Week 6 - Itching to get in the Sun of Thailand!!

Written Tuesday, MARCH 19, 2013

Sawadiii family!

 

So I found out this week that Jared's grandparents are moving to St. George! No more Logan apparently. So who knows, maybe they'll be close to Papa Jim & Grandma Zoma. That'd be awesome.

 

This week I've been on a pursuit to be a better Sister Painter. A mission has a way of magnifying your weaknesses by 326 times. So I've been trying to work on Christ-like attributes-- it's a slow road. The week was filled with up's and down's. My language has hit a perpetual wall of sorts, and my study habits are lacking in the awesome. I'm trying my hardest, but at week 7 (starting tomorrow) you start itching to get out to Thailand. It's rough business. Being cast down to your lowest of lows is the only way to develop progress, apparently.

 

Although, despite that, I was complimented twice last week. Bro. Burgess had me in an interview and he told me how amazed he was by my memory. He asked if it was photographic-- to which I kind of just shrugged sheepishly like, "I don't really know. Sometimes." If there's one strength I know I do have, it's remembering and memorizing. It can be a gift and a curse. But anyway, now that they only write out vocab and grammar in Thai, my gift of remembering how words looked on paper has since been taken away. So now I am literally on full reliance to the spirit to remember things. That's been my biggest goal-- being able to discern the needs of the person we're talking to. Because Thai is tonal, it's hard to tell what the person is feeling or what they're thinking. Language barriers are rough on making connections. But I will say this-- the spirit speaks ALL languages. Language barriers aside.

Bro. Burgess told me that my accent was really good-- which essentially means I must sound like a bird creature. I am officially Kevin from UP.

At the end of one of our lessons, Bro. B said: "If I could change anything about that lesson---- I wouldn't." He's so great to us. Bro. McConkie is a stiff one and he gave us a "sincere clap" later the day we taught him. So apparently we have the potential to get it right sometimes.

 

It got warmer here, so a lot of what we do for studying is down outside. Or we'll teach outside-- we'll be teaching on the ground in Thailand, on a river-side porch, or usually in a home with a special rug they use for talking. Very cool. I may or may not be bringing one home with me.

 

We leave April 8th-- 3 weeks! We get new Thai's here tomorrow. Crazy! We get 2 girls in our room, and 2 in the other. Then 2 Elders. It'll be weird to see them going through what we just did!

 

Not a lot to report-- most of my news was in Mom's email. Have her share it with you for the blog, any of the news. I'll write a handwritten one too soon.

 

If you could send me my farewell talk in a dearelder, that'd be awesome.

 

Funny fact: Thai's essentially don't have addresses. So they just say, "My house is OVER THERE!" and say: "Noon!!" and point. Good luck finding it. :)

 

Anyway. I love you all! I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of stuff. But anyway, there may or may not be an apostle/Thomas S. Monson or something today, because we're singing a never before sung song for choir that they had commissioned for tonight. Uhhhh... I'll be there, thank you.

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!

 

Sis. Painter

I got sick this week for a bit. The other sisters sent me a toilet candy..... :p (YEE means crappy)

I found Jared's cereal! haha

I found Spencer Tippetts for a picture finally!

(Me and some other Thai elders in our district-- NOT TOUCHING YOU!)

Mel and I

 

 

 

Week 5 - Vineyard Workers

written MARCH 12, 2013

 

Sawadiikha Family!

 

So I am now passed my one month! How crazy. All those feeling so inclined to write me.... follow that prompting! ;) I love and miss mail. As per usual. I've been getting complaints that my blog hasn't been updated since February. ... -cough- :)

 

So some funny stories to start out:

 

-Sis. McDermott (in the trio) was giving a spiritual thought-- and now all our thoughts have to be in thai-- so she asked to have us open to Luke 18:27-- unfortunately, the number 18 sounds incredibly close to the #11. So Sis. Steele and I both found ourselves looking up Luke 11:27. We were SO confused, and it was the funniest mix up ever. If you don't understand, go look it up. It's pretty hilarious.

