MAY 29, 2012 Helaman 5:9-11 Hello from...BANGKOK!!!! I still cannot believe I am here!! SO crazy! This city is so freaking huge and cool! I am in a part of Bangkok called Bang Naa. I am not really sure where exactly it is. Being here is so cool, but I really miss Khorat. I love all the members and investigators there SO much. But I know I will come to love everyone here too. So, I was totally planning on sending pictures, but my bag that has the USB cord in it...along with my scriptures, preach my gospel, dictionaries, pens (ya know, all the unimportant stuff, hahaha), got left on the bus...so it is now with the zone leaders in Khon Kaen about 6 hours from here. Luckily they are bringing it down for me in about three weeks. So I promise I will send tons of pictures then to make up for these couple of weeks. Sorry! My companion is Sister Skalla, who was in the MTC with me! She came in 6 weeks after me. She is such a sweetheart and I am so excited to be companions with her. Oh yay, I bet the kids are all way exited to be out of school and to go swimming! I can't wait to go swimming! : ) Yay, I'm glad you were able to see Josh. Are he and Alyssa together again, or are they just friends? And is he still planning on a mission? Yay! I am so exited for a new neice!!! I can't wait to see pictures when she gets here. There is tons of sushi here, but not usually at Thai restaurants, there are just TONS of Japanese restaurants here, and they all have it. I tried to eat sushi with Sister Tano, but I couldn't. I almost threw up when I tried!! But I am finding a lot of other Japanese foods that I really like. You will love all the sushi and Thai food here when I bring you back though! and thank you SO SO much for putting money in for me. I really really appreciate it. I so wish I could help you unpack, and clean house, and help with kids and cook dinner and all that. I am sorry I can't, but I am so grateful for your support in my being here. I definitely am supposed to be here right now, and I just pray that God blesses you all while I am out here. K, well I love you all tons, and miss you like crazy!! Have an absolutely amazing week, and enjoy the last week of school/first week of summer! Have fun at roaring springs and the pool! Love ya! Jess

MAY 21, 2012 D&C 68:6 and D&C 14:7 Hello family! Yay! Thanks for e-mailing! Talking to you all last week was SO great! Miss you all like crazy though! Oh my goodness I cannot believe you are all almost out of school! That is crazy! School here in Thailand is just starting again. Jared and Austin...GET YOUR DIPLOMAS!!!! I say that out of love! Congratulations Jared Alan Wallace on graduating from Seminary! HAhaha, that is super funny. I guess it is better than Jaredina, no? : ) Jennah, there is no way you are going to be in high school already!!!! That is stinkin nuts!!!! Stop growing up so fast! I am so glad I got to talk to you last week! I was really worried that I would not get to! It wasn't near long enough, but I got to see your beautiful face! Kayla and Kelsie, congratulations on soccer! yay that is so awesome! was it fun? I bet unpacking is really difficult when you are working crazy hours like that. But hey, the deer heads are on the wall, and that is the important part, right? I am so glad you don't have to be a part of the execution. That would be really awful if you had to do that. What a yucky feeling, like you said, whether he deserves it or not, it would be awful to be a part of that. Daddy, I am sorry your hips are hurting so much, I am really glad you will be able to get them fixed. Yay I am so excited to get pictures! And, mama thank you SO much for putting money in my account. I am so sorry to ask!!! This week has been an awesome last week in Khorat.Friday night, I got to hang out with the members at Khorat's largest outdoor market, passing out flyers for English and pass along cards. I took a video, but it isn't working. I will try again next week. Then that night, we were walking home, and saw an elephant! THe guy wouldn't let us ride it, but we got to feed it and pet it and take pictures! Saturday the Elders had a baptism, which was supposed to start at 6pm, but when we got there at 5 the Elders had forgotten to turn the water in the font on...so we spent a good 30 minutes using every bucket and sink in the church trying to help fill it faster. Eventually the branch president just called a firetruck to come fill it for us. It filled really fast, but that water was NASTY!!! Also, we have been teaching Sister Wanna english. She is so cute. We taught her ants, but every time she says it it comes out ass, and Sister Tano and I laugh hysterically. She also says flick as frick. Too funny! Both my companions loved talking to you all and said that you are all way cute! Ok, well for today that is all the time I have, but I love you all and can't wait to hear from you next week! Love, Jess

APRIL 22, 2012 D&C 6:33-36 Hey family! How are you all? How was your week? Have you been able to find a new house yet? I hope you have and the everything is good! How is the weather at home? Here it is stinkin HOT!!!! It is over 100 every day, but the humidity helps it feel not quite that hot. Surprisingly, I am not a fan! I guess I am just super picky with my weather! Hahaha! Not too hot not too cold, all you need is a light jacket! : ) Last week was awesome! We went and ate ice cream for my birthday, had a really fun FHE, taught some good lessons. Pretty much a normal week. Well, at least as normal as it can get in Thailand! I am really loving having two companions! They are both so great! Sister Wanna, the one from Laos, is so cute! Watching her is like watching a little cartoon! She is so dramatic and funny! I love it, she keeps me entertained every day! Being with her is really helping my Thai too, cuz I have to speak Thai with her every day. I am still not good at it, but she is really helping. The pictures I am sending are mostly from Songkran, some from FHE, and Sis Wanna putting yogurt on my sunburned face (apparently it helps). Way fun! K, well love you all! Can't wait to hear from you! Hope you are all safe and happy! Love, Jess

