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
About Me
- Sister Jessica Wallace - ซิสเตอร์ วอลเลซ
- Bangkok, Thailand
- I love being on a mission and I love my family.
Monday, January 16, 2012
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
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
Monday, January 2, 2012
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
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
Monday, December 19, 2011
"Starting To Get Her Feet Wet"
Hello! Thank you for forwarding those e-mails! I SO appreciate it! And thank you for fixing my card. I was able to pull money out the other day, so I think that it is working fine! Thank you so much for taking care of that for me.
As far as time, I will be getting on around 8 am, so I think that it will be about 7 pm there, but Sister Lish says it will be like 6ish. I'm sorry I am not absolutely positive, but if you just watch your skype account from 6ish to 8ish on Sunday night I will definately be on somewhere in there. I am so sorry I don't know for sure, but once we get on and connect I will figure out time difference so that we know for sure. I cannot wait to talk to you! I miss you all so much.
Mama, what jobs are you working? Security? That sounds crazy! How is that going? I am so grateful that the Lord is watching out and providing for you all! I know that you are facing some tough decisions, but I know that God will help you make them, and give you guidance and comfort. I am so grateful for your wonderful example of relying on Him. Thank you so much for being such an incredible mother.
So, Thailand...is crazy! The food is good, but my stomach isn't quite strong enough to handle a lot of it yet, so mostly I eat PB &J (thank goodness I can get that here!) I ate this dish called Somtam for the first time the other day. It is this legendary Thai food, that is kinda like a really weird papaya salad. Basically, it is really spicy and really gross, but everyone says that you just have to keep eating it, adn you will grow to love it. The somtam we ate made Sister Lish really sick, though. It was kinda a sketchy little raan ahaan,(kinda like an outdoor restaurant that people run out of the front of their homes). SO we won't be going back to that one. Two of the members here, Brother Jack and Sister Dan have a little one out front of their home, that is really good, and it is clean, so we eat there a lot. The members here are all SO great! I love them all dearly! They all work so hard at helping me learn Thai. I seriously don't understand anything anyone is saying to me, so they all speak really slowly and repeat themselves multiple times until I get it. And they all tell me how geng I am when I speak, mostly just to boost my confidence a bit!
So, a few things that I have done and seen in the past week...
I went caroling with the members! SO fun! Thai people love to party and have fun, and caroling was no exception! So great!
I saw an elephant for the first time in Thialand. They are not really around this area much, but as we were out caroling, I saw this guy ride up to a restaurant on his elephant. I think all the Khon thai (thai people) got a huge kick out of me being so fascinated by an elephant!!
So we were riding our bikes back home from passing out flyers at the mall the other night, and in the middle of the road, Sister Lish loses her shoe! So all of the motorcycles are trying to get around us and cars are honking at us, and I was just laughing!!
I am in shock at the way some people live here, and it is totally normal. I have seen the poorest of the poor. People who live in little one room cement blocks. But I am always amazed to see the way the Gospel brings everyone together. It takes all kinds of people in this church and this gospel is true for everyone...the rich and the poor, the short and the tall, the crazy and the crazier!!! SO incredible.
Ok, well I am out of time. I love you all SO much! I miss you like crazy! Have a wonderful week, be safe, have a great Christmas, and I will talk to you all Christmas night!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!
As far as time, I will be getting on around 8 am, so I think that it will be about 7 pm there, but Sister Lish says it will be like 6ish. I'm sorry I am not absolutely positive, but if you just watch your skype account from 6ish to 8ish on Sunday night I will definately be on somewhere in there. I am so sorry I don't know for sure, but once we get on and connect I will figure out time difference so that we know for sure. I cannot wait to talk to you! I miss you all so much.
Mama, what jobs are you working? Security? That sounds crazy! How is that going? I am so grateful that the Lord is watching out and providing for you all! I know that you are facing some tough decisions, but I know that God will help you make them, and give you guidance and comfort. I am so grateful for your wonderful example of relying on Him. Thank you so much for being such an incredible mother.
