Hello Everyone!
Well first things first...
I'm out of the "เทพ" (Tabe)!! I'm no longer in Bangkok (กรุงเทพ...) this next transfer but far out into the อีสาน (iisaan) baby! The Mission is divided into three areas: 1 the middle (Bangkok and other surrounding areas all the way up to อยุธยา or Ayutayaa where "Mortal Combat was filmed) 2 the North (where many tourists go like Chaing Mai or Chaing Rai - all bordering China and Burma) or 3 the "iisaan" (which the closest equivalent is the "countryside." It's pretty much like Upstate NY vs NYC itself. Much of the iisaan borders Lao and Cambodia. My Province borders the famous provance of Ubon on the east, "Elephant City" in Surin on the west and Cambodia in the South)
Enough geography, (you're welcome Anna) let me get to the goods surrounding this transfer. Starting with the second or third-to-last week of the moves, I had a feeling I was moving. Prataan Thuwit was sad one day and told me Elder Osborne and I were moving - he could feel it too. As the time approached, I knew I was going on a bus far away... Oh it's weird to describe, but that's how it went, and sure enough here I am in ศรีสะเกษ [Si Sa Ket]!
Tangent: Funny story - President Senior had all the people moving up on a slide show - one slide at a time. He went through the middle, the iisaan and the north but my name wasn't called... I was freaking out! Was I being sent to Lao or something?! No, he just forgot and it scared the tar out of me.
But mom - thanks for the letter. I WILL miss all those people in Don Muang. It's actually funny - I got more homesick HERE than I did in my 1st area - for my first area. I could fill up pages and pages, but I barely have time, so I'll recap with a cool event after thanking the Best Branch President in the world. I love that man with all my heart, and I'll miss him. One of my best D.M. experiences was with sister "Pim". We were confirming an appointment that Sister Oomiim was going to teach with us and she asked if she could bring her friend to the lesson. We said of course and asked if her friend was interested in the Gospel. "Hold on," she said. Whispering on the other end. "Yeah she says 'yes'." Sister iim has so much faith and I'm so excited to have known her. As my convert, I gave her a letter of thanks and encouragement to which she gave me a huge artwork book - from Sister Pim. Weeks earlier Sis Roper was going through iim's phone for referrals and said what about her? (at S. Pim) iim in her way said, "Oh yeah she needs it; she 's not the best person. But she can repent for sure!" She has been swallowed in by the gospel from the world. The Gospel is changing lives over here because of the many prayers in behalf of the work here. I must thank you most graciously all you for your help and prayers. And Dad - your faith in our finding efforts couldn't have been more appropriate: Today we were just riding our bikes and got a phone call. The man on the other line said straight up that he wanted to learn about Jesus Christ. If that's not faith, I don't know what is. Your prayers literally change lives over here. Thank you x1,000,000! Oh PS Dad - I saw a man on a non-pedal bike like yours, but it had a lever you pulled to make it work instead. As he was inching his way along, the man slowly looked up and smiled at me while I passed on my pedal bike I was using with my legs. It made me think of you, but also made me feel more grateful for my many blessings as well.
Well, I gtg [got to go - for all us "old people"]. I wish I could tell you everything in more detail – our awesome branch, our awesome Branch President who seriously looks like Paul McCartney, the dead roach on the podium or of all the ants in the Sacrament bread, of the roaches I find every morning just before I shower, the beautiful air, the wonderful people speaking a different language than Thai, our new convert, Sister Nut who'll be baptized this week, our 9 other people with baptism dates, my new Companion who writes Thai in his journal every night and who doesn't know Journey the band, but loves late-Romantic classical music... But I gtg!
Love ya all - ttyl [talk to you later!]
Elder Gibbons
Well first things first...
I'm out of the "เทพ" (Tabe)!! I'm no longer in Bangkok (กรุงเทพ...) this next transfer but far out into the อีสาน (iisaan) baby! The Mission is divided into three areas: 1 the middle (Bangkok and other surrounding areas all the way up to อยุธยา or Ayutayaa where "Mortal Combat was filmed) 2 the North (where many tourists go like Chaing Mai or Chaing Rai - all bordering China and Burma) or 3 the "iisaan" (which the closest equivalent is the "countryside." It's pretty much like Upstate NY vs NYC itself. Much of the iisaan borders Lao and Cambodia. My Province borders the famous provance of Ubon on the east, "Elephant City" in Surin on the west and Cambodia in the South)
Enough geography, (you're welcome Anna) let me get to the goods surrounding this transfer. Starting with the second or third-to-last week of the moves, I had a feeling I was moving. Prataan Thuwit was sad one day and told me Elder Osborne and I were moving - he could feel it too. As the time approached, I knew I was going on a bus far away... Oh it's weird to describe, but that's how it went, and sure enough here I am in ศรีสะเกษ [Si Sa Ket]!
Tangent: Funny story - President Senior had all the people moving up on a slide show - one slide at a time. He went through the middle, the iisaan and the north but my name wasn't called... I was freaking out! Was I being sent to Lao or something?! No, he just forgot and it scared the tar out of me.
But mom - thanks for the letter. I WILL miss all those people in Don Muang. It's actually funny - I got more homesick HERE than I did in my 1st area - for my first area. I could fill up pages and pages, but I barely have time, so I'll recap with a cool event after thanking the Best Branch President in the world. I love that man with all my heart, and I'll miss him. One of my best D.M. experiences was with sister "Pim". We were confirming an appointment that Sister Oomiim was going to teach with us and she asked if she could bring her friend to the lesson. We said of course and asked if her friend was interested in the Gospel. "Hold on," she said. Whispering on the other end. "Yeah she says 'yes'." Sister iim has so much faith and I'm so excited to have known her. As my convert, I gave her a letter of thanks and encouragement to which she gave me a huge artwork book - from Sister Pim. Weeks earlier Sis Roper was going through iim's phone for referrals and said what about her? (at S. Pim) iim in her way said, "Oh yeah she needs it; she 's not the best person. But she can repent for sure!" She has been swallowed in by the gospel from the world. The Gospel is changing lives over here because of the many prayers in behalf of the work here. I must thank you most graciously all you for your help and prayers. And Dad - your faith in our finding efforts couldn't have been more appropriate: Today we were just riding our bikes and got a phone call. The man on the other line said straight up that he wanted to learn about Jesus Christ. If that's not faith, I don't know what is. Your prayers literally change lives over here. Thank you x1,000,000! Oh PS Dad - I saw a man on a non-pedal bike like yours, but it had a lever you pulled to make it work instead. As he was inching his way along, the man slowly looked up and smiled at me while I passed on my pedal bike I was using with my legs. It made me think of you, but also made me feel more grateful for my many blessings as well.
Well, I gtg [got to go - for all us "old people"]. I wish I could tell you everything in more detail – our awesome branch, our awesome Branch President who seriously looks like Paul McCartney, the dead roach on the podium or of all the ants in the Sacrament bread, of the roaches I find every morning just before I shower, the beautiful air, the wonderful people speaking a different language than Thai, our new convert, Sister Nut who'll be baptized this week, our 9 other people with baptism dates, my new Companion who writes Thai in his journal every night and who doesn't know Journey the band, but loves late-Romantic classical music... But I gtg!
Love ya all - ttyl [talk to you later!]
Elder Gibbons