APRIL 16, 2012 D&C 1:23, 37-38 Yay thanks for singing me Happy Birthday! I loved it! Today has been fun! We played soccer this morning, and I got to get an email from my family! : ) Best part of my day! After this we are going to go eat ice cream, then later we have FHE at a members house! My birthday in Thailand! Definately will be an unforgettable one! I haven't heard of any Thai birthday traditions, but I will have to ask around. I didn't get your package yet, dang it. I guess it didn't make it here before transfer meeting, but hopefully it will get here soon and someone will go down to Bangkok so they can get it to me! Thanks for sending it though! The thought behind it is the best part! Cooking is way hard here, because almost no one has an oven, and everything is just so low, and there are no counters. Yeah, it is crazy. But we don't cook very often anyway, so its ok. Wow, why do you have to move out before the end of April? That is crazy! Have you found a new place yet? I will pray really hard for you to find one. I know that God will take care of you all. Daddy, I am so proud of you! I know that this won't be easy, but I am SO proud of you for helping yourself, and in turn, helping your family. You are such an awesome father, and we are all so blessed to have you. I am so grateful for you and I hope you know that I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for you and the way you raised me. So thank you, and I love you and I am way proud of you! How are Cory and Tammy? Is Tammy ready to pop yet? I can't wait to see pictures of this baby! Have you heard from Nate and Cari? I sent her an email for her birthday, but she hasn't responded, yet. Hopefully she will get an opportunity to write me soon! This last week has been way crazy and so much fun! On wednesday night we went to Bangkok for transfer meeting and stayed with Sister Farnsworth (my MTC companion) adn Sister Monterrosa. It was so fun, but we stayed up all night talking and helping Sister Farnsworth pack, cuz she got transfered. Thursday we went to the meeting, WAY FUN, and found out that Sister Tano and I get to be in a threesome with the cutest little girl ever. She is from Laos and her name is Sister Wanna. SHe is stinkin adorable! The three of us are having way to much fun together. The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were the days of Songkran which is the Thai new year, and they have this MASSIVE country wide water festival. It is SO fun. Friday and Sunday we had to still work, but we were pretty much soaked the whole day. Saturday we got to play, and it was crazy! We played some water sports at the church, and then went with the members into the city where EVERYONE was playing. There was lots of water and music and drunk people. It is actually crazy being a white girl in Thailand during songkran, but luckily one of the members played bodyguard for me all day. It was super funny. He barely left my side all day. Way sweet. Anyway Saturday was too much fun, and I came home a lobster! As usual! Hahaha! I am still very very red today, and Elder Doria, one of the Elders in my district keeps calling me Strawberry Shortcake. Yeah...sounds like something my Dad or my brother would say...DON"T GET ANY IDEAS!!!!! So, I was going to send pictures of Songkran, but I forgot my USB cord, but I will send them next week I promise! K, well I love you all! Miss you like crazy! SU SU NAA KHAA! Not really sure how well this translates, but it is like, keep fighting. Love you, Jess

Ether 5:5

HAPPY KEASTER!!!
How was everyone's Easter Sunday? Did you do anything fun like hunting Easter eggs? Did the Easter bunny visit you? Kelsie, your letter was SO cute, and thank you so much for thinking of me! You are right, my favorite color is Yellow! Thanks for remembering! : ) The pictures, sorry, I always forget to explain them! The yellow one is of these beautiful trees they have EVERYWHERE here. They look like just normal trees with leaves most of the year, but during the hot season they bloom into these beautiful yellow flowers. One of the ward members told us that when you see those starting to bloom you know it is about time for Songkran. Songkran is the huge water festival they have every year to celebrate the Thai New Year. It is coming up this weekend, and I am SO excited! Yes, that one is out front of the church, which is REALLY small. And the other one is outside at a ward party we had with everyone last week that was SO fun! And yeah I am a little sunburned! Always! The members here always laugh at me cuz I tell them that I want to be dark like them, and they are like, "But you aren't getting dark, you are just getting red". My response in English is always, "I'm Irish, ok?" And they all just laugh, cuz they have no idea what I am saying, but they know I am pretending to be put out about it! By the way, thank you so much for all of your answers to my question. I loved hearing why church is so important for all of you. And Mom, you are SO right. It is important to everyone for different reasons at different ages and different understanding of the gospel, and of what the sacrament, and the Atonement means to us all individually.
Our week was awesome! We had an FHE at a members restaurant and Sis. Tano made Japanese food, and I made American food (spaghetti) and everyone came and ate. It was way fun! It is really hard to cook in Thailand though. Then, this weekend we finally got to watch conference. We didn't really have an Easter Sunday, cuz no one in Thailand knows what that is. I don't even think half the members knew what it was. But we got to celebrate by watching conference in English, which was awesome! I feel like conference is like Christmas but better! Every talk had something that was meant for me, and all of the questions I had were answered so perfectly! I am just amazed at how blessed we are to have modern day prophets who talk to God! So amazing! So I really loved all of the talks, but here are a few (a lot) of my favorite things that were said, that really made me think.
What we do now will determine the service we will be able to give in the future. -Elder Hales
No pain will last forever.-President Packer
The way to rise through and above challenges is to remember that God has said, "I will never forsake thee".-President Eyring
It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I knew I had to do it, so I did.-President Eyring
We are not in a race with others as to who is the most beautiful, talented, blessed; we are in a race against sin.-Elder Holland
Coveting does not elevate your standing, so be kind, and be grateful God is kind.-Elder Holland
No matter how talent-less you think you are, you are not out of the reach of God's love.-Elder Holland
Step Up! Do it for your sake, do it for the sake of those who are praying for you, do it for the sake of your Savior. It is NEVER too late.-Elder Holland
Jesus will be on your right side, and on your left side, to buoy you up. -Elder Anderson
Be not afraid, only believe. -Elder Anderson
In his darkest hour, he began to pray. -Elder Anderson
He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. -Elder Anderson
Our souls will be riveted on the question, "What thinks Christ of me?" -Elder Anderson
All of conference was SO amazing and I feel like I have so much to work on. I was definitely shown my own weaknesses, but I also felt how much God loves me and I know without any doubt that he loves all of you more that you know. He is always there with His arms open, waiting for us to come unto Him. Mom, could you do me a huge favor and send me a copy of the Conference Ensign when it comes out next month, please? I can't wait to read all those talks again! The priesthood session was amazing too!
Anyway, I love you all SO much. Someone asked me today what my birthday wish for next week is, and here is what I said, "My wish for my birthday is that all of my family and friends will be truly happy and understand how deeply they are loved by our Heavenly Father and by me, too!" So I hope you all know that!
One last quote from conference, cuz it explains my feelings so well.
"I desire with all my heart to do God's will, and to serve Him, and to serve you." -President Monson, so what can I do to serve you, my family, this week?
Love you, and can't wait to hear from you next week!
Jess

