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| Me and Sister Gagarin! She is awesome and is so good already! |
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| A member in Ayutthaya gave us T-shirts before we left. |
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| They eat bugs here. Haha the big bug they don't eat, it was just a nearly dead one we found and I picked it up. I did not eat it. |
This week I said goodbye to the beautiful ancient city Ayutthaya อยุธยา, good byes are so hard. I learned so much from that area and was always in awe at the the beauty of the ancient ruins and elephants that I would bike past while proselyting.
Transfers: Thursday morning we went to the Mission office in Asoke (where the temple will be built!) And met with my new companion Sister Gagarin from the Philipines :) She had to go do her visa so I got to wait at the mission office and talk with the people and other missionaries waiting there! After that we begged a Taxi man to take my 2 huge suitcases, my bike, and a box of Book of Mormons in his taxi to go to the bus station. He was a little annoyed at first and upped the price, but we were able to keep it relatively low. It turns out he was Christian and we were able to have a good conversation. I was also able to read him a few verses from the Book of Mormon and testify that I know it is true!
8 hour bus ride.
Some members graciously picked us up after midnight.
Weekly Bike Drama: The next day my bike brakes totally gave out, so I had to use my feet to brake. We also have to wear longs skirts now for the rainy season, so that has been interesting to bike in... 
Rejection!: We contacted one lady, and we thought we had a good gospel discussion going on and invited her to learn more, and then it totally turned and she just went off on how she's Buddhist and won't change, then said "so I'm going to have to reject you." We were a little stunned because that is not how Thai people usually respond. As we walked away, I asked Sister Gagarin "Do you think we gave her a clear chance to learn?" We both felt like we had. And that's all we can do!
Violin School Girl: We were riding a สองแถว (public transportation like riding in the back of a pickup truck) on the way back from an appointment on Sunday and I was talking to the girl beside me about Jesus Christ and church. The girl standing in front of me I could tell was listening intently. After the first girl got off, this girl sat right next to me and said to me right away "I have been trying to find your church! I followed the map but couldn't find it!" She then pulls an inviting card from her violin case. She said that she wants to go to church! She was a tender mercy. I taught her how to pray right there and gave her a pamphlet. We will see her at church on Sunday. It's amazing to see how Heavenly Father puts people in your path.
Gift of Tongues: There has been an emphasis on gaining members trust, and Elder Uchtdorf presented some training videos on how to bear your testimony when you first get to an area, and to be very enthusiastic. So I did that. I felt the spirit very strong with me as I stood up and bore testimony, I felt like I was given the gift of tongues to help me give a clear and powerful testimony. After Sacrament meeting a sweet sister in the ward who I hadn't met yet asked to give me a hug and said she felt I had true love in my eyes. Another man was very impressed with my Thai and then said "You sisters should come to my house and teach my wife the gospel, I think you would be good teachers for her!"
I honestly don't think that I am that good at the language, like I'm okay, but I'm not amazing or anything. I think what the difference was that I was (and am) determined to love and serve these people and to see success, I prayed and asked God for help (many times), and I followed the counsel from leaders (Elder Uchtdorf's training). This just built my testimony of the importance of relying on the Lord, following leaders, and the importance of gaining the members trust.
Love,
Sister Peterson
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