Thailand News

Hey Everyone!

This week I had my interview with Pres. Smith. We talked about the new translation of the Thai Book of Mormon!!! I'm so excited! This one is so nicer! I'll get it next week... See right now the Thai Book of Mormon doesn't have the title page or the introduction so we have to make it up by ourselves. I'm happy that we'll be able to say, "read it!" And they are coming out with the D&C with the Bof M too! It'll be sooo nice!

This week the Elders had a baptism. Nud. He's great! I know him very well. Sis. Lifferth and I were teaching his family before. We gave him to the Elders because he was the only one interested. Now he's a member! We're still teaching his older sister though! She's Christian and her church is rather wacky by Christianity terms. She knew nothing about Christ. Just that he died on the cross. It's just been hard to teach her when her church says everything contradictory. Slowly but surely! She's starting to understand.

So, I thought I should share this great culture with you. I've mentioned the markets before. They're everywhere! Every morning and night they're there. No one cooks. Just go and buy food from the market. (Teaching keeping the Sabbath day holy is rather difficult) My favorite part is that everyone is in their pajamas. They really don't care. Everyone just goes to the markets in their pajamas and no one thinks less of you. It's like a pajama party... I love it!

Oh, I should tell you. We were studying when I looked out the window to our backyard when I saw this HUGE rat! It's actually really cute! We named him Timothy (no relation to Timothy Spalling who plays Peter Petigrew in Harry Potter). He apparently lives off the contents from our garbage can. So, ya! Oh, not to mention the flying cockroach attack in our bedroom last night.... I'll save that story for later.

While inviting this week we've run into lots of people who just bawl to us about their family troubles. It's so sad! Don't be stupid! Go tell your family you love them and care about them right now. Nothing is worth all of the pain and suffering people go through over matters that don't even matter.

Today, Sis. Jolley and I have been singing! It's great! It's crazy how we know the same songs and can sing them on beat together. No worries, our companions think we are officially crazy!! .... It's true!

Thanks everyone for your letters this week! They all come at the same time! Aunt Catherine (Love the card by the way), 3 from Austin (stop getting sick), Holly (How are you on the wise? Love your glasses), Paige (yes, they are stupid), and Marie (He's coming home!!!).

Love you all!!!

Sis. Henderson
Em

Happy November!!!!

Wow! November already?!? Crazy!!! Time flies, ya know!

Halloween here was really funny! I live next to a lot of foreigners and they tried to live it up as much as they could. Basically the Thai people could care less. The Italian pizza place was all decorated for Halloween and they had a special Halloween promotion on pizza so of course we had to go! Then chocolate cake. Sis. Jolley and I made French toast this morning... it was divine! Ya, I've eaten a lot of bad food lately. Just needing a break from all the rice...

So, it's getting pretty chilly here. Yesterday we stepped outside to go to church and it was actually cooler outside than inside. (that's the first) Cool is basically a warm September day. It's hot but with a cool breeze. I like it! It's perfect! Apparently it's time to start breaking out the winter coats...

So, I thought I should talk about this. I haven't said much lately about the investigators. The work is going well and you wouldn't believe the number of lessons we teach each week. I just don't feel like I can talk about them because it's a bit much. You see, they all lead rather dramatic lives. Either that or drama finds me. All of the problems and things that my investigators are going through are difficult and personal. So, I really don't feel at liberty to discuss it. I will share about one investigator though!

Pii Rat: Remember her? She's still going strong! In fact, she just finished the Book of Mormon on Saturday. She insisted that she wanted to join the members in having a goal to read the Bible by next year. So that's what she's up to. Her husband still won't let her get baptized so we've been focusing on teaching her 12 year old daughter, Cherry. Yesterday was the first time Cherry went to church in a long time. YAY!!!!!

Anyways, so, just know that there's lots of people learning. Pray for them! They need it big time!

So, this week I sat on the pavement outside of her house and talked to a lady about herself. That's my favourite thing to do. She's Muslim so we can't teach her about the gospel. She talked about how similar our religions are and lots of other things about herself. I am so grateful I studied world religions before I came here. I was able to talk to her about her religion because I knew about it. Plus, through that class I gained a great respect and love for the Muslims. My area is mostly Muslims so I get to talk with them frequently. (which I love) But mostly, I love being able to walk away knowing I have made a new friend.

This week I also had a cool experience. We taught this lady along the side of the road in a neighborhood (hard to explain). We were simply teaching her how to pray. 13 kids gathered around us to listen as well. It's a cool experience to be surrounded by them learning how to pray. I felt like Maria from Sound of Music or Christ teaching the children.

Hope all is well! Keep working hard!

Love you!

Sis. Henderson

Em

Happy Holidays!!!

Well, today is a holiday in Thailand. Not sure what, but it is! So happy whatever it is!!!!

We're heading into winter too over here. Too which I asked, "And how is this weather any different?"

