Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Marie was right...my bum has never hurt more than it does riding a bike

Hey Family! :) 

    Shorter letter today.... I'm doing AMAZING..... I had no idea the Lord has this amazing adventure in my life planned out for me. I'm seeing miracles left and right and my personal testimony is being strengthened like crazy...

    Soooo I had a dream! That I served a full mission. And I came home! And I was at the airport. And I get off the plane and there is my family..... And I'm soooo excited... And who runs up to me? Owen.... And Owen gives me the BIGGEST hug and starts bawling his little eyes out and was like Emilee I missed you so much. And I look around and everyone is like bawling because who would've have guessed Owen would be the one to do that. And It was the sweetest dream I ever had... I MISS MY LITTLE NUGGETS! Seriously toughest part about being on a mission is watching those nuggets grow up with out me! But that's okay..... I knew it would be hard....
Also, Tyler Phelps. How was your birthday. My last letter was supposed to make you feel guilty that you haven't written me in ages! Punk face. I want to see pictures of your kid....

    This week family I saw miracles happen! Sister Carter and I fasted..... One day we felt the need to fast for 24 hours.... which is a new thing that I've never experienced hunger like before. But yes... we fasted for this area to get more investigators.... We currently have  3 progressing investigators. They are SOLID. THey are single adult girls ages 20-22 and they have become our best friend. Nam, Pii, and Yuueey. Wow that's hard to write in English haha. Two of them are getting baptized next week and one is probably the first of September... They are brand new investigators we found the first time we fasted the first week we were in Thailand....And guess what happened. Something so classic.... We go to the park yesterday morning, and find a women on a bench. Feeling prompted we sit down with her and start talking about God. And the best part is that she spoke perfect English... So we had this beautiful conversation in English and Thai. She is probably like 25 and we just asked her about God. And she was like, I will be honest I don't believe in God But the way you represent yourselves is really inspiring. My life is not good, and you guys look so happy. So we taught this women how to pray. To ask God if he was real... And she said she would. And she was telling us that she has never been to that park before. But something told her to go that day. SO she went. And was so inspired about our message of God, Jesus Christ, and Prayer. She was so astonished that we would give our lives up for 18 months to pay and come serve a mission.... She was so perfect. And So willing to hear the gospel. And I know that she needs the gospel and she wants to meet with us because she wants us to help her make some life decisions... Me and Sister Carter were like, Well.... We can help you make one. Join the church. Haha. We didn't say that last part, because she probably would've accepted. But anyways. It was amazing! We know she is going to get baptized! And we have so many more people that want to talk to us... I feel so blessed to be in a country where no matter how Buddhist anyone is they will always talk to you about the Gospel.... AHHHHH I HAVE THE BEST MISSION...... Fasting. Brings. Miracles. If the intention is right."

    This week was fast. I won't lie. I swear I was just emailing you! I went to Non Khai last week to visit the Border of Loas! Pretty much the coolest thing in the world to see the separartion between Thailand and Loas and the economic differences..... I had a companion exchange with a Khon Thai! Crazy, My Thai improved because all she could say/sing in English were two things. "poop"(Obviously we were friends) and"Heyyyyy Sexy Ladddy..." Gangam Style. Yup..... It's huge here... It's weird. All my cups have Gangam Style guy on it.... haha.. Classic. Anways. The thing with native Thai missionaries is they are lazy and disobedient.... It's a known fact..... We ended up not doing much missionary work, went shopping so she could get some shoes, and went on a date with some flamboyant men. Don't worry it wasn't a date... It just wasn't missionary appropriate and they were less actives..... Soooooo, But truth be told is I learned a TON from that experience and how hard of a missionary I want to work....

    Funny is still all around. You know me... Let's see. I am pretty sure I officially broke my intestines this week.... I don't even understand! They feel like they are going to explode every morning. And Sister Carter is still the same way. So I'm just going to have to suffer like every other missionary.... But yes haha. Okay so I'm with my Khon Thai companion and I had to use the bathroom. So we get to the bathroom and I just am obviously experiencing terrible Thai food reactions.... And then, I look over, no toilet paper..... And I'm like. Oh shoot. I don't know the word for Toilet paper in Thai.... And I'm like, "Sister Kitima, may mii toilet paper." And then I hear the worst words any American with an upset intestine would be sad to hear. "Toilet Paper kxx aray?" (What is toilet paper) I'm like, Great. I'm screwed. It took me a painful 5 minutes trying to describe toilet paper to her in every possible descriptive word I know.... Jeeeeez...

