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