Pictures 5.27.13

 I felt honored to use it...

 I found hot cocoa in the house!  SCORE

  The Three-o...may it rest in peace

 It wouldn't drain...So we got creative.  Good thing I was certified on proper vacuum use at Fabulous Freddy's.

The zone calendar.  Tuesday's are going to be real busy.

Saphaan Sung 5.27.13

Hello Family.  That I love.

So big news...I have a new companion...again.  There was a post-transfer mini transfer when the new missionaries came into country.  E. Lim was moved to Roi Et and E. Thomas' expected greenie didn't come yet for health reasons.  So now E. Thomas and I are companions.  There are just two of us in our apartment.  We have 3 bathrooms.  Yeah...it's pretty deluxe.

This week we had a big meeting at President Senior's house with all the other zone leaders and the new sister training leaders.  It was sweet.  President gave us the direction that Elder Andersen wants us to take in Thailand.  He wants us to focus on the youth more and really strengthen them and deepen their conversion to Christ.  So we created a youth FHE in sapaansung!  Woohoo.  It'll be stellar.  At the meeting it was fun to see the other zone leaders from all over Thailand...and eat the great food (home-baked cookies almost as good as my mom's?  I was all over that mess).

Yesterday we also had a meeting with the stake presidency and the other zone leaders in the stake (E. Davies (from the MTC) and E. Tzanis (the letter stealing Australian)).  It was pretty interesting to see things from the Stake side, the issues they are facing and their goals.  Being a missionary has really given me a new perspective on the church and building the kingdom of God.  Before, none of this stuff even crossed my mind!  I never thought about the number of priesthood advancements in the upcoming stake conference or the plans to open a new branch or what we can do to help members apply the Apostle's advice.  Nutshell: My mind is being blown.

The game:  Back up to Thursday.  E. Lim just found out he was moving so we were doing some last minute laundry.  The laundry machines are down on the side of our apartment building (we are on floor 3).  He and E. Thomas used up all the Vanish (bleach powder really similar to Oxy clean).  As we were walking back to the elevator we saw the sisters' bikes and decided to leave the empty Vanish can in one of their baskets as a surprise gift.  Fast forward to later that day after district meeting.  As the sisters were leaving the church we hear them toss something down the hall.  It was the Vanish can.  With a scorecard and a taunting message about how the game had begun.  Fast forward to that night.  We were at the Branch President's house for dinner.  We asked his wife to give the Vanish can to the sisters for us.  We added an equally taunting message ("Get on our level") and some points to our side of the scorecard.  We thought we had won.  Game over.  They can't top that.  Boy were we wrong.  The next day the sisters had a baptism.  President Senior randomly showed up to the baptism.  After the service was over he tells E. Thomas and I that he has a box for us.  We follow him out to his car and are given this fairly heavy box all taped up tight.  We go inside and open it.  Inside is the Vanish Can with a new score.  We were stunned.  Jaws dropped.  How did they do it?  Who knew dropping an empty bleach can in a sister's bike basket would start such a crazy game.  Wow.

Well I love you all.  The church is true!  Christ lives.  I heard His Apostle bear witness of it.

Elder M. Riley Creer

The Only

Pictures 5.20.13

new area. new companion. new assignment.  Whoa...

 AWWWWW YEAAAAAHHHH!

 "Oh you mad cuz I'm stylin' on you." -a Tshirt I saw once

The members of Bangna(sty).  Sponsored.

 I don't know what a clangeneral is, 

but I hope one day I can be one.

 The district.  I'm looking mighty frumpy with my awkward tuck.  

Backstory: for part of the FHE activity that night we did yoga which caused the shirt issues.

 I abandoned him. I orphaned him.  Sorry bub.

The famous B. Champ!  Well I guess he is Elder Champ now.  He was in France for 2 days before he had visa problems and was sent back to Thailand.

Saphaan Sung 5.20.13

Hey Family!

So lowkey I met an Apostle of Jesus Christ yesterday...and Saturday.  Yeah it was amazing.  The Sunday meeting that was open to everyone was held in this WAY Hi-so convention hall.  I felt like a business executive just walking in there (now I just need the suit to match...then I'll be Poppin' My Colla').  Elder Andersen said that a temple in Thailand is not a matter of if but when.  We were stoked.  He said in order for Thailand to have a temple they need to have enough Thai members to take care of the temple.  Basically all we need is more temple covenant keeping members that pay their tithing.  He also talked a lot about being a witness of Jesus Christ.  He said we are lucky to be in this mission because we get to talk about Jesus Christ all day with people that know little about Him.  We should testify in all we do of His merits, mercy and grace.  It was a great 2 days.

The Oh Boy Business:  I moved, have a new companion, and am a new zone leader.  Oh nuts.