So, Thailand...is crazy! The food is good, but my stomach isn't quite strong enough to handle a lot of it yet, so mostly I eat PB &J (thank goodness I can get that here!) I ate this dish called Somtam for the first time the other day. It is this legendary Thai food, that is kinda like a really weird papaya salad. Basically, it is really spicy and really gross, but everyone says that you just have to keep eating it, adn you will grow to love it. The somtam we ate made Sister Lish really sick, though. It was kinda a sketchy little raan ahaan,(kinda like an outdoor restaurant that people run out of the front of their homes). SO we won't be going back to that one. Two of the members here, Brother Jack and Sister Dan have a little one out front of their home, that is really good, and it is clean, so we eat there a lot. The members here are all SO great! I love them all dearly! They all work so hard at helping me learn Thai. I seriously don't understand anything anyone is saying to me, so they all speak really slowly and repeat themselves multiple times until I get it. And they all tell me how geng I am when I speak, mostly just to boost my confidence a bit!
So, a few things that I have done and seen in the past week...
I went caroling with the members! SO fun! Thai people love to party and have fun, and caroling was no exception! So great!
I saw an elephant for the first time in Thialand. They are not really around this area much, but as we were out caroling, I saw this guy ride up to a restaurant on his elephant. I think all the Khon thai (thai people) got a huge kick out of me being so fascinated by an elephant!!
So we were riding our bikes back home from passing out flyers at the mall the other night, and in the middle of the road, Sister Lish loses her shoe! So all of the motorcycles are trying to get around us and cars are honking at us, and I was just laughing!!
I am in shock at the way some people live here, and it is totally normal. I have seen the poorest of the poor. People who live in little one room cement blocks. But I am always amazed to see the way the Gospel brings everyone together. It takes all kinds of people in this church and this gospel is true for everyone...the rich and the poor, the short and the tall, the crazy and the crazier!!! SO incredible.
Ok, well I am out of time. I love you all SO much! I miss you like crazy! Have a wonderful week, be safe, have a great Christmas, and I will talk to you all Christmas night!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Jet-Lag and Culture Shock
Hello family! How are you all? It was SO nice getting to talk to you last week! I miss you all SO much! I am so glad everyone is doing so well. I am so glad to see how much HEavenly Father is blessing our family! Mom, have you thought any more about going back to school? Baby Mia is such a cutie! She is so tiny! And Cory and Tammy are expecting?!? Man, that is so awesome! I am so happy for them! I'm sad that I won't get to be there, but it will be cool to have a new neice or nephew when I get home.
So, traveling to Thailand was nuts. That was the longest trip ever. I thought that the 14 hour plane ride from San Fransisco to Teipe would never end!!! Hahhaha! But we got here all safe and sound! We spent the first night in the mission home with President and Sister Smith who are both so sweet and wonderful. The next day we had our transfer meeting, where I met my new companion, Sister Lish, who is super sweet. They also told us that we would be white-washing an area called Khorat, which in in the East in the Isan. White-washing is when they take both missionaries out of that area and put two completely new ones in. So Sister Lish is in charge of training me, and both of us have never been to this area before, we don't know how to get around, and I don't speak Thai!! Hahhaa! It is a great adventure. The members here are so great though. THey are so friendly and helpful, and there is always someone willing to help us teach. They always tell us how cute we are too. How cute our little noses and our white skin are. : ) Too funny! I am finding that I speak Thai ok and everyone can understand what I am saying. THey tell me I speak geng which is good or skilled. But I seriously cannot understand ANYTHING that is being said to me. So I just smile and nod and look desperately at my companion to translate for me. All of the ward members are really good about speaking really slowly and clearly and repeating themselves to try and help me understand, and they all tell me, you just have to keep talking and listening. It is ok we will help you! SO CUTE!!! I love Thai people! And the weather here is SO beautiful. It is hot in Bangkok, but it has only been about 70ish here in Khorat. In the mornings it is freezing though. Yes freezing, if it is under 75 it is freezing! Hahaha! I have been making very good use of my sweater.
So yes, I had really bad jet-lag, and I still have mega culture shock. I still wake up and think, where the heck am I?!?!?! But Sister Lish says that that should pass in the next week or so. There are only 4 missionaries in our area. A companionship of Elders and Sister LIsh and I, and it is a really big city, so I feel kind of lonely and seperated from everyone, but I am really just trying to focus on the work.
