You'll never believe what happened this transfer...... (Picture Heavy Post)

WAHHHHHHH OK. There is a lot to talk about in this email. I'll try my best to use grammar that makes sense, but warning: lots of caps will be used.

[First we will start with Sister Zaugg's zoo pictures.]

Mwa! They sucked on my face...
it was kinda gross. lol

They were sillyyyyyyyyyyy

 My beautiful companion, Sis Adams!

"Sup." "Hey." "Hello." "Wuddup."

Such loooooong tongues!

 "Hey."

Last P-Day after going to the zoo, we got a call from our District Leader. He said. "Hey! We have transfers! Sister Adams is moving!" I repeated it out loud and Sis Adams gave the most BLOOD CURDLING scream that I've ever heard. She scared the people walking infront of us out of there pants! hahahahahaha Then E. Bennett said, "Just kidding! Sis Zaugg is moving." And then Sis Adams just yelled, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The people in front of us just DIED. So did I! We all had to sit down we were laughing so hard. Sis Adams was just mad at E. Bennett for scaring her! hahahhahaha She was way sad and nervous that I was leaving, but I knew that she's totally capable of leading the area! She's the only one staying because E. Bennett went going home and E. Wahl got transferred out, too! She's so awesome. She'll do great. Best trainee ever!! I was sad to leave Pangna. I REALLY loved it there! Especially the members. They fed us pizza and spaghetti on Wednesday night. It broke my heart to say goodbye! But I had felt for a while that I was moving, so I just had to accept it.

So I knew I was leaving Bangkok, because I've been there my whole mission and usually you don't stay 9 months in one area of the country (there are 3: Bangkok, the North, and the Isaan). I was pretty sure that I was going to the Isaan. I had a feeling it would either be Korat or Royet. 

So transfers started and they called all of the Bangkok areas and I wasn't called to any of them, so I knew for surethat  I was leaving Bangkok! Sis Barton was called to Pangna with Sis Adams!!!! I'm excited for them. I know they're gonna do great. It was kinda confusing though, because when they called her they had her picture on the screen but my name. But was clarified that it was Sis Barton going to Pangna. haha

Then they started called all the areas in the North. I got nervous because I've actually decided that I don't want to serve in the North... I'd rather just go visit sometime. haha Sis Reedy got moved from Lampang to Chiang Mai. This is her last transfer! She's dying in Chiang Mai, just like her trainer and her trainer's trainer! That isn't good news for me......... But they called all the North areas and I still hadn't been called so I knoew I wasn't going to the North.... which means I was going to the Isaan!!!!

So then they started calling all the different zones. Korat and Royet are in the Khon Kaen zone. They called all the areas.... but not Royet! Like.... they forgot! I started to wonder if because my name got messed up with Pangna, maybe they also messed up Royet and I actually WAS going to Royet! They called the Ubon zone.... and I still wasn't called! All was left was the Udorn zone. The only area there that has sisters is Udorn so I knew then that it was either Udorn or or Royet. They called all the udorn sisters... and it wasn't me! So I was like, "YESSS!!! Royet!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

BUT WAIT. THEY WEREN'T. DONE.

All of a sudden my name was one the screen with the words: Nong Khai over it.

I got called to open Nong Khai.

NONG KHAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nong Khai is on the border of Laos. It's a teeny little town that EVERY ONE wants to go to. Especially sisters because Nong Khai has never been opened for sisters before. And now it's open...... and I'm opening it. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I think I almost passed out right there and then. I was shaking for soooo long afterwards. EVERYONE was freaking out! My new companion's name is Sis Maughan. She's only on her 3rd transfer and was just in Udorn. So I'm glad that we're together because she knows how to get around the Isaan.............. I feel pretty useless here. lol!

Other big news: Myanmar is now opened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is historic! The first proselyting missionaries ever have been placed there. The Lord's work is truly hastening.

Also. I got called as Sister Training Leader. That's the sister version of a Zone Leader. @_@

Taking a bus to Udorn! It was way nice.
 I could almost kind of sleep on it!

So basically after transfers we got on a bus for 9 hours to Udorn where we spent the night there with the sisters. Then we got on another bus for another hour to Nong Khai! We haven't really done much else besides looking for a house............... They didn't have one for us. That has been a nightmare. We think we've found one so hopefully we get the OK to move in today! Then we can actually get to work. We haven't even started contacting yet!

