Hey Everyone,
Well I am no longer in Buriram. I am now in Sisaket. Which happens to be only 3 hours away by bus. So I will let you know what this past week looked like.
Monday: A pretty normal P-Day. Elder Chapman and I cleaned the house and reorganized the furniture. Too bad I was going to be moving...oh well, the house looks way good. We were able to teach a lesson or two.
Tuesday: Well, we had our last District meeting together in Buriram. That is when I found out I was transferring to Sisaket and that Elder Campbell was transferring from Surin as well. I found out I would be companions with Elder Siripan. He is a Thai Elder from Chiang Mai. I though that was pretty cool. I finally have a Thai companion. We taught the normal English class and taught Bee afterwards.
Wednesday: Well I took a few hours to pack up all my stuff. We were able to get out and work for a few hours before having to go to the train station. I don't know why they are taking the train. It is much slower and more expensive. Oh well. So Elder Chapman went to Bangkok on the train with everyone else and then Elder Siripan was dropped off in Buriram for a bus ride in the morning.
Thursday: A nice quick 3 hour bus ride in the morning with all my stuff and I was in Sisaket. That was actually really nice to not have to go to Bangkok. But it was sad too. I didn't get to see all of my friends at the transfers meeting. It was a good day of planning, working, teaching 3 lessons and all that good stuff. They have some good investigators. Oh yeah and this used to be the ZL's area. Sisaket has 4 Elders total in the city. Elder Siripan and I whitewashed the area. That was fun :). Oh and Elder Larson in my group is now a Zone Leader in Chiang Mai. That's crazy. We have one investigator who is getting baptized on the 26th of this month.
Friday: We taught 5 lessons. That was a fun day. I really like it here and Elder Siripan is a great companion and a hard worker. This is his 4th transfer in Sisaket but his 1st in a new area. So who knows how long he could be here for. It was a full day of teaching and visiting people. The members here are great and a brother just got a mission call to Australia. There are already 2 out in Thailand from SIsaket. This branch is doing very well.
Saturday: Got the interview done for Deang (going to be baptized on the 26th). Passed with no problems. It is pretty nice to practically have a free baptism. We haven't had to do any teaching. The Zone Leaders did all that for us. :) The Zone leader area is now in Ubon. Another investigator of 9 years got interviewed for the 4th time. He is waiting First Presidency approval to be baptised. He is 69 years old and had killed someone when he was 23. It has taken a long time. We are starting the process again and really hoping we get an answer this time on if he can get baptised. He is very tired of all the waiting.
Sunday: The branch has about 80 people who go regularly. We also had 4 investigators at church from the 2 areas here in SIsaket. We taught another 4 or so lessons and found some new people to begin teaching. The other Elders here are Elder Brix, who used to be Elder Siripan's companion, and Elder Cotrell, who came from Ayutaya. It is a fun house. :)
Well that is all for this week. I love you all!
Elder Ackerman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Week #42
Hey all,
Wow, so this was pretty good as well. Although, my companion has gone through quite the ordeal with ingrown toenails. Oh boy.
Monday: Was a fun day. Took a sweet bus ride from Surin to Ubon. It was a super nice bus. Nice big seats, massages, and food as well. It was great for a 3 hour bus ride. Took our P-Day in Ubon. Went to a really cool restaurant. It is called Peppers and is owned by an Australian guy. The Elders in Ubon usually go once a week to eat. Way good hamburgers. Then waited at the church for interviews with President Smith. After that was all done, Elder Chapman and I went out to teach a lesson or two and the first guy we talked to, we sat down and taught a way cool lesson. Plus we stayed in a hotel again. I forgot how real showers feel like. The one we have in houses are usual just electric heated and terrible pressure. Oh well, one of the sacrifices.
Tuesday: The fantastic 4 hour zone conference. We got an hour long lecture from President Smith on the Atonement. It was very cool. Reminds me of the talk "The Meaning of the Atonement", by Skousen. I suggest a look at that. Then had some really good training from the Zone Leaders. Then a fantastic lunch. We had our zone activity at a Thai historical museum and then we went bowling :) That was sweet. President Smith was totally in there bowling. Probably one of the few times he has to take a break. Then a great 3 hour bus ride to Surin for exchanges.
