[Not that I'm counting or anything, but Joseph has been out 313 days today!!!]
Happy December Everyone!
I'm so glad to hear everything's still going great at home this Christmas season, although it doesn't feel like it at all with 25 degree weather (78F?). Of Bates - please roll in the snow for me or something. McKenna that might not be such a great idea in your skirt, but enjoy the chill for me. I'm missin snowmobiling (dang, that's SOOO hard to describe to members in Thai) and Christmas music, but other than that, I'm just fine. I'm so happy to hear about decorating the tree again! I am a bit sat I'm missing it, but I'm enjoying the traditions here in the Isaan too. I wasn't really homesick until you talked about the song in Joseph King of Dreams. That song is like the story of my life...
Speaking of traditions and illustrating that fact of my life, I took part it one of my favorite events here yet. Every November, Thailand gives little boat offerings to the แม่นำ้ (lit "mother-water" which means river) and sends of lanterns to the sky - which brings blessings from the rivers and streams of the land and to bring forth rain (I think). Now-a-days it's just a huge cool gathering were everyone goes to celebrate (members can go to as long as we don't wai them - or place the palms of the hands together and give alms to Buddha). But where there are lots of people, there are lots of people to contact. The four of us passed out over 400 English cards that night.
One miracle was that I passed one out to this one girl about my age and she laughed and said, "Hey are you the missionaries?" in perfect English. Remember the Mexican girl Daniella who we met at church looking for Portuguese friend Maria? We tried to contact her but would never pick up after one or two calls. I had ordered 2 copies of the Book of Mormon in Spanish and Portuguese for them and prayed so hard that they might be interested someday. Well, I'll just say I found Maria. She told us Daniella and she really wanted to meet, but Daniella lost her phone and couldn't contact us. But the Lord provides in His more excellent ways, as always. So I awkwardly evaded a picture with her, sent off my little candle-boat, and then went to send off my lantern. Seen Tangled? Yep. Exactly like that. Except instead of launching a lantern with my beautiful, beloved, blonde-haired beauty, I launched my โคม (khom) with my beautiful, beloved, black-haired former branch president. Almost as enchanting, but super fun nonetheless.
Here's another story from this week that I shared with my mission president about the Hand of the Lord that is really rather neat:
"Dear President Senior...
"One blessing worth mentioning is that we received from the hand of the Lord another baptism dater named ต๋อง (Tong). We found him in kind of a funny way: At church yesterday there was a small primary girl who called me over to talk to her friend who apparently wants to be baptized she said. Puzzled, then I watched a small boy run up and join her; he looked about 8 or 9. The first thing he asked me was, "If my parents are พุธ (Buddhist) can I be คริสต์ (Christian)?" I couldn't help but chuckle a bit and tell him that it's up to his parents. I was then surprised when he answered, "I already have, and I want to be baptized. Is that possible?" We had a small lesson with him after church with our branch president and his little friend. "I want to be คริสต์ and be baptized," he said again in the lesson. "How long will it take if I can?" We knew the other Elders were planning on having a baptismal service on the 29th of this month, so we told him just that. He accepted that date. We then asked him why he wanted to be baptized so eagerly in the first place. He related how past Elders visited his house, talked about Christ, and he doesn't want to drink and smoke. This confident, 12 year-old walk-in (as we found out his real age) was seen as a shocking and warming fulfillment of God's promise to us here in ศรีสะเกษ (Sisaket) that people are being prepared by the Lord everywhere (Alma 16:16-17)."
All of these blessings, festivities and miracle has really helped our companionship grow greatly. It's still a getting used to, but the Spirit's back (I felt a lot like McKenna described as being "hard-hearted" and not knowing why). Elder Fornburg on our switch-off this week said if there's ever a conflict, I just have to do what I know is right, and he'll follow.
Don't forget He knows better than you and to rely on Him in all that you do!
With love, Elder Gibbons
PS: Elder Christiansen's father has to have another back surgery - on Christmas Eve (that's MST so that might interfere with talking with family for Christmas if his father is just out of surgery or not) so I would ask to please keep him in your prayers.
PPS: Dad - I have a สมอ (anchor) drawn on my planner this transfer. Read Ether 12:4 Thanks
Happy December Everyone!