 'Kay... story time. We got to Udorn at 5:00 AM. 
We got off the bus and they threw all our stuff off of the bus. 
And then 3 little Tuk Tuk's came screeching 
around a corner and pulled up in front of us. 
A bunch of tuk tuk guys shoved all of our stuff 
into the tuk tuks and then shoved us on them..... 
It was probably one of the more sketchier 
things I've done. 

Also, on the bus to Udorn they advertised Man Some like CRAZY.
So of course when we got here we had to try some.
It's like grape/apple juice.... I'd buy it again!

Isaan country...............

Basically the Isaan looks like Bangkok but with more jungle and less buildings. The streets are less torn up, too. Nong Khai is so little and cute! We're right on the river between Thailand and Laos, so we can see Laos right form the house that we found! We don't have a real church here, it's in a building. The Branch President is a BOSS and the members are amazing. I love it here already! Also, I think it'll be cooler over here because we're so close to the river. Yesssssssss There's a lot of work for us here to do......... We need to get an area book going..... we need to find investigators............. I'm not really sure how contacting is gonna go because there aren't that many people around. hahaha BUT We will find people and it's gonna be GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SO PUMPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A member took us to a way cool place this morning!

So yeah!! I feel a little scared and overwhelmed... I've never opened an area.... and have never been in the Isaan... and have to figure this all out plus be the Sister Training Leader. Oh dear. It's a big call, but if the Lord thinks I can do it.... then that must mean I can do it!

First step is to get back in shape so that I can keep up with Sis Maughan on my bike. hahahaha 

Have a great week! I'm excited to see what mine has in store. :)

Sis Zaugg

Transfer.... OVER???????????????????

Me and one of my favorite girls!!! Loog Mii!

Hey fam and friends! This transfer officially ended on Sunday. ....Whut. We have no idea what's gonna happen at transfer meeting! Am I moving? Is Sis Adams moving? Are we BOTH moving?? You never know with Pres Senior!

A lot happened this week! I'll try to sum it all up for you:

Last Monday we met and taught this guy named Pet (in Thai that means diamond). He's awesome!!!!!!!! He used to be a drug dealer but cleaned up his act and is interning at a hospital now. He's only 22 and is the littlest, sweetest guy on the planet. You would never guess that he used to be into the darker arts, minus the fact that he has some pretty gnarly scars on his arms and face.  But yeah. He really wants to be cleansed from his sins 'cause he feels pretty guilty. He came to church on Sunday and is getting baptized this coming Sunday! He's so awesome!!

A cute old lady wearing a helmet. haha
We contact here a lot!

On Wednesday we taught this one guy named Tee............ that was interesting. Basically he just wanted to prove why Buddhism is more true than Christianity. :I It ended up being a battle between him and the member we brought. I would try to wrap up the lesson by bearing testimony, but then he would ask a stupid question to combat it and then the member would argue back and then I'd try again and it would happen again! Ughhhhhhhhhh. Although, I did learn something from that lesson. So, Thii had a problem with the fact that he can't prove that God exists (Buddhism supposedly claims to not believe in a God... even though they still worship Gods....), and wouldn't accept that through the Book of Mormon and Bible, with prayer he can receive an answer from God that He's there. And he kept like... ranting about how Buddha had so much awesome power and all this weird stuff that he supposedly did, so we were like, "Well, how do you know that Buddha did all that if you've never seen him before?" and then he said that when Buddha was cremated his bones were pink, and so that's why he believes in Buddha. "Why do you believe that?"  "....Because two other religions after that accepted Buddha's teachings." ......OK. 

But then the member asked a question that really made me ponder. She asked, "And how does the knowledge that Buddha's bones were pink affect your life?" He just kinda sat there and couldn't really give a good answer.

We eat too much icecream...
but it makes us happyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

And then I was filled with so much peace and joy as I testified: "I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected on the third day. This knowledge affects me because I know that someday I'll be resurrected, too, and will be able to live with my family forever!"

It was then that I realized just how true and important the Gospel is!!!!!!! Like, yeah, Thii learns good things from Buddhism.... but in the end it doesn't give him the peace, hope, joy, and comfort that the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers. The general goal of Buddhism is to live a good life so that when you die you'll disappear into nothingness. ???? NOOOO!!! The goal of life is to be good and be happy so that you can have happiness with the people you love for all eternity!!!! 

It was then that I truly came to understand the lyrics: "Oh sweet, the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives."