 

-Elder Steiner: "So when do we use this 'can' in a sentence?' -holds up grammar book- ..... Bro. McConkie: "....may I have a 'can' of tuna?"

 

As for news:

 

I've been getting these sweet postcards from Jenn Lee in the mail-- she's on a road trip! So they come in every couple days. Oh man, love that girl. Tell her she is amazing.

 

I can't express my gratitude that dad was kept safe at the Sand Dunes with that crazy inspiration not to ride the 500. I bet he got home, saw the broken pieces, and was in total gratitude as well. I sure do love my dad, and I can't say how grateful I am that all of you are protected while I'm away. The Lord is keeping all His promises. I can't even describe it.

 

I am so jealous that you are all going to Sea World and Mopars! I would love to go. I miss animals. And life outside the MTC. Waiting for my Bangkok adventure in 4 weeks or so. We leave April 8th!

 

The MTC continues to grow and grow and grow. Bangkok may seem spacious when I get there!

Speaking of which, our "Phii Thais" (the older group), flew out yesterday and she get there tomorrow!! I can't even believe it. They were the last group to be on the 12-13 week program. We get new Thai missionaries next week-- so we may get a companionship in our bedroom in our 3rd bunkbed. I can't wait to bring in the new group and try to help them as much as we can, emotionally and language wise. I remember what it was like! So to anyone coming in tomorrow or next week, I'm hosting the new missionaries! So I could see you and bring you and all your luggage in. :)

 

There is a big bug that is going around our district, as spread by Elder Chambers! That boy needs to cover his mouth. :P :) So my companion got really sick yesterday and I had to figure some splits so I could make sure our cleaning jobs got done... by me. Hahaha. Luckily I have yet to catch the bug once more. Heaven knows a 2-month flu was enough. Oh! Did I mention that my flu shot gave me the flu? Yes. It did. I had the flu for 2 months. Go figure. So life on the mostly healthy side is delightfulllllll.

 

Script and reading is coming along-- things are sticking much better and the language continues to progress. I finally had a great couple of teaching experiences in the TRC-- (where we teach volunteers who speak Thai), and they actually went really well. I'm suprised by how much I can say. Though, I still have SOOOOO far to go. It's really humbling. But I can tell I'm in an escalated learning environment-- God still knows how to teach Thai best.

 

Our teacher, Bro. McConkie, got engaged on Saturday! To a girl who went to Mt. View in Mesa. Somebody creep on Sarah Rowley. So happy for him! Especially if he got an Arizona girl. (Let it be known, he left us an hour early to go propose, so it was a good excuse! As he left, he said to another teacher, "khun pen phuuchuayhayrccd!" (and I knew it was a big deal because that means, 'You're a savior!" haha. Well, actually it means literally: "person who helps give salvation". Hahaha! Thai is so great.)

 

Elder Wheeler is now in a trio, and Elder Bartholomew is our district leader. We actually lost an Elder. That was a hard adjustment for all of us, but it was the right decision for him. He'll be back soon, we know it.

 

I had a dream this week about preaching the gospel to some teenagers. I can honestly say I have never had a dream where I am bearing testimony. It was bizarre, but realistic. I guess that happens when you live and breathe missionary work.

 

There's just something about serving a mission that makes all your flaws materialize. It's both really hard on you, and motivating to change. I'm getting massively humbled because of how draining all this can be-- and of course, your companion is just as drained as you, so by the end of the night, you say: "Groodniihh..." (that's not Thai, that's just sleepy talk for goodnight. Life is rough. haha)

 

I was really inspired all week from reading Jacob 5-- the parable of the vineyard. I just loved it. It made me think of what Grandma Ines used to say: "Grow where you are planted." because in the parable, the servant in the vineyard says: "How comest thou hither to plant this tree [here]? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard." (vs. 21)

Lord of the Vineyard says : "Counsel me not. I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it, this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit."

