MTC Week 9: Thailand Bound!

This is it, 9 weeks at the MTC is over. I'll be leaving here in just a few hours.

This last week, my district had almost zero focus. Everyone's just antsy to go. But it was a good week.

"To be excited" translates to "to wake up and dance." That's kind of funny.

We had a native Thai speaker adopted into our group this week because the rest of his district left. He speaks so quickly, it's nuts. Our teachers said that he speaks faster than the average Thai person though, so that's good.

We had culture training this past Saturday, where we learned about how to behave and what to expect in Thailand. Some highlights:

- Feet are lowly. Never show the bottom of your feet to anyone; it is very disrespectful. Never point at anything with your feet.

- The food will wreck you for the first few weeks. It is crazy spicy and often has hair or straight up dirt in it.

- You will get sick eating at member's homes. You will have diarrhea for two years. 

- When drinking, direct the straw to dodge the bugs and junk in you cup.

- There is something special about the bathrooms there. They want us to be surprised, so they didn't tell us what it was.

- It it will be hot. You just get used to being slippery all the time.

- You will never get less tired. You just keep going until you're done.

- It is the hardest, best thing you will ever do.

- You will see miracles. Every day.

Bring it on.

I think one of the greatest testaments to missionary work is this: God sends thousands of dumb, inexperienced 18-year olds to preach His gospel with diligence and dignity to foreign people. There's no way that should work. But it does, because God's hand is in it. I know I can't do it on my own, and I'm going to need help. And God has promised help.

Nawng, one of our "investigators" got kicked out of his home and lost his job with his mom for wanting to get baptized. His faith was amazing. He was our teacher, but he's playing the part of an investigator that he actually had in Thailand, and those things actually happened. The real Nawng was invited to live with a member and got a job. It kind of hit home that we're going to be asking people to make real changes with real consequences in life. Big consequences. But God will provide, and that was a very touching example.

I'm very excited. I'm excited to share more next week!

I hope you are all doing well. Thanks for everything!

- Elder Parish