Sai made us dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Saturday we taught Sai about temples... and then afterwards she pulled out these two handmade dolls that she stitched herself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were us!!!!!!!!!!! She paid SO MUCH attention to details!!!!!!!!!! Like..... how we do our hair, what kind of clothes we like... everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH We died. They were so perfect. SHE is so perfect!!! She had scars on her fingers from making them! She said that she's completely changed after being baptized. That her family is weirded out at how much of a different person she is (they dunno that she got baptized... haha). She made those dolls over a course of 3 weeks to thank us for introducing her to the Gospel. :,) Sis Adams and I decided that if the only reason we came to Pangna was for Sai.... it was worth it. LOVE HER!!!!!!!

SO CUUUUTE!

Sunday was a day of miracles! We had 4 investigators at church! And then after church we decided to go find Noon ONE LAST TIME. We've tried twice now to no avail. BUT we called her mom and got her real address, so we set out to find our little lost sheep once more! We wandered around for SOOOOOOOO LOOOOOOOOONG. We supposedly found the right street.... but none of the house numbers were even close to hers! We walked back and forth asking every one and there dog for like an hour and a half. Finally we prayed... and this family came up to us and suggested to us that we try up back the buddhist temple.... so we thought, "Why the heck not??" so we walked up there, asked a bunch of drunk temple people who called Noon's mom, stuck us in a taxi and led the taxi literally 200 feet down the street to the right neighborhood. lol....... There we were urged to sit on a bench and wait for the mom to come out and bring us to her house. The whole neighborhood came out and showed us their babies, and this one super old lady sitting on a tiny stool with 3 teeth just yelled at us the whole time. Finally we thought to mention her last name and though whole village just ERUPTED. They were like, "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO BEFORE?!?!?!?" and they all rushed us like, 10 feet over to this old shack where a shirtless man with one arm came running out. We were like, "Uhhh... do you know Noon?" and he was like, "Yeah! NOON!" and Noon came out! WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. WE FOUND HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's doing alright. Her dad has been way sick so she had to take him to the hospital like every day for the past 2 weeks, and she dropped her phone in the toilet so had no way to contact us.... haha......... So we will have to work on getting her back to church, but at least she's OK!! And we FOUND her!!!!!!!!!!! What a miracle!!

Sometimes we eat chicken
burgers, cheetos and candy bars
outside of 7/11 and,
chill with the soi dogs.

So that was my week. It was awesome!! Hope you all have a good week! It's possible that next Monday I'll be in Isaan which is the back country of Thailand!!

Sis Zaugg

I went back to Saphaansung!

Before you get confused, transfers isn't for another week. I just got to go on switch offs with my sister training leader who happens to be in Saphaansung! Sis Adams was wayyyyyyyyyy nervous, because she knew that she was gonna stay in Pangna with the sister that she was companions with in the MTC and was afraid that they would both get totally lost and not be able to do anything. But I knew that she's a way better missionary than she gives herself credit for, and she and Sis Holmes did GREAT! They saw a lot of miracles and Sis Adams really learned to trust herself and the Spirit. I say it was a successful switch off. :) As for me, it was pretty weird being back in Saphaansung. It didn't feel the same anymore! It was like... still Saphaansung... but.... it wasn't my area anymore. By the end of the day I was ready to get back to Pangna. I really felt peaceful with the fact that I moved to Pangna. I'm supposed to be here. I think that was a real blessing. I learned that where we are called is where we're supposed to be.

On Wednesday Sis Adams threw up AGAIN. So on Thursday we went to the hospital to get her checked out. That was an interesting experience. I think we were lucky and found a nice hospital. It was nice and clean and orderly. haha They said that she probably has an infection or something that's making her stomach really irritated so when she eats things that are hard to digest, her body just ejects it. They told her to avoid anything spicy or fried for awhile. That's great. That's just about all of Thai food. hahahaha ......Yeah. Eating has been an interesting activity lately. 

So this week something has been up with Noon, the girl who got baptized a long time ago. She was supposed to meet with us on Friday but never showed up! And no one can get ahold of her..... so on Saturday we decided to go find her at her house. We ended up going on the biggest goose chase EVER. We found a whole other part of Pangna that we didn't even know exists behind the big mall that we always contact at. We asked a bunch of motor taxi people for directions, none of them actually knew anything so we just wandered around for a really long time. At one point we had to go through a chinese temple to get to the other side of a road. It was way cool! It was SUPER colorful and ornate and was built over a pretty pond/stream. We had to walk through a hall which had big bells hanging on each side all the way down the whole stretch. Old people were walking through it with big sticks in their hands just whacking the bells as they passed them. It was REALLY loud, but REALLY cool. haha! Eventually we asked a postman who told us to take a song thew to the post office where they could look up her address for us. The song thew dropped us off at the post office... which was CLOSED. But the gate wasn't closed all the way over the glass doors, and we could see that there was a light on inside so we just crouched down and knocked on the glass a bunch until a guy came out. We asked him to help us and he said that we were at the WRONG POST OFFICE. But he was nice and called the right one for us and drew a map of where we should go to get to the general area of her house.

