It's raining, It's Pouring

My oh my, was it ever great to hear your voices. For a minute I thought Kennady was Brielle, you all sound so much older...i mean except for mom and dad, you sound younger =) it's so crazy to hear about all you are doing back home and all the changes that are talking place.

I guess I’ll start off with a crazy story. Yesterday we left the house after eating lunch and were gone for a long time. After out last appointment we returned home to find both doors wide open. Just to paint the scene for you: it had been raining all day so you could hear water dripping off the house and trees, it was about 7:00 in the evening and the sky was filled with clouds meaning absolutely no light. in order to turn the lights on in our house you have to walk into the middle of the house. We walked up to the door and stood there for a second not being able to see anything. All the news of the civil unrest flooded through my mind as we walked into the door. To make a long story short they had left and no one was in the house, and another thing, they didn't take anything from the house. Kinda scary but not a problem

This Sunday we will be having a baptism for a man names Samran: we've been teaching him for two months, he's about 74 years old and rides his bike over 6 miles every time he comes to church or meets with us. He’s such a stud and is deadly at checkers, we have yet to find someone who can beat him. Right now we have 3 other investigators who are really close and will be getting baptized the first of next month. The work here in Korat is going so good we are teaching over 30 people right now and getting now people all the time.

We have one investigator right now who is a Buddhist scholar or something. He knows absolutely everything about Buddhism and he likes to compare the doctrine with ours. I’ll admit I love to debate and argue but as a missionary you can’t; besides it doesn't help anyway. I’m just so amazed at how confusing other religions are and how the doctrine doesn't even tie together. I could find holes in the doctrine big enough to drive a car through. I’m so glad to be a part of a church that makes sense, that we can actually see results in our lives from fallowing the principles and doctrines. It’s such a testimony to me that this church is the true church of God and is perfectly perfect in every way!

It’s getting closer to the rainy season which is great in the sense that it's not as hot but instead you walk through water all day. Yesterday it rained a ton and the lightning and thunder was incredible. I mean shake the house and hurt your ears kinda loud. As we were leaving the church the members were really worried because the storm came in really low, I mean the clouds were so close. We got in the house just as the storm started, and oh but what a storm it was! I wish I could take a picture of the fury of it but the camera just can't capture it.

Elder McKonkie is now training a new elder. It’s so crazy to think of how old we are all getting in the mission. I’m so excited for him. I have never heard of an elder training in Thailand as early as Elder McKonkie has. He’s such a great missionary and really works hard.

So Elder Dearden and I just counted up the amount of days till he goes home and it's just over 60. Ahhhhh! It’s so crazy how the time flies! I’ll admit I’ve never hurd someone speak Thai as well as he does, people always ask him where in Thailand he was born, and then they are blown away when he says "I’ve only been here for a year and a half". Oh yeah his grandparents work in the Ogden temple, and I actually sat down and talked with them before I came over here. Small world

I love you all,
Tyrel

Ps. next week Elder Oaks is supposed to be coming to talk to the members here in Thailand next Monday so the email might be on Tuesday I’m not sure?