Swasdi kah family!
Wow! This has been the longest, hardest week of my life, so I guess the mission is "doing its worst to me" so I shall do my worst to the mission ;) (Count of Monte Cristo reference!) Thai is so hard and very stressful, but I can't help but be excited to one day be able to speak it fluently. I love to teach and it's so hard for me not to be able to convey what I want to say effectively, but I know I'll get there eventually. Our second day here we taught a lesson with an investigator all in Thai. You can imagine that it went not very great at all, but it's cool to try to speak with the limited amounts of Thai we know. I've been loving all the packages and letters and everything you've all been sending so keep them coming! Thank you!
The missionaries in my district are Elder Nielson (My companion), Elder McDonald, Elder Ellsworth, Elder Byers, Elder Jorgenson, Elder Ference, Elder Ridd, Elder Todd, Elder Pool, and Elder Peterson. Elder Jorgenson was the QB at Provo last year and Elder Byers was a linebacker at Orem, so it was cool to make the connection that we had all played each other several times the last few years and now we are on the same team! I love my district and look forward to getting to know all of them better.
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| From the left, Elder Peterson, Elder Ferrence, Elder Todd, Elder Ridd, Elder Pool, Elder Byers, Elder Ellsworth, Elder McDonald, Elder Jorgenson, me, Elder Nielson. |
Elder Nielson is an interesting guy. It's taken some getting used to with having a companion by your side at all times but I think we work well together. Elder Nielson enjoys ponderizing, computer science, studying talks, singing, studying scriptures, and drinking lots and lots of water. He is always in a spiritual mindset, which is something I can probably work on and hopefully he can help me improve.
There are 6 of us in my room Me and Elder Nielson, Elder Byers and Elder Jorgenson, and Elder McDonald and Elder Ellsworth.
I've seen Elder Cox several times, I've seen Elder Hulme a few times and a few Sisters from CCHS. I see them mostly at meals. It's fun to see familiar faces.
My favorite thing I've done is playing basketball and soccer and our Sunday night devotional was super good! I encourage you guys to watch the "Character of Christ" talk by Elder Bednar.
Life changing.
Life changing.
The hardest thing I've done has been memorizing 3 Nephi 5:13 in Thai. It took a lot of study, but I got it down. We have to have the missionary purpose memorized by tomorrow and the entire Thai basic core memorized by Saturday! I'd sure love your prayers for help with that.
Thai is hard but getting better. I can introduce myself and say a prayer and talk a little about Christ and that's about it! We usually use a script when we teach and say as much as we can without it.
Yes, Mom, we were a tiny bit close when we were trying to learn the Thai sounds, but we've been learning the romanized version of Thai, which is the sounds spelled out in English, and in a few weeks we'll move to the Thai script.
I've enjoyed all the food here, but the chicken sandwiches were probably the best. The cafeteria is awesome and it's all you can eat so that's great!
We wake up at 6:30, then shower and get ready for the day, then we plan the day out, then go to breakfast, then we either have class or study time, then exercise usually, then we have lunch, then class, then study time, then class or study time. So lots of class and studying!
I played bball in gym and did pretty well! We played 3 on 3 and me, Elder Jorgenson, and Elder Ellsworth dominated. We won all but one game! Nobody was pushing me around. Ha ha! :)
I think I'm good on shirts, but if you could send a pair of sweatpants that would be great. We have a service morning and we have to wear pants for that. Khapkhunkah!
Yes, we sang in the choir and it was sooo cool! That was for sure one of the highlights of the week.
I absolutely loved the packages and the notes from all of you in my binder. It made me tear up for a second. My district loved the cookies, Mom, but how could they not? At lunch yesterday Elder Jorgenson said, "Shall we not go forth in so great a cause?" and it made me think of Dad because he always says that. I'm so excited to be going forth in such a great cause!
Elder Bednar's talk was probably the spiritual highlight of the week. It talked about how the Savior was always turning outward even in his times of greatest sorrow and despair. I know I can look to serve others better and in that way I can become more like the savior. I've been reading in 1 Nephi and I've loved seeing how faithful Nephi has been even with all the hardships his family has been going through. He just put his head down and went to work when things get hard. I am going to strive to be more like that on my mission.
I miss you all like crazy and pray for you ever day. I love hearing the updates from home. I couldn't get the wi-fi on my camera to work so here's a few pictures I've been taking. Do you think you could send a hard drive or something I can save my pictures on so I don't lose them? Khapkhunkahp!
Owen, I would love it if you sent me a card trick! That would be so cool! Can't wait to have my mind blown when I get home!
Curtis, keep taking care of Malcolm and please be safe while you drive. Let me know how the Chick-fil-a interview goes!
Daren, keep me updated on the Jazz, BYU and the Saints and keep practicing your hoops and football so we can beat Curtis and Owen when I get home! We owe them one ;)
A theme for me this week has been diligence. I've been trying to work hard and be diligent in my studies but I need a lot of work. At the end of these two years I plan on being a very diligent worker and closer to Christ.
Shall we not go forth in so great a cause?
Love you all!
-Elder Borg
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