even starting to teach the mom and best friend. soon this will be an eternal family!
A: has a little 5 yr old girl and the one who showed up drunk to her baptismal interview. she is still drinking in the mornings, but atleast we know now and we have set a goal with her to quit by the 3rd of april, though this is going to be really hard considering songkran is in 2 weeks, the biggest thai holiday. its basically a huge waterfight for three straigh days. all the stores are selling waterguns, buckets, and hawaiian style tshirts. we pray lots for her and are trying to help her in every way. she also has to decide whether she wants to legally marry her abusive husband or leave him. goal for that decision is the 19th of april. bap goal: 2nd of may
Ah: our recent convert who has no idea what she has gotten herself into. she moved into a mans house who offered her a room in his house for extremly cheep and is closer to her work because she doesnt have enought money for transportation. we went to visit her on friday night. my eyes were opened to a whole new world. when we walked in i had an instant scared feeling come over me, but i didnt know what it was. then we walk back behind the house to a little room like place on the back porch. it was a room used for bad stuff. a wooden bed that we sat on. so gross. pornography on the walls, nasty sayings in thai, alcohol everywhere, im not going into and more details, but we tried to teach her here. i couldnt speak thai, i could hardly pray when we closed. it has been so long since i havent had the spirit with me, but He definitely couldnt reside with me there. she isnt totally all there, she gets a lot of things, just socially awkward. she has no idea what she is living in or what his intentions are. we have to get her out of there soon. hah, i had 191, the emergency number and the elders number all ready just in case anything happened. the thing that really scared me was that the man was so incredibly nice. out on the street i would have thought him to be a really good guy. its so sad, he has a cute 15 yr old girl. when we returned home the feeling of fear was still with me, all i could do was pray and read the scriptures trying to get the spirit back. i am so so grateful to the life that Heavenly Father has blessed me with the incredible life that i have.
out of time again. i wish i could go on about our others, we are being really blessed right now (ha except they cant seem to make the sacrifice to come to church yet!)
oh ya, my ankle is way swollen right now. we were at the park again this morning so my comp could watch me run around it. i tripped like a fool on the broken up stone ground, embarrassing. i hope its nothing big.
well, i love you and miss you. you are all so so amazing! thank you for your love and words of encouragement every week!
i love the BoM. i have one chapter left that ill finish tonight. it is such an incredibly true book and so amazing to see it change the lives others and myself.
love, sister young
3.22.2010
taryn 3.22.10
Hello family!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPER!!!!!!!!!! the big 8!!!!!!!!!!!! i miss you so much bud, i hope you got my letter. youre amazing, i am so so grateful that you are my brother.
well another eventful, but pretty sad week. a man and his family from khonkeen (area close to udon) got in a car crash on the way down to bangkok to his moms funeral. his wife and one daughter that wasnt with them were the only ones that survived. he has been in the mission presidency many times, branch president, head of the essan (east bangkok) head of ces, and has had so many other very difficult callings. his influence was huge in the church in thailand, and he and his family were one of the two strong families in his area. it was crazy because he was just up in udon on sat and was eating dinner at members house with us and i was just talking to him at church on sunday, and then tues i find out that he died. life is so so fragile. we really have to live life to its fullest. family please please please be so careful and safe!!!!
moves was last week, we didnt get to go down, but we got some awesome new elders (one from my mtc district) i am really excited for this moves because they are elders that are ready to work really hard and get this area moving. i just want so badly for this area just to skyrocket, but thats usually not how the Lord works. it is going to take lots and lots more hard work to get the big boulder to keep slowly moving, hopefully someday we can get enough member referrals and help and get it really rolling.
On saturday we had one of our investigators get interviewed for baptism. we had already told the district leader we didnt think that she was going to pass, but we werent sure what else to do, she wouldnt open and tell us the root of what was going on. well she showed up to the interview drunk! she finally opened up and explained to him everything. i guess it was like in the BoM when people are drunk for an advantage. we went to visit her yesterday after church and had we were able to set a new baptisimal date and make mini goals and steps to overcome her problems. I felt so much love for her and was able to see a tiny bit of how much christ loves us and how it only draws us closer to Him when we repent. I want so badly for her to feel the happiness and peace that i know that she can feel.
the other day we were biking and i saw a classic thai moment. a fruit seller on the side of a busy street was holding his big long knife that is used for cutting his fruit by the blade and using it as a tool to get the stuff out from underneath his toenails. oh thailand. i know that i have a special missionary blessing right now for not getting crazy sicknesses and diseases!
mom and the PMGers, im just starting 4th nephi, im going to make it by the end of the month!
well, times up. i really love you so much. i cant wait to see you again when this journey is over, but i guess i still have much more learning and growing to do.
love, t
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPER!!!!!!!!!! the big 8!!!!!!!!!!!! i miss you so much bud, i hope you got my letter. youre amazing, i am so so grateful that you are my brother.
well another eventful, but pretty sad week. a man and his family from khonkeen (area close to udon) got in a car crash on the way down to bangkok to his moms funeral. his wife and one daughter that wasnt with them were the only ones that survived. he has been in the mission presidency many times, branch president, head of the essan (east bangkok) head of ces, and has had so many other very difficult callings. his influence was huge in the church in thailand, and he and his family were one of the two strong families in his area. it was crazy because he was just up in udon on sat and was eating dinner at members house with us and i was just talking to him at church on sunday, and then tues i find out that he died. life is so so fragile. we really have to live life to its fullest. family please please please be so careful and safe!!!!
moves was last week, we didnt get to go down, but we got some awesome new elders (one from my mtc district) i am really excited for this moves because they are elders that are ready to work really hard and get this area moving. i just want so badly for this area just to skyrocket, but thats usually not how the Lord works. it is going to take lots and lots more hard work to get the big boulder to keep slowly moving, hopefully someday we can get enough member referrals and help and get it really rolling.
On saturday we had one of our investigators get interviewed for baptism. we had already told the district leader we didnt think that she was going to pass, but we werent sure what else to do, she wouldnt open and tell us the root of what was going on. well she showed up to the interview drunk! she finally opened up and explained to him everything. i guess it was like in the BoM when people are drunk for an advantage. we went to visit her yesterday after church and had we were able to set a new baptisimal date and make mini goals and steps to overcome her problems. I felt so much love for her and was able to see a tiny bit of how much christ loves us and how it only draws us closer to Him when we repent. I want so badly for her to feel the happiness and peace that i know that she can feel.
the other day we were biking and i saw a classic thai moment. a fruit seller on the side of a busy street was holding his big long knife that is used for cutting his fruit by the blade and using it as a tool to get the stuff out from underneath his toenails. oh thailand. i know that i have a special missionary blessing right now for not getting crazy sicknesses and diseases!
mom and the PMGers, im just starting 4th nephi, im going to make it by the end of the month!
well, times up. i really love you so much. i cant wait to see you again when this journey is over, but i guess i still have much more learning and growing to do.
love, t
morgan 3.22.10
okay so this week we had two "baptisms by fire" haha. one to recieve the holy ghost and the other just a baptism in steaming hot water!!! wow it was hot!! haha the baptismal font is always FREEZING so this week we were told to turn on the heater at 11 on saturday so that it can warm up by 5. we did... and it worked, a little too well. haha so with this baptismal font you cant but cold water after you already turned on the water heater. so yeah haha it was like a hot tub. she took a few trials to get in and was kinda making a fuss but she was determined to get in there and get baptized. it was kinda cool saying the baptismal prayer in french. i got her under first try and she came up and looked a little shocked and said "wow your strong!!" haah "i know" i said, okay just kidding i didnt say that. but after the baptism she bore her testimony!! so cool! she is really shy but she wrote it down all on a piece of paper the night before and did it! it was awesome. then on sunday she was confirmed she started crying. afterwards she pulled me aside and asks me kinda angerly "why did i cry? why did i feel so warm when he was talking" and i explained, that is the holy ghost.
