Mahasarakham

May 27, 2012

Companion: Thai Elder Tanawut

Hello everybody,

So I guess the news is out, I have moved (Brother Ton!) Yeah, I moved to a place called Mahasarakham (มหาสารคาม), it is really nice. Kinda different, for one: it is hotter. For another: the landscape is different and the people are extremely different. I'll get to that in a minute.

So yeah, for P-day last week I went to Pu Chi Fa, (I already told you that). Um, Tuesday we went inviting for a minute by this place that we were going to contact a referall. I was way excited, until we got to this one guy's house. He said that he was Buddhist and Catholic, (does that work?) and he let us sit down to talk with him. At this point, when we sat down, I got really tired. I think it was because we hadn't rested all day. So Elder Todd had given him a baptism invite, because Elder Todd thought he was ready. The guy wanted our names because he was writing down information. He pulled off my nametag and forgot about the glass glass of water that was right in front of me. So I accidentally smacked it with my hand and broke it. I don't know how that guy is doing, but I know that I felt really,really bad. So Wednesday, we got on our bus and stuff, We finally got at the church at Nonthaburi at about 5:30 in the morning after an 11-hour bus ride. There were two other companionships there, and we talked for a while. It started to be 7:00 and nobody else was there, which was weird because, at that time there is supposed to be more people. I wouldn't know. People did show up, we only started to worry, because the headquarters is moving with the new mission president, so we thought that we may have been having it at the other church building near there. Nope. We had our transfer meeting and I was given a new companion, Elder Tanawut (ธนาวุฒิ), he is a Thai person. Super. He is actually way cool, he can play the violin, and according to everyone, way funny. So after I was told where I was going, I started freaking out inside. I didn't know where that was, or anything about it, in fact, two seconds later, I forgot where I was going.

So yeah, finally got here to Mahasarakham, and on my first day, went to jail. I'm just that bad of a person. Not. The branch president here is a jail guard and we were going to teach a group of inmates that were kinda interested. It was different, not scary, just different. Afterwards, the branch president asked, "Do you like barbeque chicken?" I said yes, and we went to an Isaan food restaurant. That's the area/section of country that I'm in, the Isaan. Anyway, the lunch was with the branch president and the guy guards. It was fun and they were really funny. The branch president turned to me and asked, "You ever try nam tog?" I said no, and he ordered some. I was happily eating my sticky rice and chicken when a plate full a meat covered in weird sauce and spices comes to our table. The branch president looks at me and says "not spicy" and promptly eats some. Now, I could tell it was spicy, and when a Thai man says something isn't spicy, it is. จบ. I ate it anyway, and almost spat it back out! It was way spicy, and then the branch president and everyone starts laughing. Then I ran away. NO, that is sillly. I drank my Coke,(I've started drinking it, they give you a drink and we should drink it. Tastes good), and cooled down. The branch president was like "I committed sin" and asked for forgiveness. Afterwards, he kept asking if I was angry with him. Really funny. Speaking of, yesterday at church. The members wanted me to eat this fruit, I can't remember what is what called, but I didn't want to. I was kinda full from my lunch. The fruit was pinkish-purple and LOOKS like it has sharp hairs. I was making a fuss, and the members were all whining and saying eat it. The branch president even did what dad does and was like, "I have the ambulance on hold in case you start dying." I ate it and was fine, I just wanted to make a fuss. After church, we went to teach an investigator named chang (elephant) and he gave us a mysterious fruit that I didn't recognize as it was. They said what it was, but for you a surprise. So I ate the mysterious fruit, with them watching carefully, and then were surprised as I took a second bite and a third and then finished it. They were like farangs usually hate that! They can't stand the taste. Elder Tanawut said that the last elder here, Elder Thacker from Australia, made funny noises and spit it back out. I ate the second one they gave me, it tastes so good. Ok, I give you some hints. It usually looks kinda big with some spikies, it is the smelliest fruit in the world, in a bad way and it gives you bad breath. It's a durian! It was so good. I give the fact that I am part Asian as why I liked it.

Also, on Saturday, I had the opportunity to get a very nice Norwegian lady on a tour of the church with our Utahn brother. We looked at pictures and talked about the pictures and each room and what we do there. At the end, we let her ask a few more questions. She asked about spiritual experiences, because we had mentioned them. We shared ours, and the Brother shared his feelings about Facebook, (it helped him find his wife). She was really impressed, I was told afterwards. He walked with her for a little bit, because she doesn't have a car, but likes walking. He told me that she had felt something good there, she is Atheist and is trying to go to another church. It didn't feel as good as our church. Sadly, she wasn't at church yesterday, but, she is highly interested. We may teach her again, or she'll wait until she goes home in July and will look, I don't know.

Well, that was my week, I hope that you all had a good week. I will talk to you soon.

Elder Anthony Susi