They continue walking and the Lord sees another tree: "Look hither," he says, "behold I have planted another branch of the tree also, and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first."

"But," And then he stops him and points, saying, ".... behold, the tree."

 

It just hit me that no matter where we came from, or where we were planted, if we grow up nourished by the Lord and keep our roots dug in Him, we can grow and flourish no matter our background, and no matter how poor our circumstance.

 

Just call me a vineyard worker.

#newfavoriteparableitsfine

 

"Good timber does not grow with ease;

the stronger wind, the stronger trees;

the further the sky, the greater length,

the more the storm, the more the strength,

by sun and cold, by rain and snow,

in trees and men good timber grow."

(Thanks cousin Tyler, for sending that poem to me again! I had lost it since you served!)

 

It's been nice and warm(er), so we're loving life for the moment! We sat on the temple grounds on our walk on Sunday-- a real treat!

I'm so excited for Brekk to go to Disneyland! HE IS SO CUTE!

 

Keep working hard, and keep smiling! I love you all SO much and I am so grateful to have each and every one of you. I can't tell you how much you all mean to me! This missionary loves you!

 

LOVEEEEEEEEE,

That girl who is currently on Week 6 starting TOMORROW!

Sister Monica Painter!

 

the usual lunch

 

Sis. S & I hosting for the first time! Bringing in new missionaries!

 

Our district had a food fiesta last P-Day! We brought out the 5lb chocolate from Uncle Tom!

(sorry I'm not in it, it's also missing a few people!)

 

Bro. McConkie (doesn't he look oddly like Jared Hammer? :p Anyway, that's Bruce R's grandson! Teaching us Thai!)

 

Sis. Steele & I

 

Sunday sit on the lawn of the temple :) (Elder Quinn and Elder Kelley <-- from Australia)

 

 me this morning with Sis. McDermott--- we went on splits to go to the temple because Sis. Stewart was sick. :) It was taken this morning

our district on the lawn!

 

-

 

 

Week 4 - The Spirit

Hello & Sawadiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

 

As an official proclaimation: I want mail! I'm eager to hear from everyone!

 

Also, I am officially 28 days into my mission. That's bizarre. The time continuam here is confusing-- a week is a day and a day is a week. Go figure.

 

For Melissa--- Elder Pyne not only looks like Winnie the Pooh, but he also is an impeccable resemblence of Josh Peck from Drake and Josh. In fact, when we figured it out, I had him say: "MEAGAN!!" and I basically cried laughing it was so good.

 

Also, my hat, gloves and scarf finally arrived at Lost & Found after 2 weeks! It's a miracle. I was so bummed that they went missing, and AH! At last! Warm fingers and ears!

 

M. Russell Ballard came last Tuesday after I emailed! Way cool. We sang "Consider the Lillies" to him in the MTC choir (which I am in) and it reminded me of Grandpa Payne for some reason. Then I realized Grandma Ines's birthday was right after. I can tell they are supporting me out here.

 

Script continues to beat me to a pulp! It's so hard because of the tones and vowels. The language is getting tough because I can't memorize the vocab as easily when it's in script-- I usually memorize by visualizing the word in my head, but now that I can't read, I also can't memorize as easy! So I have officially turned myself over to the Lord to try to speak Thai-- my semi-photographic memory is not helping me, but I know HE can! :)

 

I took sinus pressure medicine from the clinic and that helped a little bit, but I'm still getting a a tad bit of the upper jaw bone pain. Not fun, but it hasn't kept me from being productive-- it's just annoying. :) Doing my best to stay positive regardless!

 

The TRC the most intimidating thing we do here because we teach Thai volunteers-- all of which have already served in Thailand. I have a tough time talking to them because I get so nervous that I have no clue what they're saying-- because I literally DON'T know what they're saying! Haha. We teach them all as members, too, so we can't ask them normal investigator stuff. We just teach them a lesson! It's like church! Haha.