So as for Christmas, if you want to you can call me, or we can go to an internet raan and I can skype you. Which ever you prefer. Sister Lish says skypeing is cheaper and I would get to see you, but if calling is easier that is fine too. To skype, you just set up a free account, and you will need a camera. I know that Krista and Jorge have a camera so maybe you could borrow theirs and they can show you how to set up an account too.
Just let me know what you would prefer to do, and I will tell you what time when I e-mail next week.
Thank you for forwarding those e-mails for me! I really appreciate it. I can't e-mail anyone but you here in Thailand, so would you mind adding one more person to that forwarding list, please? ok, I love you all so much and miss you more than I can say!!! Have a GREAT week! And I will talk to you all next week!
Love you! Jess
So, traveling to Thailand was nuts. That was the longest trip ever. I thought that the 14 hour plane ride from San Fransisco to Teipe would never end!!! Hahhaha! But we got here all safe and sound! We spent the first night in the mission home with President and Sister Smith who are both so sweet and wonderful. The next day we had our transfer meeting, where I met my new companion, Sister Lish, who is super sweet. They also told us that we would be white-washing an area called Khorat, which in in the East in the Isan. White-washing is when they take both missionaries out of that area and put two completely new ones in. So Sister Lish is in charge of training me, and both of us have never been to this area before, we don't know how to get around, and I don't speak Thai!! Hahhaa! It is a great adventure. The members here are so great though. THey are so friendly and helpful, and there is always someone willing to help us teach. They always tell us how cute we are too. How cute our little noses and our white skin are. : ) Too funny! I am finding that I speak Thai ok and everyone can understand what I am saying. THey tell me I speak geng which is good or skilled. But I seriously cannot understand ANYTHING that is being said to me. So I just smile and nod and look desperately at my companion to translate for me. All of the ward members are really good about speaking really slowly and clearly and repeating themselves to try and help me understand, and they all tell me, you just have to keep talking and listening. It is ok we will help you! SO CUTE!!! I love Thai people! And the weather here is SO beautiful. It is hot in Bangkok, but it has only been about 70ish here in Khorat. In the mornings it is freezing though. Yes freezing, if it is under 75 it is freezing! Hahaha! I have been making very good use of my sweater.
So yes, I had really bad jet-lag, and I still have mega culture shock. I still wake up and think, where the heck am I?!?!?! But Sister Lish says that that should pass in the next week or so. There are only 4 missionaries in our area. A companionship of Elders and Sister LIsh and I, and it is a really big city, so I feel kind of lonely and seperated from everyone, but I am really just trying to focus on the work.
So as for Christmas, if you want to you can call me, or we can go to an internet raan and I can skype you. Which ever you prefer. Sister Lish says skypeing is cheaper and I would get to see you, but if calling is easier that is fine too. To skype, you just set up a free account, and you will need a camera. I know that Krista and Jorge have a camera so maybe you could borrow theirs and they can show you how to set up an account too.
Just let me know what you would prefer to do, and I will tell you what time when I e-mail next week.
Thank you for forwarding those e-mails for me! I really appreciate it. I can't e-mail anyone but you here in Thailand, so would you mind adding one more person to that forwarding list, please? ok, I love you all so much and miss you more than I can say!!! Have a GREAT week! And I will talk to you all next week!
Love you! Jess
Thursday, December 8, 2011
She has arrived in Thailand!!
We got to talk to Jessica on Monday night from the airport in San Fransico, CA, while her and her companion were killing time with their 6 hr. layover before moving closer to Thailand. It was so good to talk to her and hear her laughter and happiness. She sounded so good. She is nervous but very excited to get to Thailand and start sharing the gospel. We will get to talk to her again on Christmas day. We can't wait.
This is an email we got from a the sec. in Thailand letting us know that she had arrived. How thoughtful that was. We were wondering and praying she would get there safe.
Brother and Sister Wallace, we are happy to report that you daughter has arrived safely in Bangkok and she is in excellent spirits. She is being interviewed by President Smith and oriented by the office staff. She will receive her first assignment tomorrow morning at the regular transfer meeting.
Her Preparation Day is on Mondays and her email address is the same as she used in the MTC. We encourage you to send her an email this week so that she will have a letter when she checks her email next Monday.