well no rocks this week.
we had zone conference on wed. it was good. we moved out of our apt on thurs. that kinda sucked but good to get it over with.
oh something that i forgot lastweek, so i went bowling not last fri but the one before and i did work!! haha not really but compared to them. they all call me elder Winner. haha i got 181 and the next highest was like 133.
so this week was the first week of spring, which i guess is like a celebration over here?? haha we had parties all night long outside our apt all day everyday. i dont know how they can drink so much!!
so out dmp (ward mission leader) last week invited some friends to church. he gave one the book of mormon. we went over to his house on tues to teach them and have dinner. she (Melanie) had already read the whole book of 1 Nephi and 4 ch's into 2 Nephi. sweet!! haha so coo! his other friend only got to ch3 of 1Nephi but still good. so cool! she came to the baptism on sat too!!
okay so for conference i am not sure what we do yet. we might stay here at the Nimes chapel of we might have to go to Montpellier to watch it but it isnt too far. i am so excited!!
no mom i havnt got my package quite yet. i will probably get it at zone development next wed. thanks!! dad good luck with the buffalo!! i love you all i gotta run!
peace!
Morgan
well no rocks this week.
we had zone conference on wed. it was good. we moved out of our apt on thurs. that kinda sucked but good to get it over with.
oh something that i forgot lastweek, so i went bowling not last fri but the one before and i did work!! haha not really but compared to them. they all call me elder Winner. haha i got 181 and the next highest was like 133.
so this week was the first week of spring, which i guess is like a celebration over here?? haha we had parties all night long outside our apt all day everyday. i dont know how they can drink so much!!
so out dmp (ward mission leader) last week invited some friends to church. he gave one the book of mormon. we went over to his house on tues to teach them and have dinner. she (Melanie) had already read the whole book of 1 Nephi and 4 ch's into 2 Nephi. sweet!! haha so coo! his other friend only got to ch3 of 1Nephi but still good. so cool! she came to the baptism on sat too!!
okay so for conference i am not sure what we do yet. we might stay here at the Nimes chapel of we might have to go to Montpellier to watch it but it isnt too far. i am so excited!!
no mom i havnt got my package quite yet. i will probably get it at zone development next wed. thanks!! dad good luck with the buffalo!! i love you all i gotta run!
peace!
Morgan
jordan 3.22.10
well hello first off there is a terrorist sitting next to me watching bombings on youtube scary.
this week was goood. jason is dominating. his grandpa is pulling through big time! i cant believe it. he picked him up on sat and brought him to our sports day at the church. i couldnt belive it. then on sunday he came again early for church with jason! this dude hasnt stepped close to a church in 15 years.
this week we had interviews it was a little different. they came to our appartment and interviewd us. we cleaned up real good.
today i think we are going on a boat cruise through the city.
we are also working with another family wwho all showed up to church on sunday! it is a part member family. we are trying to get the boyfriend baptised and the daughters.
chan write me homie i want to hear from you. i dont have much to write about.
oh yeah we had dinner with some jahovas witnesses and it was crazy. they believe in some crazy things. they dont believe in modern day revelation. so i asked how did they know there church was true. they didnt know what to say . because without modern day revelation its not possible. i got to think about it and alot of other things and i am so greatfull for it. im so greatfull for the leaders of the church.well the j. w. did not open up so much but they are nice. it came down to our testimonies and the book of mormon. that book is rad. read it. dont just read it study it. use it. apply it.
aight well g2g. richy keep up the good work son! mom did you get the pic from cams email? the pres took it when he came over and sent it from his i phone. but i couldnt remember your email address. bye bye
this week was goood. jason is dominating. his grandpa is pulling through big time! i cant believe it. he picked him up on sat and brought him to our sports day at the church. i couldnt belive it. then on sunday he came again early for church with jason! this dude hasnt stepped close to a church in 15 years.
this week we had interviews it was a little different. they came to our appartment and interviewd us. we cleaned up real good.
today i think we are going on a boat cruise through the city.
we are also working with another family wwho all showed up to church on sunday! it is a part member family. we are trying to get the boyfriend baptised and the daughters.
chan write me homie i want to hear from you. i dont have much to write about.
oh yeah we had dinner with some jahovas witnesses and it was crazy. they believe in some crazy things. they dont believe in modern day revelation. so i asked how did they know there church was true. they didnt know what to say . because without modern day revelation its not possible. i got to think about it and alot of other things and i am so greatfull for it. im so greatfull for the leaders of the church.well the j. w. did not open up so much but they are nice. it came down to our testimonies and the book of mormon. that book is rad. read it. dont just read it study it. use it. apply it.
aight well g2g. richy keep up the good work son! mom did you get the pic from cams email? the pres took it when he came over and sent it from his i phone. but i couldnt remember your email address. bye bye
3.18.2010
jordan 3.15.10
well hello.
this week was a good week. we set out to find a family to teach and we found 3 of them. we did a lot of finding. jason the 13 year old wanted to come to church but he didnt have a ride. we found out his grandpa is an inactive and we brainstormed. we went to his house and he was smoking and drinking. but we asked him what he thought of his gr. son getting baptized. he said he thinks it would be good! so we asked him if he would take him to church and he said yeah ill try. he hasnt been to church in years. but sunday morning he showed up with jason and jasons little sister. it was great. we need to get him to come every week.
this city is still as cool as ever. there are two sisters in the ward joyce and kim they are amazing. kim was just baptized. a couple of weeks ago. they hang out with us on p days along with the sisters and the other elders.
mom i email at different times now i dont know if it will be at the same time everytime probably around 1 or 2. how was california? im so jealouse.
oh yeah there are some brazilian less actives we have been working with they are so funny. the husbands name is egnar. he is hilarious. he decided to break out his brazilian wax ha ha he brazilian waxed a ring around mine and my comps leg. it was soo funny ive got it on film. oh man!
mom i need another memory card for my camera. im thinking about doing a little skateboard finding this week there is a rad skate park in the city. i think im gaining a little weight again.
CAM HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON! i hope you all can come see this city some day. this week we ate a lot of african food some fried bananas some fu fu ect... we ate fu fu with our hands like a true african ha ha
i havnt seen any tulips yet. the jeans i sent back didnt fit. did you get my i pod? channy i hope it treats you right son. Chandler! you got your drivers licence!!!! wazup son!!! congrats now you can legaly drive.
lately i have been finding a new love for the scriptures. my comp nows them in and out. its fun to talk about them with him. well today we are going to go around the city and maybe go to some stores. and maybe take some pics. its raining alittle.
love you all. write me! jord
this week was a good week. we set out to find a family to teach and we found 3 of them. we did a lot of finding. jason the 13 year old wanted to come to church but he didnt have a ride. we found out his grandpa is an inactive and we brainstormed. we went to his house and he was smoking and drinking. but we asked him what he thought of his gr. son getting baptized. he said he thinks it would be good! so we asked him if he would take him to church and he said yeah ill try. he hasnt been to church in years. but sunday morning he showed up with jason and jasons little sister. it was great. we need to get him to come every week.
this city is still as cool as ever. there are two sisters in the ward joyce and kim they are amazing. kim was just baptized. a couple of weeks ago. they hang out with us on p days along with the sisters and the other elders.
mom i email at different times now i dont know if it will be at the same time everytime probably around 1 or 2. how was california? im so jealouse.
oh yeah there are some brazilian less actives we have been working with they are so funny. the husbands name is egnar. he is hilarious. he decided to break out his brazilian wax ha ha he brazilian waxed a ring around mine and my comps leg. it was soo funny ive got it on film. oh man!
mom i need another memory card for my camera. im thinking about doing a little skateboard finding this week there is a rad skate park in the city. i think im gaining a little weight again.
