Photo Dump #10

Baptisms Round 2

My week has been really busy and somewhat slow at the same time. We had 3 baptism this week which was pretty cool. I mean I gotta to say that I was somewhat "disappointed" because I was hoping that I would get this "Taa dahh" feelings when I get a baptism but all I got was like a peaceful feelings and calm. I mean it was very exciting to see all these people come unto Christ and I just felt like I"m just blessed to be part of the journey... I'm not sure if this will make any sense at all but that's how I felt.

So President Cleveland was suppose to come to our baptism because Frank had requested that however, he got caught up in preparing a lesson for the mission so he couldn't make it. Well he did however, apologize to us and to Frank and offered to take us to Lunch. It was really cool to interact with Mission president on weekly basis even though we don't have any type of leadership position. I have to say that Kokomo Ward has been pretty loud lately. They're no longer depress or shy. Everyone talks to one another and we're pushing forward with the missionary effort. Bishop had stated that He had prayed for this ward to be a missionary base ward. So in a way he thinks that his prayers are being answered.

 It's so strange that each day that goes by, I don't want to leave this area.. It started from nothing and now a lot of things are happening and It's time for me to leave???.... Somewhat it seems so unfair.. Like I worked hard for this and now I gotta leave?.. Not sure if I like that. I'm going to miss Sister Marler here. She takes care of me like you would.... We call her Mama or mom.  Anyway, some of the missionaries and members tease me all the time about being "jacked" because I guess I'm just not their typical missionary that they have had in the past.. I'm just myself for the most part unless I'm in a lesson then I do whatever I need to rely on the spirit. It's kind of funny. Don't worry mom I'm not breaking any rules.. just walking on the line... :P just Joking!

Anyway everything is going well. I will find out this Sunday if I'm getting transferred or not. However, I'm positive that I will be.

Rumor has it that I will be able to use Facebook Jan 1st. and We'll get Ipad mini by then... So we'll see what's up. Hey there is a Indiana Indianapolis mission on Facebook so go check it out. Love you guys!

Love,
Elder Uthaichai

When In Doubt, Pray It Out

The Lord's Mission

Now you would think that 140 a month should be enough for food right? well it's not. Because we don't just use that money for food... We have to pay for car wash, all the cleaning stuff, and anything that breaks.. So it adds up. Also you don't always get paid on preparation day. So sometimes I have to use my person money. Also we sometimes pay for ourselves when we go out and eat.. with members.. See The Jeffries wants to feed us (the Recent convert) but Indiana isn't the richest place on earth so members don't have that much money so we don't feel good letting them pay for us.

I mean it's just a scary thought when I think back in my life when I think that I really know what I wanted to do with my life. The mission really have given me a better perspective on the things that I need to do and what I really want to focus on. 2 years are not that long if you really look at it. I'm happy that I chose to come here but now that I have been here in Kokomo for almost 6 months I don't want to leave Kokomo. I mean I love the people here they are all great and I have gotten to know them really well so now I don't want to start all over... I mean you would think it would be easy for me right? since I move all the time.. well it's not.

I'm actually excited for winter.. I think fall is my favorite but I wouldn't mind a little snow here and there. I just don't want to leave Kokomo just before the holiday season starts... Unfortunately I can't dictate what I want to do.. It's not my mission but He that sent me.

So this week has been pretty fun, I can't remember much but I know it went by really fast.

hmmm so we taught a lot of lessons this week and we had a lot of "stress" preparing people for baptism. Jacob, Frank and Katty are getting baptized this week so we'll have to buckle in and start working hard. Although it might look like we're getting some what of a success but it troubles me that Sister Murphy isn't retaining much of the information we have taught her... She's 76 but she can't remember too much I mean she's so smart and all but it's frustrating when you do everything that you could possibly think of but she forgets the next day. Although that has been the issue from the beginning, we have seen a lot of progressions. It was pretty sad when I was on the phone with her. I told her that I'll probably be leaving this area soon, approximately 2 weeks she mentioned how much she loves me and how much she'll miss and how much I meant to her.. I think it was the sweetest thing ever but I'm not sure if it's the kind of impact I wanted to leave this ward. As bad as this will sound, My companion and I have gotten a lot of hugs this week... well of course from older people. For instance, yesterday sister Dwigin was feeding us Lunch and she was giving the sisters hugs and I reached out my right hand to give her a hand shake and she just came up to me and give me a hug and said "I don't care anymore, I'm like your grandma" hahaha. In a way that's a good thing because the ward is trusting us now and the missionary effort in Kokomo is hastening because of it. However, now is that breaking the "rule" perhaps it's breaking the letter of the law but I don't see any issue with the spirit of the law... It's not like we go around offering hugs.

There are so many people I want you guys to meet! These are great people whether they're LDS or not... Anyway I can't remember much of what I did but I know it was productive hahaha

Love

Elder Uthaichai

Having A Purpose

There are so many things I wish I can just put in this email however, it would take me way too long to describe everything. You know how the story of people going to the "prophet" to be baptized? Well similar situation occurs to us. It might not be 2000 people but it's one.

As for right now we have about 5 people set for baptism on September 28th. It's such a cool thing to witness as you see them grow in the gospel. I love it. It's tough but it's definitely worth it. I will briefly share with you the progress. Well we have Jacob, Steve, Cody, Frank and Katty, and Deene Murphy. Amazingly my trials and challenges that I have faced in my life have allowed me to relate to these people. It's doesn't even feel like I'm teaching them. It feels like I'm sharing my own experience with them and watch them grow and change. All these people want to be baptize while Elder Garrett and I are still in the area so we're doing a lot of shuffling around and driving.

