Week 86: ผี

This week...if I can call it a week; my last letter was sent a few days ago. But some good things have happened in that time.

We finally got to meet with Sister Oi and Brother Gwang! Sister Oi called us last transfer and told us that her husband wanted to be Christian and wondered if we could help with that. Yeah we can! Oi also is interested in our free English class. But they're very busy and don't have a lot of time that we could visit them. Also they were a little cautious about having two strangers over to their home. It's taken 6 weeks of building a relationship to be able to teach them. Oi's been coming to English, and they've actually been to church a couple times.

Well, it's not very common to get a phone call like that, so we asked them about why they're interested in Christianity (mostly Gwang; Oi wants to learn English. But I feel like she'll come around). He said that when he was younger he attended a Christian school, and things went well. He graduated and went back to Buddhism and the lifestyle attached, and life seemed to get worse. He decided after some years that he should go back to Christianity. He saw our church (the one under construction) and gave us a call. So they seem pretty good.

This week I gained some greater insight into Thai culture. It's interesting to me how different people and beliefs are in different places around the world. For instance, I'd recognized that the Thai people are generally more superstitious that people that I grew up with. But it goes a lot deeper than I ever thought. Some members were telling us of some local beliefs held by the Thai people that I'd never heard before. For instance, the day of one's birth has influence over everyday matters the rest of their life, dictating what color of clothing can be worn on what days lest the spirits (ผี) or forces around them get offended and bring misfortune. Or how if they're having financial problems, they may change their bank account number because clearly the one they have now is unlucky. There are so many weird things like that, I can't even tell them all. But it made me appreciate the knowledge of a Heavenly Father who is up there watching over us, and that our lives are not subject to mysterious, arbitrary forces and rules that we have no control over. What a life without that knowledge.

This week is transfers! I don't know what will happen.

That's all I've got this week. Until next P-day!
Elder Parish

Crocodile show.

This is a crocodile burger.