CAM HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON! i hope you all can come see this city some day. this week we ate a lot of african food some fried bananas some fu fu ect... we ate fu fu with our hands like a true african ha ha
i havnt seen any tulips yet. the jeans i sent back didnt fit. did you get my i pod? channy i hope it treats you right son. Chandler! you got your drivers licence!!!! wazup son!!! congrats now you can legaly drive.
lately i have been finding a new love for the scriptures. my comp nows them in and out. its fun to talk about them with him. well today we are going to go around the city and maybe go to some stores. and maybe take some pics. its raining alittle.
love you all. write me! jord
taryn 3.15.10
Happy St. Patricks day!
i cant believe i forgot thank you for the toothpaste last week that was in my package! it is incredible! thank you so much.
well thailand is officially in a national security crisis right now! where im at were ok, but bangkok is filled with millions of redshirts. there are two big political groups here the yellow and the red shirts and the reds have gathered and are protesting something, tons from udon have gone down, we are a very redshirt area. we had to buy a 4 day supply of food just in case we have to stay inside. bangkok has closed all entrances for the next few days! we havent seen much except for last week as we were biking past the park that usually has a man on a stage doing some kind of funny aerobics with hundreds following. this week the man in spandex was replaced by a man whos voice that sounded like hitler's but in thai, it was pretty freaky! tons of people gathered, stands set up selling all different kinds of red shirts. kinda freaky but also neat to witness! i wish i could watch the news and see whats actually going on down the the teeb (bangkok)
for a few days last week it was in the 60-70s from a typhoon that was close by. hah it was like winter here, everyone was wearing winter coats, beanies, and were freezing! hah i was actually a little chilly as well, i think im going to freeze coming back in nov! it was a really nice break, it felt like fall time. its back to incredible blistering humid heat now, and will most likely stay this way until julyish.
my companion and i went to the park again this morning and i ran around the playground for a long time, it felt so so good, i havent gotten to excercise like that for such a long time, i miss it! then we "lifted" with the hilarious workout machines like things you stand on and swing your legs back and forth while holding handles that surround the playground that look like adult versions of the playground. it was hard not to laugh watching them, i love thais!
i dont know why, but i have a few stalkers right now. one not so serious, just a member from the ward who calls to talk to me often who were going to have to block his number, but the other one i little more scary. were teaching a lady named iang who is awesome, but she has a 'brother' who is very creepy looking. last mon we brought the elders to teach with us because we knew he would be there. on wed iang called me and ended up telling me that he really isnt her brother, a man that has been trying to force her to date him, but she has a husband in bangkok. she called saying that now he has fallen in love with me instead, and sorry to be blunt, but tells her that he wants to have my children. she, the elders, and i keep telling him i cant and im not interested,but iang says that he gets what he wants and is very forceful. we are being really careful, we only teach her at the church, and the the elders are forcing me to let them escort us home whenever leaving the church, and we also have to take different ways to and from home. honestly dont worry about it, nothing has happened and nothing will, its just a pain!!!!
the area is starting to roll a little more! the elders have even picked up and are working hard, theyve got some good investigators finally! we are doing much better, its on its way upwards. lots of time in the heat talking to people, trying to help them see how essential our message is. we have a lot of people that are on their way, just need some more work.
my companion isnt moving. which also means that we dont go to the moves meeting this week in bangkok(it they are even able to have the meeting with all the redshirt stuff going on), another 6 weeks out in the boonies with no contact with sisters. were losing a lot of sisters, and still dont have any coming in for awhile. sad. lots of areas closing.
It feels like its been awhile since ive written you. i dont know why im so discouraged the past little while. november seems so far and the pictures of the family are looking more and more appealing. i know i have no room to complain, jord and morg and many others have longer. im trying so hard to be happy, positive, and love this but oh man im struggling right now, i cant figure it out. were working hard and being obedient. i am ready for the day that i wont wake up homesick and have my full desire to be a missionary, i thought that day would come a long time ago. please tell me itll come soon??! i want to absolutely love it here and love being a missionary. I think Heavenly Father must be teaching me patience and endurace. All i know is that this church really is true and that Heavenly Father truly knows the best for us, though sometimes like right now it is hard to see that. im sorry that this letter isnt the most happy and uplifting, im hoping for a change soon. i love you so so much and miss you like crazy.
love, ซิสเตร ยัง
i cant believe i forgot thank you for the toothpaste last week that was in my package! it is incredible! thank you so much.
well thailand is officially in a national security crisis right now! where im at were ok, but bangkok is filled with millions of redshirts. there are two big political groups here the yellow and the red shirts and the reds have gathered and are protesting something, tons from udon have gone down, we are a very redshirt area. we had to buy a 4 day supply of food just in case we have to stay inside. bangkok has closed all entrances for the next few days! we havent seen much except for last week as we were biking past the park that usually has a man on a stage doing some kind of funny aerobics with hundreds following. this week the man in spandex was replaced by a man whos voice that sounded like hitler's but in thai, it was pretty freaky! tons of people gathered, stands set up selling all different kinds of red shirts. kinda freaky but also neat to witness! i wish i could watch the news and see whats actually going on down the the teeb (bangkok)
for a few days last week it was in the 60-70s from a typhoon that was close by. hah it was like winter here, everyone was wearing winter coats, beanies, and were freezing! hah i was actually a little chilly as well, i think im going to freeze coming back in nov! it was a really nice break, it felt like fall time. its back to incredible blistering humid heat now, and will most likely stay this way until julyish.
my companion and i went to the park again this morning and i ran around the playground for a long time, it felt so so good, i havent gotten to excercise like that for such a long time, i miss it! then we "lifted" with the hilarious workout machines like things you stand on and swing your legs back and forth while holding handles that surround the playground that look like adult versions of the playground. it was hard not to laugh watching them, i love thais!
i dont know why, but i have a few stalkers right now. one not so serious, just a member from the ward who calls to talk to me often who were going to have to block his number, but the other one i little more scary. were teaching a lady named iang who is awesome, but she has a 'brother' who is very creepy looking. last mon we brought the elders to teach with us because we knew he would be there. on wed iang called me and ended up telling me that he really isnt her brother, a man that has been trying to force her to date him, but she has a husband in bangkok. she called saying that now he has fallen in love with me instead, and sorry to be blunt, but tells her that he wants to have my children. she, the elders, and i keep telling him i cant and im not interested,but iang says that he gets what he wants and is very forceful. we are being really careful, we only teach her at the church, and the the elders are forcing me to let them escort us home whenever leaving the church, and we also have to take different ways to and from home. honestly dont worry about it, nothing has happened and nothing will, its just a pain!!!!
the area is starting to roll a little more! the elders have even picked up and are working hard, theyve got some good investigators finally! we are doing much better, its on its way upwards. lots of time in the heat talking to people, trying to help them see how essential our message is. we have a lot of people that are on their way, just need some more work.
my companion isnt moving. which also means that we dont go to the moves meeting this week in bangkok(it they are even able to have the meeting with all the redshirt stuff going on), another 6 weeks out in the boonies with no contact with sisters. were losing a lot of sisters, and still dont have any coming in for awhile. sad. lots of areas closing.