I'm so glad to hear everything's still going great at home this Christmas season, although it doesn't feel like it at all with 25 degree weather (78F?). Of Bates - please roll in the snow for me or something. McKenna that might not be such a great idea in your skirt, but enjoy the chill for me. I'm missin snowmobiling (dang, that's SOOO hard to describe to members in Thai) and Christmas music, but other than that, I'm just fine. I'm so happy to hear about decorating the tree again! I am a bit sat I'm missing it, but I'm enjoying the traditions here in the Isaan too. I wasn't really homesick until you talked about the song in Joseph King of Dreams. That song is like the story of my life...
Speaking of traditions and illustrating that fact of my life, I took part it one of my favorite events here yet. Every November, Thailand gives little boat offerings to the แม่นำ้ (lit "mother-water" which means river) and sends of lanterns to the sky - which brings blessings from the rivers and streams of the land and to bring forth rain (I think). Now-a-days it's just a huge cool gathering were everyone goes to celebrate (members can go to as long as we don't wai them - or place the palms of the hands together and give alms to Buddha). But where there are lots of people, there are lots of people to contact. The four of us passed out over 400 English cards that night.
One miracle was that I passed one out to this one girl about my age and she laughed and said, "Hey are you the missionaries?" in perfect English. Remember the Mexican girl Daniella who we met at church looking for Portuguese friend Maria? We tried to contact her but would never pick up after one or two calls. I had ordered 2 copies of the Book of Mormon in Spanish and Portuguese for them and prayed so hard that they might be interested someday. Well, I'll just say I found Maria. She told us Daniella and she really wanted to meet, but Daniella lost her phone and couldn't contact us. But the Lord provides in His more excellent ways, as always. So I awkwardly evaded a picture with her, sent off my little candle-boat, and then went to send off my lantern. Seen Tangled? Yep. Exactly like that. Except instead of launching a lantern with my beautiful, beloved, blonde-haired beauty, I launched my โคม (khom) with my beautiful, beloved, black-haired former branch president. Almost as enchanting, but super fun nonetheless.
Here's another story from this week that I shared with my mission president about the Hand of the Lord that is really rather neat:
"Dear President Senior...
"One blessing worth mentioning is that we received from the hand of the Lord another baptism dater named ต๋อง (Tong). We found him in kind of a funny way: At church yesterday there was a small primary girl who called me over to talk to her friend who apparently wants to be baptized she said. Puzzled, then I watched a small boy run up and join her; he looked about 8 or 9. The first thing he asked me was, "If my parents are พุธ (Buddhist) can I be คริสต์ (Christian)?" I couldn't help but chuckle a bit and tell him that it's up to his parents. I was then surprised when he answered, "I already have, and I want to be baptized. Is that possible?" We had a small lesson with him after church with our branch president and his little friend. "I want to be คริสต์ and be baptized," he said again in the lesson. "How long will it take if I can?" We knew the other Elders were planning on having a baptismal service on the 29th of this month, so we told him just that. He accepted that date. We then asked him why he wanted to be baptized so eagerly in the first place. He related how past Elders visited his house, talked about Christ, and he doesn't want to drink and smoke. This confident, 12 year-old walk-in (as we found out his real age) was seen as a shocking and warming fulfillment of God's promise to us here in ศรีสะเกษ (Sisaket) that people are being prepared by the Lord everywhere (Alma 16:16-17)."
All of these blessings, festivities and miracle has really helped our companionship grow greatly. It's still a getting used to, but the Spirit's back (I felt a lot like McKenna described as being "hard-hearted" and not knowing why). Elder Fornburg on our switch-off this week said if there's ever a conflict, I just have to do what I know is right, and he'll follow.
Don't forget He knows better than you and to rely on Him in all that you do!
With love, Elder Gibbons
PS: Elder Christiansen's father has to have another back surgery - on Christmas Eve (that's MST so that might interfere with talking with family for Christmas if his father is just out of surgery or not) so I would ask to please keep him in your prayers.
PPS: Dad - I have a สมอ (anchor) drawn on my planner this transfer. Read Ether 12:4 Thanks
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| Photo of the Ubon Zone, with an Area Seventy - Elder Watson (Joseph is in the second row between Elder Watson (L) & his mission President (R), President Senior) |
