Week 6: Teaching over Skype in Thai

The countdown continues!! ONLY 3 MORE WEEKS TILL THAILAND! We've all been moving along in this work. I think we're all ready to leave at this point, but we still have so much more to learn before we can. This week, we've been trying to speaking Thai more than we have before. We've been trying to speak it outside of the classroom because that's really the only way you can learn a new language. Anyway, the younger Thai district is coming in on Wednesday and my district will be the "older" group for the last few weeks before we leave. Apparently the new district will have 6 sisters and 1 elder. I feel so bad for that elder to be honest. The guys in my district are all pretty close now and I have no idea who his companion will be and how he's going to survive with all sisters for 9 weeks (sisters are awesome don't get me wrong). You just can't have a brotherhood with sisters haha.

On another note, tonight is the first time we'll be teaching members in Thailand over Skype! It's going to be so nice to talk to people from Thailand and hear what they have to say to us. We're teaching them a lesson so hopefully everything goes alright. We've been teaching a lot of lessons with our investigators and we've been trying this week to teach from the heart, with confidence. I know we're ready for this next step with Skyping.

A little while ago, Elder Gremillion, one of the guys in my district shared a really cool story what happened to him before he came to the MTC. So before he went in, he had an open house with all his friends and family. He was texting all of his friends and telling them to all stop by and see him before he would get set apart and leave. It turns out that he accidentally typed the wrong digit for one of the phone numbers he was texting and it went to a Thai man who lived somewhere close by. This man got his message and actually went to his going away party! What are the odds of that happening! They talked for a bit and it was a way cool experience for Gremillion to share his beliefs with him and talk about Thailand with him. The Lord was preparing people for Him to meet even before he was set apart as a missionary. He's aware of every single one of us in an individual way and that story was another confirmation to me that the Lord needs me in Thailand. If there's anything I've learned here in the MTC, it's that I need to go to Thailand. Out of the four teachers that teach us Thai, one thing that I've noticed from all of them is that their hearts are still in that country. You guys might not care too much and I might just be rambling on here, but to me, having this opportunity to serve in Thailand has been nothing short of a dream come true. I haven't even gotten there and my love for that country is more than I could've ever imagined. 

One last thing before I finish here. If you guys haven't seen the video "Because of Him", you need to go watch it! Even if you've seen it, go watch it again. It's soooo good. My district's been watching this video almost every night these past couple weeks. The focus of this video is on the Savior. Personally, I've come to love this video because it reminds me of my purpose here as a missionary and it reminds me of my purpose of why I'm even here on earth. What a blessing it is to know Jesus Christ. Because of Him, every problem we have and every question we want answered can be solved through His gospel. I know that He lives and that He loves us. I'm only a missionary for two years and I will testify of Him every chance that I get. I don't expect you all to read all of my emails because I know they can get pretty long, but I will not apologize because of it. This gospel is too good not to express my feelings I have for it. I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Rawlinson