The language is going
really well. This week, our district's been working hard on reading and
understanding the First vision in Thai. We've been working on memorizing
it too. It's not easy. It took like two days just to get all the words
figured out and to find it's literal translation into English. When you
read in Thai, you have to make sure that the tone of the word is right
or it could mean a completely different thing. In Thai, depending on
what class a certain consonant is with a specific tone marker will
determine the actual tone of the word. Not only that, but if a word ends
in a "g", "b", or "d", it follows a different rule for the tone. Last
Saturday, we taught a volunteer member and apparently when I tried to
say faith (sadthaa with a down tone), it sounded like I was saying Satan
(saataan with a flat tone). And I'm pretty sure I said this like five
times and I had no idea I was saying it wrong. And it's been my fifth
week here. Fail. It's hard but there's nothing I'd rather be learning
than this language.
Speaking of the language,
one of our teachers taught us some of the literal translations of the
words "understand" an "repent". In Thai, the word "understand" is "khaw
cay" which translates to "enter heart". The word "repent" in Thai is
"klab cay" which translates to "return heart". There's so many words
like that in Thai and it's awesome! I've come to see the gospel in a new
light as I've learned the meaning of words in Thai and I love it!!
Repentance really is a return of your heart. It's about finding out who
you really are under all the mistake made in life. Just wanted to share
that with you all.
This past week, one of
the elders in my residence was insanely sick. Almost every night, he
would cough his lungs out. He had to go the clinic close to the MTC and
get some antibiotics. We were all really worried about him so some of
the guys in his district gave him a blessing. I was able to be a part of
that for the first time in my life and the Spirit in that room was
amazing. I could feel it so strongly. He's been getting better since
then and I learned that as missionaries for the Lord, we've been given
so much power to do the Lord's work. One of my teachers told us
something that really stood out to me this week, "Every word you say is
justifies by God. Choose to walk with Him." He said that the blessings
we promise our investigators will be backed up by Heavenly Father. It
made me realize how real this work is and how much our Heavenly Father
has confidence in me to be an instrument in His hands.
One
more thing I want to share. My companion has a copy of a passage called
the "Creed of the Unashamed". I want to share with you guys some of
what it says. "My mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised,
detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face
of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at
the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in
the maze of mediocrity. I will not give up, shut up, or let up until I
have stayed up, stored up and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go
until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all I know and work
until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no
problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear." This work is real and
I'm so blessed to be a part of it every single day. I never thought it
could be possible to love this gospel so much but I do. I love
everything it stands for and I love my Savior. "We talk about the Second
Coming, half the world hasn't even heard the first". In 4 weeks, I'll
do my best to fix that. Have a great week everyone!
Elder Rawlinson
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