It feels like its been awhile since ive written you. i dont know why im so discouraged the past little while. november seems so far and the pictures of the family are looking more and more appealing. i know i have no room to complain, jord and morg and many others have longer. im trying so hard to be happy, positive, and love this but oh man im struggling right now, i cant figure it out. were working hard and being obedient. i am ready for the day that i wont wake up homesick and have my full desire to be a missionary, i thought that day would come a long time ago. please tell me itll come soon??! i want to absolutely love it here and love being a missionary. I think Heavenly Father must be teaching me patience and endurace. All i know is that this church really is true and that Heavenly Father truly knows the best for us, though sometimes like right now it is hard to see that. im sorry that this letter isnt the most happy and uplifting, im hoping for a change soon. i love you so so much and miss you like crazy.
love, ซิสเตร ยัง
morgan 3.15.10
okay, wow this week was pretty crazy a lot of highs and a lot of lows. i will get the lows over with really quick... okay so we were walking around in muslum ville and a group of dudes come up to us and say "who are you" and my comp is a little girl so he walks away and doesnt say anything and so i say we are missionaries from l'église de Jésus-Christ Des Saintes Des Dernier Jour" and then they were like okay cool and started walking away so i also started walking away. and once i got like 50 ft. away they started hucking rocks at us and flipping us off and saying no so good of words about Jesus. These dudes were like 25 and they were hucking rocks at us!!! haha good thing the french suck at Baseball!!!
well yeah that is basically the worst of the bad things, we got spit on a couple times rocks thrown at us a couple times. but I really can feel the lords protection with us!
so i cut my hair this week again and i needed my comp to come get the back because i had a little mullet going on, yes this is the same companion that took a chunk of hair out of the side of his head. but anyways i handed him the buzzers and he pretty much dug them into the back of my head!! haha i might need stitches!! okay kidding, its not that serious but i do have a scab on the back of my head. but no my comp isnt as bad as i make it sound. nothing i cant handle i love him anyway.
okay the good news, YAY!!! okay, so we set Mme Laurents baptismal date for april 10. she came too church and she is good to go!! just gotta keep it up with her!
okay next person, bridget she is so excited to get baptized!! she is worried about her arm but while she is getting baptized but all i have to do is flex and it reassures her. haha. okay so tonight is her interview so lastnight we jammed the questions into her head so she will know the terms. haha she forgets so easy!! she has got a crazy past too!! haha i love her!! she hates french men and is ready to get to the states with her daughter lilly and her grandson alexis. she has a hard time knowing the difference of french and english so she starts talking to the members in the ward in french and just randomly swaps to english and they are so lost!! haha
okay so my talk went well yesterday it was a good sacrament! we had like 8 non members there! it was good! it was so funny so in sacrament they announced that we are going to have a church activity and it is going to be a "fiesta" and right as they announced that Bridget yells out " YEAH!!" haha so loud!! and then she realized what she did and was so embarrassed! haha i love her! well i will let you know next week how the baptism went.
mom thanks for all you do! and dad thanks for the e mail! just keep me updated on the sox and BYU. I love you all so so much!! i will write another letter sometime this week. maybe tomorrow so i can talk about the interview with bridget and the mission president. we put together a sweet lesson on the atonement for that family!
i love you all!
Morgan
well yeah that is basically the worst of the bad things, we got spit on a couple times rocks thrown at us a couple times. but I really can feel the lords protection with us!
so i cut my hair this week again and i needed my comp to come get the back because i had a little mullet going on, yes this is the same companion that took a chunk of hair out of the side of his head. but anyways i handed him the buzzers and he pretty much dug them into the back of my head!! haha i might need stitches!! okay kidding, its not that serious but i do have a scab on the back of my head. but no my comp isnt as bad as i make it sound. nothing i cant handle i love him anyway.
okay the good news, YAY!!! okay, so we set Mme Laurents baptismal date for april 10. she came too church and she is good to go!! just gotta keep it up with her!
okay next person, bridget she is so excited to get baptized!! she is worried about her arm but while she is getting baptized but all i have to do is flex and it reassures her. haha. okay so tonight is her interview so lastnight we jammed the questions into her head so she will know the terms. haha she forgets so easy!! she has got a crazy past too!! haha i love her!! she hates french men and is ready to get to the states with her daughter lilly and her grandson alexis. she has a hard time knowing the difference of french and english so she starts talking to the members in the ward in french and just randomly swaps to english and they are so lost!! haha
okay so my talk went well yesterday it was a good sacrament! we had like 8 non members there! it was good! it was so funny so in sacrament they announced that we are going to have a church activity and it is going to be a "fiesta" and right as they announced that Bridget yells out " YEAH!!" haha so loud!! and then she realized what she did and was so embarrassed! haha i love her! well i will let you know next week how the baptism went.
mom thanks for all you do! and dad thanks for the e mail! just keep me updated on the sox and BYU. I love you all so so much!! i will write another letter sometime this week. maybe tomorrow so i can talk about the interview with bridget and the mission president. we put together a sweet lesson on the atonement for that family!
i love you all!
Morgan
okay, wow this week was pretty crazy a lot of highs and a lot of lows. i will get the lows over with really quick... okay so we were walking around in muslum ville and a group of dudes come up to us and say "who are you" and my comp is a little girl so he walks away and doesnt say anything and so i say we are missionaries from l'église de Jésus-Christ Des Saintes Des Dernier Jour" and then they were like okay cool and started walking away so i also started walking away. and once i got like 50 ft. away they started hucking rocks at us and flipping us off and saying no so good of words about Jesus. These dudes were like 25 and they were hucking rocks at us!!! haha good thing the french suck at Baseball!!!
well yeah that is basically the worst of the bad things, we got spit on a couple times rocks thrown at us a couple times. but I really can feel the lords protection with us!
so i cut my hair this week again and i needed my comp to come get the back because i had a little mullet going on, yes this is the same companion that took a chunk of hair out of the side of his head. but anyways i handed him the buzzers and he pretty much dug them into the back of my head!! haha i might need stitches!! okay kidding, its not that serious but i do have a scab on the back of my head. but no my comp isnt as bad as i make it sound. nothing i cant handle i love him anyway.
okay the good news, YAY!!! okay, so we set Mme Laurents baptismal date for april 10. she came too church and she is good to go!! just gotta keep it up with her!
okay next person, bridget she is so excited to get baptized!! she is worried about her arm but while she is getting baptized but all i have to do is flex and it reassures her. haha. okay so tonight is her interview so lastnight we jammed the questions into her head so she will know the terms. haha she forgets so easy!! she has got a crazy past too!! haha i love her!! she hates french men and is ready to get to the states with her daughter lilly and her grandson alexis. she has a hard time knowing the difference of french and english so she starts talking to the members in the ward in french and just randomly swaps to english and they are so lost!! haha
okay so my talk went well yesterday it was a good sacrament! we had like 8 non members there! it was good! it was so funny so in sacrament they announced that we are going to have a church activity and it is going to be a "fiesta" and right as they announced that Bridget yells out " YEAH!!" haha so loud!! and then she realized what she did and was so embarrassed! haha i love her! well i will let you know next week how the baptism went.
mom thanks for all you do! and dad thanks for the e mail! just keep me updated on the sox and BYU. I love you all so so much!! i will write another letter sometime this week. maybe tomorrow so i can talk about the interview with bridget and the mission president. we put together a sweet lesson on the atonement for that family!
i love you all!