And the world will know-3 Nephi 20:12-13, 30-35;21:2​6-29

Hello wonderful, awesome, crazy, come with a warning label family!
I am so glad to hear that you all are doing well! I am sorry Spring Break is over, but just think, that means not very long until SUMMER!!!!! Which is funny cuz the schools here are already in bidterm (summer). They will pick back up again in May or June. Yay, soccer! It sounds like you guys are all having way too much fun with soccer! I love it! No one gets to quit playing, though, cuz I expect Saturdays when I come home to be full of watching everyone's soccer games!
This week was crazy! It went by SO fast, and it was SO fun! Sister Tano and I have some really incredible investigators that we are so excited to watch come unto Christ. That is seriously the greatest miracle ever. Watching these Buddhist people who have no knowledge of God or Christ, have no idea that they are children of God, and that He has a plan for them, do a complete 180. Watching them come to know God and their Savior, and seeing the change that makes in them and in their lives is the most beautiful, incredible thing I have ever seen. And I am so grateful to get to be a small part of that, of God's work. This week one of the Elders investigators was baptized, and it was SO cool! Not gonna lie, I cried. He bore his testimony and talked about how he thought Christianity was nuts, but his friend was meeting with the missionaries, so he came to. The Elders told him to just try praying and see what happened, try reading the BOM and see what happened, try comiogn to church, etc. And he has this incredible testimony that as he did those things, his life began to change. He came to know God and Jesus Christ, and see the blessings that come from living the gospel, and came to know that this is more than just religion. This is the truth. So great!
Sadly, Sister Tano and I have not yet been able to watch conference. We have to wait until next week when it gets translated and sent to Thailand. But I think we might get to download it and watch it in English with some phillipino members, while the other members watch in Thai. Hopefully! I really would like to be able to understand Conference! Was it amazing? What was your favorite talk?
So, really quick funny story. In thai Jesus Christ is Phrayeesuu Khrid. So we have this one investigator, he is SO funny. I think he might be gay, but we haven't asked him yet. Anyway, we were reviewing the Godhead with him, and asked, "Who is the second member of the Godhead?" and he was like, "Phrayeesuu Khrid amen". HAHAHAHA!!! He thought that amen was a part of Christ's name. I was laughing so hard I thought I was gonna pee my pants! So great!
This week I have been studying and reading a lot about the gathering of Israel, and the more I study and understand about God's plan and about how He is working adn has been working since the beginning to bring all His sons and daughters to salvation, the more I am amazed and in awe of it. God's plan is so beautiful, and so perfect. And I am so grateful to have this opportunity to have my testimony of that strengthened every day, and to be a small little part of God's work in gathering all of His children who have no knowledge of Him. It is such an incredible priviledge.
Ok, anyway, that is all I have for today. I love you all tons! Have an absolutely wonderful week! Make school great, cuz it is!! Can't wait to hear from you next week!
Love you, Jess
P.S.-I have a question. My investigators don't seem to understand the concept of NEEDING to go to church every week, so it got me to thinking, adn I would like to know what you all think. Why is it essential to go to church every single week?

3 Nephi 14:13-14

Hello again dearest family!
I love hearing about your week and all of your adventures! Kelsie where did you get to be so creative and cute? I hope you are all just super awesome! My week has been good and really interesting! Time is flying by way fast! So, my crazy story for this week! We had this one guy, Aam, who was a former investigator show up at the church one day, wanting to learn with us again, so we sat down and taught him. He was a little quiet, and weird and kept saying he wanted to learn with the Elders, but he is in our area. Anyway, a little wierd, but he wanted to learn so...great. So the next week we invited Aam to family home evening at a members house and he came and brought two of his friends, who were interested in learning with us too! Awesome! SO we went out to teach these two guys, and it comes out that they don't really know Aam, they had just met him that day and invited them to come with him, because He told them that he was dating Elder Doria, one of the elders in Khorat, and wanted them to meet him. So Aam is going around telling people that He and Elder Doria are married and living together. He also has been telling people that Sister Tano is married and really rich, and that I am married and used to be a famous club singer...yeah, we aren't teaching this kid anymore! Hahaha! But I am so glad that we met him, because his two friends are WAY awesome investigators!
Also, Satan is working really hard against us right now, through other crazy "Christian" religions. Actually just one. It is called Yole. I don't know if you've heard of it or not, but it is really huge in Thailand right now. Apparently, it is like a combination of all religions and this Chinese guy with a bunch of "missionaries" goes around giving people power and "the light of Christ". But they have to pay for it. Yeah...it is NUTS! Anyway this guy and his missionaries have been coming around here, so when we go inviting, people don't want to listen to us, because they think that we are part of that group. They keep telling us, "You already came here". Some of them have already joined that religion so they don't need to join again. It is really really crazy. But the ones who are prepared will recognize us as God's true servants.
So I read something I really loved this week in True To The Faith. It says, "You are a recipient of divine mercy when HEavenly Father hears and answers your prayers". That was a really humbling moment for me, to realize that I am not even worthy for God to hear and answer my prayers, because I am a "natural man". But what a huge testament of God's love, that He listens and answers anyway. I love that. And it has helped me to take my prayers more seriously; to thank more and ask for less.
Anyway, I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week! Can't wait to hear from you next Monday!
Love, Jess

