Riley Parish's Mission in Thailand: Week 40: Um, Transfers

Well, I was transferred. Here's the scoop:
We got the transfers call on Monday, worked on Tuesday and planned to pack on Wednesday but ended up working. Now I know that I can pack up everything I own here in 1 hour, which is way fast. Transfers was on Thursday, and I was assigned to Sisaket with...Elder Howard. It's very unusual to serve twice with the same companion, so we mentioned it to President Johnson. He said that wasn't supposed to happen, and switched some things around. Now I'm in Buriram with Elder Hinckley from Idaho. Buriram is East of Bangkok next to Cambodia, in the Esan (flat, farmland area. Rice fields everywhere). Everyone here speaks Esan, in addition to Thai (there are a couple people sitting and talking in the room, and I can't understand a word. It's unnerving). I'm sad I can't help my investigators in Ayuttaya anymore, but I'm looking forward to working here in Buriram. It's a two-elder house, so it's just me and him out there without another missionary for another 100 km or so. It's gonna be awesome.

I don't think there's a particularly easy area, per se, but I've been told that Buriram is tough. I came in, and right now we have zero investigators. That'll change pretty soon though ;) There are 200+ people on record, and 45-55 people at church every week.

We went and taught an LA, Brother Um. There are a lot of reasons people go less-active, so it's a little hard to plan for what they need to hear before meeting them. While looking at the Waters of Mormon picture hanging up in our room, I had the thought that we should just ask him about his baptism, have him bear his testimony to us. So we did that. We asked about his experience finding the church and what his journey was like. He said that he tried to find answers in Buddhism for a long time, and eventually decided that it wasn't for him. One evening, he saw the elders biking past his shop, and so he yelled out to them. They didn't stop (random people holler at us wherever we go), so he ran out and chased them down. He said that while learning with them, all of his questions were answered and he felt at peace. He talked about how when he got baptized, it was like being born again, starting a new life. He did most of the talking, and the spirit was way strong. He looked close to tears a few different times. "O then, is this not real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good;..." (Alma 32:35).

I got the chance to teach the trio one last time before being transferred. Man, I love them. We reviewed the Plan of Salvation because the last time they learned it one of them couldn't come. We used the other two to help us, and they excitedly taught what they had learned last time. Then we taught the Law of Chastity. The twins clearly had a problem with it, and looked concerned. From the teaching pamphlet, we read the blessings that come from living the law (about improved relationships with others, greater self confidence, greater spiritual sensitivity, etc...), and one of them leaned over to his brother and said "These have got to be the results of living the Law of Chastity." He said it with such earnestness and sincerity; I was touched. Those are the results, and you can count on it. This gospel teaches us to "live after the manner of happiness," and there's no getting around it.

Love you all,
Elder Parish

1. New home.