Morgan
well yeah that is basically the worst of the bad things, we got spit on a couple times rocks thrown at us a couple times. but I really can feel the lords protection with us!
so i cut my hair this week again and i needed my comp to come get the back because i had a little mullet going on, yes this is the same companion that took a chunk of hair out of the side of his head. but anyways i handed him the buzzers and he pretty much dug them into the back of my head!! haha i might need stitches!! okay kidding, its not that serious but i do have a scab on the back of my head. but no my comp isnt as bad as i make it sound. nothing i cant handle i love him anyway.
okay the good news, YAY!!! okay, so we set Mme Laurents baptismal date for april 10. she came too church and she is good to go!! just gotta keep it up with her!
okay next person, bridget she is so excited to get baptized!! she is worried about her arm but while she is getting baptized but all i have to do is flex and it reassures her. haha. okay so tonight is her interview so lastnight we jammed the questions into her head so she will know the terms. haha she forgets so easy!! she has got a crazy past too!! haha i love her!! she hates french men and is ready to get to the states with her daughter lilly and her grandson alexis. she has a hard time knowing the difference of french and english so she starts talking to the members in the ward in french and just randomly swaps to english and they are so lost!! haha
okay so my talk went well yesterday it was a good sacrament! we had like 8 non members there! it was good! it was so funny so in sacrament they announced that we are going to have a church activity and it is going to be a "fiesta" and right as they announced that Bridget yells out " YEAH!!" haha so loud!! and then she realized what she did and was so embarrassed! haha i love her! well i will let you know next week how the baptism went.
mom thanks for all you do! and dad thanks for the e mail! just keep me updated on the sox and BYU. I love you all so so much!! i will write another letter sometime this week. maybe tomorrow so i can talk about the interview with bridget and the mission president. we put together a sweet lesson on the atonement for that family!
i love you all!
Morgan
3.09.2010
taryn 3.8.10
Hello!
I got my packages! grandma, thank you so much for the valetines day cookie! it was the best unexpected surprise! you are so thoughtful, thank you:) it was delicious (well i still have a little left, its not often we get american treats around here..) mom and everyone who helped, the package was amazing, the caledar brought me to tears. i love it!! again, the valentines treats are being savoured (especially since they dont have anything cinnomon around here) the camel made me laugh! it is now sitting on my desk, and the cards are the best. thank you!!!! andie lou, come on girl, i want to hear from ya! as i was running this morning i was thinking about how your almost done with this semester and ill be home the next one! its going to be fun to go running with you (though your going to KILL me for awhile..)
its wierd, lately ive been feeling like im coming home soon. maybe its because i know that school is getting close to being done and usually after that its a new adventure for me. sometimes i think about how i have a little over 7 months left and feel like ill be home soon, other times im amazed im only 1/2 way done with my stay in thailand. i dont know how elders do it!!! i am grateful for the time i still have left , to better myself and to have more time of serving these people. im sure the time will really speed up these next months.
The new time change, going out of the house at 730 is hard. my mind needs some time to gear up in the mornings still, but instead we go right out and invite (kind of like knocking doors, but we arent allowed to do that so we just ride our bikes around or walk up and down streets until we find someone, or we go to the bust morining delaads-markets.) haha speaking of delaads... one morning last week we were in one, man those things have the craziest things from frozen pig faces to flopping eels and fish that they knock out once you buy them. i was talking to some ladies when they asked me if i could eat what they were selling. i told them i didnt think so, and changed the subject, but they were like most thais are, always tyring to serve and feed you. the only problem she was selling larva in one bowl, and then huge cockroaches in another. luckily she didnt choose the white larva with the huge bugs still on top, she picked up one of the big cockroaches and handed it to me. i could barely hold it in my fingers, so nasty!! mom i was thinking of you the whole time. oh it gives me the heebiejeebies just thinking about it! it was way crunchy, the legs getting stuck all over my mouth, and the taste of fertilizer/persticide was long lasting even after the apple that i quickly bought after leaving sight. i hope im not judged for the lie that was told to the ladies that it was delicious. they were just sitting and eating them like chips!
Last thursday was a hard day. i was discouraged with all the time i still have left, and aching a little for the family. we had an appointment way out in the evening. we took a saamlaw (1/2 motorcyle pulling a wagon thing with 2x4 seats covered in fabric) way out about 45 minutes. it was the most beautiful thing, the usual bright red asian sunset sun with fields of rice, bananas, bamboo, and rubber trees, an ocassional house on stilts. watching the farmers burning some trash, carrying things in two baskets at the ends of a long stick they have over their shoulder, or driving their really funny looking old thai tractors down the dirt road. i felt like i was in national geographic. my favorite a beautiful traditional thai house surrounded on all sides with tall skinny rubber trees stretching for miles. so cool. it made me realize that someday i wont get to do this. someday it will be over, no matter how far it seems, and i will miss this place a lot. when we pulled up to the house they were just gettingready to eat around a really short wooden table. they werent expecting us, i think the old grandma forgot to tell them we were coming.. i dont think that they have seen a white person in a really really long time. they were so kind like all thais are and made room for us and piled huge portions of rice on our plates. then because it was getting dark, they pulled out long 6 skinny yellow candles, dripped some wax on the surrouning edge of the table, and stuck the candle in it. we taught the message of the restoration to 5 adults while eating something crazy we mixed with our rice (im glad i couldnt see it) with the only other thing heard was crickets and geccos chirping. it was on of my favorite times so far on my mission. we are going back this thurs, bringing a bunch of BOMs and hopefully can get this multi-generation family progressing in the gospel!!!
This past week i think that we took the mission with our goals. we had 9 new investigators!!!!!
quicky, dad one of the elders went to the hospital with something wrong with his stomach. i wish you could have seen the place! the ER is lined up old hospital beds with hardly any room for anyone else inbetween them. i felt i was going to get sick just being in there! i hope and pray i dont have to take a visit there, i just might come back with something worse! oh i love thailand.
a few items of buisness: mom could you send me one more pack of journals that we bought at barnes and noble? they were the colorful skinny ones, brand moleskin that come in a two pack, not a huge rush, but withinn the next couple of months, that should last me the rest of the time. also, my debit card should be coming soon, could you send that to me? haha mom i loved the sd card, thank you, it made me laugh:) also, ive been thinking about the going to hong kong, i think i might just want to do thailand, i think ill be antsy to see the fam, though i wont mind either way! its up to you.
times up. i miss you and love you so much! you are the best family ever. im serious. thank you for everything that you all do for me.
love t
I got my packages! grandma, thank you so much for the valetines day cookie! it was the best unexpected surprise! you are so thoughtful, thank you:) it was delicious (well i still have a little left, its not often we get american treats around here..) mom and everyone who helped, the package was amazing, the caledar brought me to tears. i love it!! again, the valentines treats are being savoured (especially since they dont have anything cinnomon around here) the camel made me laugh! it is now sitting on my desk, and the cards are the best. thank you!!!! andie lou, come on girl, i want to hear from ya! as i was running this morning i was thinking about how your almost done with this semester and ill be home the next one! its going to be fun to go running with you (though your going to KILL me for awhile..)
its wierd, lately ive been feeling like im coming home soon. maybe its because i know that school is getting close to being done and usually after that its a new adventure for me. sometimes i think about how i have a little over 7 months left and feel like ill be home soon, other times im amazed im only 1/2 way done with my stay in thailand. i dont know how elders do it!!! i am grateful for the time i still have left , to better myself and to have more time of serving these people. im sure the time will really speed up these next months.
