AIT #19: April 2, 2003
Yesterday a horde of elephants stampeded down our road and crashed over our neighbor's car. Oops, April Fool's Day was yesterday, sorry. :) Is it really already April? Time still keeps accelerating -- this moves is already halfway over (three more weeks). The next moves period will only be five weeks, by the way.
Life is great here and it's really hot at times but not unbearable. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. :) We started teaching English at the hotel last Friday, and it's a lot of fun. The hotel provides the textbook (though I don't really like teaching from textbooks -- boring) and we teach their employees how to graciously and cordially look after their customers. :) Teaching English wasn't very fun when I first started, back in Bangkapi in my first few weeks in Thailand, but now it's exceedingly fun. (I suppose being able to understand the students' questions does help. :)) One other thing that's very fun is being a farang (foreigner). Everyone stares at us and all the little kids holler out, "Farang! Farang!" Some elders don't like that, but I relish it. It's also a good ice-breaker so that we can share the gospel with people that might not have talked with us had we been Thai. Elder Bevell and I are the only farangs in the branch here, which I suppose is kind of weird, but I don't feel isolated or anything -- Thais feel like family to me. I'm quite serious when I say I don't want to leave Thailand. I think I'll come back and teach English here for a semester or something.
On Thursday Elder Bevell and Elder Burin went to Lampang for switchoffs, and yesterday they went up again to do a baptismal interview. That meant Elder Segsan and I stayed here in P-lok, spending half the day in my area and half the day in his. I learned a few days ago that grunting (which is a rather coarse word for it, but I can't think of any other that fits the bill -- this kind of grunting isn't animalish, but rather like "errrrr" or "mmmm", used to mean yes or no), while being something that Thais do all the time, isn't the most proper way to speak. People may use colloquial language, slang, etc., but we're representatives of Jesus Christ and His Church and so we have to be more dignified and distinguished.
When I return to the States, I want to spend five or six hours a day reading the scriptures. We only get half an hour to an hour each day, which is good but not nearly enough. And I want to read the scriptures in other languages -- reading the Book of Mormon and Bible in Thai is very, very fun. Oh, today I'm going to get a harmonica and start learning how to play. Elder Segsan showed me his and since I can't afford to buy a piano, this is the next best thing. :) We had our regular Monday family home evening at Sister Gittiya's house this week, as usual. Her three boys were baptized a few months ago and we visit them every week. This time, we watched "Called to Serve" in Thai. It was wonderful to see the MTC again, and it really boosted my morale.
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36) Do our lives center on the Savior? Does every thought, every word, every action of ours follow the Savior's pattern? It may seem difficult, but the more we strive to look unto the Lord as the Israelites looked upon the brazen serpent (2 Nephi 25:20), the more we become like the Lord. Following the Lord won't be something we do so much as something we are, and then it will be easy.
I was reading 3 Nephi 11 the other day and for the first time realized why the Lord says "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one" (verse 27). After He says that, He commands that there be no contention or disputations amongst us, showing us the example of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost -- they don't fight and bicker amongst themselves. They are of one heart and one mind (Moses 7:18), with "hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another." "If ye are not one ye are not mine" (D&C 38:27). How is this unity accomplished? Through charity, the "more excellent way." I don't have my Bible with me, but in 1 John (I think) John writes that if we don't love our brother, we don't love God, for God is love (or something along those lines). The core of the gospel is love. Love is power. Love is what makes life worth living. The most important kind of love is that within a family, and that is where unity is most important. "Above all things, clothe yourself with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace." (D&C 88:125) If we have not charity we aren't yet true followers of Christ. "Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love." (Moroni 7:48)
Well, I'm about out of time. Stay strong in the faith and seek charity with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Christ lives and loves each of you. Take care. :)
Life is great here and it's really hot at times but not unbearable. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. :) We started teaching English at the hotel last Friday, and it's a lot of fun. The hotel provides the textbook (though I don't really like teaching from textbooks -- boring) and we teach their employees how to graciously and cordially look after their customers. :) Teaching English wasn't very fun when I first started, back in Bangkapi in my first few weeks in Thailand, but now it's exceedingly fun. (I suppose being able to understand the students' questions does help. :)) One other thing that's very fun is being a farang (foreigner). Everyone stares at us and all the little kids holler out, "Farang! Farang!" Some elders don't like that, but I relish it. It's also a good ice-breaker so that we can share the gospel with people that might not have talked with us had we been Thai. Elder Bevell and I are the only farangs in the branch here, which I suppose is kind of weird, but I don't feel isolated or anything -- Thais feel like family to me. I'm quite serious when I say I don't want to leave Thailand. I think I'll come back and teach English here for a semester or something.
On Thursday Elder Bevell and Elder Burin went to Lampang for switchoffs, and yesterday they went up again to do a baptismal interview. That meant Elder Segsan and I stayed here in P-lok, spending half the day in my area and half the day in his. I learned a few days ago that grunting (which is a rather coarse word for it, but I can't think of any other that fits the bill -- this kind of grunting isn't animalish, but rather like "errrrr" or "mmmm", used to mean yes or no), while being something that Thais do all the time, isn't the most proper way to speak. People may use colloquial language, slang, etc., but we're representatives of Jesus Christ and His Church and so we have to be more dignified and distinguished.
When I return to the States, I want to spend five or six hours a day reading the scriptures. We only get half an hour to an hour each day, which is good but not nearly enough. And I want to read the scriptures in other languages -- reading the Book of Mormon and Bible in Thai is very, very fun. Oh, today I'm going to get a harmonica and start learning how to play. Elder Segsan showed me his and since I can't afford to buy a piano, this is the next best thing. :) We had our regular Monday family home evening at Sister Gittiya's house this week, as usual. Her three boys were baptized a few months ago and we visit them every week. This time, we watched "Called to Serve" in Thai. It was wonderful to see the MTC again, and it really boosted my morale.
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36) Do our lives center on the Savior? Does every thought, every word, every action of ours follow the Savior's pattern? It may seem difficult, but the more we strive to look unto the Lord as the Israelites looked upon the brazen serpent (2 Nephi 25:20), the more we become like the Lord. Following the Lord won't be something we do so much as something we are, and then it will be easy.
I was reading 3 Nephi 11 the other day and for the first time realized why the Lord says "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one" (verse 27). After He says that, He commands that there be no contention or disputations amongst us, showing us the example of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost -- they don't fight and bicker amongst themselves. They are of one heart and one mind (Moses 7:18), with "hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another." "If ye are not one ye are not mine" (D&C 38:27). How is this unity accomplished? Through charity, the "more excellent way." I don't have my Bible with me, but in 1 John (I think) John writes that if we don't love our brother, we don't love God, for God is love (or something along those lines). The core of the gospel is love. Love is power. Love is what makes life worth living. The most important kind of love is that within a family, and that is where unity is most important. "Above all things, clothe yourself with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace." (D&C 88:125) If we have not charity we aren't yet true followers of Christ. "Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love." (Moroni 7:48)
Well, I'm about out of time. Stay strong in the faith and seek charity with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Christ lives and loves each of you. Take care. :)
posted by Ben at 4:40 PM
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