AIT #11: January 22, 2003
This week has been an exciting one. On Thursday night I went on switchoffs with Elder Rock to go see some investigators of theirs while Elder Nelson and Elder Stevenson stayed at the church for correlation. On the way to the first appointment, Elder Rock hit a rock, which made his foot slip into his front tire. The tire stopped and the bike cartwheeled, taking Elder Rock under it. It was spectacular. :) He was totally fine and only got scraped up a little bit. It broke the mirror off his bike, though.
Last night Elder Nelson and I left the church from teaching English and headed out to teach Bunying's wife the rest of the second discussion. We were a little short on time, so we rode rather quickly (read: blazingly fast) to get there on time. Halfway there, Elder Nelson hit a speed bump and flew into the air. Usually this isn't a problem, but this time his tire landed at an awkward angle and his bike slid to the ground, casting him off into the asphalt. He ended up with skin scraped off his face, a really sore jaw, and blood dripping down his chin. We were near the entrance to a guarded neighborhood, luckily, and the guards were able to help us. We called the bishop and he sent one of his workers to drive us home. All is well and Elder Nelson should be fine. It could have been a lot worse, so we're very glad. I suppose riding bikes here in Bangkok is frighteningly dangerous if you really think about it (people walk out in front of us all the time, motorcycles dodge to the side next to us, buses almost collide with us, etc.). Now that all the mothers are panicking, I guess I'd better relay some more soothing news. :)
We taught Bunying's wife a first and part of the second discussion earlier this week. She actually wasn't home last night, so we wouldn't have been able to teach her anyway. Both she and Bunying have a lot of faith and want to get baptized. We still don't know if they'll have to move to Korat or not. Bunying had multiple sclerosis several years ago and it ate away at his motor control in his face, but it went into recession. It's still hard for him to speak, but he's getting better.
I went on full-day switchoffs with Elder Suttiphong on Friday. (The zone leader goes on switchoffs with each companionship twice a moves period, and his companion goes with the junior of the companionship, which in this case is me.) It was a lot of fun, as usual. Lots of invitations and lots of rejections. :) Elder Christiansen and Elder Stevenson jope (complete their missions) this coming moves, March 13. "Moves" means both the actual moves day (which is January 30th) and a moves period (the six-week period between moves days), by the way.
A lot of people say I look like an Indian (Hindu), and when I was with Elder Suttiphong on Friday, two Hindu men walked up to us while we were stopped for a moment. One came rather close to me and said, "Ah, you have a happy face. March will be a good month. Give me your hand and I will read your future." I smiled and asked him where he lived, to change the topic (it's a good technique :)). I learned some more Thai customs from Elder Suttiphong while eating lunch at the school where we taught English: first, you always leave the serving spoons upside down, not right-side up. Second, when you're done eating, leave the fork and spoon together on the plate, not one on each side.
It's the cool season right now, so I haven't been very sweaty lately. The hot season is coming up quickly, though (another month or two), and then we'll be plunged into the rainy season. In a way I'd rather not have a rainy season, but then again it can be a lot of fun if you just let yourself accept the fact that you'll be soaking wet. I think everyone would be happy if the hot season disappeared, though. :) Oh, we have to put anything with sugar in it inside the refrigerator, lest ants nest within. I learned that lesson on Saturday when I left some cereal outside (even though the bag wasn't opened yet). The next morning ants had utterly infested it, hundreds of them. I considered trying to exterminate the lot of them, but it would take too much time, so I had to throw the bag away. 151 baht down the drain. (sigh) :)
The hem of one pair of my pants came undone a few weeks ago, so we dropped it off at a seamstress's the other day (who incidentally used to be the maid for the missionaries here) and got it fixed for 10 baht. The mosquitoes haven't been attacking me so harshly in the past few weeks, which is a relief. Oh, last week I learned that there are mailmen that deliver the mail to the house, but if you're not home when they come, they leave a notice that says you have to go to the post office to pick it up.
My new favorite snack is dried banana chips. I think I'm addicted. They're cheap, too -- 50 baht per kilogram. My bike tire went flat on Monday and I had to get it patched. Luckily there's a bike shop nearby. The smells here aren't too bad usually, though in some places the stench is disheartening. Out in the less-developed areas there are lots of chickens wandering around, and I hear that in the Isan (eastern Thailand) there are chickens everywhere.
