Sister Hammon: Week 6- First Skype with an actual Thai!

What a week. Honestly I am convinced that the mission puts you in a time warp because time never went this fast before. I love it here and I cannot believe this week we hit our 'English Term' (AKA- only 3 more weeks!)

WORLD CUP

Haha this was one of the best parts of the week, so a bunch of Elders got together in our zone and planned a huge soccer tournament. The teams were: Thai 1 VS Thai 2 and Indonesian VS Cambodian. Then the sisters (can't play with elders) did all Thai VS Indonesian & Cambodian. For the elders it was a fight to the death...losers were giving their mattress to the winners for the night. For the sisters we basically laughed at the elders and played a normal game of soccer. Also, for the record, our district won! :') So proud.

TRC/SKYPE

We have TRC every Saturday and it is when local people who speak Thai come to the MTC and let us teach them a spiritual thought. I haven't mentioned them before because they aren't really my favorite haha. Our very first one was...rough. We didn't understand much and the people weren't the warm and fuzzy type we wanted, BUT our last TRC was last Saturday and it was amazing! I really saw just how far I have come in 4 short weeks. Truly God is learning Thai for me and sometimes I forget how much He is helping. I am definitely not incredible, but that takes time, for now I am just taking it one day at a time. I am learning THAI! How crazy is that?? (Haha sometimes I take a step back and realize how crazy the entire situation is) Anyway so our last TRC was Saturday because now we do a Skype TRC with Khon-Thai's in Thailand!! Our first one was yesterday and it was so neat! They love this gospel more than anything and sacrifice so much, yet they are the happiest people I have ever seen. Ah. I cannot wait to grow to love these people.

THAI

We really focused on vowel sounds this week. We found out that in Thai the vowel is WAY more important than anything else (including tones) so they are really pushing that. Also my teachers gave me a mini evaluation and told me that I am about average for learning, but I really need to focus on vowels but mostly tones, so pray for me! Going along with that, this week was full of LOTS of language mistakes...and funny ones at that. I don't know what was in the water but my entire companionship made the most hilarious mistakes so please enjoy (also I apologize if they aren't that funny, but we are deprived of entertainment so we think they were hilarious)

Sister Hammon:

-found out that for the PAST 6 WEEKS I have been saying "resin" instead of "I"...yeah. You would think a teacher would stop me at week 3 or something but apparently I slipped under the radar haha (they are very similar and apparently I was saying the wrong vowel sound)

-in a lesson with elders from the other district I mixed up "prophet" and "religion/buddhist" (don't ask me how because I have no idea) and I told them that the priesthood was given to the Buddhists. Nailed it.

-also found out that "ham" said with correct tones means "forbidden" so hey! Sister "Forbidden-Devil" The Thai's will love me

Sister Nixon:

-(while acting as an investigator) thought they asked her what she believed but then realized they asked her what her name was so she got mixed up and said "Yes, I am God" hahahah we could not stop laughing

Sister Robinson

-mixed up "lunch" and "glue" so when our investigator asked us what we did that day she proudly told him that we "ate glue"

I'm telling you, the sister trio cannot be stopped, we are GEING MAAG.

SPIRITUAL

Ah. This week was so amazing. Our devotional speaker had us watch the most cheesy/adorable old Mormon commercials and they each had little tag lines. My favorite was, "When every part of you says that you can't, believe in the part of you that says you can." I also heard this poem from a talk Elder Holland gave and it was just what I needed so I wanted to share it with you!

"Come to the edge," He said

"No, I'll fall," I said

"Come to the edge," He said

"No, I'll fall," I said

"Come to the edge," He said

I came to the edge, He pushed me and I flew

I just want to testify that that is exactly how Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father work. They want to push us when we resist, but really they just want us to reach heights we never could dream of. I know that they have helped me more than ever in these past 6 weeks and they will continue in the weeks to come. I love this gospel and I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He died for me and I know that without Him we could never have the happiness and joy that comes with progressing in this life. I challenge all of you to grow a little closer to our Savior Jesus Christ this week, I promise you won't regret it.

Thank you so very much for all of you love and support, I couldn't be happier and I can't believe I have 17 more months of this!

Much much love,

Sister Hammon

(or Sister Forbidden-Devil if that's what you prefer)

PS. the Indonesians in our zone who came in the same day as us were supposed to leave yesterday but their Visas haven't come! So please send them their prayers! (haha it's kind of funny because the MTC wasn't expecting it so they are basically being kicked out! Haha they have to move out of their rooms and go all around the MTC to sleep until they can leave)

PPS. Our Nong-Thai's are coming tomorrow and we are all SO excited!!