Khon Kaen 7.1.12

Dear Familia,

This week has been some more craziness. Before I forget, the new address is:

1645/6 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400

1645/6 ถนนเพชรบุรีตัดใหม่ แขวงมักกะสัน เขตราชเทวี กรุงเทพฯ 10400

As for packages Mom, I really don't need anything. It's so pricey to send stuff anyway.

No new companion yet. But I will find out tomorrow who it is. It is pretty absolute that I will stay in Khonkaen for another transfer (if I don't they would have to whitewash the area) but anything could happen. Tomorrow I meet the new mission president too! We are having a little meet and greet with our zone, the other isaan zone and President Senior and his wife. It should be a good time.

This week I gave my first blessing in Thai. This investigator was having serious back issues so we offered to give her a blessing. I thought for sure E. Grover and E. Staten (we exchanged with Kalasin that day) would do it. Nope. E. Grover anointed and asked me to do the sealing. It was cool and nuts at the same time.

We did some more traveling this week. We went to Udorn Thani, Roi Et, and Kalasin. In each place we ate Isaan food (sticky rice with spicy papaya salad stuff with assorted delicious meats), so I have eaten Isaan food in almost every city in the Isaan (Udorn was the best). In each place the zone leaders taught a district meeting, so I got to hear it 3 times. It was fabulous.

#Crazystory: Last night we had an appointment to teach some potential investigators we met by a street market. We didn't know where they lived so we agreed to meet them at a market near their home. While we wait E. Olive decides that I need to lead the lesson. So we plan it out roughly and then the guy meets us on his moped and starts leading us to their house. It was ridiculous, we were winding through all sorts of little streets. I thought for sure he had no intention of taking us to his house and was just leading us around town for a bit. Finally we get to his house and go inside. We find about 8 people, in a circle, gambling (we were only expecting to teach 2). They were pretty rowdy and may or may not have been drunk (see hashtag below). We asked if we could teach them all for about 10 minutes expecting them to tell us to come back later. Surprisingly they put their cards away, turned off the tv and circled around us to listen. We taught a little about who God is and how baptism can wash away our sins. All the while, trying to ignore their inappropriate comments and keep them under control. It was pretty nuts but E. Grover said I did pretty well. There was one lady (the one we met at the market) who was genuinely interested so hopefully we can meet her again...at the church.

These past two weeks have been pretty insane. I feel like I have learned a ton though from E. Grover and E. Olive and also from being forced to lead my area. I've had to rely on the Lord for help a lot in planning and teaching. Sometimes things didn't work out the way we planned it, but when you trust in the Lord you know that whatever happens is supposed to happen. Speaking Thai is still a challenge, but I know the Lord is helping me everyday. When we humbly ask for help, God answers and lifts us up. I know it.

I love you family. Thanks for the support. Thanks for the letters. Thanks for the prayers.

Elder M. Riley Creer

The Only

hashtags:

You know its gonna be an interesting lesson when the guy you are about to teach opens his beer bottle with his teeth. #roughcrowd

In America, I was told I looked Mexican. In Thailand, I was told I looked Indian. #apparentlywhereeveriamiamnotwhite

Saw my first Buddhist temple #kodakmoment