After transfers things got crazy when we went to renew our visas. While we were waiting some elders started playing face cards which happens to be illegal in Thailand! So…we got kicked out! We had to stay the night in Bangkok and wait until President Senior talked to the people in charge. We got to stay the night with Sister Brown, my companion in the MTC! It was so good catching up with her! I love her so much!! We finally got the OK to get the Visas renewed the next day. The down side was that we ended up missing our branch Halloween party that we were really looking forward to. Bangkok traffic is insane! We spent countless hours waiting in taxis and song tows and busses! We didn't get home from Bangkok until 2AM Saturday morning!!
This week we had a fun going away party for our branch president! He and his wife are going to serve a mission. We had a Thai style dinner which was so fun with the usual laughing and having the best time ever with the members!
I was locking up the house one day when I felt something on my neck but shrugged it off. Fifteen minutes later my companion and I were eating and I felt something on my back. I told her and she started freaking out because there was a HUGE spider on my back--bigger than an Oreo! We were both freaking out and everyone was staring at us like we were idiots, oh well, good times! I have gotten a lot better with bugs--ants and cockroaches hardly bother me but I’m still working on spiders!
This week we had a crazy thing happen! Tuesday night at 5:30 I was planning on having sister Brim, our recent convert, cut my hair! Earlier that day I got a call and all they said was, "can we just meet at 6?" It sounded just like Sister Brim so I assumed it was her. We showed up at the church and these 2 random girls were there, acting like they knew me and we were friends. Then it all clicked! The person who called me was not Sister Brim. I realized that one of the girls was an old investigator, Sister Gig, who I contacted about 2 months ago! When I first met her all she wanted to talk about was Justin Bieber and America! It ended up working out well because Sister Brim helped us teach them. Now Gig and Boo are really interested. They told me that when they pray their heart gets all fluttery and makes them feel so happy. They want to get baptized! God really does work in mysterious ways.
On Sunday it was Muk's baptism which was so special! Sister Croft and I met Muk about 2 months ago through contacting at the market. She told us that she wanted us to teach her religion in English for her class. She had no interest in the church at all. When we first started teaching her she took it all as a joke, but as time went on the Spirit touched her more and more. She is now a completely different person than when I first met her! The light of Christ just shines through her! After her baptism we talked to her and she started tearing up telling us how amazing she felt when she got baptized! It was such a happy day! That night we sent off Brother Somsak and his wife to go to the temple for the first time! I can't even explain how happy I was for them! The whole branch was there and I was literally bursting with JOY!!! I told Sister Dun (Somsak’s wife) that I will be Sister Ribbons mom for the week!
I love studying the gospel so much, that 2 ½ hours everyday is so great! Usually my favorite studies are the ones that are specifically for my investigators! But this week my studies pushed me to be a better missionary! I have been reading in Helaman and there is one line that really stood out… "thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word." The Thai for unwearyingness is dedication. I want to become more and more dedicated to this work. I want the Lord to be able to say that to me! I want to make my Heavenly Father proud more than anything! I want to be submissive to his will 100%. In the scriptures it says, "if he says unto the earth, move, it is moved." We have to choose to do exactly what God asks! I love how in the scriptures it says, "men are free to choose liberty and eternal life or captivity and death." Being here I have come to really recognize my responsibility as a daughter of God and a representative of Jesus Christ! Choosing the Lord's way is not always to easiest but it is always the best and most rewarding!
Another thing I have been talking a lot about with my comp is Jesus Christ’s atonement! This is one of my favorite topics! It reminded me of Elder Bednar’s talk in conference. He hit it spot on!! I have felt the atonement in my life, I have felt my burdens lifted, and have felt the enabling power to overcome all sorts of faults. There is nothing I want more than to have others feel what I have felt myself. Sometimes people hear this and think that all they have to do is pray and their weakness will go away. But they forget that the grace of God won't work unless we WORK and do our part! I just love the scriptures so much! I learn so much from them every single day. I am so grateful to be a member of this church!!! I just have so much gratitude in my heart for my Savior and Heavenly Father, for my family back home and my family here, my companion, EVERYONE! I just feel so much love.
Well I am ready for another crazy, adventurous, uplifting, inspiring, miracles happening week!! We have to go to Bangkok (6-8 hour bus ride) again for the leadership meeting! Also, this week we have the lantern festival! All good! I love you all! Thanks so much for all your love and support!!
- Sister Herrmann
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| Party!! Thai Style!! PS- When you cook your own meat- make sure it is all the way cooked. |
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| Our dinner with the family. |
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| I love Sister Brown!! |
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| Goodbye Sister Phelps! She was such a good example to me. |
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| On the bus home from Bangkok! |
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| Yay Muk!! So proud of her! |
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| Sending her off to Hong Kong! |
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