March 18, 2012

Hola familia! Como estas, todos?
Just practicing my Spanish. I hardly remember any. My brain is just all full of Thai. I feel like I can't even speak English right anymore, cuz my grammer is all off. Oh, well at least the other missionaries understand me! Hahaha! So, another week flew by! So crazy! I am getting so excited to get to talk to you all again in TWO MONTHS!!!! That is coming up so fast! E-mailing just never quite feels like enough, so it will be way awesome to actually get to talk to all of you! Speaking of things coming up way too fast...HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARED!!!!!! Man, I cannot believe that you are 18 already. You are officially an adult as of Wednesday. CRAZY! And Happy late Irish Day...I celebrated by wearing green. We were gonna go eat something Irish, but...we're in Thailand, so...yeah. Kelsie, you are so stinkin funny! I was laughing so hard I was crying when I read that! Too cute! Kayla, hang in there with soccer. Your talent is a gift from God, and you have the kind of personality where everyone wants to be your friend, so hang in there, it will get better! Jennah, keep working hard on those grades, I promise it is SO worth it!
Sister Tano is doing good. We never went to get her shots, but the bite barely scratched the skin, and she seems to be ok, so that is good. We are just working really hard out pounding the pavement every day. It is great. Even though it is really hard and frustrating to be out inviting everyday, I love it because that is when I feel most like a missionary. When I am out walking around Thailand, sweating, with a Book of Mormon in my hands being rejected by one person after another after another. Those are the times I really feel like I am fulfilling my purpose. President Smith calls it "the anvil of our faith", and he always says that if we aren't being rejected we are doing something wrong. I am really starting to see how I can show my love for these people by being bold. We are here to let people know that they can be saved in the kingdom of God by repenting and being baptized. We have to let them know they have a choice, and to help make that choice clear for them, so if I can walk away from someone feeling like I have done that, it makes me feel good! Anyway, we aren't into rainy season, yet. It is still just hot. We will get into rainy season about July and it should last through about October. We only have one branch here, so we only have to go to church for three hours. Thailand is still so young in the church that they only have like 6 or 7 wards in one stake, all in Bangkok. The rest are all branches and districts. It is definately WAY different from the church in America. Our branch is one of the highest in church attendance and we only get about 80-85 people coming every week. The sad thing is that there are over 600 people on the records in our branch and only 85 of them are active. So us and the Elders are really working on visiting and re-activating less actives, and making sure our investigators are truly converted, so they don't get baptized and fall away. We ride our bikes everywhere unless we are inviting, then we park them and walk. My shoes are holding up SO well! I am way impressed with them! And they are so perfect when it rains too! If I could have anything from home....um, starbursts, skittles, cheese-its, pictures of the family...oooh, hair gel...my hair is SO frizzy here, it's gross. : ) Speaking of things from home, did you get a chance to send those letters from the kids?
Our week was crazy and way fun! On THursday we had a zone training in Khon Kaen, which was way fun! It is always awesome to get to be around other missionaries. It is always just one big party. Especially for the missionaries in Khorat since there are only four of us and all other areas have at least 6. So the pictures I am sending are of the sisters in my zone. They are SO awesome! So there is this one member here, her name is Sister Lek. She is super cute and is trying really hard to learn English, so she says some really funny things. We found out a couple weeks ago that one of the Phillipino sisters in our branch is pregnant, so Sister Lek went around telling every one in English, "Sister Lerma is pigment", but no matter how many times we corrected her, she just couldn't say it right! Then yesterday, we were sitting in ward correlation meeting, and she was talking to Elder Doria, shaking her fist at him and asking, "Do you want to eat a suckle?" Hahaha! She was mixing up knuckle sandwich and sucker punch, and came up with suckle! So funny! I just wanted to tell her, my mom is really good at making up her own language, too! HAhaha! So great!

K, well I had better end this novel now. I love you all tons and can't wait to hear from you again! Have a wonderful, fantastic week!

ซิสเตอร์ วอลเลซ
Sister Wallace
Jess

March 11, 2012

Hello family!
I wish I could think of a more interesting way to start my e-mails, but for now, I got nothin! I SO love hearing how all of you are doing! It makes my week! Mama, it sounds like you are so busy! I am glad your new job is taking care of you! I just hope you don't get burned out! Yay! Soccer season! I love soccer season! I am excited to watch all of you play when I come home! As for Jared and the military, I used to hate the idea, but I'm pretty sure every Elder in the Thailand mission are in or want to be in the military and listening to them, my perspective has changed a bit. It really would be good for him...BUT it is NO EXCUSE TO NOT SERVE A MISSION!!!!!! There is nothing in the world that could ever replace or make up for dedicating that time in your life to serving the Lord. It is an opportunity that no young man should EVER EVER pass up! And I think that girls should all go to...unless God tells them otherwise! : ) Ok, that is my soapbox for the day. Interesting fact about Thailand, all young men when they turn 18 are required by law to serve in the Thai military for at least two years. So all of the Thai Elders in the mission are older, because of that. Wow! That is super crazy that Kristin and Nate had another baby! How fun! Grandma Pancheri wrote me a letter (so sweet) and told me about how they were going to induce Kristin on March 9th and, phaa dee, I got the letter on March 9th! Too funny! How is Austin's foot doing? I can think of another teenage boy who one accidently shot himself in the leg...maybe they could be friends! Hahaha! But, I am really glad Austin is ok. And I am way excited for Alyssa that she didn't get cut! Is she loving waitressing or not so much? It can be a really frustrating job somedays, but the cash in hand everyday is addicting!
Well, this week was absolutely nuts! On top of trying to get our investigators taught, and find new ones, and visit recent converts and less-active members, and teach english, and everything else we have to get done, we also got kicked out of our house...yeah. We have been trying to move and we had a new apartment all set up, but we werent' going to be able to move til the end of this month, cuz the crazy land lady wouldn't let us out of the contract until the end of the month. Well, I am not quite sure what happened, but we were teaching a lesson on Wednesday, and when we got out we had like 10 different missed calls and messages from the land lady and from the mission office saying that we were being kicked out and we had until 6pm to get our stuff out of the house. So we had to cancel a few appointments (so frustrating) and miss most of English in order to get moved out. Luckily, our new landlady at the apartment was totally willing to let us move in early, and we have AMAZING branch members! Seriously, within 30 minutes of all this we had half the branch at our house, packing up all of our stuff and loading it all into cars and trucks. We didn't even tell anyone what was going on exept the Elders, and I guess they told the Branch President who called all the members. It was the sweetest, cutest thing I have ever seen! These people are incredible. They are so willing to help, and they do it happily without being asked. So great! That was Wednesday, then Thursday, we got a call from the Elders asking us to go to the church to help translate for a man from California. So we went to the church and met this man. I guess he has a friend who's wife just kicked him out of her house because he is a crazy drunk, and is now detoxing.He needed us to help him find an apartment for this friend while he detoxes. He used to be married to an LDS women, and came to the church for help because he knew we would help him with no strings attatched. Well, turns out that this man is "Buddhist" and believes that in his previous life he was Japanese, and he came to Thailand and killed a bunch of Thai and Cambodian and Vietnamese people. So he came back to Thailand in this life to visit the place he killed them all at and ask their graves for forgiveness, and next year to make up for killing all those people in his past life, he is going to come back and teach the poor Thai people how to make Thai food so that they can feed themselves. Did I mention that this guy used to be addicted to just about every drug under the sun? He was quite a character! But he is a child of God too, and he came to church on Sunday, so maybe this is an opportunity for him to turn his life around? Also, Sister Tano got bit by a dog yesterday, and we spent like 30 minutes debating whether she needed rabies shots or not. She ended up not getting the shots, so hope she's ok. So, yeah, it was a crazy week, and time is flying! As of Thursday, I have exactly a year left before I come home...NUTS!!! How did we get to March already?
K, well, I love you all! Have a wonderful week, don't worry, be happy, Hakuna Matata, and all that kinda stuff! Love you tons!
Jess

