Hello all,
Some fun/random/unique/colorful things about Thailand:
-EVERYONE drives a scooter or motorcycle. It's kinda funny. There aren't really traffic rules, so it's an adventure every time we're on the road on our bikes. And we drive on the opposite side of the road, which still sometimes racks my brain.
-There are trucks that drive around with really loud announcements/commercials on them. And sometimes I imitate them and my companion laughs at me.
-This week since I've been feeling better and just more comfortable with everything, I guess my "true colors" or whatever are coming out. So my companion said something I usually hear around week three (from co-workers, new roommates, people I'm serving in a calling with....) she said, "Sister Roper, It's like you came out of a musical. Living with you is like living in a musical!" Haha it was funny.
-For example, in Thailand it's not really polite to go up to a house or really be too pushy on people's properties so you stand in the street outside their gate and say, "Sawatdii Kah!!" And hope they come out. And one of the people we are teaching, a kinda stubborn man, was taking a while to come to the door. So I started singing to him in Thai and my companion was laughing so hard. I was like (in Thai, of course). "Me-sack (his name), it's time to come outside! Outside outside outside. Because we are here, the sister missionaries are here, and we want to teach you about happy things. Come listen to us, we love you." All in song. And Thai. I think I was probably tired, too:).
-I keep my toothbrush in the fridge so ants don't get it.
-There are lots of bugs here. Yep:). Lots of salamanders and frogs, too, though. I haven't seen anything too frightening. Like no spiders the size of my face or whatever.
-Thailand (in America) is referred to as the "Land of Smiles" and it really is. People are soooo so friendly and for the most part very polite. They turn to you and listen to you when you talk. And they smile and laugh a lot. It's really a pleasure to talk to people, even if it is sometimes nerve-racking.
-Thai people want their skin to be really white. So of course they are super amazed by my utter whiteness. Sometimes people just come up to me and like touch my arms and say my skin is so beautiful...so funny. And always surprising because in America everyone wants to be tan! They have creams and soaps that make their skin whiter.
-Thai ice cream is really light and delicious. We eat at little open markets or open restaurants every day. I'm still pretty shy with trying new things...so no crazy food stories yet. There may never be any so sorry....:) The food really is delicious, though, the good stuff:). There are so many veggies and fruits I've never seen before and they are delicious. I really love fried rice and bananas.
Typical lesson (this all happened):
-Sit on the floor with our feet tucked underneath us (my legs and knees get pretty sore, to the point I feel like they're gonna fall off but they haven't yet....so that's good)
-The wonderful people we are teaching bring out a huge plate of pineapple---oh my so delicious
-There's like a huge dragonfly or some kind of unidentifiable flying object on the wall and I can see a lizard really wanting said unidentifiable flying object....and then the two end up having a face off. And usually the lizard wins. It's awesome.
-The front door is open and during the lessons dogs will walk past, or cows, or people with fishing poles
-I will try speaking lots of Thai and oftentimes say something and their faces go completely blank. And then sometimes they look at me like I just popped out of a cartoon or something..This white, crazy creature trying to speak their language:) and then I smile and laugh and turn to my companion and she explains what i was trying to say:). And then we all laugh together. It's pretty fun.
-Sometimes we'll be teaching and it will get a little windy and then we know the rain is coming and then for a few minutes you can't even hear yourself talk or think because the rain is so loud and so strong! I'll send pictures next week.
Quick shout out:
CONFERENCCCCCEEE!!!! All of you who had the chance to watch General Conference (where the living prophet and apostles speak to us and broadcast it throughout the world from Salt Lake) are so lucky. We are watching it this weekend. I am glad and sure it was wonderful!!!
This week was wonderful, as usual. Thank you, again, EVERYONE, for all your prayers and fasting and everything while we were sick. We are back to work and walking fast, again:). Which is a relief.
I learned lots of things while I was sick and in the hospy. I learned a few lessons that I don't think I could have learned anywhere else or in any other way. I learned about prayer. That prayer is something we can and should do all the time. ALL the time. All of it. I feel so blessed and lucky and loved that I can pray anytime, anywhere. And I think there have been lots of times in my life when I have taken this tremendous opportunity for granted. How many blessings I wasted!
Mom said to pray because Heavenly Father is there even if you can't feel Him really close. That's true. So true. When we keep praying and stepping forward, even when life is a little darker, it will always result in drawing closer to Heavenly Father. I love Him so much and want to be so close to Him. Pray:). Just do it. It changes hearts and lives and perspectives and so many things. Prayer is one of the first things we teach. We teach people how to do it and then we tell them about how wonderful Heavenly Father is. That He already knows us and weeps when we weep and rejoices when we rejoice. And He wants us to talk to Him. And sometimes they just get really quiet because that's not something they've heard before. I loooove then asking them to pray. To talk to their Heavenly Father, their very own Father, for the first time ever. And they get real quiet and talk really soft and I love it. And the Spirit is so strong. Because prayer brings the Spirit like nothing else can.
The gospel is true. Talk to Heavenly Father because He wants you to.
Okay I love love LOVE you all
Sister Roper
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