June 17, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,
Hey! How are you all? It sounds like you're doing pretty great from
the e-mails I got. I'm doing good here in Udon. Busy week (like
always). We did a lot of inviting this week, and hopefully have some
potential investigators. We're going to make some calls and try and
visit some people again within the next few days, so I'll let you know
how that goes next week. Our investigators that we already have are
doing great! We gave Nan and Nun to a couple of the sister
missionaries in our area so that they could teach them. They just
weren't really taking any of our lessons seriously, so we're gonna see
if working with girls will help them out a little bit. Luckily, they
don't have to wait to get baptized anymore! Apparently Nun is 18
already, and Nan's dad is already a member (we had no clue), so they
can get baptized as soon as they're ready. They just need to go to
church 4 times in a row. Tim and Tugta had their baptismal interviews
on Saturday, and they passed! I'm so stoked for them! They're both way
awesome, and they're getting baptized next Sunday after church. I'll
send pics for sure. Taam is coming along, came to church yesterday. I
don't think he'll have any problems, and should be ready to go by July
8th. A new lady, Sis. Tik, finally came to church yesterday. The
Elders that were in this area before us had taught her a bunch
already, pretty much everything. But she would never let us go see
her. But she came yesterday, and me, E. Raven, the Branch Pres., and
Sis. Tim (they're really good friends) talked to her about baptism,
and she said she's ready too. It was a really spiritual meeting. If
she goes to church every week, she'll be ready to be baptized with
Taam! On Saturday, we went to Kumphawapi again. It's a good little
town. We went a visited a couple of investigators that nobody had
contacted for 3 or 4 years and just followed up with them. We might be
going down to Kumphawapi a little more often, maybe to teach English,
so we'll try to follow up with them sometime earlier this week, or on
Saturday. At church I played the piano again. I didn't mess up as bad!
Ha but I'm running out of easy hymns to play fast, so I gotta start
practicing a little more. I really want to start learning how to play
the guitar too, so I'll probably do some of that in my spare time too.
In the Udon Branch, we had 8 priesthood holders there not including
the missionaries! That's the record high since I've been here. I hope
they all keep coming, and that we can get some of the less-actives
back. After church, me, E. Raven, the Branch Pres., the Elder's Quorum
Pres., Elder Hart, and the Ward Mission Leader all went and visited a
less-active that used to be a branch pres. He said he'd come back to
church in two weeks, so pray for him! We couldn't visit Nooy this
week, but we went and saw this lady named Dia and her husband, Boom,
and their 3 kids. They'll be awesome! The dad is especially into the
gospel. The only problem is that he works on an oil rig, and has to
leave for a month at a time, and then comes back for a month. So
that'll be tough to deal with when teaching. But when he comes back,
we'll try and have him go to church the four sundays in the month, and
get baptized the last sunday. Pray for that too!
Ok, so about the monkey pics. I was only SEMI-sketched out. The one
that I looked really freaked, where I have the big bunch of
bananas...I have a valid reason. I wasn't giving them to him, I was
taking them from him, and I didn't want to get attacked haha. Trust
me, I'm a brave boy. Yes, the monkeys are just loose in the park. It's
funny to watch when they get in fights with the stray dogs. We don't
see many other animals, just a bunch of lizards and bugs. But I'll be
able to play with elephants and stuff once I go to different areas for
sure. Ok, now for the story of the week. There is (was) a dog at one
of our neighbor's house. It was kind of an annoying dog. So one day as
we were leaving (Wednesday), E. Raven rides ahead as I'm closing the
gate. He sees the dog and starts chasing it on his bike. They go
around the corner, and I start following. All of a sudden, the dog
comings flying back around the corner, and the timing couldn't have
been better (or worse, whatever you prefer). The dog and my bike slam
into each other, I run it over, and luckily (miraculously) I don't
crash or fall off. I look back and the dog is laying on its side, all
four legs sticking straight out, and its head was craned at some weird
angle, and it was just making these weird, repetitive, yelping noises.