Because the whole mission was at the missionary meeting with Elder Andersen on Saturday they decided to make that a transfers day.  It was mayhem.  In the end of the fray (I mean day) I came out with an envelope with a paper slip telling me the deets.  I have moved to Saphaan Sung, which is more central eastern Bangkok.  My companion is Elder Lim, but right now we are in a three-o until E. Thomas' new ลูก comes into Thailand.  E. Thomas is the other zone leader (yeah it is a split zone leader deal, we live in the same house but have junior companions).  Pray for me yeah?

My new companion (I feel like I go through this every 6 weeks...): Elder Lim is just finishing his training.  He is Korean but raised in the states.  He plans on joining the Marines and has the muscles to prove it.  He is pretty hilarious.  It'll be a fun transfer แน่้นอน!

Well sorry about the brevity, but I love you LOTS!

Elder M. Riley Creer

The Only

No letter this week

No letter this week, but we had a great time Skyping with Riley!

Pictures 5.13.13

 It's a baptism...not a marriage

  Power suit, power tie, power steering.  (name that movie)

News wanted a goofy pic.

My companion didn't get the memo (it was in Thai).

So hood.

 GET ON MY LEVEL

 Found this little gem on our way to an investigator's house.

 I was standing in the church's lawn waiting for my companion to lock our bikes.  Out of the corner of my eye I see this little guy hop across my path.  I called to my companion, "Hey a frog, Elder watch this!"  Then I wound up...and kicked him.  He just sailed right out there...into the parking lot.  I connected with him mid-hop so he got some good height.  My companion and I just watched as he sailed right out there.  I was a little disappointed on the distance though.  It was really pretty amazing how he just went sailing right out there.  Here he is...post-punt.  Before you alert PETA, he played dead for a bit then hopped on his way. (name that movie, poppa smurf)

Pictures 5.6.13

 The hope

 The depressing reality

One stanky elevator.

Bangna 5.6.13

Hello from the land down under.

I have received a mid-mission reassignment to the Australia Perth mission, Thai speaking.  Yeah...a kangaroo just ran by our house.  PSYCH!

I'm still in the big T, enjoying paradise.  This week has been hot.  Wicked hot.  We each drink around 3 liters of water before we leave the house each morning and then sweat it all out by 2 pm...yeah it's a glamorous life.

Sam, you have stitches?  From what?  Katie, congrats on the race!  And I loved your blog post with all the What's up doc quotes.  So classic.  Jeremy, I prayed for you...after you already took the test.  Sorry I forgot!  But I'm sure since I'm in another hemisphere there is a time delay and retroactive blessings are ok.  Mom, did you send me the new address?  I was going to write a letter (you know...with paper) but then I got all stressed about when you were moving and if I'd send it to the wrong house so I figured I'd write it next week :)  Dad, thanks for the notes.  They helped.

"Well this is dumb" story: Last Pday.  E. Jensen and I had a sweet plan.  It involved dropping by the mission office/distribution center and picking up some new scrips, and then heading to the King's palace and temple.  Yeah we were pretty pumped.  We first stopped by the office and learned the distribution center is only open on Thursday.  [insert expression of dismay here] Then we headed to the king's palace.  We took a BTS train to the end of the line, a 30 minute ridiculously jerky bus ride, arriving there at 3:37 pm.  We get out and walk to the entrance.  As we walk I read a sign that says it closes for foreigners at 3:30 pm.  Ouch.  That hurts the team.  Real bad.  Not wanting to give up that easy, we try a different door.  This guard guy stops us and says we can't go in.  I tried to show him my work permit hoping that would let us get in.  Nope.  Unless we got a bunch of tanning oil and a quick nose job there was no way we were getting inside.  It was a sad experience.  Nutshell:  For Pday we spent tons of personal money testing out the various public transportation options offered in Bangkok: BTS, MRT, Bus, Taxi.  I'm beginning to wonder why I'm so bad at Pdays.  I guess the trip planning gene my mom has is recessive.

This week we spent quite a bit of time looking for less actives.  Have I ever mentioned Thai addresses?  Well if there is an order or some kind of system then I don't understand it at all.  We ended up riding our bikes around in the heat for a long time looking and spent very little time finding.  It was a bit of a bummer.  Brightside: I probably lost half a kilo in sweat.  Yeah buddy.

Big News (no pun intended): Our investigator passed her baptismal interview!  You may be wondering what the pun was...well her name is News.  For real, it is News.  But she passed and will be baptized on Sunday.  Yes.  She is a 19 year old girl that is studying here in Bangkok.  She speaks lightning fast and uses lots of facial expressions, aka she is hilarious to talk to.

Bigger news: An Apostle of Jesus Christ is coming to Thailand.  The whole mission is having a fat meeting on the 18th with him.  Yeah we are pumped.  We still don't know who is coming but I'll keep you all updated.

Much Love,

Elder M. Riley Creer

the only