 

However, we DID teach our 2 Thai investigators this week. In fact, the toughest cookie to crack, Bro. McConkie (grandson of Bruce R. McConkie) was red in the eyes during our lesson last night. I had prayed all day that I would just be able to submit myself to the Lord to teach my how to speak Thai, and when I got to our classroom, we didn't know we would be teaching him right away so we didn't have a solid lesson plan. So Sis. Stewart and I went in faith, not knowing before what we would really say or what "Phii Thii" really needed to hear, and in that lesson, we felt the spirit so strongly as we TESTIFIED IN THAI! I thought of something that needed to be said, and it came out in Thai! Just flowed out like the Dr. Pepper in mom's 48 oz pop! We felt like since Phii Thii knew for a surety that what he had already been learning the last 4 lessons was true, he needed to share it with his family and help them to accept baptism just like He did. Oh, it was crazy just how much love and sincerity was there. Sis. Stewart and I finished and left, and we looked at each other and said, "What just happened?"

 

The spirit happened.

 

"Good timber does not grow with ease:

the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees;

The further the sky, the greater the length;

the more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

in trees and men good timbers grow."

 

We just kids. We're learning a language completely out of our normal spectrum of knowledge, and it's HARD. There's no way that 18-21 year old kids can go WORLD WIDE and tell people that the way they've been living their life is seemingly incorrect, and that they need to change. What 19 year old kid convinced a 50 yr old man to stop drinking and come to church? NO BODY DID.

 

The spirit taught that man-- the 19 yr old kid was simply the means of setting the environment for the spirit to be there and testify.

 

"As to my strength, I am weak. I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God. For in his strength I can do all things." --Alma 26 (Just go read that whole chapter in the Book of Mormon. It's my favorite by far.)

 

I'm weak, but I will testify, in English and in Thai, that Jesus Christ LOVES us. God loves us so much that he sacrificed His Only Begotten Son FOR us, so that one day, when we hurt and we make mistakes, we can return to Him. And when that day comes, I want Christ to be able to tell me He was proud of me for doing all I could to spread His message-- that He will come again. And when He does, I know where I will be. I'll be at His feet, thanking Him for never letting me down. Because I know from now until that time, He won't. And He won't let you down either. I promise you that! Seek Him out, He'll tell you that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is HIS church, restored to the earth again.

 

With ALL my love, (kab thug khwaamrag kccng sidturr)

 

Sister Painter

 

PS: I memorized a fun phrase this week-- "We are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." --> "Row ben phuusaansaasana kccng sadsanacag kccng Phrayeesukhrid hang [sidtichon yudsathay]" <--- they actually just changed Latter-Day Saints' translation, so I'll let you know what that is now. JUST happened recently! Crazy. Time to RE-memorize... Hahah.

 

PSS: Sorry no pictures this week, we honestly didn't do much at all except learn!

Week 3- "Oh, so you have the Urim & Thummim"

HELLO!! Sawat diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

 

This week has been super fast and super fun-- Thai is coming and coming. In fact, my teachers are kind of taken offguard how well we are all of a sudden able to read script. I AM TAKEN OFFGUARD. The Lord will hasten His work? Uhm, literally. Somehow we are getting cut to 9 weeks and each we are somehow learning at a faster rate than the 12-week kiddos have. Not bragging, I'm just seriously floored by the promise that we'd be able to do this. The Lord knows how to teach Thai!!

 

But some REALLY cool stuff we learned this week came from hearing how the Thai Book of Mormon was 1st translated to Thai from English. A little Mormon Thai lady was well-educated and worked for the King, and she was called to translate it, and in doing so, an apostle told my teacher's mission president that she was assisted by the 3 Nephites-- So cool. Also, she didn't know the word for priesthood and really struggled over it. She prayed that she would know what it was, and she woke up one morning, and ON THE CEILING, the name was in Thai, written on the ceiling. Later it was gone! So that's how she did it! I am convinced the people of Thailand are SUPPOSED to have the Book of Mormon, because you learn so much about the gospel by hearing the Thai simple translation.

