serving in the land of smiles: The Last Letter from สะพานสูง.

President Suchaad, Ice, me, Isrin and Brian.

Well family,

On Wednesday we've got a transfers meeting. I will be leaving my birthplace (my greenie area) and going somewhere else in Thailand. I have yet to find out where...but you'll find out on CHRISTMAS when we skype! :)

This week was interesting, to say the least. A lot of it was taken up by our performances in Asok of The First Christmas in Bethlehem & The First Christmas in Zarahemla. It was super a lot of fun. We got to get our make up done and our hair did and we wore these really great princess ball gowns that were custom-made. We even get to keep them! I'm not sure when I'll wear it again on my mission...haha...but I will keep it with me just in case. You never know when you'll need a ball gown.

But really, it was a great experience to testify of Christ at Christmastime.

We also picked up our Christmas packages from the mission office this week. We had to go through over 200 packages to find ours. Haha, it was crazy. We decorated our room for the holidays and we put our presents under our 4-inch, light-up tree that Sister Zaugg's family sent her. Not the usual set-up, but it's definitely just as good. It's fun being a missionary at Christmas. :)

So yeah. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what I have learned this last transfer (and in the last 4.5 months here in สะพานสูง). Here are some of the things I have learned:

+ Faith is a choice you make every morning when you wake up.

+ Faith is trust. When you have faith in the Lord, you trust Him. When you trust Him, you are able to do what He asks of you.

+ I am a good missionary.

+ When I am confident in myself, I am confident in the Lord. He called Sister Hughes to be SISTER HUGHES, not Sister Somebody, not Elder Whoever. He called me to Thailand because I have something to contribute here.

+ I can make a difference.

+ The scriptures are true no matter what language you read them in. And reading them changes lives, no matter what someone's previous scriptural knowledge is. (Just this week we asked one of our investigators if she had read 1 Nephi 7 yet (at the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, for those who don't know) and she was like, "Sisters, I'm almost done with the whole book..." She's almost done with ALMA. Seriously. That book changes people.)

+ There are a lot of problems in Thailand. A whole lot. But one of the things that isn't broken is love. There is a whole lot of love in this country.

+ Being a missionary is the best and I can never be a normal and not-awkward person ever again. Haha.

Yesterday was my last Sunday in this ward. It was heart breaking, to say the least. So many people said so many nice things to me. There were a lot of tender moments with members and Recent Converts that I have loved so much and served and worked so hard with. Our investigator Deer got baptized yesterday after church and after the service, she ran to me crying. I didn't realize what was wrong until she told me she didn't want me to leave. She just sobbed on my shoulder for a little bit. These wonderful people just really know how to love. Stupid I'm going to cry right now thinking about it. I'm so glad for the chance that I have had to spend so long with them.

Also, here is a good thing. Ploy told me she had a present for me but it hadn't come yet. She got me a new Thai Bible. When I get it, she wants me to give it to someone who needs it in my next area. That girl. She is amazing.

I'm excited to take all I've learned about missionary work to my new area. I'm sorry this week's letter is short, but I've got to pack and get ready for transfers! Oy!!!!

I love you all! I will talk to you on CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Over and out,

Sister Hughes