Pictures from Thailand

The District

Me talking to a cow

Riding our bikes into the sunset

Me on some ruins of an old Buddhist Temple

This is the cockroaches we caught in one day in the shape of a heart! Love You!

The dogs I have to face EVERYDAY!!!!





A monkey for Holly

Dressed as angels for the branch's Christmas pageant

Singing at the pageant

'Tis the Christmas Season

Hello!

This week has been great! Met lots of new investigators. We've done some service too for the branch. They're preparing the church for the "Journey to Bethlehem" this Saturday. Every room is decorated wall to floor. It's a completely different place! I'll have many pictures next week about that one. It's really neat how full out they go for this!

Pres. and Sis. Smith are coming here on Christmas Eve so that will be fun!

We had a great training in Bangkok this week too! It was really good!

Well, that's about it! Sorry, I can't think of anything that happened this week! We just had a week full of dogs attacking us. Needless to say, Sis. Supansa and I had to build barricades to escape them!

Love you all!!!

Sis. Henderson

Hello Again!!!!

Monkeys in the city

Emily in Lopburri

My new companion, Sister Supansa

My last area, Saphann Sun

Bangkok, notice all the cars and motorcycles

Hello!

Glad to hear that the Christmas season is up and going! Save some cookies for me!!!!!

Dad, Happy Father's Day!!!! Yesterday was the King's birthday, so it is father's day too! Hope you had a great Sunday!!!!

Well, last week I got off the computer and realized that I hadn't told you about my amazing companion. Her name is Sis. Supansa (I sent a picture). She's from Bangkok. Her 2 older sisters and older brother served missions and now she is. Sis. Lifferth actually was companions with her older sister. I'm just following my Maa's footsteps! Anyways, her family is all Chinese but they all live in Thailand. She's really fun! This is only her 2nd moves so it's quite an adventure! Oh, she also is fluent in English. She went to BYU-Hawaii for a year and a half before coming on a mission. People often don't believe her when she says that she is Thai. hahaha!!!

My district leader, Elder Baker, is so crazy and that's what makes it fun! He said his official title is the mission entertainment supervisor. He's just hilarious! It's really a lot of fun to work with him and his greenie, Elder Heslop.

This week we went inviting (tracting as you old people call it) in a neighborhood that we've never been to before! It was also hit with flooding. They're just barely starting to recover from it. When we first entered the neighborhood, the walls had holes in them like cannons were fired or something. Turns out it's just water damage. We talked to a family who was in the process of cleaning the walls of their house of mold and dirt. (the houses were under water for 2 weeks) It's quite fun riding through those neighborhoods because it's all a remodeling zone. Everyone is painting their houses in bright colors! It's so colorful!!!

We were inviting a person who works at a movie/CD store. She really wants to learn but her boss will only allow her one day off in a month! I was like, "Are you serious?" It's really sad!

Recently we've been riding around Monkey city and I must say, I appreciate Holly's prayers. They are so scary! If you have something that they want, they'll pounce on you and take it. It takes a lot of courage to walk around there.

It still amazes me everyday how we'll be inviting and I'll just take a random turn and find a random person who has been wanting to learn about the gospel. It's fantastic how it all works!!!

Love you all!!!

Sis. Henderson

Em

Lopburi!!!!!

Emily and her new companion

Hello everyone!!!!

Oh my gosh I LOVE my new area!!!! I've been thinking, "Where have you been this whole time?" It's just so amazing! I can't even describe it!

Lopburi is about a 2 hour drive from Bangkok. Not bad! It's like a Rexburg in comparision to my other area. I think that's why I like it! It's still very much a city, but it also has a lot of jungle around it. Not to mention this place is busseling with tourists. Lopburi is the land of the monkeys and has a lot of history too. So people go to see these ancient wats and a palace too! It's really cool! I'm biking around looking at all of this in amazement. No worries, pictures are coming your way!
Tracting is a blast because it's like hiking through the jungle! It's great! No, I haven't had to use a masheti (sword) yet.
And the monkeys. They're everywhere! Fortunately they are confined to a certain area of the city. When we drove into Lopburi my first thought was, "This reminds of The Jungle Book!" Monkeys all over these ancient buildings! Then in the city, they hangout on the roofs, powerlines, and sidewalks. Needless to say, all the vendors have sticks to wack the monkeys away from their goods. Apparently they are rather mischievious! A couple of months ago, the monkeys hopped on the train (it goes straight through the middle of Lopburi) rode it to the next city. Raided the food stands near the station and hopped on the train and went back to Lopburi. hahaha! Crazy!

The branch here is really nice! The day I arrived here was Thanksgiving. All of the missionaries in Bangkok get to go to a foreigner's house for Thanksgiving but we don't get that luxury. The members felt bad for us so they made Thanksgiving dinner for us. They had chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and cake! It was definitely an unforgettable Thanksgiving. One of the members called us over early because she was panicked that none of it tasted right. She was quizzing me about how to make gravy. As you know, I was useless in that field. Then I was rushed into another room for my fitting. I'm going to be an angel for the Christmas activity and they're having me sing too. Fortunately not solo! After that, the branch gathered together and shared the information they learned about Thanksgiving through research online. Then they told everyone that we couldn't eat till everyone got up and shared a 2 minute talk! That's an idea for you Dad to get people to speak. Great evening indeed!

So my ankles officially have caluses on them because I sit cross-legged on the tile floor so much! Weird!

