A Sick Week

The missionaries went to climb the highest point in Thailand, Don Inthanon Mountain, on p-day. Jake still doesn't have a camera, so we are grateful to Elder Black for sharing his pictures with us. Elder Smith looks a little cold we think.

"This week was a sick week for me. I got super sick last Tuesday. I don't know what it was but it was terrible. I'm getting better now except that I'm still really stuffed up. Sorry this email was late. We went site seeing up in the mountains here in Chiang Mai. It was really fun and way super cold! I thought I was going to freeze to death. It is the highest place in Thailand, so that was really cool. We took some pictures too that I'll try to get for you. I look terrible in them because we woke up at three in the morning to go there. haha"

"Chiang Mai is super fun. I still love it here. There are tons of white people everywhere. We have to bike really far to get to a good place to invite because President Senior has forbidden us to contact white people for awhile. There have been some little issues and they don't seem to like us being here for some reason. There are two wards here, the first and second ward. Elder Black and I are in the second ward and the other Elders are in the first. However, we join together and baptize in both wards. Our Zone is doing really well. The area is baptizing but there is a more lazy feel about it. In Bangkok, everyone is moving so fast and they are too busy. Here the people are more relaxed and take their time with everything. I still contact at least two hours a day if we have time and not traveling. Elder Black and I are going down to the mission office on Tuesday for a meeting on Wednesday, so that will be fun. It will be another 12 hours there and then 12 hours back. haha"

"We did switch-offs with the Elders in Lampang. I was with Elder Taylor. He is the tallest Elder in the mission. This is his third transfer and he is doing really good. People really listen to him because he is so monstrous! haha  We rode our bikes all over the place. We were able to teach a less active RC and we were able to help her to understand the importance of why we keep the commandments. It was a really spiritual lesson. The member that helped us teach actually knew who I was and when I came to the mission. Apparently he knows some of the other Elders and Sisters in my group that talked about me. He said that I was a really great teacher. I was happy to hear that because I was kind of going through a slump. After that, we taught an investigator who Elder Taylor bore a wonderful testimony to of how she is a child of God. This lady is like 67 years old. It was a great lesson as well. Elder Taylor is a really good Elder. We then were able to get two new investigators that are twin girls. They come from a part member family and want their Dad to baptize them. He has some Word of Wisdom problems, so he is trying to become worthy. It is really cool how many families are coming into the church here in Thailand."

"That was a cool email I got from you. I'm glad that you decided to come pick me up. I'm totally fine with staying another week after the mission. That would be fantastic! I wanted the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. That is Elder Bassett's favorite team and I started to like them as well. haha  I love and miss you all so much and will look forward to seeing you."

Elder Jacob Smith