This is the professional soccer stadium in Buriram. Never got to see a game.
It is called Chang Arena, which mean "elephant arena."
I have no idea why the dogs are purple.
While doing service for a sister in our ward, I asked her if I could trim her bush into an elephant. She laughed so hard when she saw the finished product.
My letter
My Letter:
This week was a really great week! I can totally see the strides that I make in learning the language every single week. Being with a Thai companion is a lot of the reason that I learn so much. I think the hardest part for me right now is being able to extend my own vocabulary because as of now, I feel like I am could stop learning and be pretty fine for the rest of mission, but I don't want to settle for this. I want to continue getting better for at least the two full years I will be in Thailand.
I also love the opportunity we get every week to call our families. I feel like I have become a stronger missionary because of it. I have also received help from them in my missionary work. Especially from the three people who have served missions, my Dad, Mom, and my sister Quincey. I like hearing their different ideas on how I can be a better missionary and example of Jesus Christ to the people of Thailand.
Lately, we have realized that the most important think that we feel like the ward here in Buriram is missing is love. The members need to be one big family and support each other and any others who might come to church as well. So to fix this, we have been holding family home evenings where we will invite all of the members and just have fun talking and eating and then sharing a spiritual thought with them. I can already feel like the ward in changing for the better because of the love we can feel at church.
At one of these family home evenings, one of the members made a MOUNTAIN of meat which they called “waterfall pig”. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but ladies and gentlemen, THIS is THE most DELICIOUS food in the WORLD. I could eat it for the rest of my life and be happy. Anyways, this guy named Brother Tan made a heap of it and he said, "I bet you can't eat all of it." So obviously I had to try. I ate so much waterfall pig that I thought my stomach grew 3 sizes that day. All of the members that were there said my stomach is so big it is in my legs too. (Shout out to my dad who when he was my age got called long stomach by the Italian people on his mission) But, in the end, I couldn't eat it all. He did give me the rest to take home for my valiant efforts.
This last week, I got to visit Surin (my last area) for one day because we had district meeting there. I ran right up to the church and called for the dog that lives in the house behind the church and he came running to me like always and I pet him through the fence. It was a tender little moment between the two of us. Being there made me remember a ton of fun times that I had that and how much I loved it.
This past week I went to go visit an investigator named Bahn, and I brought my guitar to charge a spiritual thought with it, but when I got there, I realized one of the strings had broken off. I still used it for the spiritual thought, but I have no idea how to fix a guitar string. Bahn saw that it was broken and he said "I want to fix it for you. I can do it for very cheap like 50 baht, or you can take it to a guitar store and get it fixed for 300 baht." I was so thankful that he fixed it for me, it was way nice of him.
It has just been recently getting into the rainy season here in Thailand. Elder Body and I have gotten completely soaked for our first time when we were out riding our bikes to appointments this last week. I love getting soaked so much. It just makes everything more interesting.
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
(The Book of Mormon)
This is honestly my favorite scripture because this can be used in every part of life there is. Everyone has weaknesses. Excluding Jesus Christ, every single person who ever lived has made mistakes, including the members of the church. Jesus Christ never made a mistake. He was perfect. God knows us all perfectly. If you receive a personal witness that God is there, loves us, and wants us to be happy, that is something nobody can ever take from you. You cannot lie to yourself. It is impossible. Your mind knows when you are lying. I know that I have received a witness from God that this is the true church of Jesus Christ and that The Book of Mormon is a true book and through reading it, we will find answers to things we never thought would have an answer.
Thanks for everyone who is reading my emails! I love you all! Shout out to one of my basketball coachs, Coach Mackey. Piper says you still read them!
Everyone have a great week!
-Elder Barron