Hahaha. Oh my Thai. Definitely improving everyday. I can finally read like a normal person. Speaking i'm slow at, and understanding is way better than when I entered the country... But when someone speaks straight up Aseon, Sister Carter and I have to walk away, because, we have never learned that language! It's frustrating...
My food i always crave off the streets is an omelet. Yes. A friend delicious omelet oh my gosh! Soooooo gooooood. I cannot get over it. Ever..... It's got like Thai spices and vegetables and this chile sauce. Oh my gosh. I need one for lunch I just decided...... Pad Thai and fried rice is still a classic dish. And fresh spring egg rolls and Vietnamese Thai food. And Papaya salad. To die for...I really have because a vegetarian. I just can't get over the fact that they never refrigerate meat. And they let it sit in the sun. I just can't do it. Ever.... It's depressing. Expect I will In like restaurants and nice place. I miss cheese a lot too. I will never get cheese here... A wheel of Gouda Cheese about 200 dollars hear.... normal packs of cheese is like 10 dollars or something. Just too expensive.... Sad.... The weather is nice. Just pours everyday.. I'm tired of being wet sometimes. But it's hot so it really doesn't bother me too much:)
Love you much, Keep it up!

Sister Phelps

Me and Loas:) I love it so much

Sister Painter and I in a Tug Tug

Me and Bathroom sign.... It's a cool Bathroom Sign

Me and Sister Gitima

My cool new elephant Pants... I love them

Can you guess how many 7/11 in these photos? haha. Thailand is so ridiculous.



Just some of my favorite investigators that got baptized yesterday.... My hair was so wet... Also we had 6 baptisms this last week in 2 branches. How amazing....



Sister Carter and I on our bikes this morning:)

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

I HAVE A NIECE!

    You don't even know how happy I am to be at a computer this morning! It was a holiday in Thailand (way too many) and it was crazy trying to find an internet cafe!! I love my niece!!! Little Lyla is so beautiful! I made sister Carter race her bicycle with me to get here as fast as we can! I opened the email and cried....... a little.... I was happy to hear everything is good and that Mckay is the stud that I would always hope he will remain..... AHH:) 

    Happy birthday to the Punk Brother of mine that has only written me ONCE so far:) Tomorrow in Thailand is your birthday. Don't worry I didn't forget.... I'm in some search of some elephant ties here. They are everywhere when it's not pday...But pday seems to hate me:) But I will send a tiny package when I find some! 
Thailand is great! I love my life. It's honestly been so hard this week. Language is definitely not my strength speaking, but understanding I can do.... It's great. I feel like I know way more than If I would've came here without the Lord and I'm getting better everyday... So I'm good. And the Thai people are just way too awesome!
We have a baptism this week hopefully to try to meet our goal this month. Her name is Yuueey and she is the cutest girl we have ever met. She is so in tune with the Spirit and is just strong. She is awesome. We found her 2 weeks ago at english. It's great. Work in the field is so much thanks to english class. It's the best day out of the week with new investigators that just feel the spirit at our church and want to learn more and realize it's the only true church. So yes.... :)

    So this week was pretty normal and scheduled like. We haven't really found anyone new to teach but we went on a companion exchange this week and my companion was a KHON THAI (a missionary native to Thailand). I could only speak Thai for a whole day. It really did help me a ton! I really improved and she was so cute and nice. I forgot to take a picture with her but oh well. Sister Carter is sister training leader over the whole Aseon sisters so we go on companion exchanges once a week. It's a lot of traveling and pretty hard to organize our lives most of the time. We have 2 comp exchanges this week and I'll be with another Khon Thai. I'm excited....

    Thailand is SO crazy family... You wouldn't believe the crazy here..... cats and dogs EVERYWHERE! Stray ugly and old... And skinny. And gross.... No wonder there is so much mystery meat at the street vendors:) The scariest moments of my mission is when there is a dog that starts chasing me..... I'm not even kidding my heart starts beating so fast... It's only happened once.... But if they bite you and It breaks skin you have to get a rabies shot. Ain't no body got time for that..... But yeah.... I hate them...... 

    Udon is basically a jungle family..... it's the most beautiful fun little place ever... It looks like a movie riding my bike swerving between cars (Yes I do that. Sister Carter IS a beast).... But the house are old and stacked on each other.... My town house is so nice. I'm going to send a picture of the outside......