The new time change, going out of the house at 730 is hard. my mind needs some time to gear up in the mornings still, but instead we go right out and invite (kind of like knocking doors, but we arent allowed to do that so we just ride our bikes around or walk up and down streets until we find someone, or we go to the bust morining delaads-markets.) haha speaking of delaads... one morning last week we were in one, man those things have the craziest things from frozen pig faces to flopping eels and fish that they knock out once you buy them. i was talking to some ladies when they asked me if i could eat what they were selling. i told them i didnt think so, and changed the subject, but they were like most thais are, always tyring to serve and feed you. the only problem she was selling larva in one bowl, and then huge cockroaches in another. luckily she didnt choose the white larva with the huge bugs still on top, she picked up one of the big cockroaches and handed it to me. i could barely hold it in my fingers, so nasty!! mom i was thinking of you the whole time. oh it gives me the heebiejeebies just thinking about it! it was way crunchy, the legs getting stuck all over my mouth, and the taste of fertilizer/persticide was long lasting even after the apple that i quickly bought after leaving sight. i hope im not judged for the lie that was told to the ladies that it was delicious. they were just sitting and eating them like chips!
Last thursday was a hard day. i was discouraged with all the time i still have left, and aching a little for the family. we had an appointment way out in the evening. we took a saamlaw (1/2 motorcyle pulling a wagon thing with 2x4 seats covered in fabric) way out about 45 minutes. it was the most beautiful thing, the usual bright red asian sunset sun with fields of rice, bananas, bamboo, and rubber trees, an ocassional house on stilts. watching the farmers burning some trash, carrying things in two baskets at the ends of a long stick they have over their shoulder, or driving their really funny looking old thai tractors down the dirt road. i felt like i was in national geographic. my favorite a beautiful traditional thai house surrounded on all sides with tall skinny rubber trees stretching for miles. so cool. it made me realize that someday i wont get to do this. someday it will be over, no matter how far it seems, and i will miss this place a lot. when we pulled up to the house they were just gettingready to eat around a really short wooden table. they werent expecting us, i think the old grandma forgot to tell them we were coming.. i dont think that they have seen a white person in a really really long time. they were so kind like all thais are and made room for us and piled huge portions of rice on our plates. then because it was getting dark, they pulled out long 6 skinny yellow candles, dripped some wax on the surrouning edge of the table, and stuck the candle in it. we taught the message of the restoration to 5 adults while eating something crazy we mixed with our rice (im glad i couldnt see it) with the only other thing heard was crickets and geccos chirping. it was on of my favorite times so far on my mission. we are going back this thurs, bringing a bunch of BOMs and hopefully can get this multi-generation family progressing in the gospel!!!
This past week i think that we took the mission with our goals. we had 9 new investigators!!!!!
quicky, dad one of the elders went to the hospital with something wrong with his stomach. i wish you could have seen the place! the ER is lined up old hospital beds with hardly any room for anyone else inbetween them. i felt i was going to get sick just being in there! i hope and pray i dont have to take a visit there, i just might come back with something worse! oh i love thailand.
a few items of buisness: mom could you send me one more pack of journals that we bought at barnes and noble? they were the colorful skinny ones, brand moleskin that come in a two pack, not a huge rush, but withinn the next couple of months, that should last me the rest of the time. also, my debit card should be coming soon, could you send that to me? haha mom i loved the sd card, thank you, it made me laugh:) also, ive been thinking about the going to hong kong, i think i might just want to do thailand, i think ill be antsy to see the fam, though i wont mind either way! its up to you.
times up. i miss you and love you so much! you are the best family ever. im serious. thank you for everything that you all do for me.
love t
jordan 3.8.10
Hi!! wow! Man i dont even know where to start. This is the coolest city ive ever been to in my life. amsterdam is amazing. My comp is such a stud. he says he loves you. I have never seen so much culture in my life. people of all different, races, countries, colors, sexes, ect... the first day i was here i was in shock. we were in the tram and i was totally amazed at the city and all the people. the city is so beautiful. coming from assen it was a total 180. no poeple on the street nobody to teach. here you can barely walk down the street there are so many people.
my fist day i bought an abonement for 100 euros. it gets me on the train, bus, tram for free. its nice. we are on the tams and busses all day we dont use our bikes. right now im in the most amazing library on the water. its huge the internet is free. super neat inside. i have seen some amazing art.
now for the people we have some good investigators. we set a baptismal date with a kid named jason he is a 13 year old boy who was reffered by his grandmother. his parents are not interested at this point. he is a smart dude. we also have an investigator who is a "rock star" he is 52 and loves rock. hi is black. a little crazy. he showed us some of his talent on the piano and on the electric guitar. oh it was funny. i got it on film you will have to check it out. we also found a lady named Maria who met the missionaries a few years ago but lost all contact. we are doing service for her. and we got her to come to a dinner at the church. as a companionship we desided we are determined to find a family this transfer and baptize them.
elder howell is a good kid we just laugh all day together. mom remember that mini ping pong set you sent me. its getting put to good use. elder howell is pretty good.
ok church on sunday. man was that interesting. once again it is the most divers ward in the whole world. there is many different cultures many different languages. in priestood they had someone translate into english. and for the second class the have a separate one just in english. then in sacrament it was fast and testimony meeting i had to get up and introduce myself. every sunday they translate into english with headphones . but for the other languages they had the 1st councelot who speakes 5 different languages translate into dutch. so he would just stand next to the pulpit and translate whatever language. the ward is a little crazy. the other companionship that i live with is pretty cool to. we all get along pretty well . hopefully it can stay that way. Cameron get your butt out here. you would love this place. im having a great time missionary work is fun here. i love this city. there was so many funny things that happened to us this past week. there are sooooo many inactives here.
ok well i g2g homie. till next week thanks for everything! did you get the package i sent? quote of the week from one of the members : "if your looking for hell you pretty mutch found it"
my fist day i bought an abonement for 100 euros. it gets me on the train, bus, tram for free. its nice. we are on the tams and busses all day we dont use our bikes. right now im in the most amazing library on the water. its huge the internet is free. super neat inside. i have seen some amazing art.
now for the people we have some good investigators. we set a baptismal date with a kid named jason he is a 13 year old boy who was reffered by his grandmother. his parents are not interested at this point. he is a smart dude. we also have an investigator who is a "rock star" he is 52 and loves rock. hi is black. a little crazy. he showed us some of his talent on the piano and on the electric guitar. oh it was funny. i got it on film you will have to check it out. we also found a lady named Maria who met the missionaries a few years ago but lost all contact. we are doing service for her. and we got her to come to a dinner at the church. as a companionship we desided we are determined to find a family this transfer and baptize them.
elder howell is a good kid we just laugh all day together. mom remember that mini ping pong set you sent me. its getting put to good use. elder howell is pretty good.