March 4th, 2011

Hello family! Another week gone by and this one actually feels like it went fast! Hopefully they all start to feel that way! Monday and Tuesday were spent getting Sister Lish packed and ready to go home. Then Wednesday we went down to Bangkok and I got to spend the day with some of the other sisters, which was SO fun! Then Thursday we had transfer meeting! I got to see half of the people who were in the MTC with me, which was awesome! I feel like they are my MTC family and it was so great to get to see and catch up with them, since I haven't seen any of them except Sis. Farnsworth in over 3 months! So crazy! So my new companion, Sister Tano, is awesome! It's kinda funny, she just got done training Sister Farnsworth and now she gets me! She is super sweet and a really hard worker. I have never been so tired since I have been out here as now, but I have never been so happy either. It is so true when they say you just need to work hard and lose yourself in the work. And we just have tons of fun as we are working. It's great! Anyway, she is from Hawaii. The weather here is hot and muggy, but it is better up here in Khorat than down in Bangkok. Bangkok is SO STINKIN HOT!! Kinda glad I am not there right now, but I am hoping that I get to serve there at some point, cuz it is way cool! The work is still kinda slow here right now, but we have been working really hard, and I know that in the Lord's time He will bless us for that.
I'm so excited for the girls to get to go on trek! I so loved getting to do that and I'm sure they will too! I wish I could go too! That would be really good if you were able to move into a different house in your ward boundaries. I have gotten a couple of letters and an e-mail from Bishop Waite, and he seems way awesome! I can tell that he really loves all of you and is taking good care of you! I will pray that you are able to stay in your ward boundaries too!
As for my favorite scripture, the one that always gets me is Alma 26:11-16. I feel exactly that way. I know that without God I am nothing. I am one of the weak things of the world. But with God I can do all things, and I can glory in that knowledge. But I feel like I have a new scripture every week that touches me, and helps me get through the week, and this week is Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. They are such beautiful scriptures! I love how it talks about all of the joys and pains and heartbreaks and stuggles and fun times in life. "A time to weep and a time to laugh: a time to mourn and a time to dance". And then "I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it". I know that God gives us good and bad experiences so that we can be molded and refined, and a lot of times that molding and refining really hurts, but, "He hath made everything beautiful in His time". And then at the end of 11. We can't see the perspective God sees. We can't see the end result, but we weren't meant too. God can see it though. He sees the beautiful person we will become at the end of this life, and He knows what we need to experience to get us there. We just have to trust in Him, be patient through the pain, be moldable and wait to see the end result, cuz it's gonna be awesome. These scriptures were just a huge testimony to me of God's love for us, and how much more I need to trust in Him and in His timing.
I love you all so much more than I could ever say, and I know Heavenly Father loves you even more than that. I know that He is watching out for all of you and that He will make everything work out for the best. All we have to do is trust in Him, and keep His commandments. Well, enough preaching for one day...til tonight when I teach a lesson anyway! Have a great week! Be safe, return with honor, don't pick your underwear out of your butt where people can see : ) and keep smiling!
Love, Jess

D&C 50:40-42-F​ear not, little children for you are mine

Hello again family!
Sounds like you all had a really fun, crazy week! I so love hearing all about eveyone's soccer adventures. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALYSSA!!! Everyone is growing up so fast! Jared is gonna be 18 soon! Nuts! I am going to be 22 in two months! AAGGHH!!! How did that happen? I still feel like a 15 year old teenager most of the time! I am so sorry that Dad has to be gone so much! That is so hard. I'm so glad you look for the silver lining, though, even when it is so hard. In Ether 12:4 it talks about hope in Christ being an anchor to our souls, and how we can hope for a better world. My companion always describes that as a better world after this life, but I like to think that when we have hope and faith in Christ we can hope that this world, this life will get better. We will recieve strength in our trials, and eventually move past them, and come out better, happier people for them with an even greater hope and faith in Christ and in God's love and His plan for us. That doesn't make the trials go away though. I wish it did sometimes. It was so great getting to talk to Dad last week, though! I missed getting to talk to you, Mama, but I am so grateful I got to talk to him. Oh, and I can't wait to get to bring you back here to Thailand and show you around! That will be so much fun! OOhh! I am so excited for the girls to get to go on trek. Both years I went were so amazing! It really is such a great experience! That is way cool that they are letting Kayla go too. Malary Trautman wrote me about it also. It is a stake trek, right? Awesome. She is way excited to get to go too.
So this week two of the older couple missionary office Elders came to visit us in Khorat because we are trying to move houses and they had to approve it and sign forms and what not. One of them is a thai Elder and he is SOOO funny. He told us the same joke like 5 times! In Thailand the year right now is 2555, not 2012. So he told us that this year is the year of song and laughter, because the words in thai for 2 and 5 are song and ha, so the year is song ha ha ha! Too funny! He thinks he is pretty clever, kinda like some other boys I know in our family! This week was way stressful. It was my 2nd to last week of training, so I had to lead all of the lessons and lead planning. It was way stressful, and I spent a lot of time crying, but I learned that I can do it! Which is good because in less than two weeks we have transfer meeting and Sister Lish will be going home and I won't be moving, so I will have to lead the area for a little while. So this week will be spent getting Sis Lish packed, visiting all the people she wants to say goodbye to and getting me ready to lead. Crazy!
Well I love you all tons! I don't have any crazy stories this week, sorry! More next week I am sure! Have an awesome week!
Love, Jess