    Thai People are so funny family. I've never met more ridiculous sinners in my life. Haha. Like in a humorous way. One day me and sister Carter are going to get food and the vendor comes up to us and is drunk and he wais (greets) us and is like, "I am a dog." In english.... And me and sister Carter just start ROLLING. It was so funny. With the most Asian accent say that. Oh gosh. My life is so complete right now... Also when we got to Thailand family, I keep forgetting to tell you this but all the workers in the mission office are thai and they come up to ME.  and is like. Oh my gosh! It's sister Phelps!! It's her. Take my picture with her. And they give me a Book of Mormon and start to stand by me. And I'm like, what the heck is going on....haha. And they brought me to the computer and the mission has this Facebook page for Thailand and there I am.... My face with my Book of Mormon in the weeds.... How ridiculous. haha. Right????? I'm like, oh my gosh. It had tons of likes and shares. I'm like I'm so confused. I'm famous in Thailand apparently haha! :) Also the only thing some people in our ward know how to say to us white people is, "Are you tired?" In english. I love it more than sticky rice:) bahaha. The people are so funny and just fun! I want to be around them all the time... Our mission Leader brother Gang (Gang means skilled in Thai) he told me I looked like Reese Witherspoon yesterday.... haha. So funny! And every second the people tell me I am so gang at thai... but tell Sister Carter she is SO much better haha. The people are so straightforward it's hilarious.

    The pepole are SUPER Buddist too. It's pretty crazy I won't lie. They have so many spirit houses and wats I'm like, holy crustoly....
    In Udon for advertisement there are these HUGE Trucks that go around with large speakers advertising them. It's the most annoying thing especially riding a bike. I'm like. Shush you speakers Asian. And the problem is they talk so quiet here. I'm like, Yo speakers. You do not need to be that loud!

    Last week family I went to 2 funerals. Yes. TWO. How crazy. One was for a member in our ward and the other one was a random Buddhist old white man. His wife was like 40 and a Thai. I see that EVERYWHERE here. Old American men with young thai girls. It's slightly disturbing.... But ok. 

    Everyone in thailand has nicknames because there names are so long no one could pronounce them. It's crazy. I'm sure you heard the"donut and cheetoh" (someone nicknamed their kids donut and cheeto). Yeah it's pretty weird. In church we call everyone brother "nickname" So no one in the family has the same name when you call them at church. It's pretty cool. There names often mean things.... Like gang.... I always get asked what my name means. I'm like you know, Dragon sword fighter... what up. Just kidding:) I wish....

One last thing is everyone wears flip flops. It's harilous!

    I love this gospel, family. I love that we can be together forever.... I love that Lyla is so close to the veil and it warms my heart. I LOVE being a missionary no matter how many bug bites I get.... It seriously is the greatest calling I will ever recive. I know the Lord lives. The prophet has asked us ALL to read the Book of Mormon before Christmas. I encourage everyone along with me to do that... I have absolutely NO time for it. But I'm making sure I finish it before Christmas as a gift for the Savior! I love you all and hope everyone is doing well!!!! Till next week:)

Sister Phelps



Explains my companion perfectly

That is our cute little house!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Hola

**From Mom: Emilee sent me a little side note. She wanted to let us know she is safe. She got a free bike from the church. She had to touch it up a little with a basket and got a helmet. Now she doesn't have to spend the money for a new one. She said she doesn't have time to email back and to tell everyone she is sorry and will write as soon as she can. I told her not to worry about and we don't expect her to!  She has to email the mission president and says emailing is a little overwhelming. She's been sick for the past 24 ours so her letter seems a little scattered :) it's amazing to read her letters and see the changes in her!

What up khrab khrua? 

    HEY I'm still in thailand! Craazy right? I have a TON of pictures to share today and not a lot of time to write! But I was like, did Erika have her baby yet? I was so excited to find out that I will have to wait another week!!! I get to see her next week! Oh Erika I love you and miss you. I hope you are doing well.