ok church on sunday. man was that interesting. once again it is the most divers ward in the whole world. there is many different cultures many different languages. in priestood they had someone translate into english. and for the second class the have a separate one just in english. then in sacrament it was fast and testimony meeting i had to get up and introduce myself. every sunday they translate into english with headphones . but for the other languages they had the 1st councelot who speakes 5 different languages translate into dutch. so he would just stand next to the pulpit and translate whatever language. the ward is a little crazy. the other companionship that i live with is pretty cool to. we all get along pretty well . hopefully it can stay that way. Cameron get your butt out here. you would love this place. im having a great time missionary work is fun here. i love this city. there was so many funny things that happened to us this past week. there are sooooo many inactives here.
ok well i g2g homie. till next week thanks for everything! did you get the package i sent? quote of the week from one of the members : "if your looking for hell you pretty mutch found it"
morgan 3.8.10
okay so yesterday it snowed like 6 inches here!! crazy!!! haha that never happens here!! it is like the hottest ville in france!! crazy!!
okay well this week we were planning the baptism for bridget and she wants me to baptize her... kinda cool. she is so crazy!!! haah she is an old french woman who is obsessed with the US!!! so funny! she loves Elvis and loves the american flag!!! haha so i made her a calandar with all the days leading up to her baptism and scriptures to lead on those days, we made the calandar an american flag... haha. well the crazy bishop is at it again!! but this time not with the missionaries, so he set his son apart as the high priest group leader without informing the stake presidency and with none of the high priest authority present, that is a no no. haha i think he is getting in trouble for that.
okay well this past week we move apt's and now we live in the center of centre ville and we have a patisserie right under us!!! so cool! haha we live right next to les arenes.
well mom i dont need a boston shirt, i got a couple and i cant wear norman clothes ever anyway. and if you send those pants dont say that it is more than 40 dollars because they will charge me a ton for insurance. okay so this week we are trying to set a baptism date for Mme Laurent for the april 10. skyes birthday!!! haha well i can no wait till conference!! it is going to be such a break!!! haha a spiritual boost!
well brig and sage, dominate at baseball!! keep practicing togethet!! okay so i have a funny story, so we went to go vistit this inactive family that is so weird!! she looks like the fat people on wal E haah seriously!! she is just a big blob haha but she asked our dmp emmanuel "can we hang a cross on the wall? and emmanuel said " if Jesus was shot would you hang a gun on the wall?" haha it was so funny!! she shut right up!! haha it was so funny! okay so in our new apt our proprietaire is scottish!! i love her!! she leaves us little sacs of cookies and stuff on the door! she is so nice i love her! she isnt a member... yet. haah she is so nice! well hopefully in my next
e-mail i will have another baptism date but we will see. thanks every body for the emails. sorry this one is so short. Mom and dad i will hand write you!
okay well this week we were planning the baptism for bridget and she wants me to baptize her... kinda cool. she is so crazy!!! haah she is an old french woman who is obsessed with the US!!! so funny! she loves Elvis and loves the american flag!!! haha so i made her a calandar with all the days leading up to her baptism and scriptures to lead on those days, we made the calandar an american flag... haha. well the crazy bishop is at it again!! but this time not with the missionaries, so he set his son apart as the high priest group leader without informing the stake presidency and with none of the high priest authority present, that is a no no. haha i think he is getting in trouble for that.
okay well this past week we move apt's and now we live in the center of centre ville and we have a patisserie right under us!!! so cool! haha we live right next to les arenes.
well mom i dont need a boston shirt, i got a couple and i cant wear norman clothes ever anyway. and if you send those pants dont say that it is more than 40 dollars because they will charge me a ton for insurance. okay so this week we are trying to set a baptism date for Mme Laurent for the april 10. skyes birthday!!! haha well i can no wait till conference!! it is going to be such a break!!! haha a spiritual boost!
well brig and sage, dominate at baseball!! keep practicing togethet!! okay so i have a funny story, so we went to go vistit this inactive family that is so weird!! she looks like the fat people on wal E haah seriously!! she is just a big blob haha but she asked our dmp emmanuel "can we hang a cross on the wall? and emmanuel said " if Jesus was shot would you hang a gun on the wall?" haha it was so funny!! she shut right up!! haha it was so funny! okay so in our new apt our proprietaire is scottish!! i love her!! she leaves us little sacs of cookies and stuff on the door! she is so nice i love her! she isnt a member... yet. haah she is so nice! well hopefully in my next
e-mail i will have another baptism date but we will see. thanks every body for the emails. sorry this one is so short. Mom and dad i will hand write you!
3.01.2010
jordan 3.1.10
Hello!
so we had a busy week. we had 2 exchanges this week. i went to groningen and then an elder came to assen with me. so we also had zone conference in amsterdam. that was fun. there is an elder in amsterdam i am good friends with an we were joking around about me getting tranfered to amsterdam and guess what. IM GOING TO AMSTERDAM. the ward is big there. there will be two other elders in my appartment. and there are also sisters in amstedam. so there will be 6 missionaries in church on sundays. thats a big difference going from 20 people in church in assen.
my new comp im getting is elder howell. it should be a good time. ive still have to pack everything. its not going to be fun.
yesterday we went to the Lubberinks for dinner and games. they are the ones that live on the border of germany. with the daughter. it was super fun. it will be hard to leave assen but im ready. i thought for sure i was staying.
mom i was thinking of maybe you sending my camera cards back so i can print some of them and label them. what do you think. you would send them after you have copied them of corse.
ok my new address is: Jesseowenshof #38 1034 WT Amsterdam Netherlands
ok well my mind is scattered i dont know what to right.
its warming up a bit. its so nice to see the sun every once in a while. there is not really any more snow. just rain.
there are signs of the times in the air with all the earthquakes and everything. we had a carbon monoxide detector put in our appartment its manditory for all of the appartments now.
chany wanny you got some goods commin your way. it should take a couple of weeks though. till next week taryn i got your letter finally from way before christmas. i need your new address. morgy porgy keep it up. cam and chris and dad i will be going to some amazing museums for you ha ha. see ya 3-p
so we had a busy week. we had 2 exchanges this week. i went to groningen and then an elder came to assen with me. so we also had zone conference in amsterdam. that was fun. there is an elder in amsterdam i am good friends with an we were joking around about me getting tranfered to amsterdam and guess what. IM GOING TO AMSTERDAM. the ward is big there. there will be two other elders in my appartment. and there are also sisters in amstedam. so there will be 6 missionaries in church on sundays. thats a big difference going from 20 people in church in assen.
my new comp im getting is elder howell. it should be a good time. ive still have to pack everything. its not going to be fun.
yesterday we went to the Lubberinks for dinner and games. they are the ones that live on the border of germany. with the daughter. it was super fun. it will be hard to leave assen but im ready. i thought for sure i was staying.
mom i was thinking of maybe you sending my camera cards back so i can print some of them and label them. what do you think. you would send them after you have copied them of corse.
ok my new address is: Jesseowenshof #38 1034 WT Amsterdam Netherlands
ok well my mind is scattered i dont know what to right.
its warming up a bit. its so nice to see the sun every once in a while. there is not really any more snow. just rain.
there are signs of the times in the air with all the earthquakes and everything. we had a carbon monoxide detector put in our appartment its manditory for all of the appartments now.
chany wanny you got some goods commin your way. it should take a couple of weeks though. till next week taryn i got your letter finally from way before christmas. i need your new address. morgy porgy keep it up. cam and chris and dad i will be going to some amazing museums for you ha ha. see ya 3-p
morgan 3.1.10
okay, well this week i gave my first blessing in french!! haha wow, that was an experience! it was really really cool!