Wednesday: I was in Surin with Elder Mondragon. We had a really good day. Taught several lessons and gave some people baptismal dates. It was a lot of fun and really successful. They have some really cool investigators. Then for the news from Buriram with Elder Campbell and Elder Chapman. Elder Campbell called Sister Smith about Elder Chapman's ingrown toenails. So that called for a hospital visit and surgery on both toes. He couldn't walk all day on them.
Thursday: Elder Campbell called for another day of exchanges. So I was still in Surin for another day. Turned out alright. It wasn't like Wednesday for sure. A lot of our appointments fell through. Oh and my bike broke as well. Needed a new tire, the side wall collapsed. Oh well.
Friday: Back in Buriram. Well, we are having to visit the hospital everyday to get Elder Chapman's dressings changed. That is fun. The nurses at the hospital know us so well. We only got one lesson taught and he has learned with the Elders before, but like 20 years ago! That was cool. Then we had out long planning for the next week. Turned out to be a good day.
Saturday: It was a way good day here in Buriram. Saw a lot of investigators and the such. Had some really good lessons. Although they were pretty normal lessons. Nothing that really stands out. Although Bee always asks the hard questions. Specifically in 1 Nephi chapter 13 and 14. That was fun to try and explain.
Sunday: Now this was an amazing day to start out. We have 3 investigators at the beginning of church. So we are already pretty happy. Then at the last ten minutes, a teenage guy walks in, followed by another, and another, and another, and another. 5 guys walked in! Elder Chapman and I are looking that the members just shrugging our shoulders. We have no idea were they came from! Unfortunately, they only stayed for the rest of the 1st hour and the 2nd hour. We got there information and we are going to try and see them again. So we kind of had 8 investigators at church. The members were very shocked. Then the day went downhill. We took the needed trip to the hospital. Oh boy. They, the nurses, started to dig into Elder Chapman's toes and pull out left out tissue and gauze. Yeah that hurt. I had to help hold his legs down while they worked on him. There went the rest of the day. Couldn't walk again. Said it felt like they did the surgery all over again.
Well, that is my week of adventures in the Orient Thailand.
Love,
Elder Ackerman
Wow, so this was pretty good as well. Although, my companion has gone through quite the ordeal with ingrown toenails. Oh boy.
Monday: Was a fun day. Took a sweet bus ride from Surin to Ubon. It was a super nice bus. Nice big seats, massages, and food as well. It was great for a 3 hour bus ride. Took our P-Day in Ubon. Went to a really cool restaurant. It is called Peppers and is owned by an Australian guy. The Elders in Ubon usually go once a week to eat. Way good hamburgers. Then waited at the church for interviews with President Smith. After that was all done, Elder Chapman and I went out to teach a lesson or two and the first guy we talked to, we sat down and taught a way cool lesson. Plus we stayed in a hotel again. I forgot how real showers feel like. The one we have in houses are usual just electric heated and terrible pressure. Oh well, one of the sacrifices.
Tuesday: The fantastic 4 hour zone conference. We got an hour long lecture from President Smith on the Atonement. It was very cool. Reminds me of the talk "The Meaning of the Atonement", by Skousen. I suggest a look at that. Then had some really good training from the Zone Leaders. Then a fantastic lunch. We had our zone activity at a Thai historical museum and then we went bowling :) That was sweet. President Smith was totally in there bowling. Probably one of the few times he has to take a break. Then a great 3 hour bus ride to Surin for exchanges.
Wednesday: I was in Surin with Elder Mondragon. We had a really good day. Taught several lessons and gave some people baptismal dates. It was a lot of fun and really successful. They have some really cool investigators. Then for the news from Buriram with Elder Campbell and Elder Chapman. Elder Campbell called Sister Smith about Elder Chapman's ingrown toenails. So that called for a hospital visit and surgery on both toes. He couldn't walk all day on them.
Thursday: Elder Campbell called for another day of exchanges. So I was still in Surin for another day. Turned out alright. It wasn't like Wednesday for sure. A lot of our appointments fell through. Oh and my bike broke as well. Needed a new tire, the side wall collapsed. Oh well.
Friday: Back in Buriram. Well, we are having to visit the hospital everyday to get Elder Chapman's dressings changed. That is fun. The nurses at the hospital know us so well. We only got one lesson taught and he has learned with the Elders before, but like 20 years ago! That was cool. Then we had out long planning for the next week. Turned out to be a good day.