    THERE ARE MIRACLES IN UDON! Oh my gosh, God loves Udon so much. I cannot begin to tell you the things Sister Carter and I were able to see this week! I am so happy to say that white washing has been successful and frustrating like a mission should be. We had nothing to start from. So what do we do? Go out, and Dan Jones the area trying to find new people. The Thai people are SO willing to listen to anything we say even if they are hard core Buddhists.... But we love them anyways because they are children of God right? I will skip the long story but we have a baptismal date for this month and two for next month already. In one week. You guys, I can't even begin to tell you how great it is to be a missionary. We have an investigator named Nam and she is so solid, just met with her this week after finding her and telling her about who her Savior was, and right away she wants to be a missionary like us. We are like, hold on we have to get baptized first haha. So she is golden. But back to being a missionary and how great it is is this...... The first time someone communicates with God through prayer...... That is the MOST amazing part about being a missionary. Sister Carter and I experienced Nam praying to her Heavenly Father for the first time in her whole life. She couldn't get passed her first sentence without starting to bawl her eyes out. I'm like, this is what I live for. Anyways.... It was amazing. Just think how Heavenly Father feels. Like I was thinking out loud with Sister Carter and was like, just think. It's like when we get on the plane to go to Thailand. Our parents are always thinking of us.... Wondering if we made it safe. And then Pday comes and it's overwhelming for you guys to hear from us. Right? God feels the same.... The first time his children communicate with him after YEARS! Ahh. It's so good. I love it. Just remember to pray as much as you would want to talk to me (that better be everyday) haha. I love you guys....

     Thailand! Missionary!! Amazing!!! Just I can't even begin to describe everything in this short amount of time! So I'm sure you would like to know what a normal day is for me. We get up at 6:30 and exercise. Yes, I know.... I hate it too.... And Sister Carter is fit as a kit so she whoops my butt. Then we get ready and start personal study at 8 am.... Then at nine we do companion study and training until 11am... Yes that gets a little long. Then at 11 we do language study and at 12 we eat lunch usually at home.... then at 12:30 we leave for the day.. at one we usually start our 2 hours of dan jonesing for the day. Which I feel the most like a missionary. Sister Carter and I like to go to the park and approach people and just be friendly give them a pamphlet or a card and just continue our day.... :) It is great! we had this awesome experience dan jonesing that we came across this group of college students and they were so fascinated that we were american and one of the girls could speak a little english so we went over there and they had their Thai mats out under a tree and we asked if we could share a message about God and Jesus Christ. Oh my flip. It was the coolest. They were asking all the perfect easy questions and we invited them to pray with us and all of them were soooo into this trying to receive answers from God and they all wanted pamphlets and they were just so great and receptive and now almost all of them are new investigators! How awesome!!!!!!!!!! Great experience. After 2 hours it's usually 3 o'clock and we go visit less actives, teach lessons, help members with whatever. Then we usually eat on the streets.... I try to stay with safe things because the sanitation is pretty bad in Udon. But yes..... Then we go home, wake up and do it again! With meetings here and there through out the week! 

    So yesterday was the craziest day in my entire mission!!!! Okay we wake up, go to church and we had investigators at church with us. We were in sacrament meeting and then out of no where someone slams into the pew and starts convulsing and seizing, and within seconds everyone is out of there chairs being not church like at all to help this man, who was actually sister Painter's investigator that came to our sacrament meeting. But foam was coming out of his mouth. The children were so annoying like standing around him while people are giving CPR and all this stuff. I thought he was dead... No joke. The Elders come in and start giving him a blessing and Sister Carter is on the Phone and I have investigators to explain what the freak is the elders doing, and in the weird Aseon Thai language that I know, I'm telling them that the elders are pretty much from God using this thing called the priesthood to help him feel better, and they take him out of the room and I had to have one of my members who spoke english take care of my investigators because all the missionaries had to go to the hospital to help this old man who was dying. We race to the hospital which is like a 25 minute bike ride. And no big deal it was my first time just riding bikes next to cows walking down the streets of Thailand..... So we get to the hospital the investigator is on life support. And that moment when we walked into the GOVERMENT hospital is when I realized that we are in a third world country.... It was bad. people on stretchers left in the hall. Cinder block walls. The room to the people who were on life support was just opened some bloody man came in on a stretcher spilling blood everywhere and no one cleaned it up. It made me so grateful for America. I don't want to go on. It was just not somewhere anyone wants to be. Sister Painter rode in an elevator with a bloody guy who was dying.... It was just... Scary. 