Well she is there and away she goes. Go get 'em Sis! :)
This is an email we got from a the sec. in Thailand letting us know that she had arrived. How thoughtful that was. We were wondering and praying she would get there safe.
Brother and Sister Wallace, we are happy to report that you daughter has arrived safely in Bangkok and she is in excellent spirits. She is being interviewed by President Smith and oriented by the office staff. She will receive her first assignment tomorrow morning at the regular transfer meeting.
Her Preparation Day is on Mondays and her email address is the same as she used in the MTC. We encourage you to send her an email this week so that she will have a letter when she checks her email next Monday.
Well she is there and away she goes. Go get 'em Sis! :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Today is the Day!! Thailand, Here she comes!!
Well good morning family!
It is super early in the morning here in Provo, and I am just hanging out doing laundry, getting ready to FLY TO THAILAND!!!!!!! But I'm only a little excited! HAhahahahha......NOT!!!! So just a reminder, I will be calling from San Diego tonight. I hope it is ok if I just call your cell phone because I don't know what the new home number is, but I promise that I will make it super quick since I get to call you again on Christmas, and since I only get 15 minutes anyway! So how is everyone's week going? I guess it is only monday, so i should say how was everyone's week? Mom, I don't know if you sent that package yet, or not, but I haven't gotten it yet. So hopefully, if you have I will get it today before I leave, but if you sent it and I don't get it in time, maybe Holly could come down here and pick it up? Did you all go get a Christmas tree last weekend? When we were walking to the temple on Tuesday we saw a van drive by with a tree on it, and it made me think of you all. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I saw Vaughn Christensen on Thanksgiving. I guess he works here at the MTC and is going to BYU. It was fun to see someone from Kuna!
So, our last week at the MTC was weird. Time seemed to go really slow adn way too fast at the same time. I swear the MTC is in some wierd time zone where it can do things like that. :) Anyway, we didn't have any of our friends here so it was kinda a boring week. Except our noong thays who are great, and Elder Abbott. He is one of the Hmongs, but He got left by himself this week because of theway transfers in his mission worked out. So, he became Sister Farnsworth and my new companion. We also had our last lessons with our Progressing Investigators and our teachers. Kinda sad, but I'M GOING TO THAILAND!!! So, not so sad. We got to watch the First Presidency Chrsitmas Devotional last night. Did you all get to watch it? If not you should get on lds.org and watch it! SO GOOD!!!!
K, well I love you all. Have a great week! Talk to you tonight!
Rag Khuun, chook dii, etc.
Jess
It is super early in the morning here in Provo, and I am just hanging out doing laundry, getting ready to FLY TO THAILAND!!!!!!! But I'm only a little excited! HAhahahahha......NOT!!!! So just a reminder, I will be calling from San Diego tonight. I hope it is ok if I just call your cell phone because I don't know what the new home number is, but I promise that I will make it super quick since I get to call you again on Christmas, and since I only get 15 minutes anyway! So how is everyone's week going? I guess it is only monday, so i should say how was everyone's week? Mom, I don't know if you sent that package yet, or not, but I haven't gotten it yet. So hopefully, if you have I will get it today before I leave, but if you sent it and I don't get it in time, maybe Holly could come down here and pick it up? Did you all go get a Christmas tree last weekend? When we were walking to the temple on Tuesday we saw a van drive by with a tree on it, and it made me think of you all. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I saw Vaughn Christensen on Thanksgiving. I guess he works here at the MTC and is going to BYU. It was fun to see someone from Kuna!
So, our last week at the MTC was weird. Time seemed to go really slow adn way too fast at the same time. I swear the MTC is in some wierd time zone where it can do things like that. :) Anyway, we didn't have any of our friends here so it was kinda a boring week. Except our noong thays who are great, and Elder Abbott. He is one of the Hmongs, but He got left by himself this week because of theway transfers in his mission worked out. So, he became Sister Farnsworth and my new companion. We also had our last lessons with our Progressing Investigators and our teachers. Kinda sad, but I'M GOING TO THAILAND!!! So, not so sad. We got to watch the First Presidency Chrsitmas Devotional last night. Did you all get to watch it? If not you should get on lds.org and watch it! SO GOOD!!!!
K, well I love you all. Have a great week! Talk to you tonight!
Rag Khuun, chook dii, etc.
Jess
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