Saturday: It was a way good day here in Buriram. Saw a lot of investigators and the such. Had some really good lessons. Although they were pretty normal lessons. Nothing that really stands out. Although Bee always asks the hard questions. Specifically in 1 Nephi chapter 13 and 14. That was fun to try and explain.
Sunday: Now this was an amazing day to start out. We have 3 investigators at the beginning of church. So we are already pretty happy. Then at the last ten minutes, a teenage guy walks in, followed by another, and another, and another, and another. 5 guys walked in! Elder Chapman and I are looking that the members just shrugging our shoulders. We have no idea were they came from! Unfortunately, they only stayed for the rest of the 1st hour and the 2nd hour. We got there information and we are going to try and see them again. So we kind of had 8 investigators at church. The members were very shocked. Then the day went downhill. We took the needed trip to the hospital. Oh boy. They, the nurses, started to dig into Elder Chapman's toes and pull out left out tissue and gauze. Yeah that hurt. I had to help hold his legs down while they worked on him. There went the rest of the day. Couldn't walk again. Said it felt like they did the surgery all over again.
Well, that is my week of adventures in the Orient Thailand.
Love,
Elder Ackerman
Week #41
Hello!
Well, Thailand is doing good. I heard from a member that there was fighting between Cambodia and Thailand. Angkor Wat was built by the Thai's but is in Cambodian land. It is very old and a very famous wat. That is all that I know about it. This last week has been pretty good and this next week will be fun as well.
Monday: Just a normal preparation for the two of us here in Buriram. Went out teaching in the evening and came home without anything. For some reason lately, getting lessons Monday night has been kind of hard.
Tuesday: We went to Surin in the morning for the weekly district meeting with the other Elders in our District. It was fun and then Elder Campbell came back to Buriram with me for an exchange the rest of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning. Taught the usual English class and taught Bee afterwards and had a really good lesson on prayer and receiving a spiritual confirmation.
Wednesday: This was a fun day. We taught and old guy, 70+ years. He was drunk and we asked the question, why do you drink? He then went into an explanation of being a soldier in the Vietnam war. If I understood right, he saw a mother and a father killed while the children watched. He broke into tears and kept saying "mai ow", which translates to "no want". It was very sad and touching and as we continued explaining about Christ and the Book of Mormon, and the Atonement, his countenance changed and was practically begging for the book. We happily gave him a copy. He went from sad to happy and hopeful. It was the most amazing change I have ever seen. Then we taught another lesson right after to a couple of guys who happen to live 20 km from that spot, each in the opposite direction. They were fairly interested, I just don't know how to get out and teach them...we only have bikes...oh well. Then another lesson with Bee. We talked about how important church is. We have been trying to get her to come to all three hours of church. So after a good conversation, we knelt down and prayed and after we had waited and pondered in silence, Elder Campbell spoke through the Spirit and practically prophesied. If she went to church all 3 hours, she would receive an answer and her restaurant would sell better than usual on a Sunday. If she did not attend all 3 hours, then the restaurant would have somehting dangerous happen and then the place would have problems. Way crazy lesson.
Thursday: Was only able to teach one lesson. We taught the old guy from the previous day and he is very hard to teach, mainly because he is old. Although he has an unconquerable faith that God exists. Pretty cool. We had the usual planning for the next week.
Friday: Taught some good lessons that day. They turned out good. Mainly lots of follow up visits and checking up on investigators. We taught one lady and her husband and beforehand we were talking about Thailand and learning the language and I was able to spit off some Loas and Cambodian that I had learned along the way. They thought that it was funny that these two weird looking white guys could do all that. Needless to say, that opened them up to our message. It was fun.
Saturday: Taught the old guy from Wednesday again and invited him to attend church and that we could have a member some pick him up if it was needed. He told us he was not ready to attend church. Interesting answer I thought and we tried to explain that we worship God and church and that we could help him do that. Still said no. Maybe next week. Also taught a cool guy that was very interested about what we had to teach. We gave him a soft baptismal commitment and that he would be baptised if it was true. It was great. Then we taught Bee again. talked some more about church and she said she would try the 3 hours.