Oh, had a FANTASTIC half birthday by the way... went to the bakery and got some cake. The lady has become a good friend of the sister missionaries.... She smiled when I ordered. She replied with, "You sure do love chocolate, don't you?"
She gave me 2 extra pieces of chocolate cake for free. It was divine!

Sis. Jongkaew is all healed. The doctor said that she just got hit really hard so it was severely bruised. She's doing great though!

This week we had 3 day training again. For some reason they decided to drag Sis. Jongkaew and me into the mix of things. Didn't have to go to the meeting, but had to help take care of all the greenies. Sis. Jongkaew went back to Bangna with 2 greenies and Sis. Eyestone (who was in the district after me in the MTC) came to me. It was pretty intense because she was depending on me to understand what everyone was saying. I will say that it is amazing how well I was able to understand and speak. If I had to train next transfer, this exchange helped me see that I could do it. Actually, next transfer I'm probably going to be companions with Sis. Eyestone. hahaha! Crazy!!! So, I'd say my language has vastly improved. I somehow seem to understand mostly everything. Just still a problem with speaking...

Well, we're in the process of changing how we teach English. I've been put in charge of teaching the very beginning class AKA the alphabet and how to read. If anyone has any advice email it to my mom and she'll email it to me.

Well, Mom, I must say, you are quite correct on the day I am ending my mission. I go to transfer meeting on Oct. 26th and I'll be riding down the escalator at the airport Oct. 27th in the evening. Home for Halloween!!!! YAY!!! So I only have one year left! Crazy, right?
So... everyone put that on your calendars.... :-)

One of our investigators told us that she doesn't have to read the scriptures at home because her priest said that they study them at church. No need to study them at home. We've had lots of Christian investigators recently. You have no idea how much your conversion story comes in handy. Because they think that people who are Christian don't change to another sect of Christianity. Just Buddhism to Christianity. Your story helps them see that no matter what church you are a part of, you can change. It's weird, I know!

Love you all!!! Can't believe it's already November!!!

Em
Sis. Henderson

Moves 3 or transfers

Hello all!!!

Elder Perkins told us the correct term is not moves but transfer. So this is transfer 3.

Well, the unexpected always happens! Sis. Homsombat and I thought we were staying together but not so! This transfer we had 4 Thai sisters come in so Pres. Smith really had to mix things up. So what happened to me????

I'm in Saphaansung with Sis. Homsombat, Sis. Jolley, and Sis. Jongkaew (or Zhonggao for you Chinese speakers). They split our area for the sisters. I'm in the south with Sis. Jongkaew and Sis. Homsombat is in the north with Sis. Jolley. We live in the same house though! Makes life exciting! This is only for one transfer though. So it's only temporary. Transfer meeting was crazy though! 65% of our mission is under 5 transfers. We're all really young! All the Elders that jopped or went home this past week were all zone leaders and office elders. Crazy!!! Anyways what this means is that I am currently senior companion or pii. Sis. Webb was saying she didn't go pii till transfer 8. Shows you how young everyone is right now. Sis. Hirschi and Sis. Johnson are serving together. They're already fluent so it's no problem.

My companion actually came into the mission with me but left for three weeks for the MTC. Now she's back! She's really great at being bold. I don't think I could ever get away with how bold she is. And this weekend was so scary! We were riding along on our bikes when this car zoomed out of the neighborhood and completely slammed into Sis. Jongkaew. She went flying and all the contents on her bike went flying. I didn't see it but I definitely heard it. She got up and walked away from it. She only has a couple of scrapes and bruises and possibly a sprained ankle. Her bike is in perfect condition. For the speed that car was going at, I'd say it was definitely a miracle.
She says there's nothing wrong with her ankle but it's swollen. I'm taking her to the hospital whether she likes it or not! Oh, by the way, there is no such thing as just a medical clinic. You go to the hospital for everything. Guess it makes it easier if you need some higher technology....

I made microwave cake last night and I've never seen Sis. Jongkaew more excited. Guess I now know the way to her heart! :-) She's been pleading with me to make brownies... any good recipes?

I already know the exact day I'm going home! :-) You'll find out soon! I'll tell you when I hit my year left mark.....

Well, to be honest, there really wasn't much going on this week. We've been doing lots of tracting or inviting because of the split. It's been really cold too! I've been contemplating buying a coat! Ya, you should look at the temperatures this last weekend and you'll know what cold is for me.....

Love you all!!!

Em
Sis. Henderson

Moves October 2010

Emily at the "moves" or transfer meeting.

Cooking show host

Hello Everyone!

The Elders just barely gave us back a family that we gave to them earlier. They keep coming to church but they have many problems with our church. They are Catholic right now and the mom spends the whole time comparing our church to hers. Yesterday was painful meeting with them. She's a tyrant as the Elders call her. When we are in the middle of speaking she'll rudely interrupt and go off on something about her church. Why does she want to know about our church if she loves that one so much? Anyways, if I go into more, it will make me feel frustrated again. Basically I explained that I'm from America and have been to many other church services, you don't have to explain it to me.