February 5, 2012

Hello! I read this scripture this morning and it made me laugh! When things get hard, and when you are being attacked(by Satan) just do as the Nephites do and fight like a dragon! Speaking of...I forgot to tell you all...Happy New Year! A couple weeks ago it was Chinese New Year (huge in Thailand), and it is now the year of the dragon! Way cool! As for holidays, how was Groundhog day? Is spring coming early or late this year? I can't believe Jared is going to be 18 either! That is nuts! All the kids need to just quit growing up! I am not ok with it! Hahaha, as Dad would say, I'm just going to cut them all off at the knees! HAha! Wow, Alyssa's job sounds like tons of fun, and that is way awesome that you all get to go eat for free there! Way cool! Hey, I forgot to tell you, I thik it is way awesome that the prison will pay for you to get your RN! And it is awesome that you are willing to stick out this crazy job and crazy hours and still work toward getting your RN. That is way awesome! So, I found out that the Thursday before my birthday is transfer meeting.
That is way awesome that Michelle is so willing to help out! She is way awesome! Say Hi to "Aunt Shell" for me!
Sorry, I'm pretty sure I keep you working as much as or more than your four jobs! I did get the e-mail from Jeana! She is SO awesome! Love that girl, and I am glad she is doing so well!
Thailand is good. I am really starting to love it and love these people! We definately find a new adventure every day! Saturday we met this lady who makes some kind of herbal plant drink that can cure every ailment under the sun! She gave us one for free so we could try it. It was DISGUSTING!!!! Hahaha! So we just tried to sip on it a little at a time, and not puke it back up! Then later that day we met this cute little guy who runs a coffee shop, who talks a mile a minute and doesn't take a breathe and was telling us all about how he wants to travel the world someday, but He isn't sure he wants to see snow, etc. etc etc.......for like an hour straight! SO cute!
K, well I love you all! Have a wonderful week! And fight like a dragon, k?
Jess

Email from Jan. 29, 2012 - Sorry I have been so bad. The new job, I guess. I will be better!!

Hello family!
Thank you for the e-mail! It always makes my week to hear from you! Mama, it was SO great to get to chat with you last week! I miss just getting to sit adn talk to you, but it was awesome to get close to that! Are you so excited to start indoor soccer? That sounds like so much fun! It will be an awesome way for you and Jared to get some time together too! I am so proud of all of the kids for working so hard to get their grades up! It is SO worth it to put in the work and get good grades in school. I wish I would have worked harder. Please tell Kristin I am so sorry for her loss. That is so hard! put up some pictures of Christ by my bed like you suggested and it is really nice to go to bed and wake up to those. It helps me to remember that I am out here doing the work of the Lord and that He is always with me. If you can, I would love some print pictures of the family, and of the mountains! Hahaha, I never thought I would miss the view of mountains! It is funny the things you find you miss when you don't have them anymore. But it will make me more grateful for them when I come home! I am so excited for Cory and Tammy! Have they decided for sure what they want to name her yet? That is way awesome that Alyssa was able to get a job as a waitress! I think she will love it! IT is so fun! And I am SO glad Josh is still planning and working towards a mission. It will be so worth it for him! I think everyone should go on a mission if they are able! It is definately SO hard, but it has been so worth it for me to learn about myself, to come to know my Savior more personally, and to see the miracle of the gospel in people's lives and understand what an incredible blessing it is. I am sad that I have taken that blessing for granted for so long, but I am grateful for the chance now to show my gratitude. That poor man at the prison! What a crazy story! Mama, please be way careful working there. I know you will be, but still...scary!
This last Monday, Sister Lish and I got to go to the zoo here in Khorat. I have never seen such a huge zoo ever! We had to ride a golfcart around it to be able to see even half of it in two hours! SO cool though! Being there made me so grateful for Pappo and his love of nature and that he instilled that in me too! Other than that this week was spent looking for nbew investigators, which was really hard, cuz it rained...A LOT! And it isn't even rainy season yet! I have seriously never in my life seen rain like this. We were literally soaked within seconds. It is nuts! And people all think we are crazy when we are out trying to invite in the rain, which isn't super successful. But we got one really good referal. This guy is super nice and seems really interested! And he likes soccer! So it was cool for me to get to talk soccer with him for a minute. It really made him open up to us, and I actually felt kinda useful! It was so great! This week I have really been trying to work on being positive and looking for the good things in every day. I never thought that that would be hard for me. It never really was before. I have always been a pretty positive person, but it is hard for me right now. But I also know that that is Satan trying to get to me, and that if I just keep looking for the good, that is what I will find, and God will bless me for it. I have been reading the Liahona a lot lately, and found a really neat poem that Pres. Monson quoted that I LOVE!!!
"And I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year:
Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown.
And He replied:
Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the
Hand of God. That shall be to you
Better than a light and
Safer than a known way"
-M. Louise Haskins
I know that when we let God lead our lives, He will never lead us astray. And though sometimes it will still be dark, and we may not understand where He is leading us, we know that we can trust HIm, because He loves us and wants nothing more that for us to find true, eternal happiness. Even when that means we have to fight some hard battles in this life to get there.
I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful week! Miss ya tons!

Did I really not post the most recent.......shame on me. Email from Jan. 22, 2012

Hello everyone!
Mama, thank you so much for that e-mail! You always have the best advice and I feel so much better today after reading it. You just always seem to know what I need to hear. So thank you thank you thank you!!! Wow, it sounds like Dad had a really scary experience, but I am SO grateful that He is ok. I am so sorry that you have to be away from each other so much. I can only imagine how hard that is on both of you. And working four jobs? Mom! that's crazy! Are you doing ok? Are you sleeping and staying healthy? That is really nice that they are able to switch your schedule at the prison! It will be awsome for you to be able to be home (hopefully?) in the evenings! Are you really going to play soccer and basketball? Way to go! That is so awesome! But are your knees going to be ok? Please tell Dad that I miss him and love him when you talk to him next, and that I know that he is crazy busy right now, but I would love to hear from him if he gets time! Mama, i am so grateful you write me every week! I feel like I am clingy-er (is that a word?) on the other side of the world than I was at home!! Hahaha! But you don't realize how good you have it til its gone. SO I just want to say I am so sorry that I took all that you did for me for granted at home. Being so far away and only getting to e-mail once a week makes me realize how grateful I am for a mom who loves me and does so much for me, and makes me grateful for and miss just being able to sit adn talk to you while you made dinner, or call you on the phone whenever I needed to. but I am SO grateful for e-mail! I thank I would go crazy if I had to wait for letters to get all the way to Thailand!