    Anyways. Then we rode back to the church and back to the hospital three times to check on our investigators while it's pouring rain haha. Then I stayed with our investigators at the church with another missionary because Sister Carter had the best Thai to speak to the hospital with, and so after church we had this big feast like usual. Anyways......We go back to the hospital to find out he had a severe stoke. Actually, I'm not sure what kind of stroke it was. But then we were just waiting for the man's family to come and Sister Carter and I left and went back to the church for a missionary meeting with some members. And we got out of the church and It was 7:30ish and we are like, well i don't know what else to do.....and I was just not feeling the best. I was like, not telling Sister Carter about me not feeling well because as a missionary and with a day we just had you just don't say that.... I was like, okay it's a 15 minute bike ride home. I was like uhhh sister carter, do you mind riding behind me because I'm pretty sure I'm going to barf. Hahaha. Then she was like, yeah. Then about half way home I see some grass. I'm like, okay time to pull over as we are getting a call from the mission president's wife. I just start throwing up on the side of the road. It was a funny conversation Sister Carter had with her. She was like well, "Sister Phelps is currently throwing up her lunch" Meat in Thailand, family, is SKETCHY. Members food especially you don't know how long it has been sitting out. They never refrigerate their meat. But anyways. Yes.... We get home. And I am trying to act like I just didn't ride 3 hours of biking and ate spicy tainted meat. And we are planning for today and I'm like, okay... Sister Carter, Can you get me a barf bucket? haha. She runs and grabs one.. I just yes, you get the picture. It was bad. Because. It was just as spicy going down as it was going up. I've never experienced worse sick pain. hahaha. Yeah. So I had food poisoning all night. And here I am........... That is all I have for this week. I'll tell you more about the culture next week!!! Love you all.

-Sister Phelps

when we first got to thailand eating the most amazing mini bananas

Sister Carters and I first thug thug ride

the rice fields

working in the rice fields last week

traditional food on the floor meal with the members

dragon fruit

Pouring rain. It was ridiculous. haha. I was drenched riding my bike home. But it was hot. So nbd

those college students we contacted at the park. (so green) 


Monday, July 8, 2013

I'm in the Land of Smiles (Finally)

Sawaadii Kaa Khrap Khrua! 

    Wow! I'm in Thailand and couldn't be happier! Well that is all for this week! Just kidding! Well I'm going to start off by saying that I've never felt as much love from anyone or God than when I'm in Thailand. Being a missionary is the greatest gift I've ever gotten! 

    I HAVE to start off with who my companion is! You will NEVER guess who she is! I have THE BEST TRAINER IN ALL OF THAILAND. You ready? :) I can't wait until you read this next sentence! SISTER JESSIE CARTER! How incredibly awesome is that? The first words at transfer meeting when I saw her was, "I know you!" haha And she is my trainer and probably my favorite person ever! We get along SO well with each other. She is seriously going to become my best friend by the end of transfers. She is the hardest working missionary I know. She is so dilligent and obedient and sets an amazing example for me! Oh my freak! I love her so much. I'm like how did I get so lucky? She is also Sister Training leader so she is a beast! I'm also going to kill her after 15 weeks. Yeah she leaves in October. It's very upsetting. But I'm excited! I'm pumped and everything! 

    Okay I will start when I arrived in this Beautiful place! Wednesday we got in, and then our mission President (President Senior) picked us up from the airport. Well. How stupid the 18 of us were is that we forgot to get our bags from baggage claim before we went through customs. And the first words out of the Seniors' mouth was "Where the heck are your bags?" Bahaha. Well. Yeah! so that was a mess. But we finally got to the mission office where we recieved pictures that I'm sure you guys got by now. The seniors are honestly the best people I've ever met. We hung out with them all of Wednesday and just really got to know them. Awesome people. And rich. They have like 8 homes. Anyways. I love them to death. Once we arrived at the mission home we got lunch. THAI STYLE. Oh my gosh. I have never loved food more than I do here. Spicy tasty. It's all amazing. My digestive tract does tell my taste buds to shut up everyday. But it's worth it. But yeah that lunch was sooooooooo goood! I cannot believe it. I almost died. They have this papaya salad called som tham. It's food from god. I'm sure of it.... Then we got to go Dan Jonesing. That was a crazy experience. Totally handed a Book of Mormon to a lady with a two year old chubby adorable child. She was super receptive to our message. In the small amount of Thai I knew I told her of the importance. It was pouring rain while we were under this little shelter thing. But yeah. It was legit! Then we went to sleep in the hotel. We all crashed at like 8:30. We were so dead from all the traveling. So worth it.