I had to go to the office this week to pick up a greenie!!! No, I'm not training! Don't worry! The Thai missionaries come in a week before the foreign ones so we get to be a three-some for a week. It's been a lot of fun! Good stuff!

So we were riding our bikes through the "Oh so perfect Perfect Place" when a car drove up next to us and they rolled down the window. It was Cecil. Cecil is from France. I think I've talked about her before. She's a member and has a really thick French accent. Anyways in her French accent she says, " Good Morning Sisters!" I could've sworn she was moving her hand like in Princess Diaries to say, "thank you for being her today" as she said it. At that moment, I felt like I had just dived into a Keeping up Appearances episode. Ya, she said it just like how Hyacinth would say it. It was weird....

Conference was great! It was all in Thai. What I got from it was something about families, Priesthood, and the Holy Ghost and that's about it. I also learned that jokes don't translate over. There were times when our translator was laughing at the joke before he translated it. It was awkward to be sure.

For lunch I made cookies for the branch. Everyone was in awe of me making cookies. I was placing the dough on the cookie sheets and taking them off and I had quite an audience for that. I felt like I was doing a cooking show or something. Needless to say, the cookies were long gone before the actual food itself. Everyone was telling me that I HAD to teach them how to make them. Hey, at least they were good! Then the members started breaking out Maltesers and dark chocolate and I was like, " Now we're talking..."

This week was bizarre! I was teaching at a recent member's house. The daughter speaks English and Chinese. The Dad speaks English, Chinese, and Thai. Their friend only speaks Thai. So I taught in English and Sis. Homsombat translated it over. Just another crazy lesson with 3 languages. I told Heavenly Father that this puts a whole new spin on language study! Anyways, here's the crazy part. That language was so hard to teach! Words were only coming in Thai, not English. They asked me to pray in English at the end and it was horrible! My companion informed that I literally sounded like a Thai trying to speak English. hahaha! Ya, I'm losing it my friends! Bare with me....

This week is a Chinese holiday where they go vegetarian for a week and the restaurants don't serve meat either.... I'm not a fan.

Okay, well, best go! Love you!!!

Em
Sis. Henderson

Hey!

Hello!

Conference sounds great!!!! I'm so excited for the temple in Indy!!! We have to go when it is done!!! I get to hear conference in Thai.

Oh, last week you talked about how dress standards changed for the Sister missionaries. They announced it my last week in the MTC. I was like, "Go figure! My last week in the MTC and now they decide we don't have to wear nylons." Ya, it's a nice change!

Well, this week has been a super crazy one! We ended up not having a baptism because she wasn't quite ready yet. That's all I'm saying about that....

Tuesday we had a fireside meeting in Asoke. No one knew what it was about. We all sat in the church wondering what on earth we were learning about. Then Pres. Smith announced that today we get to think about after mission stuff. We had people from BYU-Hawaii give a presentation about their school, etc. It was crazy to think about all of that again. I felt like I was in school again....weird. Basically it was for the Thai missionaries who don't get a lot of opportunities to go to school in USA. It was good!

So..... Heavenly Father always has surprises in store for us. On Tuesday, I mailed my letter to Austin explaining how I do not study Chinese anymore nor speak it because there is no one to talk to in Chinese. Well, I feel like I eat my words each week. That night a girl walked into the church. I started speaking in Thai to her and she was like, " No, I no speak Thai! I am Chinese." I was like, " Someone pinch me right now, this is not happening!" We were teaching english that night. She looked at the picture of Christ on the wall and started apologizing for not knowing about who he is. I was like, "Believe me, I know that you don't know." I asked if she wanted to know about him and she energetically said yes. Our first lesson with her was pretty crazy! Nothing like teaching in 3 languages!!! It was insane! My mind was like, "No more!" It was very simple and very eye-openingfor me. Chinese and Thai are not the same. The whole time I kept thinking about how chinese she was. It was great! I was so glad to have all of the Chinese stuff from Austin. So thank you Austin! You saved me there. I taught her how to pray in Chinese. She was just so thrilled to have it in Chinese.

We had companion exchanges with Sis. Jolley this week! That was a blast. And when we were returning, I was in a taxi and I looked out the window to see an elephant walking down the busy streets of Bangkok. I was shocked someone would use an elephant as transportation, but hey, why not?

I'm so proud of Nong Blithe! She's progressing by leaps and yards! On a test in school they asked the question: "Buddha and God are the same. True or False." She put down false because they aren't the same. She got it wrong. I was like, " That question is so unfair. What kind of question is that? Did she tell the teacher about it?" Sis. Homsombat was like, "This is Thailand Sister. You can't just go up to your teacher and tell them about it." I thought it was quite interesting. I'm very proud of Nong Blithe for standing up for her beliefs. She's amazing!

Okay! Well, I love you all!!! Thanks for everything!!!


Em

Sister Henderson