 

Nephi's name in Thai is "Nii-fay"--- literal translation? 'This Light'. AMAZING.

 

As for script-- it is so bizarre, and yet so simple at the same time, and yet so complicated on the other hand. A dilemma, if you will, for the human brain. I have a little card with all my consonants and vowels I've been memorizing, and when a very 'high class' consonant comes along, I have to look it up to know what sound it makes. It's kind of like having the Urim and Thummim. All we need now is a batch of helium balloons-- because reading Thai is like Papa Smurf 'having another piece to the puzzle!!!'

 

Thai reads like a giant Twitter hashtag. So when you read it, it's kind of like this (you never know when one word ends and another begins:) #andwhenIatethefruitofthetreethanitwasdelicious

 

me & my "khuu" (companion)

 

Also, Thai makes no Tense. And by that I mean, present tense is all they have-- you just use context clues and sometimes throw in another word like "before" or "after" or "one day" to make it a different tense. But in general, you would say: "Joseph Smith is Prophet." to mean he WAS a prophet. To clarify you'd have to say: "Mxa 1800's, cooseb samid pen saadsada." (When 1800's, Joseph Smith is a prophet.) I actually love caveman english-- so much easier than conjugating verbs-- you never have to! "You read know if true, yes no?" Yep.

 

Funny stories:

 

Bro. Burgess, my teacher, was looking at me funny and said, "Have you seen Homeward Bound?"

to which I said, "Literally 300 times as a kid!"

And he said, "If you had an animal doppleganger, I would think you would be 'Sassy' that cat!!"

I looked at him like, "Are you serious?! That's what we still call my sister to this day!!!"

 

So there you go, I'm Sassy the cat here at the MTC. It could be worse, I could be Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh like Elder Quinn, or Brother Bear like Elder Pyne (he literally looks like a bear.)

 

Elder Wheeler, our district leader, was translating names in Thai script and asked Bro. McConkie (our other teacher) if his first name was right. McConkie started sounding it out: "Kaley---" to which Elder Wheeler hushed him and said, " NO NO! NOT THAT ONE!!" and McConkie said, "Wait, who is she?!" Hahaha. Oh Elders.

 

I was translating for 2 Elders speaking to our teacher while they tried to teach how to endure to the end. Our teacher was only allowed to speak English and I had to translate it into Thai to tell the Elders. We got to a point where the Elders didn't know what to teach, so they pulled out a scripture. It was going fine until my teacher read: "And you will have less desire to injure one another...." to which, the Elders asked in Thai: "Did you like that?" ....we literally cried laughing. Worst lesson ever. It was hilarious.

 

Lastly, we get tired as missionaries so it's hard to tell when we're napping or being productive. So Elder Anderson (or 100% Korean from Sandy, UT), had his head down on his desk. Bro. McConkie (teacher) came and pet his head, after which Elder Anderson raised his head 30 seconds later and said, "I was praying." Bro. McConkie felt so bad but he couldn't not laugh. We still can't tell the difference when Anderson prays.

 

(Pretending to eat the temple...)

 

Quotes:

"My milkshake brings... nothing to the yard."

"When a feline dies, it cannot be reincatnated."