Thursday:
    We woke up, ate some bugs and grass(not really) then we headed to transfer meeting. I was feeling SO weird. Like I could not understand my life and how fast it was happening. The air was so hot but I was expecting it! But transfer meetings took place and we all were wondering where we were going and such. And then. It was time for my name to be called. "SISTER PHELPS YOUR TRAINER IS.....SISTER CARTER...YOU WILL BE SERVING IN.............THE ASEON......IN UDON!!! I'm like no way. Udon? Where they speak Aseon instead of Thai..... (It's the same language, Aseon is way more casual and slang and they don't pronounce certain constants so it's a lot harder to understand) I was like ahhhh no way. I had a dream I would be serving in Udon. The land of the udon noodles. Especially with Sister Carter. The one person I have any connection with in Thailand. It was awesome! WE ARE WHITE WASHING BABY! Meaning, we are both new to the area so we have to scope out new investigators for ourselves. It was so cool. At the transfer meeting I saw everyone whose blogs we stalked. I'm like, hey, you're a celebrity. Or hey, my teachers showed us pictures of you before! Haha.
 
    Anways.... So guess who is also in my house? MMM.... Sister Painter. Weird right? The one blog we stalked. I live with her and her companion! Haha. I love it here... She is so sweet. So on Thursday and Friday we had to stay in Bangkok because Sister Carter had meetings she needed to attend to. So we stayed in her old house with her old companion who was training sister Tilley. It was awesome. Bangkok was crazy!!!! And of course we drove in a taxi on the left side of the road and of course they drive like maniacs!... I've decided that in America, asians aren't actually bad at driving. They are stinking good. Just in america there are dumb americans who don't know how to drive on the wrong side of the road because the people in front of you are going slow. Catch my drift? Yeah. I haven't seen one accident. Ever..... They are pros..... Their little scooters are just so legit. I have to have one.

    Okay. So yes. Thursday. We went and visited sister Carter's investigators and less active members. One member we went to go visit was a less active member and a recent convert which is pretty rare. She is a little crazy. And when we got to her house she had all her electronics and a HUGE pile of money in a bag ready to give to us..... She was like I'm stressed about everyone telling me to stop being so worldly so here is all my stuff. Give it to someone else. And she has read of everything in the scriptures. She was slightly mentally not all there. I felt so bad. She was going through something and Sister Carter was so good she was like ok. We will take it. And then behind the sister's back she gave it to her dad and was like Paa I'm sorry we can't take this. And her dad wasn't a member. And he was so touched. He was like. You guys are such good people. I need to go to your church sometime. It was awesome. We also were teaching this one girl who speaks english very well that was just baptized and Sister Carter told her that she was leaving to Udon. And she is getting ready to on a mission herself. Her name was Sister Kate. And Kate just started balling. It was hard because everyone just loved sister Carter so much. I'm super lucky to have had her as a companion! So then Thursday we went to sleep!

Friday:
    We woke up and went to sister Carters meetings all day and I studied all day then we took our 10 hour bus ride to Udon. Nothing too exciting. 

Saturday:
    This is where is gets super asian.... We get a call Friday night for a fun activity to do Saturday morning. Guess what. WE HARVESTED RICE. How freaking awesome is that!??!?!?!?!?! We woke up at 5 am to go harvest. I cannot begin to tell you how awesome it is! Well. Actually. I likened it unto being a missionary.... First hour it was fun... Then we started sweating. And Walking through water up to our knees. Then It was just hard work.... Haha. It was a ward activity. I wish our ward acitivities were like that. Then we went back to the house. (Which was a tree house) Literally. On stilts. Grates at the top. It made me feel so grateful for what we had. We also took off our shoes to go inside. Crazy. Anyways. They cooked us a traditional Thai meal. It was AWESOME!  Tons of bowls up and down the floor. Grabbed a ball of sticky rice, flattened it, put some mystery meat or some som tham on it. Then we ate.... Right? Pretty unsanitary. But we still ate. We blessed the food with the flies. So I trusted the Lord... Fully. Then we went back at 4 pm. Yeah. We harvest rice that entire time. And we cleaned the house....dead bugs weren't sister Carter's and I jig. So we scrubbed. It's such a nice little 2 story town home. Sister Carter's room and is is so cute. She has a KING size bed and I have a twin...... I had to respect my trainer. I just love her too much I guess. That night I had my first real street food. PAD THAI.... Oh my gosh. There is no such thing as good american pad thai untill you've had Thai food. You would die here! :)
Is this email making any sense? I have no clue. We actually have less time to email than at the MTC. Makes me slightly sad. So I gues I"m writting letters still!!! <3

