Sister Zaugg in Thailand

Hello friends and family~

So... tomorrow marks 3 weeks in the MTC! Our Phii Thais left us yesterday. I'm so happy for them! They're going to do great. I'm looking forward to seeing them and possibly being in a companionship with some of them!

Our district has recently received a new member. The Elder companionship is now a threesome! Elder Hunt, one of our Phii Thais totally destroyed his knee while playing basketball a few weeks back, and now will be flying out to Thailand with us in 6 weeks. We're not sure if he'll be staying at the MTC until then or go home. It kind of sounds like he'll be going home to heal, but we'll see! Right now we're enjoying the neat little rectangle that we form at the table during meals. :O) Lesson to be learned: sports at the MTC take out more missionaries than any other reason! Every day I see SO MANY PEOPLE who have casts or splints! Not only that, but random illnesses are taking people, out, too. Already so many of the Phii Thais had to go home because of random disorders that popped up at the MTC. I think Satan is really working hard to keep us from teaching people about Christ. :O I sure hope I manage to make it out of the MTC alive! The chances look slimmer every day. 

Starting two days ago we started singing from the Thai hymn book at the beginning of classes. At first we were reading romanized versions (PS Thai songs are super easy because there are no tones), but now it's full blown SCRIPT. Script is interesting. You basically find the consonants and then scan all around them  to find vowels that are scattered about them. Sometimes consonants wear hats, sometimes pants, sometimes they have a three piece suit! On top of that, you have to remember if a consonant is high, middle, or low class, and if the vowel is short or long, and then notice if there is a tone marker. All of those combined make various tones and it's haaaaard! We have 'script cards' that tell us all those things. We call them the Urim and Thummim. :P

Thai is coming still. Tones are really killing me. If you want to say, 'I believe in Christ', "Sidtee chxua nay Phrayeesuu Khrid khaa" it will sound the exact same way when you say it 3 years from now. Tones are SO specific. I think I told you how some Phii Thais have said in discussions that they bought tigers instead of shirts, that Joseph Smith is evil, and give the investigator a relationship rather than an interview. WELL. Last week in a discussion with a new investigator I was trying to tell him that when you read the scriptures, God fills you with His love. Welllll, what I actually said because of tones was, "When you read the scriptures, God drinks until He dances." I was wondering why the investigator looked so confused!! I learned that day that you never ask a Thai person "khaw chay may khaa?" (do you understand?) because they will always say yes no matter what you say. haha!

My companionship with Sis Ng and Barton has really grown. We're really learning to lean on

each other and the Lord. At first we were trying so hard to plan every sentence out in a lesson, but we learned that you just can't do that! It's all about getting to know the person as an individual who has needs and concerns and who has been prepared by God to receive your message! You just have to go in and discern what they want/need to hear! We're still working on that, but we're finally starting to allow the Spirit to guide us. It's really hard. It's easy to think that it's all on us, that we have to do everything. I learn every day that I just have to rest on the Savior and He'll take me where He needs me. As long as I'm obedient, study hard and love my companions and the people I serve, I will be able to accomplish what I'm supposed to!

I've learned a lot of awesome words! I wanna share some. : )

Bobaboboa = crazy (SO fun to say)

phrabida bon sawan = Heavenly Father

pen pay DAY! = it's possible! (literally translated: is go can)

patiseed = deny/reject (we use this alot in four square)

chxa = believe

Thai is kinda like German. It's so literal. you just take a lot of words, stick them together and boom you have a new word! Savior is: Praphuuchuayhayrccd which literally translated is royal person who helps give salvation. Yup!

Love you all! Send me letters. : )

       Sister Zaugg