See, here's the problem. Thai addresses are the worst. Ever. They'll tell you which area you should go, but a lot of times you just have to know which neighborhood they live in, because the one they put down isn't actually the name of where they live... it's just what the locals know it as. So unless you ask the right person, it's almost impossible to find. Yesterday we got a member to take us in her truck to try to find Noon's house according to the map that the post office guy drew for us. Eventually we found the neighborhood.... but that was just half the battle. Next we had to find her house. Here's where it gets even MORE frustrating: Thai house numbers don't go in order. the house 75/2 can be between the houses 43/4 and 99/1. THERE IS NO ORDER HERE. We just had to wander around and ask people where the house was! Eventually we found it... but no one lives there anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oooooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 

Soooo.... we're scratching our heads trying to figure out how to find this girl. We felt a little miffed that we wasted so much time trying to find a house that wasn't even right.... but in the end, we left the 99 to find the 1. We showed Heavenly Father how much we love her and  what we're willing to do to help her! I think we'll be able to get a hold of her. We just gotta keep praying. hahaha

Basically this week we're starting over from scratch! We only have one or two investigators, so we just gotta go out and find the elect! We have quite a bit of work cut out for us. haha

I'm trying not to think about the fact that transfers in next week or the fact that President recently said that I wouldn't be in Bangkok for much longer. Yikes!

Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Sis Zaugg

Sai got baptized!!!!!

So despite the fact that Sister Adams got food poisoning on Sunday....  and then AGAIN on Wednesday, we still had a pretty good week, because Sai got baptized yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were so proud and happy for her! She still has suuuuch a long way to go in her spiritual progression, but now she has all the tools to help her to continue to grow... mainly the Holy Ghost! She's so awesome. The Elders had two baptisms. That was the first time in Pangna history that there were three baptisms in one day! Awesome. :) So happy! Baptismssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're really hoping for better health this week, because we only have two weeks left of this transfer and need to hit the streets hard! We want to sprint to the end. We basically don't really have any one solid anymore now that Sai is baptized... so we need to go out and find the elect! Me and Sis News mopping up the kitchen  after a random flood from the sink while Sis Adams  was vomiting in the bathroom next door.  Poor girl. :( Yesterday was election day, and so all the missionaries were on house arrest because of the protesters. I always hear about the protests... but I've never actually seen anything big! :/ Basically we had to be at the church or at home. So we helped wash some dishes..... talked with members..... held a baby bunny (yes, a primary girl brought her pet bunny to church in an Easter basket). Random baby bunny Not too much happened this week to report on. A lot of people fell through on us, so we don't have many new investigators to rave about. Next week we will, though! Today for P-Day we went with the Saphaansung district to the Ancient City! It was SO FUN! Pictures to follow. :) Love you all! Have a wonderful week. I love Thailand and love serving the people here even more! Love, Sis Zaugg   (keep scrolling for lots of pictures)   Here is Boy giving me some flowers that she picked. SO CUUUUTE! Contacting at a bus stop for a million years waiting for the right bus to come.... The ancient city is a big park that you go around. We had to pick super ghetto little bikes to ride around on.  We love Thailand! Sis Holmes, Sis Steele, Sis Adams and me!  I love my companion! Just ridin' through an ancient city on our ghetto bikes Seriously the coolest wad in the whole world. Not sure if it was Buddhist or Hindu, though...  It was super sparkly inside! Sorry it's so blurry..... The original mini-me's!  Yup. We're cool. Always remembering my purpose. "Hello! We're representatives of Jesus Christ."  So after this picture I went further into the corridor but then one of those big scary lizards that lock jaw if they bite you ran at me and I ran screaming out of there! But then Elder Delagarza decided to go in  to get a picture of it and it jumped at him!! So he was stuck in the corridor yelling, "I CAN'T GE OUT OF HERE!" We were like, "Just run out!!" and he was like, "I'm too scared!!!!!" hahahahahha He came out alright in the end, though. hahaha Bangkok!!!