 

(Accidentally matching with Sister Steele)

 

My District:

Elders: Wheeler, Anderson, Pyne, Steiner, Jensen, Chambers, DeLagarza, Bartholomew

Sisters: Me, Stewart, Steele, McDermott, Yim (Hawaiian convert)

 

(Me & all the sisters! Me, Stewart, Yim, McDermott, and Steele)

 

Anyway, I just want to tell you all how much I love being a missionary. Yes, there are hilarious moments where I say: "Can we come and teach again? .... Today? Right now?" (Didn't mean to say that.) but I know the Lord prepares a way for his missionaries to teach somehow. Above all else, I have been studying the Book of Mormon to a capacity that I never have before, and it is full and ripe with SO MUCH to learn about Jesus Christ. I've been marking the places in the scriptures where it tells the characteristics and nature of the Son of God-- and I have never felt more sure than He could love us enough to die for us. The Book of Mormon is the evidence that God cares about ALL His children and the time is NOW that we need to hear what He has to say. Jesus Christ is coming again, and we must be ready to give Him a big hug and thank Him for everything He has ever done for us-- that includes preparing ourselves to be clean and free from the guilt we as humans accumulate by human error. I know that through Jesus Christ, we can be guilt-free, and happier than we have ever been.

 

There is nowhere I would rather be than learning how I can bring people to know what I do. When we teach the gospel to those that have never heard of a God, we have to explain as simply as we would to a child-- and oddly enough, those messages are the most profound:

 

"Phraphuubenjaw song ben phrabida kccn raw-- phrabida kccn winyaan kccn raw. le' thaa raw tham samrab phraong phiichay, lxag rab baptidsama, raw klab bon sawan kab phrabida bon sawan day-- khray rag raw maag maag."

 

God is our literal Father-- the Father of our spirits. And if we become like His Son, Jesus Christ, by repenting and being baptized as Christ did, we can return to our Heavenly Father who loves us so dearly.

 

I know that Joseph Smith saw Him. I know that one day, so will we. Press forward in faith, nothing wavering, and you will.

 

I love you all! Write this little missionary!

 

Sister Painter

 

Okay I love you all!!!!!

Write me!!!!!!! Dearelders/Handwritten are amazing!

 

Week Two: Routines are Thai-t

Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 12:49PM (Email from MTC)

 

Hey family!!!

So we finally have a routine. Unfortunately, there are a million people here so it's packed and you have to be smart about getting around. In the next 90 days, there will be 8000+ people here. Right now we are pumping 3000. That. Is. Insane.

This week I started to learn how to read script. It's kind of nuts, because vowels can basically go where-ever they wanna go!!! And sometimes consonants make random other sounds too, so it's a learning process. Thai is getting harder as I try to keep everything I already learned under my belt. It's overwhelming thinking they have a whole world of words to learn that all sound the same.



So, you know how I call Mom "Mammy"? Well, the word for mom in Thai is: "MAA!" (Like, MA-mmy. HAHAH. I was like, "yesssss.") The word for dad is 'Pa', and parents is: "MA-pa". :) Just for fun facts.
Jesus Christ: Phrayeesukrid
Heavenly Father: Phrabida bon Sawan
Crazy = babccbaboh. (Buh-bah-buh-bo) :) Hahah.

Funny story: There's a few 18yr olds Elders in our district, and they are fun to mess with. Sometimes I speak fake sign language with Elder DeLagarza because he thought the first time I did it that it was real because it LOOKED legit. He was like, "I DON'T KNOW SIGN LANGUAGE!!!" So once he found out, days later, I told him it was "Thai Sign". Now we speak Thai sign occasionally. Hahaha.

To answer mom's question: The way we BEGAN to learn Thai was by reading in 'romanized' english. So backwards c's and x's are all tonal sounds. Thai has those 5 tones, like I said, and they are represented by vowels in script. Script is coming slowly, and it's amazing that I even remember half the letters. I have a kindergarten book that I trace the characters on. I feel awesome when I do it, because there is pictures.... :) Haha.

I officially cannot eat any more treats for about a month. If anyone sends me a package, send me PENS, HIGHLIGHTERS, or snack foods. I have eaten so many Valentine's treats that I literally cannot eat any more sugar without exploding. :) You all spoiled me!!!!

I ran into a LOT of friends this week! Brandon and Melinda got here, and I saw Alexis's sister working here, and my buddy Rory who works vending machines! So fun.