Wow, this week was hard. But I learned so much from it by the end of the week. So we went to Bangkok at the beginning of the week for Sister Lish to renew her Visa, and I got to see Sister Farnsworth!!! IT was so great to see her! I felt like I was seeing my sister again! But, I also found out that my noongs, the group in the MTC just younger than me, two of them didn't come this week like they were supposed to. One of them went home and one of them had some kidney problems and isn't coming til next week. I am glad the one is coming but it breaks my heart that the other isn't. Anyway, this week most of oujr investigators tinged us (decided not to meet with us anymore), and NONE of them came to church. Even the ones who have baptismal dates. And there has been someone at the church stealing money out of peoples wallets, and yeah, mine was one of those. Luckily, I only had 40 baht of personal money on me (about a dollar), but there was over 600 baht of MSF mission money stolen. I felt SO bad. I shouldn't have left my bag sitting there. None, of my cards or camera or anything else was stolen though, just the money. And the Branch President wanted to take my wallet and have it finger printed and then fingerprint all of the members and investigators at the church to find out who it was (luckily, he gave up on that one). So Sunday morning I felt so overwhelmed, and went into the bathroom to pray away from eveyone, and was adking God what I am doing wrong, what I need to fix to be a better missionary and to not lose investigators. And I just started thinking about how all week I had only looked at the bad. I hadn't stopped to look at all of the ways God had blessed me that week. I also just thought that I need to be trusting in the Lord. In His timing and in His plan. SO those are my goals of things to work on for this week! Oh, and we had transfers so we got a new district leader. His name is Elder Black and he seems awesome! It will be fun to see what he can help us accomplish in Khorat!
Well, I love you all tons adn miss you as always! Hey, by the way, could you please send me some family pictures? I don't have pics of everyone. That would be way awesome! Have a great week!
Jess
P.S. I heard David Archuleta announced he is going on a mission! Is that true?

Internet Was Down.... So this is her email from January 8th

Hello all!!
I just want to say how grateful I am that you continue to e-mail me every week. It truly gives me the strength to get through the week, knowing that you all are supporting me and that the Lord is looking out for you! Mama, I got your packages!!!!! Thank you SO much!!! Not gonna lie, I cried, hahaha! Mom, I have never cried so much in all my life, it is RIDICULOUS!!! Hahahahaha! But I am just so grateful to you. It means so much that you were willing to send me packages to the MTC and to Thailand even though its expensive, and that you were willing to take the time to think of things that I would miss from America. I didn't even realized I missed some of that stuff until I got it. And the Saltines, how funny that I told you I missed those last week, and you had already sent them to me. You know me too well! Anyway, thank you so much for the packages, and for being such a wonderful mom!
Thank you for sharing that experience about tithing with me. I am so grateful that you are both such incredible examples to me and to all the other kids, and that the Lord is always so willing to bless us when we have faith! Oh and Happy Anniversary!!! Seven years? Cing Laa?!? (Really?) That is so crazy! Time flies, and yet at the same time, you have just been my Mama forever! It is hard to even remember a time before I felt that way. So crazy!
I can't believe Luke's closed down!! That makes me so sad! I was really hoping to go back and work there when I get home. Darn it! And I feel really bad for all of the people that that puts out of work, especially people like Melissa who are trying to raise kids as a single mom and finish school!
K, so last week after I e-mailed we went with the Elders and tried to get on a bus. We got to the bus station at 7 and couldn't get on a bus til 10:30, so we made it to Roi-Et at about 3am. We got up at 6:30, sister Lish went to the training meeting while I hung out with the Roi-Et sisters (SO great) then we went and got back on a bus. The bus ride is only supposed to be about 4 hours...8 and a half hours later, we finally made it back to Khorat. On the way home, we got about 15 minutes outside of this place called Maha Sarakham, and the bus (which was literally crammed with people like sardines, chairs in the middle of the aisle craziness) broke down...in the middle of nowhere, rice paddy, farmland Thailand! HAHAHA! Yeah...so we piled off the bus, and waited for 45 minutes for another bus to come get us. Got crammed like sardines on that bus and I fell asleep only to wake up to Sister Lish telling me that because of traffic, we had turned of off the highway, and she was pretty sure that we were going to bypass Khorat and head straight to Bangkok...SERIOUSLY???? I don't think I have prayed that long consistantly in a long time! Hahaha! But we did end up making it back to Khorat about 11pm. And it made for a great adventure and a great story!
So I have been praying really hard this week for a greater knowledge of my purpose here as a missionary. And the past two days have been an incredible witness to me that I am exactly where God needs me, at the exact time He needs me, doing exactly what He needs me to do. That doesn't mean that it won't be hard, cuz this is still the hardest thing I have ever done, but I sat in a lesson with one of our little 16 year old punk kid invesstigators yesterday, and saw so much hurt in this kid. He has had a really rough life and made some really bad decisions and you can tell that it kills him. He hurts so deeply, but I can see his overwhelming desire to learn about Christ and the gospel. He has such a hunger for the truth. He literally came to us asking to be baptised, which is not going to be easy. He has a lot of things to overcome before He can be baptised, but to watch the power of the Atonement begin to work in this kid is the greatest miracle I have ever seen in my life. TO watch that hurt and know that through Christ he can be healed of that is so incredible. And I am priviledged not only to witness that, but to be the one helping him to learn these things that are quite literally changing his life. I am SO grateful for that opportunity and what a testimony builder that is to me!
Anyway, I have so much to say, but so little time!!!
I love you all SO much! And I am way excited to get letters from you! Thanks for writing them!!
Love ya! Jess

Kids Day in Thailand (Email from January 16th)

