Sister Phelps: The Land of Smiles: Family Friends....what up?

สวํสดี คะ!

I've returned from the promise land of Bangkok. But seriously. Aseon is the craziest third world country anyone has seen compared to Bangkok. We wash our dishes in giant buckets up here. We have squatter toilets that we have to pay 3 baht to use. (I feel way too bad for whoever has to clean that crap...no pun intended). We also take our shoes to go off in a dirtier house. It's crazy!!! I love it though. Udon is seriously my home. I love living in this poverty. Our house just barely got a water heater the other day. Oh my, we are sooo lucky.... BUT I'M IN THAILAND. I had that realization the other day. I have almost gotten through 6 months of my mission. There is absolutely no way..... I'm seriously SO asian now you wouldn't believe. I use toilet paper for everything. I absolutely love love love rice and get sooo excited every time I eat something. I see people making my food without gloves off the streets and it doesn't phase me one notch anymore. ..... now this is where is gets really asian...

I GOT RICE IN MY SHOES SATURDAY.... Okay. I may have worked that up more than it's worth but seriously. Went to a rice factory. Honestly the coolest thing ever. Our relief society teacher took us there to de seed her rice( did you know that was a process, I do now) after a teaching appointment she drove us to. It was such a classic rice factory in the good old aseon with workers that only spoke aseon...... Oh man. Giant machines that turn brown rice to white rice. de seeding machine. Oh my. my life seriously. Is . The. Best.... Sister Carter and I were having SOOO MUCH FUN. Seriously. we created videos. That she will show you when you go see her... I love it so much haha... I'll see if I can send pictures...

Sounds like conference was a dream! We get to watch it this saturday and sunday. I'm so excited there are no words to describe this little school girl feeling inside!!!!!! I'll tell you my thoughts next week.!

This week was a good week. We had no investigators except one meet with us this last week. It was rough. We got 2 investigators in church yesterday. So that was good. We have a responsibility to teach EVERY member in udon about tithing this month. Because we need Melchizedek priesthood holders and no one here pays tithing. And you have to have tithing to buy a temple and you need Melchizedek priesthood holders to get a ward then a stake and so on.... So we have been doing that this week. I'm a boss at teaching tithing now. In Thai. Just kidding. Always room for improvement but I really feel the spirit every time we teach a family about tithing and the blessing of the temple and the only way you can go to the temple is if you are a full tithe payer. Because obviously the temple means so much to me and so telling everyone that we are working to get thailand a temple brings the spirit so strong in a lesson. Oh man. Temples are awesome. A 3 hour plane ride is the nearest this country, cambodia, burma, myannmar, and loas has to a temple...... makes me SICK. Sick family. haha DON'T TAKE THE TEMPLE FOR GRANTED. Oh you have to mop the floors today instead of going to the temple to do a session? Guess what. Thailand doesn't have floors or a temple..... haha. I'm kidding. They have concrete. But seriously. I see the struggle it is for the members saving up all their money for a week trip to the temple to take their endowments out. More than half our ward doesn't see the blessings of a temple... And I have. I feel guilty. But hey. America is the promised land. Don't forget.

This week was cool. One day we prayed so hard to find a family to teach the gospel to. We went to a grocery store and sang hymns and passed out pass along cards and this guy takes one and me and sister carter like prounce on him. We are like hey whats up. Come learn the gospel. And he said this whole week i've known that I need to switch me and my family to a christian religion. BAM PRAYER ANSWERED. See in 3 Nephi 14:7-8 I think? But ask and ye shall receive knock and it will be opened unto you. Classic. All we have to do is asked. Sister Carter tells me that if I wanted to stay in udon or move out of Udon this next transfer that the Lord will answer my prayer if I aline it in Christ's name my prayer will be answered...

Oh something cool from personal study.... Something I learned about closing in Christ's name. Have you ever gone to the bible dictionary and studied about why we close in Christ's name. It's the last paragraph..... It really opened up my mind to my prayers I offer. Anyways. Homework. Do it. Live it. Love it!

Like I said. Not much happened this last week. But I'm loving being a missionary. The language is awesome even though somedays I feel like I can't speak a lick of it. haha. It really doesn't phase me because I'm probably doing just fine with the language. Every loves me and loves to speak with me. Wow that sounded self centered. I'm 20 now. I'm far from that. But yes. Sister Carter dies next week! She is so excited. I'm excited for her too. Life is good. This is the best thing for me. Also marie your letter cracked me up about the boys telling you your hair looked like mine. Miss those butt cheeks. Kiss them for me!

-Sister Phelps