 

We also got to go on a temple walk. It was nice to get out, but it is FREEZING! The Provo temple is SUPER nice. I've been twice now, and I love it.

Write me DearElders!!! I miss them! Hugs hugs hugs to all of you who have written me. I should be able to respond today!!!

Sister Stewart and I are teaching lessons this week. Praying we'll start to get the hang of this Thai thing! It really is insane. :p 

I love you all!!!
Love,
Sister Painter!

Week One: "What Just Happened? I think I spoke Thai..."

Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 4:41PM (in the MTC)

 

 

 

 

 

HEY FAMILY!!! AND FRIENDS! Sawatdeekah!

Week One! What a DOOZYYYY. But in a good way (most of the time)-- I have a lot of jumbled thoughts here and not a lot of time to get them written down but I'll sure try my hardest.

First things first-- holy cow. There are a million missionaries here. And they all say hi in a different language. No Armenians yet, but I'm looking out! I've run into virtually everyone I know since the first day I got here. And I see them every day! I'm excited to see Melinda tomorrow!!!!!

So the first day I walked into my classroom with 13.7 lbs of book materials. No lie. And Bro. Burgess, my teacher, spoke entirely in Thai from day one. He's nice and occasionally speaks English nowadays, but the first day I got by with what I studied on Youtube, believe it or not! I answered his questions upon walking in, and the Elders were all mad. :) Anyway, as for language learning-- Thai is crazy! There is 5 tone marks: up, down, none, mountain, and valley. So "maa" said in 5 different ways is 5 different words. It's crazy. So I try not to talk when I'm excited or my phrases can go from: "Hi my name is Sister Painter" to "Horses run on the skyscraper" (Just kidding. There is no relation between those to statements, but I'm making a point here. It's crazy.)

 

I feel like getting used to having a companion around (24/7, WHERE ARE YOU SISTER STEWART) took the longest to get used to. It's definitely not being in a relationship-- It's like having a 5th limb that you can learn from and work with to get stuff done! Sister Melissa Stewart is my companion, she's from Boulder City Nevada. She's pretty cute! I like her.

 

 

 

 

I've had a congested... well, everything, the last week. In fact, I actually can't hear out of my left ear? Weird. So I went to the clinic and they really didn't know. So as of right now, I've been trying to get my ears to pop and I can't do it. :p It's rough! Anyone who has advice, dearelder it to me!

I don't have a lot of email time, so I suggest dearelder-ing me on Friday night so I can get it Monday and think of a response for Tuesday. It won't be that way in the mission field, but until Thailand, that'll save me some time so I can respond longer!

The first day in class when we got back to the classroom after dinner, it said on the board: "Don't worry, be happy" and I just knew everything was going to be OKAY! Jared always says that to me, so when I saw it, I was like, "Inspired message from my teacher!" Hahaha. The funniest signs are in the bathrooms: "OUT OF ORDER-- NOBODY'S HAPPY!!!!" and "THIS WAY TO THE MINISTER OF MAGIC" pointing to the toilet. I have literally seen it all.

 

I came in with 800+ missionaries last wednesday-- the largest group in 12 years or something crazy like that! There are 29 people that came into my District with me, so they split us up and literally found the smallest classrooms on campus to shove 15 Thai's into each. We realized we were in "Outer Darkness" when we saw the English missionaries' classrooms in another building. To sum it up, my English is even getting rough within 6 days because of how much I cram into my noggin' every day, so I said to Sis. Stewart: "The English missionaries practically sit in SLEEPY BOY CHAIRS!!!" And she's like, "...what?" And I was like, "Uhhh.. You know, those really comfy cushy chairs... Sleepy... boy.. chairs. No! LAZY boy. LAZY BOY CHAIRS."

 

Such is the life of Sister Painter.