I don't know if you heard about all of the flooding in Thailand... Anyways, Lopburi was one of those areas hit with flooding. The missionaries last moves spent 3 weeks with the army and volunteers helping clean everything up and such. We went to a house last night that got flooded. The water was up the 2nd storey window! Right now it looks like nothing ever happened. That family was interesting to teach. The father informed us that we will all die in 7 days. Wasn't sure if he just watched a movie or what. hahaha!

Anyways, more stories in the future!

Thanks Monty, Berna and Sis. Mack for your letters!!!

Love you all!!!

Sis. Henderson

Em

Bangkok East Zone Conference November 17, 2010

I think this is Emily's companion

Missionaries serving in the Bangkok East Zone

Emily with Janis Smith, the Mission President's wife

Last week......

Hello!

It's been a fantastic last week here in SaphaanSung. I really am moving this time. I've been here too long I'm afraid. Everyone thinks I'm going North. Most likely Lopuri AKA the land of the monkeys!!!!! I really hope I do! That would be an adventure! Apparently you have to always keep track of your bag and hold onto everything tight. I guess the monkeys are used to getting their way. hahaha! Wherever I go, it will be great!

This week we had Zone Conference which was fantastic! We learned about our Area book and planning. (stuff they don't tell you in the MTC) It's really something we all needed since we're all new. It was great! Lots of pictures taken, that's for sure! Oh, I thought you might like my new rule that Sis. Meyers suggested. I have to take one photo a day. So far I'm doing great! I'm working on buying a card reader so that I can send pictures to you in my emails. We had the doctor come and give us a lecture about health. I liked what he said, "You only have to floss the teeth you want to keep." So, it's nice there's options! :-)

This week Pii Bu has stopped drinking coffee. She became severely ill from it. Vomiting, headache, etc. She couldn't even get out of bed she was so weak. She was telling us, I now understand why God doesn't want us to drink coffee if this is what it does to us. She definitely gained a testimony of that one! She was so bad that we asked some priesthood holders in the branch to come and give her a blessing. It was great! Her husband was there to watch it too! That was exactly what I wanted him to see. Needless to say, we went over the next morning and she was completely normal, completely healed. I commented how she looked like she was dying yesterday and now she's better. She laughed and talked about how instant the blessing took effect. Received a testimony of the priesthood too! Later, she hosted a dinner party! hahaha! I love her!

This week at church a very interesting experience took place. A lady walked into church saying that she wanted to worship with us. Later I sat down next to her in sacrament meeting and she started to speak in perfect English. She's from California but was originally born here in Thailand. She's trying to get to her family down in the south. She explained how she graduated in ministry. I was thinking, "Why am I constantly running into Christians this moves?" Anyways, she explained how she liked the name of our church. I explained the meaning. She sat through all the classes. Even contributed in discussions. Later we gave her a Book of Mormon. Sis. Jolley and I became companions for a day. We had her read the 2 last paragraphs in the introduction. After reading it she said that it was true. She exclaimed how she knows this church is true, how the BofM is true, and how Joseph Smith is a man of God. She talked about how she was on a bus and she felt liked she needed to turn her head and look out the window. When she did, she saw our church. She felt that God wanted her to go to that church. Obviously she did. We taught her an amazing lesson. (she's amazing) She talked about how she really thinks the only reason she had to come to Thailand was to receive this knowledge. She even talked about how before she came to Thailand, she received revelation that she would receive a "new bible." She was so thrilled to receive the Book of Mormon. I hope it helps her receive new direction in her life.

So, ya! Lots of miracles!

Last night was the Floating Festival. I don't really know anything about it, but I went to it! It was really cool to watch. Everyone makes these flower boats that have a candle on it. They make a wish and then push it off into the water. (Don't worry, I got pictures!) Needless to say, everyone was there to make wishes and watch the fireworks. (we did lots of following up!) Some people make these mini hot air balloons that they send off into the sky. The sky was lit up with everyone's wishes! I wish you all could've seen it!

The weather has been really hot which is quite the opposite to be said in your neck of the woods. hahaha! Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Thank you all for supporting me!!!
Everyone keep looking for ways to strengthen the ward you are living in!!!


Love you!

Sis. Henderson

It's Me...... Again

Hello!

So... this might shock you..... Everyone should sit down before reading this.... I have started teaching someone how to play the piano. Not that I wanted to but she wants to learn so whatever. I know! Good thing I'm not there to hear everything you would say, mom. She's definitely got a gift. She's never played before, but at the end of our first lesson, she could play How Gentle God's Commands by herself. Wow! I was impressed!

So this week I made cookie dough and every night we scoop some into a bowl and microwave it and then scoop some ice cream on it. It's been divine! Yes, a cookie monster!

I'm not going to lie, I'm super glad this week is over! Everyone we talked to this week was Christian. What in the world? They all asked super hard questions. Never had to study so hard for investigators. I'm only used to teaching Buddhists so it was really different.

Went on exchanges with Sis. Meyer in Bangkapi. It was great! Walked down a street fearlessly with 7 dogs barking at us and following us! Okay, no I was scared but we pressed on! It was great! I loved it! Weird to think she's finishing in 5 weeks.

A member at church informed me that I've gained weight. hahaha! Maybe you should stop feeding me!!!!

Thanks Virginia for your letter!!!!

Well, that's all I've got this week!

Love you all!

Em
Sis. Henderson