    So Sunday was the Sunday of all Sundays. Really tested my language skills. We were obviously called up to bear our testimonies first. I was like "My name is sister Phelps.... I'm a greenie" I got people laughing. It was like the only funny thing I knew how to say in Thai. Before the meeting started Sister Carter made me go up to everyone and say hi and get to know them. I couldn't understand a word anyone said. I was like. Ka.. Ka... .And when I would repeat their name. Oh gosh haha. They would just laugh and laugh....I couldn't get them down........haha. Names are so hard for me here. Actually the language is so hard for me here. Hahha. It's definitely a barrier. But it's okay. I'm learning and not worrying about getting frustrated. I'm not going to let myself get frustrated... So I'm learning it slowly but surely..... :) Just pray for my language to get better. haha. But yes. The members here are so faithful they are all working towards one goal. A TEMPLE. They are all in missionary work since about 98% of the people are converts.....It's amazing how nice and much they want to feed the missionaries. They will just send bags of food home with us to eat. So I will never starve. No worries. We were at the church yesterday for 7 hours. I couldn't even tell you why. It went by so fast. I can't believe it's already Monday! We are going to start getting used to the area tomorrow. We are going to baptize this area. We feel God's love for the people of Udon. If we get TWO more Melchizedek priesthood holders we will get a ward in Udon. If we get more wards, we get more Stakes.... And that means! TEMPLES! So please pray for Udon. We need a temple so badly here!!!

    I'm praying and studying my brains out here. It's so meaningful now! I'm ready to get to work and I will let you know how it goes next week! I don't have time to email anyone. So I'm printing them out tonight. And I will get back to you guys next week hopefully! I will tell you a little about Thailand next week when I actually experience it more! Just know that the people here are SO amazing! We ride Tug Tug's around (little seats attached to a motercylce look it up on google)... until we get my bike today! It rains everyday! So awesome with the weather! I love the rain. It's the scariest thunder I've ever heard in my entire life though! Annnnd street food is amazing! And everyone rides motorcycles. And the Thais dress like so crazy I love it. And last but NOT least. The babies. The Babbiesss are the fattest chubbiest and CUTEST things I've ever did witness. That's all. I love everyone of you! Please be safe and Erika! Please have your baby this week!!!!! :) Have fun in Colorado mom! Woop Woop!

Sister Carter and I working in the Rice fields.... Oh yes... I forgot one more thing. Udon is A JUNGLE!!!! We literally live in a jungle. It's so awesome...

Sister Carter and I in a tuk tuk on the way over to email! I left my memory card at home. Talk to you next week!

Made it to Thailand!!

Emilee had to take a flight Monday night from SLC to LAX airport, get on a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong, wait 4 hours, and then finish her journey with a flight to Bangkok.  She got to call Mom and Dad from SLC to let them know she was on her way, and she e-mailed from Hong Kong to let Mom know she was safe. She arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday morning.

at the airport

This is the video of part of the call Mom and Dad got when she was at SLC airport:


The e-mail Emilee wrote from China:

   Hey hey heyyyy. I made it safely.! I can't seem to figure out the Cantanese pay phones, but i did see "free internet service" so i jumped right on that :) I'm safe in Hong Kong! It is freaking gorgeous here I cannot believe it! I don't know when I can e-mail next but I'm sure some time! I'm headed to Thailand In an hour! Yeah no big deal the airport in Hong Kong is on an island and I shant believe it looks like the future here. The whole airport is windows, and the hills and mountains are beautiful! The fourteen hour plane ride was pretty ridiculous.... So much turbulance I thought maybe there was one point I was going to die. Mom would've died. It was like movie turbulance for about 30 minutes. I literally thought, Hm.... Is it time to meet my maker? Haha. But yes... And then Elder Proctor sitting right next to me woke up smiling ear to ear. Apparently he likes it. So yes. I feel good. I'm awake. We had airplane food. I was pretty stoked about the fact that 1) I don't know what happened to Tuesday, and 2) they fed us dinner at 2 in the morning making everyone not sleep. I love people:) haha....I'm set to go to Thailand! Woo hooo. Have a good week! Love you all. I'll e-mail you when I e-mail you!

When Emilee arrived in Thailand, Mom and Dad got a letter and few pictures from her Mission President and his wife. Hooray!

The group Emilee arrived with

President and Sister Senior with Sister Phelps