Week 29: LA Hunting in Nong Khai, February 14, 2016

This week has actually felt like one of the longer weeks I've had since being here in Thailand. We've been working pretty hartrying to find people to meet with. If you guys read my email from last week, you know that I'm now in a new area called Nong Khai. It's been a lot different than my greenie area of Ubon. It's smaller and for the most part, crazier than Ubon. I can't really explain how it's so crazy. There's just things that I see and hear that make days in Nhong Khai anything but boring. For example, on Sunday I was looking for a room in the church to teach our investigators and I peak into the window of the door to see one of the rooms and I see a member just laying down on the ground getting a massage from one of the other members. As if it's not even a weird thing at all to get a massage after church... in the church building haha. People here speak a Thai dialect called Esan. It's similar to the dialect that they speak in Ubon, but I feel like it's a little different. Sometimes Esan just sounds like noises that people make like "UGHHH' or "UYYYYYY" or something like that. I can pick up some of it, but for the most part people here understand standard Thai and usually speak that with the missionaries.

In other news, Elder Bryson and I have really been focusing on working with LAs (less-active) this past week. We printed out the membership roster (which has over 200 members on record) in the beginning of the transfer and we've been "hunting" for a lot of LAs on there. One of them that we found was Sister Anne. We found her place which is only about a minute away from our house. Her daughter and mom are LA as well. We met with her a few times this past week and she came to church yesterday. What a miracle. Missionaries have passed her house for such a long time and to find her this week, literally within a minute away from our house, has been so amazing. To see her come back yesterday made me happy. The Lord's sheep are out there and we need to bring them back. I'm starting to like working with LAs. I used to resent it, but this week has opened my eyes to the importance of it. Talking with them, teaching them, and trying to help them feel the Spirit is important. When we meet with LAs, I think it shows them that we care about them. And I don't think there's anything wrong with showing others that I love and care about them. Sometimes I'm horrible at doing that but I know it's what the Savior would have done. If you're going to get anything out of this email, please take time this week to think of others and show others that you care and love them. Seriously though, who cares if you don't know them that well or if it's awkward or if it's "weird", just do it. I love you guys and I love this gospel. The Church is true! If you know a less-active, invite them to come back to church! 

Elder Rawlinson 

Rice fields on rice fields on rice fields

 So I got a cool house plant last P-day and Elder Ridings decided her would take it on the back of his bike to take it home hahah!