My district of Elders always say at the end of the day: "Mail came today.... for Sister Painter." My district leader says: "I swear they are ALL for Sister Painter. ALWAYS." Hahahah-- tell everyone THANK YOU for all the lovin' and mail. Apparently the weekend was the popular time to write me, because I got 10 dearelders yesterday (holy cow, I had no idea I was so loved) and the Elders were like, "What the heck?!?!?" so I said, "Hey! I've been writing missionaries for a long time! It's my turn!" :) THANK YOU everyone for the support-- I can't even tell you how much that meant to me yesterday, because yesterday was the hardest day we've had I'd say!

 

We're currently teaching an 'investigator', and his name is Phii Ut. Thai is nuts! But somehow, I am learning and speaking Thai in what seems like a miraculous way. I just... do it. Like, it's not that hard. Yes, it's hard, but I just REMEMBER words randomly and put them together! Yes, it's "caveman" Thai, but it's still getting the message across! I actually am really loving learning. It's the 'drink from firehose' effect, but it's seriously working.

But the biggest thing: Something amazing is going to happen in Thailand. I just know it. They're in major change, and they're sending us missionaries out there at the front of it. Somethingggg is going to happen while I'm there, or Laos and Myanmar wouldn't be opened to service missionaries now. It's just amazing. We are the biggest group of Thai missionaries.... ever.

I thought the missionary schedule would be hard. Fun fact: It's long, but it's not hard. I have not been sleepy for 6 days, since I got here. I get up at 6:30am like, "Okay ready!" It's so... weird! I thought it would be grueling. However, don't get me wrong, THIS IS HARD. I never understood really what Jared meant until I started living it. Being a missionary is physically, emotionally and spiritually DEMANDING and DRAINING!

Fun fact about the scriptures! In Thai, every brother and sister has to be labeled, "Older" or "younger"-- so.... when you translate the Book of Mormon to Thai talking about the Brother of Jared, what happens??? Well, they prayed and asked Thomas S. Monson whether their decision was correct, and he said yes! So just for everyone's knowledge-- The Brother of Jared was OLDER than Jared! Crazy, right? Go tell your friends. The Thai's know what's up.

Anyway, so something in Thai before I head out real quick (in romanized english, not in symbols). There are people waiting for my computer:

Chan rag phraabida bon sawan le phrayeesukrid. Chan ruu sadsanaacjag khwaamching. Chan ruu phrayeeskrid le praphuupencjaw phrakod cooseb samid. Le Chan rag khrobkrua!!!
(Translation: I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know this church is true. I know Jesus Christ and God appeared to Joseph Smith. And I love my family!)

I'll write next week! KEEP WRITING ME LETTERS!! I promise I will try to respond to everyone as fast as I can, but the MTC keeps us busy!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
(Chan rag raw!)

Sister Painter

PS: Can someone dearelder me Jared's happenings from his blog? elderhammersmissionpage.blogspot.com (Thank you!)

Entering the MTC -- 3 Doors Down

Family and Friends!
My MTC Address is here! If you are planning on writing me a note, I should be in the MTC until April 10th (9 weeks). In a funny turn of events, my MTC address is '3 doors' from Jared's. He was #304!

Anyway, my addresses are listed on the side bar below the Palace photo. You'll never lose them!
And of course, here they are as well.

Sister Monica Painter
MTC Mailbox # 301
THAI-BAN 0410
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

You can also write me via dearelder.com for free and I get it the same day at the MTC. :)

When I leave for Thailand, write me at this address: (After April 10)

Sister Monica Painter
Thailand Bangkok Mission
1645/6 New Phetchaburi Road
Makkasan, Ratchathewi
Bangkok, Thailand 10400

Everyone, it's been quite the ride. This is going to be the hardest, but most amazing adventure. Any letter from a friend is so appreciated. My sister will be updating my blog while I'm away (in theory)-- but if you would like to get my emails straight through email, let me know before Saturday evening.

See you all soon! Hugs for everyone! And pass one on to my missionary for me. :)

Thai Love You!
Sister Painter