Well, my time has run out again. Missionary work is awesome. I'm glad it's not too hot right now. :) Next week we'll know who's moving and who's staying, so until then, keep the faith.
Last night Elder Nelson and I left the church from teaching English and headed out to teach Bunying's wife the rest of the second discussion. We were a little short on time, so we rode rather quickly (read: blazingly fast) to get there on time. Halfway there, Elder Nelson hit a speed bump and flew into the air. Usually this isn't a problem, but this time his tire landed at an awkward angle and his bike slid to the ground, casting him off into the asphalt. He ended up with skin scraped off his face, a really sore jaw, and blood dripping down his chin. We were near the entrance to a guarded neighborhood, luckily, and the guards were able to help us. We called the bishop and he sent one of his workers to drive us home. All is well and Elder Nelson should be fine. It could have been a lot worse, so we're very glad. I suppose riding bikes here in Bangkok is frighteningly dangerous if you really think about it (people walk out in front of us all the time, motorcycles dodge to the side next to us, buses almost collide with us, etc.). Now that all the mothers are panicking, I guess I'd better relay some more soothing news. :)
We taught Bunying's wife a first and part of the second discussion earlier this week. She actually wasn't home last night, so we wouldn't have been able to teach her anyway. Both she and Bunying have a lot of faith and want to get baptized. We still don't know if they'll have to move to Korat or not. Bunying had multiple sclerosis several years ago and it ate away at his motor control in his face, but it went into recession. It's still hard for him to speak, but he's getting better.
I went on full-day switchoffs with Elder Suttiphong on Friday. (The zone leader goes on switchoffs with each companionship twice a moves period, and his companion goes with the junior of the companionship, which in this case is me.) It was a lot of fun, as usual. Lots of invitations and lots of rejections. :) Elder Christiansen and Elder Stevenson jope (complete their missions) this coming moves, March 13. "Moves" means both the actual moves day (which is January 30th) and a moves period (the six-week period between moves days), by the way.
A lot of people say I look like an Indian (Hindu), and when I was with Elder Suttiphong on Friday, two Hindu men walked up to us while we were stopped for a moment. One came rather close to me and said, "Ah, you have a happy face. March will be a good month. Give me your hand and I will read your future." I smiled and asked him where he lived, to change the topic (it's a good technique :)). I learned some more Thai customs from Elder Suttiphong while eating lunch at the school where we taught English: first, you always leave the serving spoons upside down, not right-side up. Second, when you're done eating, leave the fork and spoon together on the plate, not one on each side.
It's the cool season right now, so I haven't been very sweaty lately. The hot season is coming up quickly, though (another month or two), and then we'll be plunged into the rainy season. In a way I'd rather not have a rainy season, but then again it can be a lot of fun if you just let yourself accept the fact that you'll be soaking wet. I think everyone would be happy if the hot season disappeared, though. :) Oh, we have to put anything with sugar in it inside the refrigerator, lest ants nest within. I learned that lesson on Saturday when I left some cereal outside (even though the bag wasn't opened yet). The next morning ants had utterly infested it, hundreds of them. I considered trying to exterminate the lot of them, but it would take too much time, so I had to throw the bag away. 151 baht down the drain. (sigh) :)
The hem of one pair of my pants came undone a few weeks ago, so we dropped it off at a seamstress's the other day (who incidentally used to be the maid for the missionaries here) and got it fixed for 10 baht. The mosquitoes haven't been attacking me so harshly in the past few weeks, which is a relief. Oh, last week I learned that there are mailmen that deliver the mail to the house, but if you're not home when they come, they leave a notice that says you have to go to the post office to pick it up.
My new favorite snack is dried banana chips. I think I'm addicted. They're cheap, too -- 50 baht per kilogram. My bike tire went flat on Monday and I had to get it patched. Luckily there's a bike shop nearby. The smells here aren't too bad usually, though in some places the stench is disheartening. Out in the less-developed areas there are lots of chickens wandering around, and I hear that in the Isan (eastern Thailand) there are chickens everywhere.
Well, my time has run out again. Missionary work is awesome. I'm glad it's not too hot right now. :) Next week we'll know who's moving and who's staying, so until then, keep the faith.
posted by Ben at 7:24 AM
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