Hello everyone!
K, I keep having all of these things I want to say and ask, but I never remember to say them, so hopefully I will remember them all this time.
So, you asked me a couple times about the toilet paper in our bathroom. When we shower it doesn't get wet, cuz it is back far enough, but it definately gets a little damp! How is indoor soccer going? Are you playing? How did everything work out with the job at the prison? Were you able to get the hours you wanted? Not gonna lie, you working at a prison makes me really nervous. Thank you so much for sending that poem! I love it so much! And the history is so cool!
Everything here is same as usual. Our investigators are wonderful, except we have one that seems to have dropped of the face of the planet. She won't answer any of our calls and she is never at home or at work when we try to go see her. It is making me really sad. And she is so close to her baptismal date, but she isn't going to make it now. I just love all of these people so much, and it breaks my heart when they quit progressing, because I know what they are giving up! And I know she has felt the spirit really strong, because she came to us at church and told us how she knew she needed to get baptized and that that was what God wanted her to do. How can people give up when they have had that witness. It makes me SO mad at Satan. I just want to be like, "Leave my people alone!!!!! They are so close!" But, of course that isn't how it works, and I just need to trust in God and His timing. Those who are prepared will make it through. And we have some incredible people who truly are SO prepared! I am so grateful for them!
It is starting to get into hot season here now, and man it is muggy. YUCK!!! I have never felt humidity like this and it isn't even rainy season yet! How do people breathe? Hahaha! But I will get used to it, and come home and feel like I am baking in the dry heat! OH, and guess what? They have a wan dek here in Thailand. That means Kids Day! It was on Saturday and it was HUGE!!! The whole day is just about the kids! We went and did some service at a park the morning of and passed out some flyers for our English classes. It was so much fun, and they have a huge carnival going! Carnival rides, all kinds of games and food! So cool! I think I am going to have to tell the US president that we need a wan dek in the US too! Oh, and I ate somtam again, and decided the last one was just really bad, cuz I actually enjoyed this one! And it didn't make me or Sister Lish sick! Yay!!!
Ok, well I love you all tonz and hope you have a great week!
Love ya! Jess

Starting Off 2012 With A Renewed Strength

Hello! Sawaadii pii may! (Happy New Year!)
I have a lot to say today, but not much time, so sorry if this is a little scrambled!
Mom, I just wanted to say thank you SO much for being so willing to send me packages and for asking about what I can't get here and what the kids here like. I forgot to tell you last week how much that means to me. I really truly appreciate it. I think that the things I miss most from America are things like Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, Starbursts (They don't have a lot of American candies), and crackers...like good crackers. They have Ritz but I hate Ritz. I miss things like Triscuits and Saltines. As for the kids, they love stickers and candies. Suckers and hard candies. LOVE them! Its so cute. Sister Lish tells me that they also love things you can get for under a dollar at Deseret Book. Things like bookmarks, pictures of Christ, little rubber CTR bracelets, things like that.
I haven't gotten any of my packages yet...I should be getting them on the 19th at transfer meeting. One of the zone leaders told us that our district has tons of packages waiting at the mission office, but we have to wait for someone from our district to have a reason to go down to Bangkok before we can get them. I wish they would just send them to us so we didn't have to wait forever to get them, but I understand that that would get expensive. Will you please tell grandma thank you for me and e-mail me her address so I can send a Thank You/Postcard, please? Oh, also I was wondering if you could e-mail me a copy of the poem "Footprints in the Sand". I am not sure who it is written by, but I know that Kelsey has a copy of it. I have been thinking about that poem a lot lately, because for me every day seems insurmountable (spelling?) and impossible to get through, but when I look back at the end of the day I can see all of the tender mercies God has given me. I can see the way He has carried me through the day and given me the strength I need. These past few weeks have been a huge testimony builder for me. I have a much greater understanding of the Atonement. Knowing that my Savior knows and feels everything that I feel, and that He is the only one who knows how to strengthen and succor me is very humbling, and I am so grateful for that knowledge. I am so grateful that He is so patient, and willing to grant me greater strength and faith everyday. I was also studying the Plan of Salvation this week and thought of a really neat comparison. I was thinking how the plan is like my mission. I lived at home with my family where I was happy, but I knew that there was a way I could be more happy. So I came here across the world and left the physical presence of my family. Here I am having great, and sometimes very difficult experiences, that are helping me to learn and grow. But I know that after my time here is done, I will return home to my family and have greater knowledge, faith, and happiness than I did before. Just like with the plan. We were happy with God, but knew we could be happier. So we left God's presence to come here and have trying adn wonderful experiences. But just like you all are supporting me from afar, so God is supporting us. And we also have the knowledge that after our time here is finished, we will return home to live with our Heavenly Father and have greater knowledge, faith, and happiness than we did before. I just kinda thought that was a cool briap tiap. (comparison).
I am so glad you all had such a fun new year! Ours was pretty fun too. We went out inviting most of the day, and we always meet the CRAZIEST people that way (i.e. men with crossed eyes and a thumb growing out of his thumb). I was really brave that day too. I asked someone to be baptised off the invite. He really had to stop and think about that one! It was great. Unfortunately, he said no, but he did say he would start coming to our English classes on Sundays! We had to be home by 6 pm because Thai people love to party and get crazy drunk, so we came home, ordered a pizza, set off some fireworks with our neighbors, and watched The District, a missionary training documentary. Today is the 2nd and people are still drinking and partying and setting of fireworks! Crazy! We had a way fun P-day today, though! We had a sports day, cuz all of the kids were out of school here. We all played soccer. It was SO fun. Sister Lish didn't play though, so it was just me, the Elders and a bunch of teenage boys. And all of the boys would not get anywhere near me when I had the ball, cuz they dare not touch a farang Sister missionary! It was so funny and so great. I felt bad, though, cuz I wasn't quite as riab rooy (proper?). I was kinda plowing boys over to get to the ball. Sister Lish had to remind me that I was a Sister missionary and needed to be more proper. Ooops! I was getting a little into the game! : ) Now we are e-mailing, then we are going to go get on a bus for 6 hours to Roi-Et, cuz Sister Lish has a training meeting. So I get to hang out with the Roi-Et sisters tomorrow and I am way excited!
I did set New Year's Goals yesterday! I have specific goals to read the Book of Mormon 5 times through in English and 2 times through in Thai. Then I have general goals to serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength this year, and to have a blast doing it!!! Those are just a few that I have set.
K, well, I love you all! I promise I will send pictures next time! Have a great week and a Happy New Year!! 2012 is going to be AWESOME!!!!!
Jess