Hello everyone! Thanks for all the
prayers and support. I have really felt it as I have moved to this
crazy-awesome area (that hyphen is for YOU, Maxwell Webb...)
Anyway, funny story to start out. We were about to leave the house today when I felt something stuck in my shoe. So I pulled it off and shook it upside. Lo and behold, a grain of rice tumbled out onto the floor. Realizing the implicitation and connotation of what just happened, I looked up at my district leader, Elder Chamberlain, who had been watching as the episode unfolded; we both were in an uproar of laughter. In the intencity of the situation I exclaimed "I AM IN ASIA!" And so, ladies and gentlemen (I guess I sould say brothers and sisters - that feels more natural), I am indeed in Asia. We made rice on sunday and after I heated it up, I smelled the soft, faint scent that rice emits and felt something stir inside, like coming home after a long walk in the rain. Two kind of experiences that I thought were nice.
Some other experiences out here in the Isaan include doing service by hacking down a branch from an older lady's tree with a rusty machete, having my second plate of eating khao-pat khi-yieo-maa (rice dish-egg-unine-horse), and I smashed a cockroach so hard that his body severed in two and its abdomen shot between my legs (a span of abut 4 ft). I kinda went a little much there because I had another crazy experience just before which I recounted to another missionary: "Can't count the cockroaches I've slain, but I did manage to plant a nice moi-style Chuck Norris-edition classic round house kick-to-the-face to my first dog here. OK, it was really less epic - just a really lucky reaction with A LOT of Heavenly Guidance..."
But despite these adventures, I have really felt the power of the atonement in my life. My companion is awesome - he loves classical music, the Thai language such that that we usually communicate to each other in Thai outside the home in just Thai, he loves weird foods like me, and he has some of the greatest faith. Elder Petersen studied physics at BYU and used the word "homogenius" when talking about different oat brands, but the way he exerts faith is so factual and peaceful that I've learned a lot from him - much more than just Thai.
In fact, I've have to learn patience with him a different way because we're so SIMILAR. For example, we were fasting when we got to an investagator's house and for got she prepared some treats. We both realized it and said a prayer before to know what to do. Everything worked out all right, but our concept of what was to be done dittered. At church, I was hungry, tired, and excited to eat with all the members. But Elder Petersen wanted to fast more and refused the member's food which I thought wasn't nice. And I didn't know what to do because he wasn't eating and I wanted to. But I remembered that I prayed that day to have more unity with my companion. So I went into another room and poured out my hungry soul to my Father in Heaven and asked for strength to fast "the extra mile" with him. I did, and the investagator we were fasting for (sister Dan) actually got her work off Sundays after asking the second time. We found two people to teach who when we met them at their gate welcomed us in. They gave us water (a Thai gesture of hospitality toward guests) and we were fixed with another challenge. I put my lips to the glass as a gesture of courtesy, but Elder P didn't. Again, I thought something bad was going to happen, but instead they were very understanding and and Elder Petersen got to bear testimony on the principle of fasting. The best part was, that his testimony was as pure as any balanced equation because he lived it to a tee. My testimony has been strengthened because of his example.
Anyway, funny story to start out. We were about to leave the house today when I felt something stuck in my shoe. So I pulled it off and shook it upside. Lo and behold, a grain of rice tumbled out onto the floor. Realizing the implicitation and connotation of what just happened, I looked up at my district leader, Elder Chamberlain, who had been watching as the episode unfolded; we both were in an uproar of laughter. In the intencity of the situation I exclaimed "I AM IN ASIA!" And so, ladies and gentlemen (I guess I sould say brothers and sisters - that feels more natural), I am indeed in Asia. We made rice on sunday and after I heated it up, I smelled the soft, faint scent that rice emits and felt something stir inside, like coming home after a long walk in the rain. Two kind of experiences that I thought were nice.
Some other experiences out here in the Isaan include doing service by hacking down a branch from an older lady's tree with a rusty machete, having my second plate of eating khao-pat khi-yieo-maa (rice dish-egg-unine-horse), and I smashed a cockroach so hard that his body severed in two and its abdomen shot between my legs (a span of abut 4 ft). I kinda went a little much there because I had another crazy experience just before which I recounted to another missionary: "Can't count the cockroaches I've slain, but I did manage to plant a nice moi-style Chuck Norris-edition classic round house kick-to-the-face to my first dog here. OK, it was really less epic - just a really lucky reaction with A LOT of Heavenly Guidance..."
But despite these adventures, I have really felt the power of the atonement in my life. My companion is awesome - he loves classical music, the Thai language such that that we usually communicate to each other in Thai outside the home in just Thai, he loves weird foods like me, and he has some of the greatest faith. Elder Petersen studied physics at BYU and used the word "homogenius" when talking about different oat brands, but the way he exerts faith is so factual and peaceful that I've learned a lot from him - much more than just Thai.
In fact, I've have to learn patience with him a different way because we're so SIMILAR. For example, we were fasting when we got to an investagator's house and for got she prepared some treats. We both realized it and said a prayer before to know what to do. Everything worked out all right, but our concept of what was to be done dittered. At church, I was hungry, tired, and excited to eat with all the members. But Elder Petersen wanted to fast more and refused the member's food which I thought wasn't nice. And I didn't know what to do because he wasn't eating and I wanted to. But I remembered that I prayed that day to have more unity with my companion. So I went into another room and poured out my hungry soul to my Father in Heaven and asked for strength to fast "the extra mile" with him. I did, and the investagator we were fasting for (sister Dan) actually got her work off Sundays after asking the second time. We found two people to teach who when we met them at their gate welcomed us in. They gave us water (a Thai gesture of hospitality toward guests) and we were fixed with another challenge. I put my lips to the glass as a gesture of courtesy, but Elder P didn't. Again, I thought something bad was going to happen, but instead they were very understanding and and Elder Petersen got to bear testimony on the principle of fasting. The best part was, that his testimony was as pure as any balanced equation because he lived it to a tee. My testimony has been strengthened because of his example.
That's pretty much all. Please pray for Sister Boo and her little son to experience church peacefully. Love you all, I've gtg!
With love,
Elder Gibbons