okay well i am staying in Nimes with my same comp. we finally set bridget's baptismal date for march 20! wow the bishop is ******! on saturday the sisters had a baptism, i was dressed in white too!! just to catch her though.. haha she was baptized by a member but they chose me to be there to help because she is like a big black lady, and they must've saw my guns!! haha i love how they couldve asked elder christensen too because he is the one who actually set the date for the sœurs but they asked the real man to! thats right!! haha
okay so elder christensen cut his hair the other day, wow! it is bad! like he has a big chunk out of the side of his head because he forgot to put the attatchment back on! haha
okay so we have a recent convert named nicole, she is the cutest old lady! she always makes us crèpes! always!! haha and she always says "mangez les crèpes?" to us! that is what she is known for!! she seriously is like the strongest member here! just after she was baptized she invited a friend over for dinner with the missionaries, the friend started to talk about how our church is a sect and it broke out into an arguement and nicole stood up and said " i dont care if this is a sect, i know it is true!!" so cool! france is so obsessed with sects! it is like if someone belongs to a church besides the catholic church, it is a sect.
i know that though and only through the restored gospel of jesus christ can we live with our families forever in the presence of god. i love this gospel i know this is the only true church on the earth today.
i love you all and thanks for your emails and the quote of the week and maybe of my mission is by joseph b worthlin i think... but it says, "come what may and love it!" peace out! talk to ya next week!
Morg
okay well i am staying in Nimes with my same comp. we finally set bridget's baptismal date for march 20! wow the bishop is ******! on saturday the sisters had a baptism, i was dressed in white too!! just to catch her though.. haha she was baptized by a member but they chose me to be there to help because she is like a big black lady, and they must've saw my guns!! haha i love how they couldve asked elder christensen too because he is the one who actually set the date for the sœurs but they asked the real man to! thats right!! haha
okay so elder christensen cut his hair the other day, wow! it is bad! like he has a big chunk out of the side of his head because he forgot to put the attatchment back on! haha
okay so we have a recent convert named nicole, she is the cutest old lady! she always makes us crèpes! always!! haha and she always says "mangez les crèpes?" to us! that is what she is known for!! she seriously is like the strongest member here! just after she was baptized she invited a friend over for dinner with the missionaries, the friend started to talk about how our church is a sect and it broke out into an arguement and nicole stood up and said " i dont care if this is a sect, i know it is true!!" so cool! france is so obsessed with sects! it is like if someone belongs to a church besides the catholic church, it is a sect.
i know that though and only through the restored gospel of jesus christ can we live with our families forever in the presence of god. i love this gospel i know this is the only true church on the earth today.
i love you all and thanks for your emails and the quote of the week and maybe of my mission is by joseph b worthlin i think... but it says, "come what may and love it!" peace out! talk to ya next week!
Morg
taryn 3.1.10
Hey!
so.. this letter is going to be quick, im sorry! we have an appt soon..
this week we saw a lot of miracles, ill try to give just a brief summary.
tuesday. i think one of the hottest most miserable days of my life! every appt of the day failed, and so did all the back up plans! that never happens! we were inviting all day in the intense heat, by 4:00 we both thought we were going to pass out and we still had 5 more hours! we finally got one appt at night. the whole day we had no success with anyone! it was so hard. i woke up wed morning really discouraged and just thought to myself "there is no way i can keep doing more days like yesterday." but wed and thurs we ended up getting a lot of potential and new investigators! and we set a bap date already with one! it was the calm before the storm. the area is about up to where i expected it to be. sisters are back dominating the zone:) we are still doing a lot of inviting, but it is during much better hours, which leads me to my next thing. our hours are changed for a 3 month trial period due to heat related health problems, and no one being out in the afternoon. we wake up at 6 (not the most fun waking up when its dark) exercise and leave the house by 730. work until 130, and then begin our studies. its hard starting the day without scripture reading, immediately inviting the spirit into the day, but i guess this will just make me work harder to have the spirit with me all day. we leave the house again at 4 until 830, and then to bed at 10. its nice to beat the deathly heat during the day, though the house isnt much better, but atleast we have fans!
then on friday we found a less active that was assigned to us a few months ago, but no one has been able to find her. we were about to give her name back to the branch president and ask for a new one because we thought there was no way of finding her, members or the branch prez didnt know who she was. we stumbled apon her with the help of Heavenly Father!!!!! it was a miracle! now we have work set out for us to bring her back into the fold, she has been found! im excited, i love a challenge:)
ive been teaching a lot of piano lessons to members and also to some investigators, it is a good tool and also will benefit the church in the future because hardly anyone plays (it is an issue when the one player doesnt come to church and there isnt a missionary that can play)
we learned in the investigator sunday school that there is only one way to fold your arms when praying to heavenly father, each thumb on the inside of your elbow. she talked about it for like 10 min. oh the things we have to reteach and clarify to our converts and investigators because of those classes! hah i love thailand.. oh man so much to write, but were going to be late. much more to come next week.
i love you!
miss you
love, sister young
ps.. i still havent heard how to get grease out of skirts????!!!! help!! :)
so.. this letter is going to be quick, im sorry! we have an appt soon..
this week we saw a lot of miracles, ill try to give just a brief summary.
tuesday. i think one of the hottest most miserable days of my life! every appt of the day failed, and so did all the back up plans! that never happens! we were inviting all day in the intense heat, by 4:00 we both thought we were going to pass out and we still had 5 more hours! we finally got one appt at night. the whole day we had no success with anyone! it was so hard. i woke up wed morning really discouraged and just thought to myself "there is no way i can keep doing more days like yesterday." but wed and thurs we ended up getting a lot of potential and new investigators! and we set a bap date already with one! it was the calm before the storm. the area is about up to where i expected it to be. sisters are back dominating the zone:) we are still doing a lot of inviting, but it is during much better hours, which leads me to my next thing. our hours are changed for a 3 month trial period due to heat related health problems, and no one being out in the afternoon. we wake up at 6 (not the most fun waking up when its dark) exercise and leave the house by 730. work until 130, and then begin our studies. its hard starting the day without scripture reading, immediately inviting the spirit into the day, but i guess this will just make me work harder to have the spirit with me all day. we leave the house again at 4 until 830, and then to bed at 10. its nice to beat the deathly heat during the day, though the house isnt much better, but atleast we have fans!
then on friday we found a less active that was assigned to us a few months ago, but no one has been able to find her. we were about to give her name back to the branch president and ask for a new one because we thought there was no way of finding her, members or the branch prez didnt know who she was. we stumbled apon her with the help of Heavenly Father!!!!! it was a miracle! now we have work set out for us to bring her back into the fold, she has been found! im excited, i love a challenge:)
ive been teaching a lot of piano lessons to members and also to some investigators, it is a good tool and also will benefit the church in the future because hardly anyone plays (it is an issue when the one player doesnt come to church and there isnt a missionary that can play)
we learned in the investigator sunday school that there is only one way to fold your arms when praying to heavenly father, each thumb on the inside of your elbow. she talked about it for like 10 min. oh the things we have to reteach and clarify to our converts and investigators because of those classes! hah i love thailand.. oh man so much to write, but were going to be late. much more to come next week.
i love you!
miss you
love, sister young
ps.. i still havent heard how to get grease out of skirts????!!!! help!! :)
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