Karsten's Adventures in the Kingdom of Thailand: Week 14 Chiang Mai

Dear Family and Friends

This past week was really good. We have our ups and downs but it is okay. I think it is what I learned this week more than what I did.

This week I just tried to do the best that I could. On Sunday it got hard. So for Chaing Mai we have a lot of tourist people or people who speak English come to the church. So we usually have a translation machine that we speak into, and the members will wear headphones. So we will only have one person translate or two people just so they can take a break. The last two Sundays I have had to translate for people who speak English. I tell you what it is a lot harder than it looks like to listen and then translate it into English. I do have to say that my language ability is not the greatest in the mission. I can understand only so much. I do try my best to learn the language but it is hard to know the tones on words. Anyways I had to translate for a none member last week and a member yesterday. They both after sacrament meeting said thank you very much. I told them I didnt understand a lot of what they said. The youth who get up to talk are easier then the older people. They say very simple things that I can understand. It gets hard when you get the older members get up there and they say really big fancy words that I have never heard before. Oh it was a test and I dont know if I passed but I did the best that I could to understand and deliver a good message to the people I was translating for. I think that listen and then speaking are hard but possible.

Just like when we are teaching we need to listen to them, listen to the spirit then speak. This past week we met with one of our recent converts. She was telling us how she finds herself talking to herself and how she reads the scriptures and then forgets what she reads. She said that she was having a lot of stress. So we sat her down in a very calm way and we just talked. She told us everything that was going on. Elder Tamang was like I think if she reads the scriptures for one hour every morning that reading will help her. I told her about my experience and how I told my little brother to read the Book of Mormon and it will help him. I know that the Book of Mormon has powers that we cannot understand. I know it can heal. We ended the lesson and then I told her something I will never forget. I said something totally directed by the spirit. I said to the member go home and kneel down and say a prayer to Heavenly Father. I said that he wants to talk to you or tell you something. I didnt know where that thought was going but all I could think about was that it was directed by the spirit. I know that the spirit has directed me this week.

Look for ways that the spirit can direct you.

I am sorry this is short but I will tell you more next week.

Love Elder Hinckley