It was literally having a seizure or something! E. Raven was laughing
his head off but just kept going, so I followed. We could still hear
it, then it got quiet all of a sudden. We haven't seen it since. I
really think I killed it. Whoops. Good story though :)
So ya'll are going to Oregon? Sweet! Tell Grandma and everyone else
hello for me! (Then over-night me some Wild River fries). I'll be sure
and send you some pics of my apartment and stuff, so you know what
it's like over here. The food looks good, huh? Yeah mom, I think
you'll be able to last (I hope). There are dishes that aren't spicy
and still taste really good, or yes, there is always McDonalds. And
Swensen's ice cream, that place is the bomb! Sounds like Father's Day
was a success! I wish I could be there visiting with everyone, but two
years is a pretty short time :) I REALLY wish I could've gone to Asian
Star (but I guess I get enough Asian food as it is huh?). I've almost
been out 4 months! That's 1/6 of my mission! It's so crazy how time
flies. And Joy Christensen died? What? Gosh it's weird not being in
the loop of things back home (although a few of you would say I wasn't
even when I did live at home ;) ) Language is progressing, but very
slowly. I just wish I could understand people! It's getting better
though. I think I'll be alright. I contribute in lessons more and
more, so that's all I can ask for. People always say it's crazy how
good we can speak when we've only been here this long. Gift of Tongues
is real! The Lord really does help us everyday. It also sounds like
the yard is looking like the Celestial Kingdom once again. I wish I
could see it! Send me some pics please (of everything, not just the
yard)!
Mom - I'm glad you finally got to the doctors and got it taken care
of. The next appt. with Francom does not sound fun though. It sounds
like the sheds are going to be a success! Good to clear up some space
in the shop. And thank you for the recipe! We will definitely put it
to good use (or more like the sisters will, then they'll bring us some
:) ) I miss American breakfasts. Yes, we still eat out for every meal
except on sundays, where we just eat MaMa (Ramen). You'll survive,
there's Farang (white person) food here if needed :) Do you think I
should take the Amoxicillin? If you think so, go ahead and send it.
We'll never take the Doxy. We have two washers at our house
(thankfully), but I don't think anybody in Thailand has a dryer, so we
just hang dry. The heat deinitely takes care of it. Heat and humidity
are killers, but we survive by blasting all of our AC's. I've gotten
used to it. Thanks for the e-mail! Love ya Momma :)
Dad - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Hope you had a great day, because you
deserve it. Sounds like it was a good time having everbody over, and
it sounds like you got some sweet gifts (and it sounds like I picked
out just the right Birthday card)! I hope you get into golf, so that I
can when I get back, and we can go hit it up all the time. That would
be sweet! How are the Yanks doing? As long as they're ahead of the
Sox, I'm ok. Heard anything about the Utes? Love ya Dad!
Laur - I got your e-mail as I was typing, phew! Close call. It sounds
like your pre-school was an epic success! You gotta get me some pics!
And I'm glad that you got back into Institute! I loved institute, and
I love my mission because it's like being in a 24/7 institute class
where I'm the student AND the teacher. I love ya Laur!
Brooke - You got the house! That's so legit! Will you be in Britt and
Jordan's ward, or in the 8th ward? Bummer that D didn't make the State
Am, but I guarantee he makes it sometime with how hard he works. And
the story about Linc is so tight! I love that little guy. Give him a
big hug and kiss for me, and tell him I'll see him when I get home.
Love ya Brooke!
Rest of the Fam - Ava and Ryan, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You're both getting so
big! Ry, you'll be able to get baptized soon dude! That's so awesome!
That's my favorite part about being a missionary, helping people get
baptized.
Friends - Rope, that's sweet that you had your farewell! I heard it
went great. Riley, Austin, and Roper, good luck in the MTC! You'll
love your missions. Prest and L-Bell, keep preparing. You too, Lance.
Remember the last thing I told you before I left.
Well times running out, it was great to hear from all of you! I hope
to hear from you again soon, and I love you all!
Love, Elder Sharp