It's a long one!

Hi everyone!
Wow, this week in Thailand has been pretty crazy! Well, let me go throught the days of the week first I guess. Last Monday, Elder Wilson and I went to this huge market in Bang Kapi. There was so much stuff!! And a ton of people too! It was way fun to walk around and look at everything. For lunch I tried this Japanese place where you get to cook your own food right in front of you. They have a coal heated grill and you cook your meat and then eat it right off of the grill. It was way good! Next time I will have to grab a quick picture and send that home.

Then Tuesday was another good day. We only taught 3 out of our four lessons. We had a District meeting as well and on Tuesdays we teach English at the church. We actually get a few investigators in English. One guy, Sid, that we are teaching, came from England, and he is doing pretty well and progressing as an investigator. In our district, there are four of us. Me, Elder Wilson, Sister Crepses (who is going home this next moves), and Sister Urisa (she's a native). The sisters are doing way awesome. Lots of investigators and quite a few almost ready for baptism.

Wow, Wednesday was the craziest day! After we got home to do studies at 1pm, we were told to stay inside the rest of the day. The red-shirts were going to split off into groups and go all around the city and riot. So President Smith told everyone in Bangkok to stay indoors. Then until last night, there was a curfew at 8pm. They also burned down one of the biggest malls in Bangkok, and according to Elder Wilson, it is Huge! ((Bigger that Mall of America)) Plus there had been a lot of people getting shot and no one taking the blame for it.

Then Thursday we had our Zone Conference, which was way awesome! I learned a lot from President Smith, Sister Smith, and our Zone Leaders. President Smith talked a lot about "vision". He also said that all this conflict in Thailand has been creating a spiritual vacuum and we are here to fill it. Which is way awesome! Then Sister Smith spoke on family history work. And about how family history work, temple work, and missionary work is all the same redemptive work. I thought that was way cool. Then I had my first interview with President Smith. He is such a great man and very visionary. He has a lot of hope for Thailand and the church here. So at the beginning of Zone Conference, I was assigned to recite Doctrine and Covenants 4, from memory, and in Thai. It went great! I didn't miss a single word, and I had 3 days to memorize as well. A lot of people were way impressed.

Then Friday was a "normal" day. As if we ever have a normal day. We taught all the lessons we planned for and most of them went great. We have this one investigator, Dawng (I can't type in Thai, so this is close to what it sounds like, the sound of a heavy church bell.) He is pretty new, but reads the scriptures everyday and prays! It is way awesome. We got him from some other Elders to start teaching.

Well, on Saturday, Elder Wilson started to get sick a little bit. We did a ton of inviting that morning (I got a little burnt), and then went and interiewed one of the Sister's investigators for baptism. We only taught 2 lessons out of the 6 that we wanted to do. We went home a little early to plan first and so that Elder Wilson could go to sleep. Before bed, he had a 101.5 degree fever.

Then Sunday morning it was up to 102.4. So we stayed home all Sunday. He slept and I did a lot of studying. It was a very long day, for me at least. We both missed going to a Stake Conference that Elder Hallstrom, of the Presidency of the Seventy and Bishop Burton, of the Presiding Bishopric both attended. Appearantly, it was way good. We also got a ton of rain on Saturday ad Sunday. It was crazy. Elder Oaks only came to Bangkok for the leadership broadcast and then left Sunday morning and is now in Cambodia. So, President Smith, said that at the leadership broadcast, Elder Oaks left a blessing on the city and the country. This is the first time that 4 General Authorities have been in Thailand at once. Elder Pratt was also here, accompaning Elder Oaks.

And finally, today. We had a mission conference with Elder Hallstrom. I was able to shake his hand and talk to him for a little bit. He gave any amazing talk. I would write about it, but I left my notes at the apartment. Next week, if I remember, I will write about it. So, I am not sure what we are going to do the rest of the day. Probably relax and finish up laundry. Well, being here in Thailand has been way awesome. I love it here. The people are so amazing. I miss you all!

Love,
Elder Ackerman