Happy New-Year!!!!!

I'll admit this year for Christmas I wasn't sure what it
was going to be like being away from everyone, the
snow and the homemade caramel but I would have to
say this is one of the best Christmases ever. I too am
filled with such gratitude for my savior and for the
opportunity to be representing Him. I'm overcome when
I think of my ankle and the help I received for Him, but
even more then that all I'm more grateful than ever for
you. It was a bit of an emotional phone call I know but
hearing every one of your voices was the best Christmas
present I could have ever wished for. I'm so glad that
you all had an enjoyable Christmas and that everything
back at home is going good.

So you already got the pictures of our concert, way cool
huh! We got a call from a member in our ward asking us
to put on a Christmas festival thing at the school. While
trying to decide what to do Elder Schulte decided a
concert was just the thing. After getting there and not
having all of the equipment we needed it so happened
that Elder Schulte played the guitar and I sang a solo
for an hour and a half in front of 360 students. Talk
about scary, I was sweating so badly for a while but
then I started getting into it and the next thing you
know I was up dancing on stage, and it just went on
from there. The kids loved it, and I felt like a celebrity,
every single kid rushed the stage when we were done
trying to shake our hands and wanted to talk to the
"white guys". What a blast. After that we went and
sang Christmas songs at a park, lots of people came up
and talked to us, and we were able to talk to lots of
people about Christ. All in all my Christmas was great,
i loved it!

So just a little update on the language. I'm feeling
pretty comfortable, I'm still nowhere near fluent but I'm
to the point that I can be put into any situation and
talk to people and know what's going on. One of my
favorite things to do is put myself into crazy situations
and try and talk my way out of it, it's such a blast! This
language really is like a game: how many topics can
you cover with the taxi driver in under ten minutes?
How much Laotian can you speak with him, there is no
end to the fun! I'll admit there have been some pretty
awkward drivers that take all the fun out of the games,
but even with that sometimes I give them a good life
lesson: "And how does your wife feel about that?" or "Do
you think that's good, do you feel right about..." It's so
great finally being able to speak!!!!!!!!!!!

Right now we are working with a couple investigators
who are working toward baptism. We have been blessed
so much with the people we are teaching, they truly have
been prepared. One of them named "Go" will call just to
ask how Elder Parkinson is doing, How is his ankle doing?
I just love him to death, he is so great and in our last
lesson he walked in and said "God lives, I believe He
does" you can't even imagine how that made me feel,
after promising him that he would know these things are
true he received his answer and is excited to keep
progressing.

It's so funny how every Thai person assumes that we
can't speak Thai. I love it when you're sitting in a
restaurant (chair on the side of the road with a piece of
fish on a stick and rice in a bag) and people will start
talking about you. The greatest part of it all is when
they ask a question to their friend and you answer it.
They always bust out laughing "You speak Thai?" "Yes
I do...do you really think that we are...?" It makes for
some of the greatest discussions because people know
you're funny and that you're not just some scary "white
guy". The other day we passed some girls and they all
started talking about how ugly we were, knowing that
this was a way funny situation Elder Schulte said "Really
did you know we speak Thai and can understand
everything your saying?" I've never laughed so hard in
my life, after I rounded the corner I about died laughing.
Elder Schulte is so funny and we have some great times.
Well I'm out of time. Happy new-year everyone, I love
you all so much.
Tyrel
PS Tonight we will be playing Blockus, and maybe Uno
with a relative of the king, the great granddaughter
of the late King Rama VI. No pressure! I think I'll let
them win =)