Of course I record most of these experiences in my journal but I have to admit I don't record too much details. I'm just too tired by the end of the evening you see. I will do my best to get on top of that. I promise I will do better.

Now this week has been pretty interesting. We had tons of support from the members now, it seems like that's the key to "success" is to gain their trust. By gaining their trust I mean like literally to the point where they say something like "I have a niece at BYU that you can marry into the family when you get home" It's funny but really they are trusting us and I don't know if I want to leave this area :(.

In addition, Elder Garrett and I left our mission this week... We were just sick of working so we just decided to leave our area.. Hah JK! We needed new tires so we had to go to firestone. Well innocently we went to Nobleville which is no longer part of Indiana mission. I didn't know that until I called Elder Hodges - one of the car dude that you need to call when you want to do something with the car. Well he started bursting out laughing so I was thinking to myself "What is so freaking funny? waiting for 6 hours to get new tires is not that funny" well he then said, "Elder do you know that you're not longer in your mission area?" I was like "Oh ops" well I guess we have our own little secrets every now and then :P

Here's a little "confession" I think I'm going to be crushed when President Cleveland tells me that I'm being transfer.. I really want to continue to watch these people grow and go to the temple! If I did what I suppose to I know that I will see them go to the temple before I leave my mission! Hey dad guess what! So Jacob is 19 year old right? well he just asked if he could be baptized one night.. we were just "hanging" out with him and he just said "Guys, I think I'm going to apply to BYU and BYUI" I was so excited! I think I might do that! I might transfer to Provo just because it's better "name" and I will have a lot of friends there also Rachel will be there not too far! So maybe you, Dad, should get a job there :P.

Dad, umm so I think it was on Saturday when we took the car in for repairs. Well we had time to just do nothing and I mean nothing. So we walked around the mall and went around like how we would if we were home right? well frankly I dislike it very much. It really feels odd walking around without purpose.. I'm getting scared about going home... I'm not sure if I want to go home. I know I have a long ways to go but it's only 18 months left.. That's not a lot and I don't know if I can go home. I'm actually scared. When I go home I won't have a Purpose... what on earth am I going to do with myself.... I try to not think about this but sometimes it comes up, you know as I lie down waiting to fall asleep.

Well I can say that everything here is good and I'm loving Indiana. Although sometimes the weather and the "leaders" kind of irritates me because of how they deal with younger missionaries.. Well I guess everyone has flaws even myself sadly.

Have a wonderful day and week!

I love you guys and I love you mom!

Love,
Elder Uthaichai

Zone Picture

Home

So this week has been pretty interesting. First of all anything that can go wrong did go wrong. Elder Garrett's bike blew up while we were biking home so we had to drag one another home. Then we tried to fix his bike but it didn't go anywhere. So we have been walking miles and miles. We figured why not! nothing else we could do and the Lord has blessed us with health and strength.

Right now we have 5 people with baptismal dates. Many of these people have some issues with the Word of Wisdom but I know that God will help them and will provide a way for them to quit and over these obstacles. I wish I can share more in details about these cool miracles but I rather wait. Elder Garrett and I will write a story about this week as these people proceed to the baptismal font. It's such a great experience to really see that as long as you do what needs to be done and do it with Faith, He will provide a way.

This week I was really bored despised the fact that Kokomo is doing well. I was hitting the point where I felt like I'm getting bored of missionary work. Well To be honest I am... It's just so repetitive I think I need to come up with a new temporal goal. I go out and I just try to do my best to get the job done so in a way I'm becoming rote. Luckily I still teach people not lesson so that's a good thing.

 

Well I have 3 weeks left in Kokomo and I gotta be honest, I don't want to leave. I really enjoy it here. It has become a home.. My home and I really enjoy the members here and the people I get to teach and talk to. For instance, today as we left the apartment a girl came up to us and ask us if we have seen her underwear... Now that doesn't happen everyday but it was something Unique I guess... Stuff like that happens out here where I wouldn't be able to experience it anywhere else so I'm glad that I am on my mission.

Love,
Elder Uthaichai

New Investigators

Because it was Labor Day, I didn't get to email yesterday. Sometimes I question these holidays... It seems like missionaries never take a day off do they? I feel more and more tired each day. No wonder most of the seasoned missionaries whine about sleep. It's so hard to sleep at night. I keep waking up, I don't know what's going on.

So, remember how I mentioned that we have to start from the bottom up? Well right now we have 4 baptismal dates set and as for right now 3 are pretty solid. Frank and Katty have master degrees in Theology and they're working on their Dr. Well the cool thing is that we tracted into them by accident and I figure what else do I have to lose from sharing my testimony so we did that. Now they're so excited to meet with us and learn more about the Gospel. He made a connection himself about the Book of Mormon and the Bible... what a stud.
 

Also, we were contacted by Cody, a formal investigator that fell away. He took the discussions a couple of years back and went into the stupid teenage years and now he's ready to come back and take things serious. It's going to be a blast working with him. We hope that he is sincere about it. Well he seemed sincere since he contacted us. Those are the people we're working with. We also have Lisa, a mother of 13 children that we hope to get their entire family involve but I'm afraid my time in Kokomo will come to and end before I get to see them accept baptism... but that's alright as long as they do it right?
 

Well everything is going well, I miss you guys!

Love,
Elder Uthaichai