Sunday: A good Sunday. Oh the day before we meet a kid and his mom come into the chruch just when we happened to be there. Usually the church is locked and closed. They came in and the 15 yr old kid asked what it would take to be a member. So we quickly invited him to church and that we could talk more and explain more then. He went to all 3 hours and we had a lesson afterwards and he now has a baptismal goal for the 19th of March. He had just returned form Russia as an exchange student and while there attended the Russia Orthodox church. There isn't an Orthodox church here in Buriram, so somehow, he was lead to us, just when we happened to be at the church. It was very cool. He reminds me of Nate Harris when he first moved to Eden Prairie. Then Bee went to all 3 hours as well. That was sweet. Taught another lesson during the day, went home and at 7pm got on a bus to Surin for a Tuesday Zone Conference.
That is all for this week!! I love you all!
Elder Ackerman
Well, Thailand is doing good. I heard from a member that there was fighting between Cambodia and Thailand. Angkor Wat was built by the Thai's but is in Cambodian land. It is very old and a very famous wat. That is all that I know about it. This last week has been pretty good and this next week will be fun as well.
Monday: Just a normal preparation for the two of us here in Buriram. Went out teaching in the evening and came home without anything. For some reason lately, getting lessons Monday night has been kind of hard.
Tuesday: We went to Surin in the morning for the weekly district meeting with the other Elders in our District. It was fun and then Elder Campbell came back to Buriram with me for an exchange the rest of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning. Taught the usual English class and taught Bee afterwards and had a really good lesson on prayer and receiving a spiritual confirmation.
Wednesday: This was a fun day. We taught and old guy, 70+ years. He was drunk and we asked the question, why do you drink? He then went into an explanation of being a soldier in the Vietnam war. If I understood right, he saw a mother and a father killed while the children watched. He broke into tears and kept saying "mai ow", which translates to "no want". It was very sad and touching and as we continued explaining about Christ and the Book of Mormon, and the Atonement, his countenance changed and was practically begging for the book. We happily gave him a copy. He went from sad to happy and hopeful. It was the most amazing change I have ever seen. Then we taught another lesson right after to a couple of guys who happen to live 20 km from that spot, each in the opposite direction. They were fairly interested, I just don't know how to get out and teach them...we only have bikes...oh well. Then another lesson with Bee. We talked about how important church is. We have been trying to get her to come to all three hours of church. So after a good conversation, we knelt down and prayed and after we had waited and pondered in silence, Elder Campbell spoke through the Spirit and practically prophesied. If she went to church all 3 hours, she would receive an answer and her restaurant would sell better than usual on a Sunday. If she did not attend all 3 hours, then the restaurant would have somehting dangerous happen and then the place would have problems. Way crazy lesson.
Thursday: Was only able to teach one lesson. We taught the old guy from the previous day and he is very hard to teach, mainly because he is old. Although he has an unconquerable faith that God exists. Pretty cool. We had the usual planning for the next week.
Friday: Taught some good lessons that day. They turned out good. Mainly lots of follow up visits and checking up on investigators. We taught one lady and her husband and beforehand we were talking about Thailand and learning the language and I was able to spit off some Loas and Cambodian that I had learned along the way. They thought that it was funny that these two weird looking white guys could do all that. Needless to say, that opened them up to our message. It was fun.
Saturday: Taught the old guy from Wednesday again and invited him to attend church and that we could have a member some pick him up if it was needed. He told us he was not ready to attend church. Interesting answer I thought and we tried to explain that we worship God and church and that we could help him do that. Still said no. Maybe next week. Also taught a cool guy that was very interested about what we had to teach. We gave him a soft baptismal commitment and that he would be baptised if it was true. It was great. Then we taught Bee again. talked some more about church and she said she would try the 3 hours.
Sunday: A good Sunday. Oh the day before we meet a kid and his mom come into the chruch just when we happened to be there. Usually the church is locked and closed. They came in and the 15 yr old kid asked what it would take to be a member. So we quickly invited him to church and that we could talk more and explain more then. He went to all 3 hours and we had a lesson afterwards and he now has a baptismal goal for the 19th of March. He had just returned form Russia as an exchange student and while there attended the Russia Orthodox church. There isn't an Orthodox church here in Buriram, so somehow, he was lead to us, just when we happened to be at the church. It was very cool. He reminds me of Nate Harris when he first moved to Eden Prairie. Then Bee went to all 3 hours as well. That was sweet. Taught another lesson during the day, went home and at 7pm got on a bus to Surin for a Tuesday Zone Conference.
That is all for this week!! I love you all!
Elder Ackerman
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